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Grames EM, Montgomery GA, Youngflesh C, Tingley MW, Elphick CS. The effect of insect food availability on songbird reproductive success and chick body condition: Evidence from a systematic review and meta-analysis. Ecol Lett 2023; 26:658-673. [PMID: 36798988 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
Reports of declines in abundance and biomass of insects and other invertebrates from around the world have raised concerns about food limitation that could have profound impacts for insectivorous species. Food availability can clearly affect species; however, there is considerable variation among studies in whether this effect is evident, and thus a lack of clarity over the generality of the relationship. To understand how decreased food availability due to invertebrate declines will affect bird populations, we conducted a systematic review and used meta-analytic structural equation modelling, which allowed us to treat our core variables of interest as latent variables estimated by the diverse ways in which researchers measure fecundity and chick body condition. We found a moderate positive effect of food availability on chick body condition and a strong positive effect on reproductive success. We also found a negative relationship between chick body condition and reproductive success. Our results demonstrate that food is generally a limiting factor for breeding songbirds. Our analysis also provides evidence for a consistent trade-off between chick body condition and reproductive success, demonstrating the complexity of trophic dynamics important for these vital rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliza M Grames
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, Nevada, USA
| | - Graham A Montgomery
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Casey Youngflesh
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Michigan State University, Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Morgan W Tingley
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Chris S Elphick
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
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2
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Deng Y, Belotti MCTD, Zhao W, Cheng Z, Perez G, Tielens E, Simons VF, Sheldon DR, Maji S, Kelly JF, Horton KG. Quantifying long-term phenological patterns of aerial insectivores roosting in the Great Lakes region using weather surveillance radar. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:1407-1419. [PMID: 36397251 PMCID: PMC10098490 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Organisms have been shifting their timing of life history events (phenology) in response to changes in the emergence of resources induced by climate change. Yet understanding these patterns at large scales and across long time series is often challenging. Here we used the US weather surveillance radar network to collect data on the timing of communal swallow and martin roosts and evaluate the scale of phenological shifts and its potential association with temperature. The discrete morning departures of these aggregated aerial insectivores from ground-based roosting locations are detected by radars around sunrise. For the first time, we applied a machine learning algorithm to automatically detect and track these large-scale behaviors. We used 21 years of data from 12 weather surveillance radar stations in the Great Lakes region to quantify the phenology in roosting behavior of aerial insectivores at three spatial levels: local roost cluster, radar station, and across the Great Lakes region. We show that their peak roosting activity timing has advanced by 2.26 days per decade at the regional scale. Similar signals of advancement were found at the station scale, but not at the local roost cluster scale. Air temperature trends in the Great Lakes region during the active roosting period were predictive of later stages of roosting phenology trends (75% and 90% passage dates). Our study represents one of the longest-term broad-scale phenology examinations of avian aerial insectivore species responding to environmental change and provides a stepping stone for examining potential phenological mismatches across trophic levels at broad spatial scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Deng
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation BiologyColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | | | - Wenlong Zhao
- College of Information and Computer SciencesUniversity of MassachusettsAmherstMassachusettsUSA
| | - Zezhou Cheng
- College of Information and Computer SciencesUniversity of MassachusettsAmherstMassachusettsUSA
| | - Gustavo Perez
- College of Information and Computer SciencesUniversity of MassachusettsAmherstMassachusettsUSA
| | - Elske Tielens
- Department of BiologyUniversity of OklahomaNormanOklahomaUSA
| | - Victoria F. Simons
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation BiologyColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | - Daniel R. Sheldon
- College of Information and Computer SciencesUniversity of MassachusettsAmherstMassachusettsUSA
| | - Subhransu Maji
- College of Information and Computer SciencesUniversity of MassachusettsAmherstMassachusettsUSA
| | - Jeffrey F. Kelly
- Department of BiologyUniversity of OklahomaNormanOklahomaUSA
- Oklahoma Biological SurveyUniversity of OklahomaNormanOklahomaUSA
| | - Kyle G. Horton
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation BiologyColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColoradoUSA
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3
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Volkova AA, Berezantseva MS, Afonov KI, Spiridonov AV, Polikarpova DR, Zhukova EA, Demina IV, Tsvey AL. Relations between the Leukocyte Profile and the Energy State, Hematocrit, and Blood Metabolites in the Great Tit (Parus major). BIOL BULL+ 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062359022080222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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4
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Davy CM, von Zuben V, Kukka PM, Gerber BD, Slough BG, Jung TS. Rapidly declining body size in an insectivorous bat is associated with increased precipitation and decreased survival. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 32:e2639. [PMID: 35443093 PMCID: PMC10078423 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 02/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Reduced food availability is implicated in declines in avian aerial insectivores, but the effect of nutritional stress on mammalian aerial insectivores is unclear. Unlike birds, insectivorous bats provision their young through lactation, which might protect nursing juveniles when prey availability is low but could increase the energetic burden on lactating females. We analyzed a 15-year capture-mark-recapture data set from 5312 individual little brown myotis (Myotis lucifugus) captured at 11 maternity colonies in northwestern Canada, to test the hypothesis that nutritional stress is impacting these mammalian aerial insectivores. We used long-bone (forearm [FA]) length as a proxy for relative access to nutrition during development, and body mass as a proxy for access to nutrition prior to capture. Average FA length and body mass both decreased significantly over the study period in adult females and juveniles, suggesting decreased access to nutrition. Effect sizes were very small, similar to those reported for declining body size in avian aerial insectivores. Declines in juvenile body mass were only observed in individuals captured in late summer when they were foraging independently, supporting our hypothesis that lactation provides some protection to nursing young during periods of nutritional stress. Potential drivers of the decline in bat size include one or both of (1) declining insect (prey) abundance, and (2) declining prey availability. Echolocating insectivorous bats cannot forage effectively during rainfall, which is increasing in our study area. The body mass of captured adult females and juveniles in our study was lower, on average, after periods of high rainfall, and higher after warmer-than-average periods. Finally, survival models revealed a positive association between FA length and survival, suggesting a fitness consequence to declines in body size. Our study area has not yet been impacted by bat white-nose syndrome (WNS), but research elsewhere has suggested that fatter bats are more likely to survive infection. We found evidence for WNS-independent shifts in the body size of little brown myotis, which can inform studies investigating population responses to WNS. More broadly, the cumulative effects of multiple stressors (e.g., disease, nutritional stress, climate change, and other pressures) on mammalian aerial insectivores require urgent attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina M. Davy
- Department of BiologyTrent UniversityPeterboroughOntarioCanada
- Wildlife Research and Monitoring SectionOntario Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and ForestryPeterboroughOntarioCanada
- Department of BiologyCarleton UniversityOttawaOntarioCanada
| | - Valerie von Zuben
- Wildlife Research and Monitoring SectionOntario Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and ForestryPeterboroughOntarioCanada
| | - Piia M. Kukka
- Department of EnvironmentGovernment of YukonWhitehorseYukon TerritoryCanada
| | - Brian D. Gerber
- Department of Natural Resources ScienceUniversity of Rhode IslandKingstonRhode IslandUSA
| | | | - Thomas S. Jung
- Department of EnvironmentGovernment of YukonWhitehorseYukon TerritoryCanada
- Department of Renewable ResourcesUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonAlbertaCanada
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5
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Pattinson NB, van de Ven TMFN, Finnie MJ, Nupen LJ, McKechnie AE, Cunningham SJ. Collapse of Breeding Success in Desert-Dwelling Hornbills Evident Within a Single Decade. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.842264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapid anthropogenic climate change potentially severely reduces avian breeding success. While the consequences of high temperatures and drought are reasonably well-studied within single breeding seasons, their impacts over decadal time scales are less clear. We assessed the effects of air temperature (Tair) and drought on the breeding output of southern yellow-billed hornbills (Tockus leucomelas; hornbills) in the Kalahari Desert over a decade (2008–2019). We aimed to document trends in breeding performance in an arid-zone bird during a time of rapid global warming and identify potential drivers of variation in breeding performance. The breeding output of our study population collapsed during the monitoring period. Comparing the first three seasons (2008–2011) of monitoring to the last three seasons (2016–2019), the mean percentage of nest boxes that were occupied declined from 52% to 12%, nest success from 58% to 17%, and mean fledglings produced per breeding attempt from 1.1 to 0.4. Breeding output was negatively correlated with increasing days on which Tmax (mean maximum daily Tair) exceeded the threshold Tair at which male hornbills show a 50% likelihood of engaging in heat dissipation behavior [i.e., panting (Tthresh; Tair = 34.5°C)] and the occurrence of drought within the breeding season, as well as later dates for entry into the nest cavity (i.e., nest initiation) and fewer days post-hatch, spent incarcerated in the nest by the female parent. The apparent effects of high Tair were present even in non-drought years; of the 115 breeding attempts that were recorded, all 18 attempts that had ≥ 72% days during the attempt on which Tmax > Tthresh failed (equivalent to Tmax during the attempt ≥ 35.7°C). This suggests that global warming was likely the primary driver of the recent, rapid breeding success collapse. Based on current warming trends, the Tmax threshold of 35.7°C, above which no successful breeding attempts were recorded, will be exceeded during the entire hornbill breeding season by approximately 2027 at our study site. Therefore, our findings support the prediction that climate change may drive rapid declines and cause local extinctions despite the absence of direct lethal effects of extreme heat events.
