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Horton KG, Deng Y. Stopover strategies drive potential adaptability under changing environments. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2406694121. [PMID: 38709935 PMCID: PMC11098126 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2406694121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kyle G. Horton
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO80523
| | - Yuting Deng
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO80523
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2
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Kelly JF, Cimprich PM. Arrhythmia in the earth's pulse: Bird migration timing does not track advancing spring phenology. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2402548121. [PMID: 38498728 PMCID: PMC10990153 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2402548121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey F. Kelly
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK73019
| | - Paula M. Cimprich
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK73019
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3
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Londe DW, Davis CA, Loss SR, Robertson EP, Haukos DA, Hovick TJ. Climate change causes declines and greater extremes in wetland inundation in a region important for wetland birds. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2024; 34:e2930. [PMID: 37941497 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Wetland ecosystems are vital for maintaining global biodiversity, as they provide important stopover sites for many species of migrating wetland-associated birds. However, because weather determines their hydrologic cycles, wetlands are highly vulnerable to effects of climate change. Although changes in temperature and precipitation resulting from climate change are expected to reduce inundation of wetlands, few efforts have been made to quantify how these changes will influence the availability of stopover sites for migratory wetland birds. Additionally, few studies have evaluated how climate change will influence interannual variability or the frequency of extremes in wetland availability. For spring and fall bird migration in seven ecoregions in the south-central Great Plains of North America, we developed predictive models associating abundance of inundated wetlands with a suite of weather and land cover variables. We then used these models to generate predictions of wetland inundation at the end of the century (2069-2099) under future climate change scenarios. Climate models predicted the average number of inundated wetlands will likely decline during both spring and fall migration periods, with declines being greatest in the eastern ecoregions of the southern Great Plains. However, the magnitude of predicted declines varied considerably across climate models and ecoregions, with uncertainty among climate models being greatest in the High Plains ecoregion. Most ecoregions also were predicted to experience more-frequent extremely dry years (i.e., years with extremely low wetland abundances), but the projected change in interannual variability of wetland inundation was relatively small and varied across ecoregions and seasons. Because the south-central Great Plains represents an important link along the migratory routes of many wetland-dependent avian species, future declines in wetland inundation and more frequent periods of only a few wetlands being inundated will result in an uncertain future for migratory birds as they experience reduced availability of wetland stopover habitat across their migration pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- David W Londe
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Craig A Davis
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Scott R Loss
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Ellen P Robertson
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA
| | - David A Haukos
- U.S. Geological Survey, Kansas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
| | - Torre J Hovick
- School of Natural Resource Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota, USA
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4
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Wooster EIF, Gaynor KM, Carthey AJR, Wallach AD, Stanton LA, Ramp D, Lundgren EJ. Animal cognition and culture mediate predator-prey interactions. Trends Ecol Evol 2024; 39:52-64. [PMID: 37839906 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2023.09.012] [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: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Predator-prey ecology and the study of animal cognition and culture have emerged as independent disciplines. Research combining these disciplines suggests that both animal cognition and culture can shape the outcomes of predator-prey interactions and their influence on ecosystems. We review the growing body of work that weaves animal cognition or culture into predator-prey ecology, and argue that both cognition and culture are significant but poorly understood mechanisms mediating how predators structure ecosystems. We present a framework exploring how previous experiences with the predation process creates feedback loops that alter the predation sequence. Cognitive and cultural predator-prey ecology offers ecologists new lenses through which to understand species interactions, their ecological consequences, and novel methods to conserve wildlife in a changing world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eamonn I F Wooster
- Gulbali Institute, School of Agricultural, Environmental, and Veterinary Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW, Australia.
| | - Kaitlyn M Gaynor
- Departments of Zoology and Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Alexandra J R Carthey
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, NSW 2113, Australia
| | - Arian D Wallach
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Lauren A Stanton
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-3114, USA
| | - Daniel Ramp
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, TD School, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Erick J Lundgren
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia; Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
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Burger J, Feigin S, Fojtik A, Dey A, Ng K. Bioaccumulation of Some Metals and Metalloids in Laughing Gulls ( Leucophaeus atricilla): Increases in Mercury and Decreases in Selenium from 2019 to 2022/2023. TOXICS 2023; 11:1007. [PMID: 38133408 PMCID: PMC10748039 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11121007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
The elements in blood normally reflect the levels in prey, indicating a recent exposure. Laughing gulls (Leucophaes atricilla) eat mainly horseshoe crab eggs (Limulus polyphemus) in the spring in Delaware Bay, New Jersey. The levels of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and selenium (Se) in the blood of laughing gulls foraging on crab eggs were examined in Delaware Bay to provide information on a species that is normally a generalist, and to determine if the levels of these elements were similar in 2019 and 2022/2023, were intercorrelated, and were related to those in crab eggs. Hg increased from 2019 (136 ± 31 ng/g) to 2022/2023 (473 ± 75 ng/g), while Cd and Se decreased. There were some significant correlations among elements and a close relationship between the element levels in blood and those in crab eggs collected in the same month (except for As). The levels differed between laughing gulls and three species of shorebirds for As and Cd. The elements in the blood of gulls and shorebirds should be similar because they eat mainly the same eggs in the same places. A significant proportion of laughing gull blood samples had levels of Hg and Se that were above the levels associated with adverse effects, which requires further examination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Burger
- Division of Life Sciences, Rutgers University, 604 Allison Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA;
- Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute (EOHSI), Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
- Environmental Science Graduate Program, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, USA;
- Ecology and Evolution Graduate Program, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, USA
| | - Stephanie Feigin
- Environmental Science Graduate Program, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, USA;
- Wildlife Restoration Partnerships, 109 Market Lane, Greenwich, NJ 08323, USA
| | - Alinde Fojtik
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia, 589 D.W. Brooks Drive, Athens, GA 30677, USA;
| | - Amanda Dey
- 109 Market Lane, Greenwich, NJ 08323, USA;
| | - Kelly Ng
- Division of Life Sciences, Rutgers University, 604 Allison Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA;
- Ecology and Evolution Graduate Program, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, USA
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Burger J, Feigin S, Ng K, Jeitner C, Tsipoura N, Niles L, Gochfeld M. Some metals and metalloids in the blood of three species of shorebirds increase while foraging during two-week migratory stopover in Delaware Bay, New Jersey. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 238:117194. [PMID: 37748669 PMCID: PMC10841762 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Most migratory shorebird species are declining, some are endangered, and some may be vulnerable to contaminants on long distance travel between wintering grounds and high latitude breeding grounds. We examined whether shorebirds accumulated trace elements at the Delaware Bay (New Jersey) stopover by testing the null hypothesis that there was no difference in the levels of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, and selenium in blood of three species of shorebirds collected early in their stopover compared to levels in blood collected about two weeks later near the end of the stopover, before departing for breeding grounds. There were significantly higher levels of all metals and metalloids in the blood of ruddy turnstone (Arenaria interpres) later in May than earlier. There were seasonal increases in blood levels of arsenic and selenium for all three species. Chromium and lead levels also increased in red knots (Calidris canutus). These increases occurred although the birds were only present for about two weeks. Levels of arsenic, mercury, and lead in knots and selenium in sanderlings (Calidrris alba), exceeded reported effects levels. These results have potential implications for studying the refueling physiology, energetics, and feeding behavior of migratory shorebirds. However, they also suggest cause for concern because the increased contaminant loads occur in a short period, and the high metal level bolus received all in a few days may result in adverse effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Burger
- Division of Life Sciences, Rutgers University, 604 Allison Road, Piscataway, NJ, 08854-8082, USA; Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute (EOHSI), Piscataway, New Jersey, 08854, USA; Consortium for Risk Evaluation with Stakeholder Participation, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA; Environmental Science Graduate Program, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, 08903, USA; Ecology and Evolution Graduate Program, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA, 08903.
| | - Stephanie Feigin
- Environmental Science Graduate Program, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, 08903, USA; Wildlife Restoration Partnership, 109 Market Land, Greenwich, N 08323, USA.
| | - Kelly Ng
- Division of Life Sciences, Rutgers University, 604 Allison Road, Piscataway, NJ, 08854-8082, USA; Consortium for Risk Evaluation with Stakeholder Participation, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA; Ecology and Evolution Graduate Program, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA, 08903.
| | - Christian Jeitner
- Consortium for Risk Evaluation with Stakeholder Participation, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA.
| | - Nellie Tsipoura
- New Jersey Audubon Society, 11 Hardscrabble Rd, Bernardsville, NJ, 07924, USA.
| | - Larry Niles
- Wildlife Restoration Partnership, 109 Market Land, Greenwich, N 08323, USA.
| | - Michael Gochfeld
- Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute (EOHSI), Piscataway, New Jersey, 08854, USA; Consortium for Risk Evaluation with Stakeholder Participation, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA; Environmental and Occupational Health & Justice, Rutgers University School of Public Health, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA, 08854.
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Peng HB, Ma Z, Rakhimberdiev E, van Gils JA, Battley PF, Rogers DI, Choi CY, Wu W, Feng X, Ma Q, Hua N, Minton C, Hassell CJ, Piersma T. Arriving late and lean at a stopover site is selected against in a declining migratory bird population. J Anim Ecol 2023; 92:2109-2118. [PMID: 37691322 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.14001] [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: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Loss and/or deterioration of refuelling habitats have caused population declines in many migratory bird species but whether this results from unequal mortality among individuals varying in migration traits remains to be shown. Based on 13 years of body mass and size data of great knots (Calidris tenuirostris) at a stopover site of the Yellow Sea, combined with resightings of individuals marked at this stopover site along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, we assessed year to year changes in annual apparent survival rates, and how apparent survival differed between migration phenotypes (i.e. migration timing and fuel stores). The measurements occurred over a period of habitat loss and/or deterioration in this flyway. We found that the annual apparent survival rates of great knots rapidly declined from 2006 to 2018, late-arriving individuals with small fuel stores exhibiting the lowest apparent survival rate. There was an advancement in mean arrival date and an increase in the mean fuel load of stopping birds over the study period. Our results suggest that late-arriving individuals with small fuel loads were selected against. Thus, habitat loss and/or deterioration at staging sites may cause changes in the composition of migratory phenotypes at the population-level.
