INTER-ISLAND GENETIC AND CULTURAL VARIATION IN THE THICK-BLLED VIRE0 ( Vireo crassirostris) Marlene Rona Waiker A thesis subrnitted in confomity with the requirements for the degee of Master of Science Graduate Department of Zoology University of Toronto O Copyright by Marlene Rona Walker ( 1998 ) National Library Bibliothèque nationale du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395. nie Wellington Ottawa ON K1A ON4 Ottawa ON K1A ON4 Canada Canada Yow fi Voire nlld~(~~d Our lSle Notre rdldrence The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant à la National Libr~of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sell reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microfonn, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/nlm, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protege cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts i?om it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permis sion. autorisation. NER-ISLAND GENETIC AND CULTURAL VARIATION IN THE THICK-BILLED VIRE0 (Vire0 crassirosfris) Master of Science 1998 Graduate Department of Zoology, University of Toronto Marlene Rona Walker ABSTRACT Patterns of divergence in two evolutionary pathways, cultural and genetic, are assessed in the West Indian Thick-bikd Vireo (Vireo crassiroslris). Spectrographie assay of songs of 140 males recorded on eight islands formed three clusters: 'Cayman' cluster (Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac); 'Bahama' platfom cluster (Abaco, Andros and New Providence), and the 'trench' cluster - birds on islands separated by deep sea trenches (San Salvador and Turks and Caicos). Genetic variation was assessed by sequencing 389 bp of the control region, Domain 1 (mtDNA) which revealed 22 transitions arnong 17 haplotypes cornmensurate with recent speciation events, c. 1 10,000 ybp. The Turks and Caicos and Cayman populations show genetic and memetic differentiation, in contrat to the northern Bahamas which are characterized by the mixing of thick-bill populations. This study has shown that geographic distance and isolation from potential colonization sources promote the activation of the micro-evolutionary processes which yield intraspecific variation. REPRODUCE AS IS TO- WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: 1, fidda@ Rafla U/cclk&( authori ze the National Library of Canada to microfilm the fol lowlng @/graphe/oharts or Bppendix out of the attached theai a as is: 7 , though they may not be legible when kproduced. For reference, a bound copy of the thesis wi17 be available at the University of Toronto.'~ Graduate Department of . Signature Date ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Speciai acknowledgment goes to Dr. Jon C. Barlow, rny supervisor, who has aiways believed in me. 1 thank him for providig never-ending support and guidance, and for sharing his wide-ranging experience in ornithology, in particular, his extensive knowledge of vireos. In this regard, his fieldwork spanning 30 years, including tape-recording and collecting in the Bahamas and in the Cayrnan Islands, was essential to my current work. When he first suggested that 1 investigate birdsong during undergraduate studies, 1 was filled with trepidation. 1 loved birds, but it was the visual experience that thriiied me. 1 hadn't paid much attention to the beauty of song, subtle contact notes, the delight of the Winter Wren in fiil1 morning Song or the energetic bursts of early moming Song of the Northern Cardinal. in addition, I contended that 1 didn't have an 'ear' for music, as evidenced by the traumatic experience when 1 was forced to 'mouth' the words in the Grade 2 choir. My next traumatic musical event occumed in Grade 6 when 1 was asked to choose a musical instrument. I chose the trombone but was relegated to the flute instead. I disliked the sound of the flute for the next 30 years until I becarne mesmerized by the flute-Iike cadence of the Wood Thnish. The study of birdsong has been a gift which 1 cherish thanks to Dr. Barlow. Thank you to Dr. David Dunham, my adjunct supervisor, for his advice and encouragement since the beginning of my zoological 'adventure' and to Dr. James Rising for the frtscinating field experiences in Sape10 Island (Georgia) and Costa Rica, and for challenging me in the classroom. And to Dr. Allan J. Baker, who taught the wonders of molecular evohtion, and whose constructive comments and suggestions in the course of my work have been appreciated. iii Dr. Alejandro Lynch is gratefùlly acknowledged for his statisticd, cornputer and mathematical wizardry which he generously provided whenever he was asked. Colette Baril has been a source of inspiration. We have worked alongside one another for two years, studying birdsong and 'discovering' that "evolution really does happen." We have compared syllables, read in nucleotide