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Franklin KA, Norris K, Gill JA, Ratcliffe N, Bonnet-Lebrun AS, Butler SJ, Cole NC, Jones CG, Lisovski S, Ruhomaun K, Tatayah V, Nicoll MAC. Individual consistency in migration strategies of a tropical seabird, the Round Island petrel. Mov Ecol 2022; 10:13. [PMID: 35287747 PMCID: PMC8919588 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-022-00311-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In migratory species, the extent of within- and between-individual variation in migratory strategies can influence potential rates and directions of responses to environmental changes. Quantifying this variation requires tracking of many individuals on repeated migratory journeys. At temperate and higher latitudes, low levels of within-individual variation in migratory behaviours are common and may reflect repeated use of predictable resources in these seasonally-structured environments. However, variation in migratory behaviours in the tropics, where seasonal predictability of food resources can be weaker, remains largely unknown. METHODS Round Island petrels (Pterodroma sp.) are tropical, pelagic seabirds that breed all year round and perform long-distance migrations. Using multi-year geolocator tracking data from 62 individuals between 2009 and 2018, we quantify levels of within- and between-individual variation in non-breeding distributions and timings. RESULTS We found striking levels of between-individual variation in at-sea movements and timings, with non-breeding migrations to different areas occurring across much of the Indian Ocean and throughout the whole year. Despite this, repeat-tracking of individual petrels revealed remarkably high levels of spatial and temporal consistency in within-individual migratory behaviour, particularly for petrels that departed at similar times in different years and for those departing in the austral summer. However, while the same areas were used by individuals in different years, they were not necessarily used at the same times during the non-breeding period. CONCLUSIONS Even in tropical systems with huge ranges of migratory routes and timings, our results suggest benefits of consistency in individual migratory behaviours. Identifying the factors that drive and maintain between-individual variation in migratory behaviour, and the consequences for breeding success and survival, will be key to understanding the consequences of environmental change across migratory ranges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsty A Franklin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK.
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, UK.
| | - Ken Norris
- Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, UK
| | - Jennifer A Gill
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Norman Ratcliffe
- British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Simon J Butler
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Nik C Cole
- Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Les Augrès Manor, Trinity, Jersey, UK
- Mauritian Wildlife Foundation, Grannum Road, Vacoas, Mauritius
| | - Carl G Jones
- Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Les Augrès Manor, Trinity, Jersey, UK
- Mauritian Wildlife Foundation, Grannum Road, Vacoas, Mauritius
| | - Simeon Lisovski
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Kevin Ruhomaun
- National Parks and Conservation Service (Government of Mauritius), Reduit, Mauritius
| | - Vikash Tatayah
- Mauritian Wildlife Foundation, Grannum Road, Vacoas, Mauritius
| | - Malcolm A C Nicoll
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, UK
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Green CP, Ratcliffe N, Mattern T, Thompson D, Lea MA, Wotherspoon S, Borboroglu PG, Ellenberg U, Morrison KW, Pütz K, Sagar PM, Seddon PJ, Torres LG, Hindell MA. The role of allochrony in influencing interspecific differences in foraging distribution during the non-breeding season between two congeneric crested penguin species. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0262901. [PMID: 35139102 PMCID: PMC8827451 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0262901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Mechanisms promoting coexistence between closely related species are fundamental for maintaining species diversity. Mechanisms of niche differentiation include allochrony which offsets the peak timing of resource utilisation between species. Many studies focus on spatial and temporal niche partitioning during the breeding season, few have investigated the role allochrony plays in influencing interspecific segregation of foraging distribution and ecology between congeneric species during the non-breeding season. We investigated the non-breeding migrations of Snares (Eudyptes robustus) and Fiordland penguins (Eudyptes pachyrhynchus), closely related species breeding between 100-350 km apart whose migration phenology differs by two months. Using light geolocation tracking, we examined the degree of overlap given the observed allochrony and a hypothetical scenario where the species commence migration simultaneously. We found that Fiordland penguins migrated to the Sub-Antarctic Frontal Zone and Polar Frontal Zone in the austral autumn whereas Snares penguins disperse westwards staying north of the Sub-Tropical Front in the austral winter. Our results suggest that allochrony is likely to be at the root of segregation because the relative profitability of the different water masses that the penguins forage in changes seasonally which results in the two species utilising different areas over their core non-breeding periods. Furthermore, allochrony reduces relatively higher levels of spatiotemporal overlap during the departure and arrival periods, when the close proximity of the two species' colonies would cause the birds to congregate in similar areas, resulting in high interspecific competition just before the breeding season. Available evidence from other studies suggests that the shift in phenology between these species has arisen from adaptive radiation and phenological matching to the seasonality of local resource availability during the breeding season and reduced competitive overlap over the non-breeding season is likely to be an incidental outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara-Paige Green
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | | | - Thomas Mattern
- New Zealand Penguin Initiative, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Global Penguin Society, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
| | - David Thompson
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd., Hataitai, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Mary-Anne Lea