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Affiliation(s)
- He-Bo Peng
- Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Coastal Ecosystems Research Station of the Yangtze River Estuary and Institute of Eco-Chongming, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Coastal Systems, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Den Burg, The Netherlands
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- BirdEyes, Centre for Global Ecological Change at the Faculties of Science and Engineering and Campus Fryslân, University of Groningen, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
- Center for East Asian-Australasian Flyway Studies, School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhijun Ma
- Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Coastal Ecosystems Research Station of the Yangtze River Estuary and Institute of Eco-Chongming, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Eldar Rakhimberdiev
- Department of Theoretical and Computational Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, Amsterdam, 1012 WX, The Netherlands
| | - Jan A van Gils
- Department of Coastal Systems, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Den Burg, The Netherlands
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Phil F Battley
- Zoology and Ecology Group, School of Natural Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Danny I Rogers
- Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Heidelberg, 3084, Victoria, Australia
| | - Chi-Yeung Choi
- Division of Natural and Applied Sciences, Duke Kunshan University, Kunshan, China
| | - Wei Wu
- Chongming Dongtan Nature Reserve, Shanghai, China
| | - Xuesong Feng
- Chongming Dongtan Nature Reserve, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiang Ma
- Chongming Dongtan Nature Reserve, Shanghai, China
| | - Ning Hua
- Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Coastal Ecosystems Research Station of the Yangtze River Estuary and Institute of Eco-Chongming, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Clive Minton
- Australian Wader Studies Group, Victoria, Beaumaris, Australia
| | | | - Theunis Piersma
- Department of Coastal Systems, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Den Burg, The Netherlands
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- BirdEyes, Centre for Global Ecological Change at the Faculties of Science and Engineering and Campus Fryslân, University of Groningen, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
- Center for East Asian-Australasian Flyway Studies, School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
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Breitenbach AT, Marroquín-Flores RA, Paitz RT, Bowden RM. Experiencing short heat waves early in development changes thermal responsiveness of turtle embryos to later heat waves. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:jeb246235. [PMID: 37661755 PMCID: PMC10560553 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Although physiological responses to the thermal environment are most frequently investigated using constant temperatures, the incorporation of thermal variability can allow for a more accurate prediction of how thermally sensitive species respond to a rapidly changing climate. In species with temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD), developmental responses to incubation temperature are mediated by several genes involved in gonadal differentiation. Kdm6b and Dmrt1 respond to cool incubation temperatures and are associated with testis development, while FoxL2 and Cyp19A1 respond to warm incubation temperatures and are associated with ovary development. Using fluctuating incubation temperatures, we designed two studies, one investigating how conflicting thermal cues affect the timing of commitment to gonadal development, and another investigating the rapid molecular responses to conflicting thermal cues in the red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta). Using gene expression as a proxy of timing of commitment to gonadal fate, results from the first study show that exposure to high amounts of conflicting thermal cues during development delays commitment to gonadal fate. Results from the second study show that Kdm6b splice variants exhibit differential responses to early heat wave exposure, but rapidly (within 2 days) recover to pre-exposure levels after the heat wave. Despite changes in the expression of Kdm6b splice variants, there was no effect on Dmrt1 expression. Collectively, these findings demonstrate how short exposures to heat early in development can change how embryos respond to heat later in development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony T. Breitenbach
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790, USA
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Rosario A. Marroquín-Flores
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
| | - Ryan T. Paitz
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790, USA
| | - Rachel M. Bowden
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790, USA
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Burger J. Metal Levels in Delaware Bay Horseshoe Crab Eggs from the Surface Reflect Metals in Egg Clutches Laid beneath the Sand. TOXICS 2023; 11:614. [PMID: 37505579 PMCID: PMC10386046 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11070614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Understanding variations in metal levels in biota geographically and under different environmental conditions is essential to determining risk to organisms themselves and to their predators. It is often difficult to determine food chain relationships because predators may eat several different prey types. Horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) eggs form the basis for a complex food web in Delaware Bay, New Jersey, USA. Female horseshoe crabs lay thumb-sized clutches of eggs, several cm below the surface, and often dislodge previously laid eggs that are brought to the surface by wave action, where they are accessible and critical food for migrant shorebirds. This paper compares metal and metalloid (chromium [Cr], cadmium [Cd], lead [Pb], mercury [Hg], arsenic [As] and selenium [Se]) concentrations in horseshoe crab eggs collected on the surface with concentrations in eggs from clutches excavated from below the sand surface, as well as examining metals in eggs from different parts of the Bay. The eggs were all collected in May 2019, corresponding to the presence of the four main species of shorebirds migrating through Delaware Bay. These migrating birds eat almost entirely horseshoe crab eggs during their stopover in Delaware Bay, and there are differences in the levels of metals in blood of different shorebirds. These differences could be due to whether they have access to egg clutches below sand (ruddy turnstones, Arenaria interpres) or only to eggs on the surface (the threatened red knot [Calidris canutus rufa] and other species of shorebirds). Correlations between metals in clutches were also examined. Except for As and Cd, there were no significant differences between the metals in crab egg clutches and eggs on the surface that shorebirds, gulls, and other predators eat. There were significant locational differences in metal levels in horseshoe crab eggs (except for Pb), with most metals being highest in the sites on the lower portion of Delaware Bay. Most metals in crab eggs have declined since studies were conducted in the mid-1990s but were similar to levels in horseshoe crab eggs in 2012. The data continue to provide important monitoring and assessment information for a keystone species in an ecosystem that supports many species, including threatened and declining shorebird species during spring migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Burger
- Division of Life Sciences, Rutgers University, 604 Allison Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
- Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers University, 170 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
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10
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Smith AD, Sanders FJ, Lefevre KL, Thibault JM, Kalasz KS, Handmaker MC, Smith FM, Keyes TS. Spring migration patterns of red knots in the Southeast United States disentangled using automated telemetry. Sci Rep 2023; 13:11138. [PMID: 37429880 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-37517-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Red Knots use the Southeast United States as a stopover during north and southbound migration and during the winter. We examined northbound red knot migration routes and timing using an automated telemetry network. Our primary goal was to evaluate the relative use of an Atlantic migratory route through Delaware Bay versus an inland route through the Great Lakes en route to Arctic breeding grounds and to identify areas of apparent stopovers. Secondarily, we explored the association of red knot routes and ground speeds with prevailing atmospheric conditions. Most Red Knots migrating north from the Southeast United States skipped or likely skipped Delaware Bay (73%) while 27% of the knots stopped in Delaware Bay for at least 1 day. A few knots used an Atlantic Coast strategy that did not include Delaware Bay, relying instead on the areas around Chesapeake Bay or New York Bay for stopovers. Nearly 80% of migratory trajectories were associated with tailwinds at departure. Most knots tracked in our study traveled north through the eastern Great Lake Basin, without stopping, thus making the Southeast United States the last terminal stopover for some knots before reaching boreal or Arctic stopover sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam D Smith
- U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, National Wildlife Refuge System, Inventory and Monitoring Branch, Athens, GA, 30605, USA
- American Bird Conservancy, The Plains, VA, 20198, USA
| | - Felicia J Sanders
- South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, 220 Santee Gun Club Road, McClellanville, SC, 29458, USA.
| | - Kara L Lefevre
- Florida Gulf Coast University, Fort Myers, FL, 33965, USA
- Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC, V2C 0C8, Canada
| | - Janet M Thibault
- South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, 217 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, SC, 29412, USA
| | - Kevin S Kalasz
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Florida Ecological Services Field Office, 28950 Watson Blvd, Big Pine Key, FL, 33043, USA
| | - Maina C Handmaker
- University of Massachusetts Amherst, 160 Holdsworth Way, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
| | - Fletcher M Smith
- Georgia Department of Natural Resources, 1 Conservation Way, Brunswick, GA, 31520, USA
| | - Tim S Keyes
- Georgia Department of Natural Resources, 1 Conservation Way, Brunswick, GA, 31520, USA
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Tucker AM, McGowan CP, Nuse BL, Lyons JE, Moore CT, Smith DR, Sweka JA, Anstead KA, DeRose‐Wilson A, Clark NA. Estimating recruitment rate and population dynamics at a migratory stopover site using an integrated population model. Ecosphere 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Anna M. Tucker
- U.S. Geological Survey, Iowa Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Iowa State University Ames Iowa USA
| | - Conor P. McGowan
- U.S. Geological Survey, Florida Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit University of Florida Gainesville Florida USA
| | - Bryan L. Nuse
- Bird Conservancy of the Rockies Ft. Collins Colorado USA
| | - James E. Lyons
- U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center at the Patuxent Research Refuge Laurel Maryland USA
| | - Clinton T. Moore
- U.S. Geological Survey, Georgia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit University of Georgia Athens Georgia USA
| | - David R. Smith
- U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center at Leetown Kearneysville West Virginia USA
| | - John A. Sweka
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Northeast Fishery Center Lamar Pennsylvania USA
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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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13
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Burger J, Porter RR, Niles L, Newstead DJ. Timing and duration of stopovers affects propensity to breed, incubation periods, and nest success of different wintering cohorts of red knots in the Canadian Arctic during the Years 2009 to 2016. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 215:114227. [PMID: 36044961 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Recent interest in migratory connectivity of shorebirds leads to examining the role stopovers and connectivity play in reproductive success. Since many shorebird species are declining, there is a need to determine factors affecting reproductive success. We used light records from 104 geolocators recovered from red knots (Calidris canutus rufa) to examine-incubation success as a function of temporal patterns at stopovers, year (2009-2016), and wintering cohort. Geolocators were attached on leg flags, mainly in Delaware Bay (New Jersey) and Texas. Successful incubation in different years ranged from 21 to 76%; from 8 to 43% of knots did not attempt incubation on breeding grounds. This is the first estimate of the number of shorebirds going to the Arctic that did not breed, since all other estimates of success were derived from field studies based on birds that initiated nests. High breeding success (76%) occurred in only one year (2011). Nearly all of knots stopped in Hudson Bay region. Arrival date and time in the Pre-Arctic, arrival on breeding grounds, year, and wintering cohort were associated with successful incubation. The percentage attempting incubation, and the percentage that were successful, varied by wintering cohort. When only the east coast rufa knots are considered, time spent on Delaware Bay showed a significant duration difference. Knots wintering in Texas had the highest propensity to initiate incubation (96%), and the highest incubation success (67%). Of rufa knots using the Atlantic flyway, those wintering in southern South America had the lowest incubation success rate (25%). We discuss the importance of quality of flyways, opportunities for refuelling during migration, and importance of time at stopovers. These data can be used to understand migratory connectivity, distinguish factors affecting reproductive success of long-distance migrants, determine which parts of the annual cycle require protection, and aid in recovery plans for long-distance migrants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Burger
- Division of Life Sciences, Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources, Pinelands Field Station, 604 Allison Road, Piscataway, NN, 08854, USA.
