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Park JH, Jeong IY, Lee SH, Yoo JC, Lee WS. Changes in Flight Altitude of Black-Tailed Gulls According to Temporal and Environmental Differences. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:202. [PMID: 38254371 PMCID: PMC10812393 DOI: 10.3390/ani14020202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
In this study, GPS trackers were attached to black-tailed gulls (Larus crassirostris) breeding on five islands in Republic of Korea during April and May 2021, and their flight frequency, behavioral range, and flight altitude were compared during and after the breeding season. During the breeding season, the flight frequency was lowest on Dongman Island (28.7%), where mudflats were distributed nearby, and the range of activity was narrow. In contrast, it tended to be high on Gungsi Island (52%), where the breeding colony was far from land, resulting in a wider range of activity. Although the flight frequency on Dongman Island increased post-breeding season (42.7%), it decreased on other islands. The mean flight altitude during the breeding season was lowest on Dongman Island and highest on Napdaegi Island. In most breeding areas, the mean flight altitude during the post-breeding season was higher than that during the breeding season. However, the lead flight altitude was lower during the non-breeding season compared to that in the breeding season. The home range expanded after the breeding season, with no significant difference in lead time between the breeding and non-breeding seasons. Our findings reveal that black-tailed gulls exhibit varying home ranges and flight altitudes depending on season and geographical location. As generalists, gulls display flexible responses to environmental changes, indicating that flight behavior adapts to the evolving environment over time and across regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jong-Hyun Park
- HAE-IN Ecological Research Institute, Busan 48304, Republic of Korea; (J.-H.P.); (I.-Y.J.); (J.-C.Y.)
| | - In-Yong Jeong
- HAE-IN Ecological Research Institute, Busan 48304, Republic of Korea; (J.-H.P.); (I.-Y.J.); (J.-C.Y.)
- Department of Biology, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea;
| | - Seung-Hae Lee
- Department of Biology, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea;
| | - Jeong-Chil Yoo
- HAE-IN Ecological Research Institute, Busan 48304, Republic of Korea; (J.-H.P.); (I.-Y.J.); (J.-C.Y.)
- Department of Biology, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea;
| | - Who-Seung Lee
- Environment Assessment Group, Korea Environment Institute, Sejong 30147, Republic of Korea
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Cerecedo-Iglesias C, Bartumeus F, Cortés-Avizanda A, Pretus JL, Hernández-Matías A, Real J. Resource predictability modulates spatial-use networks in an endangered scavenger species. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2023; 11:22. [PMID: 37081522 PMCID: PMC10120099 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-023-00383-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Changes in human-induced resource availability can alter the behaviour of free-living species and affect their foraging strategies. The future European Landfill Waste Directive and Circular Economy Action Plan will reduce the number of predictable anthropogenic food subsidies (PAFS), above all, by closing landfills to preclude negative effects on human health. Obligate avian scavengers, the most threatened group of birds worldwide, are the most likely group of species that will be forced to change their behaviour and use of space in response to landfill site closures. Here, we examine the possible consequences of these management decisions on the foraging patterns of Egyptian vultures (Neophron percnopterus) in an expanding population in the Iberian Peninsula. METHODS We tracked 16 individuals in 2018-2021, including breeders and non-breeders, and, using a combination of spatial-use and spatial-network modelling, assessed landscape connectivity between key resources based on movement patterns. We then carried out simulations of future scenarios based on the loss of PAFS to predict likely changes in the movement patterns of both non-breeders and breeders. RESULTS Our results show that foraging strategies in non-breeders and breeders differ significantly: non-breeders performed more dispersal movements than breeding birds across a spatial-use network. Non-breeding and breeding networks were found to be vulnerable to the removal of central foraging areas containing landfill sites, a highly predictable resource, while perturbation analysis showed dissimilar foraging responses to the gradual reduction of other predictable resources. Under a context of the non-availability of landfills for breeders and non-breeders, vultures will increase their use of extensive livestock as a trophic resource. CONCLUSIONS Future environmental policies should thus extend the areas used by scavengers in which livestock carcasses are allowed to remain in the wild, a strategy that will also mitigate the lack of food caused by any reduction in available waste if landfills close. In general, our results emphasize the capabilities of a spatial network approaches to address questions on movement ecology. They can be used to infer the behavioural response of animal species and, also demonstrate the importance of applying such approaches to endangered species conservation within a context of changing humanized scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catuxa Cerecedo-Iglesias
- Equip de Biologia de la Conservació, Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia and Institut de la Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBIO), Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Catalonia Spain
| | - Frederic Bartumeus
- Centre d’Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB), CSIC, Accés a la Cala Sant Francesc, 17300 Blanes, Girona, Spain
- Centre de Recerca Ecològica i Aplicacions Forestals, CREAF, Campus Bellaterra, 17300 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, ICREA, Passeig Lluís Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ainara Cortés-Avizanda
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Seville, Avda. Reina Mercedes 6, 41012 Seville, Spain
| | - Joan Ll. Pretus
- Equip de Biologia de la Conservació, Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia and Institut de la Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBIO), Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Catalonia Spain
| | - Antonio Hernández-Matías
- Equip de Biologia de la Conservació, Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia and Institut de la Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBIO), Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Catalonia Spain
| | - Joan Real
- Equip de Biologia de la Conservació, Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia and Institut de la Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBIO), Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Catalonia Spain
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3
