Blank, J.M.*; Davie, P.S.; Morrissette, J.M.; Block, B.A.: EFFECTS OF TEMPERATURE ON CARDIAC PERFORMANCE IN YELLOWFIN TUNA Tunas are remarkable among teleosts for their endothermy, high metabolic rates and high capacity for exercise. While tunas warm their swimming muscles and viscera, their hearts are thought to remain near ambient temperature. This raises the possibility that […]

FRAZIER, M.*; HUEY, R.B.; BERRIGAN, D.: Thermal Dependence of Darwinian Fitness in Insects: Biogeographic Patterns Latitudinal patterns in the temperature sensitivity of diverse physiological and life history traits are widely documented. However, latitudinal patterns of the thermal dependence of Darwinian fitness have never been described. So we are compiling a database of studies (so far […]

HUEY, R.B.*; GILCHRIST, G.W.; BALANYA, J.; PASCUAL, M.; SERRA, L.: Rapid Evolution Redux: a Size Cline in South American Populations of an Introduced Fly The introduction and rapid spread of the fly Drosophila subobscura along the west coasts of both North and South America just over two decades ago provide a remarkable opportunity to evaluate […]

PFENNIG, D.W.: Polyphenism and the Ecological Origins of Diversity What are the causes of phenotypic diversity? A leading hypothesis is that divergent selection resulting from competition promotes diversification among coexisting species. This hypothesis is difficult to test, however, because there may be a long time lag between the introduction of a competitor and the evolutionary […]

RISSLER, LJ: Ecology and Phylogenetics of Salamanders Across the Eastern Continental Divide I combined ecological experiments and phylogenetic comparisons to understand how species interactions and ecology impact patterns of species distributions and genetic variance across the Eastern Continental Divide (ECD). Tributaries separated by the ECD are completely isolated via aquatic routes that either flow into […]

WYNGAARD*, GA; DOMANGUE, R; GERKEN, S; RASCH, EM: A Mechanistic Role for Chromatin Diminution in the Evolution of Genome Size and Life History Characteristics in Zooplankton We propose a mechanistic explanation of how variation in large scale features of the genome are translated into life history variation at the organismal level in freshwater cyclopoids (Crustacea: […]

SPEZZANO JR., L.C.*; JAYNE, B.C.; Univ. of Cincinnati; Univ. of Cincinnati: The effects of incline and perch diameter on the hind limb movements of the arboreal lizard Anolis sagrei Arboreal species of animals often move on narrow perches with variable inclines, and many species of lizards occupy arboreal habitats. The maximal speeds of locomotion of […]

IRSCHICK, D. J.*; FULL, R. J.; Tulane University; University of California at Berkeley: Running without a back: Experimental manipulations of axial bending in geckos and effects on kinematics and force dynamics We investigated the role of axial bending on force dynamics and kinematics during steady-speed horizontal locomotion in the gecko Hemidactylus garnoti. Axial bending has […]

PILARSKI, J.Q.; NISHIKAWA, K.C.; PIEROTTI, D.J.; Nothern Arizona Univ.; Northern Arizona Univ.; Northern Arizona Univ.: Power amplification by pre-activation of semimembranosus in Rana pipiens In frogs capable of jumping long distances, power output during takeoff has been shown to be much greater than the hind limb musculature is capable of producing based on after-loaded isotonic […]

FURROW, E.*; AHN, A.N.; BIEWENER, A.A.; Harvard University, Cambridge, MA: Mechanics of a Running Frog (Kassina maculata) Although most frog species are specialized for jumping, hopping or swimming, Kassina maculata, the Red-Legged Running frog, primarily uses locomotion during which the hind limbs alternate. In this study, the mechanics of the center of mass during locomotion […]