| | | | - Lawrence Niles
- Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey, 2 Preservation Pl, Princeton, NJ, 08540, USA; L. J. Niles Associates, LLC, 109 Market Lane, Greenwich, NJ, 08323, USA
| | - David J Newstead
- Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program, 615 N. Upper Broadway, Suite 1200, Corpus Christi, TX, 78401, USA
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14
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Thie N, Corl A, Turjeman S, Efrat R, Kamath PL, Getz WM, Bowie RCK, Nathan R. Linking migration and microbiota at a major stopover site in a long-distance avian migrant. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2022; 10:46. [PMID: 36345043 PMCID: PMC9641824 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-022-00347-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Migration is one of the most physical and energetically demanding periods in an individual bird's life. The composition of the bird's gut or cloacal microbiota can temporarily change during migration, likely due to differences in diets, habitats and other environmental conditions experienced en route. However, how physiological condition, migratory patterns, and other drivers interact to affect microbiota composition of migratory birds is still unclear. We sampled the cloacal bacterial microbiota of a long-distance migrant, the steppe buzzard (Buteo buteo vulpinus), at an important spring stopover bottleneck in Eilat, Israel, after crossing the ca. 1800 km Sahara Desert. We examined whether diversity and composition of the cloacal microbiota varied with body condition, sex, movement patterns (i.e., arrival time and migration distance), and survival. Early arrival to Eilat was associated with better body condition, longer post-Eilat spring migration distance, higher microbial α-diversity, and differences in microbiota composition. Specifically, early arrivals had higher abundance of the phylum Synergistota and five genera, including Jonquetella and Peptococcus, whereas the phylum Proteobacteria and genus Escherichia-Shigella (as well as three other genera) were more abundant in later arrivals. While the differences in α-diversity and Escherichia-Shigella seem to be mainly driven by body condition, other compositional differences associated with arrival date could be indicators of longer migratory journeys (e.g., pre-fueling at wintering grounds or stopover habitats along the way) or migratory performance. No significant differences were found between the microbiota of surviving and non-surviving individuals. Overall, our results indicate that variation in steppe buzzard microbiota is linked to variation in migratory patterns (i.e., capture/arrival date) and body condition, highlighting the importance of sampling the microbiota of GPS-tracked individuals on multiple occasions along their migration routes to gain a more detailed understanding of the links between migration, microbiota, and health in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikki Thie
- Movement Ecology Lab, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
| | - Ammon Corl
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Sondra Turjeman
- Movement Ecology Lab, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University, Safed, Israel
| | - Ron Efrat
- Movement Ecology Lab, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
| | - Pauline L Kamath
- School of Food and Agriculture, University of Maine, Orono, ME, USA
| | - Wayne M Getz
- Department of Environmental Science Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- School of Mathematical Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Rauri C K Bowie
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Ran Nathan
- Movement Ecology Lab, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
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15
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Information needed for coastal management: perceptions of research and protection of shorebirds on a coastal beach are influenced by visitor type, age and gender. Urban Ecosyst 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-022-01282-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
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16
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Evans SR, Bearhop S. Variation in movement strategies: Capital versus income migration. J Anim Ecol 2022; 91:1961-1974. [PMID: 35962601 PMCID: PMC9825870 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Animal migrations represent the regular movements of trillions of individuals. The scale of these movements has inspired human intrigue for millennia and has been intensively studied by biologists. This research has highlighted the diversity of migratory strategies seen across and within migratory taxa: while some migrants temporarily express phenotypes dedicated to travel, others show little or no phenotypic flexibility in association with migration. However, a vocabulary for describing these contrasting solutions to the performance trade-offs inherent to the highly dynamic lifestyle of migrants (and strategies intermediate between these two extremes) is currently missing. We propose a taxon-independent organising framework based on energetics, distinguishing between migrants that forage as they travel (income migrants) and those that fuel migration using energy acquired before departure (capital migrants). Not only does our capital:income continuum of migratory energetics account for the variable extent of phenotypic flexibility within and across migrant populations, but it also aligns with theoreticians' treatment of migration and clarifies how migration impacts other phases of the life cycle. As such, it provides a unifying scale and common vacabulary for comparing the migratory strategies of divergent taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon R. Evans
- Centre for Ecology and ConservationUniversity of ExeterPenrynUK
| | - Stuart Bearhop
- Centre for Ecology and ConservationUniversity of ExeterPenrynUK
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17
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Lagassé BJ, Lanctot RB, Brown S, Dondua AG, Kendall S, Latty CJ, Liebezeit JR, Loktionov EY, Maslovsky KS, Matsyna AI, Matsyna EL, McGuire RL, Payer DC, Saalfeld ST, Slaght JC, Solovyeva DV, Tomkovich PS, Valchuk OP, Wunder MB. Migratory network reveals unique spatial-temporal migration dynamics of Dunlin subspecies along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0270957. [PMID: 35925977 PMCID: PMC9352067 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0270957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Determining the dynamics of where and when individuals occur is necessary to understand population declines and identify critical areas for populations of conservation concern. However, there are few examples where a spatially and temporally explicit model has been used to evaluate the migratory dynamics of a bird population across its entire annual cycle. We used geolocator-derived migration tracks of 84 Dunlin (Calidris alpina) on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF) to construct a migratory network describing annual subspecies-specific migration patterns in space and time. We found that Dunlin subspecies exhibited unique patterns of spatial and temporal flyway use. Spatially, C. a. arcticola predominated in regions along the eastern edge of the flyway (e.g., western Alaska and central Japan), whereas C. a. sakhalina predominated in regions along the western edge of the flyway (e.g., N China and inland China). No individual Dunlin that wintered in Japan also wintered in the Yellow Sea, China seas, or inland China, and vice-versa. However, similar proportions of the 4 subspecies used many of the same regions at the center of the flyway (e.g., N Sakhalin Island and the Yellow Sea). Temporally, Dunlin subspecies staggered their south migrations and exhibited little temporal overlap among subspecies within shared migration regions. In contrast, Dunlin subspecies migrated simultaneously during north migration. South migration was also characterized by individuals stopping more often and for more days than during north migration. Taken together, these spatial-temporal migration dynamics indicate Dunlin subspecies may be differentially affected by regional habitat change and population declines according to where and when they occur. We suggest that the migration dynamics presented here are useful for guiding on-the-ground survey efforts to quantify subspecies’ use of specific sites, and to estimate subspecies’ population sizes and long-term trends. Such studies would significantly advance our understanding of Dunlin space-time dynamics and the coordination of Dunlin conservation actions across the EAAF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin J. Lagassé
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Richard B. Lanctot
- Division of Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, AK, United States of America
| | - Stephen Brown
- Manomet, Inc., Saxtons River, VT, United States of America
| | | | - Steve Kendall
- Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fairbanks, AK, United States of America
| | - Christopher J. Latty
- Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fairbanks, AK, United States of America
| | | | | | - Konstantin S. Maslovsky
- Federal Scientific Center of the East Asia Terrestrial Biodiversity, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, Russia
| | | | | | - Rebecca L. McGuire
- Arctic Beringia Regional Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Fairbanks, AK, United States of America
| | - David C. Payer
- Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fairbanks, AK, United States of America
| | - Sarah T. Saalfeld
- Division of Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, AK, United States of America
| | - Jonathan C. Slaght
- Arctic Beringia Regional Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Fairbanks, AK, United States of America
| | | | | | - Olga P. Valchuk
- Federal Scientific Center of the East Asia Terrestrial Biodiversity, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, Russia
| | - Michael B. Wunder
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, United States of America
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Factors that affect migratory Western Atlantic red knots (Calidris canutus rufa) and their prey during spring staging on Virginia’s barrier islands. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0270224. [PMID: 35776754 PMCID: PMC9249208 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0270224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding factors that influence a species’ distribution and abundance across the annual cycle is required for range-wide conservation. Thousands of imperiled red knots (Calidris cantus rufa) stop on Virginia’s barrier islands each year to replenish fat during spring migration. We investigated the variation in red knot presence and flock size, the effects of prey on this variation, and factors influencing prey abundance on Virginia’s barrier islands. We counted red knots and collected potential prey samples at randomly selected sites from 2007–2018 during a two-week period during early and peak migration. Core samples contained crustaceans (Orders Amphipoda and Calanoida), blue mussels (Mytilus edulis), coquina clams (Donax variabilis), and miscellaneous prey (horseshoe crab eggs (Limulus polyphemus), angel wing clams (Cyrtopleura costata), and other organisms (e.g., insect larvae, snails, worms)). Estimated red knot peak counts in Virginia during 21–27 May were highest in 2012 (11,959) and lowest in 2014 (2,857; 12-year peak migration x¯ = 7,175, SD = 2,869). Red knot and prey numbers varied across sampling periods and substrates (i.e., peat and sand). Red knots generally used sites with more prey. Miscellaneous prey ( x¯ = 2401.00/m2, SE = 169.16) influenced red knot presence at a site early in migration, when we only sampled on peat banks. Coquina clams ( x¯ = 1383.54/m2, SE = 125.32) and blue mussels ( x¯ = 777.91/m2, SE = 259.31) affected red knot presence at a site during peak migration, when we sampled both substrates. Few relationships between prey and red knot flock size existed, suggesting that other unmeasured factors determined red knot numbers at occupied sites. Tide and mean daily water temperature affected prey abundance. Maximizing the diversity, availability, and abundance of prey for red knots on barrier islands requires management that encourages the presence of both sand and peat bank intertidal habitats.
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Burger J. Ecocultural attributes are important components of perceptions of the importance of coastal beaches of conservation concern. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 826:153571. [PMID: 35122856 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153571] [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: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Sandy beaches along coasts and bays are prime real estate for houses and condominiums, marinas, recreation, and tourism for people living in urban and suburban areas within a hundred km of coasts. Human encroachment and disturbance can be a determinant of success of animals in human-impacted systems, particularly shorebirds. Understanding perceptions of people visiting critical habitats can aid in conservation of shorebirds and associated ecosystems, as well as improving the human experience. This paper examines valuation of ecological resources and ecocultural attributes of visitors to 9 beaches on the New Jersey shore of Delaware Bay during a shorebird migratory stopover period. Ecocultural attributes are those cultural activities or experiences that require an intact ecosystem to be optimal, including activities of recreational, aesthetic or spiritual importance. Using a Likert scale, interviewees (N = 279) rated the importance of shorebirds and/or horseshoe crabs Limulus polyphemus, ambiance, existence, aesthetics, the beach itself, and recreational activities (photography, birding, and fishing) to the Bay and to their experience. Although shorebirds/crabs were rated as most important (mean rating well over 4.0 out of 5); ecocultural attributes (ambience, existence, aesthetics, the beach itself) were rated higher (rating well over 3) than recreation, hardcore or casual birding, photography (mean rating around 3) and fishing (rating less than 2). Although some ratings of these resources and attributes were positively correlated, many values for birds and/or crabs were not correlated with the ecocultural attributes. Women rated most resources and ecocultural attributes higher than did men, and older people rated them higher than younger interviewees. It was unexpected that the ecocultural attributes played so heavily in the attractiveness of the beach. The importance and implication of these findings are discussed for management and conservation of these beaches, including the importance of ecocultural resources within a context of local community involvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Burger
- Division of Life Sciences, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Pinelands Field Station, Rutgers University, 604 Allison Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, United States of America.
