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Catlin DH, Gibson D, Hunt KL, Weithman CE, Boettcher R, Gwynn R, Karpanty SM, Fraser JD, Ritter S, Maxwell SM. Movement patterns of foraging common terns (Sterna hirundo) breeding in an urban environment in coastal Virginia. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0304769. [PMID: 38991012 PMCID: PMC11238962 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Nesting colonial seabirds are prime examples of central-place foragers, animals that must return to a central location (e.g., a breeding colony) after each bout of foraging. They must balance the costs and benefits of foraging with the need to return to their colonies frequently to form pair bonds during courtship, incubate, provision mates and offspring, and protect and rear young. For some populations, the loss and degradation of suitable breeding habitat due to human activities have necessitated the construction of new breeding sites and/or the restoration of previously occupied sites. South Island, which is part of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT) complex in the Commonwealth of Virginia, U.S.A., is a human-created island that supported Virginia's largest mixed species seabird colony until 2020, when the expansion of the HRBT began and when all nesting seabirds were permanently excluded from the site. We studied the movement patterns of foraging common terns (Sterna hirundo) to determine how travel to and around foraging sites related to their colony location and to inform the siting and construction of a new breeding island. We tracked 18 individual common terns from 07 June to 29 June 2018, and we used a hidden Markov model to assign behavioral states and investigate common tern movements around the HRBT. Common terns spent more than half their time in the colony (58%), followed by time devoted to foraging (22%), and the remainder of their time was spent on outbound (15%) and inbound (5%) transit. Terns traveled as far as 98km from the colony, but on average foraged relatively close to South Island (13.6 ± 0.3km, mean ± 1 SD). Individuals tended to forage in the same locations, but there was variation among individuals. Flying to foraging sites uses energy during the already energetically costly breeding season, thus managers should prioritize placing a new colony site in a location that minimizes the distance traveled to the foraging locations frequented by the South Island birds while accounting for other life-history characteristics. These findings could help in the design and construction of new breeding sites or the restoration of current sites for other, related species, particularly for which these data do not exist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel H Catlin
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States of America
| | - Daniel Gibson
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
| | - Kelsi L Hunt
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States of America
| | - Chelsea E Weithman
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States of America
| | - Ruth Boettcher
- Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, Henrico, VA, United States of America
| | - Rebecca Gwynn
- Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, Henrico, VA, United States of America
| | - Sarah M Karpanty
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States of America
| | - James D Fraser
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States of America
| | - Shannon Ritter
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States of America
| | - Sara M Maxwell
- Bothell Campus, University of Washington, Bothell, WA, United States of America
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Goto Y, Weimerskirch H, Fukaya K, Yoda K, Naruoka M, Sato K. Albatrosses employ orientation and routing strategies similar to yacht racers. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2312851121. [PMID: 38771864 PMCID: PMC11161812 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2312851121] [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: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The way goal-oriented birds adjust their travel direction and route in response to wind significantly affects their travel costs. This is expected to be particularly pronounced in pelagic seabirds, which utilize a wind-dependent flight style called dynamic soaring. Dynamic soaring seabirds in situations without a definite goal, e.g. searching for prey, are known to preferentially fly with crosswinds or quartering-tailwinds to increase the speed and search area, and reduce travel costs. However, little is known about their reaction to wind when heading to a definite goal, such as homing. Homing tracks of wandering albatrosses (Diomedea exulans) vary from beelines