sequences, and shared the trials, tribulations and successes in molecular work. I am gratehl for dl of her help and I ch&& the time we have shared. Oliver Haddrath has played a very important role in my graduate career. We took our graduate courses together, oflen collaborating in group projects in Conservation Biology. But it has been in the molecular laboratory that Oliver has been my 'rock'. He has always been cheerfil, patient and has helped me in so many ways. He has a gift at teaching, and I will always rernember his analogies, blackboard diagrams and spontaneous sketches of molecular evolutionary techniques and concepts. It is with a deep sense of gratitude that 1 acknowledge a vexy wonderful colleague and friend. Mark Peck has been my fnend and field colleague in most of my fieldwork. We have traveled and worked together in New Providence, Andros, Abaco and San Salvador in the Bahamas, and in Providenciales and Middle Caicos in the Turks and Caicos. No matter where we went his sense of humour,joyfiil interaction with people and his field expertise were remarkable. Mark demonstrates amazing tenacity and creativity in the field, and 1 wilI remember with fondness the many experiences we shared. I also wish to thank Mark for his help in the molecular laboratory and in the collections. There are rnany staff and fellow graduate students at the Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Biology at the Royal Ontario Museum whorn 1 wish to thank for their assistance, support and camaraderie over the iast two years: Dilara Ally, Cathy Ayley, Maryann Burbidge, Alana Danko, Mike Dennison, Judy Edwards-Davies, Andrew Given, Alessandro Grapputo, Annette Greenslade, Cortîand Griswold, Brad MiIlen, Glenn Murphy, Chris Pankewycz, Tara Paton, Cathy Rutland and Nicola Wade. Many thanks to Dr. Sherwin S. Desser for his encouragement throughout my programme and to the administrative staff in the Graduate Department of Zoology, Sheila Freeman, Elizabeth Tudor- Mulroney and Susan Del Tufo. 1 wish to express my gratitude to the foflowing for financiai support received in the course of my studies: JC Barlow, Trust Fund (ROM), for my research in the moIecular and sound laboratories, for fieldwork in the Bahamas, Cayrnan Islands and Turks and Caicos Islands, and for conference fùnding for trips to Aniba, and St. Louis, Missouri where 1 presented papers on the Thick-biIled Vireo; The Arnerican Museum of Natural History and the Frank M. Chapman Mernorial Fund for the generous gift of research fiinds which supported iny molecular analysis; The University of Toronto which provided me with two Open Master's Fellowships; The University of Toronto, Department of Zoology for giving me conference hdsfor presentations at the Society of Caribbean Ornithology (1996, 1997) and for the North Amencan Oniithological Conference in St. Louis, Missouri (1998). In addition, 1 have met and liaised with so many wondefil people fiom al1 over the West Indies. Thanks to: Patricia Bradley who accommodated me in hm home on Grand Cayman, chauffeured me around the islanà, traveleâ with me to Cayman Brac, assisted in the field and made numerous contacts for my fieldwork in both the Cayman Islands and in the Turks and Caicos. 1 treasure the fnendship diat has grown. Thanks also to Patricia's husbanâ, Michael Bradley for his hospitality. Wallace Platts, Chairman of the Cayman Brac National Tmst who met Jon Barlow, Patricia Bradley and myself at the Cayman Brac airport and thereupon acted as willing guide, and driver and assisted in any way he could during ou fieldwork on the island. Gina Ebanks-Petrie, Director of Environment, and the Department of the Environment for issuing a research permit for my work in the Cayrnan Islands. Arhuo Kirkcomell and Orlando Garrido, my Cuban fiiends, who have gladiy provided me with both Song and tissue in order to andyze the Paredon Grande Cay population of the Thick-billed Vireo. Our ongoing contact over the last two years has been a 'bonus' in my academic career. Many people facilitated my fieldwork in the Bahamas. Thanks to: Dr. Maurice Isaacs, Veterinary Officer and Eric Carey, Assistant Agicultural Officer fiorn the Department of Agriculture for supplying me with a research pennit. Lynn Gape, Public Relations and Education Officer of The Bahanas National Trust provided excellent contacts in the Bahamas. Among vi these contacts were Anthony W. White and PericIes Maillis who gave me more contacts on each island. In San Salvador, Mark and 1 stayed at the Bahamian Field Station where we were pennitted to stay despite the station being closed. Velda Phelps shopped for us and generally made sure that we had everything we needed. Anthony W. White for reviewing his records of thick-bills in the Exumas and for sending recordings of the Thick-billed Vireo, reçorded by Bruce Hallett on Providencides, Turks and Caicos Islands.