1
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Allen SF, Ellis F, Mitchell C, Wang X, Boogert NJ, Lin CY, Clokey J, Thomas KV, Blount JD. Phthalate diversity in eggs and associations with oxidative stress in the European herring gull (Larus argentatus). MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 169:112564. [PMID: 34148634 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Phthalates are plastic-derived contaminants that are ubiquitous in natural environments and function as pro-oxidants. The extent to which phthalates bioaccumulate in wild animals and associations with oxidative stress are poorly understood. Here, we describe relationships between maternally-derived phthalates, lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde, MDA) and the dietary antioxidant α-tocopherol in eggs of European herring gulls (Larus argentatus) in Cornwall, UK. Up to six phthalate parent compounds and four phthalate metabolites were detected. Egg concentrations of MDA were positively associated with dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCHP) and negatively associated with α-tocopherol, suggesting that DCHP is associated with oxidative stress in gulls. The consequences of phthalate exposure in ovo for offspring development warrants study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon F Allen
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Francesca Ellis
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Christopher Mitchell
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Xianyu Wang
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia
| | - Neeltje J Boogert
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Chun-Yin Lin
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia
| | - Joseph Clokey
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia
| | - Kevin V Thomas
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Queensland 4102, Australia
| | - Jonathan D Blount
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK.
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2
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Shutt JD, Trivedi UH, Nicholls JA. Faecal metabarcoding reveals pervasive long-distance impacts of garden bird feeding. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20210480. [PMID: 34034514 PMCID: PMC8150026 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.0480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Supplementary feeding of wildlife is widespread, being undertaken by more than half of households in many countries. However, the impact that these supplemental resources have is unclear, with impacts largely considered to be restricted to urban ecosystems. We reveal the pervasiveness of supplementary foodstuffs in the diet of a wild bird using metabarcoding of blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) faeces collected in early spring from a 220 km transect in Scotland with a large urbanization gradient. Supplementary foodstuffs were present in the majority of samples, with peanut (Arachis hypogaea) the single commonest (either natural or supplementary) dietary item. Consumption rates exhibited a distance decay from human habitation but remained high at several hundred metres from the nearest household and continued to our study limit of 1.4 km distant. Supplementary food consumption was associated with a near quadrupling of blue tit breeding density and a 5-day advancement of breeding phenology. We show that woodland bird species using supplementary food have increasing UK population trends, while species that do not, and/or are outcompeted by blue tits, are likely to be declining. We suggest that the impacts of supplementary feeding are larger and more spatially extensive than currently appreciated and could be disrupting population and ecosystem dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack D. Shutt
- Department of Natural Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M1 5GD, UK
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, The King's Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK
| | - Urmi H. Trivedi
- Edinburgh Genomics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK
| | - James A. Nicholls
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, The King's Buildings, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK
- Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO, Acton, Australian Capital Territory 2601, Australia
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3
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Deguines N, Lorrilliere R, Dozières A, Bessa-Gomes C, Chiron F. Any despot at my table? Competition among native and introduced bird species at garden birdfeeders in winter. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 734:139263. [PMID: 32475721 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Revised: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Garden bird feeding constitutes a massive provision of food that can support bird communities, but there is a growing concern it might favour the establishment of exotic species that could be detrimental to others. How bird species compete with novel species for this anthropogenic food resources needs to be assessed. Here, we investigated competition in wintering bird communities at garden birdfeeders. We evaluated whether - and how much - bird access to resources is hampered by the presence of putative superior competing species, among which the Rose-ringed parakeet, the most abundant introduced species across Europe. Using the nation-wide citizen science scheme BirdLab, in which volunteers record in real-time bird attendance on a pair of birdfeeders during 5-minute sessions, we tested whether i) cumulative bird presence time and richness at birdfeeders, and ii) species probability of presence at birdfeeders, were influenced by three large species (the Eurasian magpie, the Eurasian collared-dove, and the Rose-ringed parakeet). Additionally, we assessed whether the Rose-ringed parakeet occupied resources significantly more than others. Presence of the Rose-ringed parakeet or the Eurasian collared-dove similarly reduced community cumulative presence time at birdfeeders, but only the dove reduced community richness. Each of the three large species influenced the presence of at least one of the six smaller species that could be separately modelled, but effects varied in strength and direction. The Rose-ringed parakeet and the Eurasian collared-dove were among the three species monopolising birdfeeders the longest, substantially more than the Eurasian magpie. Our findings confirm the competitive abilities of the large species studied, but do not suggest that garden bird feeding may alarmingly favour introduced species with detrimental effects on native species. Given the variability of large species' effects on small passerines, direct and indirect interactions among all species must be examined to fully understand the ecological net effects at stake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Deguines
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Ecologie Systématique Evolution, 91405 Orsay, France; Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, CP 135, 57 rue Cuvier 75005 Paris, France.
