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Hedenström A, Hedh L. Seasonal patterns and processes of migration in a long-distance migratory bird: energy or time minimization? Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20240624. [PMID: 38835274 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Optimal migration theory prescribes adaptive strategies of energy, time or mortality minimization. To test alternative hypotheses of energy- and time-minimization migration we used multisensory data loggers that record time-resolved flight activity and light for positioning by geolocation in a long-distance migratory shorebird, the little ringed plover, Charadrius dubius. We could reject the hypothesis of energy minimization based on a relationship between stopover duration and subsequent flight time as predicted for a time minimizer. We found seasonally diverging slopes between stopover and flight durations in relation to the progress (time) of migration, which follows a time-minimizing policy if resource gradients along the migration route increase in autumn and decrease in spring. Total flight duration did not differ significantly between autumn and spring migration, although spring migration was 6% shorter. Overall duration of autumn migration was longer than that in spring, mainly owing to a mid-migration stop in most birds, when they likely initiated moult. Overall migration speed was significantly different between autumn and spring. Migratory flights often occurred as runs of two to seven nocturnal flights on adjacent days, which may be countering a time-minimization strategy. Other factors may influence a preference for nocturnal migration, such as avoiding flight in turbulent conditions, heat stress and diurnal predators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anders Hedenström
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Linus Hedh
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
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2
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Setash CM, Behney AC, Gammonley JH, Koons DN. Riding the wetland wave: Can ducks locate macroinvertebrate resources across the breeding season? Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11568. [PMID: 38932948 PMCID: PMC11199343 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Food availability varies considerably over space and time in wetland systems, and consumers must be able to track those changes during energetically-demanding points in the life cycle like breeding. Resource tracking has been studied frequently among herbivores, but receives less attention among consumers of macroinvertebrates. We evaluated the change in resource availability across habitat types and time and the simultaneous density of waterfowl consumers throughout their breeding season in a high-elevation, flood-irrigated system. We also assessed whether the macroinvertebrate resource density better predicted waterfowl density across habitats, compared to consistency (i.e., temporal evenness) of the invertebrate resource or taxonomic richness. Resource density varied marginally across wetland types but was highest in basin wetlands (i.e., ponds) and peaked early in the breeding season, whereas it remained relatively low and stable in other wetland habitats. Breeding duck density was positively related to resource density, more so than temporal resource stability, for all species. Resource density was negatively related to duckling density, however. These results have the potential to not only elucidate mechanisms of habitat selection among breeding ducks in flood-irrigated landscapes but also suggest there is not a consequential trade-off to selecting wetland sites based on energy density versus temporal resource stability and that good-quality wetland sites provide both.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casey M. Setash
- Colorado Parks and WildlifeFort CollinsColoradoUSA
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation BiologyColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | | | | | - David N. Koons
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation BiologyColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColoradoUSA
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3
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Marsh KJ, Bearhop S, Harrison XA. Linking microbiome temporal dynamics to host ecology in the wild. Trends Microbiol 2024:S0966-842X(24)00132-X. [PMID: 38797653 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2024.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Ignoring the dynamic nature of microbial communities risks underestimating the power of microbes to impact the health of their hosts. Microbiomes are thought to be important for host fitness, yet the coarse temporal scale and population-level focus of many studies precludes the ability to investigate the importance of among-individual variation in stability and identify the ecological contexts in which this variation matters. Here we briefly summarise current knowledge of temporal dynamics in wild host-associated microbial communities. We then discuss the implications of among-individual variation in microbiota stability and suggest analytical approaches for understanding these patterns. One major requirement is for future studies to conduct individual-level longitudinal analyses, with some systems already well set up for answering these questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsty J Marsh
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, UK.
| | - Stuart Bearhop
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, UK
| | - Xavier A Harrison
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, UK.
