A Study of Morphological Modifications in Birds
Exploring the Role of Morphological Modifications in Avian Speciation
by Niru Saini*, Dr. Mukesh .,
- Published in Journal of Advances and Scholarly Researches in Allied Education, E-ISSN: 2230-7540
Volume 18, Issue No. 3, Apr 2021, Pages 593 - 597 (5)
Published by: Ignited Minds Journals
ABSTRACT
Birds are ideal models for studying speciation because of their wide range of traits and accompanying spatial patterns. For centuries, morphological procedures were the preferred method for determining the degree of relatedness between species and intraspecific variation, until molecular genetic investigations gravely questioned traditional morphology-based results. However, with the advancement of multivariate statistics and the ease with which morphological, phylogenetic, and ecological information can be combined, morphology is being reconsidered as a valuable tool for ornithological research. This chapter examines the most essential features of morphological variation in birds, including how to assess its plasticity and how phenotypic variation can be included into a larger evolutionary framework that explains avian body alterations in light of speciation events.
KEYWORD
birds, morphological modifications, speciation, traits, spatial patterns, molecular genetics, multivariate statistics, phylogenetic, ecological information, plasticity, phenotypic variation, evolutionary framework, avian body alterations
