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Hansen E, Bustnes JO, Herzke D, Bangjord G, Ballesteros M, Bårdsen BJ, Bollinger E, Schulz R, Eulaers I, Bourgeon S. Feathers as integrated archives of environmental stress: Direct and indirect effects of metal exposure and dietary ecology on physiological stress in a terrestrial raptor. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 954:176324. [PMID: 39299313 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2024] [Revised: 09/06/2024] [Accepted: 09/14/2024] [Indexed: 09/22/2024]
Abstract
Metal pollution is a global environmental issue with adverse biological effects on wildlife. Long-term studies that span declines in metal emissions due to regulation, resulting in varying levels of environmental contamination, are therefore well-suited to investigate effects of toxic metals, while also facilitating robust analysis by incorporating fluctuating environmental conditions and food availability. Here, we examined a resident population of tawny owls in Norway between 1986 and 2019. Tail feathers from females were collected annually, resulting in over 1000 feathers. Each feather served as an archive of local environmental conditions during molt, including the presence of metals, and their dietary ecology, proxied by stable isotopes of nitrogen (δ15N) and carbon (δ13C), as well as corticosterone levels (CORTf), the primary avian glucocorticoid and a measure of physiological stress. We analyzed feathers to examine how exposure to toxic metal(loid)s (Al, As, Cd, Hg, and Pb) and variability in dietary proxies modulate CORTf. Using structural equation modelling, we found that increased Al concentrations and δ15N values, linked directly to increased CORTf. In opposite, we found that increased Hg concentrations and δ13C related to decreased CORTf concentrations. δ15N was indirectly linked to CORTf through Al and Hg, while δ13C was indirectly linked to CORTf through Hg. This supports our hypothesis that metal exposure and dietary ecology may individually or jointly influence physiological stress. Notably, our results suggest that dietary ecology has the potential to mediate the impact of metals on CORTf, highlighting the importance of considering multiple variables, direct and indirect effects, when assessing stress in wildlife. In conclusion, feathers represent an excellent non-destructive biomonitoring strategy in avian wildlife, providing valuable insights not easily accessible using other methods. Further research is warranted to fully comprehend implications of alterations in CORTf on the tawny owl's health and fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Hansen
- UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Department of Arctic Marine Biology, 9019 Tromsø, Norway.
| | - Jan Ove Bustnes
- NINA - Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, FRAM Centre, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Dorte Herzke
- The Climate and Environmental Research Institute NILU, FRAM Centre, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Georg Bangjord
- Miljødirektoratet, postboks 5672 Torgarden, 7485 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Manuel Ballesteros
- NINA - Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, FRAM Centre, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Bård-Jørgen Bårdsen
- NINA - Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, FRAM Centre, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Eric Bollinger
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Fortstrasse 7, 76829 Landau, Germany
| | - Ralf Schulz
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Fortstrasse 7, 76829 Landau, Germany
| | - Igor Eulaers
- Norwegian Polar Institute, FRAM Centre, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Sophie Bourgeon
- UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, Department of Arctic Marine Biology, 9019 Tromsø, Norway
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2
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Tooth A, Morosinotto C, Karell P. Sex allocation is color morph-specific and associated with fledging condition in a wild bird. Behav Ecol 2024; 35:arae039. [PMID: 38818250 PMCID: PMC11138213 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arae039] [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: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Melanin-based color polymorphism is predicted to evolve and maintain through differential fitness of morphs in different environments, and several empirical studies indicate that life history strategies, physiology, and behavior vary among color morphs. Sex allocation theory predicts that parents should adjust their sex allocation based on differential costs of raising sons and daughters, and therefore, color morphs are expected to modify their brood sex ratio decisions. In color polymorphic tawny owls (Strix aluco), the pheomelanistic brown morph is associated with higher energy requirements, faster growth, and higher parental effort than the gray morph. As hypothesized, we find that brown tawny owl mothers produced more daughters in early broods and more males in late broods, whereas gray mothers did the opposite. At fledging, daughters of early broods and of brown mothers were heavier than those of late broods or gray mothers. Hence, larger and more costly daughters appeared to benefit more than males from being born to brown mothers early in the season. Brown mothers breeding later in the season produced more cheap sons, while gray mothers face fewer challenges under limited resources and favor daughters. These findings suggest that environmental conditions influence brood sex allocation strategies of genetically determined color morphs differently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amandine Tooth
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37 (Ecology Building), SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Chiara Morosinotto
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37 (Ecology Building), SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden
- Bioeconomy Research Team, Novia University of Applied Sciences, Raseborgsvägen 9, FI-10600 Raseborg, Finland
