Our comprehensive multivariate regression model, which included m

Our comprehensive multivariate regression model, which included mean maximum longevities of 40 families as the dependent variable JAK inhibitor and family-level means for the eight independent variables, explained 80.3% of the variance in maximum life spans (Table 2). Details of the results are presented in Appendix 3. Among the independent variables, mean mass, diet and sociality were highly significant predictors, and breeding insularity was marginally significant

(P=0.053). The multivariate regression model of the Passeriformes dataset, which included mean maximum longevities of 17 families as the dependent variable and family-level means for the eight independent variables, explained 69.6% of the variance in maximum life spans (Appendix 3, F=2.2898, d.f.=8, 16, r2=69.6%, P=0.13). However, none of the independent variables significantly predicted mean maximum longevities of passeriform families, probably due to large inter-family variability and small sample sizes (i.e. ≤10 species for nine of the 17 passerine families).

Maximum longevities of several species in our data base (Appendix 2) were anomalously Selleckchem Crizotinib low relative to congeners, for example, Puffinus auricularis, Puffinus gravis, Anas diazi, Anas fulvigula and Anas laysanensis. Longevity records for these species at least likely are artifacts of inadequate sampling. We therefore removed them and re-ran the model. The significance of the overall results was unchanged and, as before, mass, diet and sociality were significant predictors and breeding insularity was marginally significant. Apparently

longevities of these ‘questionable’ species did not have a Phosphoglycerate kinase major influence on the results, especially since we analyzed family-level mean values. Of course data deficiencies and biases may have existed for other species as well, but we were unable to identify them a priori. Our ‘total evidence’ approach (Sherman, Holland & Shellman Sherman, 2008) assumes that any unknown data shortcomings were more likely to obfuscate associations with extrinsic variables that actually exist than to falsely create relationships that do not occur. To explore the details of the relationships revealed by the multivariate model we conducted a posteriori analyses of each significant variable individually, using species-level data. Maximum longevities were significantly related to body masses in the comprehensive dataset (Fig. 2a) and in the family Passeriformes (Fig. 2b). Regarding diets, in the comprehensive dataset (Fig. 3a) mean maximum longevities of herbivorous species (c.

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