Promoter: Sam Van Wassenbergh
Supervisor: Irene Montañez Rivera
Subject: The evolution of Darwin's finches (Galapagos finches) is one of the most compelling scientific examples of how natural selection can drive changes in anatomy. These birds have evolved an impressive array of specialisations in beak form and function according to the diverse feeding niches they occupy. Finches with larger, stronger beaks can exert higher bite forces to process larger seeds, while those with slender, agile beaks can process smaller food items more quickly. But how quick are they? Small (Geospiza fuliginosa) and Medium Ground Finches (Geospiza fortis) were recorded using high-speed 3D videography during feeding on a variety of seeds. In this project, automated 3D-tracking of the beak of feeding individuals will be performed to acquire and compare parameters of beak kinematics (e.g., speed, acceleration, amplitude, pauses after closing) between these two species, which differ in average beak size. The project will help us gain more insight into the mechanics of the force-velocity trade-off underlying beak movement that is present among Darwin’s finches.
Techniques: markerless tracking of body parts in 3D using XMALab and DeepLabCut, statistical evaluation using R.