tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9008122866340502585.post1660246477881062851..comments2024-03-24T05:50:07.033-07:00Comments on Biologizing: Global Warming Causing Infidelity in Birds?Peter Houlihanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00961900865379520219noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9008122866340502585.post-8895522689575955282012-03-09T20:34:26.926-08:002012-03-09T20:34:26.926-08:00This article makes a lot of sense. It seems logica...This article makes a lot of sense. It seems logical that birds would mate with as many mates as possible if they feel threatened as a species due to a dramatic climate change. However, why wouldn't the birds just migrate to a new location to avoid the drastic climate change? It seems as if they could move and evolve to their new environment and therefore avoid being wiped out as a species.<br /><br />Posted by Nicco CiccoliniPeter Houlihanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00961900865379520219noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9008122866340502585.post-74581525423559795462012-03-06T10:30:55.959-08:002012-03-06T10:30:55.959-08:00I like the theories from the first few comments, I...I like the theories from the first few comments, I completely understand from their point of view that it's possible that the population ranges are overlapping. It's a possibility that's more than likely. But could it be possible, that it's innately biological more than environmental? could chemical functions in the body of the birds be affected by climate change? This is a wonderful blog that brings up very interesting theories. <br /><br />Posted By Andy ZouPeter Houlihanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00961900865379520219noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9008122866340502585.post-26673825945919375812012-03-03T18:52:04.168-08:002012-03-03T18:52:04.168-08:00I think this is more interesting than alarming. T...I think this is more interesting than alarming. The only reason this would be alarming is if this caused some sort of disturbance in the food web because of an overpopulation of birds. Birds cheating on each other isn't in and of itself a bad thing, it just seems bad to us because it's looked down upon in our culture.<br /><br />Mike Selden (C)Peter Houlihanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00961900865379520219noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9008122866340502585.post-22951893880133075382012-03-02T18:11:40.317-08:002012-03-02T18:11:40.317-08:00It seems like if climate change is the cause of th...It seems like if climate change is the cause of this, it will just keep occurring more and more. Maybe eventually the birds will be mating so much it results in a population boom and an overcrowding of birds?<br />Rhys UrsuliakPeter Houlihanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00961900865379520219noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9008122866340502585.post-92067193565496893762012-03-02T17:53:06.483-08:002012-03-02T17:53:06.483-08:00Interesting post. When these birds select a new ma...Interesting post. When these birds select a new mate is there any underlying theme, or do they just try to mate with as many other birds as possible in these variable times?<br /><br />Posted by Michael ThomasPeter Houlihanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00961900865379520219noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9008122866340502585.post-86087389939143689522012-03-02T14:47:23.576-08:002012-03-02T14:47:23.576-08:00I don't know much about ecology but if there i...I don't know much about ecology but if there is a correlation between rising temperature in bird infidelity this could be quite alarming. You can't deny the possibility. True it could be due to a overlap of breeding areas, as suggested above, but what if it is actually the climate? One must ask the question. <br /><br />posted by Dorian Pillari (C)Peter Houlihanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00961900865379520219noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9008122866340502585.post-84954673345082834692012-03-01T22:26:18.388-08:002012-03-01T22:26:18.388-08:00I would have to agree with the comments above. Bec...I would have to agree with the comments above. Because global warming is occurring, environments are negatively effected as a result which creates the issue of fewer resources available for these birds. Therefore, it makes sense that natural selection is occurring as birds with larger beaks survive better in an environment with larger seeds, yet I do not think this is because of climate change. One survives with better resources and in the case of larger seeds, one is better off with a larger beak, which refers to natural selection and mating preference I believe, rather than climate change.Tara Reynoldsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9008122866340502585.post-45860356275798826272012-03-01T12:59:01.563-08:002012-03-01T12:59:01.563-08:00I agree with Jeff (above). I think it is more lik...I agree with Jeff (above). I think it is more likely that the infidelity of the birds is not a direct result of climate change, but an indirect result. The climate change is causing smaller populations and overlapping territories, as well as changes in migration times that may cause some birds to overlap in areas when they had no before. These new interactions are plausibly more of the cause of the new mating practices observed, rather than the birds realizing that the climate has changed and they should subsequently select another mate. It seems that hypothesis would make their choices deliberate, when mating practice are not deliberate choices but rather instinctual drives. <br /><br />Posted by Laura Moro (2)Laura Morohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07226549672907413362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9008122866340502585.post-30900772368368876162012-03-01T11:11:14.528-08:002012-03-01T11:11:14.528-08:00Could it be that because of global climate change,...Could it be that because of global climate change, bird territories are progressively overlapping, and opening new channels of breeding potential for birds which is causing the infidelity; not so much the climate actually affecting their traditional mating rituals? If territories are being crossed with birds that have very different mating rituals, it may simply be a matter of mixed tradition. True to habit, birds will chose mates with the most beneficial phenotypic traits, but that does not necessarily mean that the two mates are of the same species. This may be where the observed "infidelity" occurs.<br /><br />- Jeff Keating (2)Peter Houlihanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00961900865379520219noreply@blogger.com