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Mansfield I, Reynolds SJ, Lynch I, Matthews TJ, Sadler JP. Birds as bioindicators of plastic pollution in terrestrial and freshwater environments: A 30-year review. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 348:123790. [PMID: 38537798 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
Plastic pollution is a global concern that has grown ever more acute in recent years. Most research has focused on the impact of plastic pollution in marine environments. However, plastic is increasingly being detected in terrestrial and freshwater environments with key inland sources including landfills, where it is accessible to a wide range of organisms. Birds are effective bioindicators of pollutants for many reasons, including their high mobility and high intra- and interspecific variation in trophic levels. Freshwater and terrestrial bird species are under-represented in plastic pollution research compared to marine species. We reviewed 106 studies (spanning from 1994 onwards) that have detected plastics in bird species dwelling in freshwater and/or terrestrial habitats, identifying knowledge gaps. Seventy-two studies focused solely on macroplastics (fragments >5 mm), compared to 22 microplastic (fragments <5 mm) studies. A further 12 studies identified plastics as both microplastics and macroplastics. No study investigated nanoplastic (particles <100 nm) exposure. Research to date has geographical and species' biases while ignoring nanoplastic sequestration in free-living freshwater, terrestrial and marine bird species. Building on the baseline search presented here, we urge researchers to develop and validate standardised field sampling techniques and laboratory analytical protocols such as Raman spectroscopy to allow for the quantification and identification of micro- and nanoplastics in terrestrial and freshwater environments and the species therein. Future studies should consistently report the internalised and background concentrations, types, sizes and forms of plastics. This will enable a better understanding of the sources of plastic pollution and their routes of exposure to birds of terrestrial and freshwater environments, providing a more comprehensive insight into the potential impacts on birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Mansfield
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
| | - S J Reynolds
- School of Biosciences, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK; The Army Ornithological Society (AOS), c/o Prince Consort Library, Knollys Road, Aldershot, Hampshire GU11 1PS, UK
| | - I Lynch
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - T J Matthews
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
| | - J P Sadler
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
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Martín-Vélez V, Cano-Povedano J, Cañuelo-Jurado B, López-Calderón C, Céspedes V, Ros M, Sánchez MI, Shamoun-Baranes J, Müller W, Thaxter CB, Camphuysen CJ, Cózar A, Green AJ. Leakage of plastics and other debris from landfills to a highly protected lake by wintering gulls. WASTE MANAGEMENT (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2024; 177:13-23. [PMID: 38281470 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2024.01.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
GENERAL CONTEXT Gulls ingest plastic and other litter while foraging in open landfills, because organic matter is mixed with other debris. Therefore, gulls are potential biovectors of plastic pollution into natural habitats, especially when they concentrate in wetlands for roosting. NOVELTY We quantified, for the first time, the flow of plastic and other anthropogenic debris from open landfills to a natural lake via the movement of gulls. We focused on Fuente de Piedra, an inland closed-basin lake in Spain that is internationally important for biodiversity. METHODOLOGY In 2022, we sampled gull pellets regurgitated in the lake by lesser black-backed gulls Larus fuscus that feed on landfills, as well as their faeces, then characterized and quantified debris particles of ≥0.5 mm. By combining GPS and census data from 2010 to 2022, together with plastic quantification based on FTIR-ATR analysis, we estimated the average annual deposition of plastic and other debris by the wintering gull population into the lake. MAIN RESULTS 86 % of pellets contained plastics, and 94 % contained other debris such as glass and textiles. Polyethylene (54 %), polypropylene (11.5 %) and polystyrene (11.5 %) were the main plastic polymers. An estimated annual mean of 400 kg of plastics were moved by gulls into the lake. Only 1 % of plastic mass was imported in faeces. DISCUSSION Incorporating the biovectoring role of birds can provide a more holistic view of the plastic cycle and waste management. Biovectoring is predictable in sites worldwide where gulls and other waterbirds feed in landfills and roost in wetlands. We discuss bird deterrence and other ways of mitigating debris leakage into aquatic ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Víctor Martín-Vélez
- Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM), CSIC, Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta, Barcelona 37-49 08003, Spain; Department of Conservation Biology and Global Change, Estación Biológica de Doñana CSIC, Américo Vespucio 26, Sevilla 41092, Spain.
