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Tavera EA, Lank DB, Douglas DC, Sandercock BK, Lanctot RB, Schmidt NM, Reneerkens J, Ward DH, Bêty J, Kwon E, Lecomte N, Gratto-Trevor C, Smith PA, English WB, Saalfeld ST, Brown SC, Gates HR, Nol E, Liebezeit JR, McGuire RL, McKinnon L, Kendall S, Robards M, Boldenow M, Payer DC, Rausch J, Solovyeva DV, Stalwick JA, Gurney KEB. Why do avian responses to change in Arctic green-up vary? GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17335. [PMID: 38771086 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Global climate change has altered the timing of seasonal events (i.e., phenology) for a diverse range of biota. Within and among species, however, the degree to which alterations in phenology match climate variability differ substantially. To better understand factors driving these differences, we evaluated variation in timing of nesting of eight Arctic-breeding shorebird species at 18 sites over a 23-year period. We used the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index as a proxy to determine the start of spring (SOS) growing season and quantified relationships between SOS and nest initiation dates as a measure of phenological responsiveness. Among species, we tested four life history traits (migration distance, seasonal timing of breeding, female body mass, expected female reproductive effort) as species-level predictors of responsiveness. For one species (Semipalmated Sandpiper), we also evaluated whether responsiveness varied across sites. Although no species in our study completely tracked annual variation in SOS, phenological responses were strongest for Western Sandpipers, Pectoral Sandpipers, and Red Phalaropes. Migration distance was the strongest additional predictor of responsiveness, with longer-distance migrant species generally tracking variation in SOS more closely than species that migrate shorter distances. Semipalmated Sandpipers are a widely distributed species, but adjustments in timing of nesting relative to variability in SOS did not vary across sites, suggesting that different breeding populations of this species were equally responsive to climate cues despite differing migration strategies. Our results unexpectedly show that long-distance migrants are more sensitive to local environmental conditions, which may help them to adapt to ongoing changes in climate.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David B Lank
- Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - David C Douglas
- Alaska Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | | | | | | | - Jeroen Reneerkens
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - David H Ward
- Alaska Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Joël Bêty
- Université du Québec à Rimouski and Centre d'études nordiques, Rimouski, Quebec, Canada
| | - Eunbi Kwon
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Seewiesen, Germany
| | | | - Cheri Gratto-Trevor
- Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Paul A Smith
- Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | | | | | | | - H River Gates
- Manomet, Shorebird Recovery Program, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA
- Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Erica Nol
- Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Steve Kendall
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA
| | | | | | | | - Jennie Rausch
- Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
| | - Diana V Solovyeva
- Institute of Biological Problems of the North, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Magadan, Russia
| | - Jordyn A Stalwick
- Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Kirsty E B Gurney
- Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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2
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Freeman SL, Luff KM, Gurney KEB. Good neighbors? Does aggregation of nests in an Arctic-breeding shorebird influence daily survival rates? Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10137. [PMID: 37361900 PMCID: PMC10284808 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Our current understanding of the factors that influence where birds nest is incomplete, yet such information is important for accurate demographic assessments. To address questions related to spatial distributions of shorebird nests and to evaluate factors that may affect nest distribution in these species, during 2017 and 2019, we studied a small population of semipalmated sandpiper Calidris pusilla breeding in the Central Canadian Arctic, near the Karrak Lake Research Station, in Nunavut. The spatial distribution of semipalmated sandpiper nests at this site suggested loose aggregation, with median nearest neighbor distances of 73.8 m and 92.0 m in 2017 and 2019, respectively, while no nests were detected on mainland areas in the vicinity. Evidence for the influence of nesting distribution on the daily survival rate of nests, however, was mixed. Neither nearest neighbor distance nor local nest density had a significant effect on daily nest survival in 2017, but in 2019, the best approximating model included an effect of local nest density, which indicated that nests in areas of high density had reduced survival rates. Contrary to other studies assessing settlement and nest site selection in semipalmated sandpipers, the spatial distribution of nests in this population demonstrates aggregation in an otherwise territorial species, but suggests that aggregated nesting can impose a cost on nest survival under certain conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Katelyn M. Luff
- Water Security Agency, Ecological and Habitat AssessmentSaskatoonSaskatchewanCanada
- Department of BiologyUniversity of SaskatchewanSaskatoonSaskatchewanCanada
| | - Kirsty E. B. Gurney
- Department of BiologyUniversity of SaskatchewanSaskatoonSaskatchewanCanada
- Science & Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC)SaskatoonSaskatchewanCanada
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3
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Solovyeva D, Barykina DA, Prokopenko OD, Balsby TJS, Fox AD. Annual variation in waterbird clutch initiation date in relation to spring thaw in Arctic Russia. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2022; 66:1005-1012. [PMID: 35194684 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-022-02256-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
To test for the degree of species-specific variation in clutch initiation date in relation to spring thaw, we recorded first egg dates in 1433 nests of seven large bodied long-distance migratory waterbird species breeding on Ayopechan Island in the Chaun Delta, Chukotka, in the Russian Arctic during 2002-2020. Pacific Loon Gavia pacifica, Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis and Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus all adjusted timing of clutch initiation completely to annual variation in first frost-free dates. First egg dates of Spectacled Eider Somateria fischeri also significantly advanced in warmer springs, but the rate of change was significantly less than unity, implying a reduced capacity to accommodate change in vernal thaw that may not be able to keep up with greater change in the future. Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis and Vega Gull Larus vegae showed a tendency for earlier first egg dates in years with earlier first frost-free date, but for both species, the relationship failed to reach statistical significance. Bewick's Swan Cygnus columbianus showed almost no change in mean first egg date across the observed variation in first frost-free dates. Based on these data, we suggest that while all seven species showed signs of plasticity in their timing of onset of breeding, Pacific Loon, Sandhill Crane and Glaucous Gull showed greater adaptability to adjust the timing of their breeding season to recent variation in spring thaw than the other four species studied here over this period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Solovyeva
