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UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones 8-2011 Phylogeography of a vanishing North American songbird: The painted bunting (Passerina ciris) Connie Ann Herr University of Nevada, Las Vegas Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/thesesdissertations Part of the Behavior and Ethology Commons, Biodiversity Commons, Ornithology Commons, Population Biology Commons, and the Poultry or Avian Science Commons Repository Citation Herr, Connie Ann, "Phylogeography of a vanishing North American songbird: The painted bunting (Passerina ciris)" (2011). UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones. 1318. http://dx.doi.org/10.34917/3038776 This Dissertation is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by Digital Scholarship@UNLV with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Dissertation in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/or on the work itself. This Dissertation has been accepted for inclusion in UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones by an authorized administrator of Digital Scholarship@UNLV. For more information, please contact [email protected]. PHYLOGEOGRAPHY OF A VANISHING NORTH AMERICAN SONGBIRD: THE PAINTED BUNTING (PASSERINA CIRIS) by Connie Ann Herr Bachelor of Science University of Nevada, Las Vegas 1988 Master of Science University of Nevada, Las Vegas 1991 A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy in Biological Sciences School of Life Sciences College of Science Graduate College University of Nevada, Las Vegas August 2011 Copyright by Connie Ann Herr 2011 All Rights Reserved THE GRADUATE COLLEGE We recommend the dissertation prepared under our supervision by Connie Ann Herr entitled Phylogeography of a Vanishing North American Songbird: The Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Biological Sciences Department of Life Sciences Brett Riddle, Committee Chair Daniel Thompson, Committee Member Lloyd Stark, Committee Member Mark Buttner, Graduate College Representative Ronald Smith, Ph. D., Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies and Dean of the Graduate College August 2011 ii ABSTRACT Phylogeography of a Vanishing North American Songbird: The Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) by Connie Ann Herr Dr. Brett Riddle, Examination Committee Chair Professor of Biological Sciences University of Nevada, Las Vegas Studies of genetic variation within and between species can provide insights into their evolutionary history as well as important information for conserving biodiversity. An understanding of population processes can assist in the conservation of biodiversity by contrasting current versus historical patterns, and the processes that have generated these patterns. Genetic differentiation often coincides with significant geological or climatic changes that have shaped the sizes and locations of the species geographic range and altered the connectivity between populations over time. Phylogenetic and population genetic analyses can also provide a statistical framework for the investigation of how human processes such as habitat loss, population connectivity, overexploitation, and species introductions can affect biodiversity. Here, I employ a suite of phylogenetic and population genetic analyses to address several questions regarding the phylogenetic relationships of the Nearctic – Neotropical migratory songbird: the Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris). The Painted Bunting breeds in the southeast and south central United States and winters in the Florida Keys, the Caribbean, Mexico and portions of Central America. The Atlantic Coast population of the Painted Bunting is a bird of considerable conservation concern. The biotic history of iii this part of North America has been examined using a wide variety of vertebrates. Many species have had their geographic ranges shift repeatedly during Pleistocene glaciations and many geographic features have been suggested as possible barriers to gene flow. I begin by reconstructing the phylogeny of the genus Passerina and three members of the closely related genus Cyanocompsa to address issues concerning the evolution of migration within the Passerina clade and the role, geographical source, and timing of range expansions within the Painted Bunting. Data presented herein support the hypotheses that the Painted Bunting split from its sister, the Varied Bunting approximately 1.5 – 2.1 million years ago during the Pleistocene and that the evolution of migration within the bunting phylogeny evolved independently two times. Additionally, the Painted Bunting is embedded within an otherwise sedentary clade of Mexican birds indicating that the Painted Buntings ancestor is of Mexican origin. Genetic analyses of populations within the breeding grounds indicate that the allopatric Painted Bunting populations diverged approximately 26,000 – 115,000 years ago and represent incipient species and as such the Atlantic Coast and interior populations should be recognized as separate management units. Hypotheses concerning the patterns of connection between the breeding and overwintering ranges also suggest a general separation between the Atlantic Coast breeding and Caribbean wintering areas from the interior breeding and Mexican/Central American wintering grounds. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, I would like to thank Dr. Brett Riddle for allowing me to finish my dissertation project under his guidance. I would also like to thank my other committee members Dr. Daniel Thompson, Dr. Lloyd Stark and Dr. Mark Buttner for their advice and support, as well as providing comments that have improved my dissertation manuscript. I thank Dr. Andrew Andres and Dr. Javier Rodriguez for their insights as well as their interest in my professional development. Dr. Stacy Mantooth spent countless hours mentoring me, in addition to being a great friend, and was a tremendous help throughout this degree. I am grateful for my friendship and support with Dr. Derek Houston and Dr. Eduardo Robleto throughout my graduate degree. I am especially grateful to Nicholle Booker for her never ending support and help during the last year of my degree. This research was supported, in part, by the Barrick Museum of Natural History, and the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. Further support was provided by grants to me from the Graduate and Professional Student Association, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Many people provided invaluable help in the laboratory and in the field. I would like to especially thank Jeremy Batten, Jeff DaCosta, Scott and Terri Kacy, and Will and Carol Kacy. And finally I would like to thank my family. It is because of your strength, encouragement, and generosity that I have been able to accomplish everything in my life. I dedicate this milestone to my parents, whose love and support have carried me through life and it is because of them I have made it here. I thank my brother Rick for always being there and my sisters Polly and Linda for their ongoing support. Last but not least, I v express my deepest gratitude to Kyle Kacy whose endless love and encouragement gave me strength throughout the years. I am truly blessed to have such a great family. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................ v LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................... viii LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................... ix CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................ 1 CHAPTER 2 GENETIC DIVERSITY WITHIN THE ALLOPATRIC BREEDING DISTRIBUTION OF THE PAINTED BUNTING (PASSERINA CIRIS) .. 13 Abstract .................................................................................................................... 13 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 14 Methods.................................................................................................................... 16 Results ...................................................................................................................... 22 Discussion ................................................................................................................ 26 CHAPTER 3 PHYLOGEOGRAPHY OF THE PAINTED BUNTING (PASSERINA CIRIS): IMPLICATIONS FOR CONSERVATION AND EVOLUTION ............................................................................................. 42 Abstract .................................................................................................................... 42 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 43 Methods...................................................................................................................
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