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Aharon-Rotman Y, McEvoy JF, Kiat Y, Raz T, Perlman GY. Time to Move On: The Role of Greenness in Africa and Temperatures at a Mediterranean Stopover Site in Migration Decision of Long-Distance Migratory Passerines. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.834074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Many migratory species have advanced their migration timing as a response to advanced breeding conditions. While data on arrival timing to breeding grounds in Europe is plentiful, information from the African departure sites are scarce. Here we investigated changes in arrival timing of four long-distance migratory passerines to a stopover site in Israel and potential links to Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) at the species-specific African pre-departure sites and local temperatures at the stopover site. We found that Lesser whitethroat (Curruca curruca) and Eastern Bonelli’s warbler (Phylloscopus orientalis) advanced arrival to the stopover site. The arrival timing of Thrush nightingale (Luscinia luscinia) and Olive-tree warbler (Hippolais olivetorum) did not change and was associated with mean EVI at the pre-departure site in Africa during the pre-migratory period. Additionally, temperatures at the stopover site affected the arrival timing of Lesser whitethroat only. This is probably because this species breed at higher northern latitudes and fine-tune their migration timing to match local conditions. Our results show that spring migration can be influenced by exogenous cues such as weather condition and food availability, and the level of response is species-specific. Moreover, some species show flexibility and fine-tuned migration speed in response to local conditions en route. While flexibility seems advantageous, dependence on multiple sites with varying conditions may ultimately limit advanced arrival to the breeding ground and result in mismatch with optimal conditions.
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Lopes B, McEvoy JF, Morato RG, Luz HR, Costa FB, Benatti HR, Dias TDC, Rocha VJ, Ramos VDN, Piovezan U, Monticelli PF, Nievas AM, Pacheco RC, Moro MEG, Brasil J, Leimgruber P, Labruna MB, Ferraz KMPMDB. Corrigendum to: Human-modified landscapes alter home range and movement patterns of capybaras. J Mammal 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyab161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Lopes
- Departamento de Ciências Florestais, Escola Superior de Agricultura “Luiz de Queiroz”, Universidade de São Paulo, Piracicaba, SP, Brasil
| | - John F McEvoy
- Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, United State
| | - Ronaldo Gonçalves Morato
- Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Mamíferos Carnívoros, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade, Atibaia, SP, Brasil
| | - Hermes R Luz
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Biotecnologia/Renorbio, Ponto Focal Maranhão, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brasil
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Francisco B Costa
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Estadual do Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brasil
| | - Hector Ribeiro Benatti
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Thiago da Costa Dias
- Departamento de Ciências da Natureza, Matemática e educação, Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Araras, SP, Brasil
| | - Vlamir José Rocha
- Departamento de Ciências da Natureza, Matemática e educação, Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Araras, SP, Brasil
| | | | | | - Patricia Ferreira Monticelli
- Departamento de Psicologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil
| | - Ana Maria Nievas
- Departamento de Psicologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil
| | - Richard Campos Pacheco
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, MT, Brasil
| | - Maria Estela Gaglianone Moro
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos, Universidade de São Paulo, Pirassununga, SP, Brasil
| | - Jardel Brasil
- Secretaria Municipal de Saúde de Americana, Prefeitura de Americana, Americana, SP, Brasil
| | - Peter Leimgruber
- Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, United State
| | - Marcelo B Labruna
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
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Aharon-Rotman Y, McEvoy JF, Beckmann C, Geiser F. Heterothermy in a Small Passerine: Eastern Yellow Robins Use Nocturnal Torpor in Winter. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.759726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Torpor is a controlled reduction of metabolism and body temperature, and its appropriate use allows small birds to adapt to and survive challenging conditions. However, despite its great energy conservation potential, torpor use by passerine birds is understudied although they are small and comprise over half of extant bird species. Here, we first determined whether a free-living, small ∼20 g Australian passerine, the eastern yellow robin (Eopsaltria australis), expresses torpor by measuring skin temperature (Ts) as a proxy for body temperature. Second, we tested if skin temperature fluctuated in relation to ambient temperature (Ta). We found that the Ts of eastern yellow robins fluctuated during winter by 9.1 ± 3.9°C on average (average minimum Ts 30.1 ± 2.3°C), providing the first evidence of torpor expression in this species. Daily minimum Ts decreased with Ta, reducing the estimated metabolic rate by as much as 32%. We hope that our results will encourage further studies to expand our knowledge on the use of torpor in wild passerines. The implications of such studies are important because species with highly flexible energy requirements may have an advantage over strict homeotherms during the current increasing frequency of extreme and unpredictable weather events, driven by changing climate.