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Morant J, Arrondo E, Sánchez‐Zapata JA, Donázar JA, Cortés‐Avizanda A, De La Riva M, Blanco G, Martínez F, Oltra J, Carrete M, Margalida A, Oliva‐Vidal P, Martínez JM, Serrano D, Pérez‐García JM. Large-scale movement patterns in a social vulture are influenced by seasonality, sex, and breeding region. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e9817. [PMID: 36789342 PMCID: PMC9909000 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Quantifying space use and segregation, as well as the extrinsic and intrinsic factors affecting them, is crucial to increase our knowledge of species-specific movement ecology and to design effective management and conservation measures. This is particularly relevant in the case of species that are highly mobile and dependent on sparse and unpredictable trophic resources, such as vultures. Here, we used the GPS-tagged data of 127 adult Griffon Vultures Gyps fulvus captured at five different breeding regions in Spain to describe the movement patterns (home-range size and fidelity, and monthly cumulative distance). We also examined how individual sex, season, and breeding region determined the cumulative distance traveled and the size and overlap between consecutive monthly home-ranges. Overall, Griffon Vultures exhibited very large annual home-range sizes of 5027 ± 2123 km2, mean monthly cumulative distances of 1776 ± 1497 km, and showed a monthly home-range fidelity of 67.8 ± 25.5%. However, individuals from northern breeding regions showed smaller home-ranges and traveled shorter monthly distances than those from southern ones. In all cases, home-ranges were larger in spring and summer than in winter and autumn, which could be related to difference in flying conditions and food requirements associated with reproduction. Moreover, females showed larger home-ranges and less monthly fidelity than males, indicating that the latter tended to use the similar areas throughout the year. Overall, our results indicate that both extrinsic and intrinsic factors modulate the home-range of the Griffon Vulture and that spatial segregation depends on sex and season at the individual level, without relevant differences between breeding regions in individual site fidelity. These results have important implications for conservation, such as identifying key threat factors necessary to improve management actions and policy decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon Morant
- Department of Applied BiologyMiguel Hernández University of ElcheElcheSpain
- Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO‐UMH)Miguel Hernández University of ElcheOrihuelaSpain
| | - Eneko Arrondo
- Department of Applied BiologyMiguel Hernández University of ElcheElcheSpain
- Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO‐UMH)Miguel Hernández University of ElcheOrihuelaSpain
| | - José Antonio Sánchez‐Zapata
- Department of Applied BiologyMiguel Hernández University of ElcheElcheSpain
- Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO‐UMH)Miguel Hernández University of ElcheOrihuelaSpain
| | - José Antonio Donázar
- Departament of Conservation BiologyEstación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC)SevillaSpain
| | - Ainara Cortés‐Avizanda
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, Faculty of BiologyUniversity of SevilleSevilleSpain
| | - Manuel De La Riva
- Departament of Conservation BiologyEstación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC)SevillaSpain
| | - Guillermo Blanco
- Department of Evolutionary EcologyMuseo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC)MadridSpain
| | - Félix Martínez
- Escuela Internacional de DoctoradoUniversidad Rey Juan Carlos (URJC)MadridSpain
| | - Juan Oltra
- Department of Physical, Chemical and Natural SystemsUniversidad Pablo de OlavideSevillaSpain
| | - Martina Carrete
- Department of Physical, Chemical and Natural SystemsUniversidad Pablo de OlavideSevillaSpain
| | - Antoni Margalida
- Pyrenean Institute of Ecology (CSIC)JacaSpain
- Institute for Game and Wildlife ResearchIREC (CSIC‐UCLM)Ciudad RealSpain
| | - Pilar Oliva‐Vidal
- Institute for Game and Wildlife ResearchIREC (CSIC‐UCLM)Ciudad RealSpain
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Life Sciences and EngineeringUniversity of LleidaLleidaSpain
| | - José Maria Martínez
- Departamento Medio Ambiente, Gobierno de AragónSubdirección General de Desarrollo Rural y SostenibilidadHuescaSpain
| | - David Serrano
- Departament of Conservation BiologyEstación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC)SevillaSpain
| | - Juan Manuel Pérez‐García
- Department of Applied BiologyMiguel Hernández University of ElcheElcheSpain
- Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO‐UMH)Miguel Hernández University of ElcheOrihuelaSpain
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Active breeding seabirds prospect alternative breeding colonies. Oecologia 2023; 201:341-354. [PMID: 36746795 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05331-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Compared to other animal movements, prospecting by adult individuals for a future breeding site is commonly overlooked. Prospecting influences the decision of where to breed and has consequences on fitness and lifetime reproductive success. By analysing movements of 31 satellite- and GPS-tracked gull and tern populations belonging to 14 species in Europe and North America, we examined the occurrence and factors explaining prospecting by actively breeding birds. Prospecting in active breeders occurred in 85.7% of studied species, across 61.3% of sampled populations. Prospecting was more common in populations with frequent inter-annual changes of breeding sites and among females. These results contradict theoretical models which predict that prospecting is expected to evolve in relatively predictable and stable environments. More long-term tracking studies are needed to identify factors affecting patterns of prospecting in different environments and understand the consequences of prospecting on fitness at the individual and population level.
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Jordan FD, Shaffer SA, Conners MG, Stepanuk JEF, Gilmour ME, Clatterbuck CA, Hazen EL, Palacios DM, Tremblay Y, Antolos M, Foley DG, Bograd SJ, Costa DP, Thorne LH. Divergent post-breeding spatial habitat use of Laysan and black-footed albatross. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.1028317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the at-sea movements of wide-ranging seabird species throughout their annual cycle is essential for their conservation and management. Habitat use and resource partitioning of Laysan (Phoebastria immutabilis) and black-footed (Phoebastria nigripes) albatross are well-described during the breeding period but are less understood during the post-breeding period, which represents ~40% of their annual cycle. Resource partitioning may be reduced during post-breeding, when birds are not constrained to return to the nest site regularly and can disperse to reduce competitive pressure. We assessed the degree of spatial segregation in the post-breeding distributions of Laysan (n = 82) and black-footed albatrosses (n = 61) using geolocator tags between 2008 and 2012 from two large breeding colonies in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, Midway Atoll, and Tern Island. We characterized the species-and colony-specific foraging and focal distributions (represented by the 95 and 50th density contours, respectively) and quantified segregation in at-sea habitat use between species and colonies. Laysan and black-footed albatross showed consistent and significant at-sea segregation in focal areas across colonies, indicating that resource partitioning persists during post-breeding. Within breeding colonies, segregation of foraging areas between the two species was more evident for birds breeding at Tern Island. Spatial segregation decreased as the post-breeding season progressed, when spatial distributions of both species became more dispersed. In contrast to studies conducted on breeding Laysan and black-footed albatross, we found that sea surface temperature distinguished post-breeding habitats of black-footed albatrosses between colonies, with black-footed albatrosses from Midway Atoll occurring in cooler waters (3.6°C cooler on average). Our results reveal marked at-sea segregation between Laysan and black-footed albatross breeding at two colonies during a critical but understudied phase in their annual cycle. The observed variation in species-environment relationships underscores the importance of sampling multiple colonies and temporal periods to more thoroughly understand the spatial distributions of pelagic seabirds.
