Using Physiological and Molecular Approaches to Study Micro- and Macro-Evolutionary Patterns of Selected Waterbirds of the High Andes

Waterbirds, a diverse group of habitat-specialist birds, are distributed unevenly across environmental gradients, including elevation. High-altitude environments present a range of challenges for vertebrate life, including cold, low humidity and decreased air pressure. Yet, many waterbirds thrive along steep elevational gradients along the Andes Mountains. Population trends of waterbirds are linked to the health and sustainable use of wetland ecosystems, and many species are currently threatened by human-driven and climate related impacts. So, unraveling spatial and temporal patterns of species evolution is crucial for understanding population dynamics, species success, and habitat conservation. In my dissertation, I studied micro- and macro-evolutionary patterns to explore the physiological and genetic responses to high altitude of the Andean endemic slate-colored coot (Fulica ardesiaca), as well as the diversification process of all modern flamingos (Phoenicopteridae), three of which are also endemic to the Andean region.