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4
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Lisovski S, Hoye BJ, Conklin JR, Battley PF, Fuller RA, Gosbell KB, Klaassen M, Benjamin Lee C, Murray NJ, Bauer S. Predicting resilience of migratory birds to environmental change. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2311146121. [PMID: 38648469 PMCID: PMC11087779 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2311146121] [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: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The pace and scale of environmental change represent major challenges to many organisms. Animals that move long distances, such as migratory birds, are especially vulnerable to change since they need chains of intact habitat along their migratory routes. Estimating the resilience of such species to environmental changes assists in targeting conservation efforts. We developed a migration modeling framework to predict past (1960s), present (2010s), and future (2060s) optimal migration strategies across five shorebird species (Scolopacidae) within the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, which has seen major habitat deterioration and loss over the last century, and compared these predictions to empirical tracks from the present. Our model captured the migration strategies of the five species and identified the changes in migrations needed to respond to habitat deterioration and climate change. Notably, the larger species, with single or few major stopover sites, need to establish new migration routes and strategies, while smaller species can buffer habitat loss by redistributing their stopover areas to novel or less-used sites. Comparing model predictions with empirical tracks also indicates that larger species with the stronger need for adaptations continue to migrate closer to the optimal routes of the past, before habitat deterioration accelerated. Our study not only quantifies the vulnerability of species in the face of global change but also explicitly reveals the extent of adaptations required to sustain their migrations. This modeling framework provides a tool for conservation planning that can accommodate the future needs of migratory species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simeon Lisovski
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Section Polar Terrestrial Environmental Systems, Potsdam14473, Germany
| | - Bethany J. Hoye
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW2522, Australia
| | - Jesse R. Conklin
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen9700, The Netherlands
| | - Phil F. Battley
- Zoology and Ecology Group, Massey University, Palmerston North4442, New Zealand
| | - Richard A. Fuller
- School of the Environment, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD4072, Australia
| | - Ken B. Gosbell
- Victorian Wader Study Group, Blackburn, VIC3130, Australia
| | - Marcel Klaassen
- Victorian Wader Study Group, Blackburn, VIC3130, Australia
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, VIC3217, Australia
| | - Chengfa Benjamin Lee
- German Aerospace Center, The Remote Sensing Technology Institute, Berlin12489, Germany
- Department of Remote Sensing, EAGLE M. Sc. Program, University of Würzburg, Würzburg97074, Germany
| | - Nicholas J. Murray
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD4811, Australia
| | - Silke Bauer
- Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf8903, Switzerland
- Department of Bird Migration, Swiss Ornithological Institute, Sempach6204, Switzerland
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam1090 GE, The Netherlands
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Zürich8902, Switzerland
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5
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Slezak CR, Blomberg EJ, Roth AM, Berigan LA, Fish AC, Darling R, Clements SJ, Balkcom G, Carpenter B, Costanzo G, Duguay J, Graham CL, Harvey W, Hook M, Howell DL, Maddox S, Meyer SW, Nichols TC, Pollard JB, Roy C, Stiller JC, Straub JN, Tetreault M, Tyl R, Williams L, Kilburn JE, McWilliams SR. Unconventional life history in a migratory shorebird: desegregating reproduction and migration. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20240021. [PMID: 38628119 PMCID: PMC11021936 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0021] [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: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Conventional life-history theory predicts that energy-demanding events such as reproduction and migration must be temporally segregated to avoid resource limitation. Here, we provide, to our knowledge, the first direct evidence of 'itinerant breeding' in a migratory bird, an incredibly rare breeding strategy (less than 0.1% of extant bird species) that involves the temporal overlap of migratory and reproductive periods of the annual cycle. Based on GPS-tracking of over 200 female American woodcock, most female woodcock (greater than 80%) nested more than once (some up to six times) with short re-nest intervals, and females moved northwards on average 800 km between first and second nests, and then smaller distances (ca 200+ km) between subsequent nesting attempts. Reliance on ephemeral habitat for breeding, ground-nesting and key aspects of life history that reduce both the costs of reproduction and migration probably explain the prevalence of this rare phenotype in woodcock and why itinerant breeding so rarely occurs in other bird species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Greg Balkcom
- Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division, Fort Valley, GA 31030, USA
| | - Bobbi Carpenter
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Gainesville, FL 32601, USA