to zigzags, which are similar to those of sailboats. Here, given that both albatrosses and sailboats travel slower in headwinds and tailwinds, we tested whether the time-minimizing strategies used by yacht racers can be compared to the locomotion patterns of wandering albatrosses. We predicted that when the goal is located upwind or downwind, albatrosses should deviate their travel directions from the goal on the mesoscale and increase the number of turns on the macroscale. Both hypotheses were supported by track data from albatrosses and racing yachts in the Southern Ocean confirming that albatrosses qualitatively employ the same strategy as yacht racers. Nevertheless, albatrosses did not strictly minimize their travel time, likely making their flight robust against wind fluctuations to reduce flight costs. Our study provides empirical evidence of tacking in albatrosses and demonstrates that man-made movement strategies provide a new perspective on the laws underlying wildlife movement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuke Goto
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Furo, Chikusa, Nagoya464-8601, Japan
| | - Henri Weimerskirch
- Centre d’Etudes Biologiques Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS–Université de la Rochelle, Villiers En Bois79360, France
| | - Keiichi Fukaya
- National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Ibaraki305-8506, Japan
| | - Ken Yoda
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Furo, Chikusa, Nagoya464-8601, Japan
| | - Masaru Naruoka
- Aeronautical Technology Directorate, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Mitaka, Tokyo181-0015, Japan
| | - Katsufumi Sato
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba277-8564, Japan
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Ventura F, Granadeiro JP, Catry P, Gjerdrum C, De Pascalis F, Viveiros F, Silva I, Menezes D, Paiva VH, Silva MC. Allochrony is shaped by foraging niche segregation rather than adaptation to the windscape in long-ranging seabirds. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2024; 12:27. [PMID: 38566221 PMCID: PMC10988818 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-024-00463-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ecological segregation allows populations to reduce competition and coexist in sympatry. Using as model organisms two closely related gadfly petrels endemic to the Madeira archipelago and breeding with a two month allochrony, we investigated how movement and foraging preferences shape ecological segregation in sympatric species. We tested the hypothesis that the breeding allochrony is underpinned by foraging niche segregation. Additionally, we investigated whether our data supported the hypothesis that allochrony is driven by species-specific adaptations to different windscapes. METHODS We present contemporaneous tracking and stable isotopes datasets for Zino's (Pterodroma madeira) and Desertas (Pterodroma deserta) petrels. We quantified the year-round distribution of the petrels, characterised their isotopic niches and quantified their habitat preferences using machine learning (boosted regression trees). Hidden-Markov-models were used to investigate the effect of wind on the central-place movement speed, and a simulation framework was developed to investigate whether each species breeds at times when the windscape is most favourable to sustain their trips. RESULTS Despite substantial spatial overlap throughout the year, the petrels exhibited diverging isotopic niches and habitat preferences during breeding. Both species used a vast pelagic region in the North Atlantic, but targeted two different mesopelagic ecoregions and showed a preference for habitats mostly differing in sea surface temperature values. Based on our simulation framework, we found that both species would perform trips of similar speed during the other species' breeding season. CONCLUSIONS The different breeding schedules between the species are underpinned by differences in foraging habitat preferences and adaptation to the local environment, rather than to the windscape. Nevertheless, the larger Desertas petrels exploited significantly windier conditions, potentially unsustainable for the smaller Zino's petrels. Furthermore, due to larger mass and likely higher fasting endurance, Desertas petrels engaged in central-place-foraging movements that covered more ground and lasted longer than those of Zino's petrels. Ultimately, patterns of ecological segregation in sympatric seabirds are shaped by a complex interplay between foraging and movement ecology, where morphology, foraging trip regulation and fasting endurance have an important- yet poorly understood- role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Ventura
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA.
