dr Karina Vanadzina
Research interests
- Parasite-host interactions in changing climate
- Phylogenetic comparative methods
- Evolution and macroecology of parental care in vertebrates
- Developmental plasticity in the fossil record of foraminifera
Projects
ongoing:
- PARADIVE: the integrated study of parasitism, biodiversity and environmental change (IDUB under I.3.4 Action of the Excellence Initiative – Research University Programme; principal investigator: dr hab. Kenneth de Baets) – co-investigator
- The evolution of parental care in freshwater fish (Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour grant, UK; principal investigator: Dr. Catherine Sheard) – co-investigator
completed:
- Global drivers of variation in cup nest size in passerine birds (Systematics Research Fund grant, UK) – principal investigator
- Holed-up: spawning in a cavity as an evolutionary driver of parental care in freshwater fishes (Fisheries Society of the British Isles grant, UK) – principal investigator
- Which came first: the parent or the egg? The evolution of parental care and egg size in marine fishes (Carnegie Trust grant, UK; principal investigator: Dr. Catherine Sheard) – co-investigator
Publications
2023
Sheard, Catherine; Street, Sally E.; Healy, Susan D.; Troisi, Camille A.; Clark, Andrew D.; Yovcheva, Antonia; Trébaol, Alexis; Vanadzina, Karina; Lala, Kevin N.
Nest traits for the world's birds Journal Article
In: Global Ecology and Biogeography, vol. n/a, no. n/a, 2023.
@article{https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.13783,
title = {Nest traits for the world's birds},
author = {Catherine Sheard and Sally E. Street and Susan D. Healy and Camille A. Troisi and Andrew D. Clark and Antonia Yovcheva and Alexis Trébaol and Karina Vanadzina and Kevin N. Lala},
url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/geb.13783},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.13783},
year = {2023},
date = {2023-11-27},
journal = {Global Ecology and Biogeography},
volume = {n/a},
number = {n/a},
abstract = {Abstract Motivation A well-constructed nest is a key element of successful reproduction in most species of birds, and nest morphology varies widely across the class. Macroecological and macroevolutionary studies tend to group nest design into a small number of discrete categories, often based on taxonomic inference. In reality, however, many species display considerable intraspecific variation in their nest-building behaviour, and broad-level categories may include several functionally distinct nest types. To address this imprecision in the literature and facilitate future studies of broad-scale variation in avian parental care, we here introduce a detailed, global comparative database of nest building in birds, together with preliminary correlations between these traits and species-level environmental variables. Main types of variables contained We present species-level data for nest structure, location, height, material composition, sex of builder, building time and nest dimensions. Spatial location and grain Global. Maps are presented at the 10 × 10 level. Time period and grain Included species are generally extant, although we present some data for recently extinct taxa. The data were collected in 2017–2021 and was drawn from secondary sources published in 1992–2021. Major taxa and level of measurement Partial or complete trait data is presented for 8601 species of birds, representing 36 of 36 orders and 239 of 243 families. Software format Data have been uploaded as Supplementary Material in .csv format and are separated by species and source for all traits (Dataset S1, and Metadata) as well as summarized at the species level for the major structure and location variables (Dataset S2, and Metadata).},
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pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Abstract Motivation A well-constructed nest is a key element of successful reproduction in most species of birds, and nest morphology varies widely across the class. Macroecological and macroevolutionary studies tend to group nest design into a small number of discrete categories, often based on taxonomic inference. In reality, however, many species display considerable intraspecific variation in their nest-building behaviour, and broad-level categories may include several functionally distinct nest types. To address this imprecision in the literature and facilitate future studies of broad-scale variation in avian parental care, we here introduce a detailed, global comparative database of nest building in birds, together with preliminary correlations between these traits and species-level environmental variables. Main types of variables contained We present species-level data for nest structure, location, height, material composition, sex of builder, building time and nest dimensions. Spatial location and grain Global. Maps are presented at the 10 × 10 level. Time period and grain Included species are generally extant, although we present some data for recently extinct taxa. The data were collected in 2017–2021 and was drawn from secondary sources published in 1992–2021. Major taxa and level of measurement Partial or complete trait data is presented for 8601 species of birds, representing 36 of 36 orders and 239 of 243 families. Software format Data have been uploaded as Supplementary Material in .csv format and are separated by species and source for all traits (Dataset S1, and Metadata) as well as summarized at the species level for the major structure and location variables (Dataset S2, and Metadata).
