1
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Adams CA, Tomaszewska MA, Henebry GM, Horton KG. Chasing and surfing seasonal waves: Avian migration through the US tracks land surface phenology in fall, but not spring. J Anim Ecol 2024; 93:836-848. [PMID: 38741512 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.14088] [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: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Climate change is altering the timing of seasonal events for many taxa. There is limited understanding of how northward/southward songbird migration follows or is limited by the latitudinal progression of seasonal transitions. Consistent environmental conditions that migrating birds encounter across latitudes likely represent or correlate with important resources or limiting factors for migration. We tested whether migratory passage-observed via radar-consistently tracked land surface variables and phenophases across latitudes in the US Central Flyway in both spring and fall. The daily temperatures, precipitation and vegetation greenness occurring on 10%, 50% and 90% cumulative passage dates changed substantially with latitude, indicating that most migrants experienced rapidly changing conditions as they headed north or south. Temperature did not limit the progression of migration in either season. Peak spring migration in the southern US occurred nearly 40 days after the spring green wave, the northward progression of vegetation growth, but nearly caught up to green-up at 48° N. Spring migration phenology may have evolved to prioritize earlier arrival for breeding. Across all latitudes, peak fall migration coincided with the same land surface phenophase, an interval of 26 days prior to dormancy onset. Migrants may rely on phenological events in vegetation during fall stopovers. Considering that (a) migratory passage tracked fall land surface phenology across latitudes at a continental scale, (b) previous studies at local scales have demonstrated the importance of fruit during fall migratory stopover and (c) fruiting phenology in North America is occurring later over time while fall migration is advancing, the potential for mismatch between fall fruiting and bird migration phenology urgently needs further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carrie Ann Adams
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, 1474 Campus Delivery, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Monika A Tomaszewska
- Center for Global Change and Earth Observations, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Geoffrey M Henebry
- Center for Global Change and Earth Observations, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Geography, Environment and Spatial Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Kyle G Horton
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, 1474 Campus Delivery, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
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2
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Justen HC, Easton WE, Delmore KE. Mapping seasonal migration in a songbird hybrid zone -- heritability, genetic correlations, and genomic patterns linked to speciation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2313442121. [PMID: 38648483 PMCID: PMC11067064 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2313442121] [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: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Seasonal migration is a widespread behavior relevant for adaptation and speciation, yet knowledge of its genetic basis is limited. We leveraged advances in tracking and sequencing technologies to bridge this gap in a well-characterized hybrid zone between songbirds that differ in migratory behavior. Migration requires the coordinated action of many traits, including orientation, timing, and wing morphology. We used genetic mapping to show these traits are highly heritable and genetically correlated, explaining how migration has evolved so rapidly in the past and suggesting future responses to climate change may be possible. Many of these traits mapped to the same genomic regions and small structural variants indicating the same, or tightly linked, genes underlie them. Analyses integrating transcriptomic data indicate cholinergic receptors could control multiple traits. Furthermore, analyses integrating genomic differentiation further suggested genes underlying migratory traits help maintain reproductive isolation in this hybrid zone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah C. Justen
- Biology Department, Texas Agricultural and Mechanical University, TAMUCollege Station, TX3528
| | - Wendy E. Easton
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service-Pacific Region, Delta, BCV4K 3N2, Canada
| | - Kira E. Delmore
- Biology Department, Texas Agricultural and Mechanical University, TAMUCollege Station, TX3528
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3
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Robertson EP, La Sorte FA, Mays JD, Taillie PJ, Robinson OJ, Ansley RJ, O’Connell TJ, Davis CA, Loss SR. Decoupling of bird migration from the changing phenology of spring green-up. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2308433121. [PMID: 38437528 PMCID: PMC10963019 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2308433121] [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: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
The green-up of vegetation in spring brings a pulse of food resources that many animals track during migration. However, green-up phenology is changing with climate change, posing an immense challenge for species that time their migrations to coincide with these resource pulses. We evaluated changes in green-up phenology from 2002 to 2021 in relation to the migrations of 150 Western-Hemisphere bird species using eBird citizen science data. We found that green-up phenology has changed within bird migration routes, and yet the migrations of most species align more closely with long-term averages of green-up than with current conditions. Changing green-up strongly influenced phenological mismatches, especially for longer-distance migrants. These results reveal that bird migration may have limited flexibility to adjust to changing vegetation phenology and emphasize the mounting challenge migratory animals face in following en route resources in a changing climate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen P. Robertson
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK74078
- South Central Climate Adaptation Science Center, Norman, OK73019
| | - Frank A. La Sorte
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT06511
- Center for Biodiversity and Global Change, Yale University, New Haven, CT06511
| | - Jonathan D. Mays
- Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Gainesville, FL32611
| | - Paul J. Taillie
- Department of Geography and Environment, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC27514
| | | | - Robert J. Ansley
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK74078
| | - Timothy J. O’Connell
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK74078
| | - Craig A. Davis
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK74078
| | - Scott R. Loss
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK74078
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4
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Nemes CE, Marra PP, Zenzal TJ, Collins SA, Dossman BC, Gerson AR, Gómez C, González AM, Gutierrez Ramirez M, Hamer SA, Marty J, Vasseur PL, Cohen EB. Springing forward: Migrating songbirds catch up with the start of spring in North America. J Anim Ecol 2024; 93:294-306. [PMID: 37970639 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.14025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
In temperate regions, the annual pattern of spring onset can be envisioned as a 'green wave' of emerging vegetation that moves across continents from low to high latitudes, signifying increasing food availability for consumers. Many herbivorous migrants 'surf' such resource waves, timing their movements to exploit peak vegetation resources in early spring. Although less well studied at the individual level, secondary consumers such as insectivorous songbirds can track vegetation phenology during migration as well. We hypothesized that four species of ground-foraging songbirds in eastern North America-two warblers and two thrushes-time their spring migrations to coincide with later phases of vegetation phenology, corresponding to increased arthropod prey, and predicted they would match their migration rate to the green wave but trail behind it rather than surfing its leading edge. We further hypothesized that the rate at which spring onset progresses across the continent influences bird migration rates, such that individuals adjust migration timing within North America to phenological conditions they experience en route. To test our hypotheses, we used a continent-wide automated radio telemetry network to track individual songbirds on spring migration between the U.S. Gulf Coast region and northern locations closer to their breeding grounds. We measured vegetation phenology using two metrics of spring onset, the spring index first leaf date and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), then calculated the rate and timing of spring onset relative to bird detections. All individuals arrived in the southeastern United States well after local spring onset. Counter to our expectations, we found that songbirds exhibited a 'catching up' pattern: Individuals migrated faster than the green wave of spring onset, effectively closing in on the start of spring as they approached breeding areas. While surfing of resource waves is a well-documented migration strategy for herbivorous waterfowl and ungulates, individual songbirds in our study migrated faster than the green wave and increasingly caught up to its leading edge en route. Consequently, songbirds experience a range of vegetation phenophases while migrating through North America, suggesting flexibility in their capacity to exploit variable resources in spring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire E Nemes
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Appalachian Laboratory, Frostburg, Maryland, USA
| | - Peter P Marra
- The Earth Commons Institute; Department of Biology, McCourt School of Public Policy, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Theodore J Zenzal
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Lafayette, Louisiana, USA
| | - Samantha A Collins
- Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, Grand Chenier, Louisiana, USA
| | - Bryant C Dossman
- Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Alexander R Gerson
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Camila Gómez
- SELVA: Investigación para la Conservación en el Neotrópico, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Ana M González
- SELVA: Investigación para la Conservación en el Neotrópico, Bogotá, Colombia
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Mariamar Gutierrez Ramirez
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
- Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sarah A Hamer
- Schubot Center for Avian Health, Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Joseph Marty
- Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, Grand Chenier, Louisiana, USA
| | - Phillip L Vasseur
- Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, Grand Chenier, Louisiana, USA
| | - Emily B Cohen
- University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Appalachian Laboratory, Frostburg, Maryland, USA
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5
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Bell F, Ouwehand J, Both C, Briedis M, Lisovski S, Wang X, Bearhop S, Burgess M. Individuals departing non-breeding areas early achieve earlier breeding and higher breeding success. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4075. [PMID: 38374332 PMCID: PMC10876959 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53575-2] [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: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Conditions experienced by an individual during migration have the potential to shape migratory tactic and in turn fitness. For large birds, environmental conditions encountered during migration have been linked with survival and subsequent reproductive output, but this is less known for smaller birds, hindering our understanding of mechanisms driving population change. By combining breeding and tracking data from 62 pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca) representing two breeding populations collected over 2016-2020, we determine how variation in migration phenology and tactic among individuals affects subsequent breeding. Departure date from West African non-breeding areas to European breeding grounds was highly variable among individuals and had a strong influence on migration tactic. Early departing individuals had longer spring migrations which included longer staging duration yet arrived at breeding sites and initiated breeding earlier than later departing individuals. Individuals with longer duration spring migrations and early arrival at breeding sites had larger clutches, and for males higher fledging success. We suggest that for pied flycatchers, individual carry-over effects may act through departure phenology from West Africa, and the associated spring migration duration, to influence reproduction. While our results confirm that departure date from non-breeding areas can be associated with breeding success in migratory passerines, we identify spring staging duration as a key component of this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fraser Bell
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, UK.
- Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Centre for Conservation Science, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire, UK.
