Spatial sorting drives morphological variation in the invasive bird, Acridotheris tristis

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dc.contributor.author Berthouly-Salazar, Cecile
dc.contributor.author Janse Van Rensburg, Berndt
dc.contributor.author Le Roux, J.J. (Johannes Jacobus)
dc.contributor.author Van Vuuren, Bettine J.
dc.contributor.author Hui, Cang
dc.date.accessioned 2012-08-10T08:30:01Z
dc.date.available 2012-08-10T08:30:01Z
dc.date.issued 2012-05-31
dc.description.abstract The speed of range expansion in many invasive species is often accelerating because individuals with stronger dispersal abilities are more likely to be found at the range front. This ‘spatial sorting’ of strong dispersers will drive the acceleration of range expansion. In this study, we test whether the process of spatial sorting is at work in an invasive bird population (Common myna, Acridotheris tristis) in South Africa. Specifically, we sampled individuals across its invasive range and compared morphometric measurements relevant and non-relevant to the dispersal ability. Besides testing for signals of spatial sorting, we further examined the effect of environmental factors on morphological variations. Our results showed that dispersal-relevant traits are significantly correlated with distance from the range core, with strong sexual dimorphism, indicative of sex-biased dispersal. Morphological variations were significant in wing and head traits of females, suggesting females as the primary dispersing sex. In contrast, traits not related to dispersal such as those associated with foraging showed no signs of spatial sorting but were significantly affected by environmental variables such as the vegetation and the intensity of urbanisation. When taken together, our results support the role of spatial sorting in facilitating the expansion of Common myna in South Africa despite its low propensity to disperse in the native range. en
dc.description.librarian ab2012 en
dc.description.sponsorship The Stellenbosch University Subcommittee B and the National Research Foundation (NRF). en
dc.description.uri http://www.plosone.org en
dc.identifier.citation Berthouly-Salazar C, Van Rensburg BJ, Le Roux JJ, Van Vuuren BJ, Hui C (2012) Spatial Sorting Drives Morphological Variation in the Invasive Bird, Acridotheris tristis. PLoS ONE 7(5): e38145. DOI : 10.1371/journal.pone.0038145. en
dc.identifier.issn 1932-6203
dc.identifier.other 10.1371/journal.pone.0038145
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/2263/19584
dc.language.iso en en
dc.publisher Public Library of Science en
dc.rights © 2012 Berthouly et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. en
dc.subject Invasive bird en
dc.subject Acridotheris tristis en
dc.subject Spatial sorting en
dc.subject Aves en
dc.subject.lcsh Birds en
dc.subject.lcsh Introduced birds en
dc.subject.lcsh Spatial systems en
dc.title Spatial sorting drives morphological variation in the invasive bird, Acridotheris tristis en
dc.type Article en


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