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Dungannon TD, Anthony CR, Bowden TS, Hagen CA. Microclimate and thermal refuge influences on sage-grouse brood habitat selection. J Therm Biol 2024; 124:103957. [PMID: 39213954 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2024.103957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2024] [Revised: 08/09/2024] [Accepted: 08/09/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Wildlife space use is driven by three primary mechanisms, predator avoidance, foraging, and thermoregulation. The latter has largely been overlooked in wildlife research. Understanding how habitat use is influenced by thermoregulatory properties is a critical component to depicting species' ecology. Galliformes' (i.e., ground nesting birds with precocial young) ecology is predisposed to thermal extremes, where newly hatched chicks are unable to thermoregulate <14 d post-hatch, and have limited capabilities until >21 d post-hatch. We examined greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) brood rearing habitats and provide the first evaluation as to how microscale thermal environments influenced habitat selection. We monitored 24 broods, collected 82,929 black bulb temperature measurements from thermal arrays (n = 256) comprised of stainless steel black bulbs (i.e., surrogate for operative temperature) to compare brood morning (i.e., foraging, n = 78), afternoon (i.e., loafing, n = 82) and associated random locations (n = 96) between early (≤21 d post-hatch) and late (>21 d post-hatch) brood-rearing. We measured vegetation at all locations to disentangle relationships between cover and thermoregulatory metrics. We found that microclimates at all foraging locations heated more rapidly than either their loafing or random locations. Alternatively, loafing locations moderated ambient temperature more effectively than foraging locations but were similar to random locations. Broods were using loafing sites that both increased their ability to avoid predators (i.e., increased shrub structure) and buffered ambient temperature better than their foraging locations. Interestingly, random afternoon locations tended to lack concealment from predators, despite these locations showing improved thermal buffering compared to foraging locations. However, early brood-rearing habitats appeared to moderate ambient temperatures more effectively than late. Our results suggested that managing vegetation for structural heterogeneity will afford a diversity of thermal refuge for greater sage-grouse broods during this critical life history stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler D Dungannon
- Oregon State University, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences, 104 Nash Hall, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Christopher R Anthony
- Oregon State University, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences, 104 Nash Hall, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Timothy S Bowden
- Bureau of Land Management Applegate Field Office, Alturas, CA, 96101, USA
| | - Christian A Hagen
- Oregon State University, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences, 104 Nash Hall, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA.
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2
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Reeves JT, Herzog C, Barnes CL, Davis CA, Fuhlendorf SD, Wilder SM. Variation among arthropod taxa in the amino acid content of exoskeleton and digestible tissue. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10348. [PMID: 37496760 PMCID: PMC10365971 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10348] [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: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Arthropod consumption provides amino acids to invertebrates and vertebrates alike, but not all amino acids in arthropods may be digestible as some are bound in the exoskeleton. Consumers may not be able to digest exoskeleton in significant amounts or avoid it entirely (e.g., extraoral digestion). Hence, measures that do not separate digestible amino acids from those in exoskeleton may not accurately represent the amino acids available to consumers. Additionally, arthropods are taxonomically diverse, and it remains unclear if taxonomic differences also reflect differences in amino acid availability. Thus, we tested: (1) if there were consistent differences in the content and balance of amino acids between the digestible tissue and exoskeleton of arthropods and (2) if arthropod Orders differ in amino acid content and balance. We measured the amino acid content (mg/100 mg dry mass) and balance (mg/100 mg protein) of whole bodies and exoskeleton of a variety of arthropods using acid hydrolysis. Overall, there was higher amino acid content in digestible tissue. There were also significant differences in the amino acid balance of proteins in digestible tissue and exoskeleton. Amino acid content and balance also varied among Orders; digestible tissues of Hemiptera contained more of some essential amino acids than other Orders. These results demonstrate that arthropod taxa vary in amino acid content, which could have implications for prey choice by insectivores. In addition, exoskeleton and digestible tissue content differ in arthropods, which means that whole body amino acid content of an arthropod is not necessarily a predictor of amino acid intake of a predator that feeds on that arthropod.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. T. Reeves