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Leaving more than footprints: Anthropogenic nutrient subsidies to a protected area. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
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7
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Garthe S, Schwemmer P, Kubetzki U, Heinze B. Effects of agricultural practices on foraging habitats of a seabird species in the Baltic Sea. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9551. [PMID: 36440314 PMCID: PMC9682205 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Omnivorous and opportunistic species may be good indicators of food availability. Gulls often use human-impacted landscapes and may respond to changes by altering their feeding ecology. We investigated the foraging behavior of individual common gulls (Larus canus), focusing on their distribution during foraging and their selected habitat types. We tracked adult common gulls using GPS telemetry at their largest breeding colony in the southwestern Baltic Sea, Germany. Foraging habitats were analyzed from tracking data for three breeding seasons 2016, 2017, and 2019 and were compared with potentially available foraging habitats. Most breeding birds flew toward terrestrial areas. Feeding sites were located on average 11.7-14.3 km from the colony (range 0.9-36.5 km). Corn and sugar beet fields were used significantly and extensively compared with their availability in 2016 and 2017, while wheat, rape, and barley fields were used significantly less. Data from 2019 suggested seasonal shifts in habitat use. Birds spent between 30 and 1300 min per week at their preferred feeding sites, with significant differences between the major habitats selected. We found a stable, clear, multiyear pattern in common gull foraging behavior in relation to agricultural practices. Fields with little or no crop cover and thus access to the soil were preferred over fields with high crop cover. These results suggest that local food availability may be limiting further population increases in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Garthe
- Research and Technology Centre (FTZ)Kiel UniversityBüsumGermany
| | | | - Ulrike Kubetzki
- Research and Technology Centre (FTZ)Kiel UniversityBüsumGermany
| | - Bernd Heinze
- Verein Langenwerder zum Schutz der Wat‐ und Wasservögel e.V.NossendorfGermany
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Gutowsky SE, Davis SE, Maftei M, Mallory ML. Flexibility in migratory strategy contrasts with reliance on restricted staging and overwintering grounds for Sabine’s gulls from the Canadian High Arctic. ANIMAL MIGRATION 2021. [DOI: 10.1515/ami-2020-0106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Sabine’s gulls (Xema sabini) undertake the longest migration of any gull, a trans-equatorial journey between Arctic breeding and southern hemisphere wintering areas. For such long-distance migrants, quantifying within- and between-individual variation in migratory strategy is key towards understanding resilience to environmental variability encountered over migration. We tracked 22 birds on 32 migrations from the Canadian Arctic to evaluate strategies and quantify flexibility among individuals and years. All birds undertook extended stopovers in a geographically-restricted staging area halfway through migration in the California Current System in both directions. Individuals were otherwise flexible in most aspects of migration but were repeatable in arrival date and duration of the southbound staging phase. Routes taken during southbound migration and overlap in overwintering areas were significantly larger within the same year than among years. Overall, birds showed high individual flexibility in migratory strategies but made similar decisions to one another in the same years. Every year, all birds showed repeatable, consistent reliance on the staging grounds as a key stopover site in both directions. This suggests Sabine’s gulls adjust to environmental change in many aspects of their migration but may be vulnerable to climate change and other anthropogenic influences during critical stages of the journey.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Mark Maftei
- High Arctic Gull Research Group , Ucluelet, BC , Canada
| | - Mark L Mallory
- High Arctic Gull Research Group , Ucluelet, BC , Canada
- Department of Biology , Acadia University , Wolfville, NS , Canada
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9
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Baak JE, Mallory ML, Anderson CM, Auger-Méthé M, Macdonald CA, Janssen MH, Gilchrist HG, Provencher JF, Gutowsky SE. Inter-individual variation in the migratory behaviour of a generalist seabird, the herring gull (Larus smithsoniansus), from the Canadian Arctic. ANIMAL MIGRATION 2021. [DOI: 10.1515/ami-2020-0109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The Arctic is warming three times faster than the rest of the globe, causing rapid transformational changes in Arctic ecosystems. As these changes increase, understanding seabird movements will be important for predicting how they respond to climate change, and thus how we plan for conservation. Moreover, as most Arctic-breeding seabirds only spend the breeding season in the Arctic, climate change may also affect them through habitat changes in their non-breeding range. We used Global Location Sensors (GLS) to provide new insights on the movement of Arctic-breeding herring gulls (Larus smithsoniansus) in North America. We tracked gulls that wintered in the Gulf of Mexico (n = 7) or the Great Lakes (n = 1), and found that migratory routes and stopover sites varied between individuals, and between southbound and northbound migration. This inter-individual variation suggests that herring gulls, as a generalist species, can make use of an array of regions during migration, but may be more susceptible to climate change impacts in their overwintering locations than during migration. However, due to our limited sample size, future, multi-year studies are recommended to better understand the impacts of climate change on this Arctic-breeding seabird.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia E. Baak
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences , McGill University , Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec, H9X 3V9 , Canada
| | - Mark L. Mallory
- Department of Biology , Acadia University , Wolfville, Nova Scotia B4P 2R6 , Canada
| | - Christine M. Anderson
- Department of Biology , Carleton University , 1125 Colonel By Dr, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6
| | - Marie Auger-Méthé
- Department of Statistics, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries , University of British Columbia , Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4 , Canada
| | | | - Michael H. Janssen
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre , Carleton University , Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0H3 , Canada
| | - H. Grant Gilchrist
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre , Carleton University , Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0H3 , Canada
| | - Jennifer F. Provencher
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre , Carleton University , Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0H3 , Canada
| | - Sarah E. Gutowsky
- Department of Biology , Acadia University , Wolfville, Nova Scotia B4P 2R6 , Canada
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Lato KA, Madigan DJ, Veit RR, Thorne LH. Closely related gull species show contrasting foraging strategies in an urban environment. Sci Rep 2021; 11:23619. [PMID: 34880306 PMCID: PMC8655058 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-02821-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The expansion of urban landscapes has both negative and positive effects on wildlife. Understanding how different species respond to urbanization is key to assessing how urban landscapes influence regional wildlife behavior and ecosystem structure. Gulls are often described as strong urban adapters, but few studies have explored species-specific differences in habitat use. Here, we use GPS tracking in conjunction with stable isotope analysis (SIA) to quantify the habitat use and trophic ecology of great black-backed gulls (Larus marinus) and herring gulls (L. argentatus) in an urbanized area. Non-Metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS) of foraging locations revealed significant differences in the habitat use between species. Great black-backed gulls foraged primarily in marine habitats and herring gulls foraged primarily in specific urban habitats (e.g., landfills, dumpsters) and showed higher site fidelity in terms of the proportion of foraging sites revisited. Further, great black-backed gulls had significantly higher δ15N and δ13C than herring gulls, reflecting the use of marine, rather than urban, food sources. This study highlights the variability in urban habitat utilization among closely related species, assesses stable isotope signatures of urban diets in wild birds, and discusses ecological implications of the relative contribution of urban and marine foraging.
