Research shows role of nests in bird evolution

          Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-28 14:00:24|Editor: Chengcheng
          Video PlayerClose

          TAIPEI, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan researchers have revealed the relationship between nest diversity and bird evolution after examining more than 8,000 kinds of bird nests from 242 avian families.

          To have a functional nest, birds first need to select a site, and then construct a nest with a particular shape and attach it to a supporting object.

          After analyzing the evolutionary paths of bird nests in terms of site, structure and attachment, researchers from Taiwan's "Academia Sinica" found that similarity in nest structures may reveal the nesters' evolutionary relationships.

          The research also showed that today's diverse bird nests may also be related to two large-scale bird "adaptive radiation" events in the past. Adaptive radiation refers to the process in which organisms rapidly evolve into multiple types in order to adapt to changes in the environment.

          Hung Chih-Ming, assistant research fellow at the institute's biodiversity research center, said that the emergence of multiple novel nest characteristics contributed, at least partially, to adaptive radiation in birds, and the diversification of bird nests might have resulted in the planet's current avian diversity.

          "When the world is facing rapid climate and environment changes, the speed of nest character evolution can be a key for birds to survive in the future," said Hung.

          The research was published in the journal Nature Communications on May 14.

          TOP STORIES
          EDITOR’S CHOICE
          MOST VIEWED
          EXPLORE XINHUANET
          010020070750000000000000011100001372122131
          无码人妻一区二区三区四区av_亚洲精品911在线永久观看_精品一区二区国产在线观看_日韩不卡一区二区视频在线

                  日本免费一区二区三区中文 | 亚洲综合在线另类第一页 | 中国少妇性爱视频免费的 | 亚洲日韩国产综合一区 | 最精彩色站在线播放 | 日本一本精品中文字幕视频 |