March 17, 2004
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Abstract attempt #2
Studies that link molecular variation in the melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) gene with total body melanism in vertebrates have recently become models for understanding the molecular basis of adaptive variation in natural populations. We examined whether MC1R variation can be correlated with small-scale melanic plumage patterns using a comparison of MC1R sequences between melanic and less melanic subspecies of two passerine birds: Swamp Sparrows (Melospiza georgiana) and Grasshopper Sparrows (Ammodramus savannarum). The levels of variation found in each species were typical of passerine birds but no fixed nonsysnonymous substitutions were found that could be correlated with plumage differences in either species. We conclude that variation in the coding region of the MC1R gene is not responsible for these small-scale pigment pattern variations and that variations in this gene may only determine large-scale, whole body melanism in birds.
Comments (6)
Other than the fact it’s in “science-speak” (aka what they make us use so we can be deliberately confusing and hard to read) it looks good to me. Only question: are species common names capitalized?
i like shiny things. they’re purdy.
How was it that you chose to compare swamp sparrows and grasshopper sparrows for your study? Is their plumage relatively similar (not having seen them myself), but varying only slightly? Melanism would be their coloring, correct? I’m curious now to see and compare them
I think Imploki is right–I don’t think common names are capitalized.
I don’t want to sound ignorant, but what is the importance of your research? I was told to include a sentence about why people need to know what you researched.
Sorry. I’m an idiot. I know that your first sentence is why it’s important. I just had to read it a couple of times before I understood what it was saying.
are abstracts supposed to be so hard to read? i find in art that 1000 words is never ever enough to encapsulate the purpose of the work. is it the same for you? i don’t understand much about geneology, but your long sentences seem like they could benefit from a few well-placed commas and some minor tweeks to make them pace more comfortably. for example, “studies linking” would be more accessable than “studies that link.” i’m wondering: are there special sciency rules about language usage that you have to obey? it seems given that it has to be formal, but are shorter phrases frowned upon? and why is your local time zone on xanga set to canada? then again we are in eastern standard too. anyhow, i wish you the best of luck on this, and with all of your pretty birdie madness.