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Affiliation(s)
- K A Lato
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA.
| | - D J Madigan
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada
| | - R R Veit
- Department of Biology, College of Staten Island (CSI), CUNY, Staten Island, NY, USA
| | - L H Thorne
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
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11
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Langley LP, Bearhop S, Burton NHK, Banks AN, Frayling T, Thaxter CB, Clewley GD, Scragg E, Votier SC. GPS tracking reveals landfill closures induce higher foraging effort and habitat switching in gulls. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2021; 9:56. [PMID: 34772460 PMCID: PMC8588598 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-021-00278-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Landfills are a major subsidy for some animals, with implications for their life history and demography. Gulls feed extensively on food from landfills and closures are expected to have ecological consequences, but how this influences movement ecology is virtually unknown. METHODS We used GPS-tracking to quantify foraging behaviour and habitat choice of lesser black-backed gulls (Larus fuscus) breeding at two colonies before and after closure of two nearby landfills. RESULTS Following closure, gulls from both colonies travelled further and for longer to forage. Gulls also changed habitat selection, although this differed by colony - birds from one colony shifted to agricultural habitats, while at the other, increased their use of urban areas. These behavioural responses had no effect on adult body condition but hint at potential direct effects of higher foraging costs and indirect impacts by shifting to new habitats. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate how landfill availability influences gull foraging movements and habitat selection. We also emphasize the value of biologging to detect rapid behavioural responses in contrast to more conventional demographic approaches, which is especially important for animals that spend the majority of their lives away from direct observation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam P Langley
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, TR10 9EZ, UK.
| | - Stuart Bearhop
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, TR10 9EZ, UK
| | - Niall H K Burton
- British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, IP24 2PU, UK
| | - Alex N Banks
- Natural England, Sterling House, Exeter, EX1 1QA, UK
| | - Tim Frayling
- Natural England, Sterling House, Exeter, EX1 1QA, UK
| | - Chris B Thaxter
- British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, IP24 2PU, UK
| | - Gary D Clewley
- British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, IP24 2PU, UK
| | - Emily Scragg
- British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, IP24 2PU, UK
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12
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Maynard LD, Gulka J, Jenkins E, Davoren GK. Different individual-level responses of great black-backed gulls (Larus marinus) to shifting local prey availability. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0252561. [PMID: 34669725 PMCID: PMC8528284 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252561] [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: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
To grow, survive and reproduce under anthropogenic-induced changes, individuals must respond quickly and favourably to the surrounding environment. A species that feeds on a wide variety of prey types (i.e. generalist diet) may be comprised of generalist individuals, specialist individuals that feed on different prey types, or a combination of the two. If individuals within a population respond differently to an environmental change, population-level responses may not be detectable. By tracking foraging movements of great black-backed gulls (Larus marinus), a generalist species, we compared group-level and individual-level responses to an increase in prey biomass (capelin; Mallotus villosus) during the breeding season in coastal Newfoundland, Canada. As hypothesized, shifts in prey availability resulted in significantly different individual responses in foraging behaviour and space use, which was not detectable when data from individuals were combined. Some individuals maintained similar foraging areas, foraging trip characteristics (e.g., trip length, duration) and habitat use with increased capelin availability, while others shifted foraging areas and habitats resulting in either increased or decreased trip characteristics. We show that individual specialization can be non-contextual in some gulls, whereby these individuals continuously use the same feeding strategy despite significant change in prey availability conditions. Findings also indicate high response diversity among individuals to shifting prey conditions that a population- or group-level study would not have detected, emphasizing the importance of examining individual-level strategies for future diet and foraging studies on generalist species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurie D. Maynard
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Julia Gulka
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Edward Jenkins
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Gail K. Davoren
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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Clatterbuck CA, Lewison RL, Orben RA, Ackerman JT, Torres LG, Suryan RM, Warzybok P, Jahncke J, Shaffer SA. Foraging in marine habitats increases mercury concentrations in a generalist seabird. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 279:130470. [PMID: 34134398 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.130470] [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: 12/09/2020] [Revised: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Methylmercury concentrations vary widely across geographic space and among habitat types, with marine and aquatic-feeding organisms typically exhibiting higher mercury concentrations than terrestrial-feeding organisms. However, there are few model organisms to directly compare mercury concentrations as a result of foraging in marine, estuarine, or terrestrial food webs. The ecological impacts of differential foraging may be especially important for generalist species that exhibit high plasticity in foraging habitats, locations, or diet. Here, we investigate whether foraging habitat, sex, or fidelity to a foraging area impact blood mercury concentrations in western gulls (Larus occidentalis) from three colonies on the US west coast. Cluster analyses showed that nearly 70% of western gulls foraged primarily in ocean or coastal habitats, whereas the remaining gulls foraged in terrestrial and freshwater habitats. Gulls that foraged in ocean or coastal habitats for half or more of their foraging locations had 55% higher mercury concentrations than gulls that forage in freshwater and terrestrial habitats. Ocean-foraging gulls also had lower fidelity to a specific foraging area than freshwater and terrestrial-foraging gulls, but fidelity and sex were unrelated to gull blood mercury concentrations in all models. These findings support existing research that has described elevated mercury levels in species using aquatic habitats. Our analyses also demonstrate that gulls can be used to detect differences in contaminant exposure over broad geographic scales and across coarse habitat types, a factor that may influence gull health and persistence of other populations that forage across the land-sea gradient.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Rachael A Orben
- Oregon State University, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Newport, OR, USA
| | - Joshua T Ackerman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, Dixon, CA, USA
| | - Leigh G Torres
- Oregon State University, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Marine Mammal Institute, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Newport, OR, USA
| | - Robert M Suryan
- Oregon State University, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Newport, OR, USA
| | | | | | - Scott A Shaffer
- San José State University, Department of Biological Sciences, San Jose, CA, USA
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14
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Kavelaars MM, Baert JM, Van Malderen J, Stienen EWM, Shamoun-Baranes J, Lens L, Müller W. Simultaneous GPS-tracking of parents reveals a similar parental investment within pairs, but no immediate co-adjustment on a trip-to-trip basis. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2021; 9:42. [PMID: 34419142 PMCID: PMC8379723 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-021-00279-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Parental care benefits the offspring, but comes at a cost for each parent, which in biparental species gives rise to a conflict between partners regarding the within-pair distribution of care. Pair members could avoid exploitation by efficiently keeping track of each other's efforts and coordinating their efforts. Parents may, therefore, space their presence at the nest, which could also allow for permanent protection of the offspring. Additionally, they may respond to their partner's previous investment by co-adjusting their efforts on a trip-to-trip basis, resulting in overall similar parental activities within pairs. METHODS We investigated the coordination of parental care measured as nest attendance and foraging effort in the Lesser black-backed gull (Larus fuscus), a species with long nest bouts that performs extended foraging trips out of sight of their partner. This was achieved by GPS-tracking both pair members simultaneously during the entire chick rearing period. RESULTS We found that the timing of foraging trips (and hence nest attendance) was coordinated within gull pairs, as individuals left the colony only after their partner had returned. Parents did not match their partner's investment by actively co-adjusting their foraging efforts on a trip-by-trip basis. Yet, pair members were similar in their temporal and energetic investments during chick rearing. CONCLUSION Balanced investment levels over a longer time frame suggest that a coordination of effort may not require permanent co-adjustment of the levels of care on a trip-to-trip basis, but may instead rather take place at an earlier stage in the reproductive attempt, or over integrated longer time intervals. Identifying the drivers and underlying processes of coordination will be one of the next necessary steps to fully understand parental cooperation in long-lived species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marwa M Kavelaars
- Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group (BECO), University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium.
