Meeting Abstract
Ecomorphologists and natural resource professionals often have different priorities, but share the common interest of advancing the state of understanding of the organisms they steward. Here we present snapshots of two case studies that illustrate the reciprocal benefits of in-depth morphofunctional analysis to address this joint cause. One study in collaboration with San Diego Zoo Global Institute for Conservation Research looks at the ontogeny of feeding performance in endangered San Clemente Loggerhead Shrikes. Here we address questions regarding how predatory proficiency relates to beak development, and when juveniles attain adult-levels of performance. This work is relevant to captive breeding efforts because it provides ways to quantify predatory performance, and an opportunity to assess whether juvenile feeding performance predicts post-release survival. A second case study in collaboration with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife examines the morphological basis to habitat use in the endangered salt marsh harvest mouse. Of particular interest is whether these mice possess specialized swimming and climbing capabilities that allow them to tolerate periods of tidal inundation. These data are useful for assessing the potential impacts of tidal restoration, because they shed light on how mice negotiate flooded habitats. Taken together, these studies provide new functional insights and metrics for species of conservation concern, which could ultimately aid in their preservation.