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6
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Esther A, Schenke D, Heim W. Noninvasively Collected Fecal Samples as Indicators of Multiple Pesticide Exposure in Wild Birds. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2022; 41:201-207. [PMID: 34818436 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Pesticide use poses a potential hazard to wild birds that use agricultural farmland as their foraging habitat. Whereas most current pesticide studies have found residues in liver samples and single active substances, noninvasive sampling methods and data on a wide variety of agrochemicals are needed to determine pesticide exposure of living wild birds for postregistration monitoring. We collected feces during autumn migration of Eurasian skylarks (Alauda arvensis), a species that commonly forages in winter cereal crops. Birds were kept in paper bags until we measured their body condition, individually marked and released them. We analyzed the feces dropped in paper bags for the presence of 80 pesticides including rodenticides and degradation products. Nine active substances from fungicides and herbicides commonly used in grain and maize fields were detected individually, or in combination, in 25% of the samples. We found no significant differences in body condition between exposed and unexposed birds, but Eurasian skylarks without pesticide residues had a better body condtion score on average than birds with pesticide residues. Pesticide determination in noninvasively collected fecal samples allows a refined risk analysis, which takes pesticides used in the habitats of birds into account. It allows the search for the sources of pesticide contamination, but also enables research into potential deleterious effects on the fitness of farmland birds. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:201-207. © 2021 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Esther
- Institute for Plant Protection in Horticulture and Forests, Vertebrate Research, Julius Kühn Institute, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Münster, Germany
| | - Detlef Schenke
- Institute for Ecological Chemistry, Plant Analysis and Stored Product Protection, Julius Kühn Institute, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Berlin, Germany
| | - Wieland Heim
- Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
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7
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Carle‐Pruneau E, Bélisle M, Pelletier F, Garant D. Determinants of nest box local recruitment and natal dispersal in a declining bird population. OIKOS 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.08349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Marc Bélisle
- Dépt de Biologie, Univ. de Sherbrooke Sherbrooke QC Canada
| | | | - Dany Garant
- Dépt de Biologie, Univ. de Sherbrooke Sherbrooke QC Canada
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8
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Courtois È, Garant D, Pelletier F, Bélisle M. Nonideal nest box selection by tree swallows breeding in farmlands: Evidence for an ecological trap? Ecol Evol 2021; 11:16296-16313. [PMID: 34824828 PMCID: PMC8601888 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Animals are expected to select a breeding habitat using cues that should reflect, directly or not, the fitness outcome of the different habitat options. However, human-induced environmental changes can alter the relationships between habitat characteristics and their fitness consequences, leading to maladaptive habitat choices. The most severe case of such nonideal habitat selection is the ecological trap, which occurs when individuals prefer to settle in poor-quality habitats while better ones are available. Here, we studied the adaptiveness of nest box selection in a tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) population breeding over a 10-year period in a network of 400 nest boxes distributed along a gradient of agricultural intensification in southern Québec, Canada. We first examined the effects of multiple environmental and social habitat characteristics on nest box preference to identify potential settlement cues. We then assessed the links between those cues and habitat quality as defined by the reproductive performance of individuals that settled early or late in nest boxes. We found that tree swallows preferred nesting in open habitats with high cover of perennial forage crops, high spring insect biomass, and high density of house sparrows (Passer domesticus), their main competitors for nest sites. They also preferred nesting where the density of breeders and their mean number of fledglings during the previous year were high. However, we detected mismatches between preference and habitat quality for several environmental variables. The density of competitors and conspecific social information showed severe mismatches, as their relationships to preference and breeding success went in opposite direction under certain circumstances. Spring food availability and agricultural landscape context, while related to preferences, were not related to breeding success. Overall, our study emphasizes the complexity of habitat selection behavior and provides evidence that multiple mechanisms may potentially lead to an ecological trap in farmlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ève Courtois
- Département de BiologieUniversité de SherbrookeSherbrookeQuebecCanada
| | - Dany Garant
- Département de BiologieUniversité de SherbrookeSherbrookeQuebecCanada
| | - Fanie Pelletier
- Département de BiologieUniversité de SherbrookeSherbrookeQuebecCanada
| | - Marc Bélisle
- Département de BiologieUniversité de SherbrookeSherbrookeQuebecCanada
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9
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Gómez J, Morrissey CA, Cabezas S, Marchant TA, Clark RG. Phenotypic differences among wild passerine nestlings in relation to early-life rearing environment. CAN J ZOOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2021-0058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Subtle changes in stress physiology during critical developmental stages have been linked to long-term fitness; however, the biological processes and phenotypic responses to early-life rearing environments, such as anthropogenic land use conditions, have not been fully evaluated in insectivorous birds. We manipulated Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor (Vieillot, 1808)) brood sizes at sites with contrasting agricultural land use to assess phenotypic changes in body condition and genetic and physiological biomarkers of stress during the sensitive nestling growth phase. We predicted that nestling swallows raised on cropland-dominated sites, especially those in enlarged broods, would have lower body condition, shorter telomeres, and higher feather corticosterone than nestlings raised in smaller broods at grassland sites. Body condition was highest among nestlings raised in reduced broods but was unrelated to land use. Telomere lengths tended to be shorter in nestlings from enlarged broods and at cropland sites. Corticosterone was not related to any factor. Locally abundant insect populations associated with wetlands may have dampened the effects and (or) parent swallows assumed higher costs of reproduction rather than passing these costs to nestlings. Results suggest that food or other environmental stressors could reduce fledgling survival via telomere shortening; a hypothesis that requires further investigation due to its potential importance to population viability in multiple declining aerial insectivore species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christy A. Morrissey
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5C8, Canada
- School of Environment and Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5C8, Canada
| | - Sonia Cabezas
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5C8, Canada
| | - Tracy A. Marchant
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5C8, Canada
| | - Robert G. Clark
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5C8, Canada
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Prairie and Northern Wildlife Research Centre, Saskatoon, SK S7N 0X4, Canada
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10
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Poisson MC, Garrett DR, Sigouin A, Bélisle M, Garant D, Haroune L, Bellenger JP, Pelletier F. Assessing pesticides exposure effects on the reproductive performance of a declining aerial insectivore. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2021; 31:e02415. [PMID: 34278650 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
In the context of increasing global environmental changes, it has become progressively important to understand the effects of human activity on wildlife populations. Declines in several avian populations have been observed since the 1970s, especially with respect to many farmland and grassland birds, which also include some aerial insectivores. Changes in farming practices referred to as agricultural intensification coincide with these major avian declines. Among those practices, increased pesticide use is hypothesized to be a key driver of avian population declines as it can lead to both toxicological and trophic effects. While numerous laboratory studies report that birds experience acute and chronic effects upon consuming pesticide treated food, little is known about the effects of the exposure to multiple pesticides on wildlife in natural settings. We monitored the breeding activities of Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) on 40 farms distributed over a gradient of agricultural intensification in southern Québec, Canada, to evaluate the presence of pesticides in their diet and quantify the exposure effects of those compounds on their reproductive performance between 2013 and 2018. We first assessed the presence of 54 active agents (or derivatives) found in pesticides in 2,081 food boluses (insects) delivered to nestlings by parents and documented their spatial distribution within our study area. Second, we assessed the effect of pesticide exposure through food (number of active agents detected and number of contaminated boluses on a given farm for a given year, while controlling for sampling effort) on clutch size as well as hatching and fledging successes and nestling's mass upon fledging. Pesticides were ubiquitous in our study system and nearly half (46%) of food boluses were contaminated by at least one active agent. Yet we found no relationship between our proxies of food contamination by pesticides and Tree Swallow reproductive performance. More studies are needed to better understand the putative role of pesticides in the decline of farmland birds and aerial insectivores as potential sublethal effects of pesticides can carry over to later life stages and impact fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Christine Poisson
- Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 boulevard de l'Université, Sherbrooke, Quebec, J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Daniel R Garrett
- Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 boulevard de l'Université, Sherbrooke, Quebec, J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Audrey Sigouin
- Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 boulevard de l'Université, Sherbrooke, Quebec, J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Marc Bélisle
- Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 boulevard de l'Université, Sherbrooke, Quebec, J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Dany Garant
- Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 boulevard de l'Université, Sherbrooke, Quebec, J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Lounès Haroune
- Département de chimie, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 boulevard de l'Université, Sherbrooke, Quebec, J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Jean-Philippe Bellenger
- Département de chimie, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 boulevard de l'Université, Sherbrooke, Quebec, J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Fanie Pelletier
- Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 boulevard de l'Université, Sherbrooke, Quebec, J1K 2R1, Canada
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11
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Imlay TL, Mann HA, Taylor PD. Autumn migratory timing and pace are driven by breeding season carryover effects. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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12
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Dale C, Reudink M, Ratcliffe L, McKellar A. Effects of urbanization and nest-box design on reproduction vary by species in three cavity-nesting passerines in the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada. CAN J ZOOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2020-0028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Artificial nest boxes provide an important resource for secondary cavity-nesting passerines, whose populations may be limited by the availability of nesting sites. However, previous studies have demonstrated that the design and placement of boxes may affect the reproductive success of the birds that use them. In this study, we asked whether the habitat surrounding a nest box or the type of box influenced reproduction in three cavity-nesting passerines. We studied Western Bluebirds (Sialia mexicana Swainson, 1832), Mountain Bluebirds (Sialia currucoides (Bechstein, 1798)), and Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor (Vieillot, 1808)) breeding in artificial nest boxes at sites across 70 km of the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, Canada. Sites varied in their degree of urbanization, from relatively undisturbed ranchland, to cultivated vineyards, to frequently disturbed “suburban” habitat, and boxes varied in type of entrance (slot or hole). Western Bluebirds nested earlier in vineyards, and Tree Swallows produced significantly fewer fledglings in suburban habitat. In addition, Tree Swallows nested earlier and produced more fledglings in slot boxes. Our results suggest that conservation actions for cavity-nesting passerines may depend on the target species, which in turn should dictate the appropriate box type and habitat when erecting or replacing nest boxes.
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Affiliation(s)
- C.A. Dale
- Department of Biology, Queen’s University, 116 Barrie Street, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - M.W. Reudink
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, 805 TRU Way, Kamloops, BC V2C 0C8, Canada
| | - L.M. Ratcliffe
- Department of Biology, Queen’s University, 116 Barrie Street, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - A.E. McKellar
- Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 115 Perimeter Road, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 0X4, Canada
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13
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Sullivan SMP, Corra JW, Hayes JT. Urbanization mediates the effects of water quality and climate on a model aerial insectivorous bird. ECOL MONOGR 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecm.1442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- S. Mažeika P. Sullivan
- Schiermeier Olentangy River Wetland Research Park School of Environment & Natural Resources The Ohio State University 2021 Coffey Road Columbus Ohio43210USA
| | - Joseph W. Corra
- Schiermeier Olentangy River Wetland Research Park School of Environment & Natural Resources The Ohio State University 2021 Coffey Road Columbus Ohio43210USA
| | - Jeffry T. Hayes
- Schiermeier Olentangy River Wetland Research Park School of Environment & Natural Resources The Ohio State University 2021 Coffey Road Columbus Ohio43210USA
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14
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Wray AK, Peery MZ, Jusino MA, Kochanski JM, Banik MT, Palmer JM, Lindner DL, Gratton C. Predator preferences shape the diets of arthropodivorous bats more than quantitative local prey abundance. Mol Ecol 2020; 30:855-873. [PMID: 33301628 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Although most predators are generalists, the majority of studies on the association between prey availability and prey consumption have focused on specialist predators. To investigate the role of highly generalist predators in a complex food web, we measured the relationships between prey consumption and prey availability in two common arthropodivorous bats. Specifically, we used high-throughput amplicon sequencing coupled with a known mock community to characterize seasonal changes in little brown and big brown bat diets. We then linked spatiotemporal variation in prey consumption with quantitative prey availability estimated from intensive prey community sampling. We found that although quantitative prey availability fluctuated substantially over space and time, the most commonly consumed prey items were consistently detected in bat diets independently of their respective abundance. Positive relationships between prey abundance and probability of consumption were found only among prey groups that were less frequently detected in bat diets. While the probability of prey consumption was largely unrelated to abundance, the community structure of prey detected in bat diets was influenced by the local or regional abundance of prey. Observed patterns suggest that while little brown and big brown bats maintain preferences for particular prey independently of quantitative prey availability, total dietary composition may reflect some degree of opportunistic foraging. Overall, our findings suggest that generalist predators can display strong prey preferences that persist despite quantitative changes in prey availability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy K Wray
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.,Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - M Zachariah Peery
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Michelle A Jusino
- Center for Forest Mycology Research, Northern Research Station, USDA Forest Service, Madison, WI, USA.,Department of Plant Pathology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Jade M Kochanski
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Mark T Banik
- Center for Forest Mycology Research, Northern Research Station, USDA Forest Service, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Jonathan M Palmer
- Center for Forest Mycology Research, Northern Research Station, USDA Forest Service, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Daniel L Lindner
- Center for Forest Mycology Research, Northern Research Station, USDA Forest Service, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Claudio Gratton
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
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15
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Berzins LL, Dawson RD, Morrissey CA, Clark RG. The relative contribution of individual quality and changing climate as drivers of lifetime reproductive success in a short-lived avian species. Sci Rep 2020; 10:19766. [PMID: 33188255 PMCID: PMC7666198 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-75557-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal populations are influenced strongly by fluctuations in weather conditions, but long-term fitness costs are rarely explored, especially in short-lived avian species. We evaluated the relative contributions of individual characteristics and environmental conditions to lifetime reproductive success (LRS) of female tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) from two populations breeding in contrasting environments and geographies, Saskatchewan and British Columbia, Canada. Female swallows achieved higher LRS by breeding early in the season and producing more fledglings. Other measures of female quality had virtually no influence on LRS. Genetic factors did not predict LRS, as there was no correlation between life-history components for sister pairs nor between mothers and their daughters. Instead, climate variability-indexed by spring pond density (i.e., abundance of wetland basins holding water) during years when females bred-had strong positive effects on female LRS in more arid Saskatchewan but only weak positive effects of moisture conditions were detected in wetter British Columbia. Overall, several life history trait correlates of LRS were similar between populations, but local environmental factors experienced by individuals while breeding produced large differences in LRS. Consequently, variable and extreme environmental conditions associated with changing climate are predicted to influence individual fitness of distinct populations within a species' range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisha L Berzins
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E2, Canada.
