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Nzabanita D, Hampton JO, Toop SD, Bengsen AJ, Specht AJ, Flesch JS, Hufschmid J, Nugegoda D. Expanding the use of portable XRF to monitor lead exposure in an Australian duck species two decades after a ban on lead shot. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 869:161803. [PMID: 36708833 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
There is growing worldwide recognition of the threat posed by toxic lead for wildlife and humans. Lead toxicity from ammunition has been shown to be a threat to waterbirds across the globe. Lead shot was banned for all waterfowl hunting in Victoria, Australia, in 2002. However, no assessments of lead exposure in Australian waterfowl have been published since the 1990s. Our aim was to estimate contemporary lead exposure via measuring bone lead concentrations in a harvested dabbling duck, the Pacific black duck (Anas superciliosa). We collected wings from 77 Pacific black ducks, spanning 2018 (n = 30) and 2021 (n = 47), from nine sites with long-term histories of regular waterfowl hunting. We sought to validate portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) for this purpose by taking a piece of humerus bone from each bird, and measuring lead concentration (mg/kg), first via non-destructive XRF and then via destructive inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and validated the relationship via regression analysis. Portable XRF bone lead measurement demonstrated a strong correlation with ICP-MS results using root-transformed regression (R2 = 0.85). Greater than 92 % of ducks had only background lead exposure (<10 mg/kg). When compared to historical studies in the same species at similar field sites from the 1990s, lead exposure levels were considerably lower, with mean lead concentrations ∼2-fold lower (3.7 c.f. 7.7 mg/kg), and the frequency of birds with severe lead exposure (>20 mg/kg) ∼3-fold lower (2.6 c.f. 7.5 %). Our results confirm that portable XRF is a useful option for measurement of bone lead in Australasian waterbird species. Our findings also demonstrate that a ban on the use of lead shot around 20 years ago has been associated with a substantial reduction in lead exposure in at least one species of waterfowl.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damien Nzabanita
- School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora, Victoria 3083, Australia.
| | - Jordan O Hampton
- Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia; Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Western Australia 6150, Australia
| | - Simon D Toop
- Game Management Authority, Bourke St, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - Andrew J Bengsen
- Vertebrate Pest Research Unit, Department of Primary Industries, 1447 Forest Road, Orange, NSW 2800, Australia; Biosphere Environmental Consultants, Tamworth, NSW 2340, Australia
| | - Aaron J Specht
- Purdue University, 610 Purdue Mall, West Lafayette, IN 47907, United States
| | - Jason S Flesch
- Game Management Authority, Bourke St, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - Jasmin Hufschmid
- Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Dayanthi Nugegoda
- School of Science, RMIT University, Bundoora, Victoria 3083, Australia
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Wang C, Liu H, Li Y, Dong B, Qiu C, Yang J, Zong Y, Chen H, Zhao Y, Zhang Y. Study on habitat suitability and environmental variable thresholds of rare waterbirds. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 785:147316. [PMID: 33932675 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The conservation level of rare waterbirds reflects the quality of the regional ecological environment and wetlands, and suitable habitat patches and good environmental conditions are bases to support the activities of rare species in habitats. Establishing these conditions is also an important goal of habitat landscape and functional restoration. However, lack of these conditions limits population protection and habitat restoration of rare species. Based on the random forest (RF) algorithm and threshold indicator taxa analysis (TITAN), this paper performed habitat suitability assessment and environmental variable threshold analysis of rare waterbird species in Yancheng coastal wetlands. The results showed that the suitable area proportion of three waterbird species at different habitat sites was less than 20%. The unsuitable area proportions of red-crowned cranes and oriental storks at the CA habitat site were the highest, reaching 86.73% and 85.17%, respectively. In addition, analysis of the importance of environmental variables showed that the main influencing variables affecting the suitable habitat distribution of the three rare waterbirds were habitat type (T_hab), habitat area (A_hab), vegetation coverage (P_fvc), distance to farmland (D_far), distance to reeds (D_ree), ponds density (Ponds), distance to water surface (D_wat) and distance to main roads or seawalls (D_swa). These variables covered the type, area, coverage and distance indicators. With the exception of D_far, Ponds and D_swa, rare waterbirds had response thresholds to each environmental indicator, and these results supported the restoration of landscape structure and function of each habitat site. This study emphasized the importance of foods, water resources and hidden conditions for habitat selection in rare waterbirds. Finally, we proposed the maintenance and restoration patterns of the landscape structure and function of rare waterbird habitats, which are available for other coastal tidal wetlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Wang