| | - Romain Lorrilliere
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Ecologie Systématique Evolution, 91405 Orsay, France; Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, CP 135, 57 rue Cuvier 75005 Paris, France.
| | - Anne Dozières
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, CP 135, 57 rue Cuvier 75005 Paris, France.
| | - Carmen Bessa-Gomes
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Ecologie Systématique Evolution, 91405 Orsay, France.
| | - François Chiron
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Ecologie Systématique Evolution, 91405 Orsay, France.
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4
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The composition of British bird communities is associated with long-term garden bird feeding. Nat Commun 2019; 10:2088. [PMID: 31113960 PMCID: PMC6529538 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-10111-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2018] [Accepted: 04/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
There is a multi-billion dollar global industry dedicated to feeding wild birds in residential gardens. This extraordinary boost to food resources is almost certainly reshaping entire bird communities, yet the large-scale, long-term impacts on community ecology remain unknown. Here we reveal a 40-year transformation of the bird communities using garden bird feeders in Britain, and provide evidence to suggest how this may have contributed to national-scale population changes. We find that increases in bird diversity at feeders are associated with increasing community evenness, as species previously rarely observed in gardens have increasingly exploited the growing variety of foods on offer over time. Urban areas of Britain are consequently nurturing growing populations of feeder-using bird species, while the populations of species that do not use feeders remain unchanged. Our findings illustrate the on-going, gross impact people can have on bird community structure across large spatial scales. Garden bird feeding is a prolific human activity that provides a reliable foraging opportunity to wild birds. Here the authors use a 40-year data set to show that large-scale restructuring of garden bird communities and growth in urban bird populations can be linked to changing feeding practices.
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5
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Cox DTC, Gaston KJ. Human-nature interactions and the consequences and drivers of provisioning wildlife. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019. [PMID: 29531147 PMCID: PMC5882998 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2017.0092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Many human populations are undergoing an extinction of experience, with a progressive decline in interactions with nature. This is a consequence both of a loss of opportunity for, and orientation towards, such experiences. The trend is of concern in part because interactions with nature can be good for human health and wellbeing. One potential means of redressing these losses is through the intentional provision of resources to increase wildlife populations in close proximity to people, thereby increasing the potential for positive human-nature experiences, and thence the array of benefits that can result. In this paper, we review the evidence that these resource subsidies have such a cascade of effects. In some Westernized countries, the scale of provision is extraordinarily high, and doubtless leads to both positive and negative impacts for wildlife. In turn, these impacts often lead to more frequent, reliable and closer human-nature interactions, with a greater variety of species. The consequences for human wellbeing remain poorly understood, although benefits documented in the context of human-nature interactions more broadly seem likely to apply. There are also some important feedback loops that need to be better characterized if resource provisioning is to contribute effectively towards averting the extinction of experience.This article is part of the theme issue 'Anthropogenic resource subsidies and host-parasite dynamics in wildlife'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel T C Cox
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Kevin J Gaston
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
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6
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Beaugeard E, Brischoux F, Henry P, Parenteau C, Trouvé C, Angelier F. Does urbanization cause stress in wild birds during development? Insights from feather corticosterone levels in juvenile house sparrows ( Passer domesticus). Ecol Evol 2019; 9:640-652. [PMID: 30680144 PMCID: PMC6342122 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2018] [Revised: 10/24/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Urban landscapes are associated with abiotic and biotic environmental changes that may result in potential stressors for wild vertebrates. Urban exploiters have physiological, morphological, and behavioral adaptations to live in cities. However, there is increasing evidence that urban exploiters themselves can suffer from urban conditions, especially during specific life-history stages. We looked for a link between the degree of urbanization and the level of