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Esmaeili S, Jesmer BR, Albeke SE, Aikens EO, Schoenecker KA, King SRB, Abrahms B, Buuveibaatar B, Beck JL, Boone RB, Cagnacci F, Chamaillé-Jammes S, Chimeddorj B, Cross PC, Dejid N, Enkhbyar J, Fischhoff IR, Ford AT, Jenks K, Hemami MR, Hennig JD, Ito TY, Kaczensky P, Kauffman MJ, Linnell JDC, Lkhagvasuren B, McEvoy JF, Melzheimer J, Merkle JA, Mueller T, Muntifering J, Mysterud A, Olson KA, Panzacchi M, Payne JC, Pedrotti L, Rauset GR, Rubenstein DI, Sawyer H, Scasta JD, Signer J, Songer M, Stabach JA, Stapleton S, Strand O, Sundaresan SR, Usukhjargal D, Uuganbayar G, Fryxell JM, Goheen JR. Body size and digestive system shape resource selection by ungulates: A cross-taxa test of the forage maturation hypothesis. Ecol Lett 2021; 24:2178-2191. [PMID: 34311513 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The forage maturation hypothesis (FMH) states that energy intake for ungulates is maximised when forage biomass is at intermediate levels. Nevertheless, metabolic allometry and different digestive systems suggest that resource selection should vary across ungulate species. By combining GPS relocations with remotely sensed data on forage characteristics and surface water, we quantified the effect of body size and digestive system in determining movements of 30 populations of hindgut fermenters (equids) and ruminants across biomes. Selection for intermediate forage biomass was negatively related to body size, regardless of digestive system. Selection for proximity to surface water was stronger for equids relative to ruminants, regardless of body size. To be more generalisable, we suggest that the FMH explicitly incorporate contingencies in body size and digestive system, with small-bodied ruminants selecting more strongly for potential energy intake, and hindgut fermenters selecting more strongly for surface water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saeideh Esmaeili
- Department of Zoology and Physiology and Program in Ecology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
| | - Brett R Jesmer
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.,Center for Biodiversity and Global Change, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Shannon E Albeke
- Wyoming Geographic Information Science Center, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
| | - Ellen O Aikens
- Department of Zoology and Physiology and Program in Ecology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
| | - Kathryn A Schoenecker
- US Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, CO, USA.,Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, Warner College of Natural Resources, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Sarah R B King
- Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, Warner College of Natural Resources, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Briana Abrahms
- Center for Ecosystem Sentinels, Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Jeffrey L Beck
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
| | - Randall B Boone
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability and the Natural Resources Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Francesca Cagnacci
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all'Adige, Italy
| | - Simon Chamaillé-Jammes
- CEFE, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Université Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, Montpellier, France.,Department of Zoology & Entomology, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Buyanaa Chimeddorj
- Mongolia Program Office, World Wide Fund for Nature, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Paul C Cross
- U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Nandintsetseg Dejid
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Frankfurt (Main), Germany
| | | | | | - Adam T Ford
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia, Okanagan, BC, Canada
| | | | - Mahmoud-Reza Hemami
- Department of Natural Resources, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Jacob D Hennig
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
| | - Takehiko Y Ito
- Arid Land Research Center, Tottori University, Tottori, Japan.,International Platform for Dryland Research and Education, Tottori University, Tottori, Japan
| | - Petra Kaczensky
- Department of Terrestrial Biodiversity, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Trondheim, Norway.,Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Sciences, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Koppang, Norway
| | - Matthew J Kauffman
- Department of Zoology and Physiology and Program in Ecology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA.,U.S. Geological Survey, Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Laramie, WY, USA
| | - John D C Linnell
- Department of Terrestrial Biodiversity, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Koppang, Norway
| | - Badamjav Lkhagvasuren
- Institute of General and Experimental Biology, Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - John F McEvoy
- Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, USA
| | - Joerg Melzheimer
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jerod A Merkle
- Department of Zoology and Physiology and Program in Ecology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
| | - Thomas Mueller
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Frankfurt (Main), Germany.,Department of Biological Sciences, Goethe University, Frankfurt (Main), Germany
| | - Jeff Muntifering
- Minnesota Zoo, Apple Valley, MN, USA.,Namibia University of Science and Technology, Windhoek, Namibia
| | - Atle Mysterud
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Norway
| | - Kirk A Olson
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Mongolia Program, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Manuela Panzacchi
- Department of Terrestrial ecology, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Trondheim, Norway
| | - John C Payne