| | - Janne Ouwehand
- Conservation Ecology Group, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Christiaan Both
- Conservation Ecology Group, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Martins Briedis
- Department of Bird Migration, Swiss Ornithological Institute, Sempach, Switzerland
- Lab of Ornithology, Institute of Biology, University of Latvia, Rīga, Latvia
| | - Simeon Lisovski
- Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Telegrafenberg, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Xuelai Wang
- Conservation Ecology Group, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Stuart Bearhop
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, UK
| | - Malcolm Burgess
- Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Centre for Conservation Science, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire, UK
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, UK
- PiedFly.Net, Yarner Wood, Bovey Tracey, Devon, UK
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6
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Pierce AK, Yanco SW, Wunder MB. Seasonal migration alters energetic trade-off optimization and shapes life history. Ecol Lett 2024; 27:e14392. [PMID: 38400796 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14392] [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: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
Trade-offs between current and future reproduction manifest as a set of co-varying life history and metabolic traits, collectively referred to as 'pace of life' (POL). Seasonal migration modulates environmental dynamics and putatively affects POL, however, the mechanisms by which migratory behaviour shapes POL remain unclear. We explored how migratory behaviour interacts with environmental and metabolic dynamics to shape POL. Using an individual-based model of movement and metabolism, we compared fitness-optimized trade-offs among migration strategies. We found annual experienced seasonality modulated by migratory movements and distance between end-points primarily drove POL differentiation through developmental and migration phenology trade-offs. Similarly, our analysis of empirically estimated metabolic data from 265 bird species suggested seasonal niche tracking and migration distance interact to drive POL. We show multiple viable life-history strategies are conducive to a migratory lifestyle. Overall, our findings suggest metabolism mediates complex interactions between behaviour, environment and life history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison K Pierce
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, Colorado, USA
| | - Scott W Yanco
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, Colorado, USA
- Center for Biodiversity and Global Change, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Michael B Wunder
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, Colorado, USA
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7
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Tang K, Wang Y, Wu M, Wang S, Fu C, Zhang Z, Fu Y. Metabarcoding of fecal DNA reveals the broad and flexible diet of a globally endangered bird. Curr Zool 2023; 69:501-513. [PMID: 37637316 PMCID: PMC10449430 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoac071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Knowing the diet of endangered wild animals is a prerequisite for species-specific conservation and habitat management. The Sichuan partridge Arborophila rufipectus is a globally endangered Galliformes species endemic to the mountains of southwest China. Existing information on the diet of this species is biased and fragmented owing to traditional observation methods. Little is known about their dietary composition or how they respond to temporal variations in food resources throughout the year. In this study, a dietary analysis was performed on 60 fecal samples using DNA Metabarcoding of invertebrates and plants to determine the primary animal and plant components of the diet across 3 critical periods of adult life history (breeding, postbreeding wandering, and overwintering). Preys from the dipteran order, followed by the lepidopteran and araneaen spp., were the predominant, animal-derived foods. Symplocos, Rubus, Celastrus, Holboellia, and Actinidia spp. supply a large abundance of fruits and seeds for this omnivorous bird. Substantial temporal dietary changes among the 3 periods and a general shift toward lower dietary diversity during the breeding season were observed, suggesting that the Sichuan partridge can adjust their diet according to the availability of food resources and their own needs. Characterizing the composition and seasonal changes in Sichuan partridge diets informs the habitat management of native flora (the plant taxa that can generate berries and seeds, such as Symplocos, Rubus, Celastrus, and Holboellia, which are likely of conservation interest) to achieve full life-cycle conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keyi Tang
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610066, China
| | - Yufeng Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610066, China
| | - Mengling Wu
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610066, China
| | - Shufang Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610066, China
| | - Changkun Fu
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610066, China
| | - Zhengwang Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Yiqiang Fu
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610066, China
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8
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Piironen A, Laaksonen T. A gradual migratory divide determines not only the direction of migration but also migration strategy of a social migrant bird. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231528. [PMID: 37608717 PMCID: PMC10445028 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1528] [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: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Migratory divides separate populations of migratory animals, facilitating the evolution of intraspecific differences in migration strategies. Migration strategies are expected to be different for birds using different flyways and environments, but the knowledge regarding the impact of the flyway on individual migration strategies is scarce. By using satellite tracking and neckband resightings, we reveal the existence and structure of a gradual migratory divide between two European flyway populations of greylag geese Anser anser. Birds breeding at the far end of the Gulf of Bothnia in the Baltic Sea coast use the Western Flyway, those breeding in the Gulf of Finland the Central Flyway and those breeding between these extremes scatter to the two flyways. By using Gaussian process modelling, we show that migration strategies differed between the flyways. The birds using the Western Flyway migrated earlier in autumn, performed longer annual migration and made a clear stopover during migration, whereas the birds using the Central Flyway flew directly to their wintering sites. The gradual migratory divide that also divides migration strategies provides insights into migratory divides on birds with learned migration. Distinct migration strategies in different flyways provide exciting possibilities to further study the factors driving migration strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antti Piironen
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Vesilinnantie 5, 20500 Turku, Finland
| | - Toni Laaksonen
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Vesilinnantie 5, 20500 Turku, Finland
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9
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Bellisario B, Cardinale M, Maggini I, Fusani L, Carere C. Co-migration fidelity at a stopover site increases over time in African-European migratory landbirds. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:221043. [PMID: 37650061 PMCID: PMC10465194 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.221043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Migratory species are changing their timing of departure from wintering areas and arrival to breeding sites (i.e. migration phenology) in response to climate change to exploit maximum food availability at higher latitudes and improve their fitness. Despite the impact of changing migration phenology at population and community level, the extent to which individual and species-specific response affects associations among co-migrating species has been seldom explored. By applying temporal co-occurrence network models on 15 years of standardized bird ringing data at a spring stopover site, we show that African-European migratory landbirds tend to migrate in well-defined groups of species with high temporal overlap. Such 'co-migration fidelity' significantly increased over the years and was higher in long-distance (trans-Saharan) than in short-distance (North African) migrants. Our findings suggest non-random patterns of associations in co-migrating species, possibly related to the existence of regulatory mechanisms associated with changing climate conditions and different uses of stopover sites, ultimately influencing the global economy of migration of landbirds in the Palearctic-African migration system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Bellisario
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Cardinale
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Aquatic Resources, Institute of Marine Research, Lysekil, Sweden
| | - Ivan Maggini
- Konrad-Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Leonida Fusani
- Konrad-Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Claudio Carere
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
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10
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McLaren JD, Schmaljohann H, Blasius B. Gauge-and-compass migration: inherited magnetic headings and signposts can adapt to changing geomagnetic landscapes. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2023; 11:37. [PMID: 37408064 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-023-00406-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND For many migratory species, inexperienced (naïve) individuals reach remote non-breeding areas independently using one or more inherited compass headings and, potentially, magnetic signposts to gauge where to switch between compass headings. Inherited magnetic-based migration has not yet been assessed as a population-level process, particularly across strong geomagnetic gradients or where long-term geomagnetic shifts (hereafter, secular variation) could create mismatches with magnetic headings. Therefore, it remains unclear whether inherited magnetic headings and signposts could potentially adapt to secular variation under natural selection. METHODS To address these unknowns, we modelled migratory orientation programs using an evolutionary algorithm incorporating global geomagnetic data (1900-2023). Modelled population mixing incorporated both natal dispersal and trans-generational inheritance of magnetic headings and signposts, including intrinsic (stochastic) variability in inheritance. Using the model, we assessed robustness of trans-hemispheric migration of a migratory songbird whose Nearctic breeding grounds have undergone rapid secular variation (mean 34° clockwise drift in declination, 1900-2023), and which travels across strong geomagnetic gradients via Europe to Africa. RESULTS Model-evolved magnetic-signposted migration was overall successful throughout the 124-year period, with 60-90% mean successful arrival across a broad range in plausible precision in compass headings and gauging signposts. Signposted migration reduced trans-Atlantic flight distances and was up to twice as successful compared with non-signposted migration. Magnetic headings shifted plastically in response to the secular variation (mean 16°-17° among orientation programs), whereas signpost latitudes were more constrained (3°-5° mean shifts). This plasticity required intrinsic variability in inheritance (model-evolved σ ≈ 2.6° standard error), preventing clockwise secular drift from causing unsustainable open-ocean flights. CONCLUSIONS Our study supports the potential long-term viability of inherited magnetic migratory headings and signposts, and illustrates more generally how inherited migratory orientation programs can both mediate and constrain evolution of routes, in response to global environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- James D McLaren
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), University of Oldenburg, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany.
| | - Heiko Schmaljohann
- Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences (IBU), Carl Von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany
- Institute of Avian Research, 26386, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Bernd Blasius
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), University of Oldenburg, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany
- Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity (HIFMB), University of Oldenburg, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany
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11
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Davies JG, Kirkland M, Miller MGR, Pearce-Higgins JW, Atkinson PW, Hewson CM. Spring arrival of the common cuckoo at breeding grounds is strongly determined by environmental conditions in tropical Africa. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20230580. [PMID: 37339739 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.0580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Failure to adapt migration timing to changes in environmental conditions along migration routes and at breeding locations can result in mismatches across trophic levels, as occurs between the brood parasitic common cuckoo Cuculus canorus and its hosts. Using satellite tracking data from 87 male cuckoos across 11 years, we evaluate why the cuckoo has not advanced its arrival to the UK. Across years, breeding ground arrival was primarily determined by timing of departure from stopover in West Africa before northward crossing of the Sahara. Together with high population synchrony and low apparent endogenous control of this event, this suggests that a seasonal ecological constraint operating here limits overall variation in breeding grounds arrival, although this event was itself influenced by carry-over from timing of arrival into tropical Africa. Between-year variation within individuals was, in contrast, mostly determined by northward migration through Europe, probably due to weather conditions. We find evidence of increased mortality risk for (a) early birds following migration periods positively impacting breeding grounds arrival, and (b) late birds, possibly suffering energy limitation, after departure from the breeding grounds. These results help identify areas where demands of responding to global change can potentially be alleviated by improving stopover quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob G Davies
- British Trust for Ornithology Scotland, Stirling University Innovation Park, Beta Centre (Unit 15), Stirling, FK9 4NF, UK
| | - Máire Kirkland
- British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, IP24 2PU, Norfolk, UK
| | - Mark G R Miller
- British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, IP24 2PU, Norfolk, UK
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | | | - Philip W Atkinson
- British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, IP24 2PU, Norfolk, UK
| | - Chris M Hewson
- British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, IP24 2PU, Norfolk, UK
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12
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Lee JW, Kang SG, Lee JY, Kim HN, Jin SJ, Bae GW, Hur WH, Park JY. Long-distance migration of Korean common cuckoos with different host specificities. Glob Ecol Conserv 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2023.e02426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/07/2023] Open
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13
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Rime Y, Nussbaumer R, Briedis M, Sander MM, Chamberlain D, Amrhein V, Helm B, Liechti F, Meier CM. Multi-sensor geolocators unveil global and local movements in an Alpine-breeding long-distance migrant. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2023; 11:19. [PMID: 37020307 PMCID: PMC10074645 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-023-00381-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND To understand the ecology of long-distance migrant bird species, it is necessary to study their full annual cycle, including migratory routes and stopovers. This is especially important for species in high-elevation habitats that are particularly vulnerable to environmental change. Here, we investigated both local and global movements during all parts of the annual cycle in a small trans-Saharan migratory bird breeding at high elevation. METHODS Recently, multi-sensor geolocators have opened new research opportunities in small-sized migratory organisms. We tagged Northern Wheatears Oenanthe oenanthe from the central-European Alpine population with loggers recording atmospheric pressure and light intensity. We modelled migration routes and identified stopover and non-breeding sites by correlating the atmospheric pressure measured on the birds with global atmospheric pressure data. Furthermore, we compared barrier-crossing flights with other migratory flights and studied the movement behaviour throughout the annual cycle. RESULTS All eight tracked individuals crossed the Mediterranean Sea, using islands for short stops, and made longer stopovers in the Atlas highlands. Single non-breeding sites were used during the entire boreal winter and were all located in the same region of the Sahel. Spring migration was recorded for four individuals with similar or slightly different routes compared to autumn. Migratory flights were typically nocturnal and characterized by fluctuating altitudes, frequently reaching 2000 to 4000 m a.s.l, with a maximum of up to 5150 m. Barrier-crossing flights, i.e., over the sea and the Sahara, were longer, higher, and faster compared to flights above favourable stopover habitat. In addition, we detected two types of altitudinal movements at the breeding site. Unexpected regular diel uphill movements were undertaken from the breeding territories towards nearby roosting sites at cliffs, while regional scale movements took place in response to local meteorological conditions during the pre-breeding period. CONCLUSION Our data inform on both local and global scale movements, providing new insights into migratory behaviour and local movements in small songbirds. This calls for a wider use of multi-sensor loggers in songbird migration research, especially for investigating both local and global movements in the same individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yann Rime
- Department of Bird Migration, Swiss Ornithological Institute, Seerose 1, Sempach, CH-6204, Switzerland.