| | - Russell D Dawson
- Ecosystem Science and Management Program, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC, V2N 4Z9, Canada
| | - Christy A Morrissey
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E2, Canada
- School of Environment and Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5C8, Canada
| | - Robert G Clark
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E2, Canada
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 0X4, Canada
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16
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Donázar JA, Barbosa JM, García-Alfonso M, van Overveld T, Gangoso L, de la Riva M. Too much is bad: increasing numbers of livestock and conspecifics reduce body mass in an avian scavenger. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2020; 30:e02125. [PMID: 32167643 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Revised: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Individual traits such as body mass can serve as early warning signals of changes in the fitness prospects of animal populations facing environmental impacts. Here, taking advantage of a 19-yr monitoring, we assessed how individual, population, and environmental factors modulate long-term changes in the body mass of Canarian Egyptian vultures. Individual vulture body mass increased when primary productivity was highly variable, but decreased in years with a high abundance of livestock. We hypothesized that carcasses of wild animals, a natural food resource that can be essential for avian scavengers, could be more abundant in periods of weather instability but depleted when high livestock numbers lead to overgrazing. In addition, increasing vulture population numbers also negatively affect body mass suggesting density-dependent competition for food. Interestingly, the relative strength of individual, population and resource availability factors on body mass changed with age and territorial status, a pattern presumably shaped by differences in competitive abilities and/or age-dependent environmental knowledge and foraging skills. Our study supports that individual plastic traits may be extremely reliable tools to better understand the response of secondary consumers to current and future natural and human-induced environmental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- José A Donázar
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Avenida Americo Vespucio 26, 41092, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Jomar M Barbosa
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Avenida Americo Vespucio 26, 41092, Sevilla, Spain
- Department of Applied Biology, University Miguel Hernández, Elche, Spain
| | - Marina García-Alfonso
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Avenida Americo Vespucio 26, 41092, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Thijs van Overveld
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Avenida Americo Vespucio 26, 41092, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Laura Gangoso
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Avenida Americo Vespucio 26, 41092, Sevilla, Spain
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Manuel de la Riva
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Avenida Americo Vespucio 26, 41092, Sevilla, Spain
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17
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Cox AR, Robertson RJ, Lendvai ÁZ, Everitt K, Bonier F. Rainy springs linked to poor nestling growth in a declining avian aerial insectivore ( Tachycineta bicolor). Proc Biol Sci 2020; 286:20190018. [PMID: 30862285 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.0018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
As species shift their ranges and phenology to cope with climate change, many are left without a ready supply of their preferred food source during critical life stages. Food shortages are often assumed to be driven by reduced total food abundance, but here we propose that climate change may cause short-term food shortages for foraging specialists without affecting overall food availability. We frame this hypothesis around the special case of birds that forage on flying insects for whom effects mediated by their shared food resource have been proposed to cause avian aerial insectivores' decline worldwide. Flying insects are inactive during cold, wet or windy conditions, effectively reducing food availability to zero even if insect abundance remains otherwise unchanged. Using long-term monitoring data from a declining population of tree swallows ( Tachycineta bicolor), we show that nestlings' body mass declined substantially from 1977 to 2017. In 2017, nestlings had lower body mass if it rained during the preceding 3 days, though females increased provisioning rates, potentially in an attempt to compensate. Adult body mass, particularly that of the males, has also declined over the long-term study. Mean rainfall during the nestling period has increased by 9.3 ± 0.3 mm decade-1, potentially explaining declining nestling body mass and population declines. Therefore, we suggest that reduced food availability, distinct from food abundance, may be an important and previously overlooked consequence of climate change, which could be affecting populations of species that specialize on foraging on flying insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amelia R Cox
- 1 Department of Biology, Queen's University , Kingston, Ontario , Canada
| | | | - Ádám Z Lendvai
- 2 Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen , Debrecen , Hungary.,3 Department of Geology, Babeş-Bolyai University , Cluj-Napoca , Romania
| | - Kennedy Everitt
- 1 Department of Biology, Queen's University , Kingston, Ontario , Canada
| | - Frances Bonier
- 1 Department of Biology, Queen's University , Kingston, Ontario , Canada
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18
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Abstract
Insect declines are being reported worldwide for flying, ground, and aquatic lineages. Most reports come from western and northern Europe, where the insect fauna is well-studied and there are considerable demographic data for many taxonomically disparate lineages. Additional cases of faunal losses have been noted from Asia, North America, the Arctic, the Neotropics, and elsewhere. While this review addresses both species loss and population declines, its emphasis is on the latter. Declines of abundant species can be especially worrisome, given that they anchor trophic interactions and shoulder many of the essential ecosystem services of their respective communities. A review of the factors believed to be responsible for observed collapses and those perceived to be especially threatening to insects form the core of this treatment. In addition to widely recognized threats to insect biodiversity, e.g., habitat destruction, agricultural intensification (including pesticide use), climate change, and invasive species, this assessment highlights a few less commonly considered factors such as atmospheric nitrification from the burning of fossil fuels and the effects of droughts and changing precipitation patterns. Because the geographic extent and magnitude of insect declines are largely unknown, there is an urgent need for monitoring efforts, especially across ecological gradients, which will help to identify important causal factors in declines. This review also considers the status of vertebrate insectivores, reporting bias, challenges inherent in collecting and interpreting insect demographic data, and cases of increasing insect abundance.