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20
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Mu T, Cai S, Peng H, Hassell CJ, Boyle A, Zhang Z, Piersma T, Wilcove DS. Evaluating staging habitat quality to advance the conservation of a declining migratory shorebird, Red Knot
Calidris canutus. J Appl Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tong Mu
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Princeton University Princeton NJ 08544 USA
| | - Shangxiao Cai
- Department of Biology Lund University Sölvegatan 37 Lund Sweden
| | - Hebo Peng
- Rudi Drent Chair in Global Flyway Ecology Conservation Ecology Group Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES) University of Groningen PO Box 11103 Groningen 9700 CC The Netherlands
- Department of Coastal Systems NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research PO Box 59 Texel The Netherlands
- Center for East Asian–Australasian Flyway Studies School of Ecology and Nature Conservation Beijing Forestry University Qinghua East Road 35 Beijing 100083 China
| | | | - Adrian Boyle
- Global Flyway Network PO Box 3089 Broome WA 6725 Australia
| | - Zhengwang Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering College of Life Sciences Beijing Normal University Beijing 100875 China
| | - Theunis Piersma
- Rudi Drent Chair in Global Flyway Ecology Conservation Ecology Group Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES) University of Groningen PO Box 11103 Groningen 9700 CC The Netherlands
- Department of Coastal Systems NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research PO Box 59 Texel The Netherlands
- Center for East Asian–Australasian Flyway Studies School of Ecology and Nature Conservation Beijing Forestry University Qinghua East Road 35 Beijing 100083 China
- Global Flyway Network PO Box 3089 Broome WA 6725 Australia
| | - David S. Wilcove
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Princeton University Princeton NJ 08544 USA
- Princeton School of Public and International Affairs Princeton University Princeton NJ 08544 USA
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21
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Zhu F, Zou Y, Zhang P, Zhang S, Chen X, Li F, Deng Z, Zhang H, Yu Z, Zhu X, Xie Y, Zou D. Dyke demolition led to a sharp decline in waterbird diversity due to habitat quality reduction: A case study of Dongting Lake, China. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8782. [PMID: 35386878 PMCID: PMC8969919 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Dongting Lake, an important wintering habitat for migratory waterbirds in the East Asian–Australasian Flyway, has suffered serious degradation in recent decades. To restore habitats for biodiversity conservation and flood control, 459 dykes were demolished and 14 were preserved in 2017. However, the direct impact of dyke demolition on wintering waterbirds was not comprehensively assessed. In this study, based on annual waterbird census and habitat data (2013/14–2020/21), we compared the differences in habitat areas and species composition of waterbirds in the dyke‐demolished and preserved areas, and explored whether habitat changes caused by the dyke demolition were responsible for the changes in the number of species and percentages of waterbird individuals. The results indicate that the areas of water (including shallow water) and mudflat habitats significantly decreased, but the vegetation area significantly increased in the dyke‐demolished areas. The species numbers and percentages of waterbird individuals at the community and foraging guilds levels, and the percentages of nine species, were higher in the dyke‐preserved areas than those in the dyke‐demolished areas. Changes in the numbers of species and percentages of individuals of fish eaters, insectivores, and omnivores positively correlated with drastic changes in the percentages of water habitats (including shallow water) after dyke demolition. Effective measures should be carried out to restore hydrological regimes, providing waterbirds sufficient suitable habitats with different water depths. These findings improve our understanding of the influence of dyke demolition on waterbirds and provide insights for wetland management and waterbird conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Zhu
- College of Resources and Environment Hunan Agricultural University Changsha China
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Monitoring of Ecological Environment in Dongting Lake area Hunan Natural Resources Affairs Center Changsha China
- Key Laboratory of Agro‐ecological Processes in Subtropical Regions Chinese Academy of Sciences Changsha China
- Dongting Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research Institute of Subtropical Agriculture Chinese Academy of Sciences Changsha China
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Rural Ecosystem Health in Dongting Lake Area Changsha China
| | - Yeai Zou
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Monitoring of Ecological Environment in Dongting Lake area Hunan Natural Resources Affairs Center Changsha China
- Key Laboratory of Agro‐ecological Processes in Subtropical Regions Chinese Academy of Sciences Changsha China
- Dongting Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research Institute of Subtropical Agriculture Chinese Academy of Sciences Changsha China
| | - Pingyang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Agro‐ecological Processes in Subtropical Regions Chinese Academy of Sciences Changsha China
- Dongting Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research Institute of Subtropical Agriculture Chinese Academy of Sciences Changsha China
| | - Siqi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Agro‐ecological Processes in Subtropical Regions Chinese Academy of Sciences Changsha China
- Dongting Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research Institute of Subtropical Agriculture Chinese Academy of Sciences Changsha China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Xinsheng Chen
- Key Laboratory of Agro‐ecological Processes in Subtropical Regions Chinese Academy of Sciences Changsha China
- Dongting Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research Institute of Subtropical Agriculture Chinese Academy of Sciences Changsha China
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering Anhui University Hefei Anhui Province China
| | - Feng Li
- Key Laboratory of Agro‐ecological Processes in Subtropical Regions Chinese Academy of Sciences Changsha China
- Dongting Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research Institute of Subtropical Agriculture Chinese Academy of Sciences Changsha China
| | - Zhengmiao Deng
- Key Laboratory of Agro‐ecological Processes in Subtropical Regions Chinese Academy of Sciences Changsha China
- Dongting Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research Institute of Subtropical Agriculture Chinese Academy of Sciences Changsha China
| | - Hong Zhang
- Administrative Bureau of Hunan East Dongting Lake National Nature Reserve Yueyang China
| | - Zhibing Yu
- Administrative Bureau of Hunan East Dongting Lake National Nature Reserve Yueyang China
| | - Xiaoyong Zhu
- Administrative Bureau of Hunan East Dongting Lake National Nature Reserve Yueyang China
| | - Yonghong Xie
- Key Laboratory of Agro‐ecological Processes in Subtropical Regions Chinese Academy of Sciences Changsha China
- Dongting Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research Institute of Subtropical Agriculture Chinese Academy of Sciences Changsha China
| | - Dongsheng Zou
- College of Resources and Environment Hunan Agricultural University Changsha China
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Rural Ecosystem Health in Dongting Lake Area Changsha China
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22
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Liu J, Lei W, Mo X, Hassell CJ, Zhang Z, Coulson T. Unravelling processes between phenotypic plasticity and population dynamics in migratory birds. J Anim Ecol 2022; 91:983-995. [PMID: 35274297 PMCID: PMC9314967 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Populations can rapidly respond to environmental change via adaptive phenotypic plasticity, which can also modify interactions between individuals and their environment, affecting population dynamics. Bird migration is a highly plastic resource‐tracking tactic in seasonal environments. However, the link between the population dynamics of migratory birds and migration tactic plasticity is not well‐understood. The quality of staging habitats affects individuals' migration timing and energy budgets in the course of migration and can consequently affect individuals' breeding and overwintering performance, and impact population dynamics. Given staging habitats being lost in many parts of the world, our goal is to investigate responses of individual migration tactics and population dynamics in the face of loss of staging habitat and to identify the key processes connecting them. We started by constructing and analysing a general full‐annual‐cycle individual‐based model with a stylized migratory population to generate hypotheses on how changes in the size of staging habitat might drive changes in individual stopover duration and population dynamics. Next, through the interrogation of survey data, we tested these hypotheses by analysing population trends and stopover duration of migratory waterbirds experiencing the loss of staging habitat. Our modelling exercise led to us posing the following hypotheses: the loss of staging habitat generates plasticity in migration tactics, with individuals remaining on the staging habitat for longer to obtain food due to a reduction in per capita food availability. The subsequent increasing population density on the staging habitat has knock‐on effects on population dynamics in the breeding and overwintering stage. Our empirical results were consistent with the modelling predictions. Our results demonstrate how environmental change that impacts one energetically costly life‐history stage in migratory birds can have population dynamic impacts across the entire annual cycle via phenotypic plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Liu
- Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.,Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Weipan Lei
- Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Xunqiang Mo
- School of Geographic and Environmental Sciences, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China
| | | | - Zhengwang Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Tim Coulson
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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23
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Conklin JR, Verkuil YI, Battley PF, Hassell CJ, Ten Horn J, Johnson JA, Tomkovich PS, Baker AJ, Piersma T, Fontaine MC. Global flyway evolution in red knots Calidris canutus and genetic evidence for a Nearctic refugium. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:2124-2139. [PMID: 35106871 PMCID: PMC9545425 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Present‐day ecology and population structure are the legacies of past climate and habitat perturbations, and this is particularly true for species that are widely distributed at high latitudes. The red knot, Calidris canutus, is an arctic‐breeding, long‐distance migratory shorebird with six recognized subspecies defined by differences in morphology, migration behavior, and annual cycle phenology, in a global distribution thought to have arisen just since the last glacial maximum (LGM). We used nextRAD sequencing of 10,881 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to assess the neutral genetic structure and phylogeographic history of 172 red knots representing all known global breeding populations. Using population genetics approaches, including model‐based scenario‐testing in an approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) framework, we infer that red knots derive from two main lineages that diverged ca. 34,000 years ago, and thus most probably persisted at the LGM in both Palearctic and Nearctic refugia, followed by at least two instances of secondary contact and admixture. Within two Beringian subspecies (C. c. roselaari and rogersi), we detected previously unknown genetic structure among sub‐populations sharing a migratory flyway, reflecting additional complexity in the phylogeographic history of the region. Conversely, we found very weak genetic differentiation between two Nearctic populations (rufa and islandica) with clearly divergent migratory phenotypes and little or no apparent contact throughout the annual cycle. Together, these results suggest that relative gene flow among migratory populations reflects a complex interplay of historical, geographical, and ecological factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse R Conklin
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, P.O. Box 11103, 9700 CC, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Yvonne I Verkuil
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, P.O. Box 11103, 9700 CC, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Phil F Battley
- Wildlife and Ecology Group, School of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand
| | - Chris J Hassell
- Global Flyway Network, PO Box 3089, Broome, WA, 6725, Australia
| | - Job Ten Horn
- Department of Coastal Systems, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB, Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands
| | - James A Johnson
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Migratory Bird Management, 1011 E. Tudor Road, MS 201, Anchorage, Alaska, 99503, USA
| | - Pavel S Tomkovich
- Zoological Museum, Moscow MV Lomonosov State University, Bolshaya Nikitskaya Str. 6, Moscow, 125009, Russia
| | - Allan J Baker
- Department of Natural History, Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queens Park, Toronto, ON, M5S 2C6, Canada
| | - Theunis Piersma
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, P.O. Box 11103, 9700 CC, Groningen, The Netherlands.,Department of Coastal Systems, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB, Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands
| | - Michaël C Fontaine
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, P.O. Box 11103, 9700 CC, Groningen, The Netherlands.,MIVEGEC, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier, France.,Montpellier Ecology and Evolution of Diseases Network (MEEDiN), Montpellier, France
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24
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Li X, Chen X, Gao D. Influence of Work-Family Conflict on Turnover Intention of Primary and Secondary School Teachers: Serial Mediating Role of Psychological Contract and Job Satisfaction. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:869344. [PMID: 35558430 PMCID: PMC9086593 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.869344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Based on conservation of resource theory and social exchange theory, to explore how work-family conflict can directly and indirectly influence turnover intention, with psychological contract and job satisfaction as a mediator. METHODS A total of 505 valid data were collected on primary and secondary school teachers by using work-family conflict questionnaire, turnover intention questionnaire, psychological contract questionnaire and job satisfaction questionnaire from 3 provinces in China. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate the discriminant validity and common method bias between the four variables through AOMS, the PROCESS macro for SPSS (Model 4 and Model 6) were applied to examine the mediating effect of psychological contract and job satisfaction. RESULTS Work-family conflict showed a direct and positive influence on turnover intention; psychological contract was shown to play a mediating role between work-family conflict and turnover intention; job satisfaction was shown to play a mediating role between work-family conflict and turnover intention; and psychological contract and job satisfaction was shown to play a serial mediating role between work-family conflict and turnover intention. CONCLUSION Work-family conflict of primary and secondary school teachers will directly lead to turnover intention. Psychological contract and job satisfaction can reduce the positive influence of work-family conflict on turnover intention. School administrators should help teachers reduce work-family conflict and take effective measures to improve psychological contract and job satisfaction, so as to reduce turnover intention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyu Li