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Mongolia Program, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.,Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Luca Pedrotti
- Stelvio-Stilfserjoch National Park, Bormio, SO, Italy
| | - Geir R Rauset
- Department of Terrestrial ecology, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Daniel I Rubenstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Hall Sawyer
- Western Ecosystems Technology, Inc, Laramie, WY, USA
| | - John D Scasta
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
| | - Johannes Signer
- Wildlife Sciences, Faculty of Forest and Forest Ecology, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Melissa Songer
- Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, USA
| | - Jared A Stabach
- Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, USA
| | | | - Olav Strand
- Department of Terrestrial ecology, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Trondheim, Norway
| | | | | | | | - John M Fryxell
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Jacob R Goheen
- Department of Zoology and Physiology and Program in Ecology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
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5
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McEvoy JF, Kishbaugh JC, Valitutto MT, Aung O, Tun KYN, Win YT, Maw MT, Thein WZ, Win HH, Chit AM, Vodzak ME, Murray S. Movements of Indian Flying Fox in Myanmar as a Guide to Human-Bat Interface Sites. Ecohealth 2021; 18:204-216. [PMID: 34448977 PMCID: PMC8390844 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-021-01544-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Frugivorous bats play a vital role in tropical ecosystems as pollinators and seed dispersers but are also important vectors of zoonotic diseases. Myanmar sits at the intersection of numerous bioregions and contains habitats that are important for many endangered and endemic species. This rapidly developing country also forms a connection between hotspots of emerging human diseases. We deployed Global Positioning System collars to track the movements of 10 Indian flying fox (Pteropus giganteus) in the agricultural landscapes of central Myanmar. We used clustering analysis to identify foraging sites and high-utilization areas. As part of a larger viral surveillance study in bats of Myanmar, we also collected oral and rectal swab samples from 29 bats to test for key emerging viral diseases in this colony. There were no positive results detected for our chosen viruses. We analyzed their foraging movement behavior and evaluated selected foraging sites for their potential as human-wildlife interface sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- John F McEvoy
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA.
| | - Jennifer C Kishbaugh
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA
| | - Marc T Valitutto
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA
| | - Ohnmar Aung
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA
| | - Kyaw Yan Naing Tun
- Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Ye Tun Win
- Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Min Thein Maw
- Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Wai Zin Thein
- Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Htay Htay Win
- Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Aung Myo Chit
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA
| | - Megan E Vodzak
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA
| | - Suzan Murray
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA
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Lopes B, McEvoy JF, Morato RG, Luz HR, Costa FB, Benatti HR, Dias TDC, Rocha VJ, Ramos VDN, Piovezan U, Monticelli PF, Nievas AM, Pacheco RC, Moro MEG, Brasil J, Leimgruber P, Labruna MB, Ferraz KMPMDB. Human-modified landscapes alter home range and movement patterns of capybaras. J Mammal 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyaa144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The expansion of human activity forces species to co-exist with people in human-modified landscapes (HMLs). However, living in HMLs demands behavioral adaptations, and the proximity between wildlife and people heightens human–wildlife conflicts. Capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) is a thriving rodent species in HMLs in Brazil and as such, is involved in human–wildlife conflicts, such as vehicle collisions and transmission of Brazilian spotted fever (BSF). Despite their public importance, the effects of HMLs on capybara movement behavior have never been investigated. Our study aimed to investigate changes in home range, ranging pattern, and activity, for capybaras in six HMLs and two natural landscapes (NLs) by monitoring capybaras with GPS collars. We found home ranges 2.43 times greater in NLs than in HMLs and differences in ranging pattern in HMLs. Capybaras tended to be more nocturnal and move shorter distances across HMLs than NLs. Our results confirm the impacts of the HMLs altering capybara movement. The aggregation of capybaras in very small home ranges might imply on greater risks of tick infestations. In addition, capybara–vehicle collision may be increased during capybaras’ nocturnal activity. Therefore, we recommend that transportation agencies avoid the construction of transportation infrastructures (roads, railways, airstrips) in capybaras’ home ranges, which should be of restricted access to people in BSF endemic areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Lopes
- Departamento de Ciências Florestais, Escola Superior de Agricultura “Luiz de Queiroz”, Universidade de São Paulo, Piracicaba, SP, Brasil
| | - John F McEvoy
- Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, United State
| | - Ronaldo Gonçalves Morato
- Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Mamíferos Carnívoros, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade, Atibaia, SP, Brasil
| | - Hermes R Luz