| | - Julián Cano-Povedano
- Department of Conservation Biology and Global Change, Estación Biológica de Doñana CSIC, Américo Vespucio 26, Sevilla 41092, Spain
| | - Belén Cañuelo-Jurado
- Department of Conservation Biology and Global Change, Estación Biológica de Doñana CSIC, Américo Vespucio 26, Sevilla 41092, Spain
| | - Cosme López-Calderón
- Department of Conservation Biology and Global Change, Estación Biológica de Doñana CSIC, Américo Vespucio 26, Sevilla 41092, Spain; Grupo de Investigación en Conservación. Biodiversidad y Cambio Global, Universidad de Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain
| | - Vanessa Céspedes
- Department of Conservation Biology and Global Change, Estación Biológica de Doñana CSIC, Américo Vespucio 26, Sevilla 41092, Spain
| | - Macarena Ros
- Departamento de Zoología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, Av. Reina Mercedes 6, Sevilla 41012, Spain
| | - Marta I Sánchez
- Department of Conservation Biology and Global Change, Estación Biológica de Doñana CSIC, Américo Vespucio 26, Sevilla 41092, Spain
| | - Judy Shamoun-Baranes
- Theoretical and Computational Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1090 GE, The Netherlands
| | - Wendt Müller
- Department of Biology, Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, Wilrijk, Antwerp 2610, Belgium
| | - Chris B Thaxter
- British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU, UK
| | - Cornelis J Camphuysen
- COS Department, Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands
| | - Andrés Cózar
- Department of Biology, Institute of Marine Research (INMAR), University of Cadiz and European University of the Seas (SEA-EU), Puerto Real 11510, Spain
| | - Andy J Green
- Department of Conservation Biology and Global Change, Estación Biológica de Doñana CSIC, Américo Vespucio 26, Sevilla 41092, Spain
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Cano-Povedano J, López-Calderón C, Sánchez MI, Hortas F, Cañuelo-Jurado B, Martín-Vélez V, Ros M, Cózar A, Green AJ. Biovectoring of plastic by white storks from a landfill to a complex of salt ponds and marshes. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 197:115773. [PMID: 37992543 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Research into plastic pollution has extensively focused on abiotic vectors, overlooking transport by animals. Opportunistic birds, such as white storks (Ciconia ciconia) often forage on landfills, where plastic abounds. We assess plastic loading by ingestion and regurgitation of landfill plastic in Cadiz Bay, a major stopover area for migratory white storks in south-west Spain. On average, we counted 599 storks per day moving between a landfill and a complex of salt ponds and marshes, where they regurgitated pellets that each contained a mean of 0.47 g of plastic debris, dominated by polyethylene. Modelling reliant on GPS tracking estimated that 99 kg and >2 million particles of plastic were biovectored into the wetland during 2022, with seasonal peaks that followed migration patterns. GPS data enabled the correction of field censuses and the identification of plastic deposition hotspots. This study highlights the important role that biovectoring plays in plastic transport into coastal wetlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julián Cano-Povedano
- Department of Conservation Biology and Global Change, Estación Biológica de Doñana CSIC, Américo Vespucio 26, 41092 Sevilla, Spain.