- Institute of Biological Problems of the North, Far East Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Portovava 18, Magadan, 685000, Russia
| | - Daria A Barykina
- Institute of Biological Problems of the North, Far East Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Portovava 18, Magadan, 685000, Russia
| | - Olga D Prokopenko
- Institute of Biological Problems of the North, Far East Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Portovava 18, Magadan, 685000, Russia
| | - Thorsten J S Balsby
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Kalø, Grenåvej 14, 8410, Rønde, Denmark
| | - Anthony D Fox
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Kalø, Grenåvej 14, 8410, Rønde, Denmark.
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4
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Lameris TK, Hoekendijk J, Aarts G, Aarts A, Allen AM, Bienfait L, Bijleveld AI, Bongers MF, Brasseur S, Chan YC, de Ferrante F, de Gelder J, Derksen H, Dijkgraaf L, Dijkhuis LR, Dijkstra S, Elbertsen G, Ernsten R, Foxen T, Gaarenstroom J, Gelhausen A, van Gils JA, Grosscurt S, Grundlehner A, Hertlein ML, van Heumen AJ, Heurman M, Huffeldt NP, Hutter WH, Kamstra YJJ, Keij F, van Kempen S, Keurntjes G, Knap H, Loonstra AJ, Nolet BA, Nuijten RJ, Mattijssen D, Oosterhoff H, Paarlberg N, Parekh M, Pattyn J, Polak C, Quist Y, Ras S, Reneerkens J, Ruth S, van der Schaar E, Schroen G, Spikman F, van Velzen J, Voorn E, Vos J, Wang D, Westdijk W, Wind M, Zhemchuzhnikov MK, van Langevelde F. Migratory vertebrates shift migration timing and distributions in a warming Arctic. ANIMAL MIGRATION 2021. [DOI: 10.1515/ami-2020-0112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Climate warming in the Arctic has led to warmer and earlier springs, and as a result, many food resources for migratory animals become available earlier in the season, as well as become distributed further northwards. To optimally profit from these resources, migratory animals are expected to arrive earlier in the Arctic, as well as shift their own spatial distributions northwards. Here, we review literature to assess whether Arctic migratory birds and mammals already show shifts in migration timing or distribution in response to the warming climate. Distribution shifts were most prominent in marine mammals, as expected from observed northward shifts of their resources. At least for many bird species, the ability to shift distributions is likely constrained by available habitat further north. Shifts in timing have been shown in many species of terrestrial birds and ungulates, as well as for polar bears. Within species, we found strong variation in shifts in timing and distributions between populations. Ou r review thus shows that many migratory animals display shifts in migration timing and spatial distribution in reaction to a warming Arctic. Importantly, we identify large knowledge gaps especially concerning distribution shifts and timing of autumn migration, especially for marine mammals. Our understanding of how migratory animals respond to climate change appears to be mostly limited by the lack of long-term monitoring studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas K. Lameris
- Department of Coastal Systems , NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research , Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands ; Department of Animal Ecology , Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) , Wageningen , the Netherlands
| | - Jeroen Hoekendijk
- Department of Coastal Systems , NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research , Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands
| | - Geert Aarts
- Department of Coastal Systems , NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research , Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
- Wageningen Marine Research , Wage-ningen University and Research , Den Helder , the Netherlands
| | - Aline Aarts
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Andrew M. Allen
- Department of Animal Ecology , Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) , Wageningen , the Netherlands
| | - Louise Bienfait
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Allert I. Bijleveld
- Department of Coastal Systems , NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research , Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands
| | - Morten F. Bongers
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Sophie Brasseur
- Department of Coastal Systems , NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research , Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands
- Wageningen Marine Research , Wage-ningen University and Research , Den Helder , the Netherlands
| | - Ying-Chi Chan
- Department of Coastal Systems , NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research , Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES) , University of Groningen , Groningen , the Netherlands
| | - Frits de Ferrante
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Jesse de Gelder
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Hilmar Derksen
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Lisa Dijkgraaf
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Laurens R. Dijkhuis
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Sanne Dijkstra
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Gert Elbertsen
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Roosmarijn Ernsten
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Tessa Foxen
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Jari Gaarenstroom
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Anna Gelhausen
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Jan A. van Gils
- Department of Coastal Systems , NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research , Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES) , University of Groningen , Groningen , the Netherlands
| | - Sebastiaan Grosscurt
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Anne Grundlehner
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Marit L. Hertlein
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Anouk J.P. van Heumen
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Moniek Heurman
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Nicholas Per Huffeldt
- Greenland Institute of Natural Resources , Nuuk , Greenland & Arctic Ecosystem Ecology, Department of Bioscience , Aarhus University , Roskilde , Denmark
| | - Willemijn H. Hutter
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Ynze J. J. Kamstra