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Zoology, University of Basel, Basel, CH-4051, Switzerland.
| | | | - Martins Briedis
- Department of Bird Migration, Swiss Ornithological Institute, Seerose 1, Sempach, CH-6204, Switzerland
- Institute of Biology, University of Latvia, Riga, LV-1004, Latvia
| | - Martha Maria Sander
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina 13, Turin, IT-10123, Italy
| | - Dan Chamberlain
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina 13, Turin, IT-10123, Italy
| | - Valentin Amrhein
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Zoology, University of Basel, Basel, CH-4051, Switzerland
| | - Barbara Helm
- Department of Bird Migration, Swiss Ornithological Institute, Seerose 1, Sempach, CH-6204, Switzerland
| | - Felix Liechti
- Department of Bird Migration, Swiss Ornithological Institute, Seerose 1, Sempach, CH-6204, Switzerland
| | - Christoph M Meier
- Department of Bird Migration, Swiss Ornithological Institute, Seerose 1, Sempach, CH-6204, Switzerland
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Nussbaumer R, Gravey M, Briedis M, Liechti F, Sheldon D. Reconstructing bird trajectories from pressure and wind data using a highly optimized hidden Markov model. Methods Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.14082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Raphaël Nussbaumer
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology Ithaca New York USA
- Swiss Ornithological Institute Sempach Switzerland
| | - Mathieu Gravey
- Department of Physical Geography, Faculty of Geosciences Utrecht University Utrecht Netherlands
| | - Martins Briedis
- Swiss Ornithological Institute Sempach Switzerland
- Lab of Ornithology Institute of Biology, University of Latvia Riga Latvia
| | - Felix Liechti
- Swiss Ornithological Institute Sempach Switzerland
- Swiss Birdradar Solutions AG Winterthur Switzerland
| | - Daniel Sheldon
- University of Massachusetts Amherst Amherst Massachusetts USA
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Jarzyna MA, Stagge JH. Decoupled spatiotemporal patterns of avian taxonomic and functional diversity. Curr Biol 2023; 33:1153-1161.e4. [PMID: 36822204 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.01.066] [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: 10/08/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
Each year, seasonal bird migration leads to an immense redistribution of species occurrence and abundances,1,2,3 with pervasive, though unclear, consequences for patterns of multi-faceted avian diversity. Here, we uncover stark disparities in spatiotemporal variation between avian taxonomic diversity (TD) and functional diversity (FD) across the continental US. We show that the seasonality of species richness expectedly3 follows a latitudinal gradient, whereas seasonality of FD instead manifests a distinct east-west gradient. In the eastern US, the temporal patterns of TD and FD are diametrically opposed. In winter, functional richness is highest despite seasonal species loss, and the remaining most abundant species are amassed in fewer regions of the functional space relative to the rest of the year, likely reflecting decreased resource availability. In contrast, temporal signatures for TD and FD are more congruent in the western US. There, both species and functional richness peak during the breeding season, and species' abundances are more regularly distributed and widely spread across the functional space than during winter. Our results suggest that migratory birds in the western US disproportionately contribute to avian FD by possessing more unique trait characteristics than resident birds,4,5 while the primary contribution of migrants in the eastern US is through increasing the regularity of abundances within the functional space relative to the rest of the year. We anticipate that the uncovered complexity of spatiotemporal associations among measures of avian diversity will be the catalyst for adopting an explicitly temporal framework for multi-faceted biodiversity analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta A Jarzyna
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Translational Data Analytics Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
| | - James H Stagge
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Geodetic Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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Han L, Zhang Z, Tu W, Zhang Q, Hong Y, Chen S, Lin Z, Gu S, Du Y, Wu Z, Liu X. Preferred prey reduce species realized niche shift and improve range expansion prediction. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 859:160370. [PMID: 36414055 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Many studies have detected realized climatic niche shifts during range changes; this is challenging the fundamental theory of the niche conservatism hypothesis (NCH) and the usefulness of the ecological niche model (ENM) for predicting the distributions of species in space and time by tracking environmental change. Biotic factors such as predatory interactions are important components of species realized niches but are generally difficult to quantify during NCH testing and ENM building. Identifying species' preferred prey may provide a unique opportunity to include trophic interactions in assessing the NCH and determine whether more precise ENM predictions are generated. In this study, we focused on a range-expanding predatory bird, the Asian openbill (Anastomus oscitans). The main prey of the Asian openbill include 136 snail species. We observed a realized climatic niche shift during the northward expansion of the Asian openbill by considering only climates; however, niche conservatism was detected after incorporating their preferred prey. ENMs including preferred snails also predicted the distributions of the Asian openbill better than climate-only models and models including nonpreferred snails or only habitat variables. The results of our study suggested the importance of incorporating preferred prey in evaluating the NCH and developing a framework for predicting the range shifts of both native and alien species in response to global climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lixia Han
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection, Guangxi Normal University, Ministry of Education, Guilin 541006, Guangxi, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang, 100101 Beijing, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Rare and Endangered Animal Ecology, Guilin 541006, Guangxi, China
| | - Zhixin Zhang
- Arctic Research Center, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 001-0021, Japan; CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, Guangdong, China
| | - Weishan Tu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang, 100101 Beijing, China; Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang, 100101 Beijing, China; School of Life Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, Anhui, China
| | - Qing Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang, 100101 Beijing, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yanhua Hong
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang, 100101 Beijing, China; Key Laboratory for Conserving Wildlife with Small Populations in Yunnan, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, Yunnan, China
| | - Shengnan Chen
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang, 100101 Beijing, China; Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong 637009, Sichuan, China
| | - Zhiqiang Lin
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang, 100101 Beijing, China; College of Life Sciences, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832003, Xinjiang, China
| | - Shimin Gu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang, 100101 Beijing, China
| | - Yuanbao Du
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang, 100101 Beijing, China
| | - Zhengjun Wu
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection, Guangxi Normal University, Ministry of Education, Guilin 541006, Guangxi, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Rare and Endangered Animal Ecology, Guilin 541006, Guangxi, China.
| | - Xuan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang, 100101 Beijing, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China.
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Iverson AR, Humple DL, Cormier RL, Hull J. Land cover and NDVI are important predictors in habitat selection along migration for the Golden-crowned Sparrow, a temperate-zone migrating songbird. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2023; 11:2. [PMID: 36639697 PMCID: PMC9837890 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-022-00353-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Migrating passerines in North America have shown sharp declines. Understanding habitat selection and threats along migration paths are critical research needs, but details about migrations have been limited due to the difficulty of tracking small birds. Recent technological advances of tiny GPS-tags provide new opportunities to delineate fine-scale movements in small passerines during a life stage that has previously been inherently difficult to study. METHODS We investigated habitat selection along migration routes for a temperate-zone migratory passerine, the Golden-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla), given GPS tags on California wintering grounds. We used a resource selection function combined with conditional logistic regression to compare matched sets of known stopover locations and available but unused locations to determine how land cover class, vegetation greenness and climate variables influence habitat selection during migration. We also provide general migration descriptions for this understudied species including migration distance, duration, and elevation, and repeated use of stopover areas. RESULTS We acquired 22 tracks across 19 individuals, with a total of 541 valid spring and fall migration locations. Birds traveled to breeding grounds in Alaska and British Columbia along coastal routes, selecting for shrubland and higher vegetation greenness in both migration seasons as well as grasslands during fall migration. However, model interactions showed they selected sites with lower levels of greenness when in forest (both seasons) and shrubland (fall only), which may reflect their preference for more open habitats or represent a trade-off in selection between habitat type and productivity. Birds also selected for locations with higher daily maximum temperature during spring migration. Routes during spring migration were lower in elevation on average, shorter in duration, and had fewer long stopovers than in fall migration. For two birds, we found repeated use of the same stopover areas in spring and fall migration. CONCLUSIONS Using miniaturized GPS, this study provides new insight into habitat selection along migration routes for a common temperate-zone migrating songbird, contributing to a better understanding of full annual cycle models, and informing conservation efforts. Golden-crowned Sparrows selected for specific habitats along migration routes, and we found previously unknown behaviors such as repeated use of the same stopover areas by individuals across different migratory seasons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Autumn R Iverson
- Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, One Shields Ave, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
| | - Diana L Humple
- Point Blue Conservation Science, 3820 Cypress Drive #11, Petaluma, CA, 94954, USA
| | - Renée L Cormier
- Point Blue Conservation Science, 3820 Cypress Drive #11, Petaluma, CA, 94954, USA
| | - Josh Hull
- Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, One Shields Ave, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
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18
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Reeve AH, Willemoes M, Paul L, Nagombi E, Bodawatta KH, Ortvad TE, Maiah G, Jønsson KA. Satellite tracking resident songbirds in tropical forests. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0278641. [PMID: 36584181 PMCID: PMC9803307 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0278641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Advances in tracking technology have helped elucidate the movements of the planet's largest and most mobile species, but these animals do not represent faunal diversity as a whole. Tracking a more diverse array of animal species will enable testing of broad ecological and evolutionary hypotheses and aid conservation efforts. Small and sedentary species of the tropics make up a huge part of earth's animal diversity and are therefore key to this endeavor. Here, we investigated whether modern satellite tracking is a viable means for measuring the fine-scale movement patterns of such animals. We fitted five-gram solar-powered transmitters to resident songbirds in the rainforests of New Guinea, and analyzed transmission data collected over four years to evaluate movement detection and performance over time. Based upon the distribution of location fixes, and an observed home range shift by one individual, there is excellent potential to detect small movements of a few kilometers. The method also has clear limitations: total transmission periods were often short and punctuated by lapses; precision and accuracy of location fixes was limited and variable between study sites. However, impending reductions in transmitter size and price will alleviate many issues, further expanding options for tracking earth's faunal diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Hart Reeve
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- * E-mail:
| | - Mikkel Willemoes
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Luda Paul
- New Guinea Binatang Research Centre, Madang, Papua New Guinea
| | - Elizah Nagombi
- New Guinea Binatang Research Centre, Madang, Papua New Guinea
| | - Kasun H. Bodawatta
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Troels Eske Ortvad
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Gibson Maiah
- New Guinea Binatang Research Centre, Madang, Papua New Guinea
| | - Knud Andreas Jønsson
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Sokolov LV, Lubkovskaia RS, Bulyuk VN. Migration Routes and Wintering Grounds of Common Cuckoos (Cuculus canorus, Cuculiformes, Cuculidae) from the Southeastern Part of the Baltic Region (Based on Satellite Telemetry). BIOL BULL+ 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062359022070226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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20
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Macías-Torres P, Alerstam T, Andersson A, Bäckman J, Thorup K, Tøttrup AP, Sjöberg S. Activity patterns throughout the annual cycle in a long-distance migratory songbird, the red-backed shrike Lanius collurio. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2022; 10:55. [PMID: 36457000 PMCID: PMC9716747 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-022-00355-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Long-distance migratory birds undergo complex annual cycles during which they must adjust their behaviour according to the needs and conditions encountered throughout the year. Yet, variation in activity throughout the entire annual cycle has rarely been studied in wild migratory birds. METHODS We used multisensor data loggers to evaluate the patterns of activity throughout the complete annual cycle of a long-distance migratory bird, the red-backed shrike Lanius collurio. Accelerometer data was used to identify life-history stages and to estimate levels of activity during various phases of the annual cycle. In this study, we analysed the variation in daytime activity along the annual cycle and between migratory and non-migratory days. RESULTS The birds' daytime activity varied throughout the annual cycle while night-time activity was almost exclusively restricted to migratory flights. The highest daytime activity levels were observed during the breeding season, while it remained low during autumn migration and the winter period. Daytime activity differed between sexes during the breeding period, when the males showed the highest level in activity. During migratory periods, both sexes exhibited a higher daytime activity in spring compared to autumn migration, being particularly high in the final migratory leg towards the breeding ground. The birds showed a lower daytime activity on migratory days (days when a migratory flight took place during the succeeding night) than on non-migratory days during both migratory seasons. CONCLUSIONS Activity measured during daytime results from a combination of several behaviours, and a high daytime activity during spring migration and the breeding period is possibly reflecting particularly energy-demanding periods in the annual cycle of migratory birds. The use of multisensor data loggers to track annual activity provides us with a full annual perspective on variation in activity in long-distance migratory species, an essential approach for understanding possible critical life-history stages and migration ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Macías-Torres
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, Lund, Sweden.