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Biotecnologia/Renorbio, Ponto Focal Maranhão, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brasil
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Francisco B Costa
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Estadual do Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brasil
| | - Hector Ribeiro Benatti
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Thiago da Costa Dias
- Departamento de Ciências da Natureza, Matemática e educação, Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Araras, SP, Brasil
| | - Vlamir José Rocha
- Departamento de Ciências da Natureza, Matemática e educação, Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Araras, SP, Brasil
| | | | | | - Patricia Ferreira Monticelli
- Departamento de Psicologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil
| | - Ana Maria Nievas
- Departamento de Psicologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil
| | - Richard Campos Pacheco
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, MT, Brasil
| | - Maria Estela Gaglianone Moro
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos, Universidade de São Paulo, Pirassununga, SP, Brasil
| | - Jardel Brasil
- Secretaria Municipal de Saúde de Americana, Prefeitura de Americana, Americana, SP, Brasil
| | - Peter Leimgruber
- Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, United State
| | - Marcelo B Labruna
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
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McEvoy JF, Ribot RFH, Wingfield JC, Bennett ATD. Heavy rainfall triggers increased nocturnal flight in desert populations of the Pacific black duck (Anas superciliosa). Sci Rep 2017; 7:17557. [PMID: 29242630 PMCID: PMC5730603 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-17859-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2017] [Accepted: 11/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding of avian nocturnal flight comes mainly from northern hemisphere species in seasonal temperate ecosystems where nocturnal flight is often precisely timed and entrained by annual photoperiod. Here we investigate patterns of nocturnal flight in waterbirds of Australian desert ecosystems that fly considerable distances to find temporary water bodies formed from rainfall which is highly unpredictable seasonally and spatially, and when there is sufficient water, they then breed. How they perform these feats of navigation and physiology remain poorly known. Using GPS tracking of 38 satellite tagged Pacific black ducks (Anas superciliosa) in two contrasting ecosystems, before and after heavy rainfall we revealed a key role for facultative nocturnal flight in the movement ecology of this species. After large rainfall events, birds rapidly increased nocturnal flight activity in the arid aseasonal ecosystem, but not in the mesic seasonal one. Nocturnal flights occurred throughout the night in both ecosystems. Long range flights (>50 km in 2 hours) occurred almost exclusively at night; at night the distance flown was higher than during the day, birds visited more locations, and the locations were more widely dispersed. Our work reveals that heavy rainfall triggers increased nocturnal flight activity in desert populations of waterbirds.
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Affiliation(s)
- J F McEvoy
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA, 22630, USA.
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Locked Bag 20000, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia.
| | - R F H Ribot
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Locked Bag 20000, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia
| | - J C Wingfield
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behaviour, University of California One Shields Avenue, Davis, California, 95616, USA
| | - A T D Bennett
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Locked Bag 20000, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia
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8
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McEvoy JF, Hall GP, McDonald PG. Evaluation of unmanned aerial vehicle shape, flight path and camera type for waterfowl surveys: disturbance effects and species recognition. PeerJ 2016; 4:e1831. [PMID: 27020132 PMCID: PMC4806640 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.1831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2015] [Accepted: 03/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for ecological research has grown rapidly in recent years, but few studies have assessed the disturbance impacts of these tools on focal subjects, particularly when observing easily disturbed species such as waterfowl. In this study we assessed the level of disturbance that a range of UAV shapes and sizes had on free-living, non-breeding waterfowl surveyed in two sites in eastern Australia between March and May 2015, as well as the capability of airborne digital imaging systems to provide adequate resolution for unambiguous species identification of these taxa. We found little or no obvious disturbance effects on wild, mixed-species flocks of waterfowl when UAVs were flown at least 60m above the water level (fixed wing models) or 40m above individuals (multirotor models). Disturbance in the form of swimming away from the UAV through to leaving the water surface and flying away from the UAV was visible at lower altitudes and when fixed-wing UAVs either approached subjects directly or rapidly changed altitude and/or direction near animals. Using tangential approach flight paths that did not cause disturbance, commercially available onboard optical equipment was able to capture images of sufficient quality to identify waterfowl and even much smaller taxa such as swallows. Our results show that with proper planning of take-off and landing sites, flight paths and careful UAV model selection, UAVs can provide an excellent tool for accurately surveying wild waterfowl populations and provide archival data with fewer logistical issues than traditional methods such as manned aerial surveys.