developmental stress in an urban exploiter (the house sparrow, Passer domesticus), which has recently been declining in multiple European cities (e.g., London, UK). Specifically, we conducted a large-scale study and sampled juvenile sparrows in 11 urban and rural sites to evaluate their feather corticosterone (CORT) levels. We found that juvenile feather CORT levels were positively correlated with the degree of urbanization, supporting the idea that developing house sparrows may suffer from urban environmental conditions. However, we did not find any correlation between juvenile feather CORT levels and body size, mass, or body condition. This suggests either that the growth and condition of urban sparrows are not impacted by elevated developmental CORT levels, or that urban sparrows may compensate for developmental constraints once they have left the nest. Although feather CORT levels were not correlated with baseline CORT levels, we found that feather CORT levels were slightly and positively correlated with the CORT stress response in juveniles. This suggests that urban developmental conditions may potentially have long-lasting effects on stress physiology and stress sensitivity in this urban exploiter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Beaugeard
- Centre d’Études Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC)UMR 7372 CNRS‐Université de La RochelleVilliers‐en‐BoisFrance
| | - François Brischoux
- Centre d’Études Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC)UMR 7372 CNRS‐Université de La RochelleVilliers‐en‐BoisFrance
| | - Pierre‐Yves Henry
- Centre de Recherches sur la Biologie des Populations d’Oiseaux (CRBPO)CESCO UMR 7204 Sorbonne Universités‐MNHN‐CNRS‐UPMCParisFrance
| | - Charline Parenteau
- Centre d’Études Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC)UMR 7372 CNRS‐Université de La RochelleVilliers‐en‐BoisFrance
| | - Colette Trouvé
- Centre d’Études Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC)UMR 7372 CNRS‐Université de La RochelleVilliers‐en‐BoisFrance
| | - Frédéric Angelier
- Centre d’Études Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC)UMR 7372 CNRS‐Université de La RochelleVilliers‐en‐BoisFrance
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7
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Andersson MN, Nilsson J, Nilsson JÅ, Isaksson C. Diet and ambient temperature interact to shape plasma fatty acid composition, basal metabolic rate and oxidative stress in great tits. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 221:jeb.186759. [PMID: 30361459 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.186759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2018] [Accepted: 10/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Diet and ambient temperature affect animal physiology, survival and reproductive success. However, knowledge of how these environmental factors interact to shape physiological processes and life-history traits of birds and other animals is largely lacking. By exposing adult great tits (Parus major) to two contrasting diets (saturated or unsaturated fatty acids; SFAs and UFAs, respectively) and ambient temperatures (3°C versus 20°C) that the birds encounter in nature, we investigated the effects of these two factors on several physiological parameters. Our results show that diet and ambient temperature interact to affect the composition of plasma fatty acids, basal metabolic rate (BMR) and oxidative stress, which are thought to affect the life-history and survival of individuals. Specifically, birds provided the SFA-rich diet had higher mass-specific BMR and oxidative stress (levels of lipid peroxidation) after exposure to low compared with high ambient temperature, whereas the opposite pattern was evident for birds with a UFA-rich diet. Surprisingly, birds on the SFA diet had higher relative levels of monounsaturated fatty acids compared with the UFA-fed birds at low ambient temperature, whereas the opposite, and expected, pattern was found at the high temperature. Although the present study focuses on the physiological implications of the diet×temperature interaction, our results might also be important for the leading theories of ageing, which currently do not take interactions between environmental factors into account. In addition, the present results are important for wildlife management, especially with regards to anthropogenic feeding of wild animals across variable and changing climatic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Johan Nilsson
- Department of Biology, Lund University, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Jan-Åke Nilsson
- Department of Biology, Lund University, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden
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8