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Thomas Alerstam
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, Lund, Sweden
| | - Arne Andersson
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, Lund, Sweden
| | - Johan Bäckman
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, Lund, Sweden
| | - Kasper Thorup
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anders P Tøttrup
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Sissel Sjöberg
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, Lund, Sweden
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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21
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Pancerasa M, Ambrosini R, Romano A, Rubolini D, Winkler DW, Casagrandi R. Across the deserts and sea: inter-individual variation in migration routes of south-central European barn swallows (Hirundo rustica). MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2022; 10:51. [PMID: 36419202 PMCID: PMC9682807 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-022-00352-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The spatiotemporal organization of migratory routes of long-distance migrants results from trade-offs between minimizing the journey length and en route risk of migration-related mortality, which may be reduced by avoiding crossing inhospitable ecological barriers. Despite flourishing avian migration research in recent decades, little is still known about inter-individual variability in migratory routes, as well as the carry-over effects of spatial and temporal features of migration on subsequent migration stages. METHODS We reconstructed post- and pre-breeding migration routes, barrier crossing behaviour and non-breeding movements of the largest sample (N = 85) analysed to date of individual barn swallows breeding in south-central Europe, which were tracked using light-level geolocators. RESULTS Most birds spent their non-breeding period in the Congo basin in a single stationary area, but a small fraction of itinerant individuals reaching South Africa was also observed. Birds generally followed a 'clockwise loop migration pattern', moving through the central Mediterranean and the Sahara Desert during post-breeding (north to south) migration yet switching to a more western route, along the Atlantic coast of Africa, Iberia and western Mediterranean during the pre-breeding (south to north) migration. Southward migration was straighter and less variable, while northward migration was significantly faster despite the broader detour along the Atlantic coast and Iberia. These patterns showed limited sex-related variability. The timing of different circannual events was tightly linked with previous migration stages, considerably affecting migration route and speed of subsequent movements. Indeed, individuals departing late from Africa performed straighter and faster pre-breeding migrations, partly compensating for the initial departure delays, but likely at the cost of performing riskier movements across ecological barriers. CONCLUSIONS Different spatiotemporal migration strategies during post- and pre-breeding migration suggest that conditions en route may differ seasonally and allow for more efficient travelling along different migration corridors in either season. While highlighting patterns of inter-individual variability, our results support increasing evidence for widespread loop migration patterns among Afro-Palearctic avian migrants. Also, they suggest that carry-over effects acting across different phases of the annual cycle of migratory species can have major impacts on evolutionary processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mattia Pancerasa
- Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico Di Milano, Via Ponzio 34/5, 20131, Milan, Italy
| | - Roberto Ambrosini
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Politiche Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milan, Italy.
| | - Andrea Romano
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Politiche Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Diego Rubolini
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Politiche Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milan, Italy
- Istituto di Ricerca sulle Acque, IRSA-CNR, Via del Mulino 19, 20861, Brugherio, MB, Italy
| | | | - Renato Casagrandi
- Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico Di Milano, Via Ponzio 34/5, 20131, Milan, Italy.
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Age-related changes in migratory behaviour within the first annual cycle of a passerine bird. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0273686. [PMID: 36260548 PMCID: PMC9581414 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
First time migrants (juveniles hereafter) of many species migrate without specific knowledge of non-breeding locations, but experience may aid adults in timing and route decisions because they can migrate more efficiently to their previous non-breeding sites. Consequently, we expect a transition to more efficient migratory behaviour with age, but when and how this happens is little known. We used light-level geolocator data from Cyprus wheatears Oenanthe cypriaca to compare migration timing and route directness between juveniles and adults, and repeatability of their timing and non-breeding locations. We predicted that juveniles would depart and arrive later than adults for both autumn and spring migration; that duration of migration would be greater for juveniles; that routes taken by juveniles would be less direct than those for adults; and that autumn and spring departure timing, and non-breeding locations, would be more repeatable for adults between two years than for juveniles between their first and subsequent migration. We found that juveniles departed significantly later than adults in autumn but there was no difference in arrival timing, and although spring departure timings did not differ, juveniles arrived on the breeding grounds later than adults. Nevertheless, we found no significant age-related difference in the duration of migration in autumn or spring. Yet, juvenile migrations were less direct than those of adults in autumn, but not spring. We found evidence that spring departure timing and non-breeding locations were repeatable for adults but not juveniles. Our findings show that age-related changes in migratory behaviour begin to occur during the first annual cycle demonstrating the potential for early adaptation to environmental variability within an individual's life.
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McLaren JD, Schmaljohann H, Blasius B. Predicting performance of naïve migratory animals, from many wrongs to self-correction. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1058. [PMID: 36195660 PMCID: PMC9532420 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03995-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Migratory orientation of many animals is inheritable, enabling inexperienced (naïve) individuals to migrate independently using a geomagnetic or celestial compass. It remains unresolved how naïve migrants reliably reach remote destinations, sometimes correcting for orientation error or displacement. To assess naïve migratory performance (successful arrival), we simulate and assess proposed compass courses for diverse airborne migratory populations, accounting for spherical-geometry effects, compass precision, cue transfers (e.g., sun to star compass), and geomagnetic variability. We formulate how time-compensated sun-compass headings partially self-correct, according to how inner-clocks are updated. For the longest-distance migrations simulated, time-compensated sun-compass courses are most robust to error, and most closely resemble known routes. For shorter-distance nocturnal migrations, geomagnetic or star-compass courses are most robust, due to not requiring nightly cue-transfers. Our predictive study provides a basis for assessment of compass-based naïve migration and mechanisms of self-correction, and supports twilight sun-compass orientation being key to many long-distance inaugural migrations. A model is developed for assessing compass-based naïve animal migration, revealing effects of spherical geometry on migratory performance, and related mechanisms of self-correction.
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Affiliation(s)
- James D McLaren
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), University of Oldenburg, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany.
| | - Heiko Schmaljohann
- Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences (IBU), Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany.,Institute of Avian Research, 26386, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Bernd Blasius
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), University of Oldenburg, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany.,Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity (HIFMB), University of Oldenburg, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany
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Li M, Zhou H, Bai J, Zhang T, Liu Y, Ran J. Distribution of Breeding Population and Predicting Future Habitat under Climate Change of Black-Necked Crane (Grus nigricollis Przevalski, 1876) in Shaluli Mountains. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12192594. [PMID: 36230335 PMCID: PMC9558536 DOI: 10.3390/ani12192594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 09/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change is affecting biodiversity by altering the geographical distribution range of species, and this effect is amplified in climate-sensitive areas. Studying the geographic distribution of flagship species in response to climate change is important for the long-term conservation of species and the maintenance of regional biodiversity. Therefore, we collected field survey records from 2016 to 2020 and conducted field surveys of black-necked cranes in the Shaluli Mountains (SLLMs) in May–June and August–October 2021; 103 breeding records were acquired totally, and the geographical distribution range under the current and four future climate scenarios was modeled with the MaxEnt model to predict the impact of climate change on its distribution and habitat quality. The results showed that 152 black-necked cranes were surveyed in seven counties of SLLMs in total; the estimated number of black-necked cranes in the entire SLLMs was about 200. The currently suitable habitat area is 27,122 km2, mainly distributed in gentle meadows and wetland habitats along the lake where the Annual Mean Temperature is −1 °C and the Mean Diurnal Range (16 °C) and Precipitation Seasonality (105) are comparatively large. Furthermore, the breeding range would expand to varying degrees under future climate scenarios and showed a migration trend toward the northwest and higher elevation. Besides, as time goes by, the habitat for black-necked cranes in SLLMs would become more homogeneous and more suitable. The conservation effectiveness of the existing reserve network would keep stable with climate change, although there are large conservation gaps between protected areas, and these gaps will gradually expand over time. Overall, this study provides a preliminary understanding of the population and distribution and predicts the future distribution of black-necked cranes in the SLLMs. It also demonstrates the importance of SLLMs for protecting the central population of black-necked cranes and maintaining regional biodiversity. Therefore, we recommend long-term monitoring and conservation of the black-necked crane population and wetland resources in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingming Li
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resources and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Huaming Zhou
- Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture Forestry Science Institute, Kangding 626000, China
| | - Jun Bai
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resources and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
- Department of Science and Technology Consulting Service, Forestry Exploration and Design Institute of Sichuan, Chengdu 610084, China
| | - Taxing Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resources and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Yuxin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resources and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Jianghong Ran
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resources and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-133-0802-6600