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Femke Keij
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Susanne van Kempen
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Gabi Keurntjes
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Harmen Knap
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | | | - Bart A. Nolet
- Department of Animal Ecology , Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) , Wageningen , the Netherlands
- Theoretical and Computational Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics , University of Amsterdam , Amsterdam , the Netherlands
| | - Rascha J.M. Nuijten
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Conservation Science, Department of Zoology , University of Oxford , Oxford , UK
| | - Djan Mattijssen
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Hanna Oosterhoff
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Nienke Paarlberg
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Malou Parekh
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Jef Pattyn
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Celeste Polak
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Yordi Quist
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Susan Ras
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen Reneerkens
- Department of Coastal Systems , NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research , Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands
| | - Saskia Ruth
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Evelien van der Schaar
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Geert Schroen
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Fanny Spikman
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Joyce van Velzen
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Ezra Voorn
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Janneke Vos
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Danyang Wang
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Wilson Westdijk
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Marco Wind
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
| | - Mikhail K. Zhemchuzhnikov
- Department of Coastal Systems , NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research , Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands
| | - Frank van Langevelde
- Wildlife Ecology & Conservation Group , Wageningen University , Wageningen , The Netherlands
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5
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Schano C, Niffenegger C, Jonas T, Korner-Nievergelt F. Hatching phenology is lagging behind an advancing snowmelt pattern in a high-alpine bird. Sci Rep 2021; 11:22191. [PMID: 34772973 PMCID: PMC8589975 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-01497-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
To track peaks in resource abundance, temperate-zone animals use predictive environmental cues to rear their offspring when conditions are most favourable. However, climate change threatens the reliability of such cues when an animal and its resource respond differently to a changing environment. This is especially problematic in alpine environments, where climate warming exceeds the Holarctic trend and may thus lead to rapid asynchrony between peaks in resource abundance and periods of increased resource requirements such as reproductive period of high-alpine specialists. We therefore investigated interannual variation and long-term trends in the breeding phenology of a high-alpine specialist, the white-winged snowfinch, Montifringilla nivalis, using a 20-year dataset from Switzerland. We found that two thirds of broods hatched during snowmelt. Hatching dates positively correlated with April and May precipitation, but changes in mean hatching dates did not coincide with earlier snowmelt in recent years. Our results offer a potential explanation for recently observed population declines already recognisable at lower elevations. We discuss non-adaptive phenotypic plasticity as a potential cause for the asynchrony between changes in snowmelt and hatching dates of snowfinches, but the underlying causes are subject to further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Schano
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, 6204, Sempach, Switzerland.
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | | | - Tobias Jonas
- Snow Hydrology, WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, 7260, Davos Dorf, Switzerland
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6
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Lamarre JF, Gauthier G, Lanctot RB, Saalfeld ST, Love OP, Reed E, Johnson OW, Liebezeit J, McGuire R, Russell M, Nol E, Koloski L, Sanders F, McKinnon L, Smith PA, Flemming SA, Lecomte N, Giroux MA, Bauer S, Emmenegger T, Bêty J. Timing of Breeding Site Availability Across the North-American Arctic Partly Determines Spring Migration Schedule in a Long-Distance Neotropical Migrant. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.710007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-distance migrants are under strong selection to arrive on their breeding grounds at a time that maximizes fitness. Many arctic birds start nesting shortly after snow recedes from their breeding sites and timing of snowmelt can vary substantially over the breeding range of widespread species. We tested the hypothesis that migration schedules of individuals co-occurring at the same non-breeding areas are adapted to average local environmental conditions encountered at their specific and distant Arctic breeding locations. We predicted that timing of breeding site availability (measured here as the average snow-free date) should explain individual variation in departure time from shared non-breeding areas. We tested our prediction by tracking American Golden-Plovers (Pluvialis dominica) nesting across the North-American Arctic. These plovers use a non-breeding (wintering) area in South America and share a spring stopover area in the nearctic temperate grasslands, located >1,800 km away from their nesting locations. As plovers co-occur at the same non-breeding areas but use breeding sites segregated by latitude and longitude, we could disentangle the potential confounding effects of migration distance and timing of breeding site availability on individual migration schedule. As predicted, departure date of individuals stopping-over in sympatry was positively related to the average snow-free date at their respective breeding location, which was also related to individual onset of incubation. Departure date from the shared stopover area was not explained by the distance between the stopover and the breeding location, nor by the stopover duration of individuals. This strongly suggests that plover migration schedule is adapted to and driven by the timing of breeding site availability per se. The proximate mechanism underlying the variable migration schedule of individuals is unknown and may result from genetic differences or individual learning. Temperatures are currently changing at different speeds across the Arctic and this likely generates substantial heterogeneity in the strength of selection pressure on migratory schedule of arctic birds migrating sympatrically.