| | - Gary Costanzo
- Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, Charles City, VA 23188, USA
| | - Jeffrey Duguay
- Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Baton Rouge, LA 70898, USA
| | | | - William Harvey
- Wildlife and Heritage Service, Department of Natural Resources, Cambridge, MD 21613, USA
| | - Michael Hook
- South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Columbia, SC 29202, USA
| | - Douglas L. Howell
- North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, Edenton, NC 27932, USA
| | - Seth Maddox
- Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Montgomery, AL 36130, USA
| | - Shawn W. Meyer
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1V 1C7
| | | | - J. Bruce Pollard
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada E4L 1G6
| | - Christian Roy
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Saint-Joseph Gatineau, Quebec, Canada K1A 0H3
| | - Joshua C. Stiller
- New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Albany, NY 12233, USA
| | - Jacob N. Straub
- State University of New York Brockport, Brockport, NY 14420, USA
| | - Mathieu Tetreault
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, D'Estimauville, Québec, QC, Canada G1J 0C3
| | - Reina Tyl
- Pennsylvania Game Commission, Harrisburg, PA 17110, USA
| | - Lisa Williams
- Pennsylvania Game Commission, Harrisburg, PA 17110, USA
| | - Jennifer E. Kilburn
- Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, West Kingston, RI 02892, USA
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Landry-Ducharme L, Lai S, Vézina F, Tam A, Berteaux D. Vegetation biomass and topography are associated with seasonal habitat selection and fall translocation behavior in Arctic hares. Oecologia 2024; 204:775-788. [PMID: 38554159 PMCID: PMC11062897 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-024-05534-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024]
Abstract
Habitat selection theory suggests that environmental features selected at coarse scales reveal fundamental factors affecting animal fitness. When these factors vary across seasons, they may lead to large-scale movements, including long-distance seasonal migrations. We analyzed the seasonal habitat selection of 25 satellite-tracked Arctic hares from a population on Ellesmere Island (Nunavut, Canada) that relocated over 100 km in the fall. Since no other lagomorph is known to perform such extensive movements, this population offered an ideal setting to test animal movement and habitat selection theory. On summer grounds hares selected low elevation areas, while on winter grounds they selected high vegetation biomass, high elevation, and steep slopes. During fall relocation, they alternated between stopover and traveling behavioral states (ratio 2:1). Stopover locations were characterized by higher vegetation heterogeneity and lower rugosity than traveling locations, while vegetation biomass and elevation interacted to explain stopover locations in a more complex way. The selected combination of environmental features thus varied across seasons and behavioral states, in a way broadly consistent with predictions based on the changing food and safety needs of hares. Although causality was not demonstrated, our results improve our understanding of long-distance movements and habitat selection in Arctic hares, as well as herbivore ecology in the polar desert. Results also provide strong support to animal movement and habitat selection theory, by showing how some important hypotheses hold when tested in a species phylogenetically distinct from most animal models used in this research field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludovic Landry-Ducharme
- Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie, Université du Québec À Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, Canada
- Canada Research Chair On Northern Biodiversity, Université du Québec À Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, Canada
- Centre for Northern Studies, Université du Québec À Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, Canada
- Quebec Centre for Biodiversity Science, Université du Québec À Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, Canada
| | - Sandra Lai
- Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie, Université du Québec À Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, Canada
- Canada Research Chair On Northern Biodiversity, Université du Québec À Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, Canada
- Centre for Northern Studies, Université du Québec À Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, Canada
- Quebec Centre for Biodiversity Science, Université du Québec À Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, Canada
| | - François Vézina
- Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie, Université du Québec À Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, Canada
- Centre for Northern Studies, Université du Québec À Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, Canada
- Quebec Centre for Biodiversity Science, Université du Québec À Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, Canada
| | - Andrew Tam
- Department of National Defence, 8 Wing Canadian Forces Base Trenton, Astra, ON, Canada
| | - Dominique Berteaux
- Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie, Université du Québec À Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, Canada.
- Canada Research Chair On Northern Biodiversity, Université du Québec À Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, Canada.
- Centre for Northern Studies, Université du Québec À Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, Canada.
- Quebec Centre for Biodiversity Science, Université du Québec À Rimouski, Rimouski, QC, Canada.