| | - Cosme López-Calderón
- Department of Conservation Biology and Global Change, Estación Biológica de Doñana CSIC, Américo Vespucio 26, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Marta I Sánchez
- Department of Conservation Biology and Global Change, Estación Biológica de Doñana CSIC, Américo Vespucio 26, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Francisco Hortas
- Department of Biology, Institute of Marine Research (INMAR), University of Cadiz and European University of the Seas (SEA-EU), 11510 Puerto Real, Spain
| | - Belén Cañuelo-Jurado
- Department of Conservation Biology and Global Change, Estación Biológica de Doñana CSIC, Américo Vespucio 26, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Víctor Martín-Vélez
- Department of Conservation Biology and Global Change, Estación Biológica de Doñana CSIC, Américo Vespucio 26, 41092 Sevilla, Spain; Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Macarena Ros
- Departamento de Zoología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, Av. Reina Mercedes 6, 41012 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Andrés Cózar
- Department of Biology, Institute of Marine Research (INMAR), University of Cadiz and European University of the Seas (SEA-EU), 11510 Puerto Real, Spain
| | - Andy J Green
- Department of Conservation Biology and Global Change, Estación Biológica de Doñana CSIC, Américo Vespucio 26, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
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Herrero-Villar M, Taggart MA, Mateo R. Medicated livestock carcasses and landfill sites: Sources of highly toxic veterinary pharmaceuticals and caffeine for avian scavengers. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 459:132195. [PMID: 37541118 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023]
Abstract
Veterinary drugs are of concern in terms of potential environmental pollution and their negative impacts on avian scavengers. These pharmaceuticals reach vultures through the consumption of carcasses of previously treated livestock. Here, we analysed samples from livestock carcasses (n = 159), avian scavenger tissues (n = 116) and plasma (n = 312) for 49 compounds commonly used in veterinary medicine in Aragon (NE Spain) and nearby regions. Samples were analysed using liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS). We detected pharmaceuticals in 54.1% of livestock carcasses analysed (50.3% with antibiotics, 10.8% with NSAIDs). For veterinary pharmaceuticals in tissues and plasma from avian scavengers, we detected pharmaceuticals in 51.7% and 28.5% of samples, respectively. Antibiotics were detected in 50.9% and 25.3% while NSAIDs were determined in 6.0% and 5.5% of tissues and plasma from avian scavengers, respectively. Moreover, caffeine was detected in plasma in 73.7% of vultures sampled at landfill sites, indicating its usefulness as a biomarker of urban garbage ingestion. We found an association between livestock carcasses, especially pigs and chickens, and the presence of veterinary pharmaceuticals in avian scavengers. We highlight that carcass disposal for feeding avian scavengers must address the potential risks posed by veterinary pharmaceutical residues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Herrero-Villar
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos-IREC, CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain.
| | - Mark A Taggart
- Environmental Research Institute, University of the Highlands and Islands, Castle Street, Thurso, Caithness, Scotland KW14 7JD, UK
| | - Rafael Mateo
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos-IREC, CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
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Tesfahunegny W, Assefa A. Diversity and abundance of birds in dumpsites of Afar region, Ethiopia: implication for conservation. BMC ZOOL 2023; 8:16. [PMID: 37653462 PMCID: PMC10468859 DOI: 10.1186/s40850-023-00177-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dumpsites play key role in conservation of birds. A study was conducted to assess the diversity and abundance of birds in dumpsites of Afar region, Ethiopia from August, 2019 to March, 2020, covering both the wet and dry seasons. A total of nine dumpsites that contain domestic wastes found in different towns of Afar region were selected. Point count technique was employed to identify and count the birds. Shannon-Weiner diversity index was used to estimate species diversity and Two-way ANOVA was used to test birds' species richness and abundance variation across dumpsites and seasons. RESULTS A total of 48 bird species consisting of one endemic and 10 globally threatened species were recorded. Red-billed Quelea, Marabou Stork and Egyptian Vulture were the most abundant species. There was a significant difference in bird species richness and abundance among dumpsites (F = 8.44, df = 8, P < 0.05) and F = 15.507, df = 8, P < 0.05), respectively. Moreover, a significant difference in abundance was also observed between the two seasons (F = 19.339, df = 1, P < 0.05). The highest species diversity (H' = 3.18) was observed during wet season in Abala and Afambo dumpsites and the highest species evenness (E = 0.86) was observed during dry season in Afdera. CONCLUSION Bird species diversity and abundance among dumpsites was high, and man-made disturbance are main threats for conservation of birds in the area. Therefore, conservation measures are needed to maintain survival of birds mainly the globally threatened species. Moreover, proper management of dumpsites is vital to support the waste dependent birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weldemariam Tesfahunegny
- Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute, Mekelle Biodiversity Center, Animals Biodiversity Case Team, Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia
| | - Alembrhan Assefa
- Department of Biology, College of Natural and Computational Science, Aksum University, P.O. Box, 1010, Axum, Tigray, Ethiopia.