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7
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Meltofte H, Hansen J, Rigét F. Trends in breeding performance in wader populations at Zackenberg, high Arctic Greenland, in relation to environmental drivers 1996–2018. Polar Biol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-021-02922-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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8
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Warming Arctic summers unlikely to increase productivity of shorebirds through renesting. Sci Rep 2021; 11:15277. [PMID: 34315998 PMCID: PMC8316457 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-94788-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change in the Arctic is leading to earlier summers, creating a phenological mismatch between the hatching of insectivorous birds and the availability of their invertebrate prey. While phenological mismatch would presumably lower the survival of chicks, climate change is also leading to longer, warmer summers that may increase the annual productivity of birds by allowing adults to lay nests over a longer period of time, replace more nests that fail, and provide physiological relief to chicks (i.e., warmer temperatures that reduce thermoregulatory costs). However, there is little information on how these competing ecological processes will ultimately impact the demography of bird populations. In 2008 and 2009, we investigated the survival of chicks from initial and experimentally-induced replacement nests of arcticola Dunlin (Calidris alpina) breeding near Utqiaġvik, Alaska. We monitored survival of 66 broods from 41 initial and 25 replacement nests. Based on the average hatch date of each group, chick survival (up to age 15 days) from replacement nests (Ŝi = 0.10; 95% CI = 0.02–0.22) was substantially lower than initial nests (Ŝi = 0.67; 95% CI = 0.48–0.81). Daily survival rates were greater for older chicks, chicks from earlier-laid clutches, and during periods of greater invertebrate availability. As temperature was less important to daily survival rates of shorebird chicks than invertebrate availability, our results indicate that any physiological relief experienced by chicks will likely be overshadowed by the need for adequate food. Furthermore, the processes creating a phenological mismatch between hatching of shorebird young and invertebrate emergence ensures that warmer, longer breeding seasons will not translate into abundant food throughout the longer summers. Thus, despite having a greater opportunity to nest later (and potentially replace nests), young from these late-hatching broods will likely not have sufficient food to survive. Collectively, these results indicate that warmer, longer summers in the Arctic are unlikely to increase annual recruitment rates, and thus unable to compensate for low adult survival, which is typically limited by factors away from the Arctic-breeding grounds.
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9
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Zhemchuzhnikov MK, Versluijs TSL, Lameris TK, Reneerkens J, Both C, van Gils JA. Exploring the drivers of variation in trophic mismatches: A systematic review of long-term avian studies. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:3710-3725. [PMID: 33976770 PMCID: PMC8093693 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Revised: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Many organisms reproduce in seasonal environments, where selection on timing of reproduction is particularly strong as consumers need to synchronize reproduction with the peaked occurrence of their food. When a consumer species changes its phenology at a slower rate than its resources, this may induce a trophic mismatch, that is, offspring growing up after the peak in food availability, potentially leading to reductions in growth and survival. However, there is large variation in the degree of trophic mismatches as well as in its effects on reproductive output.Here, we explore the potential causes for variation in the strength of trophic mismatches in published studies of birds. Specifically, we ask whether the changes in the degree of mismatch that have occurred over time can be explained by a bird's (a) breeding latitude, (b) migration distance, and/or (c) life-history traits.We found that none of these three factors explain changes in the degree of mismatch over time. Nevertheless, food phenology did advance faster at more northerly latitudes, while shifts in bird phenology did not show a trend with latitude.We argue that the lack of support in our results is attributable to the large variation in the metrics used to describe timing of food availability. We propose a pathway to improve the quantification of trophic mismatches, guided by a more rigorous understanding of links between consumers and their resources.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Thomas K. Lameris
- NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea ResearchDen BurgThe Netherlands
| | - Jeroen Reneerkens
- NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea ResearchDen BurgThe Netherlands
- University of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
| | | | - Jan A. van Gils
- NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea ResearchDen BurgThe Netherlands
- University of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
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10
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Shaftel R, Rinella DJ, Kwon E, Brown SC, Gates HR, Kendall S, Lank DB, Liebezeit JR, Payer DC, Rausch J, Saalfeld ST, Sandercock BK, Smith PA, Ward DH, Lanctot RB. Predictors of invertebrate biomass and rate of advancement of invertebrate phenology across eight sites in the North American Arctic. Polar Biol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-020-02781-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
