Publication Type:
ThesisSource:
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, University of Colorado, Boulder, p.114 (2007)Call Number:
U07SCH01IDUSKeywords:
Desert Horned Lizard, Horned Lizards, Phrynosoma, Phrynosoma douglasii, Phrynosoma hernandesi, Phrynosoma platyrhinos, Pygmy Horned Lizard, Short-Horned LizardAbstract:
This thesis is presented in three chapters and uses the genus Phrynosoma to investigate how morphological characteristics vary with the environment across multiple spatial scales. To examine relationships between morphology and environmental features at a broad scale, the author employed a biodiversity informatics approach incorporating museum specimen data, GIS-based climate data, and phylogenetic data to assess variation in species trait and environmental data in a phylogenetic context. A strong positive correlation between morphology and bioclimatic features among Phrynosoma species was found. To examine relationships between morphology and environmental features at a local scale, morphological characters and habitat use among three species of Phrynosoma and among three populations of P. hernandesi were compared. Results corroborated the broad-scale analysis and recognized significant relationships between morphology and habitat among species, but not within species. Schneider concludes that this research reveals new information about the ecology of species in the genus and has implications for competition theory, conservation, and ecomorphology theory.
Notes:
ELECTRONIC FILE - Zoology
Citation (CSE style): Schneider AM. 2007. An examination of morphological and environmental variability among horned lizards (Phrynosoma) at broad and local scales [master's thesis]. Boulder (CO): University of Colorado. 114 p.
[References online report 126 p. for this thesis; perhaps that just includes signed pages which weren't reproduced here.]