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Baumann C, Hussain ST, Roblíčková M, Riede F, Mannino MA, Bocherens H. Evidence for hunter-gatherer impacts on raven diet and ecology in the Gravettian of Southern Moravia. Nat Ecol Evol 2023; 7:1302-1314. [PMID: 37349568 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02107-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
The earlier Gravettian of Southern Moravia-the Pavlovian-is notable for the many raven bones (Corvus corax) documented in its faunal assemblages. On the basis of the rich zooarchaeological and settlement data from the Pavlovian, previous work suggested that common ravens were attracted by human domestic activities and subsequently captured by Pavlovian people, presumably for feathers and perhaps food. Here, we report independent δ15N, δ13C and δ34S stable isotope data obtained from 12 adult ravens from the Pavlovian key sites of Předmostí I, Pavlov I and Dolní Věstonice I to test this idea. We show that Pavlovian ravens regularly fed on larger herbivores and especially mammoths, aligning in feeding preferences with contemporaneous Gravettian foragers. We argue that opportunistic-generalist ravens were encouraged by human settlement and carcass provisioning. Our data may thus provide surprisingly early evidence for incipient synanthropism among Palaeolithic ravens. We suggest that anthropogenic manipulation of carrion supply dynamics furnished unique contexts for the emergence of human-oriented animal behaviours, in turn promoting novel human foraging opportunities-dynamics which are therefore important for understanding early hunter-gatherer ecosystem impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris Baumann
- Department of Geosciences and Geography, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Biogeology Research Group, Department of Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Shumon T Hussain
- Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
- BIOCHANGE - Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
- Center for Environmental Humanities (CEH), School of Culture and Society, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
| | | | - Felix Riede
- Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- BIOCHANGE - Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Marcello A Mannino
- Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Hervé Bocherens
- Biogeology Research Group, Department of Geosciences, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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López-Calderón C, Martín-Vélez V, Blas J, Höfle U, Sánchez MI, Flack A, Fiedler W, Wikelski M, Green AJ. White stork movements reveal the ecological connectivity between landfills and different habitats. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2023; 11:18. [PMID: 36978169 PMCID: PMC10045253 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-023-00380-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Connections between habitats are key to a full understanding of anthropic impacts on ecosystems. Freshwater habitats are especially biodiverse, yet depend on exchange with terrestrial habitats. White storks (Ciconia ciconia) are widespread opportunists that often forage in landfills and then visit wetlands, among other habitats. It is well known that white storks ingest contaminants at landfills (such as plastics and antibiotic resistant bacteria), which can be then deposited in other habitats through their faeces and regurgitated pellets. METHODS We characterized the role of white storks in habitat connectivity by analyzing GPS data from populations breeding in Germany and wintering from Spain to Morocco. We overlaid GPS tracks on a land-use surface to construct a spatially-explicit network in which nodes were sites, and links were direct flights. We then calculated centrality metrics, identified spatial modules, and quantified overall connections between habitat types. For regional networks in southern Spain and northern Morocco, we built Exponential Random Graph Models (ERGMs) to explain network topologies as a response to node habitat. RESULTS For Spain and Morocco combined, we built a directed spatial network with 114 nodes and 370 valued links. Landfills were the habitat type most connected to others, as measured by direct flights. The relevance of landfills was confirmed in both ERGMs, with significant positive effects of this habitat as a source of flights. In the ERGM for southern Spain, we found significant positive effects of rice fields and salines (solar saltworks) as sinks for flights. By contrast, in the ERGM for northern Morocco, we found a significant positive effect of marshes as a sink for flights. CONCLUSIONS These results illustrate how white storks connect landfills with terrestrial and aquatic habitats, some of which are managed for food production. We identified specific interconnected habitat patches across Spain and Morocco that could be used for further studies on biovectoring of pollutants, pathogens and other propagules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cosme López-Calderón
- Department of Wetland Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana CSIC, Seville, Spain.