- Department of Integrative BiologyOklahoma State UniversityStillwaterOklahomaUSA
| | - Colton Herzog
- Department of Integrative BiologyOklahoma State UniversityStillwaterOklahomaUSA
| | | | - Craig A. Davis
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and ManagementOklahoma State UniversityStillwaterOklahomaUSA
| | - Samuel D. Fuhlendorf
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and ManagementOklahoma State UniversityStillwaterOklahomaUSA
| | - Shawn M. Wilder
- Department of Integrative BiologyOklahoma State UniversityStillwaterOklahomaUSA
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3
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Neumann LK, Davis CA, Fuhlendorf SD, Elmore RD. Does weather drive habitat use and movement of a nonmigratory bird? Ecosphere 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- L. K. Neumann
- Natural Resource Ecology and Management Oklahoma State University Stillwater Oklahoma USA
| | - C. A. Davis
- Natural Resource Ecology and Management Oklahoma State University Stillwater Oklahoma USA
| | - S. D. Fuhlendorf
- Natural Resource Ecology and Management Oklahoma State University Stillwater Oklahoma USA
| | - R. D. Elmore
- Natural Resource Ecology and Management Oklahoma State University Stillwater Oklahoma USA
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4
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Ansley RJ, Rivera‐Monroy VH, Griffis‐Kyle K, Hoagland B, Emert A, Fagin T, Loss SR, McCarthy HR, Smith NG, Waring EF. Assessing impacts of climate change on selected foundation species and ecosystem services in the South‐Central USA. Ecosphere 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- R. James Ansley
- Natural Resource Ecology and Management Department Oklahoma State University Stillwater Oklahoma USA
| | - Victor H. Rivera‐Monroy
- Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, College of the Coast and Environment Louisiana State University Baton Rouge Louisiana USA
| | - Kerry Griffis‐Kyle
- Department of Natural Resources Management Texas Tech University Lubbock Texas USA
| | - Bruce Hoagland
- Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability University of Oklahoma Norman Oklahoma USA
| | - Amanda Emert
- The Institute of Environmental and Human Health Texas Tech University Lubbock Texas USA
| | - Todd Fagin
- The Center for Spatial Analysis University of Oklahoma Norman Oklahoma USA
| | - Scott R. Loss
- Natural Resource Ecology and Management Department Oklahoma State University Stillwater Oklahoma USA
| | - Heather R. McCarthy
- The Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology University of Oklahoma Norman Oklahoma USA
| | - Nicholas G. Smith
- Department of Biological Sciences Texas Tech University Lubbock Texas USA
| | - Elizabeth F. Waring
- Department of Natural Sciences Northeastern State University Tahlequah Oklahoma USA
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5
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Gonnerman M, Shea SA, Sullivan K, Kamath P, Overturf K, Blomberg E. Dynamic winter weather moderates movement and resource selection of wild turkeys at high-latitude range limits. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2023; 33:e2734. [PMID: 36057107 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2734] [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: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
For wide-ranging species in temperate environments, populations at high-latitude range limits are subject to more extreme conditions, colder temperatures, and greater snow accumulation compared with their core range. As climate change progresses, these bounding pressures may become more moderate on average, while extreme weather occurs more frequently. Individuals can mitigate temporarily extreme conditions by changing daily activity budgets and exhibiting plasticity in resource selection, both of which facilitate existence at and expansion of high-latitude range boundaries. However, relatively little work has explored how animals moderate movement and vary resource selection with changing weather, and a general framework for such investigations is lacking. We applied hidden Markov models and step selection functions to GPS data from wintering wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) near their northern range limit to identify how weather influenced transition among discrete movement states, as well as state-specific resource selection. We found that turkeys were more likely to spend time in a stationary state as wind chill temperatures decreased and snow depth increased. Both stationary and roosting turkeys selected conifer forests and avoided land covers associated with foraging, such as agriculture and residential areas, while shifting their strength of selection for these features during poor weather. In contrast, mobile turkeys showed relatively weak resource selection, with less response in selection coefficients during poor weather. Our findings illustrate that behavioral plasticity in response to weather was context dependent, but movement behaviors most associated with poor weather were also those in which resource selection was most plastic. Given our results, the potential for wild turkey range expansion will partly be determined by the availability of habitat that allows them to withstand periodic inclement weather. Combining hidden Markov models with step selection functions is broadly applicable for evaluating plasticity in animal behavior and dynamic resource selection in response to changing weather. We studied turkeys at northern range limits, but this approach is applicable for any system expected to experience significant changes in the coming decade, and may be particularly relevant to populations existing at range peripheries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Gonnerman
- Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Conservation Biology, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, USA
| | - Stephanie A Shea
- School of Food and Agriculture, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, USA
| | - Kelsey Sullivan
- Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Bangor, Maine, USA
| | - Pauline Kamath
- School of Food and Agriculture, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, USA
| | - Kaj Overturf
- Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Conservation Biology, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, USA
| | - Erik Blomberg
- Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Conservation Biology, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, USA
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6
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Ruperto EF, Menéndez J, Taraborelli PA, Scattolón FO, Sassi PL. Behavioral responses of two small‐sized rodents,
Phyllotis vaccarum
and
Abrothrix andina
, to energy challenges of high‐altitude habitats in the Andes Mountains. Ethology 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Fabián Ruperto
- Ecología Integrativa de Fauna Silvestre, Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de Zonas Áridas, CCT‐Mendoza CONICET Mendoza Argentina
| | - Josefina Menéndez
- Ecología Integrativa de Fauna Silvestre, Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de Zonas Áridas, CCT‐Mendoza CONICET Mendoza Argentina
| | - Paula Andrea Taraborelli
- EEA BARROW, Centro Regional Buenos Aires Sur, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria CONICET Buenos Aires Argentina
| | | | - Paola Lorena Sassi
- Ecología Integrativa de Fauna Silvestre, Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de Zonas Áridas, CCT‐Mendoza CONICET Mendoza Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales Universidad Nacional de Cuyo Mendoza Argentina
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7
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Masto NM, Robinson OJ, Brasher MG, Keever AC, Blake‐Bradshaw AG, Highway CJ, Feddersen JC, Hagy HM, Osborne DC, Combs DL, Cohen BS. Citizen science reveals waterfowl responses to extreme winter weather. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:5469-5479. [PMID: 35656733 PMCID: PMC9545755 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Global climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of extreme climatic events (ECEs) which may be especially detrimental during late-winter when many species are surviving on scarce resources. However, monitoring animal populations relative to ECEs is logistically challenging. Crowd-sourced datasets may provide opportunity to monitor species' responses to short-term chance phenomena such as ECEs. We used 14 years of eBird-a global citizen science initiative-to examine distribution changes for seven wintering waterfowl species across North America in response to recent extreme winter polar vortex disruptions. To validate inferences from eBird, we compared eBird distribution changes against locational data from 362 GPS-tagged Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) in the Mississippi Flyway. Distributional shifts between eBird and GPS-tagged Mallards were similar following an ECE in February 2021. In general, the ECE affected continental waterfowl population distributions; however, responses were variable across species and flyways. Waterfowl distributions tended to stay near wintering latitudes or moved north at lesser distances compared with non-ECE years, suggesting preparedness for spring migration was a stronger "pull" than extreme weather was a "push" pressure. Surprisingly, larger-bodied waterfowl with grubbing foraging strategies (i.e., geese) delayed their northward range shift during ECE years, whereas smaller-bodied ducks were less affected. Lastly, wetland obligate species shifted southward during ECE years. Collectively, these results suggest specialized foraging strategies likely related to resource limitations, but not body size, necessitate movement from extreme late-winter weather in waterfowl. Our results demonstrate eBird's potential to monitor population-level effects of weather events, especially severe ECEs. eBird and other crowd-sourced datasets can be valuable to identify species which are adaptable or vulnerable to ECEs and thus, begin to inform conservation policy and management to combat negative effects of global climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas M. Masto
- College of Arts and SciencesTennessee Technological UniversityCookevilleTennesseeUSA
| | | | | | - Allison C. Keever
- College of Arts and SciencesTennessee Technological UniversityCookevilleTennesseeUSA
| | | | - Cory J. Highway
- College of Arts and SciencesTennessee Technological UniversityCookevilleTennesseeUSA
| | - Jamie C. Feddersen
- Division of Wildlife and ForestryTennessee Wildlife Resources AgencyNashvilleTennesseeUSA
| | - Heath M. Hagy