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via U. Bassi 58/B, 35131 Padova, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), Piazza Marina 61, I-90133 Palermo, Italy
| | - Patrik Karell
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37 (Ecology Building), SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden
- Bioeconomy Research Team, Novia University of Applied Sciences, Raseborgsvägen 9, FI-10600 Raseborg, Finland
- Evolutionary Biology Center, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
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Monti F, Barišić S, Cannarella S, Ćiković D, Tutiš V, Kralj J, Catoni C. Breeding phase and outcome determine space use in European rollers Coracias garrulus prior to migration. Curr Zool 2024; 70:137-149. [PMID: 38726250 PMCID: PMC11078049 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoad006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The breeding period is a demanding and time-constrained phase for migratory bird species. Breeding outcome and duration can interact with the extent and duration of post-breeding movements, resulting in individual differences in space use ultimately influencing later stages of the annual cycle. We present space-use and home range estimates during the breeding season for 21 European rollers Coracias garrulus tracked between 2018 and 2022, in Italy and Croatia. Using high-resolution spatial GPS data coupled with regular nest-box monitoring, we analyzed differences in space use during the incubation/nestling period versus post-breeding period prior to migration, accounting for the breeding outcome (successful vs. failure). We found that adult movements were strongly reduced during the first phase, whereas increased in the post-breeding phase, especially for failed breeders. Successful breeders remained in the surroundings of the nest site, whereas unsuccessful ones tended to abandon the nest and visit distant areas (up to 500 km) for long periods (60.5 ± 6.2 days). Breeding outcome did not influence the departure date of autumn migration, suggesting that failed breeders used this period for exploratory movements but not for advancing the onset of migration. Such exploratory movements may be functional to prospect and inform settlement decisions in failed breeders in search of new breeding opportunities and may be particularly important in migratory species, which generally have a limited period to gather information prior to autumn migration. The study demonstrates the need to investigate seasonal movements in different populations and the potential importance of prospecting post-breeding movements for long-distance migratory species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flavio Monti
- University of Siena, Department of Physical Sciences, Earth and Environment, Via Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy
- Ornis italica, Piazza Crati 15, 00199 Rome, Italy
| | - Sanja Barišić
- Institute of Ornithology, Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Gundulićeva 24, HR-1000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | | | - Davor Ćiković
- Institute of Ornithology, Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Gundulićeva 24, HR-1000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Vesna Tutiš
- Institute of Ornithology, Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Gundulićeva 24, HR-1000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Jelena Kralj
- Institute of Ornithology, Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Gundulićeva 24, HR-1000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Carlo Catoni
- Ornis italica, Piazza Crati 15, 00199 Rome, Italy
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Body Condition in the Tawny Owl Strix aluco near the Northern Limit of Its Range: Effects of Individual Characteristics and Environmental Conditions. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12202843. [PMID: 36290228 PMCID: PMC9597763 DOI: 10.3390/ani12202843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The present study examines how the variations in food supply and winter weather are reflected in the body condition of female and male Tawny Owls Strix aluco of different colour morphs in a population near the southern coast of Finland. Winter weather conditions before breeding seemed to have effects on the food availability of Tawny Owls: the depth of the snow cover showed a positive relationship, and the frequency of temperature fluctuations around the freezing point had a negative relationship. In females, intrinsic factors such as colour morph and age, as well as the body condition of the mate and the stage of the season, governed body condition. In males, only age and the stage of the season suggested associations with body condition. Probably due to the efficient use of alternative prey, the effects of fluctuations of vole populations on the body condition of Tawny Owls are only moderate. Abstract The body condition of boreal species of vole-eaters seems to vary largely according to fluctuations in vole populations and weather conditions of the preceding winter. I studied females and males of the Tawny Owl Strix aluco of temperate origin near the northern limit of the species’ range in southern Finland to reveal if they show similar patterns to the boreal species. Winter weather conditions before breeding seemed to have pronounced effects on the food availability of Tawny Owls. In females, intrinsic factors such as colour morph and age, as well as the body condition of the mate and the stage of the season (Julian date), governed body condition. In males, only age and Julian date showed pronounced relationships with body condition. The results suggest that deep snow cover protects vole populations through winter until spring better than a minor amount of snow and that frequent temperature fluctuations around the freezing point in early spring make voles more available for owls that are preparing for breeding. This was also reflected positively in the body condition of female owls. Probably due to the efficient use of alternative prey, the effects of fluctuating vole populations on the body condition of Tawny Owls are, in general, only moderate.