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Korpach AM, Davy CM, Mills A, Fraser KC. Migratory connectivity and timing for an at-risk Canadian landbird, Eastern Whip-poor-will ( Antrostomus vociferus), from two geographically distant breeding areas. CAN J ZOOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2021-0175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Determining the year-round spatial distributions of at-risk avian migratory species is critical for effective conservation. High-precision tracking enables the identification of distant breeding and nonbreeding areas and their connectivity, as well as migratory routes and associated threats. We GPS-tracked two groups of Eastern Whip-poor-wills ( Antrostomus vociferus (A. Wilson, 1812)) that breed near the northern edge of their range, in Manitoba and northwestern Ontario (“west”), and in southern Ontario (“east”), Canada. The western-breeding birds were also ∼5° of latitude farther north than the eastern birds. We aimed to determine the degree of spatiotemporal overlap between the two groups during fall migration and at tropical wintering sites. We found that western-breeding birds departed earlier on migration than eastern-breeding birds, but we did not detect a difference in arrival timing to wintering sites. The two breeding groups retained spatial structure during migration, until all routes converged to circumnavigate the Gulf of Mexico. Western-breeding birds overwintered at sites farther south than eastern-breeding birds, consistent with a leapfrog pattern of migration. Quantifying the strength of migratory connectivity in at-risk species can be a first step toward defining breeding populations and informing customized conservation strategies throughout the annual cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia M. Korpach
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Christina M. Davy
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
- Wildlife Research and Monitoring Section, Ontario Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry, Peterborough, ON K9J 3C7, Canada
| | - Alex Mills
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Kevin C. Fraser
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
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Remisiewicz M, Underhill LG. Large-Scale Climatic Patterns Have Stronger Carry-Over Effects than Local Temperatures on Spring Phenology of Long-Distance Passerine Migrants between Europe and Africa. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12131732. [PMID: 35804633 PMCID: PMC9265019 DOI: 10.3390/ani12131732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Spring in Europe has been trending earlier for almost half a century. Long-distance migrant birds, such as the Willow Warbler and Pied Flycatcher, which breed in Europe, have arrived earlier too. It is broadly accepted that warming springs in temperate regions explain the earlier arrival of migrants. However, migration started weeks earlier and thousands of kilometres away. There must be additional cues elsewhere triggering migration. Meteorologists have developed measures of atmospheric circulation which are related to climate variability in wide regions. One of them is the Southern Oscillation Index, which reflects El Niño/La Niña that cause droughts and floods in the southern hemisphere. Other atmospheric circulation patterns, measured by the North Atlantic Oscillation Index and Indian Ocean Dipole, help predict total rainfall for a whole season in various parts of Africa and Europe. Good rains are associated with plant growth and with insect abundance. Insects provide food for most of these migrants. Therefore, this paper asks the question: “Is the timing of arrival of long-distance migrants in spring related to the climates they experience in the places where they are over the year prior to arrival in Europe?” This paper says the answer is “Yes”. Abstract Earlier springs in temperate regions since the 1980s, attributed to climate change, are thought to influence the earlier arrival of long-distance migrant passerines. However, this migration was initiated weeks earlier in Africa, where the Southern Oscillation, Indian Ocean Dipole, North Atlantic Oscillation drive climatic variability, and may additionally influence the migrants. Multiple regressions investigated whether 15 indices of climate in Africa and Europe explained the variability in timing of arrival for seven trans-Saharan migrants. Our response variable was Annual Anomaly (AA), derived from standardized mistnetting from 1982–2021 at Bukowo, Polish Baltic Sea. For each species, the best models explained a considerable part of the annual variation in the timing of spring’s arrival by two to seven climate variables. For five species, the models included variables related to temperature or precipitation in the Sahel. Similarly, the models included variables related to the North Atlantic Oscillation (for four species), Indian Ocean Dipole (three), and Southern Oscillation (three). All included the Scandinavian Pattern in the previous summer. Our conclusion is that climate variables operating on long-distance migrants in the areas where they are present in the preceding year drive the phenological variation of spring migration. These results have implications for our understanding of carry-over effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Remisiewicz
- Bird Migration Research Station, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town 7701, South Africa;
- Correspondence:
| | - Les G. Underhill
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town 7701, South Africa;
- Biodiversity and Development Institute, 25 Old Farm Road, Rondebosch, Cape Town 7700, South Africa
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Zhao Y, Zhao X, Wu L, Mu T, Yu F, Kearsley L, Liang X, Fu J, Hou X, Peng P, Li X, Zhang T, Yan S, Newell D, Hewson CM, Townshend T, Åkesson S, Liu Y. A 30,000-km journey by Apus apus pekinensis tracks arid lands between northern China and south-western Africa. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2022; 10:29. [PMID: 35768856 PMCID: PMC9245314 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-022-00329-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND As a widely distributed and aerial migratory bird, the Common Swift (Apus apus) flies over a wide geographic range in Eurasia and Africa during migration. Although some studies have revealed the migration routes and phenology of European populations, A. a. apus (from hereon the nominate apus), the route used by its East Asian counterpart A. a. pekinensis (from hereon pekinensis) remained a mystery. METHODS Using light level geolocators, we studied the migration of adult pekinensis breeding in Beijing from 2014 to 2018, and analysed full annual tracks obtained from 25 individuals. In addition, we used the mean monthly precipitation to assess the seasonal variations in humidity for the distribution ranges of the nominate apus and pekinensis. This environmental variable is considered to be critically relevant to their migratory phenology and food resource abundance. RESULTS Our results show that the swifts perform a round-trip journey of ca 30,000 km each year, representing a detour of 26% in autumn and 15% in spring compared to the shortest route between the breeding site in Beijing and wintering areas in semi-arid south-western Africa. Compared to the nominate apus, pekinensis experiences drier conditions for longer periods of time. Remarkably, individuals from our study population tracked arid habitat along the entire migration corridor leading from a breeding site in Beijing to at least central Africa. In Africa, they explored more arid habitats during non-breeding than the nominate apus. CONCLUSIONS The migration route followed by pekinensis breeding in Beijing might suggest an adaptation to semi-arid habitat and dry climatic zones during non-breeding periods, and provides a piece of correlative evidence indicating the historical range expansion of the subspecies. This study highlights that the Common Swift may prove invaluable as a model species for studies of migration route formation and population divergence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Ecology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, Guangdong, China
- Institute of Eco-Environmental Research, Guangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanning, 530007, Guangxi, China
| | - Xinru Zhao
- Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
- China Bird Watching Society, Beijing, 100097, China.
| | - Lan Wu
- China Bird Watching Society, Beijing, 100097, China
| | - Tong Mu
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Fang Yu
- China Bird Watching Society, Beijing, 100097, China
| | | | - Xuan Liang
- China Bird Watching Society, Beijing, 100097, China
| | - Jianping Fu
- China Bird Watching Society, Beijing, 100097, China
| | - Xiaoru Hou
- China Bird Watching Society, Beijing, 100097, China
| | - Peng Peng
- China Bird Watching Society, Beijing, 100097, China
| | - Xiaoyang Li
- China Bird Watching Society, Beijing, 100097, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- China Bird Watching Society, Beijing, 100097, China
| | - Su Yan
- Administrate Office of the Summer Palace, Beijing, 100080, China
| | - Dick Newell
- Action for Swifts, Old Beach Farm, 91 Green End, Landbeach, Cambridge, CB25 9FD, UK
| | - Chris M Hewson
- British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2PU, UK
| | | | - Susanne Åkesson
- Department of Biology, Center for Animal Movement Research, Lund University, Ecology Building, 223 62, Lund, Sweden
| | - Yang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Ecology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, Guangdong, China.
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Lambert C, Fort J. No evidence that seasonal changes in large-scale environmental conditions drive migration in seabirds. J Anim Ecol 2022; 91:1813-1825. [PMID: 35681266 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Seasonal variability is one of the main drivers of seasonal movements like migration. The literature has suggested that bird migration is often driven by poor environmental conditions during one season and permits avoidance of resource shortage or harsh weather by tracking the more favourable conditions. We tested at the global scale, and focusing on seabirds, whether this pattern exists in the marine realm. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that seabird migration permits achieving stability in niche occupancy, and that it is triggered by seasonal variations in niche availability. We collated data on monthly presence of species over marine ecoregions from literature and expert knowledge. First, we quantified niche occupancy during breeding and non-breeding periods from environmental conditions encountered in ecoregions in which species were present at each periods and compared seasonal dynamics across migratory strategies. Second, we quantified the seasonal niche dynamics from simulated residency in breeding and non-breeding grounds to quantify the seasonality in niche availability and to test its effect on seabird migratory strategies. We demonstrated that all seabirds are niche trackers, yet resident and dispersive seabirds displayed higher levels of niche tracking throughout the year, regardless of the environmental seasonality, while migrants exhibited more divergent seasonal niches. In most cases, migratory status was not related to the unavailability of favourable conditions at the breeding or non-breeding grounds, suggesting that the availability of the favourable niche is not the main driver of migration. We hypothesise that this unexpected pattern might arise from strong constraints imposed on seabirds by the scarcity of suitable breeding sites which constrain the range of environments available for optimising reproductive success. This work sheds new light on the ecological drivers of migration.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jérôme Fort
- LIENSs UMR 7266 La Rochelle Université-CNRS, La Rochelle, France
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Snell KRS, Thorup K. Modeling Complex Seasonal Avian Migration: Predictions From the Thermal Environment and Resource Availability. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.824641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Billions of birds undertake long-distance migration and the complexity of schedules has only recently become clear. Such movements occur as a response to seasonality but the ultimate drivers of these changing distributions remain difficult to study directly. Modeling seasonal distributions based fundamentally on climate and vegetation without parameterizing with empirical data, we focus on the potential role of ambient temperature and available resources in shaping the migratory program. We simulate the complete annual cycle over the Afro-Palearctic region in a round-trip migration model allowing full variation in the extent and timing of movement, and multiple stopovers. The resultant simulated tracks and associated environmental metrics are interrogated: we evaluate the thermal and resource consequences of staying in Europe versus crossing the Sahara, and secondly identify the movement patterns optimizing exposure to green vegetation and local surpluses. There is a distinct thermal gain from crossing the Sahara and the pattern emerging of optimal seasonal vegetation resembles contemporary migration routes regarding Sahara crossing, loop structure and itinerancy. Thus, our first-principle simulations suggest that variations in migration patterns among species are caused by a complex trade-off between risks and rewards of staying versus moving, including innate physiological constraints and the resultant gain of the high-risk Sahara crossing.