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit (TEREC), Ghent University, K.L, Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Jan M Baert
- Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group (BECO), University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit (TEREC), Ghent University, K.L, Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jolien Van Malderen
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit (TEREC), Ghent University, K.L, Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Eric W M Stienen
- Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Havenlaan 88, 1000, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Judy Shamoun-Baranes
- Theoretical and Computational Ecology, IBED, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 94240, 1090 GE, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Luc Lens
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit (TEREC), Ghent University, K.L, Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Wendt Müller
- Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group (BECO), University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Antwerp, Belgium
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15
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Gotcha N, Machekano H, Cuthbert RN, Nyamukondiwa C. Heat tolerance may determine activity time in coprophagic beetle species (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). INSECT SCIENCE 2021; 28:1076-1086. [PMID: 32567803 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Although reports have documented loss of species diversity and ecological services caused by stressful temperature changes that result from climate change, some species cope through behavioral compensation. As temperatures and magnitudes of temperature extremes increase, animals should compensate to maintain fitness (such as through temporary behavioral shifts in activity times). Appropriate timing of activity helps avoid competition across species. Although coprophagic dung beetles exhibit species-specific temporal activity times, it is unknown whether temperature drives evolution of these species-specific temporal activity times. Using nine dung beetle species (three each of diurnal, crepuscular, and nocturnal species), we explored differences in heat stress tolerance measured as critical thermal maxima (CTmax ; the highest temperature allowing activity) and heat knockdown time (HKDT; survival time under acute heat stress) across these species, and examined the results using a phylogenetically informed approach. Our results showed that day-active species had significantly higher CTmax (diurnal > crepuscular = nocturnal species), whereas crepuscular species had higher HKDT (crepuscular > nocturnal > diurnal species). There was no correlation between heat tolerance and body size across species with distinct temporal activity, and no significant phylogenetic constraint for activity. Species with higher CTmax did not necessarily have higher HKDT, which indicates that species may respond differently to diverse heat tolerance metrics. Acute heat tolerance for diurnal beetles indicates that this trait may constrain activity time and, under high acute temperatures with climate change, species may shift activity times in more benign environments. These results contribute to elucidate the evolution of foraging behavior and management of coprophagic beetle ecosystem services under changing environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nonofo Gotcha
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, Palapye, Botswana
| | - Honest Machekano
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, Palapye, Botswana
| | - Ross N Cuthbert
- GEOMAR, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Ozeanforschung Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Casper Nyamukondiwa
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, Palapye, Botswana
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16
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Gutowsky SE, Studholme KR, Ronconi RA, Allard KA, Shlepr K, Diamond AW, McIntyre J, Craik SR, Mallory ML. The influence of multiple industries on the behaviour of breeding gulls from four colonies across the eastern Gulf of Maine, Canada. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E. Gutowsky
- S. E. Gutowsky (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1711-4744) ✉ , J. McIntyre (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5762-8593) and M. L. Mallory (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2744-3437), Dept of Biology, Acadia Univ., Wolfville, NS, Canada
| | - Katharine R. Studholme
- K. R. Studholme (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0921-4745), Dept of Biology, Dalhousie Univ., Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Robert A. Ronconi
- R. A. Ronconi (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3635-7162), Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Dartmouth, NS, Canada
| | - Karel A. Allard
- K. A. Allard (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7571-9365), Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Sackville, NB, Canada
| | - Katherine Shlepr
- K. Shlepr (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6046-5131), Dept of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic Univ., Boca Raton, FL, USA
| | - Anthony W. Diamond
- A. W. Diamond, Atlantic Laboratory for Avian Research, Univ. of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB, Canada
| | - Jessie McIntyre
- S. E. Gutowsky (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1711-4744) ✉ , J. McIntyre (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5762-8593) and M. L. Mallory (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2744-3437), Dept of Biology, Acadia Univ., Wolfville, NS, Canada
| | - Shawn R. Craik
- S. R. Craik (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2649-2747), Dépt des Sciences, Univ. Sainte-Anne, Pointe-de-l'Église, NS, Canada
| | - Mark L. Mallory
- S. E. Gutowsky (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1711-4744) ✉ , J. McIntyre (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5762-8593) and M. L. Mallory (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2744-3437), Dept of Biology, Acadia Univ., Wolfville, NS, Canada
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17
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Lato KA, Thorne LH, Fuirst M, Brownawell BJ. Microplastic abundance in gull nests in relation to urbanization. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 164:112058. [PMID: 33515834 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Revised: 01/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Human activity and urbanization are having profound effects on natural landscapes and ecosystems. The presence and persistence of human-made materials such as microplastics can have major impacts on the health of organisms in both marine and terrestrial environments. We quantified microplastics in herring gull (Larus argentatus) and great black-backed gull (Larus marinus) nests at three colonies in the northeast United States that varied in their degree of urbanization: Jamaica Bay (JB) in New York City, Youngs Island (YI) on Long Island, New York, and Tuckernuck Island (TN) in Massachusetts. Nests in urban colonies contained a higher proportion of microplastics than those in the more remote colony. Our results link urbanization with microplastic accumulation in coastal environments and suggest that assessing microplastics in seabird nests could provide a means of evaluating microplastics encountered by seabirds and other coastal marine animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- K A Lato
- Stony Brook University, School Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, 100 Nicholls Rd, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.