- School of Philosophy and Public Administration, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Xinrui Chen
- School of Philosophy and Public Administration, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Dongdong Gao
- School of Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Behavior, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
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25
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Watts BD, Smith FM, Hines C, Duval L, Hamilton DJ, Keyes T, Paquet J, Pirie-Dominix L, Rausch J, Truitt B, Winn B, Woodard P. The annual cycle for whimbrel populations using the Western Atlantic Flyway. PLoS One 2022; 16:e0260339. [PMID: 34972114 PMCID: PMC8719713 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0260339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Many long-distance migratory birds use habitats that are scattered across continents and confront hazards throughout the annual cycle that may be population-limiting. Identifying where and when populations spend their time is fundamental to effective management. We tracked 34 adult whimbrels (Numenius phaeopus) from two breeding populations (Mackenzie Delta and Hudson Bay) with satellite transmitters to document the structure of their annual cycles. The two populations differed in their use of migratory pathways and their seasonal schedules. Mackenzie Delta whimbrels made long (22,800 km) loop migrations with different autumn and spring routes. Hudson Bay whimbrels made shorter (17,500 km) and more direct migrations along the same route during autumn and spring. The two populations overlap on the winter grounds and within one spring staging area. Mackenzie Delta whimbrels left the breeding ground, arrived on winter grounds, left winter grounds and arrived on spring staging areas earlier compared to whimbrels from Hudson Bay. For both populations, migration speed was significantly higher during spring compared to autumn migration. Faster migration was achieved by having fewer and shorter stopovers en route. We identified five migratory staging areas including four that were used during autumn and two that were used during spring. Whimbrels tracked for multiple years had high (98%) fidelity to staging areas. We documented dozens of locations where birds stopped for short periods along nearly all migration routes. The consistent use of very few staging areas suggests that these areas are integral to the annual cycle of both populations and have high conservation value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan D. Watts
- Center for Conservation Biology, William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Fletcher M. Smith
- Center for Conservation Biology, William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, United States of America
- Non-Game Conservation Section, Wildlife Resources Division, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Brunswick, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Chance Hines
- Center for Conservation Biology, William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Laura Duval
- Center for Conservation Biology, William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | | | - Tim Keyes
- Non-Game Conservation Section, Wildlife Resources Division, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Brunswick, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Julie Paquet
- Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada
| | - Lisa Pirie-Dominix
- Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada
| | - Jennie Rausch
- Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
| | - Barry Truitt
- The Nature Conservancy’s Volgenau Virginia Coast Reserve, Nassawadox, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Brad Winn
- Manoment Inc., Manomet, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Paul Woodard
- Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
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26
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Fang B, Yang Z, Shen M, Wu X, Hu J. Limited increase in asynchrony between the onset of spring green-up and the arrival of a long-distance migratory bird. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 795:148823. [PMID: 34229240 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
For many migrant bird species around the world, climate change has been shown to induce changes in the timings of arrival and the onset of spring food availability at breeding sites. However, whether such changes enlarged asynchrony between the timings of spring arrival of long-distance migratory birds and onset of vegetation greenness increase remain controversial. We used a 29-year phenological dataset to investigate the temporal changes in spring first-sighting date (FSD) of a long-distance migratory bird (barn swallow, Hirundo rustica), from observations at 160 local breeding sites across northern China, and the vegetation green-up onset date (VGD), determined from satellite observations of vegetation greenness. We found that both FSD and VGD trended earlier at over two-thirds of the breeding sites. FSD significantly advanced at 26.9% of the sites, and VGD significantly advanced at 23.8% of the sites. The degree of asynchrony between FSD and VGD changed significantly at one-third of the breeding sites (22.5% with an increase versus 11.3% with a decrease), leading to a limited increase of phenological mismatch. We speculated that climate change did not disrupt the climatic connections between most breeding sites and corresponding non-breeding sites (wintering grounds and migration routes). Our findings suggest that climate change may not greatly increase phenological mismatch between first arrival date of barn swallows and VGD at breeding sites. Importantly, this study should serve as a cue to encourage ecologists and conservation biologists to expand the context under which to explore the ecological consequences of phenological shifts beyond asynchrony, such as individual survival, population demography and ecosystem-level consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiyong Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Naqu Alpine Grassland Ecosystem Field Scientific Observation and Research Station, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tibet, China
| | - Miaogen Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
| | - Xiaoxu Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science, College of Global Change and Earth System Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Junhua Hu
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China.
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27
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Aarif K, Nefla A, Athira T, Prasadan P, Muzaffar SB. The costs of migration: Injuries in migratory waterbirds along the west coast of India. Saudi J Biol Sci 2021; 28:6030-6039. [PMID: 34764735 PMCID: PMC8568821 DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2021.07.080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The long distant, transcontinental migration of shorebirds entails many well identified costs in terms of time, energy, and direct mortality risk. Injuries from debris or from human structures and activities were observed as the major reasons for the direct mortality of shorebirds during migration worldwide. We recorded injured birds in major coastal wetlands of Kerala, for a period of 15 years from 2005 to 2019. The injured birds were observed in 9 different sites in various districts of Kerala. The highest instances of injuries were observed in Kadalundi-Vallikunnu Community Reserve, the major wintering and stop over site of migrant shorebirds in the west coast of India. During the study period, fifty-eight individuals of shorebirds belonging to four families were found to be injured. The highest proportion of injuries was recorded among the families Scolopacidae and Charadriidae comprising long distance migrant shorebird species and the lowest among Laridae and Ardeidae. We recommend that environmental authorities pay special attention to minimize anthropogenic debris along the flyways used by migratory birds thereby reducing the risk of injuries to some of these species. Proactive measures such as removal of discarded fishing gear or plastic debris from wintering areas as well as stopover areas could greatly reduce injuries in migratory birds arising from anthropogenic sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- K.M. Aarif
- Terrestrial Ecology, Centre for Environment and Marine Studies, King Fahad University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - Aymen Nefla
- Department of Biology, University of Sciences of Tunis, El Manar II, 2092 Tunis, Tunisia
- Corresponding authors.
| | - T.R. Athira
- Post Graduate and Research Department of Zoology, Govt College Madappally, Kozhikode, Kerala, India
| | - P.K. Prasadan
- Department of Zoology, Mananthavady Campus, Kannur University, Edavaka 670 645, Kerala, India
| | - Sabir Bin Muzaffar
- Department of Biology, United Arab Emirates University, PO Box 15551, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
- Corresponding authors.
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28
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Anderson AM, Friis C, Gratto-Trevor CL, Harris CM, Love OP, Morrison RIG, Prosser SWJ, Nol E, Smith PA. Drought at a coastal wetland affects refuelling and migration strategies of shorebirds. Oecologia 2021; 197:661-674. [PMID: 34657196 PMCID: PMC8585834 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-021-05047-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Droughts can affect invertebrate communities in wetlands, which can have bottom-up effects on the condition and survival of top predators. Shorebirds, key predators at coastal wetlands, have experienced widespread population declines and could be negatively affected by droughts. We explored, in detail, the effects of drought on multiple aspects of shorebird stopover and migration ecology by contrasting a year with average wet/dry conditions (2016) with a year with moderate drought (2017) at a major subarctic stopover site on southbound migration. We also examined the effects of drought on shorebird body mass during stopover across 14 years (historical: 1974–1982 and present-day: 2014–2018). For the detailed comparison of two years, in the year with moderate drought we documented lower invertebrate abundance at some sites, higher prey family richness in shorebird faecal samples, lower shorebird refuelling rates, shorter stopover durations for juveniles, and, for most species, a higher probability of making a subsequent stopover in North America after departing the subarctic, compared to the year with average wet/dry conditions. In the 14-year dataset, shorebird body mass tended to be lower in drier years. We show that even short-term, moderate drought conditions can negatively affect shorebird refuelling performance at coastal wetlands, which may carry-over to affect subsequent stopover decisions. Given shorebird population declines and predicted changes in the severity and duration of droughts with climate change, researchers should prioritize a better understanding of how droughts affect shorebird refuelling performance and survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra M Anderson
- Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, Peterborough, Canada.
| | - Christian Friis
- Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Canada
| | - Cheri L Gratto-Trevor
- Prairie and Northern Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Saskatoon, Canada
| | | | - Oliver P Love
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Windsor, Windsor, Canada
| | - R I Guy Morrison
- National Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Sean W J Prosser
- Center for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada
| | - Erica Nol
- Department of Biology, Trent University, Peterborough, Canada
| | - Paul A Smith
- National Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, Canada
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29
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Mander L, Scapin L, Thaxter CB, Forster RM, Burton NHK. Long-Term Changes in the Abundance of Benthic Foraging Birds in a Restored Wetland. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.673148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Estuaries have historically been subject to considerable habitat loss, and continue to be subjected to such in areas where the natural landward migration of intertidal habitats is constrained by hard coastal defences. Thus, in estuaries where direct (e.g., port development) or indirect (e.g., sea level rise) processes are predicted to threaten intertidal habitats and associated waterbird species, there is a regulatory requirement to produce compensatory intertidal habitats. Managed realignment (MR) is a shoreline management practise that is undertaken to build sustainable coastal defences and create intertidal habitats in estuaries. This nature-based solution brings multiple benefits in the form of carbon storage, increased resilience to flooding, and, potentially, the formation of new habitats, which is the topic of this study. A 75-ha site at the Paull Holme Strays (Humber Estuary, United Kingdom) was monitored over a 10-year period following MR to examine the change in the abundance of waterbirds in the chosen site in response to the physical processes occurring there. Using digital terrain models (DTMs) collected via light detection and ranging (LiDAR), we examined how four compensatory target species responded to changes in elevation after the creation of the site. It was shown that the very rapid accretion of estuarine sediment occurred in the first decade of the new re-created intertidal, which, over time, led to changes in the numbers of benthic foraging birds supported. Furthermore, elevation change was also driven by this sediment accretion, the rate of which depended on the initial bed elevation of the sectors within the site. Ten years after the recreation of the habitat, the spatial heterogeneity in the bed elevation remained high; however, the sectors with the lowest elevations accreted the most over the 10-year period. The foraging number of the four waterbird species that colonised the MR site significantly declined above a certain elevation, with this effect being most pronounced for the Eurasian curlew (Numenius arquata). The number of common shelducks (Tadorna tadorna), dunlins (Calidris alpina), and common redshanks (Tringa totanus) declined significantly after initial peaks 5–7 years after the creation of the site, reflecting the ongoing elevation changes. Thus, this study highlighted the need for long-term studies to understand how species respond to large-scale habitat construction. It can also aid in predicting the suitability of an MR site for waterbirds in the medium and long term.