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Affiliation(s)
- David L Wagner
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, USA;
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19
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Gow EA, Knight SM, Bradley DW, Clark RG, Winkler DW, Bélisle M, Berzins LL, Blake T, Bridge ES, Burke L, Dawson RD, Dunn PO, Garant D, Holroyd G, Horn AG, Hussell DJT, Lansdorp O, Laughlin AJ, Leonard ML, Pelletier F, Shutler D, Siefferman L, Taylor CM, Trefry H, Vleck CM, Vleck D, Whittingham LA, Norris DR. Effects of Spring Migration Distance on Tree Swallow Reproductive Success Within and Among Flyways. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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20
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Temporal changes in avian community composition in lowland conifer habitats at the southern edge of the boreal zone in the Adirondack Park, NY. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0220927. [PMID: 31425523 PMCID: PMC6699670 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0220927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2019] [Accepted: 07/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change represents one of the most significant threats to human and wildlife communities on the planet. Populations at range margins or transitions between biomes can be particularly instructive for observing changes in biological communities that may be driven by climate change. Avian communities in lowland boreal habitats in the Adirondack Park, located at the North American boreal-temperate ecotone, have been the focus of long-term monitoring efforts since 2007. By documenting long-term changes in community structure and composition, such datasets provide an opportunity to understand how boreal species are responding differently to climate change, and which habitat characteristics may be best able to retain boreal avian communities. We examined three specific questions in order to address how well current biological communities in Adirondack boreal wetland habitats are being maintained in a changing climate: (1) how do trends in occupancy vary across species, and what guilds or characteristics are associated with increasing or decreasing occupancy? (2) how is avian community composition changing differently across sites, and (3) what distinguishes sites which are retaining boreal birds to a higher degree than other sites? Our analysis revealed that (1) boreal species appear to exhibit the largest changes in occupancy among our study locations as compared to the larger avian community, (2) dynamics of community change are not uniform across sites and habitat structure may play an important role in driving observed changes, and (3) the particular characteristics of large open peatlands may allow them to serve as refugia for boreal species in the context of climate change.
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21
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Blyth M, Paine CE, Paine CT. The Decline in Nesting Success of Tachycineta bicolor (Tree Swallow) Over 38 Years on Hardwood Island, Maine. Northeast Nat (Steuben) 2019. [DOI: 10.1656/045.026.0201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marcia Blyth
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK
| | | | - C.E. Timothy Paine
- Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales 2350, Australia
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22
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Stone ZL, Tasker E, Maron M. Patterns of invertebrate food availability and the persistence of an avian insectivore on the brink. AUSTRAL ECOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zoë L. Stone
- School of Earth & Environmental Sciences; The University of Queensland; Level 3 Steele Building (03) St Lucia Brisbane 4067 Australia
| | - Elizabeth Tasker
- Science Division; NSW Office of Environment and Heritage; Hurstville New South Wales Australia
| | - Martine Maron
- School of Earth & Environmental Sciences; The University of Queensland; Level 3 Steele Building (03) St Lucia Brisbane 4067 Australia
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23
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Gossieaux P, Leclerc M, Van de Walle J, Poisson Y, Toni P, Landes J, Bourret A, Garant D, Pelletier F, Bélisle M. Offspring mass variation in tree swallows: A case of bet‐hedging? Ecosphere 2019; 10:e02607. [PMID: 35865407 PMCID: PMC9286465 DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 12/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The evolution of reproductive strategies is affected by the ability of organisms to deal with future environmental conditions. When environments are temporally unpredictable, however, it is difficult to anticipate optimal offspring phenotype. Diversification of offspring phenotypes, a strategy called diversified bet‐hedging, may allow parents to maximize their fitness by reducing between‐year variation in reproductive success. The link between diversification of offspring phenotypes and individual reproductive success, however, has rarely been documented empirically. We used an eight‐year dataset (1215 broods, 870 females) on individually marked tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) to assess whether intra‐brood mass variation was compatible with a diversified bet‐hedging strategy. Intra‐brood mass variation was weakly, but significantly repeatable within females, suggesting consistent individual differences. Greater intra‐brood mass variation, however, was not associated with reduced between‐year variation in reproductive success or increased female reproductive success. Moreover, contrary to diversified bet‐hedging expectations, fledging success of large broods was greater when hatchlings had similar rather than variable masses. Our results suggest that intra‐brood mass variation may not result from diversified bet‐hedging, but rather from complex interactions between environmental, brood, and maternal characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippine Gossieaux
- Département de Biologie Université de Sherbrooke 2500 Boulevard de l'Université Sherbrooke Quebec J1K 2R1 Canada
| | - Martin Leclerc
- Département de Biologie Université de Sherbrooke 2500 Boulevard de l'Université Sherbrooke Quebec J1K 2R1 Canada
| | - Joanie Van de Walle
- Département de Biologie Université de Sherbrooke 2500 Boulevard de l'Université Sherbrooke Quebec J1K 2R1 Canada
| | - Yoanna Poisson
- Département de Biologie Université de Sherbrooke 2500 Boulevard de l'Université Sherbrooke Quebec J1K 2R1 Canada
| | - Pauline Toni
- Département de Biologie Université de Sherbrooke 2500 Boulevard de l'Université Sherbrooke Quebec J1K 2R1 Canada
| | - Julie Landes
- Département de Biologie Université de Sherbrooke 2500 Boulevard de l'Université Sherbrooke Quebec J1K 2R1 Canada
| | - Audrey Bourret
- Département de Biologie Université de Sherbrooke 2500 Boulevard de l'Université Sherbrooke Quebec J1K 2R1 Canada
| | - Dany Garant
- Département de Biologie Université de Sherbrooke 2500 Boulevard de l'Université Sherbrooke Quebec J1K 2R1 Canada
| | - Fanie Pelletier
- Département de Biologie Université de Sherbrooke 2500 Boulevard de l'Université Sherbrooke Quebec J1K 2R1 Canada
| | - Marc Bélisle
- Département de Biologie Université de Sherbrooke 2500 Boulevard de l'Université Sherbrooke Quebec J1K 2R1 Canada
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24
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Barbaro L, Allan E, Ampoorter E, Castagneyrol B, Charbonnier Y, De Wandeler H, Kerbiriou C, Milligan HT, Vialatte A, Carnol M, Deconchat M, De Smedt P, Jactel H, Koricheva J, Le Viol I, Muys B, Scherer-Lorenzen M, Verheyen K, van der Plas F. Biotic predictors complement models of bat and bird responses to climate and tree diversity in European forests. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20182193. [PMID: 30963868 PMCID: PMC6367190 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.2193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2018] [Accepted: 12/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Bats and birds are key providers of ecosystem services in forests. How climate and habitat jointly shape their communities is well studied, but whether biotic predictors from other trophic levels may improve bird and bat diversity models is less known, especially across large bioclimatic gradients. Here, we achieved multi-taxa surveys in 209 mature forests replicated in six European countries from Spain to Finland, to investigate the importance of biotic predictors (i.e. the abundance or activity of defoliating insects, spiders, earthworms and wild ungulates) for bat and bird taxonomic and functional diversity. We found that nine out of 12 bird and bat diversity metrics were best explained when biotic factors were added to models including climate and habitat variables, with a mean gain in explained variance of 38% for birds and 15% for bats. Tree functional diversity was the most important habitat predictor for birds, while bats responded more to understorey structure. The best biotic predictors for birds were spider abundance and defoliating insect activity, while only bat functional evenness responded positively to insect herbivory. Accounting for potential biotic interactions between bats, birds and other taxa of lower trophic levels will help to understand how environmental changes along large biogeographical gradients affect higher-level predator diversity in forest ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luc Barbaro
- Dynafor, INRA-INPT, University of Toulouse, Auzeville, France
- CESCO, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne-University, Paris, France
| | - Eric Allan
- Plant Ecology Group, Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Evy Ampoorter
- Forest & Nature Laboratory, Department of Forest and Water Management, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | | | - Hans De Wandeler
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Christian Kerbiriou
- CESCO, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne-University, Paris, France
| | - Harriet T. Milligan
