4
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Wilson MW, Ridlon AD, Gaynor KM, Gaines SD, Stier AC, Halpern BS. Ecological impacts of human-induced animal behaviour change. Ecol Lett 2020; 23:1522-1536. [PMID: 32705769 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
A growing body of literature has documented myriad effects of human activities on animal behaviour, yet the ultimate ecological consequences of these behavioural shifts remain largely uninvestigated. While it is understood that, in the absence of humans, variation in animal behaviour can have cascading effects on species interactions, community structure and ecosystem function, we know little about whether the type or magnitude of human-induced behavioural shifts translate into detectable ecological change. Here we synthesise empirical literature and theory to create a novel framework for examining the range of behaviourally mediated pathways through which human activities may affect different ecosystem functions. We highlight the few empirical studies that show the potential realisation of some of these pathways, but also identify numerous factors that can dampen or prevent ultimate ecosystem consequences. Without a deeper understanding of these pathways, we risk wasting valuable resources on mitigating behavioural effects with little ecological relevance, or conversely mismanaging situations in which behavioural effects do drive ecosystem change. The framework presented here can be used to anticipate the nature and likelihood of ecological outcomes and prioritise management among widespread human-induced behavioural shifts, while also suggesting key priorities for future research linking humans, animal behaviour and ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret W Wilson
- Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - April D Ridlon
- National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, USA
| | - Kaitlyn M Gaynor
- National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, USA
| | - Steven D Gaines
- Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Adrian C Stier
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Benjamin S Halpern
- Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA.,National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, USA
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5
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Bulla M, Reneerkens J, Weiser EL, Sokolov A, Taylor AR, Sittler B, McCaffery BJ, Ruthrauff DR, Catlin DH, Payer DC, Ward DH, Solovyeva DV, Santos ESA, Rakhimberdiev E, Nol E, Kwon E, Brown GS, Hevia GD, Gates HR, Johnson JA, van Gils JA, Hansen J, Lamarre JF, Rausch J, Conklin JR, Liebezeit J, Bêty J, Lang J, Alves JA, Fernández-Elipe J, Exo KM, Bollache L, Bertellotti M, Giroux MA, van de Pol M, Johnson M, Boldenow ML, Valcu M, Soloviev M, Sokolova N, Senner NR, Lecomte N, Meyer N, Schmidt NM, Gilg O, Smith PA, Machín P, McGuire RL, Cerboncini RAS, Ottvall R, van Bemmelen RSA, Swift RJ, Saalfeld ST, Jamieson SE, Brown S, Piersma T, Albrecht T, D'Amico V, Lanctot RB, Kempenaers B. Comment on "Global pattern of nest predation is disrupted by climate change in shorebirds". Science 2019; 364:364/6445/eaaw8529. [PMID: 31196986 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaw8529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2019] [Accepted: 05/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Kubelka et al (Reports, 9 November 2018, p. 680) claim that climate change has disrupted patterns of nest predation in shorebirds. They report that predation rates have increased since the 1950s, especially in the Arctic. We describe methodological problems with their analyses and argue that there is no solid statistical support for their claims.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Bulla
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany. .,NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Coastal Systems and Utrecht University, 1790 AB Den Burg, Texel, Netherlands.,Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, 16521 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jeroen Reneerkens
- NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Coastal Systems and Utrecht University, 1790 AB Den Burg, Texel, Netherlands.,Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, 9700 CC Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Emily L Weiser
- Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, U.S. Geological Survey, La Crosse, WI 54603, USA
| | - Aleksandr Sokolov
- Arctic Research Station, Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology, 629400 Labytnangi, Russia
| | - Audrey R Taylor
- Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Alaska, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
| | - Benoît Sittler
- Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany.,Arctic Ecology Research Group (GREA), F-21440 Francheville, France
| | - Brian J McCaffery
- Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Grand View, WI 54839, USA
| | - Dan R Ruthrauff
- Alaska Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
| | - Daniel H Catlin
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - David C Payer
- Natural Resource Sciences, National Park Service, Anchorage, AK 99501, USA
| | - David H Ward
- Alaska Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
| | - Diana V Solovyeva
- Institute of Biological Problems of the North, FEB RAS, Magadan 685000, Russia
| | - Eduardo S A Santos