AbstractAverage annual temperatures in the Arctic increased by 2–3 °C during the second half of the twentieth century. Because shorebirds initiate northward migration to Arctic nesting sites based on cues at distant wintering grounds, climate-driven changes in the phenology of Arctic invertebrates may lead to a mismatch between the nutritional demands of shorebirds and the invertebrate prey essential for egg formation and subsequent chick survival. To explore the environmental drivers affecting invertebrate availability, we modeled the biomass of invertebrates captured in modified Malaise-pitfall traps over three summers at eight Arctic Shorebird Demographics Network sites as a function of accumulated degree-days and other weather variables. To assess climate-driven changes in invertebrate phenology, we used data from the nearest long-term weather stations to hindcast invertebrate availability over 63 summers, 1950–2012. Our results confirmed the importance of both accumulated and daily temperatures as predictors of invertebrate availability while also showing that wind speed negatively affected invertebrate availability at the majority of sites. Additionally, our results suggest that seasonal prey availability for Arctic shorebirds is occurring earlier and that the potential for trophic mismatch is greatest at the northernmost sites, where hindcast invertebrate phenology advanced by approximately 1–2.5 days per decade. Phenological mismatch could have long-term population-level effects on shorebird species that are unable to adjust their breeding schedules to the increasingly earlier invertebrate phenologies.
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McGuire RL, Lanctot RB, Saalfeld ST, Ruthrauff DR, Liebezeit JR. Shorebird Reproductive Response to Exceptionally Early and Late Springs Varies Across Sites in Arctic Alaska. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.577652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Kwon E, Weiser EL, Lanctot RB, Brown SC, Gates HR, Gilchrist G, Kendall SJ, Lank DB, Liebezeit JR, McKinnon L, Nol E, Payer DC, Rausch J, Rinella DJ, Saalfeld ST, Senner NR, Smith PA, Ward D, Wisseman RW, Sandercock BK. Geographic variation in the intensity of warming and phenological mismatch between Arctic shorebirds and invertebrates. ECOL MONOGR 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecm.1383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eunbi Kwon
- Division of Biology Kansas State University Manhattan Kansas 66506 USA
| | - Emily L. Weiser
- Division of Biology Kansas State University Manhattan Kansas 66506 USA
| | - Richard B. Lanctot
- Migratory Bird Management U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Anchorage Alaska 99503 USA
| | - Stephen C. Brown
- Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences Manomet Massachusetts 02345 USA
| | - Heather R. Gates
- Migratory Bird Management U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Anchorage Alaska 99503 USA
- Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences Manomet Massachusetts 02345 USA
| | - Grant Gilchrist
- Environment and Climate Change Canada National Wildlife Research Centre Carleton University Ottawa Ontario K1A 0H3 Canada
| | - Steve J. Kendall
- Arctic National Wildlife Refuge U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fairbanks Alaska 99701 USA
| | - David B. Lank
- Department of Biological Sciences Simon Fraser University Burnaby British Columbia V3H 3S6 Canada
| | | | - Laura McKinnon
- Department of Biology Trent University Peterborough Ontario K9J 7B8 Canada
| | - Erica Nol
- Department of Biology Trent University Peterborough Ontario K9J 7B8 Canada
| | - David C. Payer
- Arctic National Wildlife Refuge U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fairbanks Alaska 99701 USA
| | - Jennie Rausch
- Canadian Wildlife Service Yellowknife Northwest Territories X1A 2P7 Canada
| | - Daniel J. Rinella
- Alaska Center for Conservation Science and Department of Biological Sciences University of Alaska Anchorage Anchorage Alaska 99508 USA
| | - Sarah T. Saalfeld
- Migratory Bird Management U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Anchorage Alaska 99503 USA
| | - Nathan R. Senner
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology Cornell University Ithaca New York 14850 USA
| | - Paul A. Smith
- Environment and Climate Change Canada Wildlife Research Division Ottawa Ontario K1A 0H3 Canada
| | - David Ward
- US Geological Survey Anchorage Alaska 99508 USA
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13
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Saalfeld ST, McEwen DC, Kesler DC, Butler MG, Cunningham JA, Doll AC, English WB, Gerik DE, Grond K, Herzog P, Hill BL, Lagassé BJ, Lanctot RB. Phenological mismatch in Arctic-breeding shorebirds: Impact of snowmelt and unpredictable weather conditions on food availability and chick growth. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:6693-6707. [PMID: 31236253 PMCID: PMC6580279 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2018] [Revised: 03/21/2019] [Accepted: 04/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The ecological consequences of climate change have been recognized in numerous species, with perhaps phenology being the most well-documented change. Phenological changes may have negative consequences when organisms within different trophic levels respond to environmental changes at different rates, potentially leading to phenological mismatches between predators and their prey. This may be especially apparent in the Arctic, which has been affected more by climate change than other regions, resulting in earlier, warmer, and longer summers. During a 7-year study near Utqiaġvik (formerly Barrow), Alaska, we estimated phenological mismatch in relation to food availability and chick growth in a community of Arctic-breeding shorebirds experiencing advancement of environmental conditions (i.e., snowmelt). Our results indicate that Arctic-breeding shorebirds have experienced increased phenological mismatch with earlier snowmelt conditions. However, the degree of phenological mismatch was not a good predictor of food availability, as