| | - José Pedro Granadeiro
- CESAM, Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Paulo Catry
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre / ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Ispa - Instituto Universitário, Rua Jardim do Tabaco 34, 1149-041, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Carina Gjerdrum
- Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, B2Y 2N6, Dartmouth, NS, Canada
| | - Federico De Pascalis
- Area Avifauna Migratrice, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), Ozzano dell'Emilia, Italy
| | - Filipe Viveiros
- Parque Natural da Madeira, Quinta do Bom Sucesso, Caminho do Meio, 9050-251, Funchal, Madeira, Portugal
| | - Isamberto Silva
- Parque Natural da Madeira, Quinta do Bom Sucesso, Caminho do Meio, 9050-251, Funchal, Madeira, Portugal
| | - Dilia Menezes
- Parque Natural da Madeira, Quinta do Bom Sucesso, Caminho do Meio, 9050-251, Funchal, Madeira, Portugal
| | - Vítor H Paiva
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre / ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Mónica C Silva
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal
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Morten JM, Buchanan PJ, Egevang C, Glissenaar IA, Maxwell SM, Parr N, Screen JA, Vigfúsdóttir F, Vogt‐Vincent NS, Williams DA, Williams NC, Witt MJ, Hawkes LA, Thurston W. Global warming and arctic terns: Estimating climate change impacts on the world's longest migration. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:5596-5614. [PMID: 37492997 PMCID: PMC10946559 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is one of the top three global threats to seabirds, particularly species that visit polar regions. Arctic terns migrate between both polar regions annually and rely on productive marine areas to forage, on sea ice for rest and foraging, and prevailing winds during flight. Here, we report 21st-century trends in environmental variables affecting arctic terns at key locations along their Atlantic/Indian Ocean migratory flyway during the non-breeding seasons, identified through tracking data. End-of-century climate change projections were derived from Earth System Models and multi-model means calculated in two Shared Socioeconomic Pathways: 'middle-of-the-road' and 'fossil-fuelled development' scenarios. Declines in North Atlantic primary production emerge as a major impact to arctic terns likely to affect their foraging during the 21st century under a 'fossil-fuelled development' scenario. Minimal changes are, however, projected at three other key regions visited by arctic terns (Benguela Upwelling, Subantarctic Indian Ocean and the Southern Ocean). Southern Ocean sea ice extent is likely to decline, but the magnitude of change and potential impacts on tern survival are uncertain. Small changes (<1 m s-1 ) in winds are projected in both scenarios, but with minimal likely impacts on migration routes and duration. However, Southern Ocean westerlies are likely to strengthen and contract closer to the continent, which may require arctic terns to shift routes or flight strategies. Overall, we find minor effects of climate change on the migration of arctic terns, with the exception of poorer foraging in the North Atlantic. However, given that arctic terns travel over huge spatial scales and live for decades, they integrate minor changes in conditions along their migration routes such that the sum effect may be greater than the parts. Meeting carbon emission targets is vital to slow these end-of-century climatic changes and minimise extinction risk for a suite of polar species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanne M. Morten
- Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Health and Life SciencesUniversity of Exeter, Hatherly LaboratoriesExeterUK
| | - Pearse J. Buchanan
- Department of Earth, Ocean and Ecological SciencesUniversity of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
| | - C. Egevang
- Greenland Institute of Natural ResourcesNuukGreenland
| | - Isolde A. Glissenaar
- Bristol Glaciology Centre, School of Geographical SciencesUniversity of BristolBristolUK
| | - Sara M. Maxwell
- School of Interdisciplinary Arts & SciencesUniversity of WashingtonBothellWashingtonUSA
| | - Nicole Parr
- Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Health and Life SciencesUniversity of Exeter, Hatherly LaboratoriesExeterUK
| | - James A. Screen
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Environment, Science and EconomyUniversity of ExeterExeterUK
| | | | | | - Daniel A. Williams
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Environment, Science and EconomyUniversity of ExeterExeterUK
| | - Ned C. Williams
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Environment, Science and EconomyUniversity of ExeterExeterUK
| | - Matthew J. Witt
- Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Health and Life SciencesUniversity of Exeter, Hatherly LaboratoriesExeterUK
| | - Lucy A. Hawkes
- Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Health and Life SciencesUniversity of Exeter, Hatherly LaboratoriesExeterUK