Vanadzina, Karina; Street, Sally E; Sheard, Catherine
The evolution of enclosed nesting in passerines is shaped by competition, energetic costs, and predation threat Journal Article
In: Ornithology, vol. 141, pp. 1-15, 2023, ISSN: 0004-8038.
@article{10.1093/ornithology/ukad048,
title = {The evolution of enclosed nesting in passerines is shaped by competition, energetic costs, and predation threat},
author = {Karina Vanadzina and Sally E Street and Catherine Sheard},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/ornithology/ukad048},
doi = {10.1093/ornithology/ukad048},
issn = {0004-8038},
year = {2023},
date = {2023-09-11},
urldate = {2023-01-01},
journal = {Ornithology},
volume = {141},
pages = {1-15},
abstract = {Many avian species breed in enclosed nests that may provide better protection against predation and climatic conditions compared to open nests and are generally associated with larger clutch sizes and slower offspring growth. Here we show that different enclosed nesting strategies are each linked to behaviors with very different costs and benefits on a macroevolutionary scale. Using a detailed dataset of nest structure and location from the order Passeriformes, we employed phylogenetic comparative methods to evaluate (1) how predation, competition, design complexity, and energetic costs have shaped evolutionary transitions between different nesting strategies, and (2) whether these strategies also have distinct relationships with life-history traits. We find that flexible strategies (i.e., nesting in both open and enclosed sites) as well as energetically demanding strategies are evolutionarily unstable, indicating the presence of underlying ecological tradeoffs between antipredator protections, construction costs, and competition. We confirm that species with enclosed nests have larger clutch sizes and longer development and nestling periods compared to open nesters, but only species that construct enclosed nests rather than compete for preexisting cavities spend more time incubating and are concentrated in the tropics. Flexible strategies prevail in seasonal environments and are linked to larger clutches—but not longer development—compared to nesting in the open. Overall, our results suggest that predation, competition, and energetic costs affect the evolution of nesting strategies, but via distinct pathways, and that caution is warranted when generalizing about the functions of enclosed nest designs in birds.• Many birds raise their young in enclosed nests, which likely offer protection from predators and climatic conditions. We currently know little, however, about why some species build their own enclosed nests, while others adopt existing cavities.• Using a broad-scale, comparative approach with data from more than 4,000 passerine species (order Passeriformes), we evaluate how predation, competition, nest complexity, and energetic costs have shaped the evolution of these different enclosed nesting strategies.• We find that both flexible and energetically costly enclosed nesting strategies are disfavored on evolutionary timescales. We also show that enclosed nesters have larger clutches and longer developmental periods irrespective of whether they compete for or build their nests.• Our study highlights that different types of enclosed nesting strategies are linked to different sets of evolutionary costs and benefits.},
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pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Many avian species breed in enclosed nests that may provide better protection against predation and climatic conditions compared to open nests and are generally associated with larger clutch sizes and slower offspring growth. Here we show that different enclosed nesting strategies are each linked to behaviors with very different costs and benefits on a macroevolutionary scale. Using a detailed dataset of nest structure and location from the order Passeriformes, we employed phylogenetic comparative methods to evaluate (1) how predation, competition, design complexity, and energetic costs have shaped evolutionary transitions between different nesting strategies, and (2) whether these strategies also have distinct relationships with life-history traits. We find that flexible strategies (i.e., nesting in both open and enclosed sites) as well as energetically demanding strategies are evolutionarily unstable, indicating the presence of underlying ecological tradeoffs between antipredator protections, construction costs, and competition. We confirm that species with enclosed nests have larger clutch sizes and longer development and nestling periods compared to open nesters, but only species that construct enclosed nests rather than compete for preexisting cavities spend more time incubating and are concentrated in the tropics. Flexible strategies prevail in seasonal environments and are linked to larger clutches—but not longer development—compared to nesting in the open. Overall, our results suggest that predation, competition, and energetic costs affect the evolution of nesting strategies, but via distinct pathways, and that caution is warranted when generalizing about the functions of enclosed nest designs in birds.• Many birds raise their young in enclosed nests, which likely offer protection from predators and climatic conditions. We currently know little, however, about why some species build their own enclosed nests, while others adopt existing cavities.• Using a broad-scale, comparative approach with data from more than 4,000 passerine species (order Passeriformes), we evaluate how predation, competition, nest complexity, and energetic costs have shaped the evolution of these different enclosed nesting strategies.• We find that both flexible and energetically costly enclosed nesting strategies are disfavored on evolutionary timescales. We also show that enclosed nesters have larger clutches and longer developmental periods irrespective of whether they compete for or build their nests.• Our study highlights that different types of enclosed nesting strategies are linked to different sets of evolutionary costs and benefits.