weather conditions after snowmelt made invertebrate availability highly unpredictable. As a result, the food available to shorebird chicks that were 2-10 days old was highly variable among years (ranging from 6.2 to 28.8 mg trap-1 day-1 among years in eight species), and was often inadequate for average growth (only 20%-54% of Dunlin and Pectoral Sandpiper broods on average had adequate food across a 4-year period). Although weather conditions vary among years, shorebirds that nested earlier in relation to snowmelt generally had more food available during brood rearing, and thus, greater chick growth rates. Despite the strong selective pressure to nest early, advancement of nesting is likely limited by the amount of plasticity in the start and progression of migration. Therefore, long-term climatic changes resulting in earlier snowmelt have the potential to greatly affect shorebird populations, especially if shorebirds are unable to advance nest initiation sufficiently to keep pace with seasonal advancement of their invertebrate prey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah T. Saalfeld
- Migratory Bird Management DivisionU.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceAnchorageAlaska
| | | | - Dylan C. Kesler
- The Institute for Bird PopulationsPoint Reyes StationCalifornia
| | - Malcolm G. Butler
- Department of Biological SciencesNorth Dakota State UniversityFargoNorth Dakota
| | - Jenny A. Cunningham
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife SciencesUniversity of MissouriColumbiaMissouri
| | | | - Willow B. English
- National Wildlife Research CentreCarleton UniversityOttawaOntarioCanada
| | - Danielle E. Gerik
- College of Fisheries and Ocean SciencesUniversity of Alaska FairbanksFairbanksAlaska
| | - Kirsten Grond
- Department of Molecular & Cell BiologyUniversity of ConnecticutStorrsConnecticut
| | - Patrick Herzog
- Institut für Biologie, Zoologie - Molekulare ÖkologieMartin-Luther-Universität Halle-WittenbergHalleGermany
| | - Brooke L. Hill
- Department of Biology and WildlifeUniversity of Alaska FairbanksFairbanksAlaska
| | - Benjamin J. Lagassé
- Department of Integrative BiologyUniversity of Colorado DenverDenverColorado
| | - Richard B. Lanctot
- Migratory Bird Management DivisionU.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceAnchorageAlaska
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Myers‐Smith IH, Grabowski MM, Thomas HJD, Angers‐Blondin S, Daskalova GN, Bjorkman AD, Cunliffe AM, Assmann JJ, Boyle JS, McLeod E, McLeod S, Joe R, Lennie P, Arey D, Gordon RR, Eckert CD. Eighteen years of ecological monitoring reveals multiple lines of evidence for tundra vegetation change. ECOL MONOGR 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecm.1351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Isla H. Myers‐Smith
- School of GeoSciences University of Edinburgh Edinburgh EH9 3FF United Kingdom
| | | | - Haydn J. D. Thomas
- School of GeoSciences University of Edinburgh Edinburgh EH9 3FF United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Anne D. Bjorkman
- School of GeoSciences University of Edinburgh Edinburgh EH9 3FF United Kingdom
- Section for Ecoinformatics & Biodiversity Department of Bioscience Aarhus University DK‐8000 Aarhus Denmark
| | - Andrew M. Cunliffe
- School of GeoSciences University of Edinburgh Edinburgh EH9 3FF United Kingdom
| | - Jakob J. Assmann
- School of GeoSciences University of Edinburgh Edinburgh EH9 3FF United Kingdom
| | - Joseph S. Boyle
- School of GeoSciences University of Edinburgh Edinburgh EH9 3FF United Kingdom
| | - Edward McLeod
- Department of Environment Yukon Parks–Inuvik Office Yukon Territorial Government Inuvik NWT X0E 0T0 Canada
| | - Samuel McLeod
- Department of Environment Yukon Parks–Inuvik Office Yukon Territorial Government Inuvik NWT X0E 0T0 Canada
| | - Ricky Joe
- Department of Environment Yukon Parks–Inuvik Office Yukon Territorial Government Inuvik NWT X0E 0T0 Canada
| | - Paden Lennie
- Department of Environment Yukon Parks–Inuvik Office Yukon Territorial Government Inuvik NWT X0E 0T0 Canada
| | - Deon Arey
- Department of Environment Yukon Parks–Inuvik Office Yukon Territorial Government Inuvik NWT X0E 0T0 Canada
| | - Richard R. Gordon
- Department of Environment Yukon Parks–Inuvik Office Yukon Territorial Government Inuvik NWT X0E 0T0 Canada
| | - Cameron D. Eckert
- Department of Environment Yukon Parks–Whitehorse Office Yukon Territorial Government Whitehorse Yukon Territory Y1A 2C6 Canada
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Martin JL, Smith PA, Béchet A, Daufresne T. Late snowmelt can result in smaller eggs in Arctic shorebirds. Polar Biol 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-018-2365-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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16
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Oliver RY, Ellis DPW, Chmura HE, Krause JS, Pérez JH, Sweet SK, Gough L, Wingfield JC, Boelman NT. Eavesdropping on the Arctic: Automated bioacoustics reveal dynamics in songbird breeding phenology. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2018; 4:eaaq1084. [PMID: 29938220 PMCID: PMC6010323 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aaq1084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2017] [Accepted: 05/14/2018] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Bioacoustic networks could vastly expand the coverage of wildlife monitoring to complement satellite observations of climate and vegetation. This approach would enable global-scale understanding of how climate change influences phenomena such as migratory timing of avian species. The enormous data sets that autonomous recorders typically generate demand automated analyses that remain largely undeveloped. We devised automated signal processing and machine learning approaches to estimate dates on which songbird communities arrived at arctic breeding grounds. Acoustically estimated dates agreed well with those determined via traditional surveys and were strongly related to the landscape's snow-free dates. We found that environmental conditions heavily influenced daily variation in songbird vocal activity, especially before egg laying. Our novel approaches demonstrate that variation in avian migratory arrival can be detected autonomously. Large-scale deployment of this innovation in wildlife monitoring would enable the coverage necessary to assess and forecast changes in bird migration in the face of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Y. Oliver