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Gillies N, Weimerskirch H, Thorley J, Clay TA, Martín López LM, Joo R, Basille M, Patrick SC. Boldness predicts plasticity in flight responses to winds. J Anim Ecol 2023; 92:1730-1742. [PMID: 37365766 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13968] [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: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Behavioural plasticity can allow populations to adjust to environmental change when genetic evolution is too slow to keep pace. However, its constraints are not well understood. Personality is known to shape individual behaviour, but its relationship to behavioural plasticity is unclear. We studied the relationship between boldness and behavioural plasticity in response to wind conditions in wandering albatrosses (Diomedea exulans). We fitted multivariate hidden Markov models to an 11-year GPS dataset collected from 294 birds to examine whether the probability of transitioning between behavioural states (rest, prey search and travel) varied in response to wind, boldness and their interaction. We found that movement decisions varied with boldness, with bolder birds showing preferences for travel, and shyer birds showing preferences for search. For females, these effects depended on wind speed. In strong winds, which are optimal for movement, females increased time spent in travel, while in weaker winds, shyer individuals showed a slight preference for search, while bolder individuals maintained preference for travel. Our findings suggest that individual variation in behavioural plasticity may limit the capacity of bolder females to adjust to variable conditions and highlight the important role of behavioural plasticity in population responses to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha Gillies
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Henri Weimerskirch
- Centre d'Étude Biologique de Chizé, CNRS UMR 7273, Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Jack Thorley
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Thomas A Clay
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, USA
| | - Lucía Martina Martín López
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
- Ipar Perspective Asociación, Sopela, Spain
| | - Rocío Joo
- Global Fishing Watch, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Davie, Florida, USA
| | - Mathieu Basille
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Davie, Florida, USA
| | - Samantha C Patrick
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
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Quillfeldt P, Bange A, Boutet A, Orben RA, Baylis AMM. Breeding Thin-Billed Prions Use Marine Habitats Ranging from Inshore to Distant Antarctic Waters. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12223131. [PMID: 36428358 PMCID: PMC9686775 DOI: 10.3390/ani12223131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Pelagic seabirds cover large distances efficiently and thus may reach a variety of marine habitats during breeding. Previous studies using stable isotope data and geolocators suggested that Thin-billed Prions breeding in the Falkland Islands in the Southwest Atlantic may forage in temperate waters over the Patagonian Shelf or cross the Drake Passage to forage in Antarctic waters south of the Polar Front. We deployed miniature GPS dataloggers to track Thin-billed prions in the Falkland Islands during incubation (3 seasons) and chick-rearing (2 seasons). Thin-billed Prions had a wide distribution during incubation, covering latitudes between 43 and 60° S, with trip lengths of ca. 2000 km over seven days, on average. Thin-billed Prions from two nearby sites (60 km apart) were spatially segregated in their incubation trips, with New Island Thin-billed Prions foraging over the Patagonian Shelf, compared to Thin-billed Prions from Bird Island, that foraged in the region of the Polar Front. During chick-rearing, Thin-billed Prions from New Island undertook both long trips to the Patagonian Shelf and south of the Polar Front (30% of trips were 5-11 days), and short trips (70% of trips were 1-4 days) when they foraged more locally, including in inshore waters around the Falkland Islands. Females carried out more trips to distant sites. Thus, Thin-billed showed a high flexibility in foraging areas, habitats and foraging trip durations, which enable them to benefit from both, temperate and Antarctic environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Quillfeldt
- Department of Animal Ecology & Systematics, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26, 35392 Giessen, Germany
- Correspondence:
| | - Andreas Bange
- Department of Animal Ecology & Systematics, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Aude Boutet
- Department of Animal Ecology & Systematics, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Rachael A. Orben
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon State University, Newport, OR 97365, USA
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Mohamed A, Taylor GK, Watkins S, Windsor SP. Opportunistic soaring by birds suggests new opportunities for atmospheric energy harvesting by flying robots. J R Soc Interface 2022; 19:20220671. [PMID: 36415974 PMCID: PMC9682310 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2022.0671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of flying robots (drones) is increasing rapidly, but their utility is limited by high power demand, low specific energy storage and poor gust tolerance. By contrast, birds demonstrate long endurance, harvesting atmospheric energy in environments ranging from cluttered cityscapes to open landscapes, coasts and oceans. Here, we identify new opportunities for flying robots, drawing upon the soaring flight of birds. We evaluate mechanical energy transfer in soaring from first principles and review soaring strategies encompassing the use of updrafts (thermal or orographic) and wind gradients (spatial or temporal). We examine the extent to which state-of-the-art flying robots currently use each strategy and identify several untapped opportunities including slope soaring over built environments, thermal soaring over oceans and opportunistic gust soaring. In principle, the energetic benefits of soaring are accessible to flying robots of all kinds, given atmospherically aware sensor systems, guidance strategies and gust tolerance. Hence, while there is clear scope for specialist robots that soar like albatrosses, or which use persistent thermals like vultures, the greatest untapped potential may lie in non-specialist vehicles that make flexible use of atmospheric energy through path planning and flight control, as demonstrated by generalist flyers such as gulls, kites and crows.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Mohamed
- RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - G. K. Taylor
- Department of Biology, Oxford University, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - S. Watkins
- RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - S. P. Windsor
- Department of Aerospace Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TH, UK
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Ventura F, Catry P, Dias MP, Breed GA, Folch A, Granadeiro JP. A central place foraging seabird flies at right angles to the wind to jointly optimize locomotor and olfactory search efficiency. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20220895. [PMID: 36043278 PMCID: PMC9428525 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.0895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
To increase the probability of detecting odour plumes, and so increase prey capture success, when winds are stable central place foraging seabirds should fly crosswind to maximize the round-trip distance covered. At present, however, there is no empirical evidence of this theoretical prediction. Here, using an extensive GPS tracking dataset, we investigate, for the first time, the foraging movements of Bulwer's petrels (Bulweria bulwerii) in the persistent North Atlantic trade winds. To test the hypotheses that, in stable winds, petrels use crosswind to maximize both the distance covered and the probability of detecting olfactory cues, we combine state-space models, generalized additive models and Gaussian plume models. Bulwer's petrels had the highest degree of selectivity for crosswinds documented to date, often leading to systematic zig-zag flights. Crosswinds maximized both the distance travelled and the probability of detecting odour plumes integrated across the round-trip (rather than at any given point along the route, which would result in energetically costly return flight). This evidence suggests that petrels plan round-trip flights at departure, integrating expected costs of homeward journeys. Our findings, which are probably true for other seabirds in similar settings, further highlight the critical role of wind in seabird foraging ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Ventura
- CESAM, Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Paulo Catry
- MARE–Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Ispa–Instituto Universitário, Rua Jardim do Tabaco 34, 1149-041 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Maria P. Dias
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Greg A. Breed
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK, USA
| | - Arnau Folch
- Geociencias Barcelona–Consejo Superior Investigaciones Cientificas (GEO3BCN-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - José Pedro Granadeiro
- CESAM, Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
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Franklin KA, Norris K, Gill JA, Ratcliffe N, Bonnet-Lebrun AS, Butler SJ, Cole NC, Jones CG, Lisovski S, Ruhomaun K, Tatayah V, Nicoll MAC. Individual consistency in migration strategies of a tropical seabird, the Round Island petrel. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2022; 10:13. [PMID: 35287747 PMCID: PMC8919588 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-022-00311-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In migratory species, the extent of within- and between-individual variation in migratory strategies can influence potential rates and directions of responses to environmental changes. Quantifying this variation requires tracking of many individuals on repeated migratory journeys. At temperate and higher latitudes, low levels of within-individual variation in migratory behaviours are common and may reflect repeated use of predictable resources in these seasonally-structured environments. However, variation in migratory behaviours in the tropics, where seasonal predictability of food resources can be weaker, remains largely unknown. METHODS Round Island petrels (Pterodroma sp.) are tropical, pelagic seabirds that breed all year round and perform long-distance migrations. Using multi-year geolocator tracking data from 62 individuals between 2009 and 2018, we quantify levels of within- and between-individual variation in non-breeding distributions and timings. RESULTS We found striking levels of between-individual variation in at-sea movements and timings, with non-breeding migrations to different areas occurring across much of the Indian Ocean and throughout the whole year. Despite this, repeat-tracking of individual petrels revealed remarkably high levels of spatial and temporal consistency in within-individual migratory behaviour, particularly for petrels that departed at similar times in different years and for those departing in the austral summer. However, while the same areas were used by individuals in different years, they were not necessarily used at the same times during the non-breeding period. CONCLUSIONS Even in tropical systems with huge ranges of migratory routes and timings, our results suggest benefits of consistency in individual migratory behaviours. Identifying the factors that drive and maintain between-individual variation in migratory behaviour, and the consequences for breeding success and survival, will be key to understanding the consequences of environmental change across migratory ranges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsty A Franklin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK.