- School of Geography, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China; Key Laboratory of Virtual Geographic Environment, Nanjing Normal University, Ministry of Education, Nanjing 210023, China; Jiangsu Center for Collaborative Innovation in Geographical Information Resource Development and Application, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Hongyu Liu
- School of Marine Science and Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Yufeng Li
- School of Marine Science and Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Bin Dong
- School of Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Chunqi Qiu
- School of Marine Science and Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Jialing Yang
- School of Marine Science and Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Ying Zong
- School of Marine Science and Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Hao Chen
- Jiangsu Yancheng Wetland National Nature Reserve, Rare Birds, Yancheng, Jiangsu 224057, China
| | - Yongqiang Zhao
- Jiangsu Yancheng Wetland National Nature Reserve, Rare Birds, Yancheng, Jiangsu 224057, China
| | - Yanan Zhang
- Jiangsu Yancheng Wetland National Nature Reserve, Rare Birds, Yancheng, Jiangsu 224057, China
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Sharp S, Sardiña P, Metzeling L, McKenzie R, Leahy P, Menkhorst P, Hinwood A. Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Ducks and the Relationship with Concentrations in Water, Sediment, and Soil. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2021; 40:846-858. [PMID: 32672850 DOI: 10.1002/etc.4818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2020] [Revised: 04/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The present study examined the occurrence and concentration of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) measured in game ducks (13 compounds), water, sediment, and soils (33 compounds) in waterways in Victoria, Australia. The study aimed to identify potential ecological and human health risks from measured PFAS concentrations. Four species of duck and samples of water, sediment, and soil were collected from 19 wetlands, which were chosen based on their popularity as hunting locations. The risks posed by 3 PFAS (perfluorooctanoic acid, perfluorohexane sulfonic acid [PFHxS], and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid [PFOS]) to the environment and human health were assessed using available national ecological and human health guidelines. A diverse range of short- and long-chain carboxylic and sulfonic acids were found in the environment and in ducks. Concentrations were generally low and varied between wetlands, duck species, tissue analyzed (breast or liver), and environmental compartment (water, sediment, soil). Higher PFOS concentrations in water and sediments were observed at wetlands near sources of contamination (i.e., a defense base or urban environment). Elevated PFOS and PFOS + PFHxS concentrations in ducks were observed near local point sources but also at wetlands with no known point sources of contamination. There were clear differences in PFAS concentrations detected in duck tissues versus the environment, highlighting complexities of bioaccumulation, movement of animals, and spatiotemporal variation and raising questions about the relevance of using abiotic criteria to assess risk to biota. Human health risk assessment showed that only ducks inhabiting wetlands near local sources of PFAS were likely to pose a risk to consumers. Further studies are required to improve our knowledge of PFAS toxicokinetics and chronic impacts in biota to guide management decisions. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:846-858. © 2020 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Sharp
- Environment Protection Authority Victoria, Applied Sciences Division, Macleod, Victoria, Australia
| | - Paula Sardiña
- Environment Protection Authority Victoria, Applied Sciences Division, Macleod, Victoria, Australia
| | - Leon Metzeling
- Environment Protection Authority Victoria, Applied Sciences Division, Macleod, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rob McKenzie
- Environment Protection Authority Victoria, Applied Sciences Division, Macleod, Victoria, Australia
| | - Paul Leahy
- Environment Protection Authority Victoria, Applied Sciences Division, Macleod, Victoria, Australia
| | - Peter Menkhorst
- Department of Environment Land Water and Planning, Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
| | - Andrea Hinwood
- Environment Protection Authority Victoria, Applied Sciences Division, Macleod, Victoria, Australia
