Birds hold a special place in evolutionary history; the finches of the Galapagos Islands helped to give Charles Darwin the first hint towards the theory of evolution. (Credit: John Gould, Wikimedia Commons)
We are currently in the middle of an extinction crisis, and birds are not spared. The authors from a new research paper conclude their approach could guide conservation efforts in order to maximize total biodiversity.
Using a new mathematical approach to compare relationships among nearly 10,000 bird species, researchers have identified the species that are loneliest on the tree of life. Additionally the study shows areas of the world where additional protection efforts could help safeguard as many areas of avian evolution as possible.
Original research paper published in the journal Current Biology on April 10, 2014.
Names and affiliations of selected authors