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30
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Tucker AM, McGowan CP, Lyons JE, DeRose‐Wilson A, Clark NA. Species‐specific demographic and behavioral responses to food availability during migratory stopover. POPUL ECOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/1438-390x.12094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anna M. Tucker
- School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences Auburn University Auburn Alabama USA
| | - Conor P. McGowan
- School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences Auburn University Auburn Alabama USA
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alabama Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Auburn University Auburn Alabama USA
| | - James E. Lyons
- U.S. Geological Survey Patuxent Wildlife Research Center Laurel Maryland USA
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31
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Bianchini K, Crump D, Farhat A, Morrissey CA. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Alter the Hepatic Expression of Genes Involved in Sanderling (Calidris alba) Pre-migratory Fueling. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2021; 40:1983-1991. [PMID: 33818817 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) impaired pre-migratory fueling in 49 orally dosed Sanderling (Calidris alba). In the present study, 8 genes related to fat deposition and PAH exposure were measured in liver subsamples from these same shorebirds. At the highest dose (1260 µg total PAH [tPAH]/kg body wt/day), PAH exposure decreased liver basic fatty acid binding protein 1 (Lbfabp) and hepatic lipase (Lipc) expression. The present study reveals candidate molecular-level pathways for observed avian pre-migratory refueling impairment. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:1983-1991. © 2021 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Bianchini
- Long Point Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Program, Birds Canada, Port Rowan, Ontario, Canada
- Biology Department, Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Doug Crump
- Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Amani Farhat
- Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Christy A Morrissey
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
- School of Environment and Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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32
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Macdonald AJ, Smith PA, Friis CA, Lyons JE, Aubry Y, Nol E. Stopover Ecology of Red Knots in Southwestern James Bay During Southbound Migration. J Wildl Manage 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Amelia J. Macdonald
- Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program Trent University 1600 West Bank Drive Peterborough ON K9L 0G2 Canada
| | - Paul A. Smith
- National Wildlife Research Centre Environment and Climate Change Canada 1125 Colonel By Drive Ottawa ON K1A 0H3 Canada
| | - Christian A. Friis
- Canadian Wildlife Service Environment and Climate Change Canada 4905 Dufferin Street Toronto ON M3H 5T4 Canada
| | - James E. Lyons
- U.S. Geological Survey Patuxent Wildlife Research Center 12100 Beech Forest Road Laurel MD 20708 USA
| | - Yves Aubry
- Canadian Wildlife Service Environment and Climate Change Canada 801–1550 d'Estimauville Avenue Québec QC G1J 0C3 Canada
| | - Erica Nol
- Department of Biology Trent University 2140 East Bank Drive Peterborough ON K9L 0G2 Canada
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33
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Donnelly JP, King SL, Knetter J, Gammonley JH, Dreitz VJ, Grisham BA, Nowak MC, Collins DP. Migration efficiency sustains connectivity across agroecological networks supporting sandhill crane migration. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- J. Patrick Donnelly
- Intermountain West Joint Venture ‐ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Migratory Bird Program Missoula Montana USA
| | - Sammy L. King
- U.S. Geological Survey Louisiana Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit School of Renewable Natural Resources Louisiana State University Baton Rouge Louisiana USA
| | - Jeff Knetter
- Idaho Department of Fish and Game Boise Idaho USA
| | | | - Victoria J. Dreitz
- Wildlife Biology Program Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences Avian Science Center W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation University of Montana Missoula Montana USA
| | - Blake A. Grisham
- Department of Natural Resources Management Texas Tech University Lubbock Texas USA
| | - M. Cathy Nowak
- Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Ladd Marsh Wildlife Area La Grande Oregon USA
| | - Daniel P. Collins
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Region 2 Migratory Bird Office Albuquerque New Mexico USA
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34
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Ecosystem-Based Adaptation to Protect Avian Species in Coastal Communities in the Greater Niagara Region, Canada. CLIMATE 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/cli9060091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Coastal communities are increasingly vulnerable to climate change and its effects may push coastal ecosystems to undergo irreversible changes. This is especially true for shorebirds with the loss of biodiversity and resource-rich habitats to rest, refuel, and breed. To protect these species, it is critical to conduct research related to nature-based Solutions (NbS). Through a scoping review of scientific literature, this paper initially identified 85 articles with various ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) strategies that could help conserve shorebird populations and promote ecotourism. Of these 85 articles, 28 articles had EbA strategies that were examined, with some like coral reefs and mangroves eliminated as they were inappropriate for this region. The scoping review identified four major EbA strategies for the Greater Niagara Region with living shorelines and beach nourishment being the most suitable, especially when combined. These strategies were then evaluated against the eight core principles of nature-based solutions protecting shorebird as well as human wellbeing. Living shoreline strategy was the only one that met all eight NbS principles. As the coastline of the region greatly varies in substrate and development, further research will be needed to decide which EbA strategies would be appropriate for each specific area to ensure their efficacy.
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Hou J, Li L, Wang Y, Wang W, Zhan H, Dai N, Lu P. Influences of submerged plant collapse on diet composition, breadth, and overlap among four crane species at Poyang Lake, China. Front Zool 2021; 18:24. [PMID: 34001190 PMCID: PMC8130136 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-021-00411-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Interannual variation in resource abundance has become more unpredictable, and food shortages have increasingly occurred in the recent decades. However, compared to seasonal fluctuations in resource abundance, the influences of interannual variation in resource abundance on the dietary niches of consumers remain poorly understood. Poyang Lake, China, is a very important wintering ground for the globally endangered Siberian Crane (Leucogeranus leucogeranus), White-naped Crane (Grus vipio), and Hooded Crane (G. monacha), as well as the non-endangered Eurasian Crane (G. grus). Tubers of Vallisneria spp., the dominant submerged macrophytes at Poyang Lake, is an important food for cranes. Nevertheless, submerged macrophytes have experienced serious degradation recently. In this study, we used metabarcoding technology to explore the consequences of Vallisneria tuber collapse on the diet compositions, breadths, and overlaps of the four crane species based on fecal samples collected in winter 2017 (a year with tuber collapse) and winter 2018 (a year with high tuber abundance). Results Compared to previous studies, our study elucidates crane diets in an unprecedented level of detail. Vallisneria tubers was confirmed as an important food source of cranes. Surprisingly, the grassland plant Polygonum criopolitanum was also found to be an important food source in the feces of cranes. Agricultural fields were important foraging sites for Siberian Cranes, White-naped Cranes, and Hooded Cranes, providing foods that allowed them to survive in winters with natural food shortages. However, the three crane species preferred natural wetlands to agricultural fields when the abundance of natural foods was high. The abundance of Vallisneria tubers, and probably P. criopolitanum, greatly influenced the dietary compositions, breadths and overlap of cranes. During periods of preferred resource shortage, White-naped Cranes and Hooded Cranes widened their dietary niches, while Siberian Cranes maintained a stable niche width. The dietary niche overlap among crane species increased substantially under conditions of plentiful preferred food resources. Conclusions Our study emphasizes the superior quality of natural wetlands compared to agricultural fields as foraging habitats for cranes. To provide safer and better foraging areas for cranes, it is urgent to restore the submerged plants at Poyang Lake. While high dietary niche overlap is often interpreted as intense interspecific competition, our study highlights the importance of taking food abundance into account. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12983-021-00411-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinjin Hou
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Watershed Ecosystem Change and Biodiversity, Center for Watershed Ecology, Institute of Life Science and School of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Lei Li
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Watershed Ecosystem Change and Biodiversity, Center for Watershed Ecology, Institute of Life Science and School of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China.,Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization, Ministry of Education, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China.,Jiangxi Poyang Lake Wetland Conservation and Restoration National Permanent Scientific Research Base, National Ecosystem Research Station of Jiangxi Poyang Lake Wetland, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Yafang Wang
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Watershed Ecosystem Change and Biodiversity, Center for Watershed Ecology, Institute of Life Science and School of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Wenjuan Wang
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Watershed Ecosystem Change and Biodiversity, Center for Watershed Ecology, Institute of Life Science and School of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China. .,Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization, Ministry of Education, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China. .,Jiangxi Poyang Lake Wetland Conservation and Restoration National Permanent Scientific Research Base, National Ecosystem Research Station of Jiangxi Poyang Lake Wetland, Nanchang, 330031, China.
| | - Huiying Zhan
- Jiangxi Poyang Lake National Nature Reserve Authority, Nanchang, 330038, China
| | - Nianhua Dai
- The Institute of Biology and Resources, Jiangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanchang, 330096, China
| | - Ping Lu
- The Institute of Biology and Resources, Jiangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanchang, 330096, China
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Blount JD, Horns JJ, Kittelberger KD, Neate-Clegg MHC, Şekercioğlu ÇH. Avian Use of Agricultural Areas as Migration Stopover Sites: A Review of Crop Management Practices and Ecological Correlates. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.650641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
An estimated 17% of migratory bird species are threatened or near threatened with extinction. This represents an enormous potential loss of biodiversity and cost to human societies due to the economic benefits that birds provide through ecosystem services and ecotourism. Conservation of migratory bird species presents many unique challenges, as these birds rely on multiple geographically distinct habitats, including breeding grounds, non-breeding grounds, and stopover sites during migration. In particular, stopover habitats are seldom studied relative to breeding and non-breeding habitats, despite their importance as refueling stations for migratory birds. In this study, we summarize the current research on the use of temporary primary crops by birds during migration and we assess the species characteristics and agricultural practices most often associated with the use of cropland as stopover habitat. First, we conducted a systematic review of the literature to document the effects various farming practices and crop types have on the abundance and diversity of migratory birds using agricultural areas for stopovers. Second, we analyzed the ecological correlates of bird species in the Northern Hemisphere that predict which species may use these areas while migrating. We ran a GLMM to test whether primary diet, diet breadth, primary habitat, habitat breadth, or realm predicted stopover use of agricultural areas. Our review suggests that particular crop types (principally rice, corn, and sunflower), as well as farming practices that result in higher non-cultivated plant diversity, encourage the use of agricultural areas by migrating birds. We found that cropland is used as stopover habitat by bird species that can utilize a large breadth of habitats, as well as species with preferences for habitat similar in structure to agricultural areas.