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Passarotto A, Morosinotto C, Brommer JE, Aaltonen E, Ahola K, Karstinen T, Karell P. Cold winters have morph-specific effects on natal dispersal distance in a wild raptor. Behav Ecol 2021; 33:419-427. [PMID: 35444494 PMCID: PMC9015216 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arab149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Dispersal is a key process with crucial implications in spatial distribution, density, and genetic structure of species’ populations. Dispersal strategies can vary according to both individual and environmental features, but putative phenotype-by-environment interactions have rarely been accounted for. Melanin-based color polymorphism is a phenotypic trait associated with specific behavioral and physiological profiles and is, therefore, a good candidate trait to study dispersal tactics in different environments. Here, using a 40 years dataset of a population of color polymorphic tawny owls (Strix aluco), we investigated natal dispersal distance of recruiting gray and pheomelanic reddish-brown (hereafter brown) color morphs in relation to post-fledging winter temperature and individual characteristics. Because morphs are differently sensitive to cold winters, we predicted that morphs’ natal dispersal distances vary according to winter conditions. Winter temperature did not affect the proportion of brown (or gray) among recruits. We found that dispersal distances correlate with winter temperature in an opposite manner in the two morphs. Although the gray morph undertakes larger movements in harsher conditions, likely because it copes better with winter severity, the brown morph disperses shorter distances when winters are harsher. We discuss this morph-specific natal dispersal pattern in the context of competition for territories between morphs and in terms of costs and benefits of these alternative strategies. Our results stress the importance of considering the interaction between phenotype and environment to fully disentangle dispersal movement patterns and provide further evidence that climate affects the behavior and local distribution of this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arianna Passarotto
- University of Seville, Department of Zoology, Sevilla, Spain
- Bioeconomy Research Team, Novia University of Applied Sciences, Raseborgsvägen 9, FI-10600 Raseborg, Finland
| | - Chiara Morosinotto
- Bioeconomy Research Team, Novia University of Applied Sciences, Raseborgsvägen 9, FI-10600 Raseborg, Finland
- Evolutionary Ecology Unit, Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 39 (Ecology Building), SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Jon E Brommer
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland
| | | | - Kari Ahola
- Tornihaukantie 8D 72, FI-02620 Espoo, Finland
| | | | - Patrik Karell
- Bioeconomy Research Team, Novia University of Applied Sciences, Raseborgsvägen 9, FI-10600 Raseborg, Finland
- Evolutionary Ecology Unit, Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 39 (Ecology Building), SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden
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6
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Mayer M, Šálek M, Fox AD, Juhl Lindhøj F, Jacobsen LB, Sunde P. Fine-scale movement patterns and habitat selection of little owls (Athene noctua) from two declining populations. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0256608. [PMID: 34570774 PMCID: PMC8476024 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Advances in bio-logging technology for wildlife monitoring have expanded our ability to study space use and behavior of many animal species at increasingly detailed scales. However, such data can be challenging to analyze due to autocorrelation of GPS positions. As a case study, we investigated spatiotemporal movements and habitat selection in the little owl (Athene noctua), a bird species that is declining in central Europe and verges on extinction in Denmark. We equipped 6 Danish food-supplemented little owls and 6 non-supplemented owls in the Czech Republic with