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Plummer KE, Bearhop S, Leech DI, Chamberlain DE, Blount JD. Effects of winter food provisioning on the phenotypes of breeding blue tits. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:5059-5068. [PMID: 29876081 PMCID: PMC5980576 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2017] [Revised: 02/21/2018] [Accepted: 02/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Throughout the Western World, huge numbers of people regularly supply food for wild birds. However, evidence of negative impacts of winter feeding on future reproduction has highlighted a need to improve understanding of the underlying mechanisms shaping avian responses to supplementary food. Here, we test the possibility that carry-over effects are mediated via their impact on the phenotypes of breeding birds, either by influencing the phenotypic structure of populations through changes in winter survival and/or by more direct effects on the condition of breeding birds. Using a landscape-scale 3-year study of blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus), we demonstrate the importance of nutritional composition of supplementary food in determining carry-over effect outcomes. We show that breeding populations which had access to vitamin E-rich foods during the previous winter were comprised of individuals with reduced feather carotenoid concentrations, indicative of lower pre-feeding phenotypic condition, compared to fat-fed and unfed populations. This suggests that supplementary feeding in winter can result in altered population phenotypic structure at the time of breeding, perhaps by enhancing survival and recruitment of lower quality individuals. However, supplementation of a fat-rich diet during winter was detrimental to the oxidative state of breeding birds, with these phenotypic differences ultimately found to impact upon reproductive success. Our findings demonstrate the complex nature by which supplementary feeding can influence wild bird populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate E. Plummer
- Centre for Ecology and ConservationCollege of Life & Environmental SciencesUniversity of ExeterPenrynCornwallUK
- British Trust for OrnithologyThe NunneryThetfordNorfolkUK
| | - Stuart Bearhop
- Centre for Ecology and ConservationCollege of Life & Environmental SciencesUniversity of ExeterPenrynCornwallUK
| | - David I. Leech
- British Trust for OrnithologyThe NunneryThetfordNorfolkUK
| | - Dan E. Chamberlain
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologià dei SistemiUniversità degli Studi di TorinoTurinItaly
| | - Jonathan D. Blount
- Centre for Ecology and ConservationCollege of Life & Environmental SciencesUniversity of ExeterPenrynCornwallUK
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9
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Coogan SCP, Raubenheimer D, Zantis SP, Machovsky‐Capuska GE. Multidimensional nutritional ecology and urban birds. Ecosphere 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sean C. P. Coogan
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences and the Charles Perkins Centre University of Sydney Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
- Department of Renewable Resources University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta T6G 2H1 Canada
| | - David Raubenheimer
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences and the Charles Perkins Centre University of Sydney Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
| | - Simon P. Zantis
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences and the Charles Perkins Centre University of Sydney Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
| | - Gabriel E. Machovsky‐Capuska
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences and the Charles Perkins Centre University of Sydney Sydney NSW 2006 Australia
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10
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Chronic anthropogenic noise disrupts glucocorticoid signaling and has multiple effects on fitness in an avian community. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:E648-E657. [PMID: 29311304 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1709200115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic noise is a pervasive pollutant that decreases environmental quality by disrupting a suite of behaviors vital to perception and communication. However, even within populations of noise-sensitive species, individuals still select breeding sites located within areas exposed to high noise levels, with largely unknown physiological and fitness consequences. We use a study system in the natural gas fields of northern New Mexico to test the prediction that exposure to noise causes glucocorticoid-signaling dysfunction and decreases fitness in a community of secondary cavity-nesting birds. In accordance with these predictions, and across all species, we find strong support for noise exposure decreasing baseline corticosterone in adults and nestlings and, conversely, increasing acute stressor-induced corticosterone in nestlings. We also document fitness consequences with increased noise in the form of reduced hatching success in the western bluebird (Sialia mexicana), the species most likely to nest in noisiest environments. Nestlings of all three species exhibited accelerated growth of both feathers and body size at intermediate noise amplitudes compared with lower or higher amplitudes. Our results are consistent with recent experimental laboratory studies and show that noise functions as a chronic, inescapable stressor. Anthropogenic noise likely impairs environmental risk perception by species relying on acoustic cues and ultimately leads to impacts on fitness. Our work, when taken together with recent efforts to document noise across the landscape, implies potential widespread, noise-induced chronic stress coupled with reduced fitness for many species reliant on acoustic cues.