| | - L H Thorne
- Stony Brook University, School Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, 100 Nicholls Rd, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - M Fuirst
- Stony Brook University, School Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, 100 Nicholls Rd, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - B J Brownawell
- Stony Brook University, School Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, 100 Nicholls Rd, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
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18
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Reusch K, Suárez N, Ryan PG, Pichegru L. Foraging movements of breeding Kelp Gulls in South Africa. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2020; 8:36. [PMID: 32905351 PMCID: PMC7469291 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-020-00221-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Kelp Gulls Larus dominicanus are one of the most abundant gulls in the Southern Hemisphere and can play an important role in their ecosystem. Understanding their foraging ecology is therefore important, especially in the context of anthropogenic changes of the environment. Over 35,000 Kelp Gulls breed in South Africa but little is known about their habitat use. It has been hypothesised that foraging mainly occurs in natural habitats while provisioning chicks to ensure high quality food, but knowledge on their foraging ecology during the incubation period remains poor. METHODS We tracked incubating Kelp Gulls from six colonies distributed along the coast of South Africa, varying in their distance to urban areas and landfills, and compared foraging trip patterns and habitat selection between colonies. RESULTS Gulls from west coast colonies, generally located further from landfills than the other studied colonies, travelled farther from their breeding sites (11.7 ± 9.9-17.8 ± 21.7 km, n = 3 colonies) than birds from Cape Town and south and east coast colonies (1.7 ± 0.8-3.1 ± 3.7 km, n = 3) with birds travelling farthest when foraging at sea. Gulls from all colonies spent more time foraging in marine, coastal, and natural terrestrial environments than scavenging in strongly modified habitats while incubating. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that Kelp Gulls in South Africa are able to exploit various resources from different foraging habitats, regardless of colony location and seem to rely less on anthropogenic habitats than expected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Reusch
- Institute for Coastal and Marine Research, Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela University, PO Box 77000, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
| | - Nicolás Suárez
- Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos, CCT CENPAT-CONICET, Puerto Madryn, Chubut Argentina
| | - Peter G. Ryan
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7701 South Africa
| | - Lorien Pichegru
- Institute for Coastal and Marine Research, Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela University, PO Box 77000, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7701 South Africa
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19
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Nuijten RJM, Gerrits T, Shamoun-Baranes J, Nolet BA. Less is more: On-board lossy compression of accelerometer data increases biologging capacity. J Anim Ecol 2020; 89:237-247. [PMID: 31828775 PMCID: PMC7004173 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
GPS‐tracking devices have been used in combination with a wide range of additional sensors to study animal behaviour, physiology and interaction with their environment. Tri‐axial accelerometers allow researchers to remotely infer the behaviour of individuals, at all places and times. Collection of accelerometer data is relatively cheap in terms of energy usage, but the amount of raw data collected generally requires much storage space and is particularly demanding in terms of energy needed for data transmission. Here, we propose compressing the raw accelerometer (ACC) data into summary statistics within the tracking device (before transmission) to reduce data size, as a means to overcome limitations in storage and energy capacity. We explored this type of lossy data compression in the accelerometer data of tagged Bewick's swans Cygnus columbianus bewickii collected in spring 2017. Using software settings in which bouts of 2 s of both raw ACC data and summary statistics were collected in parallel but with different bout intervals to keep total data size comparable, we created the opportunity for a direct comparison of time budgets derived by the two data collection methods. We found that the data compression in our case yielded a six times reduction in data size per bout, and concurrent, similar decreases in storage and energy use of the device. We show that with the same accuracy of the behavioural classification, the freed memory and energy of the device can be used to increase the monitoring effort, resulting in a more detailed representation of the individuals’ time budget. Rare and/or short behaviours, such as daily roost flights, were picked up significantly more when collecting summary statistics instead of raw ACC data (but note differences in sampling rate). Such level of detail can be of essential importance, for instance to make a reliable estimate of the energy budgets of individuals. In conclusion, we argue that this type of lossy data compression can be a well‐considered choice in study situations where limitations in energy and storage space of the device pose a problem. Ultimately, these developments can allow for long‐term and nearly continuous remote monitoring of the behaviour of free‐ranging animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rascha J M Nuijten
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Judy Shamoun-Baranes
- Department of Theoretical and Computational Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Bart A Nolet
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Wageningen, The Netherlands.,Department of Theoretical and Computational Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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20
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Ramírez F, Afán I, Bouten W, Carrasco JL, Forero MG, Navarro J. Humans shape the year-round distribution and habitat use of an opportunistic scavenger. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:4716-4725. [PMID: 32551055 PMCID: PMC7297764 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Research focused on evaluating how human food subsidies influence the foraging ecology of scavenger species is scarce but essential for elucidating their role in shaping behavioral patterns, population dynamics, and potential impacts on ecosystems. We evaluate the potential role of humans in shaping the year-round distribution and habitat use of individuals from a typical scavenger species, the yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis), breeding at southwestern Spain. To do this, we combined long-term, nearly continuous GPS-tracking data with spatially explicit information on habitat types and distribution of human facilities, as proxied by satellite imagery of artificial night lights. Overall, individuals were mainly associated with freshwater habitats (mean proportion, 95% CI: 40.6%, 36.9%-44.4%) followed by the marine-related systems (40.3, 37.7%-42.8%), human-related habitats (13.5%, 13.2%-13.8%), and terrestrial systems (5.5%, 4.6%-6.5%). However, these relative contributions to the overall habitat usage largely changed throughout the annual cycle as a likely response to ecological/physiological constraints imposed by varying energy budgets and environmental constraints resulting from fluctuations in the availability of food resources. Moreover, the tight overlap between the year-round spatial distribution of gulls and that of human facilities suggested that the different resources individuals relied on were likely of anthropogenic origin. We therefore provide evidence supporting the high dependence of this species on human-related food resources throughout the annual cycle. Owing to the ability of individuals to disperse and reach transboundary areas of Spain, Portugal, or Morocco, international joint efforts aimed at restricting the availability of human food resources would be required to manage this overabundant species and the associated consequences for biodiversity conservation (e.g., competitive exclusion of co-occurring species) and human interests (e.g., airports or disease transmission).