high-resolution GPS loggers that recorded one position per minute. Nightly space use, measured as 95% kernel density estimates, of Danish male owls were on average 62 ha (± 64 SD, larger than any found in previous studies) compared to 2 ha (± 1) in females, and to 3 ± 1 ha (males) versus 3 ± 5 ha (females) in the Czech Republic. Foraging Danish male owls moved on average 4-fold further from their nest and at almost double the distance per hour than Czech males. To create availability data for the habitat selection analysis, we accounted for high spatiotemporal autocorrelation of the GPS data by simulating correlated random walks with the same autocorrelation structure as the actual little owl movement trajectories. We found that habitat selection was similar between Danish and Czech owls, with individuals selecting for short vegetation and areas with high structural diversity. Our limited sample size did not allow us to infer patterns on a population level, but nevertheless demonstrates how high-resolution GPS data can help to identify critical habitat requirements to better formulate conservation actions on a local scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Mayer
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Martin Šálek
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Brno, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | | | - Lars Bo Jacobsen
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Peter Sunde
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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7
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Karell P, Kohonen K, Koskenpato K. Specialist predation covaries with colour polymorphism in tawny owls. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-021-02986-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Understanding intraspecific phenotypic variation in prey specialisation can help to predict how long-term changes in prey availability affect the viability of these phenotypes and their persistence. Generalists are favoured when the main food resources are unpredictable compared to specialists, which track the availability of the main prey and are more vulnerable to changes in the main food resource. Intraspecific heritable melanin-based colour polymorphism is considered to reflect adaptations to different environments. We studied colour morph-specific diet specialisation in a generalist predator, tawny owl (Strix aluco), during offspring food provisioning in relation to mammal prey density. We hypothesised that the grey morph, with higher fitness than the brown in Northern boreal conditions, is more specialised in mammalian prey than the brown morph, which in turn has higher fitness than the grey in the temperate zone. We found a higher diversity of prey delivered to the nest by brown fathers compared to grey ones, which also depended on the overall mammalian prey availability. Brown fathers provided proportionally fewer mammalian prey than grey in poor, but not in favourable mammal prey years. Our results suggest that the brown morph is more generalistic and reacts more strongly to variations in food supply than the grey morph, which may be a beneficial strategy in an unpredictable environment caused by environmental degradation.
Significance statement
Diet choice of a species may vary depending on fluctuations in the abundance of their food resource, but also within a population, there can be adaptations to use different food resources. The tawny owl exhibits a grey and a reddish-brown colour morph and is considered a generalist predator eating both mammal and bird prey. We find that the diet of the reddish-brown morph is more diverse than that of the grey. When the tawny owls’ main prey, small mammals, are abundant both colour morphs prey on mammals, but in years with less small mammals, the reddish-brown morph is more prone of switching to small bird predation than the grey. The generalist strategy of the brown morph is likely to be more favourable than a stricter specialisation in small mammals of the grey under recently reoccurring irregularities in small mammal dynamics.
