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Luna Á, Moreno E, Pinzolas JA, Oliver S, Meyer S, Brodermann O, Merino C, Karaardıç H, da Silva LP, Chatton C, Laesser J, Meier CM, Gutiérrez JS, Masero JA, Pérez J, Kullberg C, Pérez-Gómez Á, Mateos-González F, Tigges U, Toledo B, Rausell-Moreno A. Anthropogenic debris as nest material in three swift species: New insights into the interactions of atmospheric pollution with wildlife. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 949:175171. [PMID: 39094648 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175171] [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: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 07/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
Plastic pollution has become a global concern, affecting many species around the world. While well-documented for marine ecosystems, the impact of plastic pollution on terrestrial ecosystems is comparatively limited. In fact, only recently have some studies begun to explore the occurrence, pathways, and impacts of plastic in the atmosphere and on terrestrial species. Here, we assess the presence of synthetic material in nests of three swift species breeding in the Western Palearctic: the common swift (Apus apus), the pallid swift (Apus pallidus), and the alpine swift (Tachymarptis melba). Using data from 487 nests spanning 25 colonies and seven European countries, we show that 36.5 % of the examined nests contained anthropogenic materials, mainly plastic debris. Notably, Pallid swifts' nests, with 85 % of the total nests examined with plastic, rank among birds with the highest plastic content in nests. We also demonstrate that the probability of finding plastic in the nest increased substantially with the human footprint of the landscape. Last, we recorded four cases of swifts entangled in their own nest, a low proportion compared to other species studied previously. Our study provides compelling evidence that plastic pollution may also be considered a concern for other terrestrial species, particularly for birds with highly aerial lifestyles, such as other swifts. The correlation with the human footprint suggests that areas with higher human activity contribute more significantly. Moreover, the entanglement cases, although low, indicate a threat to bird health and welfare. To our knowledge, our study is the first to report a direct interaction between floating plastic debris in the atmosphere and any species. Understanding this interaction is key, not only due to the lack of research on the topic, but also because it highlights that plastic pollution is a multifaceted environmental issue affecting various ecosystem categories, and the broader implications of atmospheric plastic circulation on wildlife and ecosystems health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Álvaro Luna
- Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Universidad Europea de Madrid, 28670 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Elena Moreno
- Ecourbe, Association for the Protection of Urban Environment, Seville, Spain
| | | | | | | | | | - Carlos Merino
- Departamento de Zoología, Universidad de Sevilla, Spain
| | - Hakan Karaardıç
- Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University, Education Faculty, Department of Math and Science Education, Alanya, Antalya, Türkiye
| | - Luis P da Silva
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
| | - Caroline Chatton
- Musée d'histoire naturelle Fribourg MHNF, Chemin du Musée 6, CH-1700 Fribourg, Switzerland.
| | - Jacques Laesser
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Seerose 1, CH-6204 Sempach, Switzerland.
| | - Christoph M Meier
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Seerose 1, CH-6204 Sempach, Switzerland.
| | - Jorge S Gutiérrez
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain; Ecology in the Anthropocene, Associated Unit CSIC-UEX, Faculty of Sciences, University of Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain.
| | - José A Masero
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain; Ecology in the Anthropocene, Associated Unit CSIC-UEX, Faculty of Sciences, University of Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain
| | | | - Cecilia Kullberg
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Álvaro Pérez-Gómez
- Universidad de Cádiz, Departamento de Biología (Área de Botánica), Campus Río San Pedro, 11510 Puerto Real, Spain.
| | | | | | - Bernardo Toledo
- Departamento de Ecología Integrativa, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Armand Rausell-Moreno
- Department of Biogeography and Global Change, National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC), Madrid, Spain.
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Heldmaier G, Braulke L, Flick J, Ruf T. Multiple ultradian rhythms of metabolism, body temperature and activity in Djungarian hamsters. J Comp Physiol B 2024; 194:501-518. [PMID: 38967807 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-024-01569-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Djungarian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus) living at constant 15 °C Ta in short photoperiod (8:16 h L:D) showed pronounced ultradian rhythms (URs) of metabolic rate (MR), body temperature (Tb) and locomotor activity. The ultradian patterns differed between individuals and varied over time. The period length of URs for MR, Tb and activity was similar although not identical. Wavelet analysis showed that three different URs are existing in parallel, URs of small amplitude and short duration (URsmall), URs of medium amplitude and medium duration (URmedium) and URs of large amplitude (URlarge), superimposed on each other. URlarge were accompanied by an increase in locomotor activity, whereas URsmall and URmedium were of metabolic origin with lacking or delayed responses of activity. An energetic challenge to cold which raised total energy requirements by about 50% did not accelerate the period length of URs, but extended the amplitude of URsmall and URmedium. URlarge corresponds with the URs of activity, feeding and drinking, sleep and arousal as described in previous studies, which are related to midbrain dopaminergic signalling and hypothalamic ultradian signalling. The cause and control of URmedium and URsmall is unknown. Their periods are similar to periods of central and peripheral endocrine ultradian signalling, suggesting a link with URs of metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerhard Heldmaier
- Animal Physiology, Department of Biology, Marburg University, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, 35032, Marburg, Germany.
| | - Luzie Braulke
- Animal Physiology, Department of Biology, Marburg University, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, 35032, Marburg, Germany
| | - Johanna Flick
- Animal Physiology, Department of Biology, Marburg University, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, 35032, Marburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Ruf
- Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
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Wellbrock AHJ, Eckhardt LRH, Kelsey NA, Heldmaier G, Rozman J, Witte K. Cool birds: first evidence of energy-saving nocturnal torpor in free-living common swifts Apus apus resting in their nests. Biol Lett 2022; 18:20210675. [PMID: 35414223 PMCID: PMC9006018 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2021.0675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Daily torpor is a means of saving energy by controlled lowering of the metabolic rate (MR) during resting, usually coupled with a decrease in body temperature. We studied nocturnal daily torpor under natural conditions in free-living common swifts Apus apus resting in their nests as a family using two non-invasive approaches. First, we monitored nest temperature (Tnest) in up to 50 occupied nests per breeding season in 2010-2015. Drops in Tnest were the first indication of torpor. Among 16 673 observations, we detected 423 events of substantial drops in Tnest of on average 8.6°C. Second, we measured MR of the families inside nest-boxes prepared for calorimetric measurements during cold periods in the breeding seasons of 2017 and 2018. We measured oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production using a mobile indirect respirometer and calculated the percentage reduction in MR. During six torpor events observed, MR was gradually reduced by on average 56% from the reference value followed by a decrease in Tnest of on average 7.6°C. By contrast, MR only decreased by about 33% on nights without torpor. Our field data gave an indication of daily torpor, which is used as a strategy for energy saving in free-living common swifts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arndt H J Wellbrock
- Research Group of Ecology and Behavioural Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Siegen, Siegen, Germany.,Institute of Avian Research 'Vogelwarte Helgoland', Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Luca R H Eckhardt
- Research Group of Ecology and Behavioural Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Siegen, Siegen, Germany
| | - Natalie A Kelsey
- Research Group of Ecology and Behavioural Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Siegen, Siegen, Germany.,Institute of Avian Research 'Vogelwarte Helgoland', Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Gerhard Heldmaier
- Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biology, Marburg University, Marburg, Germany
| | - Jan Rozman
- Research Group of Ecology and Behavioural Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Siegen, Siegen, Germany.,Czech Centre for Phenogenomics, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Klaudia Witte
- Research Group of Ecology and Behavioural Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Siegen, Siegen, Germany
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