- School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University, London, Egham, Surrey, UK
| | - Aude Vialatte
- Dynafor, INRA-INPT, University of Toulouse, Auzeville, France
| | - Monique Carnol
- Laboratory of Plant and Microbial Ecology, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium
| | - Marc Deconchat
- Dynafor, INRA-INPT, University of Toulouse, Auzeville, France
| | - Pallieter De Smedt
- Forest & Nature Laboratory, Department of Forest and Water Management, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Hervé Jactel
- Biogeco, INRA, University of Bordeaux, Cestas, France
| | - Julia Koricheva
- School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University, London, Egham, Surrey, UK
| | - Isabelle Le Viol
- CESCO, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne-University, Paris, France
| | - Bart Muys
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Kris Verheyen
- Forest & Nature Laboratory, Department of Forest and Water Management, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Fons van der Plas
- Department of Systematic Botany and Functional Biodiversity, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Biodiversity, and Climate Research Centre, Frankfurt, Germany
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25
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Burraco P, Iglesias-Carrasco M, Cabido C, Gomez-Mestre I. Eucalypt leaf litter impairs growth and development of amphibian larvae, inhibits their antipredator responses and alters their physiology. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2018; 6:coy066. [PMID: 30546907 PMCID: PMC6287674 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coy066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2018] [Revised: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 11/14/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Consequences of human actions like global warming, spread of exotic species or resource consumption are pushing species to extinction. Even species considered to be at low extinction risk often show signs of local declines. Here, we evaluate the impact of eucalypt plantations, the best-known exotic tree species worldwide and its interaction with temperature and predators on amphibian development, growth, antipredator responses and physiology. For this purpose, we applied a fully factorial experiment crossing two types of leaf litter (native oak or eucalypt), two temperatures (15 and 20°C) and presence/absence of native predators. We found that leachates of eucalypt leaf litter reduced amphibian development and growth, compromised their antipredator responses and altered their metabolic rate. Increased temperature itself also posed serious alterations on development, growth, antioxidant ability and the immune status of tadpoles. However, the combined effects of eucalypt leaf litter and increased temperature were additive, not synergistic. Therefore, we show that non-lethal levels of a globally spread disruptor such as leachates from eucalypt leaf litter can seriously impact the life history and physiology of native amphibian populations. This study highlights the need to evaluate the status of wild populations exposed to human activities even if not at an obvious immediate risk of extinction, based on reliable stress markers, in order to anticipate demographic declines that may be hard to reverse once started. Replacing eucalypt plantations with native trees in protected areas would help improving the health of local amphibian larvae. In zones of economic interest, we would recommend providing patches of native vegetation around ponds and removing eucalypt leaf litter from pond basins during their dry phase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Burraco
- Ecology, Evolution and Development Group, Doñana Biological Station (CSIC), C/ Americo Vespucio 26, Sevilla, Spain
- Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University Norbyvägen 18 D, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Maider Iglesias-Carrasco
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural History (CSIC), Calle de José Gutiérrez Abascal, 2, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Herpetology, Aranzadi Society of Sciences, Zorroagagaina, 11, San Sebastian, Spain
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, 134, Linnaeus Way, Acton ACT Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Carlos Cabido
- Department of Herpetology, Aranzadi Society of Sciences, Zorroagagaina, 11, San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Ivan Gomez-Mestre
- Ecology, Evolution and Development Group, Doñana Biological Station (CSIC), C/ Americo Vespucio 26, Sevilla, Spain
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26
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Foley AM, Hewitt DG, DeYoung RW, Schnupp MJ, Hellickson MW, Lockwood MA. Reproductive effort and success of males in scramble-competition polygyny: Evidence for trade-offs between foraging and mate search. J Anim Ecol 2018; 87:1600-1614. [PMID: 30079548 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2017] [Accepted: 07/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Patterns of male reproductive allocation provide insight into life-history characteristics. The trade-offs associated with resource and female group defence are well-defined. However, less is understood about trade-offs in species that practise scramble-competition polygyny, where successful strategies may favour competitive mate-searching rather than contest competition and fighting. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) practise scramble-competition polygyny where solitary males search for and assess receptivity of females scattered across the landscape. Physically mature males are expected to do most of the breeding because of the high energetic costs of reproduction and high social status. However, young males may collectively sire one-third of offspring. To gain a better understanding of trade-offs associated with scramble-competition polygyny, we quantified metrics associated with reproductive effort and success. We quantified changes in body mass of harvested males, energetic costs of locomotion based on movements of GPS radiocollared males and timing of reproduction via temporal genetic parentage assignments. Young males (1.5 and 2.5 years old) sired offspring, but their mating success was mainly limited to peak rut, when most females were in oestrus. Furthermore, multiple paternity was common, indicating opportunistic reproduction. Reproductive effort, indexed by body mass loss, was highest in prime-age males (5.5-6.5 years old). Surprisingly, young and postprime males also exhibited significant body mass loss, indicative of investment in reproductive effort. Movement rates increased twofold to fourfold during rut as a function of mate search activities, but cost of locomotion would cause only about one-third of observed body mass loss. Because males are capital breeders, we infer most of body mass loss is due to reduced foraging. In scramble-competition polygyny, the repeated location of potential mates and assessment of their oestrous status appear to be important constituents of male mating strategies. Therefore, mating success may be influenced by time management and spatial memory, and not based solely on social dominance. Thus, reproductive effort should be greater for individuals capable of reducing time foraging. For those that cannot, opportunistic mating opportunities may arise when operative adult sex ratios are low. Our analyses reveal valuable insight into the trade-offs associated with scramble-competition polygyny.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron M Foley
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, Texas.,East Foundation, San Antonio, Texas
| | - David G Hewitt
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, Texas
| | - Randy W DeYoung
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, Texas
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27
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Lesser kestrel diet and agricultural intensification in the Mediterranean: An unexpected win-win solution? J Nat Conserv 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2018.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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28
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Bellavance V, Bélisle M, Savage J, Pelletier F, Garant D. Influence of agricultural intensification on prey availability and nestling diet in Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor). CAN J ZOOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2017-0229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Over the last decades, aerial insectivorous birds have been declining in both North America and Europe. Those declines have been hypothetically attributed to a decrease in prey availability caused by agricultural intensification, but empirical evidence remains scarce. Here, we quantify the effect of landscape composition on the abundance and diversity of potential prey of Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor (Vieillot, 1808)) and on nestling diet in southern Quebec, Canada. We collected food boluses from nestlings and compared their composition with spatiotemporally corresponding samples from traps on farms distributed along a gradient of agricultural intensification. The diet of nestlings was mostly composed of Diptera, both in biomass and abundance, but by mid-June, these decreased with increasing proportions of intensively cultivated crops within 500 m of the nests. Trap catches for Diptera and all arthropods combined followed the same trends. Yet, the associations between Diptera subgroups (Nematocera, non-schizophoran Brachycera, Schizophora (Calyptratae), and Schizophora (Acalyptratae)) and landscape composition differed between traps and boluses, suggesting that prey selection was altered by agricultural intensification. Our results suggest that agriculture can alter the availability of preferred prey for aerial insectivores, and further studies should evaluate the impact of prey availability to explain the decline of aerial insectivores.
