Michael L Brewer
BS (2004, California State University, Northridge)

Ph.D. Graduate Student

Background
I did my BS work on Johnson Atoll, in the Tropical Pacific, comparing the wing morphology of seabirds. We hypothesised that differences in wing shape would be found among seabirds that differed in flight mode. The traditional indices of wing loading and aspect ratio were used, however, we were also exploring alternative comparative methods. In this case, we used Thin-plate Splint/Relative Warp Analysis to look for difference among the planform shape. I also spent time in Chile collecting similar data on the Peruvian Booby. In Costa Rica, I compared army ant velocities over differencing habitat types and casts. I also explored differences in soil types among epiphytic Bromeliads growing at ground level with those found around 30 m.

Morphological Variation in the Wing Shape of Passerine Birds Found Over a Broad Altitudinal Gradient.
I will be travelling to the Peruvian Andes, as part of a larger research project, to look for differences in wing loading, aspect ratio, and planform shape that may exist in bird species (specifically passerine birds) ranging over broad altitudinal gradients. Flight theory predicts that high altitude birds would exhibit broader wings with more rounded wing tips to compensate for the hypodence atmosphere, and lower wing loadings (reducing power necessary for flight) when compared with populations at lower elevations, but a comprehensive study of intraspecific variation has not been completed to date.

Curriculum Vitae