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11
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Integrated behavioural and stable isotope data reveal altered diet linked to low breeding success in urban-dwelling blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus). Sci Rep 2017; 7:5014. [PMID: 28694437 PMCID: PMC5503996 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-04575-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2016] [Accepted: 05/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals often show reduced reproductive success in urban compared to adjacent natural areas. The lower availability and quality of natural food in cities is suggested as one key limiting factor. However, only few studies have provided conclusive support by simultaneously assessing food availability, diet and fitness. We consolidate this evidence by taking a holistic approach, comparing blue tits breeding in forest, suburban and urban areas. We (a) assessed arthropod availability, (b) investigated parental provisioning behaviour, (c) inferred diet through stable isotope analysis, and (d) measured reproductive success. At the urban site, we found a significant reduction in caterpillar availability, the main food source of blue tits, and consequently urban tits fed their offspring with fewer caterpillars than forest and suburban birds. Stable isotope analysis confirmed that diet in the urban area was fundamentally different than in the other sites. Reproductive success was lower in both urban and suburban sites compared to the forest site, and was positively associated with volume of provisioned caterpillars. Our findings provide strong integrative evidence that urban blue tit nestlings are not receiving a suitable diet, and this may be an important limiting factor for urban populations of this and potentially many other species.
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12
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Isaksson C, Andersson MN, Nord A, von Post M, Wang HL. Species-Dependent Effects of the Urban Environment on Fatty Acid Composition and Oxidative Stress in Birds. Front Ecol Evol 2017. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2017.00044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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13
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Tryjanowski P, Skórka P, Sparks TH, Biaduń W, Brauze T, Hetmański T, Martyka R, Indykiewicz P, Myczko Ł, Kunysz P, Kawa P, Czyż S, Czechowski P, Polakowski M, Zduniak P, Jerzak L, Janiszewski T, Goławski A, Duduś L, Nowakowski JJ, Wuczyński A, Wysocki D. Urban and rural habitats differ in number and type of bird feeders and in bird species consuming supplementary food. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2015; 22:15097-103. [PMID: 26003091 PMCID: PMC4592493 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-015-4723-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2015] [Accepted: 05/13/2015] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Bird feeding is one of the most widespread direct interactions between man and nature, and this has important social and environmental consequences. However, this activity can differ between rural and urban habitats, due to inter alia habitat structure, human behaviour and the composition of wintering bird communities. We counted birds in 156 squares (0.25 km(2) each) in December 2012 and again in January 2013 in locations in and around 26 towns and cities across Poland (in each urban area, we surveyed 3 squares and also 3 squares in nearby rural areas). At each count, we noted the number of bird feeders, the number of bird feeders with food, the type of feeders, additional food supplies potentially available for birds (bread offered by people, bins) and finally the birds themselves. In winter, urban and rural areas differ in the availability of food offered intentionally and unintentionally to birds by humans. Both types of food availability are higher in urban areas. Our findings suggest that different types of bird feeder support only those species specialized for that particular food type and this relationship is similar in urban and rural areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Tryjanowski
- Institute of Zoology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71C, 60-625, Poznań, Poland.