Vanadzina, Karina; Street, Sally E.; Healy, Susan D.; Laland, Kevin N.; Sheard, Catherine
Global drivers of variation in cup nest size in passerine birds Journal Article
In: Journal of Animal Ecology, vol. 92, no. 2, pp. 338–351, 2023, ISSN: 1365-2656.
@article{vanadzina_global_2023,
title = {Global drivers of variation in cup nest size in passerine birds},
author = {Karina Vanadzina and Sally E. Street and Susan D. Healy and Kevin N. Laland and Catherine Sheard},
url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1365-2656.13815},
doi = {10.1111/1365-2656.13815},
issn = {1365-2656},
year = {2023},
date = {2023-01-01},
urldate = {2023-01-01},
journal = {Journal of Animal Ecology},
volume = {92},
number = {2},
pages = {338--351},
abstract = {The size of a bird's nest can play a key role in ensuring reproductive success and is determined by a variety of factors. The primary function of the nest is to protect offspring from the environment and predators. Field studies in a number of passerine species have indicated that higher-latitude populations in colder habitats build larger nests with thicker walls compared to lower-latitude populations, but that these larger nests are more vulnerable to predation. Increases in nest size can also be driven by sexual selection, as nest size can act as a signal of parental quality and prompt differential investment in other aspects of care. It is unknown, however, how these microevolutionary patterns translate to a macroevolutionary scale. Here, we investigate potential drivers of variation in the outer and inner volume of open cup nests using a large dataset of nest measurements from 1117 species of passerines breeding in a diverse range of environments. Our dataset is sourced primarily from the nest specimens at the Natural History Museum (UK), complemented with information from ornithological handbooks and online databases. We use phylogenetic comparative methods to test long-standing hypotheses about potential macroevolutionary correlates of nest size, namely nest location, clutch size and variables relating to parental care, together with environmental and geographical factors such as temperature, rainfall, latitude and insularity. After controlling for phylogeny and parental body size, we demonstrate that the outer volume of the nest is greater in colder climates, in island-dwelling species and in species that nest on cliffs or rocks. By contrast, the inner cup volume is associated solely with average clutch size, increasing with the number of chicks raised in the nest. We do not find evidence that nest size is related to the length of parental care for nestlings. Our study reveals that the average temperature in the breeding range, along with several key life-history traits and proxies of predation threat, shapes the global interspecific variation in passerine cup nest size. We also showcase the utility of museum nest collections—a historically underused resource—for large-scale studies of trait evolution.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
The size of a bird's nest can play a key role in ensuring reproductive success and is determined by a variety of factors. The primary function of the nest is to protect offspring from the environment and predators. Field studies in a number of passerine species have indicated that higher-latitude populations in colder habitats build larger nests with thicker walls compared to lower-latitude populations, but that these larger nests are more vulnerable to predation. Increases in nest size can also be driven by sexual selection, as nest size can act as a signal of parental quality and prompt differential investment in other aspects of care. It is unknown, however, how these microevolutionary patterns translate to a macroevolutionary scale. Here, we investigate potential drivers of variation in the outer and inner volume of open cup nests using a large dataset of nest measurements from 1117 species of passerines breeding in a diverse range of environments. Our dataset is sourced primarily from the nest specimens at the Natural History Museum (UK), complemented with information from ornithological handbooks and online databases. We use phylogenetic comparative methods to test long-standing hypotheses about potential macroevolutionary correlates of nest size, namely nest location, clutch size and variables relating to parental care, together with environmental and geographical factors such as temperature, rainfall, latitude and insularity. After controlling for phylogeny and parental body size, we demonstrate that the outer volume of the nest is greater in colder climates, in island-dwelling species and in species that nest on cliffs or rocks. By contrast, the inner cup volume is associated solely with average clutch size, increasing with the number of chicks raised in the nest. We do not find evidence that nest size is related to the length of parental care for nestlings. Our study reveals that the average temperature in the breeding range, along with several key life-history traits and proxies of predation threat, shapes the global interspecific variation in passerine cup nest size. We also showcase the utility of museum nest collections—a historically underused resource—for large-scale studies of trait evolution.