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Teitelbaum CS, Altizer S, Hall RJ. Movement rules determine nomadic species' responses to resource supplementation and degradation. J Anim Ecol 2020; 89:2644-2656. [PMID: 32783225 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In environments that vary unpredictably, many animals are nomadic, moving in an irregular pattern that differs from year to year. Exploring the mechanisms of nomadic movement is needed to understand how animals survive in highly variable environments, and to predict behavioural and population responses to environmental change. We developed a network model to identify plausible mechanisms of nomadic animal movement by comparing the performance of multiple movement rules along a continuum from nomadism to residency. Using simulations and analytical results, we explored how different types of habitat modifications (that augment or decrease resource availability) might affect the abundance and movement rates of animals following each of these rules. Movement rules for which departure from patches depended on resource availability and/or competition performed almost equally well and better than residency or uninformed movement under most conditions, even though animals using each rule moved at substantially different rates. Habitat modifications that stabilized resources, either by resource supplementation or degradation, eroded the benefits of informed nomadic movements, particularly for movements based on resource availability alone. These results suggest that simple movement rules can explain nomadic animal movements and determine species' responses to environmental change. In particular, landscape stabilization and supplementation might be useful strategies for promoting populations of resident animals, but would be less beneficial for managing highly mobile species, many of which are threatened by habitat disruption and changes in climate.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sonia Altizer
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Richard J Hall
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.,Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
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Kidd-Weaver A, Hepinstall-Cymerman J, Welch CN, Murray MH, Adams HC, Ellison TJ, Yabsley MJ, Hernandez SM. The movements of a recently urbanized wading bird reveal changes in season timing and length related to resource use. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0230158. [PMID: 32191732 PMCID: PMC7082014 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0230158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 02/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The American White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) is a nomadic wading bird that is increasing the amount of time spent foraging in urban areas, relying on artificial wetlands and other anthropogenic resources year-round. In this study, we explore whether and how American White Ibis association with urban environments is predictive of variation in the timing and length of behavioral seasons. Other urbanized species exhibit altered annual cycles such as loss of migratory behavior and year-round breeding related to consistent resource abundance, often related to intentional and unintentional provisioning. To determine if these same patterns of behavior were also present in White Ibis, we used behavioral change point analysis to segment the tracks of 41 ibis equipped with GPS backpacks to identify the initiation and duration of four behavioral seasons (non-breeding, pre-breeding, breeding, post-breeding) the degree of urban association. We found that intraspecific variation in urban habitat use had strong carryover effects on the timing and duration of behavioral seasons. This study revealed ibis with higher use of urban habitats in non-breeding seasons had longer non-breeding seasons and shorter breeding seasons that began earlier in the year compared to ibis that primarily use wetland habitats. The timing and duration of seasons also varied with ibis age, such that ibis spent more time engaged in breeding-related seasons as they aged. Juvenile and subadult ibis, though considered to be reproductively immature, also exhibit behavioral shifts in relation to breeding seasons. The behavioral patterns found in this study provide evidence that ibis are adapting their annual cycles and seasonal behaviors to exploit urban resources. Future research is needed to identify the effect of interactions between ibis urban association and age on behavioral season expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjelika Kidd-Weaver
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey Hepinstall-Cymerman
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Catharine N. Welch
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Maureen H. Murray
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Henry C. Adams
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Taylor J. Ellison
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Michael J. Yabsley
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Sonia M. Hernandez
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
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6
