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Luther DA, Wolfe JD, Johnson E, Stouffer PC, Batchelor J, Tarwater CE. Habitat use of Amazonian birds varies by age and foraging guild along a disturbance gradient. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20240866. [PMID: 38808444 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Patterns of habitat use directly influence a species' fitness, yet for many species an individual's age can influence patterns of habitat use. However, in tropical rainforests, which host the greatest terrestrial species diversity, little is known about how age classes of different species use different adjacent habitats of varying quality. We use long-term mist net data from the Amazon rainforest to assess patterns of habitat use among adult, adolescent (teenage) and young understory birds in forest fragments, primary and secondary forest at the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project in Brazil. Insectivore adults were most common in primary forest, adolescents were equally likely in primary and secondary forest, and all ages were the least common in forest fragments. In contrast to insectivores, frugivores and omnivores showed no differences among all three habitat types. Our results illustrate potential ideal despotic distributions among breeding populations of some guilds of understory birds where adult insectivores may competitively exclude adolescent individuals from primary forest. Secondary forest recovery appears to hold promise as a breeding habitat for frugivore and omnivore species but only as a pre-breeding habitat for insectivores, but as the forest ages, the demographic structure of bird populations should match that of primary forest.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Luther
- Biology Department, George Mason University, 4400 University Dr, Fairfax, VA, 22030, USA
| | - Jared D Wolfe
- College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI, USA
| | | | - Philip C Stouffer
- School of Renewable Natural Resources, Louisiana State University and Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA), Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Jacquelyn Batchelor
- Biology Department, George Mason University, 4400 University Dr, Fairfax, VA, 22030, USA
| | - Corey E Tarwater
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
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3
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Hao Z, Zhang C, Li L, Gao B, Wu R, Pei N, Liu Y. Anthropogenic noise and habitat structure shaping dominant frequency of bird sounds along urban gradients. iScience 2024; 27:109056. [PMID: 38362267 PMCID: PMC10867645 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The shifts of bird song frequencies in urbanized areas provide a unique system to understand avian acoustic responses to urbanization. Using passive acoustic monitoring and automatic bird sound recognition technology, we explored the frequency variations of six common urban bird species and their associations with habitat structures. Our results demonstrated that bird song frequencies in urban areas were significantly higher than those in peri-urban and rural areas. Anthropogenic noise and habitat structure were identified as crucial factors shaping the acoustic space for birds. We found that noise, urbanization, and open understory spaces are factors contributing to the increase in the dominant frequency of bird sounds. However, habitat variables such as vegetation density and tree height can potentially slow down this upward trend. These findings offer essential insights into the behavioral response of birds in a variety of urban forest habitats, with implications for urban ecosystem management and habitat restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zezhou Hao
- Research Institute of Tropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou 510520, China
| | - Chengyun Zhang
- School of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Le Li
- Research Institute of Tropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou 510520, China
| | - Bingtao Gao
- Research Institute of Tropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou 510520, China
| | - Ruichen Wu
- Research Institute of Tropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou 510520, China
| | - Nancai Pei
- Research Institute of Tropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Guangzhou 510520, China
| | - Yang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Ecology, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
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4
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Pollock HS, Rutt CL, Cooper WJ, Brawn JD, Cheviron ZA, Luther DA. Equivocal support for the climate variability hypothesis within a Neotropical bird assemblage. Ecology 2024; 105:e4206. [PMID: 37950619 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/13/2023]
Abstract
The climate variability hypothesis posits that an organism's exposure to temperature variability determines the breadth of its thermal tolerance and has become an important framework for understanding variation in species' susceptibilities to climate change. For example, ectotherms from more thermally stable environments tend to have narrower thermal tolerances and greater sensitivity to projected climate warming. Among endotherms, however, the relationship between climate variability and thermal physiology is less clear, particularly with regard to microclimate variation-small-scale differences within or between habitats. To address this gap, we explored associations between two sources of temperature variation (habitat type and vertical forest stratum) and (1) thermal physiological traits and (2) temperature sensitivity metrics within a diverse assemblage of Neotropical birds (n = 89 species). We used long-term temperature data to establish that daily temperature regimes in open habitats and forest canopy were both hotter and more variable than those in the forest interior and forest understory, respectively. Despite these differences in temperature regime, however, we found little evidence that species' thermal physiological traits or temperature sensitivity varied in association with either habitat type or vertical stratum. Our findings provide two novel and important insights. First, and in contrast to the supporting empirical evidence from ectotherms, the thermal physiology of birds at our study site appears to be largely decoupled from local temperature variation, providing equivocal support for the climate variability hypothesis in endotherms. Second, we found no evidence that the thermal physiology of understory forest birds differed from that of canopy or open-habitat species-an oft-invoked, yet previously untested, mechanism for why these species are so vulnerable to environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry S Pollock