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
- Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Simon Wotherspoon
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
- Australian Antarctic Division, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Kingston, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Pablo Garcia Borboroglu
- New Zealand Penguin Initiative, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Global Penguin Society, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
- Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos (CESIMAR–CONICET), Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
| | - Ursula Ellenberg
- Global Penguin Society, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Kyle W. Morrison
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd., Hataitai, Wellington, New Zealand
| | | | - Paul M. Sagar
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd., Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Philip J. Seddon
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Leigh G. Torres
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Marine Mammal Institute, Oregon State University, Newport, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Mark A. Hindell
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
- Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
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Bladon AJ, Donald PF, Collar NJ, Denge J, Dadacha G, Wondafrash M, Green RE. Climatic change and extinction risk of two globally threatened Ethiopian endemic bird species. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0249633. [PMID: 34010302 PMCID: PMC8133463 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0249633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change is having profound effects on the distributions of species globally. Trait-based assessments predict that specialist and range-restricted species are among those most likely to be at risk of extinction from such changes. Understanding individual species’ responses to climate change is therefore critical for informing conservation planning. We use an established Species Distribution Modelling (SDM) protocol to describe the curious range-restriction of the globally threatened White-tailed Swallow (Hirundo megaensis) to a small area in southern Ethiopia. We find that, across a range of modelling approaches, the distribution of this species is well described by two climatic variables, maximum temperature and dry season precipitation. These same two variables have been previously found to limit the distribution of the unrelated but closely sympatric Ethiopian Bush-crow (Zavattariornis stresemanni). We project the future climatic suitability for both species under a range of climate scenarios and modelling approaches. Both species are at severe risk of extinction within the next half century, as the climate in 68–84% (for the swallow) and 90–100% (for the bush-crow) of their current ranges is predicted to become unsuitable. Intensive conservation measures, such as assisted migration and captive-breeding, may be the only options available to safeguard these two species. Their projected disappearance in the wild offers an opportunity to test the reliability of SDMs for predicting the fate of wild species. Monitoring future changes in the distribution and abundance of the bush-crow is particularly tractable because its nests are conspicuous and visible over large distances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J. Bladon
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Paul F. Donald
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- BirdLife International, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- RSPB Centre for Conservation Science, RSPB, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire, United Kingdom
| | | | - Jarso Denge
- Borana National Park Authority, Yabello, Oromiya, Ethiopia
| | | | - Mengistu Wondafrash
- Ethiopian Wildlife and Natural History Society, Bole Sub City, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Rhys E. Green
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- RSPB Centre for Conservation Science, RSPB, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire, United Kingdom
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Bourne AR, Ridley AR, McKechnie AE, Spottiswoode CN, Cunningham SJ. Dehydration risk is associated with reduced nest attendance and hatching success in a cooperatively breeding bird, the southern pied babbler Turdoides bicolor. Conserv Physiol 2021; 9:coab043. [PMID: 34150211 PMCID: PMC8208672 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coab043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
High air temperatures have measurable negative impacts on reproduction in wild animal populations, including during incubation in birds. Understanding the mechanisms driving these impacts requires comprehensive knowledge of animal physiology and behaviour under natural conditions. We used a novel combination of a non-invasive doubly labelled water (DLW) technique, nest temperature data and field-based behaviour observations to test effects of temperature, rainfall and group size on physiology and behaviour during incubation in southern pied babblers Turdoides bicolor, a cooperatively breeding passerine endemic to the arid savanna regions of southern Africa. The proportion of time that clutches were incubated declined as air temperatures increased, a behavioural pattern traditionally interpreted as a benefit of ambient incubation. However, we show that (i) clutches had a <50% chance of hatching when exposed to daily maximum air temperatures of >35.3°C; (ii) pied babbler groups incubated their nests almost constantly (99% of daylight hours) except on hot days; (iii) operative temperatures in unattended nests frequently exceeded 40.5°C, above which bird embryos are at risk of death; (iv) pied babblers incubating for long periods of time failed to maintain water balance on hot days; and (v) pied babblers from incubating groups lost mass on hot days. These results suggest that pied babblers might leave their nests during hot periods to lower the risk of dehydration associated with prolonged incubation at high operative temperatures. As mean air temperatures increase and extreme heat events become more frequent under climate change, birds will likely incur ever greater thermoregulatory costs of incubation, leading to compromised nest attendance and increased potential for eggs to overheat, with implications for nest success and, ultimately, population persistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda R Bourne
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
- Corresponding author: FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa.