| | - Piotr Skórka
- Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Mickiewicza 33, 31-120, Krakow, Poland
| | - Tim H Sparks
- Institute of Zoology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71C, 60-625, Poznań, Poland
| | - Waldemar Biaduń
- High School of Civil Sciences, Zamojska 47, 20-1012, Lublin, Poland
| | - Tomasz Brauze
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology and Environment Protection, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Lwowska 1, 87-100, Toruń, Poland
| | - Tomasz Hetmański
- Department of Zoology, Pomeranian University, Arciszewskiego 22b, 76-200, Słupsk, Poland
| | - Rafał Martyka
- Institute of Zoology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71C, 60-625, Poznań, Poland
| | - Piotr Indykiewicz
- Department of Zoology and Landscaping, University of Technology and Life Sciences, Ks. A. Kordeckiego 20, 85-225, Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Łukasz Myczko
- Institute of Zoology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71C, 60-625, Poznań, Poland
| | - Przemysław Kunysz
- Przemysl Ornithological Society, Węgierska 6, 37-700, Przemyśl, Poland
| | - Piotr Kawa
- Institute of Zoology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71C, 60-625, Poznań, Poland
| | - Stanisław Czyż
- Upper Silesian Ornithological Society, pl. Jana III Sobieskiego 2, 41-902, Bytom, Poland
| | - Paweł Czechowski
- Institute for Administration and Tourism, State Higher Vocational School in Sulechów, Armii Krajowej Str. 51, 66-100, Sulechów, Poland
| | - Michał Polakowski
- Department of Environmental Protection and Management, Bialystok University of Technology, Wiejska 45a, 15-351, Białystok, Poland
| | - Piotr Zduniak
- Department of Avian Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61-614, Poznań, Poland
| | - Leszek Jerzak
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Zielona Góra, Prof. Z. Szafrana St. 1, PL 65-516, Zielona Góra, Poland
| | - Tomasz Janiszewski
- Department of Teacher Training and Biodiversity Studies, University of Łódz, Banacha 1/3, 90-237, Łódź, Poland
| | - Artur Goławski
- Department of Zoology, University of Natural Sciences and Humanities in Siedlce, Prusa 12, 08-110, Siedlce, Poland
| | - Leszek Duduś
- Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lower-Silesian Field Station, Podwale 75, 50-449, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Jacek J Nowakowski
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Protection, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, PlacŁódzki 3, 10-727, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Andrzej Wuczyński
- Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lower-Silesian Field Station, Podwale 75, 50-449, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Dariusz Wysocki
- Department of Vertebrate Anatomy and Zoology, University of Szczecin, Wąska 13, 71-412, Szczecin, Poland
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Andersson MN, Wang HL, Nord A, Salmón P, Isaksson C. Composition of physiologically important fatty acids in great tits differs between urban and rural populations on a seasonal basis. Front Ecol Evol 2015. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2015.00093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
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Ruffino L, Salo P, Koivisto E, Banks PB, Korpimäki E. Reproductive responses of birds to experimental food supplementation: a meta-analysis. Front Zool 2014; 11:80. [PMID: 25386221 PMCID: PMC4222371 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-014-0080-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2014] [Accepted: 10/17/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Food availability is an important environmental cue for animals for deciding how much to invest in reproduction, and it ultimately affects population size. The importance of food limitation has been extensively studied in terrestrial vertebrate populations, especially in birds, by experimentally manipulating food supply. However, the factors explaining variation in reproductive decisions in response to food supplementation remain unclear. By performing meta-analyses, we aim to quantify the extent to which supplementary feeding affects several reproductive parameters in birds, and identify the key factors (life-history traits, behavioural factors, environmental factors, and experimental design) that can induce variation in laying date, clutch size and breeding success (i.e., number of fledglings produced) in response to food supplementation. Results Food supplementation produced variable but mostly positive effects across reproductive parameters in a total of 201 experiments from 82 independent studies. The outcomes of the food effect were modulated by environmental factors, e.g., laying dates advanced more towards low latitudes, and food supplementation appeared not to produce any obvious effect on bird reproduction when the background level of food abundance in the environment was high. Moreover, the increase in clutch size following food addition was more pronounced in birds that cache food, as compared to birds that do not. Supplementation timing was identified as a major cause of variation in breeding success responses. We also document the absence of a detectable food effect on clutch size and breeding success when the target species had poor access to the feed due to competitive interactions with other animals. Conclusions Our findings indicate that, from the pool of bird species and environments reviewed, extra food is allocated to immediate reproduction in most cases. Our results also support the view that bird species have evolved different life-history strategies to cope with environmental variability in food supply. However, we encourage more research at low latitudes to gain knowledge on how resource allocation in birds changes along a latitudinal gradient. Our results also emphasize the importance of developing experimental designs that minimise competition for the supplemented food and the risk of reproductive bottle-necks due to inappropriate supplementation timings. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12983-014-0080-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lise Ruffino
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland
| | - Pälvi Salo
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland
| | - Elina Koivisto
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland
| | - Peter B Banks
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Erkki Korpimäki
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland
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Relative roles of grey squirrels, supplementary feeding, and habitat in shaping urban bird assemblages. PLoS One 2014; 9:e109397. [PMID: 25338062 PMCID: PMC4206278 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0109397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2014] [Accepted: 09/10/2014] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-native species are frequently considered to influence urban assemblages. The grey squirrel Sciurus carolinensis is one such species that is widespread in the UK and is starting to spread across Europe; it predates birds’ nests and can compete with birds for supplementary food. Using distance sampling across the urbanisation intensity gradient in Sheffield (UK) we test whether urban grey squirrels influence avian species richness and density through nest predation and competition for supplementary food sources. We also assess how urban bird assemblages respond to supplementary feeding. We find that grey squirrels slightly reduced the abundance of breeding bird species most sensitive to squirrel nest predation by reducing the beneficial impact of woodland cover. There was no evidence that grey squirrel presence altered relationships between supplementary feeding and avian assemblage structure. This may be because, somewhat surprisingly, supplementary feeding was not associated with the richness or density of wintering bird assemblages. These associations were positive during the summer, supporting advocacy to feed birds during the breeding season and not just winter, but explanatory capacity was limited. The amount of green space and its quality, assessed as canopy cover, had a stronger influence on avian species richness and population size than the presence of grey squirrels and supplementary feeding stations. Urban bird populations are thus more likely to benefit from investment in improving the availability of high quality habitats than controlling squirrel populations or increased investment in supplementary feeding.
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Plummer KE, Bearhop S, Leech DI, Chamberlain DE, Blount JD. Winter food provisioning reduces future breeding performance in a wild bird. Sci Rep 2014; 3:2002. [PMID: 23788126 PMCID: PMC6504817 DOI: 10.1038/srep02002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2013] [Accepted: 05/28/2013] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Supplementation of food to wild birds occurs on an enormous scale worldwide, and is often cited as an exemplar of beneficial human-wildlife interaction. Recently it has been speculated that winter feeding could have negative consequences for future reproduction, for example by enabling low quality individuals to recruit into breeding populations. However, evidence that winter feeding has deleterious impacts on reproductive success is lacking. Here, in a landscape-scale study of blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) across multiple years, we show that winter food supplementation reduced breeding performance the following spring. Compared to unfed populations, winter-fed birds produced offspring that weighed less, were smaller, and had lower survival. This impairment was observed in parents that had received fat only, or in combination with vitamin E, suggesting some generality in the mechanism by which supplementary feeding affected reproduction. Our results highlight the potential for deleterious population-level consequences of winter food supplementation on wild birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- K E Plummer
- 1] Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9EZ, UK [2]