| | - Víctor Martín-Vélez
- Department of Wetland Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana CSIC, Seville, Spain
| | - Julio Blas
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana CSIC, Seville, Spain
| | - Ursula Höfle
- SaBio Health and Biotechnology Research Group, Institute for Game and Wildlife Research (IREC), CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Marta I Sánchez
- Department of Wetland Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana CSIC, Seville, Spain
| | - Andrea Flack
- Collective Migration Group, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, 78315, Radolfzell, Germany
- Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behaviour, Radolfzell, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, 78468, Constance, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Constance, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Fiedler
- Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behaviour, Radolfzell, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, 78468, Constance, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Constance, Germany
| | - Martin Wikelski
- Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behaviour, Radolfzell, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, 78468, Constance, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Constance, Germany
| | - Andy J Green
- Department of Wetland Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana CSIC, Seville, Spain
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Marcelino J, Franco AMA, Acácio M, Soriano-Redondo A, Moreira F, Catry I. Anthropogenic food subsidies reshape the migratory behaviour of a long-distance migrant. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 858:159992. [PMID: 36356748 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Bird migratory journeys are often long and hostile, requiring high energetic expenditure, and thus forcing birds to pause between migratory flights. Stopover sites allow migrants to replenish fuel reserves and rest, being crucial for the success of migration. Worldwide, the increasing accumulation of waste on landfills and rubbish dumps has been described to provide superabundant food resources for many bird species not only during the breeding and wintering seasons but also during migration, being used as stopover sites. Using GPS-tracking data of juvenile white storks (Ciconia ciconia) during their first migration from the Iberia Peninsula to the sub-Saharan wintering grounds, we uncover the effects of stopping en route on individual migratory performance. Particularly, we examine the benefits of stopping at artificial sites (landfills and rubbish dumps) when compared to natural stopover sites (wetlands, agricultural or desert areas) and explore the influence of anthropogenic food resources on storks' migratory strategies. Overall, white storks spent up to one-third of the migration in stopovers. We found that birds that stopped for longer periods made more detours, increasing migration duration by half a day for each stopover day. Stopping more often did not reflect on increasing in-flight energetic efficiency nor the likelihood of completing the migration. Juvenile storks used artificial sites in 80 % of the stopover days, spending 45 % less time and 10 % less energy foraging than when using natural stopovers. While stopping in landfills did not translate into differences in migratory performance, individuals in poor body condition possibly rely on these sites to improve body weight before proceeding, enabling them to successfully complete migration. Artificial stopover sites are attractive and likely increase the number and duration of stops for white storks. Even though the consequences of arriving late at the wintering grounds are unknown, it can lead to cascading consequences, influencing individual fitness and population dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Marcelino
- Centre for Applied Ecology "Prof. Baeta Neves" (CEABN-InBIO), School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Tapada da Ajuda, Lisboa 1349-017, Portugal.
| | - A M A Franco
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - M Acácio
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK; School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - A Soriano-Redondo
- Helsinki Lab of Interdisciplinary Conservation Science (HELICS), Department of Geosciences and Geography, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science (HELSUS), University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal; CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
| | - F Moreira
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal; CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal; REN Biodiversity Chair, CIBIO/InBIO-UP, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, 4485-601 Vairão, Portugal
| | - I Catry
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal; CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal; REN Biodiversity Chair, CIBIO/InBIO-UP, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, 4485-601 Vairão, Portugal
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