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Teitelbaum CS, Mueller T. Beyond Migration: Causes and Consequences of Nomadic Animal Movements. Trends Ecol Evol 2019; 34:569-581. [PMID: 30885413 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2019.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2018] [Revised: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Recent advances in animal tracking reveal that many species display irregular movements that do not fall into classical categories of movement patterns such as range residency or migration. Here, we develop a unifying framework that distinguishes these nomadic movements based on their patterns, drivers, and mechanisms. Though they occur in diverse taxa and geographic regions, nomadic movements are united by both their underlying environmental drivers, mainly environmental stochasticity, and the resulting irregular, far-ranging movement patterns. The framework further classifies types of nomadic movements, including full, seasonal, phase, irruptive, and partial nomadism. Nomadic movements can have unique effects on populations, communities, and ecosystems, most notably providing intermittent disturbances and novel introductions of propagules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire S Teitelbaum
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, 140 E Green St., Athens, GA 30602, USA. https://twitter.com/@cs_teitelbaum
| | - Thomas Mueller
- Department of Biological Sciences, Goethe-University Frankfurt and Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK-F), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany. https://twitter.com/@secnkenberg
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7
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Pedler RD, Ribot RFH, Bennett ATD. Long-distance flights and high-risk breeding by nomadic waterbirds on desert salt lakes. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2018; 32:216-228. [PMID: 28981964 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2016] [Accepted: 06/08/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Understanding and conserving mobile species presents complex challenges, especially for animals in stochastic or changing environments. Nomadic waterbirds must locate temporary water in arid biomes where rainfall is highly unpredictable in space and time. To achieve this they need to travel over vast spatial scales and time arrival to exploit pulses in food resources. How they achieve this is an enduring mystery. We investigated these challenges in the colonial-nesting Banded Stilt (Cladorhynchus leucocephalus), a nomadic shorebird of conservation concern. Hitherto, Banded Stilts were hypothesized to have only 1-2 chances to breed during their long lifetime, when flooding rain fills desert salt lakes, triggering mass-hatching of brine shrimp. Over 6 years, we satellite tagged 57 individuals, conducted 21 aerial surveys to detect nesting colonies on 14 Australian desert salt lakes, and analyzed 3 decades of Landsat and MODIS satellite imagery to quantify salt-lake flood frequency and extent. Within days of distant inland rainfall, Banded Stilts flew 1,000-2,000 km to reach flooded salt lakes. On arrival, females laid over half their body weight in eggs. We detected nesting episodes across the species' range at 7 times the frequency reported during the previous 80 years. Nesting colonies of thousands formed following minor floods, yet most were subsequently abandoned when the water rapidly evaporated prior to egg hatching. Satellite imagery revealed twice as many flood events sufficient for breeding-colony initiation as recorded colonies, suggesting that nesting at remote sites has been underdetected. Individuals took risk on uncertain breeding opportunities by responding to frequent minor flood events between infrequent extensive flooding, exemplifying the extreme adaptability and trade-offs of species exploiting unstable environments. The conservation challenges of nest predation by overabundant native gulls and anthropogenic modifications to salt lakes filling frequencies require investigation, as do the physiological and navigational mechanisms that enable such extreme strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reece D Pedler
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, 75 Pigdons Road, Waurn Ponds, Victoria 3216, Australia
| | - Raoul F H Ribot
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, 75 Pigdons Road, Waurn Ponds, Victoria 3216, Australia
| | - Andrew T D Bennett
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, 75 Pigdons Road, Waurn Ponds, Victoria 3216, Australia
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Watts HE, Cornelius JM, Fudickar AM, Pérez J, Ramenofsky M. Understanding variation in migratory movements: A mechanistic approach. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2018; 256:112-122. [PMID: 28756245 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2017.07.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2017] [Revised: 07/20/2017] [Accepted: 07/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Spatial and temporal fluctuations in resource availability have led to the evolution of varied migration patterns. In order to appropriately time movements in relation to resources, environmental cues are used to provide proximate information for timing and the endocrine system serves to integrate these external cues and behavioral and physiological responses. Yet, the regulatory mechanisms underlying migratory timing have rarely been compared across a broad range of migratory patterns. First, we offer an updated nomenclature of migration using a mechanistic perspective to clarify terminology describing migratory types in relation to ecology, behavior and endocrinology. We divide migratory