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Hurme E, Fahr J, Eric BF, Hash CT, O’Mara MT, Richter H, Tanshi I, Webala PW, Weber N, Wikelski M, Dechmann DKN. Fruit bat migration matches green wave in seasonal landscapes. Funct Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.14097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Edward Hurme
- Department of Migration Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour University of Konstanz Konstanz
- Department of Biology University of Konstanz Konstanz
| | - Jakob Fahr
- Department of Migration Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior Germany
- Department of Biology University of Konstanz Konstanz
| | - Bakwo Fils Eric
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences University of Maroua Cameroon
| | | | - M. Teague O’Mara
- Department of Migration Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior Germany
- Southeastern Louisiana University Hammond LA USA
| | | | - Iroro Tanshi
- Department of Biological Sciences Texas Tech University Lubbock USA
- Department of Animal and Environmental Biology University of Benin Benin City Nigeria
| | - Paul W. Webala
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management Maasai Mara University Narok Kenya
| | - Natalie Weber
- Department of Migration Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour University of Konstanz Konstanz
| | - Martin Wikelski
- Department of Migration Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour University of Konstanz Konstanz
- Department of Biology University of Konstanz Konstanz
| | - Dina K. N. Dechmann
- Department of Migration Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour University of Konstanz Konstanz
- Department of Biology University of Konstanz Konstanz
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Remisiewicz M, Underhill LG. Climate in Africa sequentially shapes spring passage of Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus across the Baltic coast. PeerJ 2022; 10:e12964. [PMID: 35198263 PMCID: PMC8860065 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many migrant birds have been returning to Europe earlier in spring since the 1980s. This has been attributed mostly to an earlier onset of spring in Europe, but we found the timing of Willow Warblers' passage to be influenced by climate indices for Africa as much as those for Europe. Willow Warblers' spring passage through northern Europe involves populations from different wintering quarters in Africa. We therefore expected that migration timing in the early, middle and late periods of spring would be influenced sequentially by climate indices operating in different parts of the winter range. METHODS Using data from daily mistnetting in 1 April-15 May over 1982-2017 at Bukowo (Poland, Baltic Sea coast), we derived an Annual Anomaly (AA, in days) of Willow Warbler spring migration. We decomposed this anomaly into three main periods (1-26 April, 27 April-5 May, 6-15 May); one-third of migrants in each period. We modelled three sequential time series of spring passage using calendar year and 15 large-scale climate indices averaged over the months of Willow Warblers' life stages in the year preceding spring migration as explanatory variables in multiple regression models. Nine climate variables were selected in the best models. We used these nine explanatory variables and calculated their partial correlations in models for nine overlapping sub-periods of AA. The pattern of relationships between AA in these nine sub-periods of spring and the nine climate variables indicated how spring passage had responded to the climate. We recommend this method for the study of birds' phenological responses to climate change. RESULTS The Southern Oscillation Index and Indian Ocean Dipole in Aug-Oct showed large partial correlations early in the passage, then faded in importance. For the Sahel Precipitation Index (PSAH) and Sahel Temperature Anomaly (TSAH) in Aug-Oct partial correlations occurred early then peaked in mid-passage; for PSAH (Nov-March) correlations peaked at the end of passage. NAO and local temperatures (April-May) showed low correlations till late April, which then increased. For the Scandinavian Index (Jun-Jul) partial correlations peaked in mid-passage. Year was not selected in any of the best models, indicating that the climate variables alone accounted for Willow Warblers' multiyear trend towards an earlier spring passage. DISCUSSION Climate indices for southern and eastern Africa dominated relationships in early spring, but western African indices dominated in mid- and late spring. We thus concluded that Willow Warblers wintering in southern and eastern Africa dominated early arrivals, but those from western Africa dominated later. We suggest that drivers of phenological shifts in avian migration are related to changes in climate at remote wintering grounds and at stopovers, operating with climate change in the north, especially for species with complex and long-distance migration patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Remisiewicz
- Bird Migration Research Station, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza, Poland,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Les G. Underhill
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa,Biodiversity and Development Institute, Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa
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Galtbalt B, Batbayar N, Sukhbaatar T, Vorneweg B, Heine G, Müller U, Wikelski M, Klaassen M. Differences in on-ground and aloft conditions explain seasonally different migration paths in Demoiselle crane. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2022; 10:4. [PMID: 35101131 PMCID: PMC8805327 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-022-00302-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although some migratory birds may take different routes during their outbound and inbound migration, the factors causing these differential migrations to and from the breeding grounds, have rarely been investigated. In Northeast Asia, Demoiselle crane (Anthropoides virgo) performs one of the most extreme "loop" migrations known to date. During outbound migration, they cross the Himalayas to non-breeding sites in northwest India. Contrastingly, during inbound migration to the breeding grounds, they fly around the western end of the Himalayas. We hypothesise that differences in prevailing environmental conditions aloft and/or on-ground during both seasonal migrations are at the core of this phenomenon. METHODS Based on the tracking data of 16 individuals of tagged Demoiselle crane, we compared conditions during actual migration with those of simulated "reverse" migration (i.e. by adding 180 degrees to the flight direction and adding and subtracting half a year to the timestamps of outbound and inbound migration, respectively). RESULTS The comparison of actual and simulated "reverse" migration indicated that cranes would have encountered poorer aloft (wind support and thermal uplift) and on-ground conditions (temperature) if they had migrated in a reverse outbound migration and poorer on-ground conditions (Normalised Difference Vegetation Indexes [NDVI]) if they had migrated in a reverse inbound direction. CONCLUSIONS Our analyses suggest that both on-ground and aloft conditions play a key role in explaining Demoiselle cranes' loop migration, during the periods that they chose to use these alternative routes. Knowledge on the determinants of (differential) migration routes allow predicting migration decisions and may be critical in mitigating global change effects on animal migrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Batbayar Galtbalt
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Science, Deakin University, Victoria, Australia.
- Wildlife Science and Conservation Center of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
| | - Nyambayar Batbayar
- Wildlife Science and Conservation Center of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | | | - Bernd Vorneweg
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
| | - Georg Heine
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
| | - Uschi Müller
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
| | - Martin Wikelski
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
| | - Marcel Klaassen
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Science, Deakin University, Victoria, Australia
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Wynn J, Padget O, Mouritsen H, Morford J, Jaggers P, Guilford T. Magnetic stop signs signal a European songbird's arrival at the breeding site after migration. Science 2022; 375:446-449. [PMID: 35084979 DOI: 10.1126/science.abj4210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Although it is known that birds can return to their breeding grounds with exceptional precision, it has remained a mystery how they know when and where to stop migrating. Using nearly a century's worth of Eurasian reed warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus) ringing recoveries, we investigated whether fluctuations in Earth's magnetic field predict variation in the sites to which birds return. Ringing recoveries suggest that magnetic inclination is learned before departure and is subsequently used as a uni-coordinate "stop sign" when relocating the natal or breeding site. However, many locations have the same inclination angle. Data from populations with different migratory directions indicate that birds solve this ambiguity by stopping at the first place where the right inclination is encountered on an inherited return vector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joe Wynn
- Oxford Navigation Group, Department of Zoology, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Oliver Padget
- Oxford Navigation Group, Department of Zoology, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Henrik Mouritsen
- AG "Neurosensorik/(Animal Navigation)," Carl-von-Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany.,Research Centre for Neurosensory Sciences, University of Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Joe Morford
- Oxford Navigation Group, Department of Zoology, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Paris Jaggers
- Oxford Navigation Group, Department of Zoology, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Tim Guilford
- Oxford Navigation Group, Department of Zoology, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
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Combining Citizen Science Data and Satellite Descriptors of Ecosystem Functioning to Monitor the Abundance of a Migratory Bird during the Non-Breeding Season. REMOTE SENSING 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/rs14030463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Migratory birds are particularly exposed to habitat changes in their breeding and non-breeding grounds. Remote sensing technologies offer an excellent opportunity to monitor species’ habitats from space at unprecedented spatiotemporal scales. We analyzed if remotely sensed ecosystem functioning attributes (EFAs) adequately predict the spatiotemporal variation of the Woodcock’s (Scolopax rusticola) relative abundance in southwest Europe, during autumn migration and wintering periods. We used data gathered from Woodcock monitoring through citizen science (N = 355,654 hunting trips) between 2009 and 2018. We computed a comprehensive set of EFAs on a weekly basis from three MODIS satellite products: enhanced vegetation index (EVI), tasseled cap transformation (TCT), and land surface temperature (LST). We developed generalized linear mixed models to explore the predictive power of EFAs on Woodcock’s abundance during the non-breeding season. Results showed that Woodcock abundance is correlated with spatiotemporal dynamics in primary productivity (measured through the EVI), water cycle dynamics (wetness component of TCT), and surface energy balance (LST) in both periods. Our findings underline the potential of combining citizen science and remote sensing data to monitor migratory birds throughout their life cycles—an issue of critical importance to ensure adequate habitat management in the non-breeding areas.
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Response of an Afro-Palearctic bird migrant to glaciation cycles. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2023836118. [PMID: 34949638 PMCID: PMC8719893 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2023836118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
We combine tracks of a long-distance migratory bird with high–temporal resolution climate data to reconstruct habitat availability month by month for the past 120,000 y. The seasonal changes of suitable habitat in the past imply that continued seasonal migration was necessary during the glacial maxima. Genomic-based estimates of effective population size indicate that more generally migratory lifestyles can be beneficially adapted to various climatic conditions. Our results provide a major step forward in understanding how migratory species will fare in the future and have important implications for how we understand the role of migration in the distribution of species and potentially speciation. Migration allows animals to exploit spatially separated and seasonally available resources at a continental to global scale. However, responding to global climatic changes might prove challenging, especially for long-distance intercontinental migrants. During glacial periods, when conditions became too harsh for breeding in the north, avian migrants have been hypothesized to retract their distribution to reside within small refugial areas. Here, we present data showing that an Afro-Palearctic migrant continued seasonal migration, largely within Africa, during previous glacial–interglacial cycles with no obvious impact on population size. Using individual migratory track data to hindcast monthly bioclimatic habitat availability maps through the last 120,000 y, we show altered seasonal use of suitable areas through time. Independently derived effective population sizes indicate a growing population through the last 40,000 y. We conclude that the migratory lifestyle enabled adaptation to shifting climate conditions. This indicates that populations of resource-tracking, long-distance migratory species could expand successfully during warming periods in the past, which could also be the case under future climate scenarios.
