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Abstract Background During evolution, plants and other organisms have developed a diversity of chemical defences, leading to the evolution of various groups of specialized metabolites selected for their endogenous biological function. A correlation between phylogeny and biosynthetic pathways could offer a predictive approach enabling more efficient selection of plants for the development of traditional medicine and lead discovery. However, this relationship has rarely been rigorously tested and the potential predictive power is consequently unknown. Results We produced a phylogenetic hypothesis for the medicinally important plant subfamily Amaryllidoideae (Amaryllidaceae) based on parsimony and Bayesian analysis of nuclear, plastid, and mitochondrial DNA sequences of over 100 species. We tested if alkaloid diversity and activity in bioassays related to the central nervous system are significantly correlated with phylogeny and found evidence for a significant phylogenetic signal in these traits, although the effect is not strong. Conclusions Several genera are non-monophyletic emphasizing the importance of using phylogeny for interpretation of character distribution. Alkaloid diversity and in vitro inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and binding to the serotonin reuptake transporter (SERT) are significantly correlated with phylogeny. This has implications for the use of phylogenies to interpret chemical evolution and biosynthetic pathways, to select candidate taxa for lead discovery, and to make recommendations for policies regarding traditional use and conservation priorities.

Wetlands, and the species that rely upon them, are under significant threat world‐wide, with wetlands often being completely removed or drastically altered. Successful wetland management requires an understanding of the interactions between wetland species and the microhabitats they use. The use of microhabitats for thermoregulation in wetland species is poorly studied, though anthropogenic influence on wetlands can reduce the diversity of microhabitats and thus the thermoregulatory options for animals. At high ambient temperatures birds may use the water‐logged wetland margins to help with thermoregulation, and are often observed roosting in the sitting position within this microhabitat. However, whether sitting on the wet substrate helps in thermoregulation is unknown.In this study, we tested whether birds selectively use microhabitats across temperatures by conducting field observations of nine species of shorebirds. We use comparative analysis to determine whether birds roost more on wet substrate in the sitting posture, that is, 'wet‐sitting', at high ambient temperatures.We found substrate type across the wetland margins to be important in shorebird thermoregulation, with the time spent sitting being significantly mediated by the substrate on which the bird roosted. Individuals tended to sit on bare, wet ground much more under high ambient temperatures compared with low ambient temperatures. Vegetation on the other hand was used similarly across temperatures, and likely does not provide the same thermoregulatory benefits.By roosting on wet substrate at high ambient temperatures, birds may increase the potential for heat dissipation across the uninsulated legs, as water‐logged wetland margins are known to remain cooler than the ambient temperature or vegetated microhabitats under hot climatic conditions.Synthesis and applications. Wetland creation and management requires an understanding of the functional significance of such microhabitats, not only for foraging and breeding, but also for roosting. We demonstrate that managing wetland margins is likely important in minimising heat stress in birds, with our findings emphasising the importance of maintaining open spaces in habitat mosaics for birds to use for thermoregulation. The ability of wetland species to manage heat stress is becoming exceedingly important as they are threatened by both decreased wetland availability and increasing ambient temperatures under climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most conspicuous features of many moth species is their antennae, which can be strikingly elaborate. However, the factors that have influenced the evolution of these impressive receptor organs remain poorly known. Antennae are potentially costly structures, and previous research has indicated that investment in these structures may be traded‐off against investment in other organs, depending on the mating strategy in which individuals engage. Using a phylogenetic comparative analysis of data from dissected wild‐caught individuals from 44 Australian moth species, we examined potential trade‐offs and correlations between antennal size (measured as antenna length and antenna area) and the size of a range of other morphological features related to paternity (testis area), and vision (eye diameter). Antenna area did not show any evidence of a trade‐off with testis size (area) after controlling for body size and phylogeny. Further, relative antenna length was positively correlated with relative eye size, suggesting that investment in both sensory structures is linked. Analysis of the allometric scaling of antennal size and eye diameter found that larger moth species invested relatively more in the size of their male antennae (both area and length) than in the size of their eyes. These results indicate different patterns of investment in sensory structures in relation to body size, with larger moth species favouring the evolution of more elaborate antennae in males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The history of insectivore phylogenetics and systematics is reviewed, focusing on the relationships between the six extant families (Erinaceidae - hedgehogs and moonrats, Talpidae - moles and desmans, Soricidac - shres, Solenodontidae - solenodons, Tenrecidae - tenres and otter-shrews and Chrysochloridae - golden moles). It is examined how the various phylogenetic hypotheses influence the results of comparative analyses and the interpretation of insectivore life-history evolution.

Research effort is not uniform among bird species and may be influenced by multiple biological and environmental factors. Using a phylogenetic comparative approach we examined how research effort into Australian birds is related to phylogeny and tested whether key aspects of species' biology influence this research effort. We quantified research effort directed at Australian birds by using a bibliometric dataset on 100 years of publications in the journal Emu. We found significant phylogenetic signal in research effort with bias towards the orders Passeriformes, Procellariiformes (seabirds), Cuculiformes (cuckoos), Struthioniformes (Emu and Cassowary) and Sphenisciformes (penguins). By contrast Columbiformes (doves and pigeons), Gruiformes (e.g. rails) and Turniciformes (button-quail) are, as a whole, under-studied. Further, we found several significant biological predictors of research effort. There has been a greater number of studies on species with larger body sizes, broader ranges, higher relative abundance (reporting rate), and that are found in urban environments - all characteristics that are likely to make them more obvious and accessible. We conclude that, in a continent with a relatively low density of ornithologists and many areas which are difficult to access, species that are encountered more readily are more likely to be studied. This pattern renders smaller, range-restricted species inhabiting remote areas more likely to experience the difficulties associated with data deficiency. Some or many of these species may have more perilous conservation statuses than currently recognised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has been conducted on relationship between metabolic rate and body size in mammals. The authors demonstrate that mammal body size depends on evolutionary tree and regression model which has been use in comparative analysis.