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Cameron L Rutt
- Department of Biology, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, USA
- American Bird Conservancy, The Plains, Virginia, USA
| | | | - Jeffrey D Brawn
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Zachary A Cheviron
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
| | - David A Luther
- Department of Biology, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, USA
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5
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Ausprey IJ, Newell FL, Robinson SK. Sensitivity of tropical montane birds to anthropogenic disturbance and management strategies for their conservation in agricultural landscapes. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2023; 37:e14136. [PMID: 37377175 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Tropical montane bird communities are hypothesized to be highly sensitive to anthropogenic disturbance because species are adapted to a narrow range of environmental conditions and display high rates of endemism. We assessed avian sensitivity at regional and continental scales for a global epicenter of montane bird biodiversity, the tropical Andes. Using data from an intensive field study of cloud forest bird communities across 7 landscapes undergoing agricultural conversion in northern Peru (1800-3100 m, 2016-2017) and a pan-Andean synthesis of forest bird sensitivity, we developed management strategies for maintaining avian biodiversity in tropical countrysides and examined how environmental specialization predicts species-specific sensitivity to disturbance. In Peru, bird communities occupying countryside habitats contained 29-93% fewer species compared with those in forests and were compositionally distinct due to high levels of species turnover. Fragments of mature forest acted as reservoirs for forest bird diversity, especially when large or surrounded by mixed successional vegetation. In high-intensity agricultural plots, an addition of 10 silvopasture trees or 10% more fencerows per hectare increased species richness by 18-20%. Insectivores and frugivores were most sensitive to disturbance: abundance of 40-70% of species declined in early successional vegetation and silvopasture. These results were supported by our synthesis of 816 montane bird species studied across the Andes. At least 25% of the species declined due to all forms of disturbance, and the percentage rose to 60% in agricultural landscapes. The most sensitive species were those with narrow elevational ranges and small global range sizes, insectivores and carnivores, and species with specialized trophic niches. We recommend protecting forest fragments, especially large ones, and increasing connectivity through the maintenance of early successional vegetation and silvopastoral trees that increase avian diversity in pastures. We provide lists of species-specific sensitivities to anthropogenic disturbance to inform conservation status assessments of Andean birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian J Ausprey
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Division of Conservation Biology, Institute of Ecology & Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Felicity L Newell
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Division of Conservation Biology, Institute of Ecology & Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Scott K Robinson
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
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6
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Sayers CJ, Evers DC, Ruiz-Gutierrez V, Adams E, Vega CM, Pisconte JN, Tejeda V, Regan K, Lane OP, Ash AA, Cal R, Reneau S, Martínez W, Welch G, Hartwell K, Teul M, Tzul D, Arendt WJ, Tórrez MA, Watsa M, Erkenswick G, Moore CE, Gerson J, Sánchez V, Purizaca RP, Yurek H, Burton MEH, Shrum PL, Tabares-Segovia S, Vargas K, Fogarty FF, Charette MR, Martínez AE, Bernhardt ES, Taylor RJ, Tear TH, Fernandez LE. Mercury in Neotropical birds: a synthesis and prospectus on 13 years of exposure data. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2023; 32:1096-1123. [PMID: 37907784 PMCID: PMC10622370 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-023-02706-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Environmental mercury (Hg) contamination of the global tropics outpaces our understanding of its consequences for biodiversity. Knowledge gaps of pollution exposure could obscure conservation threats in the Neotropics: a region that supports over half of the world's species, but faces ongoing land-use change and Hg emission via artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM). Due to their global distribution and sensitivity to pollution, birds provide a valuable opportunity as bioindicators to assess how accelerating Hg emissions impact an ecosystem's ability to support biodiversity, and ultimately, global health. We present the largest database on Neotropical bird Hg concentrations (n = 2316) and establish exposure baselines for 322 bird species spanning nine countries across Central America, South America, and the West Indies. Patterns of avian Hg exposure in the Neotropics broadly align with those in temperate regions: consistent bioaccumulation across functional groups and high spatiotemporal variation. Bird species occupying higher trophic positions and aquatic habitats exhibited elevated Hg concentrations that have been previously associated with reductions in reproductive success. Notably, bird Hg concentrations were over four times higher at sites impacted by ASGM activities and differed by season for certain trophic niches. We developed this synthesis via a collaborative research network, the Tropical Research for Avian Conservation and Ecotoxicology (TRACE) Initiative, which exemplifies inclusive, equitable, and international data-sharing. While our findings signal an urgent need to assess sampling biases, mechanisms, and consequences of Hg exposure to tropical avian communities, the TRACE Initiative provides a meaningful framework to achieve such goals. Ultimately, our collective efforts support and inform local, scientific, and government entities, including Parties of the United Nations Minamata Convention on Mercury, as we continue working together to understand how Hg pollution impacts biodiversity conservation, ecosystem function, and public health in the tropics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Sayers
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- Center for Mercury Studies, Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA.
