Petra Heidrich's research while affiliated with Heidelberg University and other places

The cytochrome b gene of the Tawny Owl (Strix aluco), Hume's Tawny Owl (Strix butleri) and the African wood owl (Strix woodfordii) was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and partially sequenced (300 base pairs). Sequences differ substantially (9 to 12% nucleotide substitutions) between these taxa indicating that they represent distinct species, which is also implicated from morphological and biogeographic differences. Using cytochrome b sequences of S. aluco, S. butleri, S. woodfordii, Athene noctua and Tyto alba phylogenetic relationship were reconstructed using the "maximum parsimony" principal (PAUP 3.1.1) and the neighbour-joining method (MEGA).

The cytochrome b gene of three European taxa of the family of Procellariidae was amplified from total DNA and sequenced. The sequence comparison shows that the Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) is significantly distinct from shearwaters, whereas Cory's (Calonectris diomedea) and Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) are closely related. Although the populations of C. diomedea can be distinguished morphologically, the sequences of cyt b differ only slightly between the Atlantic and Mediterranean subspecies (i.e. C. d. borealis versus C. d. diomedea) and do not reveal other population differences within subspecies.

The cytochrome b gene of 6 South American screech owls of the genus Otus (O. choliba, O. atricapillus, O. usta, O. sanctaecatarinae, O. guatemalae, and O. hoyi) and two Old World species (Otus scops and Otus leucotis) was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and partially sequenced (300 nucleotides). Otus atricapillus, O. guatemalae, O. hoyi and O. sanctaecatarinae which are morphologically very similar, have been treated as belonging to a single species. A. atricapillus (Sibley and Monroe, 1990). Nucleotide sequences differ substantially between these taxa (6.3 to 8.8% nucleotide substitutions) indicating that they represent well established and distinct species which had been implicated already from ecological and bioacoustical analyses (König, 1991, 1994). The importance of vocal and ecological characters for the taxonomy of nocturnal birds is thus confirmed by our molecular analysis. Phylogenetic relationships were reconstructed between Old and New World owls using character state ("maximum parsimony"; PAUP 3.1.1) and distance matrix methods (neighbour-joining; MEGA).

The geographical differentiation and speciation in the stonechat (Saxicola torquata; Aves: Turdidae) was studied by sequencing a 300-bp fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome-b gene. Stonechats from three different subspecies inhabiting three continents (S. t. rubicola, the European stonechat; S. t. maura, the Siberian stonechat; and S. t. axillaris, an African stonechat) and stonechats from seven European populations were examined. While variation within the populations of the European subspecies was less than 0.3%, the genetic distances between the subspecies were substantial (2.7-5.7%) in comparison with published data for subspecies of other birds. If speciation is indeed reflected in the cytochrome-b gene of stonechats, species status for the African stonechat, but also for the Siberian taxon, should be reconsidered, especially in the light of differences in distributions, morphology and habitat preference.

The mitochondrial cytochrome b gene of Shearwaters (genera Puffinus and Calonectris) from the western, central, and eastern Mediterranean (C. d. diomedea, P. y. yelkouan and P. y. mauretanicus) and the North Atlantic (C. d. borealis, P. puffinus, P. assimilis baroli) was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequenced directly. Phylogenetic relationships within the group of shearwaters [including published taxa of Austin (1996)] were evaluated with parsimony, likelihood and distance methods. The Balearic Shearwater (P. y. mauretanicus) is a sibling taxon of P. y. yelkouan of eastern and central Mediterranean. Since both taxa are distinguished by several morphological, behavioural and ecological traits, and by 2.2 to 2.9% nucleotide substitutions (which is in the same range as distances between “good” Shearwater species) we consider P. yelkouan and P. mauretanicus distinct species and not subspecies of P. puffinus as assumed earlier. Little Shearwaters of North Atlantic P. assimilis barolis do not share direct ancestry with P. assimilis subspecies of the Southern hemisphere but appear closely related to P. lherminieri.Within the Procellariinae fulmars and shearwaters each represent a monophyletic assemblage. Of the shearwaters studied, Puffinus shows two main monophyletic lineages consisting of the Puffinus subgroup (phylogenetically associated with Calonectris) on the one hand and the subgroups Thyellodroma, Hemipuffinus, Ardenna, Neonectris of the southern hemisphere on the other. Apparently, Puffinus constitutes a paraphyletic taxon, because Calonectris falls between both Puffinus clades. In addition, cytochrome b sequence data show that the three subfamilies of the Procellariidae, i.e. Procellariinae, Hydrobatinae and Diomedeinae, can be recognized as monophyletic groups.

