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SUMMARY:The diversification of birds - Dr Gavin Thomas\, University of She
 ffield
DTSTART:20150120T160000Z
DTEND:20150120T170000Z
UID:TALK55246@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Dr Hannah Rowland
DESCRIPTION:There are ~10\,000 species of birds distributed around the wor
 ld. My seminar will focus on the last 100 millions years of the global bir
 d radiation and ask how did this diversity arise. The dynamics of avian di
 versification reveal some surprises. Variation in rates of diversification
  across the bird phylogeny add up to unexpected increases in the rate of s
 peciation towards the present. The causes of rate heterogeneity remain dif
 ficult to identify. I will present new results that suggest a potentially 
 important role for islands as diversity pumps. The continuing diversificat
 ion of birds implies that ecological limits have not yet been reached. I d
 iscuss evidence for ecological limits to diversity in the context of evolu
 tion of bill morphology.
LOCATION:Part II Lecture Theatre\, Department of Zoology
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