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Burger J, Gochfeld M. Biomonitoring selenium, mercury, and selenium:mercury molar ratios in selected species in Northeastern US estuaries: risk to biota and humans. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:18392-18406. [PMID: 33471308 PMCID: PMC9624179 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-12175-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
The mutual mitigation of selenium and mercury toxicity is particularly interesting, especially for humans. Mercury is widely recognized as a pantoxic element; all forms are toxic to all organisms. Less well known is that selenium in excess is toxic as well. The high affinity between these elements influences their bioavailability and toxicity. In this paper, we use selected species from Barnegat and Delaware Bays in New Jersey to examine variations in levels of selenium and mercury, and selenium:mercury molar ratios between and within species. We report on species ranging from horseshoe crab eggs (Limulus polyphemus), a keystone species of the food chain, to several fish species, to fish-eating birds. Sampling began in the 1970s for some species and in the 1990s for others. We found no clear time trends in mercury levels in horseshoe crab eggs, but selenium levels declined at first, then remained steady after the mid1990s. Concentrations of mercury and selenium in blood of migrant shorebirds directly reflected levels in horseshoe crab eggs (their food at stopover). Levels of mercury in eggs of common terns (Sterna hirundo) varied over time, and may have declined slightly since the mid2000s; selenium levels also varied temporally, and declined somewhat. There were variations in mercury and selenium levels in commercial, recreational, and subsistence fish as a function of species, season, and size (a surrogate for age). Selenium:mercury molar ratios also varied as a function of species, year, season, and size in fish. While mercury levels increased with size within individual fish species, selenium levels remained the same or declined. Thus selenium:mercury molar ratios declined with size in fish, reducing the potential of selenium to ameliorate mercury toxicity in consumers. Mercury levels in fish examined were higher in early summer and late fall, and lower in the summer, while selenium stayed relatively similar; thus selenium:mercury molar ratios were lower in early summer and late fall than in midsummer. We discuss the importance of temporal trends in biomonitoring projects, variations in levels of mercury, selenium, and the molar ratios as a function of several variables, and the influence of these on risks to predators and humans eating the fish, and the eggs of gulls, terns. Our data suggests that variability limits the utility of the selenium:mercury molar ratio for fish consumption advisories and for risk management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Burger
- Division of Life Science, Rutgers University, 604 Allison Road, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA.
- Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA.
| | - Michael Gochfeld
- Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
- Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
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Kawecki TJ, Erkosar B, Dupuis C, Hollis B, Stillwell RC, Kapun M. The Genomic Architecture of Adaptation to Larval Malnutrition Points to a Trade-off with Adult Starvation Resistance in Drosophila. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 38:2732-2749. [PMID: 33677563 PMCID: PMC8233504 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msab061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Periods of nutrient shortage impose strong selection on animal populations. Experimental studies of genetic adaptation to nutrient shortage largely focus on resistance to acute starvation at adult stage; it is not clear how conclusions drawn from these studies extrapolate to other forms of nutritional stress. We studied the genomic signature of adaptation to chronic juvenile malnutrition in six populations of Drosophila melanogaster evolved for 150 generations on an extremely nutrient-poor larval diet. Comparison with control populations evolved on standard food revealed repeatable genomic differentiation between the two set of population, involving >3,000 candidate SNPs forming >100 independently evolving clusters. The candidate genomic regions were enriched in genes implicated in hormone, carbohydrate, and lipid metabolism, including some with known effects on fitness-related life-history traits. Rather than being close to fixation, a substantial fraction of candidate SNPs segregated at intermediate allele frequencies in all malnutrition-adapted populations. This, together with patterns of among-population variation in allele frequencies and estimates of Tajima’s D, suggests that the poor diet results in balancing selection on some genomic regions. Our candidate genes for tolerance to larval malnutrition showed a high overlap with genes previously implicated in acute starvation resistance. However, adaptation to larval malnutrition in our study was associated with reduced tolerance to acute adult starvation. Thus, rather than reflecting synergy, the shared genomic architecture appears to mediate an evolutionary trade-off between tolerances to these two forms of nutritional stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tadeusz J Kawecki
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Berra Erkosar
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Cindy Dupuis
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Brian Hollis
- EPFL, Department of Systems Biology, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - R Craig Stillwell
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Martin Kapun
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.,Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Canham R, Flemming SA, Hope DD, Drever MC. Sandpipers go with the flow: Correlations between estuarine conditions and shorebird abundance at an important stopover on the Pacific Flyway. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:2828-2841. [PMID: 33767839 PMCID: PMC7981218 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Revised: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Estuaries of major rivers provide important stopover habitat for migratory birds throughout the world. These estuaries experience large amounts of freshwater inputs from spring runoff. Understanding how freshwater inputs affect food supply for migrating birds, and how birds respond to these changes will be essential for effective conservation of critical estuarine habitats. We estimated trends over time in counts of Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri) and Pacific Dunlin (Calidris alpina pacifica) during northward migration on the Fraser River estuary, British Columbia, Canada, where shorebirds feed extensively on intertidal biofilm and invertebrates. We also examined whether counts were correlated with a suite of environmental variables related to local conditions (precipitation, temperature, wind speed and direction, solar radiation, tidal amplitude, and discharge rates from the Fraser River) during a total of 540 surveys from 1991 to 2019. Counts of Western Sandpiper declined ~54% (-2.0% per annum) over the entire study period, and 23% from 2009 to 2019 (-0.9% per annum). Counts of Pacific Dunlin did not show a statistically significant change over the study period. Counts of shorebirds were lower when discharge from the Fraser River was high, which we propose results from a complex interaction between the abrupt changes in salinity and the estuarine food web related to the quantity or quality of intertidal biofilm. Counts were also higher when tidal amplitude was lower (neap tides), potentially related to longer exposure times of the mudflats than during spring tides. Effects of wind are likely related to birds delaying departure from the stopover site during unfavorable wind conditions. The negative trend in migrating Western Sandpipers is consistent with declines in nonbreeding areas as observed in Christmas Bird Counts. Understanding causes of population change in migratory shorebirds highlights the need for research on mechanistic pathways in which freshwater inputs affect food resources at estuarine stopovers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Canham
- Environment and Climate Change CanadaPacific Wildlife Research CentreDeltaBCCanada
| | - Scott A. Flemming
- Environment and Climate Change CanadaPacific Wildlife Research CentreDeltaBCCanada
| | - David D. Hope
- Environment and Climate Change CanadaCanadian Wildlife ServiceOttawaONCanada
| | - Mark C. Drever
- Environment and Climate Change CanadaPacific Wildlife Research CentreDeltaBCCanada
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Watts BD, Truitt BR. Influence of introduced peregrine falcons on the distribution of red knots within a spring staging site. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0244459. [PMID: 33444364 PMCID: PMC7808572 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0244459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Predator recovery driven by single-species management approaches may lead to conservation conflicts between recovered predators and prey species of conservation concern. As part of an aggressive recovery plan, the Eastern Peregrine Falcon Recovery Team released (1975-1985) 307 captive-reared peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus) and successfully established a breeding population within the mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain, a physiographic region with no historic breeding population and a critical spring staging area for migratory shorebirds. We examined the influence of resident falcons on the distribution of foraging red knots during spring migration. We conducted weekly aerial surveys (2006-2009) along the Virginia barrier islands during the spring staging period (25 April- 6 June) to map foraging red knots (Calidris canutus) and evaluated the influence of proximity (0-3, 3-6, >6 km) of beaches to active peregrine falcon nests on knot density (birds/km). Accumulated use of beaches throughout the season by red knots was significantly influenced by proximity of beaches to active falcon nests such that mean density was more than 6 fold higher on beaches that were >6 km compared to beaches that were only 0-3 km from active eyries. Whether or not an eyrie was used in a given year had a significant influence on the use of associated close (0-3 km) beaches. From 6.5 to 64 fold more knots used beaches when associated eyries were not active compared to when they were active depending on the specific site. Historically, red knots and other migratory shorebirds would have enjoyed a peregrine-free zone within this critical staging site. The establishment of a dense breeding population of falcons within the area represents a new hazard for the knot population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan D. Watts
- Center for Conservation Biology, William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Barry R. Truitt
- The Nature Conservancy in Virginia, Virginia Coast Reserve, Nassawadox, Virginia, United States of America
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Wommack EA, Marrack LC, Mambelli S, Hull JM, Dawson TE. Using oxygen and hydrogen stable isotopes to track the migratory movement of Sharp-shinned Hawks (Accipiter striatus) along Western Flyways of North America. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0226318. [PMID: 33201878 PMCID: PMC7671529 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0226318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The large-scale patterns of movement for the Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus), a small forest hawk found throughout western North America, are largely unknown. However, based on field observations we set out to test the hypothesis that juvenile migratory A. striatus caught along two distinct migration routes on opposite sides of the Sierra Nevada Mountains of North America (Pacific Coast and Intermountain Migratory Flyways) come from geographically different natal populations. We applied stable isotope analysis of hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) of feathers, and large scale models of spatial isotopic variation (isoscapes) to formulate spatially explicit predictions of the origin of the migrant birds. Novel relationships were assessed between the measured hydrogen and oxygen isotope values of feathers from A. striatus museum specimens of known origin and the isoscape modeled hydrogen and oxygen isotope values of precipitation at those known locations. We used these relationships to predict the origin regions for birds migrating along the two flyways from the measured isotope values of migrant’s feathers and the associated hydrogen and oxygen isotopic composition of precipitation where these feathers were formed. The birds from the two migration routes had overlap in their natal/breeding origins and did not differentiate into fully separate migratory populations, with birds from the Pacific Coast Migratory Flyway showing broader natal geographic origins than those from the Intermountain Flyway. The methodology based on oxygen isotopes had, in general, less predictive power than the one based on hydrogen. There was broad agreement between the two isotope approaches in the geographic assignment of the origins of birds migrating along the Pacific Coast Flyway, but not for those migrating along the Intermountain Migratory Flyway. These results are discussed in terms of their implications for conservation efforts of A. striatus in western North America, and the use of combined hydrogen and oxygen stable isotope analysis to track the movement of birds of prey on continental scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A. Wommack
- Department of Zoology & Physiology, University of Wyoming Museum of Vertebrates, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, United States of America
- Golden Gate Raptor Observatory, Sausalito, California, United States of America
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Lisa C. Marrack
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy & Management, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Stefania Mambelli
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- Center for Stable Isotope Biogeochemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Joshua M. Hull
- Golden Gate Raptor Observatory, Sausalito, California, United States of America
- Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Todd E. Dawson
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy & Management, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- Center for Stable Isotope Biogeochemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