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Affiliation(s)
- John F McEvoy
- Centre for Behavioural and Physiological Ecology, Zoology, University of New England , Armidale, NSW , Australia
| | - Graham P Hall
- Centre for Behavioural and Physiological Ecology, Zoology, University of New England , Armidale, NSW , Australia
| | - Paul G McDonald
- Centre for Behavioural and Physiological Ecology, Zoology, University of New England , Armidale, NSW , Australia
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9
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McEvoy JF, Roshier DA, Ribot RFH, Bennett ATD. Proximate cues to phases of movement in a highly dispersive waterfowl, Anas superciliosa. Mov Ecol 2015; 3:21. [PMID: 26331024 PMCID: PMC4556217 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-015-0048-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2015] [Accepted: 06/25/2015] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Waterfowl can exploit distant ephemeral wetlands in arid environments and provide valuable insights into the response of birds to rapid environmental change, and behavioural flexibility of avian movements. Currently much of our understanding of behavioural flexibility of avian movement comes from studies of migration in seasonally predictable biomes in the northern hemisphere. We used GPS transmitters to track 20 Pacific black duck (Anas superciliosa) in arid central Australia. We exploited La Niña conditions that brought extensive flooding, so allowing a rare opportunity to investigate how weather and other environmental factors predict initiation of long distance movement toward freshly flooded habitats. We employed behavioural change point analysis to identify three phases of movement: sedentary, exploratory and long distance oriented movement. We then used random forest models to determine the ability of meteorological and remote sensed landscape variables to predict initiation of these phases. RESULTS We found that initiation of exploratory movement phases is influenced by fluctuations in local weather conditions and accumulated rainfall in the landscape. Initiation of long distance movement phases was found to be highly individualistic with minor influence from local weather conditions. CONCLUSIONS Our study reveals how individuals utilise local conditions to respond to changes in resource distribution at broad scales. Our findings suggest that individual movement decisions of dispersive birds are informed by the integration of multiple weather cues operating at different temporal and spatial scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- John F. McEvoy
- />Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Locked Bag 20000, Geelong, VIC 3220 Australia
- />Zoology, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351 Australia
| | - David A. Roshier
- />Australian Wildlife Conservancy, PO Box 6621, Halifax Street, Adelaide, SA 5000 Australia
| | - Raoul F. H. Ribot
- />Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Locked Bag 20000, Geelong, VIC 3220 Australia
| | - Andy T. D. Bennett
- />Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Locked Bag 20000, Geelong, VIC 3220 Australia
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Abstract
This study investigated adherence to low back pain rehabilitation in the clinical setting. Adherence was assessed in 105 (71 male and 34 female) patients attending private physiotherapy clinics for rehabilitation of low back pain. Three aspects of adherence were measured over the 4-week study period: attendance at clinic-based rehabilitation sessions, adherence to a home exercise component of rehabilitation, and adherence to activities and advice during clinic-based rehabilitation. Rehabilitation outcome was measured using the Patients' Measure of Perceived Rehabilitation (McDonald & Hardy 1990) and the Physiotherapists' Measure of Perceived Rehabilitation (McDonald & Hardy 1990). It was found that patients attended 87.7% of their scheduled physiotherapy rehabilitation appointments and reported completing 71.6% of their prescribed home exercises. In relation to adherence to clinic-based rehabilitation activities (as measured by the Sport Injury Rehabilitation Adherence Scale, Brewer et al. 2000), patients scored an average of 11.6/15. Although no gender differences were found, compensable patients adhered significantly less to clinic-based rehabilitation activities than did their non-compensable counterparts. Further, it was found that higher levels of adherence to clinic-based activities significantly predicted both the patients' and physiotherapists' perception of degree of rehabilitation at the end of the 4-week rehabilitation period. These findings are discussed in relation to rehabilitation strategies for physiotherapists.
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Affiliation(s)
- G S Kolt
- Faculty of Health, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand.
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