patterns into three types: obligate, nomadic, and fugitive. Obligate migration is characterized by regular and directed annual movements between locations, most commonly for breeding and overwintering, where resources are predictable and sufficient. Nomadic migrations occur less predictably than do obligate migrations as animals make use of potentially rich but ephemeral resources that occur unpredictably in space or time. Fugitive migrations move animals away from an area in response to severe disruption of environmental conditions and occur as part of an emergency life history stage. We also consider partially migratory populations, which include a mix of sedentary and migratory individuals; the movement patterns of partial migrants are expected to fall into one of the three types above. For these various forms of migration, we review our understanding of the environmental cues and endocrine mechanisms that underlie the expression of a migratory state. Several common hormonal mechanisms exist across the varied migratory forms, but there are also important areas where further investigations are needed in order to gain broad insight into the origin of movements and the diversity of migratory patterns. We propose that taking a comparative approach across the migratory types that considers endocrine mechanisms will advance a new understanding of migration biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather E Watts
- Department of Biology, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA 90045, USA; School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA.
| | | | - Adam M Fudickar
- Environmental Resilience Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Jonathan Pérez
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology & Behavior, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Marilyn Ramenofsky
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology & Behavior, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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McDermott PL, Wikle CK, Millspaugh J. A hierarchical spatiotemporal analog forecasting model for count data. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:790-800. [PMID: 29321914 PMCID: PMC5756884 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2016] [Revised: 07/26/2017] [Accepted: 10/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Analog forecasting is a mechanism‐free nonlinear method that forecasts a system forward in time by examining how past states deemed similar to the current state moved forward. Previous applications of analog forecasting has been successful at producing robust forecasts for a variety of ecological and physical processes, but it has typically been presented in an empirical or heuristic procedure, rather than as a formal statistical model. The methodology presented here extends the model‐based analog method of McDermott and Wikle (Environmetrics, 27, 2016, 70) by placing analog forecasting within a fully hierarchical statistical framework that can accommodate count observations. Using a Bayesian approach, the hierarchical analog model is able to quantify rigorously the uncertainty associated with forecasts. Forecasting waterfowl settling patterns in the northwestern United States and Canada is conducted by applying the hierarchical analog model to a breeding population survey dataset. Sea surface temperature (SST) in the Pacific Ocean is used to help identify potential analogs for the waterfowl settling patterns.
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10
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McEvoy JF, Ribot RFH, Wingfield JC, Bennett ATD. Heavy rainfall triggers increased nocturnal flight in desert populations of the Pacific black duck (Anas superciliosa). Sci Rep 2017; 7:17557. [PMID: 29242630 PMCID: PMC5730603 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-17859-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2017] [Accepted: 11/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding of avian nocturnal flight comes mainly from northern hemisphere species in seasonal temperate ecosystems where nocturnal flight is often precisely timed and entrained by annual photoperiod. Here we investigate patterns of nocturnal flight in waterbirds of Australian desert ecosystems that fly considerable distances to find temporary water bodies formed from rainfall which is highly unpredictable seasonally and spatially, and when there is sufficient water, they then breed. How they perform these feats of navigation and physiology remain poorly known. Using GPS tracking of 38 satellite tagged Pacific black ducks (Anas superciliosa) in two contrasting ecosystems, before and after heavy rainfall we revealed a key role for facultative nocturnal flight in the movement ecology of this species. After large rainfall events, birds rapidly increased nocturnal flight activity in the arid aseasonal ecosystem, but not in the mesic seasonal one. Nocturnal flights occurred throughout the night in both ecosystems. Long range flights (>50 km in 2 hours) occurred almost exclusively at night; at night the distance flown was higher than during the day, birds visited more locations, and the locations were more widely dispersed. Our work reveals that heavy rainfall triggers increased nocturnal flight activity in desert populations of waterbirds.