2022
Vanadzina, Karina; Schmidt, Daniela N.
Developmental change during a speciation event: evidence from planktic foraminifera Journal Article
In: Paleobiology, vol. 48, no. 1, pp. 120–136, 2022, ISSN: 0094-8373, 1938-5331.
@article{vanadzina_developmental_2022,
title = {Developmental change during a speciation event: evidence from planktic foraminifera},
author = {Karina Vanadzina and Daniela N. Schmidt},
url = {https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/paleobiology/article/developmental-change-during-a-speciation-event-evidence-from-planktic-foraminifera/79B4FE92A16893FB02A9DBC76415E194},
doi = {10.1017/pab.2021.26},
issn = {0094-8373, 1938-5331},
year = {2022},
date = {2022-02-01},
urldate = {2022-02-01},
journal = {Paleobiology},
volume = {48},
number = {1},
pages = {120--136},
abstract = {Studies in extant populations have shown that plasticity in developmental trajectories can contribute to the origin of novel traits and species divergence via the expression of previously cryptic variation in response to environmental change. Finding evidence for plasticity-led evolution in the fossil record remains challenging due to the poor preservation of developmental stages in many organisms. Planktic foraminifera are ideally suited for addressing this knowledge gap, because adult organisms in species in which development has been studied retain information about all the ontogenetic stages they have undergone. Here we map changes in the developmental trajectories of 68 specimens in the Globorotalia plesiotumida–tumida lineage of planktic foraminifera from the late Miocene until Recent using high-resolution computer tomography techniques. Our unique dataset shows that the transition from the ancestral G. plesiotumida to the descendant G. tumida is preceded by an increased variability in total cumulative volume—an important indicator of reproductive success in this taxon. We also find that the transition interval is marked by a distinct shift in developmental trajectory, which supports a rapid lineage division rather than gradual change. We suggest that high levels of plasticity—particularly in the early stages of development—have contributed to divergence in the ancestral morphology when subjected to a global cooling trend in the late Miocene. The large variation in developmental trajectories that we uncover within our samples emphasizes the need for high-throughput approaches in studies of ontogenetic change in the fossil record.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Studies in extant populations have shown that plasticity in developmental trajectories can contribute to the origin of novel traits and species divergence via the expression of previously cryptic variation in response to environmental change. Finding evidence for plasticity-led evolution in the fossil record remains challenging due to the poor preservation of developmental stages in many organisms. Planktic foraminifera are ideally suited for addressing this knowledge gap, because adult organisms in species in which development has been studied retain information about all the ontogenetic stages they have undergone. Here we map changes in the developmental trajectories of 68 specimens in the Globorotalia plesiotumida–tumida lineage of planktic foraminifera from the late Miocene until Recent using high-resolution computer tomography techniques. Our unique dataset shows that the transition from the ancestral G. plesiotumida to the descendant G. tumida is preceded by an increased variability in total cumulative volume—an important indicator of reproductive success in this taxon. We also find that the transition interval is marked by a distinct shift in developmental trajectory, which supports a rapid lineage division rather than gradual change. We suggest that high levels of plasticity—particularly in the early stages of development—have contributed to divergence in the ancestral morphology when subjected to a global cooling trend in the late Miocene. The large variation in developmental trajectories that we uncover within our samples emphasizes the need for high-throughput approaches in studies of ontogenetic change in the fossil record.