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Meade J, Martin JM, Welbergen JA. Fast food in the city? Nomadic flying-foxes commute less and hang around for longer in urban areas. Behav Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arab078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Urbanization creates novel ecological spaces where some species thrive. Geographical urbanization promotes human–wildlife conflict; however, we know relatively little about the drivers of biological urbanization, which poses impediments for sound wildlife management and conservation action. Flying-foxes are extremely mobile and move nomadically in response to flowering resources, but are now increasingly found in urban areas, for reasons that are poorly understood. To investigate the mechanisms behind flying-fox urbanization, we examined the movement of 99 satellite tracked grey-headed flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) over 1 year in urban versus non-urban environments. We found that tracked individuals preferentially visited major-urban roosts, exhibited higher fidelity to major-urban roosts, and foraged over shorter distances when roosting in major-urban areas. In contrast to other colonial species, there were no density-dependent effects of colony size on foraging distance, suggesting that at a landscape scale, flying-foxes distribute themselves across roosts in an ideal-free manner, minimizing competition over urban and non-urban foraging resources. Yet, males consistently foraged over shorter distances than females, suggesting that at a local scale foraging distances reflect competitive inequalities between individuals. Overall, our study supports the hypothesis that flying-fox urbanization is driven by increased spatiotemporal availability of food resources in urban areas; however, unlike in other species, it is likely a consequence of increased urban visitation by nomadic individuals rather than a subset of the population becoming “urban residents” per se. We discuss the implications of the movement behavior we report for the conservation and management of highly mobile species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Meade
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Hawkesbury Campus, Bourke Street, Richmond, NSW, Australia
| | - John M Martin
- Institute of Science and Learning, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Bradley’s Head Rd, Mosman, 2088 NSW, Australia
| | - Justin A Welbergen
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Hawkesbury Campus, Bourke Street, Richmond, NSW, Australia
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Linek N, Brzęk P, Gienapp P, O’Mara MT, Pokrovsky I, Schmidt A, Shipley JR, Taylor JRE, Tiainen J, Volkmer T, Wikelski M, Partecke J. A partial migrant relies upon a range-wide cue set but uses population-specific weighting for migratory timing. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2021; 9:63. [PMID: 34930467 PMCID: PMC8686659 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-021-00298-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many birds species range over vast geographic regions and migrate seasonally between their breeding and overwintering sites. Deciding when to depart for migration is one of the most consequential life-history decisions an individual may make. However, it is still not fully understood which environmental cues are used to time the onset of migration and to what extent their relative importance differs across a range of migratory strategies. We focus on departure decisions of a songbird, the Eurasian blackbird Turdus merula, in which selected Russian and Polish populations are full migrants which travel relatively long-distances, whereas Finnish and German populations exhibit partial migration with shorter migration distances. METHODS We used telemetry data from the four populations (610 individuals) to determine which environmental cues individuals from each population use to initiate their autumn migration. RESULTS When departing, individuals in all populations selected nights with high atmospheric pressure and minimal cloud cover. Fully migratory populations departed earlier in autumn, at longer day length, at higher ambient temperatures, and during nights with higher relative atmospheric pressure and more supportive winds than partial migrants; however, they did not depart in higher synchrony. Thus, while all studied populations used the same environmental cues, they used population-specific and locally tuned thresholds to determine the day of departure. CONCLUSIONS Our data support the idea that migratory timing is controlled by general, species-wide mechanisms, but fine-tuned thresholds in response to local conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nils Linek
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Paweł Brzęk
- Faculty of Biology, University of Białystok, Białystok, Poland
| | | | - M. Teague O’Mara
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
- Department of Biological Sciences, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, USA
| | - Ivan Pokrovsky
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
- Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology, UB RAS, Ekaterinburg, Russia
- Institute of Biological Problems of the North, FEB RAS, Magadan, Russia
| | - Andreas Schmidt
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
| | - J. Ryan Shipley
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
| | | | - Juha Tiainen
- Natural Resources Institute Finland, Helsinki, Finland
- Lammi Biological Station, University of Helsinki, Lammi, Finland
| | - Tamara Volkmer
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Martin Wikelski
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Jesko Partecke
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
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Yanco SW, Linkhart BD, Marra PP, Mika M, Ciaglo M, Carver A, Wunder MB. Niche dynamics suggest ecological factors influencing migration in an insectivorous owl. Ecology 2021; 103:e3617. [PMID: 34923636 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Seasonal migration is a widespread phenomenon undertaken by myriad organisms, including birds. Competing hypotheses about ultimate drivers of seasonal migration in birds contrast relative resource abundances at high latitudes ("southern home hypothesis") against avoidance of winter resource scarcity ("dispersal-migration hypothesis"). However, direct tests of these competing hypotheses have been rare and heretofore limited to historical biogeographic reconstructions. Here we derive novel predictions about the dynamics of individual niches from each hypothesis and provide a framework for evaluating support for these competing hypotheses using contemporary environmental and behavioral data. Using flammulated owls (Psiloscops flammeolus) as a model, we characterized year-round occupied niche dynamics using high resolution GPS tracking and remote-sensed environmental data. We also compared occupied niche dynamics to counterfactual niches using simulated alternative non-migratory strategies. Owls' occupied mean niche was conserved between seasons whereas niche variance was generally higher during migratory periods. Simulated year-round residents in Mexico would have experienced putatively more productive niches than migrants. These findings provide ecological support for the "dispersal-migration" hypothesis wherein winter resource scarcity is the primary driver of migration rather than summer resource abundances. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott W Yanco
- Dept. of Integrative Biology, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, Colorado, USA
| | - Brian D Linkhart
- Dept. of Organismal Biology and Ecology, Colorado College, Colorado Spring, Colorado, USA
| | - Peter P Marra
- Dept. of Biology and McCourt School of Public Policy, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., USA
| | - Markus Mika
- Dept. of Biology, University of Wisconsin La Crosse, La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Max Ciaglo
- 811 Rock Rose Court, Louisville, Colorado, USA
| | - Amber Carver
- Dept. of Integrative Biology, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, Colorado, USA
| | - Michael B Wunder
- Dept. of Integrative Biology, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, Colorado, USA
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Finlayson S, Holmes TL, Finlayson G, Guillem R, Perez C, Bensusan K, Finlayson C. Birds with multiple homes. The annual cycle of the pallid swift (Apus pallidus brehmorum). PLoS One 2021; 16:e0259656. [PMID: 34847150 PMCID: PMC8631615 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0259656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
We tracked pallid swifts (Apus pallidus brehmorum) from a single breeding colony in Gibraltar over two years. Our results show movement of birds between specific regions within the non-breeding geographical area at specific times of the year. The tracking of a single individual showed remarkable fidelity to the areas visited between years. Furthermore, two pallid swifts tracked over the entire eight-month non-breeding period, while in Africa, gave no indication of coming to land, supporting previous findings of an airborne existence in swifts outside the breeding season. In addition, the crossing of the Sahara Desert to and from breeding grounds is remarkably fast, with one individual crossing it in just over a day. We discuss our findings in the context of bird migration evolutionary strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stewart Finlayson
- The Gibraltar National Museum, Gibraltar, United Kingdom
- Institute of Life and Earth Sciences, The University of Gibraltar, Gibraltar, United Kingdom
| | - Tyson Lee Holmes
- The Gibraltar National Museum, Gibraltar, United Kingdom
- Institute of Life and Earth Sciences, The University of Gibraltar, Gibraltar, United Kingdom
| | - Geraldine Finlayson
- The Gibraltar National Museum, Gibraltar, United Kingdom
- Institute of Life and Earth Sciences, The University of Gibraltar, Gibraltar, United Kingdom
- Department of Life Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Rhian Guillem
- Institute of Life and Earth Sciences, The University of Gibraltar, Gibraltar, United Kingdom
- Gibraltar Botanic Gardens, ‘The Alameda’, Gibraltar, United Kingdom
| | - Charles Perez
- Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society, Gibraltar, United Kingdom
| | - Keith Bensusan
- Institute of Life and Earth Sciences, The University of Gibraltar, Gibraltar, United Kingdom
- Gibraltar Botanic Gardens, ‘The Alameda’, Gibraltar, United Kingdom
| | - Clive Finlayson
- The Gibraltar National Museum, Gibraltar, United Kingdom
- Institute of Life and Earth Sciences, The University of Gibraltar, Gibraltar, United Kingdom
- Department of Life Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Department of Social Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Canada
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Fang B, Yang Z, Shen M, Wu X, Hu J. Limited increase in asynchrony between the onset of spring green-up and the arrival of a long-distance migratory bird. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 795:148823. [PMID: 34229240 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148823] [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: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
For many migrant bird species around the world, climate change has been shown to induce changes in the timings of arrival and the onset of spring food availability at breeding sites. However, whether such changes enlarged asynchrony between the timings of spring arrival of long-distance migratory birds and onset of vegetation greenness increase remain controversial. We used a 29-year phenological dataset to investigate the temporal changes in spring first-sighting date (FSD) of a long-distance migratory bird (barn swallow, Hirundo rustica), from observations at 160 local breeding sites across northern China, and the vegetation green-up onset date (VGD), determined from satellite observations of vegetation greenness. We found that both FSD and VGD trended earlier at over two-thirds of the breeding sites. FSD significantly advanced at 26.9% of the sites, and VGD significantly advanced at 23.8% of the sites. The degree of asynchrony between FSD and VGD changed significantly at one-third of the breeding sites (22.5% with an increase versus 11.3% with a decrease), leading to a limited increase of phenological mismatch. We speculated that climate change did not disrupt the climatic connections between most breeding sites and corresponding non-breeding sites (wintering grounds and migration routes). Our findings suggest that climate change may not greatly increase phenological mismatch between first arrival date of barn swallows and VGD at breeding sites. Importantly, this study should serve as a cue to encourage ecologists and conservation biologists to expand the context under which to explore the ecological consequences of phenological shifts beyond asynchrony, such as individual survival, population demography and ecosystem-level consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiyong Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Naqu Alpine Grassland Ecosystem Field Scientific Observation and Research Station, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tibet, China
| | - Miaogen Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
| | - Xiaoxu Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science, College of Global Change and Earth System Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Junhua Hu
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China.
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Courtois È, Garant D, Pelletier F, Bélisle M. Nonideal nest box selection by tree swallows breeding in farmlands: Evidence for an ecological trap? Ecol Evol 2021; 11:16296-16313. [PMID: 34824828 PMCID: PMC8601888 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Animals are expected to select a breeding habitat using cues that should reflect, directly or not, the fitness outcome of the different habitat options. However, human-induced environmental changes can alter the relationships between habitat characteristics and their fitness consequences, leading to maladaptive habitat choices. The most severe case of such nonideal habitat selection is the ecological trap, which occurs when individuals prefer to settle in poor-quality habitats while better ones are available. Here, we studied the adaptiveness of nest box selection in a tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) population breeding over a 10-year period in a network of 400 nest boxes distributed along a gradient of agricultural intensification in southern Québec, Canada. We first examined the effects of multiple environmental and social habitat characteristics on nest box preference to identify potential settlement cues. We then assessed the links between those cues and habitat quality as defined by the reproductive performance of individuals that settled early or late in nest boxes. We found that tree swallows preferred nesting in open habitats with high cover of perennial forage crops, high spring insect biomass, and high density of house sparrows (Passer domesticus), their main competitors for nest sites. They also preferred nesting where the density of breeders and their mean number of fledglings during the previous year were high. However, we detected mismatches between preference and habitat quality for several environmental variables. The density of competitors and conspecific social information showed severe mismatches, as their relationships to preference and breeding success went in opposite direction under certain circumstances. Spring food availability and agricultural landscape context, while related to preferences, were not related to breeding success. Overall, our study emphasizes the complexity of habitat selection behavior and provides evidence that multiple mechanisms may potentially lead to an ecological trap in farmlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ève Courtois
- Département de BiologieUniversité de SherbrookeSherbrookeQuebecCanada
| | - Dany Garant
- Département de BiologieUniversité de SherbrookeSherbrookeQuebecCanada
| | - Fanie Pelletier
- Département de BiologieUniversité de SherbrookeSherbrookeQuebecCanada
| | - Marc Bélisle
- Département de BiologieUniversité de SherbrookeSherbrookeQuebecCanada
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Multidimensional natal isotopic niches reflect migratory patterns in birds. Sci Rep 2021; 11:20800. [PMID: 34675313 PMCID: PMC8531022 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-00373-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Naturally occurring stable isotope ratios in animal tissues allow estimation of species trophic position and ecological niche. Measuring multiple isotopes of migratory species along flyway bottlenecks offers the opportunity to sample multiple populations and species whose tissues carry information at continental scales. We measured δ2H, δ18O, δ13C, δ15N in juvenile feathers of 21 bird species captured at a migratory bottleneck in the Italian Alps. We examined if trends in individual isotopes reflected known migratory strategies and whether dietary (δ13C–δ15N) and spatially-explicit breeding origin (δ2H–δ18O) niche breadth (NB) differed among long-distance trans-Saharan (TS), short-distance (IP) and irruptive (IR) intra-Palearctic migrants, and whether they correlated with reported populations long-term trends. In both TS and IP groups, species δ2H declined with capture date, indicating that northern populations reached the stopover site later in the season, following a Type-I migration strategy. Values of δ2H indicated that breeding range of TS migrants extended farther north than IP and IR migrants. The breeding season was longer for IP migrants whose δ13C and δ15N values declined and increased, respectively, with time of capture. Average species dietary NB did not differ among migratory groups, but TS migrants displayed wider breeding origin niches, suggesting that long-distant migration is linked to broader ecological niches. Isotope origin NB well reflected species geographic range extent, while dietary NB did not correlate with literature accounts of species’ diet. We found no relationship between species breeding NB and population trends in Europe, suggesting that conditions in the breeding grounds, as inferred by stable isotopes, are not the only determinant of species’ long-term persistence. We demonstrate that ringing activities and isotopic measurements of passerines migrating through a bottleneck represents a unique opportunity to investigate large-scale life-history phenomena relevant to conservation.