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, UK.
| | - Ken Norris
- Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, UK
| | - Jennifer A Gill
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Norman Ratcliffe
- British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Simon J Butler
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Nik C Cole
- Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Les Augrès Manor, Trinity, Jersey, UK
- Mauritian Wildlife Foundation, Grannum Road, Vacoas, Mauritius
| | - Carl G Jones
- Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Les Augrès Manor, Trinity, Jersey, UK
- Mauritian Wildlife Foundation, Grannum Road, Vacoas, Mauritius
| | - Simeon Lisovski
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Kevin Ruhomaun
- National Parks and Conservation Service (Government of Mauritius), Reduit, Mauritius
| | - Vikash Tatayah
- Mauritian Wildlife Foundation, Grannum Road, Vacoas, Mauritius
| | - Malcolm A C Nicoll
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, UK
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Galtbalt B, Batbayar N, Sukhbaatar T, Vorneweg B, Heine G, Müller U, Wikelski M, Klaassen M. Differences in on-ground and aloft conditions explain seasonally different migration paths in Demoiselle crane. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2022; 10:4. [PMID: 35101131 PMCID: PMC8805327 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-022-00302-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although some migratory birds may take different routes during their outbound and inbound migration, the factors causing these differential migrations to and from the breeding grounds, have rarely been investigated. In Northeast Asia, Demoiselle crane (Anthropoides virgo) performs one of the most extreme "loop" migrations known to date. During outbound migration, they cross the Himalayas to non-breeding sites in northwest India. Contrastingly, during inbound migration to the breeding grounds, they fly around the western end of the Himalayas. We hypothesise that differences in prevailing environmental conditions aloft and/or on-ground during both seasonal migrations are at the core of this phenomenon. METHODS Based on the tracking data of 16 individuals of tagged Demoiselle crane, we compared conditions during actual migration with those of simulated "reverse" migration (i.e. by adding 180 degrees to the flight direction and adding and subtracting half a year to the timestamps of outbound and inbound migration, respectively). RESULTS The comparison of actual and simulated "reverse" migration indicated that cranes would have encountered poorer aloft (wind support and thermal uplift) and on-ground conditions (temperature) if they had migrated in a reverse outbound migration and poorer on-ground conditions (Normalised Difference Vegetation Indexes [NDVI]) if they had migrated in a reverse inbound direction. CONCLUSIONS Our analyses suggest that both on-ground and aloft conditions play a key role in explaining Demoiselle cranes' loop migration, during the periods that they chose to use these alternative routes. Knowledge on the determinants of (differential) migration routes allow predicting migration decisions and may be critical in mitigating global change effects on animal migrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Batbayar Galtbalt
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Science, Deakin University, Victoria, Australia.
- Wildlife Science and Conservation Center of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
| | - Nyambayar Batbayar
- Wildlife Science and Conservation Center of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | | | - Bernd Vorneweg
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
| | - Georg Heine
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
| | - Uschi Müller
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
| | - Martin Wikelski
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
| | - Marcel Klaassen
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Science, Deakin University, Victoria, Australia
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11
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Togunov RR, Derocher AE, Lunn NJ, Auger‐Méthé M. Characterising menotactic behaviours in movement data using hidden Markov models. Methods Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ron R. Togunov
- Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries The University of British Columbia Vancouver BC Canada
- Department of Zoology The University of British Columbia Vancouver BC Canada
| | - Andrew E. Derocher
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton AB Canada
| | - Nicholas J. Lunn
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton AB Canada
- Wildlife Research Division, Science and Technology Branch Environment and Climate Change Canada Edmonton AB Canada
| | - Marie Auger‐Méthé
- Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries The University of British Columbia Vancouver BC Canada
- Department of Statistics University of British Columbia Vancouver BC Canada
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12