- BECO do Departamento de Zoologia, Rua do Matão, Universidade de São Paulo, 05508-090 São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Eldar Rakhimberdiev
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, 9700 CC Groningen, Netherlands.,Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119234 Moscow, Russia
| | - Erica Nol
- Biology Department, Trent University, Peterborough, ON K9J 7B8, Canada
| | - Eunbi Kwon
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Glen S Brown
- Wildlife Research and Monitoring, Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Peterborough, ON K9L 1Z8, Canada
| | - Glenda D Hevia
- Grupo de Ecofisiología Aplicada al Manejo y Conservación de Fauna Silvestre, Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos (CESIMAR)-CCT CONICET-CENPAT, 9120 Puerto Madryn, Argentina
| | - H River Gates
- Pacific Flyway Program, National Audubon Society, Anchorage, AK 99501, USA
| | - James A Johnson
- Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, AK 99503, USA
| | - Jan A van Gils
- NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Coastal Systems and Utrecht University, 1790 AB Den Burg, Texel, Netherlands
| | - Jannik Hansen
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Jean-François Lamarre
- Science & Technology Program, Polar Knowledge Canada, Cambridge Bay, NU X0B 0C0, Canada
| | - Jennie Rausch
- Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, P.O. Box 2310, Yellowknife, NT X1A 2P7, Canada
| | - Jesse R Conklin
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, 9700 CC Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Joe Liebezeit
- Audubon Society of Portland, Portland, OR 97210, USA
| | - Joël Bêty
- Department of Biology and Center for Northern Studies, University of Quebec, Rimouski, QC G5L 3A1, Canada
| | - Johannes Lang
- Arctic Ecology Research Group (GREA), F-21440 Francheville, France.,Clinic for Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians and Fish/Working Group for Wildlife Biology, Giessen University, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - José A Alves
- DBIO & CESAM-Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.,South Iceland Research Centre, University of Iceland, Fjolheimar IS-800 Selfoss & IS-861 Gunnarsholt, Iceland
| | | | - Klaus-Michael Exo
- Institute of Avian Research "Vogelwarte Helgoland," 26386 Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Loïc Bollache
- Laboratoire Chrono-environnement, Université de Franche-Comté, UMR 6249 CNRS-UFC, F-25000 Besançon, France
| | - Marcelo Bertellotti
- Grupo de Ecofisiología Aplicada al Manejo y Conservación de Fauna Silvestre, Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos (CESIMAR)-CCT CONICET-CENPAT, 9120 Puerto Madryn, Argentina
| | | | - Martijn van de Pol
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), 6708PB Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Matthew Johnson
- Plumas National Forest, USDA Forest Service, Quincy, CA 95971, USA
| | - Megan L Boldenow
- Biology and Wildlife Department, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
| | - Mihai Valcu
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Mikhail Soloviev
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119234 Moscow, Russia
| | - Natalya Sokolova
- Arctic Research Station, Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology, 629400 Labytnangi, Russia
| | - Nathan R Senner
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Nicolas Lecomte
- Department of Biology, Université de Moncton, Moncton, NB E1A 3E9, Canada
| | - Nicolas Meyer
- Arctic Ecology Research Group (GREA), F-21440 Francheville, France.,Laboratoire Chrono-environnement, Université de Franche-Comté, UMR 6249 CNRS-UFC, F-25000 Besançon, France
| | - Niels Martin Schmidt
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark.,Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Olivier Gilg
- Arctic Ecology Research Group (GREA), F-21440 Francheville, France.,Laboratoire Chrono-environnement, Université de Franche-Comté, UMR 6249 CNRS-UFC, F-25000 Besançon, France
| | - Paul A Smith
- National Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | | | - Rebecca L McGuire
- Arctic Beringia Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Fairbanks, AK 99709, USA
| | | | | | | | - Rose J Swift
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Sarah T Saalfeld
- Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, AK 99503, USA
| | - Sarah E Jamieson
- Centre for Wildlife Ecology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Stephen Brown
- Shorebird Recovery Program, Manomet Inc., P.O. Box 545, Saxtons River, VT 05154, USA
| | - Theunis Piersma
- NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Coastal Systems and Utrecht University, 1790 AB Den Burg, Texel, Netherlands.,Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, 9700 CC Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Tomas Albrecht
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, 60300 Brno, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, Charles University, 128 44 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Verónica D'Amico
- Grupo de Ecofisiología Aplicada al Manejo y Conservación de Fauna Silvestre, Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos (CESIMAR)-CCT CONICET-CENPAT, 9120 Puerto Madryn, Argentina
| | - Richard B Lanctot
- Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, AK 99503, USA
| | - Bart Kempenaers
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany.
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