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, NY 10964, USA
| | | | - Helen E. Chmura
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Jesse S. Krause
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Jonathan H. Pérez
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Shannan K. Sweet
- Horticulture Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Laura Gough
- Department of Biological Sciences, Towson University, Towson, MD 21252, USA
| | - John C. Wingfield
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Natalie T. Boelman
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, NY 10964, USA
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17
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Saalfeld ST, Lanctot RB. Multispecies comparisons of adaptability to climate change: A role for life-history characteristics? Ecol Evol 2017; 7:10492-10502. [PMID: 29299232 PMCID: PMC5743480 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2017] [Revised: 05/05/2017] [Accepted: 09/28/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Phenological advancement allows individuals to adapt to climate change by timing life‐history events to the availability of key resources so that individual fitness is maximized. However, different trophic levels may respond to changes in their environment at different rates, potentially leading to a phenological mismatch. This may be especially apparent in the highly seasonal arctic environment that is experiencing the effects of climate change more so than any other region. During a 14‐year study near Utqiaġvik (formerly Barrow), Alaska, we estimated phenological advancement in egg laying in relation to snowmelt for eight arctic‐breeding shorebirds and investigated potential linkages to species‐specific life‐history characteristics. We found that snowmelt advanced 0.8 days/year—six times faster than the prior 60‐year period. During this same time, six of the eight species exhibited phenological advancement in laying dates (varying among species from 0.1 to 0.9 days earlier per year), although no species appeared capable of keeping pace with advancing snowmelt. Phenological changes were likely the result of high phenotypic plasticity, as all species investigated in this study showed high interannual variability in lay dates. Commonality among species with similar response rates to timing of snowmelt suggests that nesting later and having an opportunistic settlement strategy may increase the adaptability of some species to changing climate conditions. Other life‐history characteristics, such as migration strategy, previous site experience, and mate fidelity did not influence the ability of individuals to advance laying dates. As a failure to advance egg laying is likely to result in greater phenological mismatch, our study provides an initial assessment of the relative risk of species to long‐term climatic changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah T Saalfeld
- Migratory Bird Management Division US Fish and Wildlife Service Anchorage AK USA
| | - Richard B Lanctot
- Migratory Bird Management Division US Fish and Wildlife Service Anchorage AK USA
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18
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Boelman NT, Krause JS, Sweet SK, Chmura HE, Perez JH, Gough L, Wingfield JC. Extreme spring conditions in the Arctic delay spring phenology of long-distance migratory songbirds. Oecologia 2017; 185:69-80. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-017-3907-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2016] [Accepted: 06/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
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Subarctic-breeding passerines exhibit phenological resilience to extreme spring conditions. Ecosphere 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
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21
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García-González R, Aldezabal A, Laskurain NA, Margalida A, Novoa C. Influence of Snowmelt Timing on the Diet Quality of Pyrenean Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus muta pyrenaica): Implications for Reproductive Success. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0148632. [PMID: 26849356 PMCID: PMC4746074 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0148632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2015] [Accepted: 01/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The Pyrenean rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta pyrenaica) is the southernmost subspecies of the species in Europe and is considered threatened as a consequence of changes in landscape, human pressure, climate change, and low genetic diversity. Previous studies have shown a relationship between the date of snowmelt and reproductive success in the Pyrenean ptarmigan. It is well established that birds laying early in the breeding season have higher reproductive success, but the specific mechanism for this relationship is debated. We present an explicative model of the relationship between snowmelt date and breeding success mediated by food quality for grouse in alpine environments. From microhistological analyses of 121 faecal samples collected during three years in the Canigou Massif (Eastern Pyrenees), and the assessment of the chemical composition of the main dietary components, we estimated the potential quality of individual diets. Potential dietary quality was correlated with free-urate faecal N, a proxy of the digestible protein content ingested by ptarmigan, and both were correlated with phenological stage of consumed plants, which in turn depends on snowmelt date. Our findings suggest that the average snowmelt date is subject to a strong interannual variability influencing laying date. In years of early snowmelt, hens benefit from a longer period of high quality food resources potentially leading to a higher breeding success. On the contrary, in years of late snowmelt, hens begin their breeding period in poorer nutrient condition because the peaks of protein content of their main food items are delayed with respect to laying date, hence reducing breeding performance. We discuss the possible mismatch between breeding and snowmelt timing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Arantza Aldezabal