- National Wildlife Refuge SystemU.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceStantonTennesseeUSA
| | - Douglas C. Osborne
- College of Forestry, Agriculture, and Natural ResourcesUniversity of Arkansas at MonticelloMonticelloArkansasUSA
| | - Daniel L. Combs
- College of Arts and SciencesTennessee Technological UniversityCookevilleTennesseeUSA
| | - Bradley S. Cohen
- College of Arts and SciencesTennessee Technological UniversityCookevilleTennesseeUSA
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8
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Nelson SD, Keever AC, Wightman PH, Bakner NW, Argabright CM, Byrne ME, Collier BA, Chamberlain MJ, Cohen BS. Fine‐scale resource selection and behavioral tradeoffs of eastern wild turkey broods. J Wildl Manage 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stefan D. Nelson
- College of Arts and Science Tennessee Technological University Cookeville TN 38505 USA
| | - Allison C. Keever
- College of Arts and Science Tennessee Technological University Cookeville TN 38505 USA
| | - Patrick H. Wightman
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources University of Georgia Athens GA 30602 USA
| | - Nicholas W. Bakner
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources University of Georgia Athens GA 30602 USA
| | - Chad M. Argabright
- School of Renewable Natural Resources Louisiana State University Baton Rouge LA 70803 USA
| | - Michael E. Byrne
- School of Natural Resources University of Missouri Columbia MO 65211 USA
| | - Bret A. Collier
- School of Renewable Natural Resources Louisiana State University Baton Rouge LA 70803 USA
| | - Michael J. Chamberlain
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources University of Georgia Athens GA 30602 USA
| | - Bradley S. Cohen
- College of Arts and Science Tennessee Technological University Cookeville TN 38505 USA
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9
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Neumann LK, Davis CA, Fuhlendorf SD, Andersson K, Elmore RD, Goodman LE. Understanding how diel and seasonal rhythms affect the movements of a small non‐migratory bird. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- L. K. Neumann
- Natural Resource Ecology and Management Oklahoma State University Stillwater Oklahoma USA
| | - C. A. Davis
- Natural Resource Ecology and Management Oklahoma State University Stillwater Oklahoma USA
| | - S. D. Fuhlendorf
- Natural Resource Ecology and Management Oklahoma State University Stillwater Oklahoma USA
| | - K. Andersson
- Natural Resource Ecology and Management Oklahoma State University Stillwater Oklahoma USA
| | - R. D. Elmore
- Natural Resource Ecology and Management Oklahoma State University Stillwater Oklahoma USA
| | - L. E. Goodman
- Natural Resource Ecology and Management Oklahoma State University Stillwater Oklahoma USA
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10
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Cohen BS, Oleson B, Fyffe N, Smallwood A, Bakner N, Nelson S, Chamberlain MJ, Collier BA. Movement, spatial ecology, and habitat selection of translocated Gould's wild turkeys. WILDLIFE SOC B 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.1270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bradley S. Cohen
- College of Arts and Sciences Tennessee Technological University Cookeville TN 38505 USA
| | | | - Nathan Fyffe
- Arizona Game and Fish Department Phoenix AZ 85086 USA
| | | | - Nick Bakner
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources University of Georgia Athens GA 30602 USA
| | - Stefan Nelson
- College of Arts and Sciences Tennessee Technological University Cookeville TN 38505 USA
| | - Michael J. Chamberlain
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources University of Georgia Athens GA 30602 USA
| | - Bret A. Collier
- School of Renewable Natural Resources Louisiana State University Baton Rouge LA 70803 USA
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11
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Neumann LK, Fuhlendorf SD, Davis CD, Wilder SM. Climate alters the movement ecology of a non-migratory bird. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8869. [PMID: 35475174 PMCID: PMC9034450 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Global climate change is causing increased climate extremes threatening biodiversity and altering ecosystems. Climate is comprised of many variables including air temperature, barometric pressure, solar radiation, wind, relative humidity, and precipitation that interact with each other. As movement connects various aspects of an animal's life, understanding how climate influences movement at a fine-temporal scale will be critical to the long-term conservation of species impacted by climate change. The sedentary nature of non-migratory species could increase some species risk of extirpation caused by climate change. We used Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus; hereafter bobwhite) as a model to better understand the relationship between climate and the movement ecology of a non-migratory species at a fine-temporal scale. We collected movement data on bobwhite from across western Oklahoma during 2019-2020 and paired these data with meteorological data. We analyzed movement in three different ways (probability of movement, hourly distance moved, and sinuosity) using two calculated movement metrics: hourly movement (displacement between two consecutive