Importance sampling: how to approach the optimal density?
Author(s): Jerome MorioAffiliation(s): Office National d'Etudes et Recherches Aerospatiales, The French Aerospace Lab, Long-term Design and System Integration Department (ONERA-DPRS-SSD) BP72 - 29 avenue de la Division Leclerc FR-92322, Chatillon Cedex, France (Source: European Journal of Physics)
The evolution of sexual size dimorphism in cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus, Leporidae)
In mammals, 'female-biased' sexual size dimorphism (SSD), in which females are larger than males, is uncommon. In the present study, we examined Sylvilagus, a purported case of female-biased SSD, for evolutionary correlations among species between SSD, body-size, and life-history variables. We find that: (1) although most species are female-biased, the degree and direction of SSD vary more than was previously recognized and (2) the degree of SSD decreases with increasing body size. Hence, Sylvilagus provides a new example, unusual for a female-biased taxon, in which allometry for SSD is consistent with 'Rensch's Rule'. As a corollary to Rensch's Rule, we observe that changes in SSD in Sylvilagus are typically associated with larger, more significant changes in males than females. Female-bi...div id=medwormpbiMedWorm Message:/i/b Register for ba href=http://www.medmatcha.com target =_selfMedMatcha, MedWorm's medical advertising network/a/b, and receive $5 free advertising./p/div