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Rogalla S, Nicolaï MPJ, Porchetta S, Glabeke G, Battistella C, D'Alba L, Gianneschi NC, van Beeck J, Shawkey MD. The evolution of darker wings in seabirds in relation to temperature-dependent flight efficiency. J R Soc Interface 2021; 18:20210236. [PMID: 34229457 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2021.0236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Seabirds have evolved numerous adaptations that allow them to thrive under hostile conditions. Many seabirds share similar colour patterns, often with dark wings, suggesting that their coloration might be adaptive. Interestingly, these darker wings become hotter when birds fly under high solar irradiance, and previous studies on aerofoils have provided evidence that aerofoil surface heating can affect the ratio between lift and drag, i.e. flight efficiency. However, whether this effect benefits birds remains unknown. Here, we first used phylogenetic analyses to show that strictly oceanic seabirds with a higher glide performance (optimized by reduced sink rates, i.e. the altitude lost over time) have evolved darker wings, potentially as an additional adaptation to improve flight. Using wind tunnel experiments, we then showed that radiative heating of bird wings indeed improves their flight efficiency. These results illustrate that seabirds may have evolved wing pigmentation in part through selection for flight performance under extreme ocean conditions. We suggest that other bird clades, particularly long-distance migrants, might also benefit from this effect and therefore might show similar evolutionary trajectories. These findings may also serve as a guide for bioinspired innovations in aerospace and aviation, especially in low-speed regimes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svana Rogalla
- Evolution and Optics of Nanostructures Group, Department of Biology, University of Ghent, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Michaël P J Nicolaï
- Evolution and Optics of Nanostructures Group, Department of Biology, University of Ghent, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Recent Vertebrates, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sara Porchetta
- Department Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics, 1640 Sint-Genesius-Rode, Belgium
| | - Gertjan Glabeke
- von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics, 1640 Sint-Genesius-Rode, Belgium
| | - Claudia Battistella
- Departments of Chemistry, Materials Science and Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, International Institute for Nanotechnology, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Simpson-Querrey Institute, Lurie Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208 USA
| | - Liliana D'Alba
- Evolution and Optics of Nanostructures Group, Department of Biology, University of Ghent, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Nathan C Gianneschi
- Departments of Chemistry, Materials Science and Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, International Institute for Nanotechnology, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Simpson-Querrey Institute, Lurie Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208 USA
| | - Jeroen van Beeck
- von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics, 1640 Sint-Genesius-Rode, Belgium
| | - Matthew D Shawkey
- Evolution and Optics of Nanostructures Group, Department of Biology, University of Ghent, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
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13
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Dehnhard N, Klekociuk AR, Emmerson L. Interactive effects of body mass changes and species-specific morphology on flight behavior of chick-rearing Antarctic fulmarine petrels under diurnal wind patterns. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:4972-4991. [PMID: 33976863 PMCID: PMC8093695 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7501] [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: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
For procellariiform seabirds, wind and morphology are crucial determinants of flight costs and flight speeds. During chick-rearing, parental seabirds commute frequently to provision their chicks, and their body mass typically changes between outbound and return legs. In Antarctica, the characteristic diurnal katabatic winds, which blow stronger in the mornings, form a natural experimental setup to investigate flight behaviors of commuting seabirds in response to wind conditions. We GPS-tracked three closely related species of sympatrically breeding Antarctic fulmarine petrels, which differ in wing loading and aspect ratio, and investigated their flight behavior in response to wind and changes in body mass. Such information is critical for understanding how species may respond to climate change. All three species reached higher ground speeds (i.e., the speed over ground) under stronger tailwinds, especially on return legs from foraging. Ground speeds decreased under stronger headwinds. Antarctic petrels (Thalassoica antarctica; intermediate body mass, highest wing loading, and aspect ratio) responded stronger to changes in wind speed and direction than cape petrels (Daption capense; lowest body mass, wing loading, and aspect ratio) or southern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialoides; highest body mass, intermediate wing loading, and aspect ratio). Birds did not adjust their flight direction in relation to wind direction nor the maximum distance from their nests when encountering headwinds on outbound commutes. However, birds appeared to adjust the timing of commutes to benefit from strong katabatic winds as tailwinds on outbound legs and avoid strong katabatic winds as headwinds on return legs. Despite these adaptations to the predictable diurnal wind conditions, birds frequently encountered unfavorably strong headwinds, possibly as a result of weather systems disrupting the katabatics. How the predicted decrease in Antarctic near-coastal wind speeds over the remainder of the century will affect flight costs and breeding success and ultimately population trajectories remains to be seen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Dehnhard
- Department of BiologyBehavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology GroupUniversity of AntwerpAntwerpBelgium
- Department of Agriculture, Water and the EnvironmentAustralian Antarctic DivisionKingstonTas.Australia
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA)TrondheimNorway
| | - Andrew R. Klekociuk
- Department of Agriculture, Water and the EnvironmentAustralian Antarctic DivisionKingstonTas.Australia
| | - Louise Emmerson
- Department of Agriculture, Water and the EnvironmentAustralian Antarctic DivisionKingstonTas.Australia