fixes an hour apart) and sinuosity (a form of tortuosity that determines the amount of curvature of a random search path). We used generalized linear-mixed models to analyze probability of movement and hourly distance moved, and used linear-mixed models to analyze sinuosity. The interaction between air temperature and solar radiation affected probability of movement and hourly distance moved. Bobwhite movement increased as air temperature increased beyond 10°C during low solar radiation. During medium and high solar radiation, bobwhite moved farther as air temperature increased until 25-30°C when hourly distance moved plateaued. Bobwhite sinuosity increased as solar radiation increased. Our results show that specific climate variables alter the fine-scale movement of a non-migratory species. Understanding the link between climate and movement is important to determining how climate change may impact a species' space use and fitness now and in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Landon K. Neumann
- Oklahoma State UniversityStillwaterOklahomaUSA,Natural Resource Ecology and ManagementOklahoma State UniversityStillwaterOklahomaUSA
| | - Samuel D. Fuhlendorf
- Natural Resource Ecology and ManagementOklahoma State UniversityStillwaterOklahomaUSA
| | - Craig D. Davis
- Natural Resource Ecology and ManagementOklahoma State UniversityStillwaterOklahomaUSA
| | - Shawn M. Wilder
- Department of Integrative BiologyOklahoma State UniversityStillwaterOklahomaUSA
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12
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Robertson EP, Tanner EP, Elmore RD, Fuhlendorf SD, Mays JD, Knutson J, Weir JR, Loss SR. Fire management alters the thermal landscape and provides multi-scale thermal options for a terrestrial turtle facing a changing climate. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:782-796. [PMID: 34741780 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2021] [Revised: 09/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
As effects of climate change intensify, there is a growing need to understand the thermal properties of landscapes and their influence on wildlife. A key thermal property of landscapes is vegetation structure and composition. Management approaches can alter vegetation and consequently the thermal landscape, potentially resulting in underappreciated consequences for wildlife thermoregulation. Consideration of spatial scale can clarify how management overlaid onto existing vegetation patterns affects thermal properties of landscapes relevant to wildlife. We examined effects of temperature, fire management, and vegetation structure on multi-scale habitat selection of an ectothermic vertebrate (the turtle Terrapene carolina triunguis) in the Great Plains of the central United States by linking time-since-fire data from 18 experimental burn plots to turtle telemetry locations and thermal and vegetation height data. Within three 60-ha experimental landscapes, each containing six 10-ha sub-blocks that are periodically burned, we found that turtles select time-since-fire gradients differently depending on maximum daily ambient temperature. At moderate temperatures, turtles selected sub-blocks with recent (<1 year) time-since-fire, but during relatively hot and cool conditions, they selected sub-blocks with later (2-3 year) time-since-fire that provided thermal buffering compared with recently burned sub-blocks. Within 10-ha sub-blocks, turtles selected locations with taller vegetation during warmer conditions that provided thermal buffering. Thermal performance curves revealed that turtle activity declined as temperatures exceeded ~24-29°C, and on "heat days" (≥29°C) 73% of turtles were inactive compared with 37% on non-heat days, emphasizing that thermal extremes may lead to opportunity costs (i.e., foregone benefits turtles could otherwise accrue if active). Our results indicate that management approaches that promote a mosaic of vegetation heights, like spatiotemporally dynamic fire, can provide thermal refuges at multiple spatial scales and thus be an actionable way to provide wildlife with multiple thermal options in the context of ongoing and future climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen P Robertson
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA
- South Central Climate Adaptation Science Center, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Evan P Tanner
- Department of Rangeland and Wildlife Science, Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, Texas, USA
| | - R Dwayne Elmore
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Samuel D Fuhlendorf
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Jonathan D Mays
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Jennifer Knutson
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA
| | - John R Weir
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Scott R Loss
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA
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13
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González-Zapata FA, Sanginés-García JR, Piñero-Vázquez ÁT, Velázquez-Madrazo PA, Itzá-Ortíz MF, Bello-Pérez EV, Chay-Canul AJ, Aguilar-Urquizo E. Performance of Turkeys in Enrichment Environment with Perches and Outdoor Access under Tropical Conditions. BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF POULTRY SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.1590/1806-9061-2021-1553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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14