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Cañizares JR, Reed JM. Identification of priority shorebird conservation areas in the Caribbean. PeerJ 2020; 8:e9831. [PMID: 33194350 PMCID: PMC7485488 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite being geographically central to the Atlantic Americas Flyway for migratory birds, the Caribbean is often overlooked or underappreciated when addressing the conservation of North American shorebirds. To our knowledge, this is the first Caribbean-wide assessment of shorebird use in the region. We analyzed 211,013 shorebird species observations in the insular Caribbean from 2010–2019, representing 78,794 eBird checklists and cumulative total of 2.1 million shorebirds of 45 species. We conclude that priority areas for shorebird conservation include Humedal Sur de Pinar del Río (Humedal Sur de Los Palacios) in Cuba, and Monte Cristi in the Dominican Republic as they each likely support more than 20,000 shorebirds annually, and they host large abundances of geographic populations for particular taxa. Specifically, the former site hosts >10% of Short-billed Dowitchers (Limnodromus griseus griseus/hendersoni), and >1% of Black-bellied Plovers (Pluvialis squatarola cynosurae) and Wilson’s Plovers (Charadrius wilsonia wilsonia), while the latter site supports large numbers of Black-necked Stilts (Himantopus mexicanus). We also identified at least 15 additional sites that likely cross the 1% population threshold for one or more shorebird taxa. These sites may qualify for special international designations such as Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas or as part of the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network; 11 of the 17 sites we identified do not hold either of these titles. Data on subspecific or geographic distributions of three species, Snowy Plover (C. nivosus), Black-necked Stilt, and Killdeer (C. vociferous), are insufficient to reveal if the sites with the highest abundances were mostly comprised of Caribbean populations or migrants, but the limited information suggests that they also likely exceed 1% thresholds on several islands. Based on our results, we recommend more extensive systematic surveys of shorebirds in the Caribbean, including research on turnover rates and movements between islands, as well as assimilation of shorebird survey data not yet included in the eBird portal.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - J Michael Reed
- Biology Department, Tufts University, Medford, MA, United States of America
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Gherardi-Fuentes C, Navedo JG, Verdugo C. The mitochondrial genome of two long-distance migratory shorebirds: the Hudsonian godwit ( Limosa haemastica) and the Red knot ( Calidris canutus). MITOCHONDRIAL DNA PART B-RESOURCES 2020; 5:3553-3554. [PMID: 33458238 PMCID: PMC7781980 DOI: 10.1080/23802359.2020.1827997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
We report the mitochondrial genome sequences of two migratory shorebirds, the Hudsonian godwit (Limosa haemastica) and the Red knot (Calidris canutus) obtained through shotgun sequencing. The mitogenome is of 16.445 bp for the godwit and 15.609 bp for the knot containing thirteen protein-coding genes, two rRNAs, twenty-two tRNAs, and a control region. The ATP8 and tRNA-Glu were not found in the knot. Bayesian phylogenetic analysis supported the position of both species in the clade of the Scolopacidae Family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Gherardi-Fuentes
- Bird Ecology Lab, Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.,Programa de Doctorado en Biología Marina, Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Juan G Navedo
- Bird Ecology Lab, Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.,Facultad de Ciencias, Estación Experimental Quempillén (Chiloé), Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Claudio Verdugo
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases Lab, Instituto de Patología Animal, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
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Oversummering in the southern hemisphere by long-distance migratory shorebirds calls for reappraisal of wetland conservation policies. Glob Ecol Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e01189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
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Sasson DA, Johnson SL, Smith MD, Brockmann HJ. Seasonal Variation in Reproduction of Horseshoe Crabs ( Limulus polyphemus) from the Gulf Coast of Florida. THE BIOLOGICAL BULLETIN 2020; 239:24-39. [PMID: 32812812 DOI: 10.1086/709876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
AbstractThe timing of reproduction is often governed by environmental variables, such as temperature or rainfall. Understanding how environmental variables affect mating dynamics is necessary to predict how systems and populations may adapt to changing environmental conditions and is crucial for management of threatened species. The American horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) ranges from the Yucatan to Maine in distinct populations that differ in their timing of reproduction; while most populations have only one breeding period during the spring, some southern populations have two breeding periods. Here we discuss seasonal patterns of reproduction in a Florida Gulf coast population where horseshoe crabs have two periods of breeding: one in the spring and another in the fall. We used environmental measurements, spawning surveys, mark-recapture, and measurements of adult traits and spawning behavior to compare reproductive parameters between the two spawning seasons over three years. We then evaluated whether environmental conditions affect fall and spring horseshoe crab nesting patterns similarly and whether fall and spring horseshoe crabs should be considered two separate populations. We found significant differences in environmental conditions across seasons and in a wide variety of horseshoe crab traits and nesting parameters. Furthermore, environmental conditions affected nesting behaviors of fall and spring horseshoe crabs differently. However, some individuals spawn during both seasons, suggesting that trait differences may be attributable to environmental effects during development or seasonal plasticity, rather than genetic differences, although further study is necessary. Finally, our results suggest that management practices should be tailored to each population, because environmental conditions may have different effects even on genetically similar groups.
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Pinti J, Celani A, Thygesen UH, Mariani P. Optimal navigation and behavioural traits in oceanic migrations. THEOR ECOL-NETH 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s12080-020-00469-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Mu T, Wilcove DS. Upper tidal flats are disproportionately important for the conservation of migratory shorebirds. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20200278. [PMID: 32486983 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.0278rspb20200278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Migratory animals play vital ecological roles in ecosystems worldwide, yet many species are threatened by human activities. Understanding the detailed patterns of habitat use throughout the migration cycle is critical to developing effective conservation strategies for these species. Migratory shorebirds undertake some of the longest known migrations, but they are also declining precipitously worldwide. To better understand the dynamics of shorebird declines along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, we quantified the spatiotemporal foraging distribution of 17 migratory shorebirds at two critical stopover sites. We found that shorebirds exhibit substantial interspecific and site-specific differences in their foraging distributions. Notwithstanding these differences, however, the upper tidal flats appear to be especially important to most shorebirds by providing more than 70% of the birds' cumulative foraging time, twofold greater than their proportional area. Because the upper tidal flats are also more prone to coastal development, our findings may help to explain why shorebird populations along the flyway have declined much faster than the overall rate of tidal flat loss. Our work highlights the importance of protecting upper tidal flats to conserve migratory shorebirds and demonstrates the value of a detailed ecological understanding of habitat usage by migratory animals for conservation planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Mu
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - David S Wilcove
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
- Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
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Mu T, Wilcove DS. Upper tidal flats are disproportionately important for the conservation of migratory shorebirds. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20200278. [PMID: 32486983 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.0278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Migratory animals play vital ecological roles in ecosystems worldwide, yet many species are threatened by human activities. Understanding the detailed patterns of habitat use throughout the migration cycle is critical to developing effective conservation strategies for these species. Migratory shorebirds undertake some of the longest known migrations, but they are also declining precipitously worldwide. To better understand the dynamics of shorebird declines along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, we quantified the spatiotemporal foraging distribution of 17 migratory shorebirds at two critical stopover sites. We found that shorebirds exhibit substantial interspecific and site-specific differences in their foraging distributions. Notwithstanding these differences, however, the upper tidal flats appear to be especially important to most shorebirds by providing more than 70% of the birds' cumulative foraging time, twofold greater than their proportional area. Because the upper tidal flats are also more prone to coastal development, our findings may help to explain why shorebird populations along the flyway have declined much faster than the overall rate of tidal flat loss. Our work highlights the importance of protecting upper tidal flats to conserve migratory shorebirds and demonstrates the value of a detailed ecological understanding of habitat usage by migratory animals for conservation planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Mu
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - David S Wilcove
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.,Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
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Fokkema W, van der Jeugd HP, Lameris TK, Dokter AM, Ebbinge BS, de Roos AM, Nolet BA, Piersma T, Olff H. Ontogenetic niche shifts as a driver of seasonal migration. Oecologia 2020; 193:285-297. [PMID: 32529317 PMCID: PMC7320946 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-020-04682-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 06/06/2020] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
Ontogenetic niche shifts have helped to understand population dynamics. Here we show that ontogenetic niche shifts also offer an explanation, complementary to traditional concepts, as to why certain species show seasonal migration. We describe how demographic processes (survival, reproduction and migration) and associated ecological requirements of species may change with ontogenetic stage (juvenile, adult) and across the migratory range (breeding, non-breeding). We apply this concept to widely different species (dark-bellied brent geese (Branta b. bernicla), humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) and migratory Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) to check the generality of this hypothesis. Consistent with the idea that ontogenetic niche shifts are an important driver of seasonal migration, we find that growth and survival of juvenile life stages profit most from ecological conditions that are specific to breeding areas. We suggest that matrix population modelling techniques are promising to detect the importance of the ontogenetic niche shifts in maintaining migratory strategies. As a proof of concept, we applied a first analysis to resident, partial migratory and fully migratory populations of barnacle geese (Branta leucopsis). We argue that recognition of the costs and benefits of migration, and how these vary with life stages, is important to understand and conserve migration under global environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wimke Fokkema
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), Univ. of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Henk P van der Jeugd
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Vogeltrekstation, Dutch Centre for Avian Migration and Demography (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Thomas K Lameris
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
- NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Coastal Systems, and Utrecht University, Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands
| | - Adriaan M Dokter
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
| | - Barwolt S Ebbinge
- Wageningen Environmental Research, Wageningen Univ. and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - André M de Roos
- Department of Theoretical and Computational Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), Univ. of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Bart A Nolet
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands.
- Department of Theoretical and Computational Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), Univ. of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Theunis Piersma
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), Univ. of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Coastal Systems, and Utrecht University, Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands
| | - Han Olff
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), Univ. of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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Swift RJ, Rodewald AD, Johnson JA, Andres BA, Senner NR. Seasonal survival and reversible state effects in a long-distance migratory shorebird. J Anim Ecol 2020; 89:2043-2055. [PMID: 32358801 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Events during one stage of the annual cycle can reversibly affect an individual's condition and performance not only within that stage, but also in subsequent stages (i.e. reversible state effects). Despite strong conceptual links, however, few studies have been able to empirically link individual-level reversible state effects with larger-scale demographic processes. We studied both survival and potential reversible state effects in a long-distance migratory shorebird, the Hudsonian Godwit Limosa haemastica. Specifically, we estimated period-specific survival probabilities across the annual cycle and examined the extent to which an individual's body condition, foraging success and habitat quality during the nonbreeding season affected its subsequent survival and reproductive performance. Godwit survival rates were high throughout the annual cycle, but lowest during the breeding season, only slightly higher during southbound migration and highest during the stationary nonbreeding season. Our results indicate that overwintering godwits foraging in high-quality habitats had comparably better nutritional status and pre-migratory body condition, which in turn improved their return rates and the likelihood that their nests and chicks survived during the subsequent breeding season. Reversible state effects thus appeared to link events between nonbreeding and breeding seasons via an individual's condition, in turn affecting their survival and subsequent reproductive performance. Our study thus provides one of the few empirical demonstrations of theoretical predictions that reversible state effects have the potential to influence population dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rose J Swift
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Department of Natural Resources, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Amanda D Rodewald
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Department of Natural Resources, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - James A Johnson
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Migratory Bird Management, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | - Brad A Andres
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Migratory Bird Program, Lakewood, CO, USA
| | - Nathan R Senner
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
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