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazónica, Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, 17000, Peru.
| | - David C Evers
- Center for Mercury Studies, Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | | | - Evan Adams
- Center for Mercury Studies, Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Claudia M Vega
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazónica, Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, 17000, Peru
- Department of Biology, Center for Energy, Environment and Sustainability, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, 27106, USA
| | - Jessica N Pisconte
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazónica, Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, 17000, Peru
| | - Vania Tejeda
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazónica, Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, 17000, Peru
| | - Kevin Regan
- Center for Mercury Studies, Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Oksana P Lane
- Center for Mercury Studies, Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Abidas A Ash
- Environmental Research Institute, University of Belize, Price Center Road, P.O. Box 340, Belmopan, Cayo District, Belize
| | - Reynold Cal
- Foundation for Wildlife Conservation, Tropical Education Center, 28 George Price Highway, P.O. Box 368, La Democracia, Belize District, Belize
| | - Stevan Reneau
- Foundation for Wildlife Conservation, Tropical Education Center, 28 George Price Highway, P.O. Box 368, La Democracia, Belize District, Belize
| | - Wilber Martínez
- Foundation for Wildlife Conservation, Tropical Education Center, 28 George Price Highway, P.O. Box 368, La Democracia, Belize District, Belize
| | - Gilroy Welch
- Foundation for Wildlife Conservation, Tropical Education Center, 28 George Price Highway, P.O. Box 368, La Democracia, Belize District, Belize
| | - Kayla Hartwell
- Foundation for Wildlife Conservation, Tropical Education Center, 28 George Price Highway, P.O. Box 368, La Democracia, Belize District, Belize
| | - Mario Teul
- Foundation for Wildlife Conservation, Tropical Education Center, 28 George Price Highway, P.O. Box 368, La Democracia, Belize District, Belize
| | - David Tzul
- Foundation for Wildlife Conservation, Tropical Education Center, 28 George Price Highway, P.O. Box 368, La Democracia, Belize District, Belize
| | - Wayne J Arendt
- International Institute of Tropical Forestry, USDA Forest Service, 1201 Calle Ceiba, Jardín Botánico Sur, San Juan, 00926-1119, Puerto Rico
| | - Marvin A Tórrez
- Instituto Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Centroamericana, Managua, Nicaragua
| | - Mrinalini Watsa
- Beckman Center for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, P.O. Box 120551, San Diego, CA, 92112, USA
- Field Projects International, Escondido, CA, 92029, USA
| | | | - Caroline E Moore
- Beckman Center for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, P.O. Box 120551, San Diego, CA, 92112, USA
| | - Jacqueline Gerson
- Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Victor Sánchez
- Instituto de Investigación en Ecología y Conservación, Trujillo, Peru
| | - Raúl Pérez Purizaca
- Universidad Nacional de Piura, Urb. Miraflores S/N, Castilla, 20002, Piura, Peru
| | - Helen Yurek
- Center for Mercury Studies, Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Mark E H Burton
- Center for Mercury Studies, Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Peggy L Shrum
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Biology, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, 29634, USA
| | | | - Korik Vargas
- Center for Mercury Studies, Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Finola F Fogarty
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Toucan Ridge Ecology and Education Society, 27.5 Miles Hummingbird Hwy, Stann Creek, Belize
| | - Mathieu R Charette
- Toucan Ridge Ecology and Education Society, 27.5 Miles Hummingbird Hwy, Stann Creek, Belize
| | - Ari E Martínez
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
| | | | - Robert J Taylor
- Department of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Timothy H Tear
- Center for Mercury Studies, Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Luis E Fernandez
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazónica, Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, 17000, Peru
- Department of Biology, Center for Energy, Environment and Sustainability, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, 27106, USA
- Department of Global Ecology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
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