The mitochondrial cytochrome b gene of the majority ofAcrocephalus species (76 individuals) was amplified by PCR and sequenced directly. Nucleotide sequences (1068 base pairs) were used to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships within the genusAcrocephalus as well as betweenAcrocephalus and other sylviid warblers, particularlyHippolais. Acrocephalus andHippolais share ancestry and cluster in a monophyletic clade.Hippolais appears to represent a polyphyletic assemblage sinceH. icterina figures as the sister taxon toAcrocephalus, whereas Hippolaispallida andcaligata cluster withinAcrocephalus. The followingAcrocephalus clades could be recognized: (1) Large reed warblers form a clade consisting of a monophyletic Palearctic-Australasian subgroup (arundinaceus, stentoreus brunnescens, orientalis, australis, andvaughani) and a monophyletic Afrotropical subgroup (brevipennis, rufescens, gracilirostris, sechellensis, andnewtoni).A. griseldis holds an isolated position at the base of the large reed warbler clade. Within the small reed warblers, two probably monophyletic clades are apparent: (2) the striped species (withbistrigiceps, melanopogon, paludicola, andschoenobaenus), and (3) the small plain-coloured complex (consisting ofdumetorum, palustris, scirpaceus, s. fuscus, baeticatus, andavicenniae plus the neighbouringagricola-complex withagricola, tangorum, andconcinens). The relationship between these groups cannot be resolved. The molecular data clarify the status of some taxa, the systematic position of which has been controversial. A morphometric analysis (PCA) of 20 external characters confirmed the basic complexes, and unveiled adaptations of general importance among clades. At species level, we found less congruence between molecular and morphological data, which can be interpreted as a consequence of specializing adaptations and convergence. The major complexes established by molecular and morphometric analyses are further supported by distributional, acoustical, and oological affinities. A sound phylogenetic framework of the genus makes it now possible to examine the distribution of ecological and behavioural characters and to differentiate informative or convergent characters.Acrocephalus may be split into four previously recognized genera with the following names:Acrocephalus for the large,Calamodus for the striped,Notiocichla for the small plain, andIduna for the brownish Hippolais species.Die artenreiche GattungAcrocephalus diente in den letzten 20 Jahren als Modellgruppe fr verschiedenste kologische, verhaltens- und evolutionsbiologische Fragestellungen, wobei sich hufig eine vergleichende Bearbeitung als besonders lohnend erwies. Da alle diese Studien auf der traditionellen Systematik basieren, war es ntig, die Phylogenie der Gattung zu rekonstruieren, um: (1) einen verllichen Stammbaum verfgbar zu haben, (2) phylogenetische Korrekturen bei vergleichenden Anstzen durchfhren und (3) konvergente Merkmalsentwicklungen erkennen zu knnen.Bei 23Acrocephalus-Arten (in 27 Unterarten) wurde das mitochondrielle Cytochrom b-Gen mittels PCR amplifiziert und sequenziert. Anhand der Unterschiede in den Nukleotidsequenzen (1068 Basenpaare) erstellten wir einen Stammbaum der GattungAcrocephalus und untersuchten die verwandtschaftlichen Beziehungen zu anderen Sylviiden, besondersHippolais. Hippolais erweist sich als eine polyphyletische Gruppe.Hippolais (icterina und andere Arten) ist das Schwestertaxon vonAcrocephalus. H. pallida undcaligata gehren in die GattungAcrocephalus (subgenusIduna, Abb. 3, 4). Alle molekularen Stammbume (Abb. 1–4) unterteilenAcrocephalus in drei monophyletische Hauptgruppen: 1. die groen Arten und die kleinenIduna Arten als wahrscheinliche Schwestergruppe, 2. die gestreiften und 3. die kleinen einfarbigen Arten. Die groen Rohrsnger umfassen eine palarktisch-australasiatische Untergruppe (mitarundinaceus, stentoreus (brunnescens),orientalis, australis undvaughani) sowie eine afrotropische (mitbrevipennis, rufescens, gracilirostris, sechellensis undnewtoni).A. griseldis nimmt eine isolierte Stellung an der Basis der groen Rohrsnger ein und ist mglicherweise eine ursprngliche Form. Die gestreiften Arten (mitschoenobaenus, bistrigiceps, melanopogon undpaludicola) bilden ebenso eine geschlossene Abstammungsgemeinschaft wie die kleinen einfarbigen, bei denen sich zwei Gruppen abheben (eine mitdumetorum, palustris, scirpaceus, s. fuscus, baeticatus undavicenniae und eine mitagricola, tangorum undconcinens). Die verwandtschaftlichen Beziehungen zwischen diesen drei Hauptgruppen lassen sich nicht auflsen. Morphologische Untersuchungen von 20 ueren Merkmalen besttigen einerseits die nach genetischen hnlichkeiten aufgestellten Hauptgruppen, die sich durch unterschiedliche Basisanpassungen auszeichnen (Abb. 6, 7). Auf Artniveau stimmen dagegen die aufgrund morphologischer bzw. genetischer hnlichkeiten gebildeten Gruppen weniger gut berein (Abb. 5). Diese Diskrepanz ist auf die spezialisierenden Anpassungen der einzelnen Arten an ihre Habitate und auf Konvergenz zurckzufhren. Die Gliederung der Grogruppen entspricht der traditionellen Systematik. Sie wird auch durch die Verbreitung der Arten und durch bioakustische und oologische Merkmale gesttzt. In der Feinsystematik klren die molekularen Ergebnisse die verwandtschaftliche Stellung einiger Taxa, deren Einordnung bisher umstritten war: z. B. bildetA. tangorum mitA. concinens undA. agricola eine Gruppe;A. orientalis scheint nher mitA. stentoreus als mitA. arundinaceus verwandt;A. avicenniae scheint eine eigene Art in derscirpaceus-Gruppe zu sein. In weiteren Studien kann nun die Verteilung phnotypischer Merkmale (z. B. Zeichnungsmuster, Gesangsmerkmale, Nestbauweisen) auf den verschiedenen Niveaus des Stammbaums untersucht und historisch oder adaptiv erklrt werden. Z. B. haben sich dunkle Brauenstreifen und Schwanzstelzen verwandtschaftsunabhngig (konvergent) sowohl bei den gestreiften Rohrsngern als auch in deragricola-Gruppe entwickelt; extrem unterschiedliche Paarungssysteme entstanden bei den gestreiften Rohrsngern usw. Wollte man die GattungAcrocephalus aufteilen, sollteAcrocephalus fr die groen Arten,Calamodus fr die gestreiften,Notiocichla fr die kleinen einfarbigen stehen undIduna fr die brunlichen Hippolais-Vertreter.