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7
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Carter WA, Pagano SS, Seewagen CL. The effects of diet-shifting from invertebrates towards fruit on the condition of autumn-migrant Catharus thrushes. Oecologia 2024; 204:559-573. [PMID: 38363323 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-024-05511-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Migration is an energetically challenging and risky life history stage for many animals, but could be supported by dietary choices en route, which may create opportunities to improve body and physiological condition. However, proposed benefits of diet shifts, such as between seasonally available invertebrates and fruits, have received limited investigation in free-living animals. We quantified diet composition and magnitude of autumn diet shifts over two time periods in two closely-related species of migratory songbirds on stopover in the northeastern U.S. (Swainson's thrush [Catharus ustulatus], long-distance migrant, N = 83; hermit thrush [C. guttatus], short-distance migrant, N = 79) and used piecewise structural equation models to evaluate the relationships among (1) migration timing, (2) dietary behavior, and (3) morphometric and physiological condition indices. Tissue isotope composition indicated that both species shifted towards greater fruit consumption. Larger shifts in recent weeks corresponded to higher body condition in Swainson's, but not hermit thrushes, and condition was more heavily influenced by capture date in Swainson's thrushes. Presence of "high-antioxidant" fruits in fecal samples was unrelated to condition in Swainson's thrushes and negatively related to multiple condition indices in hermit thrushes, possibly indicating the value of fruits during migration is related more to their energy and/or macronutrient content than antioxidant content. Our results suggest that increased frugivory during autumn migration can support condition, but those benefits might depend on migration strategy: a longer-distance, more capital-dependent migration strategy could require stricter regulation of body condition aided by increased fruit consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wales A Carter
- Great Hollow Nature Preserve and Ecological Research Center, 225 State Route 37, New Fairfield, CT, 06812, USA.
| | - Susan Smith Pagano
- Thomas H. Gosnell School of Life Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology, 84 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY, 14623, USA
| | - Chad L Seewagen
- Great Hollow Nature Preserve and Ecological Research Center, 225 State Route 37, New Fairfield, CT, 06812, USA
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8
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Thompson PR, Harrington PD, Mallory CD, Lele SR, Bayne EM, Derocher AE, Edwards MA, Campbell M, Lewis MA. Simultaneous estimation of the temporal and spatial extent of animal migration using step lengths and turning angles. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2024; 12:1. [PMID: 38191509 PMCID: PMC10775566 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-023-00444-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Animals of many different species, trophic levels, and life history strategies migrate, and the improvement of animal tracking technology allows ecologists to collect increasing amounts of detailed data on these movements. Understanding when animals migrate is important for managing their populations, but is still difficult despite modelling advancements. METHODS We designed a model that parametrically estimates the timing of migration from animal tracking data. Our model identifies the beginning and end of migratory movements as signaled by change-points in step length and turning angle distributions. To this end, we can also use the model to estimate how an animal's movement changes when it begins migrating. In addition to a thorough simulation analysis, we tested our model on three datasets: migratory ferruginous hawks (Buteo regalis) in the Great Plains, barren-ground caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus) in northern Canada, and non-migratory brown bears (Ursus arctos) from the Canadian Arctic. RESULTS Our simulation analysis suggests that our model is most useful for datasets where an increase in movement speed or directional autocorrelation is clearly detectable. We estimated the beginning and end of migration in caribou and hawks to the nearest day, while confirming a lack of migratory behaviour in the brown bears. In addition to estimating when caribou and ferruginous hawks migrated, our model also identified differences in how they migrated; ferruginous hawks achieved efficient migrations by drastically increasing their movement rates while caribou migration was achieved through significant increases in directional persistence. CONCLUSIONS Our approach is applicable to many animal movement studies and includes parameters that can facilitate comparison between different species or datasets. We hope that rigorous assessment of migration metrics will aid understanding of both how and why animals move.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter R Thompson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
| | - Peter D Harrington
- Department of Mathematics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | | | - Subhash R Lele
- Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Erin M Bayne
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Andrew E Derocher
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Mark A Edwards
- Office of the Chief Scientist, Environment and Protected Areas, Government of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | | | - Mark A Lewis
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
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9