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Cady SM, Davis CA, Fuhlendorf SD, Scholtz R, Uden DR, Twidwell D. Generalist bird exhibits site-dependent resource selection. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:12714-12727. [PMID: 34594533 PMCID: PMC8462173 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 07/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Quantifying resource selection (an organism's disproportionate use of available resources) is essential to infer habitat requirements of a species, develop management recommendations, predict species responses to changing conditions, and improve our understanding of the processes that underlie ecological patterns. Because study sites, even within the same region, can differ in both the amount and the arrangement of cover types, our objective was to determine whether proximal sites can yield markedly different resource selection results for a generalist bird, northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus). We used 5 years of telemetry locations and newly developed land cover data at two, geographically distinct but relatively close sites in the south-central semi-arid prairies of North America. We fit a series of generalized linear mixed models and used an information-theoretic model comparison approach to identify and compare resource selection patterns at each site. We determined that the importance of different cover types to northern bobwhite is site-dependent on relatively similar and nearby sites. Specifically, whether bobwhite selected for shrub cover and whether they strongly avoided trees, depended on the study site in focus. Additionally, the spatial scale of selection was nearly an order of magnitude different between the cover types. Our study demonstrates that-even for one of the most intensively studied species in the world-we may oversimplify resource selection by using a single study site approach. Managing the trade-offs between practical, generalized conclusions and precise but complex conclusions is one of the central challenges in applied ecology. However, we caution against setting recommendations for broad extents based on information gathered at small extents, even for a generalist species at adjacent sites. Before extrapolating information to areas beyond the data collected, managers should account for local differences in the availability, arrangement, and scaling of resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha M. Cady
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and ManagementOklahoma State UniversityStillwaterOKUSA
| | - Craig A. Davis
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and ManagementOklahoma State UniversityStillwaterOKUSA
| | - Samuel D. Fuhlendorf
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and ManagementOklahoma State UniversityStillwaterOKUSA
| | - Rheinhardt Scholtz
- Department of Agronomy and HorticultureUniversity of NebraskaLincolnNEUSA
| | - Daniel R. Uden
- Department of Agronomy and HorticultureUniversity of NebraskaLincolnNEUSA
- School of Natural ResourcesUniversity of NebraskaLincolnNEUSA
| | - Dirac Twidwell
- Department of Agronomy and HorticultureUniversity of NebraskaLincolnNEUSA
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15
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Londe DW, Elmore RD, Davis CA, Fuhlendorf SD, Hovick TJ, Luttbeg B, Rutledge J. Fine-scale habitat selection limits trade-offs between foraging and temperature in a grassland bird. Behav Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arab012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Many species are frequently faced with the decision about how to balance the use of thermal refuge against access to food resources. We evaluated the habitat use of female greater prairie chickens (Tympanuchus cupido) to assess the potential for trade-offs between thermal conditions and food resources during the habitat selection process. Our objectives were to 1) compare near-ground temperatures, invertebrate availability, and vegetation characteristics at sites used by greater prairie chickens to conditions at random landscape locations in various time since fire patches and 2) assess changes in conditions at used sites throughout the day to determine if selection for resources changes relative to ambient conditions, resulting in trade-offs between foraging sites and thermal refuge. We found that greater prairie chickens primarily used patches 0–12 months postfire that had relatively high abundances and biomasses of invertebrates compared to other time since fire patches. Greater prairie chickens further modified their selection at relatively fine spatial scales within these food-rich patches to select for areas with cooler temperatures during the hottest part of the day. The use of thermal refuge did not appear to influence the access to food resources as invertebrate abundance and biomass at used sites were consistent throughout the day. Our results show that food resources and thermal cover influences habitat selection for greater prairie chickens, but there was little evidence for trade-offs during the habitat selection process. Consideration of spatial and temporal scales is critical for evaluating trade-offs in habitat selection for animals and this research provides insights into the decision-making process by prairie chickens.