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Beaulieu M, Costantini D. Biomarkers of oxidative status: missing tools in conservation physiology. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2014; 2:cou014. [PMID: 27293635 PMCID: PMC4806730 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cou014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2014] [Revised: 03/19/2014] [Accepted: 03/27/2014] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Recent ecological studies have shown that oxidative status could have a significant impact on fitness components in wild animals. Not only can oxidative status reflect the environmental conditions that animals experience, but it can also predict their chances of reproduction and survival in the future in their natural habitat. Such important characteristics make markers of oxidative status informative tools to evaluate a priori individual perspectives of reproduction and survival as well as to assess a posteriori the effect of human activities on the fitness of species of conservation concern and wildlife in general. Markers of oxidative status may therefore help conservation practitioners to identify conservation threats to animal populations and to maximize the success of wildlife management. Despite these potential benefits for animal conservation programmes, up to now markers of oxidative status have only been reported anecdotally in conservation studies. The aim of this review is therefore to raise awareness by conservation practitioners of the use of markers of oxidative status. Towards this end, we first describe how environmental disruptions due to human activities can translate into variation in oxidative status. Second, we show how individual and population variation in oxidative status may contribute to the success or the failure of reintroduction or translocation programmes. Finally, we emphasize the technical features specific to the measurement of markers of oxidative status in conservation programmes, which may help investigators with the interpretation of their results. Such prior knowledge about markers of oxidative status may encourage conservation physiologists to use them in order to enhance the success of conservation programmes and wildlife management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaël Beaulieu
- Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, Johann-Sebastian Bach Straße 11/12, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
- Corresponding authors: Tel: +49 3834 86 4268. ,
| | - David Costantini
- Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken, DC 135, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Antwerp, Belgium
- Institute for Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
- Corresponding authors: Tel: +49 3834 86 4268. ,
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Knapp CR, Hines KN, Zachariah TT, Perez-Heydrich C, Iverson JB, Buckner SD, Halach SC, Lattin CR, Romero LM. Physiological effects of tourism and associated food provisioning in an endangered iguana. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2013; 1:cot032. [PMID: 27293616 PMCID: PMC4806617 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cot032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2013] [Revised: 10/21/2013] [Accepted: 10/23/2013] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Deliberately feeding wildlife is an increasingly popular tourism-related activity despite a limited understanding of long-term impacts on the species being fed. As a result, tourist behaviours that may have adverse impacts on imperiled species have often been encouraged without the necessary evaluation or oversight. Here, we report the responses of Northern Bahamian Rock Iguanas (Cyclura cychlura) to human-visitation pressure and associated food provisioning. We compared a variety of blood chemistry parameters of iguanas subjected to supplemental feeding at popular tourist destinations with iguanas occurring on islands where supplemental feeding does not take place. We demonstrate that male and female iguanas inhabiting tourist-visited islands where supplemental feeding occurs do not differ in body condition or baseline stress and stress response (determined by corticosterone levels) compared with iguanas from non-visited islands. Both males and females from tourist-visited sites experienced a greater incidence of endoparasitic infection and atypical loose faeces. Indicators of dietary nutrition, including glucose, potassium, and uric acid values, also differed for both sexes from tourist-visited and unvisited islands. Male iguanas from visited islands differed significantly from those on non-visited islands in calcium, cholesterol, cobalt, copper, magnesium, packed cell volume, selenium, and triglyceride concentrations, whereas female iguanas from visited islands differed significantly in ionized calcium. Although the interpretation of these differences is challenging, chronic biochemical stressors could compromise individual health over time or decrease survivorship during periods of environmental stress. We suggest protocols that can be adopted throughout the region to ensure that supplemental feeding has fewer impacts on these long-lived iguanas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles R. Knapp
- Daniel P. Haerther Center for Conservation and Research, John G. Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Sandra D. Buckner
- PO Box N-8893, Villa Capulet, Montague Foreshore, Nassau, The Bahamas
| | - Shelley C. Halach
- Daniel P. Haerther Center for Conservation and Research, John G. Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, IL, USA
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