| | - Amanda R Ridley
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley 6009, Australia
| | - Andrew E McKechnie
- South African Research Chair in Conservation Physiology, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria 0184, South Africa
- DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence at the FitzPatrick Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Hatfield 0002, South Africa
| | - Claire N Spottiswoode
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Susan J Cunningham
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
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Michel AJ, Ward LM, Goffredi SK, Dawson KS, Baldassarre DT, Brenner A, Gotanda KM, McCormack JE, Mullin SW, O'Neill A, Tender GS, Uy JAC, Yu K, Orphan VJ, Chaves JA. The gut of the finch: uniqueness of the gut microbiome of the Galápagos vampire finch. Microbiome 2018; 6:167. [PMID: 30231937 PMCID: PMC6146768 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-018-0555-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2018] [Accepted: 09/05/2018] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Darwin's finches are a clade of 19 species of passerine birds native to the Galápagos Islands, whose biogeography, specialized beak morphologies, and dietary choices-ranging from seeds to blood-make them a classic example of adaptive radiation. While these iconic birds have been intensely studied, the composition of their gut microbiome and the factors influencing it, including host species, diet, and biogeography, has not yet been explored. RESULTS We characterized the microbial community associated with 12 species of Darwin's finches using high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing of fecal samples from 114 individuals across nine islands, including the unusual blood-feeding vampire finch (Geospiza septentrionalis) from Darwin and Wolf Islands. The phylum-level core gut microbiome for Darwin's finches included the Firmicutes, Gammaproteobacteria, and Actinobacteria, with members of the Bacteroidetes at conspicuously low abundance. The gut microbiome was surprisingly well conserved across the diversity of finch species, with one exception-the vampire finch-which harbored bacteria that were either absent or extremely rare in other finches, including Fusobacterium, Cetobacterium, Ureaplasma, Mucispirillum, Campylobacter, and various members of the Clostridia-bacteria known from the guts of carnivorous birds and reptiles. Complementary stable isotope analysis of feathers revealed exceptionally high δ15N isotope values in the vampire finch, resembling top marine predators. The Galápagos archipelago is also known for extreme wet and dry seasons, and we observed a significant seasonal shift in the gut microbial community of five additional finch species sampled during both seasons. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates the overall conservatism of the finch gut microbiome over short (< 1 Ma) divergence timescales, except in the most extreme case of dietary specialization, and elevates the evolutionary importance of seasonal shifts in driving not only species adaptation, but also gut microbiome composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice J Michel
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Lewis M Ward
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Shana K Goffredi
- Department of Biology, Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA, 90041, USA
| | - Katherine S Dawson
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
- School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901, USA
| | - Daniel T Baldassarre
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Alec Brenner
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Kiyoko M Gotanda
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, England
| | - John E McCormack
- Department of Biology, Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA, 90041, USA
| | - Sean W Mullin
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Ariel O'Neill
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Gabrielle S Tender
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - J Albert C Uy
- Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, 33146, USA
| | - Kristie Yu
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Victoria J Orphan
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA.
| | - Jaime A Chaves
- Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Diego de Robles y Pampite, Quito, Ecuador.
- Galápagos Science Center, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, Galápagos, Ecuador.
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