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Affiliation(s)
- David W Londe
- Department of Natural Resources Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
| | - R Dwayne Elmore
- Department of Natural Resources Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
| | - Craig A Davis
- Department of Natural Resources Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
| | - Samuel D Fuhlendorf
- Department of Natural Resources Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
| | - Torre J Hovick
- Department of Range Science, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA
| | - Barney Luttbeg
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
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16
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Butler A, Davis CA, Fuhlendorf SD, Wilder SM. Effects of fire on ground-dwelling arthropods in a shrub-dominated grassland. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:427-442. [PMID: 33437440 PMCID: PMC7790617 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Arthropods are abundant and diverse animals in many terrestrial food webs. In western Oklahoma, some shrublands are interspersed with discrete, dense thickets of tall, woody vegetation, known as mottes. Some of these shrublands are managed with prescribed burning. The goal of this study was to examine whether prescribed burning interacted with habitat type (i.e., shrubland versus mottes) to affect ground-dwelling arthropod communities. Arthropods were collected in pitfall traps at four sampling locations in relation to mottes; in the center of mottes, and three plot location in shrublands; 1 m, 15 m, and 50 m away from the edge of the motte. There were three treatment levels for burning: one year postburn (burned in dormant months of 2017), two years postburn (burned in dormant months of 2016), and unburned (burned in dormant season of 2014 and prior). There were no significant interactions between prescribed burning and habitat type. Mottes had a different community of arthropods compared with the surrounding shrubland. Mottes also had lower overall abundance, but a higher diversity of arthropods. In terms of fires, arthropod communities one year after burning were different from those two or more years after burning. There was no effect of burning on overall arthropod abundance, but plots that were one year since burning had significantly lower diversity compared with plots that were two or more years postburn. The results of this study suggest that both fire and mottes can independently facilitate heterogeneity in arthropod communities, but they do not appear to interact with one another.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Butler
- Department of Integrative BiologyOklahoma State UniversityStillwaterOKUSA
| | - Craig A. Davis
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and ManagementOklahoma State UniversityStillwaterOKUSA
| | - Samuel D. Fuhlendorf
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and ManagementOklahoma State UniversityStillwaterOKUSA
| | - Shawn M. Wilder
- Department of Integrative BiologyOklahoma State UniversityStillwaterOKUSA
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17
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Kauffman KL, Elmore RD, Davis CA, Fuhlendorf SD, Goodman LE, Hagen CA, Tanner EP. Role of the thermal environment in scaled quail (Callipepla squamata) nest site selection and survival. J Therm Biol 2020; 95:102791. [PMID: 33454032 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2020.102791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Temperature is increasingly recognized as an important component of wildlife habitat. Temperature is particularly important for avian nest sites, where extreme temperatures can influence adult behavior, embryonic development, and survival. For species inhabiting arid and semiarid climates, such as the scaled quail (Callipepla squamata), frequent exposure to extreme temperatures may increase the importance of the nest microclimate. Limited data suggest that scaled quail respond to temperature when selecting nest sites, and they are also known to respond to the presence of surface water and shrub cover on the landscape, two resources which may mitigate thermal stress. To better understand the role of temperature in nest site selection and survival, and to evaluate how other landscape resources may benefit nesting quail, we investigated nest site characteristics of scaled quail in southeastern New Mexico, USA. During the breeding seasons of 2018 and 2019 we located nests, monitored nest fate, and recorded thermal and vegetation characteristics at three spatial scales: the nest bowl, the nest microsite (area within 10 m of the nest bowl), and the landscape. We found that nest bowls moderated temperature relative to both the surrounding microsite and the broader landscape, remaining almost 5 °C cooler on average than the surrounding microsite at mid-day. Nest bowls also had taller, greater cover of vegetation compared to both the surrounding microsites and the landscape. Despite apparent selection for cooler temperatures and taller vegetation, these characteristics demonstrated a weak relationship with nest survival. Rather, nest survival was positively influenced by proximity to surface water and honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa), with survival decreasing with increasing distance from these features. Although the mechanism for this relationship is unclear, our results support the importance of temperature for nest site selection of ground-nesting birds in semiarid landscapes, and suggest further exploration of landscape-level sources of thermal mitigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiera L Kauffman
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, 008C Agricultural Hall, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA.
| | - R Dwayne Elmore
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, 008C Agricultural Hall, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA.
| | - Craig A Davis
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, 008C Agricultural Hall, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA.
| | - Samuel D Fuhlendorf
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, 008C Agricultural Hall, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA.
| | - Laura E Goodman
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, 008C Agricultural Hall, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA.
| | - Christian A Hagen
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, 497 SW Century Drive, Suite 105, Bend, OR, 97702, USA.
| | - Evan P Tanner
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, 700 University Blvd, MSC 218, Kingsville, TX, 78363, USA.