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Ramírez
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències AmbientalsFacultat de BiologiaUniversitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Isabel Afán
- Remote Sensing and GIS Laboratory (LAST‐EBD)Estación Biológica de Doñana CSICSevilleSpain
| | - Willem Bouten
- Theoretical and Computational EcologyInstitute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem DynamicsUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Josep Lluís Carrasco
- Departament de Fonaments Clínics, BioestadísticaFacultat de MedicinaUniversitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | | | - Joan Navarro
- Institut de Ciències del Mar - CSICBarcelonaSpain
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21
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Wilkinson BP, Haynes-Sutton AM, Meggs L, Jodice PGR. High spatial fidelity among foraging trips of Masked Boobies from Pedro Cays, Jamaica. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0231654. [PMID: 32340024 PMCID: PMC7186003 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0231654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In marine environments, tropical and subtropical habitats are considered to be inherently less productive than more temperate systems. As such, foraging site fidelity among vertebrate predators occupying low-latitude marine systems is generally low as a response to an increased unpredictability of resources. We investigated the foraging movements of Masked Boobies breeding on Middle Cay, Jamaica using GPS loggers to examine if the presence of a nearby bathymetric feature influenced foraging site fidelity in a tropical system, the Caribbean Sea. According to the movements of tracked individuals, this population of boobies shows a high degree of spatial fidelity in foraging site selection, concentrated on the northern edge of Pedro Bank. We suggest this feature as an important location for marine conservation in the region and demonstrate its utility to foraging boobies via habitat modeling using a maximum entropy approach of relevant habitat variables. Finally, we place this study into the global context of Masked Booby foraging by examining the published literature of relevant tracking studies for population-level similarity in foraging metrics. According to hierarchical clustering of foraging effort, Masked Boobies demonstrate a density-dependent response to foraging effort regardless of colony origin or oceanic basin consistent with the principles of Ashmole’s Halo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley P. Wilkinson
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, South Carolina Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Llewelyn Meggs
- Yardie Environmental Conservationists Limited, Kingston, Jamaica
| | - Patrick G. R. Jodice
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, U.S. Geological Survey South Carolina Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
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22
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Sotillo A, Baert JM, Müller W, Stienen EWM, Soares AMVM, Lens L. Time and energy costs of different foraging choices in an avian generalist species. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2019; 7:41. [PMID: 31908778 PMCID: PMC6937837 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-019-0188-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Animals can obtain a higher foraging yield by optimizing energy expenditure or minimizing time costs. In this study, we assessed how individual variation in the relative use of marine and terrestrial foraging habitats relates to differences in the energy and time investments of an avian generalistic feeder (the Lesser Black-backed Gull, Larus fuscus), and how this changes during the course of the chick-rearing period. METHODS We analyzed 5 years of GPS tracking data collected at the colony of Zeebrugge (Belgium). Cost proxies for energy expenditure (overall dynamic body acceleration) and time costs (trip durations and time spent away from the colony), together with trip frequency, were analyzed against the relative use of the marine and terrestrial habitats. RESULTS The marine habitat was most often used by males and outside weekends, when fisheries are active. Marine trips implied higher energetic costs and lower time investments. As chicks became older, terrestrial trips became more prevalent, and trip frequency reached a peak towards 20 days after hatching of the first egg. Over a full chick rearing period, energy costs varied widely between individuals, but no trends were found across the marine foraging gradient. Conversely, a higher use of marine foraging implied lower overall amounts of time spent away from the colony. CONCLUSIONS Foraging habitat choice was related to overall time costs incurred by gulls, but not to energy costs. The effect of chick age on foraging habitat choice and effort may be driven by energy expenditure constraints on the amount of marine foraging that can be performed. If time is less constraining to them, Lesser Black-backed Gulls may meet the increasing chick demand for food by switching from high to low energy demanding foraging strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Sotillo
- Department of Biology, Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biology & CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Jan M. Baert
- Department of Biology, Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biology – Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Antwerp Belgium
| | - Wendt Müller
- Department of Biology – Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Antwerp Belgium
| | - Eric W. M. Stienen
- Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Herman Teirlinckgebouw, Havenlaan 88, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Amadeu M. V. M. Soares
- Department of Biology & CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Luc Lens
- Department of Biology, Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
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23
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Cockerham S, Lee B, Orben RA, Suryan RM, Torres LG, Warzybok P, Bradley R, Jahncke J, Young HS, Ouverney C, Shaffer SA. Microbial Ecology of the Western Gull (Larus occidentalis). MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2019; 78:665-676. [PMID: 30891612 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-019-01352-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2018] [Accepted: 02/17/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Avian species host diverse communities of microorganisms which have important roles in the life of birds, including increased metabolism, protection from disease, and immune system development. Along with high human populations and a diversity of human uses of coastal zones, anthropogenic food sources are becoming increasingly available to some species, including gulls. Anthropogenic associations increase the likelihood of encountering foreign or pathogenic bacteria. Diseases in birds caused by bacteria are a substantial source of avian mortality; therefore, it is essential to characterize the microbiome of seabirds. Here, we determined both core and environmentally derived microbial communities of breeding western gulls (Larus occidentalis) from six colonies in California and Oregon. Using DNA extracted from bacterial swabs of the bill, cloaca, and feet of gulls, 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed targeting the V4 region. We identified a total of 8542 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) from 75 gulls. Sixty-eight OTUs were identified in gulls from all six colonies with the greatest representation from phyla's of Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria. Overall, microbial richness based on Chao's Abundance-based Coverage Estimator (ACE) index was similar for all colonies (mean = 2347 OTUs) with the smallest coastal colonies having the highest richness (mean = 2626 OTUs) and the largest colonies, located farther off-shore, having the lowest (mean = 2068 OTUs). This survey represents the most in-depth assessment to date of microbes associated with western gulls, and the first study to identify both species-specific and environmentally derived bacteria across multiple populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan Cockerham
- Department of Biological Sciences, San José State University, One Washington Square, San Jose, CA, 95192-0100, USA.