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da Silva LP, Mata VA, Lopes PB, Lopes RJ, Beja P. High-resolution multi-marker DNA metabarcoding reveals sexual dietary differentiation in a bird with minor dimorphism. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:10364-10373. [PMID: 33072265 PMCID: PMC7548197 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 07/25/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Although sexual dietary differentiation is well known in birds, it is usually linked with significant morphological dimorphism between males and females, with lower differentiation reported in sexually monomorphic or only slightly dimorphic species. However, this may be an artifact of poor taxonomic resolution achieved in most conventional dietary studies, which may be unable to detect subtle intraspecific differentiation in prey consumption. Here, we show the power of multi‐marker metabarcoding to address these issues, focusing on a slightly dimorphic generalist passerine, the black wheatear Oenanthe leucura. Using markers from four genomic regions (18S, 16S, COI, and trnL), we analyzed fecal droppings collected from 93 adult black wheatears during the breeding season. We found that sexes were rather similar in bill and body features, though males had a slightly thicker bill and longer wings and tail than females. Diet was dominated in both sexes by a very wide range of arthropod species and a few fleshy fruits, but the overall diet diversity was higher for males than females, and there was a much higher frequency of occurrence of ants in female (58%) than male (29%) diets. We hypothesize that the observed sexual differentiation was likely related to females foraging closer to their offspring on abundant prey, while males consumed a wider variety of prey while foraging more widely. Overall, our results suggest that dietary sexual differentiation in birds may be more widespread than recognized at present and that multi‐marker DNA metabarcoding is a particularly powerful tool to unveiling such differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luís P da Silva
- CIBIO-InBIO Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources University of Porto Vairão Portugal
| | - Vanessa A Mata
- CIBIO-InBIO Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources University of Porto Vairão Portugal
| | | | - Ricardo J Lopes
- CIBIO-InBIO Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources University of Porto Vairão Portugal
| | - Pedro Beja
- CIBIO-InBIO Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources University of Porto Vairão Portugal.,CIBIO-InBIO Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources Institute of Agronomy University of Lisbon Lisbon Portugal
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Peri A. Censusing a tawny owl ( Strix aluco) population living at high density merging two consolidated techniques. ECOSCIENCE 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/11956860.2018.1455370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Achille Peri
- GRAM, Gruppo Ricerche Avifauna Mantovano, Pegognaga, Italy
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10
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Luka V, Riegert J. Apodemus mice as the main prey that determines reproductive output of tawny owl (Strix aluco) in Central Europe. POPUL ECOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10144-018-0611-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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11
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Cornioley T, Jenouvrier S, Börger L, Weimerskirch H, Ozgul A. Fathers matter: male body mass affects life-history traits in a size-dimorphic seabird. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 284:rspb.2017.0397. [PMID: 28469021 PMCID: PMC5443952 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.0397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2017] [Accepted: 03/28/2017] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the predicted consequences of climate change is a shift in body mass distributions within animal populations. Yet body mass, an important component of the physiological state of an organism, can affect key life-history traits and consequently population dynamics. Over the past decades, the wandering albatross—a pelagic seabird providing bi-parental care with marked sexual size dimorphism—has exhibited an increase in average body mass and breeding success in parallel with experiencing increasing wind speeds. To assess the impact of these changes, we examined how body mass affects five key life-history traits at the individual level: adult survival, breeding probability, breeding success, chick mass and juvenile survival. We found that male mass impacted all traits examined except breeding probability, whereas female mass affected none. Adult male survival increased with increasing mass. Increasing adult male mass increased breeding success and mass of sons but not of daughters. Juvenile male survival increased with their chick mass. These results suggest that a higher investment in sons by fathers can increase their inclusive fitness, which is not the case for daughters. Our study highlights sex-specific differences in the effect of body mass on the life history of a monogamous species with bi-parental care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina Cornioley
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Stéphanie Jenouvrier
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Mailstop 50, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA.,Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, Station d'Ecologie de Chizé-La Rochelle, CNRS UMR 7372, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Luca Börger
- Department of Biosciences, College of Science, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, Wales SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Henri Weimerskirch
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, Station d'Ecologie de Chizé-La Rochelle, CNRS UMR 7372, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Arpat Ozgul