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Maldonado‐Chaparro AA, Chaverri G. Why do animal groups matter for conservation and management? CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Gloriana Chaverri
- Sede del Sur, Universidad de Costa Rica Golfito Costa Rica
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Ancón Panama
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Dufour P, de Franceschi C, Doniol-Valcroze P, Jiguet F, Guéguen M, Renaud J, Lavergne S, Crochet PA. A new westward migration route in an Asian passerine bird. Curr Biol 2021; 31:5590-5596.e4. [PMID: 34687610 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.09.086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The evolution of migration routes in birds remains poorly understood as changes in migration strategies are rarely observed on contemporary timescales.1-3 The Richard's Pipit Anthus richardi, a migratory songbird breeding in Siberian grasslands and wintering in Southeast Asia, has only recently become a regular autumn and winter visitor to western Europe. Here, we examine whether this change in occurrence merely reflects an increase in the number of vagrants, that is, "lost" individuals that likely do not manage to return to their breeding grounds, or represents a new migratory strategy.4-6 We show that Richard's Pipits in southwestern Europe are true migrants: the same marked individuals return to southern France in subsequent winters and geo-localization tracking revealed that they originate from the western edge of the known breeding range. They make an astonishing 6,000 km journey from Central Asia across Eurasia, a very unusual longitudinal westward route among Siberian migratory birds.7,8 Climatic niche modeling using citizen-science bird data suggests that the winter niche suitability has increased in southwestern Europe, which may have led to increased winter survival and eventual successful return journey and reproduction of individuals that initially reached Europe as autumn vagrants. This illustrates that vagrancy may have an underestimated role in the emergence of new migratory routes and adaptation to global change in migratory birds.9,10 Whatever the underlying drivers and mechanisms, it constitutes one of the few documented contemporary changes in migration route, and the first longitudinal shift, in a long-distance migratory bird.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Dufour
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, LECA, 38000 Grenoble, France.
| | | | | | - Frédéric Jiguet
- CESCO, UMR7204 MNHN-CNRS-Sorbonne Université, CP135, 43 Rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Maya Guéguen
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, LECA, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Julien Renaud
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, LECA, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Sébastien Lavergne
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, LECA, 38000 Grenoble, France
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Changes in surface water drive the movements of Shoebills. Sci Rep 2021; 11:15796. [PMID: 34349159 PMCID: PMC8338928 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-95093-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal movement is mainly determined by spatial and temporal changes in resource availability. For wetland specialists, the seasonal availability of surface water may be a major determinant of their movement patterns. This study is the first to examine the movements of Shoebills (Balaeniceps rex), an iconic and vulnerable bird species. Using GPS transmitters deployed on six immature and one adult Shoebills over a 5-year period, during which four immatures matured into adults, we analyse their home ranges and distances moved in the Bangweulu Wetlands, Zambia. We relate their movements at the start of the rainy season (October to December) to changes in Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), a proxy for surface water. We show that Shoebills stay in the Bangweulu Wetlands all year round, moving less than 3 km per day on 81% of days. However, average annual home ranges were large, with high individual variability, but were similar between age classes. Immature and adult Shoebills responded differently to changes in surface water; sites that adults abandoned became drier, while sites abandoned by immatures became wetter. However, there were no differences in NDWI of areas used by Shoebills before abandonment and newly selected sites, suggesting that Shoebills select areas with similar surface water. We hypothesise that the different responses to changes in surface water by immature and adult Shoebills are related to age-specific optimal foraging conditions and fishing techniques. Our study highlights the need to understand the movements of Shoebills throughout their life cycle to design successful conservation actions for this emblematic, yet poorly known, species.
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Cutting KA, Rotella JJ, Waxe JA, O'Harra A, Schroff SR, Berkeley L, Szczypinski M, Litt AR, Sowell BF. Resource allocation effects on the timing of reproduction in an avian habitat specialist. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kyle A. Cutting
- Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 27650B South Valley Road Lakeview Montana 59739 USA
- Department of Ecology Montana State University 310 Lewis Hall Bozeman Montana 59717 USA
| | - Jay J. Rotella
- Department of Ecology Montana State University 310 Lewis Hall Bozeman Montana 59717 USA
| | | | - Aaron O'Harra
- Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 27650B South Valley Road Lakeview Montana 59739 USA
- Department of Animal and Range Sciences Montana State University Animal Bioscience Building 205 Bozeman Montana 59717 USA
| | | | - Lorelle Berkeley
- Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Helena Montana 59620 USA
| | - Mark Szczypinski
- Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Helena Montana 59620 USA
| | - Andrea R. Litt
- Department of Ecology Montana State University 310 Lewis Hall Bozeman Montana 59717 USA
| | - Bok F. Sowell
- Department of Animal and Range Sciences Montana State University Animal Bioscience Building 205 Bozeman Montana 59717 USA
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Lu M, Zou Y, Xun Q, Yu Z, Jiang M, Sheng L, Lu X, Wang D. Anthropogenic disturbances caused declines in the wetland area and carbon pool in China during the last four decades. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:3837-3845. [PMID: 34031943 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Wetlands are among the natural ecosystems with the highest soil carbon stocks on Earth. However, how anthropogenic disturbances have impacted the quantity and distribution of wetland carbon pool in China is not well understood. Here we used a comprehensive countrywide wetland inventory and Landsat 8 data to document the spatial patterns in China's wetland areas and carbon pools and to understand the underlying causes of their changes from the 1980s to 2010s. We found that the wetland area and carbon pool have decreased from 4.11 × 105 km2 and 15.2 Pg C in the 1980s to 2.14 × 105 km2 and 7.6 Pg C in the 2010s, respectively. Using the human influence index (HII) as a quantitative measure of anthropogenic disturbance intensity, we found a positive relationship between the HII values and wetland decreases in many regions and across China as a whole-which have increased 17% during the time period-indicating that anthropogenic disturbances have been a major factor causing wetland destruction in recent decades. This study provides new evidence for recent changes in China's wetland carbon pool and emphasizes the importance of mitigating anthropogenic disturbances for wetland conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingzhi Lu
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Yuanchun Zou
- Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment & Jilin Provincial Joint Key Laboratory of Changbai Mountain Wetland and Ecology of Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China
| | - Qilei Xun
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Zicheng Yu
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, USA
- Institute for Peat and Mire Research of School of Geographical Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Ming Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment & Jilin Provincial Joint Key Laboratory of Changbai Mountain Wetland and Ecology of Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China
| | - Lianxi Sheng
- School of Environment & State Environment Protection Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Xianguo Lu
- Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Environment & Jilin Provincial Joint Key Laboratory of Changbai Mountain Wetland and Ecology of Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China
| | - Deli Wang
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- School of Environment & State Environment Protection Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
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Stanley CQ, Dudash MR, Ryder TB, Gregory Shriver W, Marra PP. Variable tropical moisture and food availability underlie mixed winter space-use strategies in a migratory songbird. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20211220. [PMID: 34284621 PMCID: PMC8292764 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.1220] [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: 05/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying environmental correlates driving space-use strategies can be critical for predicting population dynamics; however, such information can be difficult to attain for small mobile species such as migratory songbirds. We combined radio-telemetry and high-resolution GPS tracking to examine space-use strategies under different moisture gradients for wood thrush (Hylocichla mustelina). We explored the role moisture plays in driving food abundance and, in turn, space-use strategies at a wintering site in Belize across 3 years. Individuals occupying drier habitats experienced lower food abundance and poorer body condition. Using data from our radio-tracked study population and GPS tracking from across five breeding populations, we detected low rates of overwinter site persistence across the wood thrush wintering range. Contrary to expectations, individuals in wetter habitats were more likely to engage in permanent mid-winter relocations, up to 148 km. We suggest facultative movements are instead a condition-dependent strategy that enables wintering wood thrush to locate alternative habitat as food availability declines throughout the dry season. Increased aridity is predicted across the wintering range of wood thrush, and future research should delve deeper into understanding how moisture impacts within and between season space-use dynamics and its ultimate impact on the population dynamics of this declining species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Calandra Q. Stanley
- Migratory Bird Center, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC 20008, USA
- Graduate Program in Behaviour, Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
- Department of Biology and McCourt School of Public Policy, Georgetown University, 37th and O Streets NW, Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | - Michele R. Dudash
- Department of Natural Resource Management, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD 57007, USA
| | - Thomas B. Ryder
- Migratory Bird Center, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC 20008, USA
- Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, 230 Cherry Street, Suite 150, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA
| | - W. Gregory Shriver
- Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - Peter P. Marra
- Migratory Bird Center, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC 20008, USA
- Department of Biology and McCourt School of Public Policy, Georgetown University, 37th and O Streets NW, Washington, DC 20057, USA
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50
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Migratory strategy drives species-level variation in bird sensitivity to vegetation green-up. Nat Ecol Evol 2021; 5:987-994. [PMID: 33927370 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-021-01442-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Animals and plants are shifting the timing of key life events in response to climate change, yet despite recent documentation of escalating phenological change, scientists lack a full understanding of how and why phenological responses vary across space and among species. Here, we used over 7 million community-contributed bird observations to derive species-specific, spatially explicit estimates of annual spring migration phenology for 56 bird species across eastern North America. We show that changes in the spring arrival of migratory birds are coarsely synchronized with fluctuations in vegetation green-up and that the sensitivity of birds to plant phenology varied extensively. Bird arrival responded more synchronously with vegetation green-up at higher latitudes, where phenological shifts over time are also greater. Critically, species' migratory traits explained variation in sensitivity to green-up, with species that migrate more slowly, arrive earlier and overwinter further north showing greater responsiveness to earlier springs. Identifying how and why species vary in their ability to shift phenological events is fundamental to predicting species' vulnerability to climate change. Such variation in sensitivity across taxa, with long-distance neotropical migrants exhibiting reduced synchrony, may help to explain substantial declines in these species over the last several decades.
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