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14
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Poupart TA, Waugh SM, Kato A, Arnould JPY. Foraging niche overlap during chick-rearing in the sexually dimorphic Westland petrel. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2020; 7:191511. [PMID: 33391777 PMCID: PMC7735354 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.191511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Most Procellariform seabirds are pelagic, breed in summer when prey availability peaks, and migrate for winter. They also display a dual foraging strategy (short and long trips) and sex-specific foraging. The Westland petrel Procellaria westlandica, a New Zealand endemic, is one of the rare seabirds breeding in winter. Preliminary findings on this large and sexually dimorphic petrel suggest a foraging behaviour with no evidence of a dual strategy, within a narrow range and with shared areas between sexes. To investigate further this unusual strategy, the present study determined the fine-scale at-sea behaviours (global positioning system and accelerometer data loggers) and trophic niches (stable isotopes in whole blood) of chick-rearing individuals (16 males and 13 females). All individuals foraged on the shelf-slope of the west coast of New Zealand's South Island with short, unimodal trips. Both sexes foraged at similar intensity without temporal, spatial or isotopic niche segregation. These findings suggest the presence of a winter prey resource close to the colony, sufficient to satisfy the nutritional needs of breeding without increasing the foraging effort or intra-specific competition avoidance during winter. Additional data are needed to assess the consistency of foraging niche between the sexes and its reproductive outcomes in view of anticipated environmental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothée A. Poupart
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering and the Built Environment, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia
- Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa Tongarewa, PO Box 467, Wellington 6011, New Zealand
- Centre d’Études Biologiques de Chizé, UMR7372 CNRS/La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Susan M. Waugh
- Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa Tongarewa, PO Box 467, Wellington 6011, New Zealand
| | - Akiko Kato
- Centre d’Études Biologiques de Chizé, UMR7372 CNRS/La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - John P. Y. Arnould
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering and the Built Environment, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia
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15
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Wynn J, Collet J, Prudor A, Corbeau A, Padget O, Guilford T, Weimerskirch H. Young frigatebirds learn how to compensate for wind drift. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20201970. [PMID: 33081617 PMCID: PMC7661306 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.1970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Compensating for wind drift can improve goalward flight efficiency in animal taxa, especially among those that rely on thermal soaring to travel large distances. Little is known, however, about how animals acquire this ability. The great frigatebird (Fregata minor) exemplifies the challenges of wind drift compensation because it lives a highly pelagic lifestyle, travelling very long distances over the open ocean but without the ability to land on water. Using GPS tracks from fledgling frigatebirds, we followed young frigatebirds from the moment of fledging to investigate whether wind drift compensation was learnt and, if so, what sensory inputs underpinned it. We found that the effect of wind drift reduced significantly with both experience and access to visual landmark cues. Further, we found that the effect of experience on wind drift compensation was more pronounced when birds were out of sight of land. Our results suggest that improvement in wind drift compensation is not solely the product of either physical maturation or general improvements in flight control. Instead, we believe it is likely that they reflect how frigatebirds learn to process sensory information so as to reduce wind drift and maintain a constant course during goalward movement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joe Wynn
- Oxford Navigation Group, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Julien Collet
- Oxford Navigation Group, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Aurélien Prudor
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372 CNRS-Université de la Rochelle, Carrefour de la Canauderie, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Alexandre Corbeau
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372 CNRS-Université de la Rochelle, Carrefour de la Canauderie, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Oliver Padget
- Oxford Navigation Group, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Tim Guilford
- Oxford Navigation Group, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Henri Weimerskirch
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372 CNRS-Université de la Rochelle, Carrefour de la Canauderie, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
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Dupré D, Andelic N, Moore DS, Morrison G, McKeown GJ. Analysis of physiological changes related to emotions during a zipline activity. SPORTS ENGINEERING 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s12283-020-00328-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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17
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De Pascalis F, Imperio S, Benvenuti A, Catoni C, Rubolini D, Cecere JG. Sex-specific foraging behaviour is affected by wind conditions in a sexually size dimorphic seabird. Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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