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Affiliation(s)
- J F McEvoy
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA.
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Locked Bag 20000, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia.
| | - R F H Ribot
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Locked Bag 20000, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia
| | - J C Wingfield
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behaviour, University of California One Shields Avenue, Davis, California, 95616, USA
| | - A T D Bennett
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Locked Bag 20000, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia
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11
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Bayesian Inference for Multistate ‘Step and Turn’ Animal Movement in Continuous Time. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL STATISTICS 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s13253-017-0286-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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12
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Kleyheeg E, van Dijk JGB, Tsopoglou-Gkina D, Woud TY, Boonstra DK, Nolet BA, Soons MB. Movement patterns of a keystone waterbird species are highly predictable from landscape configuration. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2017; 5:2. [PMID: 28174661 PMCID: PMC5289051 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-016-0092-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2016] [Accepted: 12/20/2016] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Movement behaviour is fundamental to the ecology of animals and their interactions with other organisms, and as such contributes to ecosystem dynamics. Waterfowl are key players in ecological processes in wetlands and surrounding habitats through predator-prey interactions and their transportation of nutrients and other organisms. Understanding the drivers of their movement behaviour is crucial to predict how environmental changes affect their role in ecosystem functioning. Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) are the most abundant duck species worldwide and important dispersers of aquatic invertebrates, plants and pathogens like avian influenza viruses. By GPS tracking of 97 mallards in four landscape types along a gradient of wetland availability, we identified patterns in their daily movement behaviour and quantified potential effects of weather conditions and water availability on the spatial scale of their movements. RESULTS We demonstrate that mallard movement patterns were highly predictable, with regular commuting flights at dusk and dawn between a fixed day roost and one or several fixed nocturnal foraging sites, linked strongly to surface water. Wind and precipitation hardly affected movement, but flight distances and home range sizes increased when temperatures dropped towards zero. Flight distances and home range sizes increased exponentially with decreasing availability of freshwater habitat. Total shoreline length and the number of water bodies in the landscape surrounding the roost were the best predictors of the spatial scale of daily mallard movements. CONCLUSIONS Our results show how mallards may flexibly adjust the spatial scale of their movements to wetland availability in the landscape. This implies that mallards moving between discrete habitat patches continue to preserve biotic connectivity in increasingly fragmented landscapes. The high predictability of mallard movement behaviour in relation to landscape features makes them reliable dispersal vectors for organisms to adapt to, and allows prediction of their ecological role in other landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Kleyheeg
- Ecology & Biodiversity Group, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Dutch Centre for Avian Migration and Demography, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Droevendaalsesteeg 10, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jacintha G. B. van Dijk
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Droevendaalsesteeg 10, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing street, CB2 3EJ Cambridge, UK
| | - Despina Tsopoglou-Gkina
- Ecology & Biodiversity Group, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Tara Y. Woud
- Ecology & Biodiversity Group, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Dieuwertje K. Boonstra
- Ecology & Biodiversity Group, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Bart A. Nolet
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Droevendaalsesteeg 10, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Theoretical and Computational Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Merel B. Soons