| | - Becky Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, San José State University, One Washington Square, San Jose, CA, 95192-0100, USA
| | - Rachael A Orben
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon State University, Newport, OR, 97365, USA
| | - Robert M Suryan
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon State University, Newport, OR, 97365, USA
- Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Auke Bay Laboratories, NOAA Fisheries, 17109 Pt. Lena Loop Rd, Juneau, AK, 99801, USA
| | - Leigh G Torres
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Marine Mammal Institute, Oregon State University, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Newport, OR, 97365, USA
| | - Pete Warzybok
- Point Blue Conservation Science, 2030 SE Marine Science Dr., Petaluma, CA, USA
| | - Russell Bradley
- Point Blue Conservation Science, 2030 SE Marine Science Dr., Petaluma, CA, USA
| | - Jaime Jahncke
- Point Blue Conservation Science, 2030 SE Marine Science Dr., Petaluma, CA, USA
| | - Hillary S Young
- Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Cleber Ouverney
- Department of Biological Sciences, San José State University, One Washington Square, San Jose, CA, 95192-0100, USA
| | - Scott A Shaffer
- Department of Biological Sciences, San José State University, One Washington Square, San Jose, CA, 95192-0100, USA
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
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24
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Martinović M, Galov A, Svetličić I, Tome D, Jurinović L, Ječmenica B, Basle T, Božič L, Kralj J. Prospecting of breeding adult Common terns in an unstable environment. ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2019.1625952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Miloš Martinović
- Institute of Ornithology, Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Gundulićeva 24, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ana Galov
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ida Svetličić
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Davorin Tome
- Department of Organisms and Ecosystems Research, National Institute of Biology, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Luka Jurinović
- Croatian Veterinary Institute, Poultry Centre, Heinzelova 55, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | | | - Tilen Basle
- DOPPS – BirdLife Slovenia, Tržaška cesta 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Luka Božič
- DOPPS – BirdLife Slovenia, Tržaška cesta 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Jelena Kralj
- Institute of Ornithology, Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Gundulićeva 24, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
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25
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Sotillo A, Baert JM, Müller W, Stienen EWM, Soares AMVM, Lens L. Recently-adopted foraging strategies constrain early chick development in a coastal breeding gull. PeerJ 2019; 7:e7250. [PMID: 31333907 PMCID: PMC6626513 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Human-mediated food sources offer possibilities for novel foraging strategies by opportunistic species. Yet, relative costs and benefits of alternative foraging strategies vary with the abundance, accessibility, predictability and nutritional value of anthropogenic food sources. The extent to which such strategies may ultimately alter fitness, can have important consequences for long-term population dynamics. Here, we studied the relationships between parental diet and early development in free-ranging, cross-fostered chicks and in captive-held, hand-raised chicks of Lesser Black-backed Gulls (Larus fuscus) breeding along the Belgian coast. This traditionally marine and intertidal foraging species is now increasingly taking advantage of human activities by foraging on terrestrial food sources in agricultural and urban environments. In accordance with such behavior, the proportion of terrestrial food in the diet of free-ranging chicks ranged between 4% and 80%, and consistent stable isotope signatures between age classes indicated that this variation was mainly due to between-parent variation in feeding strategies. A stronger terrestrial food signature in free-ranging chicks corresponded with slower chick development. However, no consistent differences in chick development were found when contrasting terrestrial and marine diets were provided ad libitum to hand-raised chicks. Results of this study hence suggest that terrestrial diets may lower reproductive success due to limitations in food quantity, rather than quality. Recent foraging niche expansion toward terrestrial resources may thus constitute a suboptimal alternative strategy to marine foraging for breeding Lesser Black-backed Gulls during the chick-rearing period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Sotillo
- Department of Biology, Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biology and CESAM, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Jan M Baert
- Department of Biology, Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biology, Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Wendt Müller
- Department of Biology, Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Eric W M Stienen
- Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - Luc Lens
- Department of Biology, Terrestrial Ecology Unit, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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26
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Fuirst M, Veit RR, Hahn M, Dheilly N, Thorne LH. Effects of urbanization on the foraging ecology and microbiota of the generalist seabird Larus argentatus. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0209200. [PMID: 30562368 PMCID: PMC6298667 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0209200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2018] [Accepted: 12/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Larus gull species have proven adaptable to urbanization and due to their generalist feeding behaviors, they provide useful opportunities to study how urban environments impact foraging behavior and host-associated microbiota. We evaluated how urbanization influenced the foraging behavior and microbiome characteristics of breeding herring gulls (Larus argentatus) at three different colonies on the east coast of the United States. Study colonies represented high, medium and low degrees of urbanization, respectively. At all colonies, gulls frequently foraged at landfills and in other urban environments, but both the use of urban environments and gull foraging metrics differed with the degree of urbanization. Gulls at the more urban colonies used urban environments more frequently, showed higher rates of site fidelity and took shorter trips. Gulls at less urban colonies used a greater diversity of habitat types and foraged offshore. We observed high microbial diversity at all colonies, though microbial diversity was highest at the least urban colony where gulls used a wider variety of foraging habitats. This suggests that gulls may acquire a wider range of bacteria when visiting a higher variety of foraging sites. Our findings highlight the influence of urban habitats on gull movements and microbiome composition and diversity during the breeding season and represent the first application of amplicon sequence variants, an objective and repeatable method of bacterial classification, to study the microbiota of a seabird species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Fuirst
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States of America
| | - Richard R. Veit
- Department of Biology, College of Staten Island (CSI) CUNY, Staten Island, NY, United States of America
| | - Megan Hahn
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States of America
| | - Nolwenn Dheilly
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States of America
| | - Lesley H. Thorne
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States of America
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27
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Gilmour ME, Castillo-Guerrero JA, Fleishman AB, Hernández-Vázquez S, Young HS, Shaffer SA. Plasticity of foraging behaviors in response to diverse environmental conditions. Ecosphere 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Morgan E. Gilmour
- Ocean Sciences Department; University of California Santa Cruz; Santa Cruz California 95060 USA
| | - José A. Castillo-Guerrero
- CONACYT-Universidad de Guadalajara; Centro Universitario de la Costa Sur; San Patricio - Melaque Cihuatlán Jalisco 48980 México
| | - Abram B. Fleishman
- Department of Biological Sciences; San Jose State University; San Jose California 95192 USA
- Conservation Metrics, Inc.; 145 McAllister Way Santa Cruz California 95060 USA
| | - Salvador Hernández-Vázquez
- Departamento de Estudios para el Desarrollo Sustentable de Zona Costera; Centro Universitario de la Costa Sur; Universidad de Guadalajara; Gómez Farías No. 82 San Patricio-Melaque Cihuatlán Jalisco 48980 México
| | - Hillary S. Young
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology; University of California Santa Barbara; Santa Barbara California 93106 USA
| | - Scott A. Shaffer
- Department of Biological Sciences; San Jose State University; San Jose California 95192 USA
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