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McGuire LP, Leys R, Webber QMR, Clerc J. Heterothermic Migration Strategies in Flying Vertebrates. Integr Comp Biol 2023; 63:1060-1074. [PMID: 37279461 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icad053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Migration is a widespread and highly variable trait among animals. Population-level patterns arise from individual-level decisions, including physiological and energetic constraints. Many aspects of migration are influenced by behaviors and strategies employed during periods of stopover, where migrants may encounter variable or unpredictable conditions. Thermoregulation can be a major cost for homeotherms which largely encounter ambient temperatures below the lower critical temperature during migration, especially during the rest phase of the daily cycle. In this review we describe the empirical evidence, theoretical models, and potential implications of bats and birds that use heterothermy to reduce thermoregulatory costs during migration. Torpor-assisted migration is a strategy described for migrating temperate insectivorous bats, whereby torpor can be used during periods of inactivity to drastically reduce thermoregulatory costs and increase net refueling rate, leading to shorter stopover duration, reduced fuel load requirement, and potential consequences for broad-scale movement patterns and survival. Hummingbirds can adopt a similar strategy, but most birds are not capable of torpor. However, there is an increasing recognition of the use of more shallow heterothermic strategies by diverse bird species during migration, with similarly important implications for migration energetics. A growing body of published literature and preliminary data from ongoing research indicate that heterothermic migration strategies in birds may be more common than traditionally appreciated. We further take a broad evolutionary perspective to consider heterothermy as an alternative to migration in some species, or as a conceptual link to consider alternatives to seasonal resource limitations. There is a growing body of evidence related to heterothermic migration strategies in bats and birds, but many important questions related to the broader implications of this strategy remain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam P McGuire
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Ryan Leys
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Quinn M R Webber
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph,Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Jeff Clerc
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, CO 80401, USA
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10
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Kettemer LE, Ramm T, Broms F, Biuw M, Blanchet MA, Bourgeon S, Dubourg P, Ellendersen ACJ, Horaud M, Kershaw J, Miller PJO, Øien N, Pallin LJ, Rikardsen AH. Don't mind if I do: Arctic humpback whales respond to winter foraging opportunities before migration. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:230069. [PMID: 37680501 PMCID: PMC10480701 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
Migration patterns are fundamentally linked to the spatio-temporal distributions of prey. How migrating animals can respond to changes in their prey's distribution and abundance remains largely unclear. During the last decade, humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) used specific winter foraging sites in fjords of northern Norway, outside of their main summer foraging season, to feed on herring that started overwintering in the area. We used photographic matching to show that whales sighted during summer in the Barents Sea foraged in northern Norway from late October to February, staying up to three months and showing high inter-annual return rates (up to 82%). The number of identified whales in northern Norway totalled 866 individuals by 2019. Genetic sexing and hormone profiling in both areas demonstrate a female bias in northern Norway and suggest higher proportions of pregnancy in northern Norway. This may indicate that the fjord-based winter feeding is important for pregnant females before migration. Our results suggest that humpback whales can respond to foraging opportunities along their migration pathways, in some cases by continuing their feeding season well into winter. This provides an important reminder to implement dynamic ecosystem management that can account for changes in the spatio-temporal distribution of migrating marine mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Elena Kettemer
- UiT—The Arctic University of Norway, Faculty of Bioscience, Fisheries and Economics, 9037 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Theresia Ramm
- UiT—The Arctic University of Norway, Faculty of Bioscience, Fisheries and Economics, 9037 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Fredrik Broms
- North Norwegian Humpback Whale Catalogue (NNHWC), Straumsvegen 238, 9109 Kvaløya, Norway
| | - Martin Biuw
- IMR Institute of Marine Research, FRAM—High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment, 9007 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Marie-Anne Blanchet
- UiT—The Arctic University of Norway, Faculty of Bioscience, Fisheries and Economics, 9037 Tromsø, Norway
- Norwegian Polar Institute, FRAM—High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment, 9007 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Sophie Bourgeon
- UiT—The Arctic University of Norway, Faculty of Bioscience, Fisheries and Economics, 9037 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Paul Dubourg
- UiT—The Arctic University of Norway, Faculty of Bioscience, Fisheries and Economics, 9037 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Anna C. J. Ellendersen
- UiT—The Arctic University of Norway, Faculty of Bioscience, Fisheries and Economics, 9037 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Mathilde Horaud
- UiT—The Arctic University of Norway, Faculty of Bioscience, Fisheries and Economics, 9037 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Joanna Kershaw
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, KY16 9ST St Andrews, UK
| | - Patrick J. O. Miller
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, KY16 9ST St Andrews, UK
| | - Nils Øien
- IMR Institute of Marine Research, Nordnes, PO Box 1870, 5817 Bergen, Norway
| | - Logan J. Pallin
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, UC Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| | - Audun H. Rikardsen
- UiT—The Arctic University of Norway, Faculty of Bioscience, Fisheries and Economics, 9037 Tromsø, Norway
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, FRAM—High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment, 9007 Tromsø, Norway
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11