- Plant Biology and Ecology Department, Basque Country University, Bilbao, Spain
| | | | - Antoni Margalida
- Department of Animal Production, Division of Wildlife, Faculty of Life Sciences and Engineering, University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain
- Division of Conservation Biology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- * E-mail:
| | - Claude Novoa
- Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage, Prades, France
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22
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Analysis of trophic interactions reveals highly plastic response to climate change in a tri-trophic High-Arctic ecosystem. Polar Biol 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-015-1872-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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23
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Van Hemert C, Pearce JM, Handel CM. Wildlife health in a rapidly changing North: focus on avian disease. FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT 2014; 12:548-556. [PMID: 32313510 PMCID: PMC7164092 DOI: 10.1890/130291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Climate-related environmental changes have increasingly been linked to emerging infectious diseases in wildlife. The Arctic is facing a major ecological transition that is expected to substantially affect animal and human health. Changes in phenology or environmental conditions that result from climate warming may promote novel species assemblages as host and pathogen ranges expand to previously unoccupied areas. Recent evidence from the Arctic and subarctic suggests an increase in the spread and prevalence of some wildlife diseases, but baseline data necessary to detect and verify such changes are still lacking. Wild birds are undergoing rapid shifts in distribution and have been implicated in the spread of wildlife and zoonotic diseases. Here, we review evidence of current and projected changes in the abundance and distribution of avian diseases and outline strategies for future research. We discuss relevant climatic and environmental factors, emerging host-pathogen contact zones, the relationship between host condition and immune function, and potential wildlife and human health outcomes in northern regions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - John M Pearce
- US Geological Survey Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, AK
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The influence of weather and lemmings on spatiotemporal variation in the abundance of multiple avian guilds in the arctic. PLoS One 2014; 9:e101495. [PMID: 24983471 PMCID: PMC4077800 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0101495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2013] [Accepted: 06/08/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change is occurring more rapidly in the Arctic than other places in the world, which is likely to alter the distribution and abundance of migratory birds breeding there. A warming climate can provide benefits to birds by decreasing spring snow cover, but increases in the frequency of summer rainstorms, another product of climate change, may reduce foraging opportunities for insectivorous birds. Cyclic lemming populations in the Arctic also influence bird abundance because Arctic foxes begin consuming bird eggs when lemmings decline. The complex interaction between summer temperature, precipitation, and the lemming cycle hinder our ability to predict how Arctic-breeding birds will respond to climate change. The main objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between annual variation in weather, spring snow cover, lemming abundance and spatiotemporal variation in the abundance of multiple avian guilds in a tundra ecosystem in central Nunavut, Canada: songbirds, shorebirds, gulls, loons, and geese. We spatially stratified our study area based on vegetation productivity, terrain ruggedness, and freshwater abundance, and conducted distance sampling to estimate strata-specific densities of each guild during the summers of 2010-2012. We also monitored temperature, rainfall, spring snow cover, and lemming abundance each year. Spatial variation in bird abundance matched what was expected based on previous ecological knowledge, but weather and lemming abundance also significantly influenced the abundance of some guilds. In particular, songbirds were less abundant during the cool, wet summer with moderate snow cover, and shorebirds and gulls declined with lemming abundance. The abundance of geese did not vary over time, possibly because benefits created by moderate spring snow cover were offset by increased fox predation when lemmings were scarce. Our study provides an example of a simple way to monitor the correlation between weather, spring snow cover, lemming abundance, and spatiotemporal variations in Arctic-breeding birds.
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25
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Phenological advancement in arctic bird species: relative importance of snow melt and ecological factors. Polar Biol 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-014-1522-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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