Study Species:
My research focuses on 3 Sporophila Seedeaters, the Tawny-Bellied Seedeater (Sporophila hypoxantha), the near threathen Rufous-rumped Seedeater (Sporophila hypochroma), and the endangered Ibera Seedeater (Sporophila iberaensis).
Photos courtesy of Jonas Rafael Rodrigues Rosoni (1 and 2) and Melanie Browne (3)
The Southern Capuchinos' Seedeaters are a group of species from the genus Sporophila part of a great continetal radiation dated around 1.5-0.5 Ma. Whitin these species you can also found Sporophila palustris, Sporophila ruficolis, Sporophila cinnamomea and Sporophila pileata. These species are differenciated mainly by male song and coloration while females are undifferentiable. The Southern capuchinos species also have low genetic differentiation.
To learn more about these species check Sheela P. Turbeks, Melanie Browne, Jonas Rafael Rodrigues Rosoni and Leonardo Campagna research.
We are studying two sites within the Ibera Wetlands, the Portal San Nicolas - Ibera National Park and Estancia San Juan Poriahú, where these species are breeding in simpatry. This allow us to compare the mechanism of reproductive isolation between these species when at least two of them are reproducing together in the same habitat.
We are studying the role of feather coloration and song pattern as mechanism of reproductive isolation between the 3 Southern Capuchinos' species these research is focused in, using a combination of ecologycal, behavioural and genomic techniques.