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Storrie L, Loseto LL, Sutherland EL, MacPhee SA, O'Corry-Crowe G, Hussey NE. Do beluga whales truly migrate? Testing a key trait of the classical migration syndrome. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2023; 11:53. [PMID: 37649126 PMCID: PMC10469428 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-023-00416-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Migration enables organisms to access resources in separate regions that have predictable but asynchronous spatiotemporal variability in habitat quality. The classical migration syndrome is defined by key traits including directionally persistent long-distance movements during which maintenance activities are suppressed. But recently, seasonal round-trip movements have frequently been considered to constitute migration irrespective of the traits required to meet this movement type, conflating common outcomes with common traits required for a mechanistic understanding of long-distance movements. We aimed to test whether a cetacean ceases foraging during so-called migratory movements, conforming to a trait that defines classical migration. METHODS We used location and dive data collected by satellite tags deployed on beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) from the Eastern Beaufort Sea population, which undertake long-distance directed movements between summer and winter areas. To identify phases of directionally persistent travel, behavioural states (area-restricted search, ARS; or Transit) were decoded using a hidden-Markov model, based on step length and turning angle. Established dive profiles were then used as a proxy for foraging, to test the hypothesis that belugas cease foraging during these long-distance transiting movements, i.e., they suppress maintenance activities. RESULTS Belugas principally made directed horizontal movements when moving between summer and winter residency areas, remaining in a Transit state for an average of 75.4% (range = 58.5-87.2%) of the time. All individuals, however, exhibited persistent foraging during Transit movements (75.8% of hours decoded as the Transit state had ≥ 1 foraging dive). These data indicate that belugas actively search for and/or respond to resources during these long-distance movements that are typically called a migration. CONCLUSIONS The long-distance movements of belugas do not conform to the traits defining the classical migration syndrome, but instead have characteristics of both migratory and nomadic behaviour, which may prove adaptive in the face of unpredictable environmental change. Such patterns are likely present in other cetaceans that have been labeled as migratory. Examination of not only horizontal movement state, but also the vertical behaviour of aquatic animals during directed movements is essential for identifying whether a species exhibits traits of the classical migration syndrome or another long-distance movement strategy, enabling improved ecological inference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke Storrie
- Centre for Earth Observation Science, Department of Environment and Geography, The University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
- Freshwater Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
| | - Lisa L Loseto
- Centre for Earth Observation Science, Department of Environment and Geography, The University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Freshwater Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Emma L Sutherland
- Centre for Earth Observation Science, Department of Environment and Geography, The University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Freshwater Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Shannon A MacPhee
- Freshwater Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Greg O'Corry-Crowe
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, FL, USA
| | - Nigel E Hussey
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada
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Hedh L, Hedenström A. Consequences of migratory distance, habitat distribution and season on the migratory process in a short distance migratory shorebird population. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2023; 11:40. [PMID: 37464409 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-023-00400-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The migratory process in birds consists of alternating periods of flight and fueling. Individuals of some populations make few flights and long stopovers, while others make multiple flights between short stopovers. Shorebirds are known for executing marathon flights (jumps), but most populations studied are long distance migrants, often crossing major barriers and thus forced to make long-haul flights. The sub-division of migration in short/medium distance migratory populations, where the total migration distance is shorter than documented non-stop flight capacity and where routes offer more homogenous stopover landscape, is little explored. METHODS Here we combine data based on conventional light level geolocators and miniaturized multi sensor loggers, comprising acceleration and light sensors, to characterize the migratory routes and migration process for a short/medium distance (~ 1300 to 3000 km) migratory population of common ringed plover (Charadrius hiaticula) breeding in southern Sweden. We were specifically interested in the variation in number and duration (total and individual) of flights/stopovers between seasons and in relation to migration distance. RESULTS Most stopovers were located along the European Atlantic coast. On average 4.5 flights were made during autumn migration irrespective of migration distance, but in spring the number of flights increased with distance. The equal number of flights in autumn was explained by that most individuals migrating farther performed one longer flight (all but one lasting > 20 h), likely including crossing of the Bay of Biscay. Median duration of single flights was 8.7 h in autumn and 5.5 h in spring, and median stopover duration was ~ 1 day in both seasons. There was a positive relationship between total flight duration and migration distance, but total flight duration was 36% lower in spring compared to autumn. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that when suitable stopovers are abundant common ringed plovers prefer making shorter flights even if longer flights are within the capacity of the species. This behaviour is predicted under both time and energy minimizing strategies, although the variable flight distances suggest a policy of time selected migration. Even if populations using several stopovers seem to be more resilient for environmental change along the route, these results are informative for conservation efforts and for predicting responses to future environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linus Hedh
- Department of Biology, Ecology Building, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, 223 62, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Anders Hedenström
- Department of Biology, Ecology Building, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, 223 62, Lund, Sweden.