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
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Kitowski I, Jakubas D, Wiącek D, Sujak A. Concentrations of lead and other elements in the liver of the white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla), a European flagship species, wintering in Eastern Poland. AMBIO 2017; 46:825-841. [PMID: 28620777 PMCID: PMC5639800 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-017-0929-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2016] [Revised: 04/07/2017] [Accepted: 06/05/2017] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
As a top predator, the white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) may serve as a good indicator species, providing information about the bioavailability of contaminants and their transfer within the food chain. In this study, we aimed to determine the common sources of origin of 17 metals and other elements in the liver of white-tailed eagles, and to compare the variations in their hepatic concentrations by age (adults vs immatures) and sex (males vs females) in groups of white-tailed eagles wintering in Eastern Poland. The element concentrations followed the pattern of S > K > Na > Fe > Mg > Ca > Zn > Cu > Mn > Se > Pb > Hg > Cd > Cr > Sr > V > Sc. We found significant age-related differences in the hepatic concentrations of some of the elements. Adults showed higher concentrations of Pb, Cd, Ca, Fe, and Zn and lower concentrations of Cu and Se than immatures. These differences may be explained by age-related differences in wintering strategy (adults are sedentary, and immatures are migratory) and hunting skills (adults are more successful when hunting for agile prey). Our study indicates that ingested Pb ammunition poses a serious threat to the health and lives of white-tailed eagles in Poland (32% of the studied individuals had acute lead poisoning). Our study also indicates a serious need for banning the use of lead hunting ammunition in the parts of Europe (including Poland) where it is still allowed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignacy Kitowski
- State School of Higher Education in Chełm, Pocztowa 54, 22-100 Chełm, Poland
| | - Dariusz Jakubas
- Department of Vertebrate Ecology and Zoology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Dariusz Wiącek
- Institute of Agrophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Doświadczalna 4, 20-290 Lublin, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Sujak
- Department of Biophysics, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13, 20-933 Lublin, Poland
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13
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Provisioning Behavior of Male and Female Eastern Screech-Owls During the Post-Brooding Period. AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST 2017. [DOI: 10.1674/0003-0031-177.1.69] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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14
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Hoy SR, Petty SJ, Millon A, Whitfield DP, Marquiss M, Davison M, Lambin X. Age and sex-selective predation moderate the overall impact of predators. J Anim Ecol 2014; 84:692-701. [PMID: 25334013 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2014] [Accepted: 10/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Currently, there is no general agreement about the extent to which predators impact prey population dynamics and it is often poorly predicted by predation rates and species abundances. This could, in part be caused by variation in the type of selective predation occurring. Notably, if predation is selective on categories of individuals that contribute little to future generations, it may moderate the impact of predation on prey population dynamics. However, despite its prevalence, selective predation has seldom been studied in this context. Using recoveries of ringed tawny owls (Strix aluco) predated by 'superpredators', northern goshawks (Accipiter gentilis) as they colonized the area, we investigated the extent to which predation was sex and age-selective. Predation of juvenile owls was disproportionately high. Amongst adults, predation was strongly biased towards females and predation risk appeared to increase with age. This implies age-selective predation may shape the decline in survival with age, observed in tawny owls. To determine whether selective predation can modulate the overall impact of predation, age-based population matrix models were used to simulate the impact of five different patterns of age-selective predation, including the pattern actually observed in the study site. The overall impact on owl population size varied by up to 50%, depending on the pattern of selective predation. The simulation of the observed pattern of predation had a relatively small impact on population size, close to the least harmful scenario, predation on juveniles only. The actual changes in owl population size and structure observed during goshawk colonization were also analysed. Owl population size and immigration were unrelated to goshawk abundance. However, goshawk abundance appeared to interact with owl food availability to have a delayed effect on recruitment into the population. This study provides strong evidence to suggest that predation of other predators is both age and sex-selective and that selective predation of individuals with a low reproductive value may mitigate the overall impact of predators on prey population dynamics. Consequently, our results highlight how accounting for the type of selective predation occurring is likely to improve future predictions of the overall impact of predation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah R Hoy
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 2TZ, UK
| | - Steve J Petty
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 2TZ, UK
| | - Alexandre Millon
- Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie Marine et Continentale (IMBE), Aix-Marseille Université, UMR CNRS IRD Avignon Université, Technopôle Arbois-Méditerranée, Aix-en-Provence, F-13545, France