2021
Vanadzina, Karina; Phillips, André; Martins, Bonnie; Laland, Kevin N.; Webster, Michael M.; Sheard, Catherine
Ecological and behavioural drivers of offspring size in marine teleost fishes Journal Article
In: Global Ecology and Biogeography, vol. 30, no. 12, pp. 2407–2419, 2021, ISSN: 1466-8238.
@article{vanadzina_ecological_2021,
title = {Ecological and behavioural drivers of offspring size in marine teleost fishes},
author = {Karina Vanadzina and André Phillips and Bonnie Martins and Kevin N. Laland and Michael M. Webster and Catherine Sheard},
url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/geb.13392},
doi = {10.1111/geb.13392},
issn = {1466-8238},
year = {2021},
date = {2021-01-01},
urldate = {2021-01-01},
journal = {Global Ecology and Biogeography},
volume = {30},
number = {12},
pages = {2407--2419},
abstract = {Aim Our aim was to evaluate the role of ecological and life-history factors in shaping global variation in offspring size in a marine clade with a diverse range of parental care behaviours. Location Global. Time period Data sourced from literature published from 1953 until 2019. Major taxa studied Marine teleost fishes. Methods We compiled a species-level dataset of egg and hatch size for 1,639 species of marine fish across 45 orders. We used Bayesian phylogenetic mixed models to evaluate the relationship between offspring size and environmental factors (i.e., mean temperature, chlorophyll-a and dissolved oxygen content together with their annual variation), as well as latitude, reproductive strategy, parental body size and fecundity. We also tested long-standing hypotheses about the co-evolution of offspring size and the presence of parental care in BayesTraits. Results After controlling for parental body size and phylogenetic history, we find that increased egg size is associated with colder and oxygen-rich waters, while hatch size further depends on food supply and the reproductive strategy exhibited by the species. Irrespective of the initial investment in egg size, species with parental care or demersal egg development yield larger hatchlings compared to pelagic spawners. We also demonstrate that hatch size has co-evolved with advanced forms of care in association with parental body but fail to find a relationship with other types of care. Main conclusions Our study shows that parental care behaviours, together with environmental context, influence the evolution of classic life-history trade-offs on a global scale. While the initial investment in eggs is driven primarily by temperature and oxygen content, hatch size also reflects the impact of care an offspring has received throughout development. In support of the ‘offspring-first’ hypothesis, we find that an increase in hatch size drives the evolution of advanced care provision.},
keywords = {},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Aim Our aim was to evaluate the role of ecological and life-history factors in shaping global variation in offspring size in a marine clade with a diverse range of parental care behaviours. Location Global. Time period Data sourced from literature published from 1953 until 2019. Major taxa studied Marine teleost fishes. Methods We compiled a species-level dataset of egg and hatch size for 1,639 species of marine fish across 45 orders. We used Bayesian phylogenetic mixed models to evaluate the relationship between offspring size and environmental factors (i.e., mean temperature, chlorophyll-a and dissolved oxygen content together with their annual variation), as well as latitude, reproductive strategy, parental body size and fecundity. We also tested long-standing hypotheses about the co-evolution of offspring size and the presence of parental care in BayesTraits. Results After controlling for parental body size and phylogenetic history, we find that increased egg size is associated with colder and oxygen-rich waters, while hatch size further depends on food supply and the reproductive strategy exhibited by the species. Irrespective of the initial investment in egg size, species with parental care or demersal egg development yield larger hatchlings compared to pelagic spawners. We also demonstrate that hatch size has co-evolved with advanced forms of care in association with parental body but fail to find a relationship with other types of care. Main conclusions Our study shows that parental care behaviours, together with environmental context, influence the evolution of classic life-history trade-offs on a global scale. While the initial investment in eggs is driven primarily by temperature and oxygen content, hatch size also reflects the impact of care an offspring has received throughout development. In support of the ‘offspring-first’ hypothesis, we find that an increase in hatch size drives the evolution of advanced care provision.