- Ecology & Biodiversity Group, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Droevendaalsesteeg 10, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Henry DAW, Ament JM, Cumming GS. Exploring the environmental drivers of waterfowl movement in arid landscapes using first-passage time analysis. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2016; 4:8. [PMID: 27042310 PMCID: PMC4818463 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-016-0073-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2015] [Accepted: 02/16/2016] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The movement patterns of many southern African waterfowl are typified by nomadism, which is thought to be a response to unpredictable changes in resource distributions. Nomadism and the related movement choices that waterfowl make in arid environments are, however, poorly understood. Tracking multiple individuals across wide spatiotemporal gradients offers one approach to elucidating the cues and mechanisms underpinning movement decisions. We used first-passage time (FPT) to analyse high spatial and temporal resolution telemetry data for Red-billed Teal and Egyptian Geese across a 1500 km geographical gradient between 2008 and 2014. We tested the importance of several environmental variables in structuring movement patterns, focusing on two competing hypotheses: (1) whether movements are driven by resource conditions during the current period of habitat occupation (reactive movement hypothesis), or (2) whether movements are structured by shifts in the magnitude and direction of environmental variables at locations prior to occupation (prescient movement hypothesis). RESULTS An increase in rainfall at a 32 day lag (i.e., prior to wetland occupancy), along with tagging site, were significant predictors of FPT in both waterfowl species. There was a positive relationship between NDVI and FPT for Egyptian Geese during this 32 day period; the relationship was negative for Red-billed Teal. Consistent with findings for migratory grazing geese, Egyptian Geese prioritised food quality over food biomass. Red-billed Teal showed few immediate responses to wetland filling, contrary to what one would predict for a dabbling duck, suggesting high dietary flexibility. Our results were consistent with the prescient movement hypothesis. CONCLUSIONS Using FPT analysis we showed that the proximate drivers of southern African waterfowl movement are the dynamics of rainfall and primary productivity. Waterfowl appeared to be able to perceive and respond to temporal shifts in resource conditions prior to habitat patch occupation. This in turn suggests that their movements in semi-arid landscapes may be underpinned by intimate knowledge of the local environment; waterfowl pursue a complex behavioural strategy, locating suitable habitat patches proactively, rather than acting as passive respondents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominic A. W. Henry
- />Percy FitzPatrick Institute, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town 7701 South Africa
| | - Judith M. Ament
- />Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT UK
- />Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park, London, NW1 4RY UK
| | - Graeme S. Cumming
- />Percy FitzPatrick Institute, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town 7701 South Africa
- />ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811 Australia
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McEvoy JF, Hall GP, McDonald PG. Evaluation of unmanned aerial vehicle shape, flight path and camera type for waterfowl surveys: disturbance effects and species recognition. PeerJ 2016; 4:e1831. [PMID: 27020132 PMCID: PMC4806640 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.1831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2015] [Accepted: 03/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for ecological research has grown rapidly in recent years, but few studies have assessed the disturbance impacts of these tools on focal subjects, particularly when observing easily disturbed species such as waterfowl. In this study we assessed the level of disturbance that a range of UAV shapes and sizes had on free-living, non-breeding waterfowl surveyed in two sites in eastern Australia between March and May 2015, as well as the capability of airborne digital imaging systems to provide adequate resolution for unambiguous species identification of these taxa. We found little or no obvious disturbance effects on wild, mixed-species flocks of waterfowl when UAVs were flown at least 60m above the water level (fixed wing models) or 40m above individuals (multirotor models). Disturbance in the form of swimming away from the UAV through to leaving the water surface and flying away from the UAV was visible at lower altitudes and when fixed-wing UAVs either approached subjects directly or rapidly changed altitude and/or direction near animals. Using tangential approach flight paths that did not cause disturbance, commercially available onboard optical equipment was able to capture images of sufficient quality to identify waterfowl and even much smaller taxa such as swallows. Our results show that with proper planning of take-off and landing sites, flight paths and careful UAV model selection, UAVs can provide an excellent tool for accurately surveying wild waterfowl populations and provide archival data with fewer logistical issues than traditional methods such as manned aerial surveys.
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Affiliation(s)
- John F McEvoy
- Centre for Behavioural and Physiological Ecology, Zoology, University of New England , Armidale, NSW , Australia
| | - Graham P Hall
- Centre for Behavioural and Physiological Ecology, Zoology, University of New England , Armidale, NSW , Australia
| | - Paul G McDonald
- Centre for Behavioural and Physiological Ecology, Zoology, University of New England , Armidale, NSW , Australia
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