| | | | - Michael Marquiss
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 2TZ, UK
| | | | - Xavier Lambin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 2TZ, UK
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Gow EA, Wiebe KL. Northern flicker mates foraging on renewing patches within home ranges avoid competition not by separate niches but by segregation. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-014-1822-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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16
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Selonen V, Painter JN, Rantala S, Hanski IK. Mating system and reproductive success in the Siberian flying squirrel. J Mammal 2013. [DOI: 10.1644/13-mamm-a-129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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Kouba M, Bartoš L, Štastný K. Differential movement patterns of juvenile Tengmalms owls (Aegolius funereus) during the post-fledging dependence period in two years with contrasting prey abundance. PLoS One 2013; 8:e67034. [PMID: 23843981 PMCID: PMC3700927 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0067034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2013] [Accepted: 05/13/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Fledgling behaviour and movement patterns throughout the post-fledging dependence period (PFDP), especially in relation to changing environmental conditions, have been rarely studied, despite the fact that this period is recognized as of crucial significance in terms of high mortality of juveniles. The PFDP can extend over quite a protracted period, particularly in birds of prey, and a knowledge of the movement patterns of individuals is fundamental for understanding mechanisms underlying survival, habitat use and dispersion. We radiotracked 39 fledglings of the Tengmalm’s owl (Aegolius funereus) in two years with different availability of prey: 2010 (n = 29) and 2011 (n = 10) and obtained 1455 daily locations. Fledglings reached independence on average in 45 days after fledging in 2010 (n = 22) and 57 days in 2011 (n = 6). Within years, the most important measures influencing the distance moved from the nest box were age of fledglings and number of surviving siblings present. Individual home range size and duration of PFDP in particular were dependent on maximal number of siblings seen outside the nest box. In the season with low prey availability fledglings were observed at greater distances from the nest box than in the year with higher prey availability (mean distance: 350 m in 2010 and 650 m in 2011) and occupied larger home ranges (mean: 30.3 ha in 2010 and 57.7 ha in 2011). The main factor causing these differences between years was probably the different availability of prey in these two years, affecting breeding success and post-fledging survivorship of the Tengmalm’s owls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marek Kouba
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic.
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Sonerud GA, Steen R, Løw LM, Røed LT, Skar K, Selås V, Slagsvold T. Size-biased allocation of prey from male to offspring via female: family conflicts, prey selection, and evolution of sexual size dimorphism in raptors. Oecologia 2012; 172:93-107. [PMID: 23073637 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-012-2491-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2012] [Accepted: 09/27/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Solonen T. Effects of Variable Food Supply on the Body Condition of Breeding Tawny Owls Strix aluco in Southern Finland. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011. [DOI: 10.5402/2011/929460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Body condition of boreal species of vole-eaters seems to vary in accordance with fluctuating vole populations. Tawny owls Strix aluco of temperate origin were studied to reveal if they show a similar pattern during nestling period near the northern limit of the species' range. The body condition of tawny owls was not considerably affected by the annual fluctuations of small voles indicated by regional vole indices and local prey samples. There were some significant relationships with some alternative prey but the variation in the body condition of owls was largely explained by the bird's age, time of the season, and stage of the nestling period. Old birds that bred earlier in the season were in better condition than young ones that bred later. Due to alternative prey, the body condition seemed to be relatively resistant to the effects of variable foraging conditions as expected for a generalist species of southern origin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tapio Solonen
- Luontotutkimus Solonen Oy, Neitsytsaarentie 7b B 147, 00960 Helsinki, Finland
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Kingma SA, Hall ML, Peters A. No evidence for offspring sex-ratio adjustment to social or environmental conditions in cooperatively breeding purple-crowned fairy-wrens. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-010-1133-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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21
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Sasvári L, Hegyi Z. Parents raise higher proportion of high quality recruits from low fledgling production in the local population of tawny owls,Strix aluco. FOLIA ZOOLOGICA 2010. [DOI: 10.25225/fozo.v59.i3.a1.2010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lajos Sasvári
- Eszterházy Károly College of Education, Department of Zoology, Leányka u. 6, H-3300 Eger, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Hegyi
- Management of Duna-Ipoly National Park, H-1021 Budapest, Hűvösvölgyi út 52, Hungary
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Experimental increase in food supply influences the outcome of within-family conflicts in Tengmalm’s owl. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-009-0898-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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23