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Kentie R, Morgan Brown J, Camphuysen KCJ, Shamoun-Baranes J. Distance doesn't matter: migration strategy in a seabird has no effect on survival or reproduction. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20222408. [PMID: 37072044 PMCID: PMC10113024 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.2408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Migrating animals show remarkable diversity in migration strategies, even between individuals from the same population. Migrating longer distances is usually expected to be costlier in terms of time, energy expenditure and risks with potential repercussions for subsequent stages within the annual cycle. Such costs are expected to be balanced by increased survival, for example due to higher quality wintering areas or lower energy expenditure at lower latitudes. We compared reproductive parameters and apparent survival of lesser black-backed gulls (Larus fuscus) breeding in The Netherlands, whose winter range extends from the UK to West Africa, resulting in one-way migration distances that differ by more than 4500 km. Individuals migrating furthest arrived later in the colony than shorter distance migrants, but still laid in synchrony with the colony and consequently had a shorter pre-laying period. This shorter pre-laying period affected neither egg volumes nor hatching success. We found no relationship between migration distance and apparent survival probability, corresponding with previous research showing that annual energy expenditure and distance travelled throughout the year is similar across migration strategies. Combined, our results indicate an equal fitness payoff across migration strategies, suggesting there is no strong selective pressure acting on migration strategy within this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosemarie Kentie
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1012 WX, The Netherlands
- Department of Coastal Systems, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Den Burg, Texel 1797 SZ, The Netherlands
| | - J Morgan Brown
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1012 WX, The Netherlands
| | - Kees C J Camphuysen
- Department of Coastal Systems, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Den Burg, Texel 1797 SZ, The Netherlands
| | - Judy Shamoun-Baranes
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1012 WX, The Netherlands
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Ortega AC, Aikens EO, Merkle JA, Monteith KL, Kauffman MJ. Migrating mule deer compensate en route for phenological mismatches. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2008. [PMID: 37037806 PMCID: PMC10086060 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37750-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Billions of animals migrate to track seasonal pulses in resources. Optimally timing migration is a key strategy, yet the ability of animals to compensate for phenological mismatches en route is largely unknown. Using GPS movement data collected from 72 adult female deer over a 10-year duration, we study a population of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in Wyoming that lack reliable cues on their desert winter range, causing them to start migration 70 days ahead to 52 days behind the wave of spring green-up. We show that individual deer arrive at their summer range within an average 6-day window by adjusting movement speed and stopover use. Late migrants move 2.5 times faster and spend 72% less time on stopovers than early migrants, which allows them to catch the green wave. Our findings suggest that ungulates, and potentially other migratory species, possess cognitive abilities to recognize where they are in space and time relative to key resources. Such behavioral capacity may allow migratory taxa to maintain foraging benefits amid rapidly changing phenology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna C Ortega
- Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, 82071, USA.
- Program in Ecology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, 82071, USA.
| | - Ellen O Aikens
- U.S. Geological Survey, South Dakota Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Natural Resource Management, Brookings, SD, 57006, USA
| | - Jerod A Merkle
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, 82071, USA
| | - Kevin L Monteith
- Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, 82071, USA
- Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, 82072, USA
| | - Matthew J Kauffman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, 82071, USA
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Erratum. J Anim Ecol 2023; 92:786. [PMID: 36703288 PMCID: PMC10117610 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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Salguero‐Gómez R, Evans DM, Gaillard J, Lancaster L, Sanders NJ, Scandrett K, Meyer J. Time counts in animal ecology. J Anim Ecol 2022; 91:2154-2157. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Darren M. Evans
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences Newcastle University Newcastle‐upon‐Tyne UK
| | - Jean‐Michel Gaillard
- Mixed Research Unit (UMR 5558) “Biometry & Evolutionary Biology” University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Campus de la Doua, Bâtiment Mendel Villeurbanne Cedex France
| | - Lesley Lancaster
- School of Biological Sciences University of Aberdeen Aberdeen UK
| | - Nathan J. Sanders
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan USA
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