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Rozen-Rechels D, Valls-Fox H, Mabika CT, Chamaillé-Jammes S. Temperature as a constraint on the timing and duration of African elephant foraging trips. J Mammal 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyaa129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
In arid and semiarid environments, water is a key resource that is limited in availability. During the dry season, perennial water sources such as water pans often are far apart and shape the daily movement routines of large herbivores. In hot environments, endotherms face a lethal risk of overheating that can be buffered by evaporative cooling. Behavioral adjustments are an alternative way to reduce thermal constraints on the organism. The trade-off between foraging and reaching water pans has been studied widely in arid environments; however, few studies have looked into how ambient temperature shapes individual trips between two visits to water. In this study, we tracked during the dry season the movement of eight GPS-collared African elephants (Loxodonta africana) cows from different herds in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe. This species, the largest extant terrestrial animal, is particularly sensitive to heat due to its body size and the absence of sweat glands. We show that most foraging trips depart from water at nightfall, lowering the average temperature experienced during walking. This pattern is conserved across isolated elephant populations in African savannas. We also observed that higher temperatures at the beginning of the trip lead to shorter trips. We conclude that elephants adjust the timing of foraging trips to reduce the thermal constraints, arguing that further considerations of the thermal landscape of endotherms are important to understand their ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Rozen-Rechels
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, IRD, INRA, Institut d’écologie et des sciences de l’environnement (IEES), Paris, France
| | - Hugo Valls-Fox
- SELMET, Univ de Montpellier, CIRAD, INRA, Montpellier Sup. Agro, Montpellier, France
| | - Cheryl Tinashe Mabika
- Scientific Services, Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe
| | - Simon Chamaillé-Jammes
- CEFE, Univ de Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Unive Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, Montpellier, France
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, Pretoria, South Africa
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Londe DW, Dwayne Elmore R, Davis CA, Fuhlendorf SD, Luttbeg B, Hovick TJ. Structural and compositional heterogeneity influences the thermal environment across multiple scales. Ecosphere 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- David W. Londe
- Department of Natural Resources Ecology and Management Oklahoma State University 008C Agriculture Hall Stillwater Oklahoma74074USA
| | - R. Dwayne Elmore
- Department of Natural Resources Ecology and Management Oklahoma State University 008C Agriculture Hall Stillwater Oklahoma74074USA
| | - Craig A. Davis
- Department of Natural Resources Ecology and Management Oklahoma State University 008C Agriculture Hall Stillwater Oklahoma74074USA
| | - Samuel D. Fuhlendorf
- Department of Natural Resources Ecology and Management Oklahoma State University 008C Agriculture Hall Stillwater Oklahoma74074USA
| | - Barney Luttbeg
- Department of Integrative Biology Oklahoma State University 501 Life Science West Stillwater Oklahoma74074USA
| | - Torre J. Hovick
- School of Natural Resource Management‐Range Program North Dakota State University 201A Morrill Hall Fargo North Dakota58108USA
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20
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The effects of fire on the thermal environment of sagebrush communities. J Therm Biol 2020; 89:102488. [PMID: 32364967 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2019.102488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 12/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Thermal heterogeneity provides options for organisms during extreme temperatures that can contribute to their fitness. Sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) communities exhibit vegetation heterogeneity that creates thermal variation at fine spatial scales. However, fire can change vegetation and thereby variation within the thermal environment of sagebrush communities. To describe spatial and temporal thermal variation of sagebrush communities following wildfire, we measured black bulb temperature (Tbb) at 144 random points dispersed within unburned and burned communities, for 24-h at each random point. We observed a wide thermal gradient in unburned (-7.3° to 63.3 °C) and burned (-4.6° to 64.8 °C) sagebrush communities. Moreover, unburned and burned sagebrush communities displayed high thermal heterogeneity relative to ambient temperature (Tair). Notably, Tbb varied by 47 °C in both unburned and burned communities when Tair was 20 °C. However, fire greatly reduced the buffering capacity and thermal refuge of Wyoming big sagebrush (A. tridentata wyomingensis) communities during low and high Tair. Furthermore, fire increased Tbb in Wyoming big sagebrush and mountain big sagebrush (A. t. vaseyana) during the mid-day hours. These results demonstrate how fire changes the thermal environment of big sagebrush communities and the importance of shrub structure which can provide thermal refuge for organisms in burned communities during extreme low and high Tair.
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