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Solonen T. Factors Affecting Reproduction in the Tawny OwlStrix alucoin Southern Finland. ANN ZOOL FENN 2009. [DOI: 10.5735/086.046.0407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Karell P, Ahola K, Karstinen T, Zolei A, Brommer JE. Population dynamics in a cyclic environment: consequences of cyclic food abundance on tawny owl reproduction and survival. J Anim Ecol 2009; 78:1050-62. [PMID: 19493132 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2009.01563.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
1. Understanding which factors regulate population dynamics may help us to understand how a population would respond to environmental change, and why some populations are declining. 2. In southern Finland, vole abundance shows a three-phased cycle of low, increase and decrease phases, but these have been fading out in recent years. During five such cycles (1981-1995), all tawny owls Strix aluco were censused in a 250-km(2) study area, and their reproduction and survival were monitored. 3. Males and females showed similar dynamics, but experienced breeders recruited more offspring and had higher survival than first breeders. Offspring recruitment, but not survival of breeding individuals varied in accordance with vole abundance. 4. The population's numerical response to prey abundance was primarily due to first-breeding individuals entering the population in the increase phase when immigration was the highest. First-breeding birds were younger, but experienced breeders were older in more favourable vole years. 5. A stage-specific matrix population model integrating survival and fecundity showed that, despite obvious variation in fecundity between vole cycle phases, this variation had limited importance for overall tawny owl population dynamics, but that the survival of experienced breeders during the low phase is most important for population growth. 6. Model and data agreed that the vole cycle drives the dynamics of this avian predator by limiting the recruitment of new breeders during the low phase. Population dynamics hence differ not only from the classic example of the species in a more temperate region in the UK where the number of territories is stable across years, but also from the dynamics of other avian vole predators in Fennoscandia where the recurring crash in vole abundance drastically lowers adult survival thereby creating vacancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrik Karell
- Bird Ecology Unit, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland.
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Sergio F, Blas J, Forero MG, Donázar JA, Hiraldo F. Size-Related Advantages for Reproduction in a Slightly Dimorphic Raptor: Opposite Trends between the Sexes. Ethology 2007. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0310.2007.01417.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Weimerskirch H, Le Corre M, Ropert-Coudert Y, Kato A, Marsac F. Sex-specific foraging behaviour in a seabird with reversed sexual dimorphism: the red-footed booby. Oecologia 2005; 146:681-91. [PMID: 16195880 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-005-0226-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2005] [Accepted: 07/21/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Most hypotheses attempting to explain the evolution of reversed sexual dimorphism (RSD) assume that size-related differences in foraging ability are of prime importance, but the studies on sex-specific differences in foraging behaviour remain scarce. We compare the foraging behaviour of males and females in a seabird species with a RSD by using several miniaturised activity and telemetry loggers. In red-footed boobies males are 5% smaller and 15% lighter than females, but have a longer tail than females. Both sexes spend similar time on the nest while incubating or brooding. When foraging at sea, males and females spend similar time foraging in oceanic waters, forage in similar areas, spend similar proportion of their foraging trip in flight, and feed on similar prey-flying fishes and flying squids-of similar size. However, compared to males, females range farther during incubation (85 km vs. 50 km), and furthermore feed mostly at the extremity of their foraging trip, whereas males actively forage throughout the trip. Males are much more active than females, landing and diving more often. During the study period, males lost mass, whereas females showed no significant changes. These results indicate that males and females of the red-footed boobies differ in several aspects in their foraging behaviour. Although some differences found in the study may be the direct result of the larger size of females, that is, the slightly higher speeds and deeper depths attained by females, others indicate clearly different foraging strategies between the sexes. The smaller size and longer tail of males confer them a higher agility, and could allow them to occupy a foraging niche different from that of females. The higher foraging effort of males related to its different foraging strategy is probably at the origin of the rapid mass loss of males during the breeding period. These results suggest that foraging differences are probably the reason for the differential breeding investment observed in boobies, and are likely to be involved in the evolution and maintenance of RSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henri Weimerskirch
- IRD, Centre de la Réunion, UR 109 Thetis, BP 172, 97492, Sainte Clotilde, Ile de la Réunion, France
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Maklakov AA, Bilde T, Lubin Y. Sexual selection for increased male body size and protandry in a spider. Anim Behav 2004. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2004.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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32
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