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Affiliation(s)
- V. Bellavance
- Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 boulevard de l’Université, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada
- Biology Department, Bishop’s University, 2600 College Street, Sherbrooke, QC J1M 1Z7, Canada
| | - M. Bélisle
- Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 boulevard de l’Université, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - J. Savage
- Biology Department, Bishop’s University, 2600 College Street, Sherbrooke, QC J1M 1Z7, Canada
| | - F. Pelletier
- Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 boulevard de l’Université, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - D. Garant
- Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 boulevard de l’Université, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada
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29
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Injaian AS, Poon LY, Patricelli GL. Effects of experimental anthropogenic noise on avian settlement patterns and reproductive success. Behav Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ary097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Allison S Injaian
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Lauren Y Poon
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Gail L Patricelli
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
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30
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McLean N, van der Jeugd HP, van de Pol M. High intra-specific variation in avian body condition responses to climate limits generalisation across species. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0192401. [PMID: 29466460 PMCID: PMC5821336 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0192401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 01/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
It is generally assumed that populations of a species will have similar responses to climate change, and thereby that a single value of sensitivity will reflect species-specific responses. However, this assumption is rarely systematically tested. High intraspecific variation will have consequences for identifying species- or population-level traits that can predict differences in sensitivity, which in turn can affect the reliability of projections of future climate change impacts. We investigate avian body condition responses to changes in six climatic variables and how consistent and generalisable these responses are both across and within species, using 21 years of data from 46 common passerines across 80 Dutch sites. We show that body condition decreases with warmer spring/early summer temperatures and increases with higher humidity, but other climate variables do not show consistent trends across species. In the future, body condition is projected to decrease by 2050, mainly driven by temperature effects. Strikingly, populations of the same species generally responded just as differently as populations of different species implying that a single species signal is not meaningful. Consequently, species-level traits did not explain interspecific differences in sensitivities, rather population-level traits were more important. The absence of a clear species signal in body condition responses implies that generalisation and identifying species for conservation prioritisation is problematic, which sharply contrasts conclusions of previous studies on the climate sensitivity of phenology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina McLean
- Division of Evolution, Ecology & Genetics, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - 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, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Martijn van de Pol
- Division of Evolution, Ecology & Genetics, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
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31
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Tissier ML, Kletty F, Handrich Y, Habold C. Monocultural sowing in mesocosms decreases the species richness of weeds and invertebrates and critically reduces the fitness of the endangered European hamster. Oecologia 2017; 186:589-599. [PMID: 29209843 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-017-4025-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Intensive cereal monoculture is currently the main cause of biodiversity decline in Europe. However, it is difficult to disentangle the effects of intensive monoculture (e.g. pesticide use, mechanical ploughing and reduced protective cover), let alone evaluate how far the reduction of crop diversity affects biodiversity. It remains unclear to which extent the consequent decrease in food resources affects farmland biodiversity, and particularly vertebrate species. We therefore designed this study in mesocosms to investigate the effects of monoculture crops (organic wheat or corn seeds) and mixed crops (a combination of organic wheat, corn, sunflower and alfalfa seeds) on (1) the species richness of weeds and invertebrates and (2) the reproductive success of the European hamster (Cricetus cricetus), a critically endangered umbrella species of European farmlands. We found a negative impact of organic monoculture crops on plant and invertebrate species richness, with values respectively 38% and 28% lower than those obtained for mixed organic crops. The reproductive success of hamsters was reduced by 82% in monoculture mesocosms. These results highlight that monoculture per se can be detrimental for farmland biodiversity (i.e. from plants to vertebrates), even before taking into account the use of pesticide and mechanization. We believe that future research should further consider how food reduction in agroecosystems affects farmland wildlife, including vertebrates. Moreover, we argue that conservation actions must focus on restoring plant diversity on farmland to reverse the observed trend in farmland wildlife decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathilde L Tissier
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC, UMR 7178, 67000, Strasbourg, France.
| | - Florian Kletty
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC, UMR 7178, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Yves Handrich
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC, UMR 7178, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Caroline Habold
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC, UMR 7178, 67000, Strasbourg, France
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32
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Environmental determinants of haemosporidian parasite prevalence in a declining population of Tree swallows. Parasitology 2017; 145:961-970. [PMID: 29166965 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182017002128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The prevalence of vector-borne parasites such as haemosporidian species is influenced by several environmental factors. While the negative effects of parasitism on hosts are well documented, these can also be amplified by interactions with environmental stressors, many of which are anthropogenic. Yet, we know little about the possible effects of anthropogenic perturbations on parasite prevalence. The goals of this study were to assess the prevalence and environmental determinants of haemosporidian parasites in a declining population of Tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) living in an agricultural landscape in southern Québec, Canada. Overall, a low prevalence and a moderate lineage diversity were identified in both adults and nestlings, confirming that transmission can occur during the breeding period. Anthropic areas, extensive cultures (hayfields and pastures) and forest cover within 500 km of nest boxes, as well as daily temperature fluctuations, were all related to infection by haemosporidian parasites. These findings suggest that anthropogenic alterations of landscape composition can modulate the prevalence of haemosporidian parasites in Tree swallows. Our results represent a baseline for future comparative studies assessing haemosporidian parasite prevalence in human-modified landscapes.
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33
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English PA, Mills AM, Cadman MD, Heagy AE, Rand GJ, Green DJ, Nocera JJ. Tracking the migration of a nocturnal aerial insectivore in the Americas. BMC ZOOL 2017. [DOI: 10.1186/s40850-017-0014-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
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34
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Schmitt C, Garant D, Bélisle M, Pelletier F. Agricultural Intensification Is Linked to Constitutive Innate Immune Function in a Wild Bird Population. Physiol Biochem Zool 2017; 90:201-209. [DOI: 10.1086/689679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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35
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Bourret A, Bélisle M, Pelletier F, Garant D. Evolutionary potential of morphological traits across different life-history stages. J Evol Biol 2017; 30:616-626. [PMID: 28000316 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2016] [Accepted: 12/15/2016] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- A. Bourret
- Département de Biologie; Université de Sherbrooke; Sherbrooke QC Canada
| | - M. Bélisle
- Département de Biologie; Université de Sherbrooke; Sherbrooke QC Canada
| | - F. Pelletier
- Département de Biologie; Université de Sherbrooke; Sherbrooke QC Canada
| | - D. Garant
- Département de Biologie; Université de Sherbrooke; Sherbrooke QC Canada
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36
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Balk L, Hägerroth PÅ, Gustavsson H, Sigg L, Åkerman G, Ruiz Muñoz Y, Honeyfield DC, Tjärnlund U, Oliveira K, Ström K, McCormick SD, Karlsson S, Ström M, van Manen M, Berg AL, Halldórsson HP, Strömquist J, Collier TK, Börjeson H, Mörner T, Hansson T. Widespread episodic thiamine deficiency in Northern Hemisphere wildlife. Sci Rep 2016; 6:38821. [PMID: 27958327 PMCID: PMC5153840 DOI: 10.1038/srep38821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2016] [Accepted: 11/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Many wildlife populations are declining at rates higher than can be explained by known threats to biodiversity. Recently, thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency has emerged as a possible contributing cause. Here, thiamine status was systematically investigated in three animal classes: bivalves, ray-finned fishes, and birds. Thiamine diphosphate is required as a cofactor in at least five life-sustaining enzymes that are required for basic cellular metabolism. Analysis of different phosphorylated forms of thiamine, as well as of activities and amount of holoenzyme and apoenzyme forms of thiamine-dependent enzymes, revealed episodically occurring thiamine deficiency in all three animal classes. These biochemical effects were also linked to secondary effects on growth, condition, liver size, blood chemistry and composition, histopathology, swimming behaviour and endurance, parasite infestation, and reproduction. It is unlikely that the thiamine deficiency is caused by impaired phosphorylation within the cells. Rather, the results point towards insufficient amounts of thiamine in the food. By investigating a large geographic area, by extending the focus from lethal to sublethal thiamine deficiency, and by linking biochemical alterations to secondary effects, we demonstrate that the problem of thiamine deficiency is considerably more widespread and severe than previously reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lennart Balk
- Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry (ACES), Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Per-Åke Hägerroth
- Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry (ACES), Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Hanna Gustavsson
- Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry (ACES), Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lisa Sigg
- Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry (ACES), Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gun Åkerman
- Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry (ACES), Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Yolanda Ruiz Muñoz
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Immunology, University of Vigo, Lagoas-Marcosende, ES-36310 Vigo, Spain
| | - Dale C. Honeyfield
- Leetown Science Center, Northern Appalachian Research Laboratory, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Wellsboro, Pennsylvania 16901, USA
| | - Ulla Tjärnlund
- Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry (ACES), Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Kenneth Oliveira
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Dartmouth, Massachusetts 02747, USA
| | - Karin Ström
- Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry (ACES), Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Stephen D. McCormick
- Leetown Science Center, Conte Anadromous Fish Research Laboratory, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Turners Falls, Massachusetts 01376, USA
| | - Simon Karlsson
- River Ecology and Management, Karlstad University, SE-65188 Karlstad, Sweden
- Department of Aquatic Resources, Institute of Freshwater Research, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), SE-17893 Drottningholm, Sweden
| | - Marika Ström
- Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry (ACES), Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Medicine Solna and Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, SE-17176 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mathijs van Manen
- Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry (ACES), Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden
- Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, NL-3508 TD Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Anna-Lena Berg
- Medical Products Agency, Box 26, SE-75103 Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Jennie Strömquist
- Department of Aquatic Resources, Institute of Freshwater Research, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), SE-17893 Drottningholm, Sweden
| | - Tracy K. Collier
- NOAA Fisheries, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Seattle, Washington 98112, USA
| | - Hans Börjeson
- Department of Aquatic Resources, Fisheries Research Station, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Brobacken, SE-81494 Älvkarleby, Sweden
| | - Torsten Mörner
- Department of Disease Control and Epidemiology, National Veterinary Institute (SVA), SE-75189 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Tomas Hansson
- Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry (ACES), Stockholm University, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden
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37
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Madliger CL, Love OP. Conservation implications of a lack of relationship between baseline glucocorticoids and fitness in a wild passerine. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2016; 26:2730-2743. [PMID: 27763712 DOI: 10.1002/eap.1401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2016] [Revised: 06/09/2016] [Accepted: 07/13/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The application of physiological measures to conservation monitoring has been gaining momentum and, while a suite of physiological traits are available to ascertain disturbance and condition in wildlife populations, glucocorticoids (i.e., GCs; cortisol and corticosterone) are the most heavily employed. The interpretation of GC levels as sensitive indicators of population change necessitates that GCs and metrics of population persistence are linked. However, the relationship between GCs and fitness may be highly context-dependent, changing direction, or significance, depending on the GC measure, fitness metric, life history stage, or other intrinsic and extrinsic contexts considered. We examined the relationship between baseline plasma corticosterone (CORT) levels measured at two periods of the breeding season and three metrics of fitness (offspring quality, reproductive output, and adult survival) in female Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor). Specifically, we investigated whether (1) a relationship between baseline CORT metrics and fitness exists in our population, (2) whether the inclusion of energetic contexts, such as food availability, reproductive investment, or body mass, could alter or improve the strength of the relationship between CORT and fitness, and (3) whether energetic contexts could better predict fitness compared to CORT metrics. Importantly, we investigated these relationships in both natural conditions and under an experimental manipulation of foraging profitability (feather clipping) to determine the influence of an environmental constraint on GC-fitness relationships. We found a lack of relationship between baseline CORT and both short- and long-term metrics of fitness in control and clipped birds. In contrast, loss in body mass over reproduction positively predicted reproductive output (number of chicks leaving the nest) in control birds; however, the relationship was characterized by a low R2 (5%), limiting the predictive capacity, and therefore the application potential, of such a measure in a conservation setting. Our results stress the importance of ground-truthing GC-fitness relationships and indicate that baseline GCs will likely not be easily employed as conservation biomarkers across some species and life history stages. Given the accumulating evidence of temporally dynamic, inconsistent, and context-dependent GC-fitness relationships, placing effort towards directly measuring fitness traits, rather than plasma GC levels, will likely be more worthwhile for many conservation endeavours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine L Madliger
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor, Ontario, N9B 3P4, Canada
| | - Oliver P Love
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor, Ontario, N9B 3P4, Canada
- Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor, Ontario, N9B 3P4, Canada
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38
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Canale CI, Ozgul A, Allainé D, Cohas A. Differential plasticity of size and mass to environmental change in a hibernating mammal. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2016; 22:3286-3303. [PMID: 26994312 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2015] [Revised: 02/23/2016] [Accepted: 02/29/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Morphological changes following changes in species' distribution and phenology have been suggested to be the third universal response to global environmental change. Although structural size and body mass result from different genetic, physiological, and ecological mechanisms, they are used interchangeably in studies evaluating population responses to environmental change. Using a 22-year (1991-2013) dataset including 1768 individuals, we investigated the coupled dynamics of size and mass in a hibernating mammal, the Alpine marmot (Marmota marmota), in response to local environmental conditions. We (i) quantified temporal trends in both traits, (ii) determined the environmental drivers of trait dynamics, and (iii) identified the life-history processes underlying the observed changes. Both phenotypic traits were followed through life: we focused on the initial trait value (juvenile size and mass) and later-life development (annual change in size [Δsize] and mass [Δmass]). First, we demonstrated contrasting dynamics between size and mass over the study period. Juvenile size and subsequent Δsize showed significant declines, whereas juvenile mass and subsequent Δmass remained constant. As a consequence of smaller size associated with a similar mass, individuals were in better condition in recent years. Second, size and mass showed different sensitivities to environmental variables. Both traits benefited from early access to resources in spring, whereas Δmass, particularly in early life, also responded to summer and winter conditions. Third, the interannual variation in both traits was caused by changes in early life development. Our study supports the importance of considering the differences between size and mass responses to the environment when evaluating the mechanisms underlying population dynamics. The current practice of focusing on only one trait in population modeling can lead to misleading conclusions when evaluating species' resilience to contemporary climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cindy I Canale
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Arpat Ozgul
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Dominique Allainé
- UMR-CNRS 5558, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, Université Claude Bernard, Lyon 1, 43 Bd. du 11 novembre 1918, F-69622, Villeurbanne Cedex, France
| | - Aurelie Cohas
- UMR-CNRS 5558, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, Université Claude Bernard, Lyon 1, 43 Bd. du 11 novembre 1918, F-69622, Villeurbanne Cedex, France
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39
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The influence of iridescent coloration directionality on male tree swallows’ reproductive success at different breeding densities. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-016-2164-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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40
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Tissier ML, Handrich Y, Robin JP, Weitten M, Pevet P, Kourkgy C, Habold C. How maize monoculture and increasing winter rainfall have brought the hibernating European hamster to the verge of extinction. Sci Rep 2016; 6:25531. [PMID: 27150008 PMCID: PMC4858668 DOI: 10.1038/srep25531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2016] [Accepted: 04/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the last decades, climate change and agricultural intensification have been identified as two major phenomena negatively affecting biodiversity. However, little is known about their effects on the life-history traits of hibernating species living in agro-ecosystems. The European hamster (Cricetus cricetus), once a common rodent on agricultural land, is now on the verge of extinction in France. Despite the implemented measures for its protection, populations are still in sharp decline but the reasons for it remain unclear. To investigate how environmental change has affected this hibernating rodent, we used a data set based on 1468 recordings of hamster body mass at emergence from hibernation from 1937 to 2014. We reveal the adverse effects of increasing winter rainfall and maize monoculture intensification on the body mass of wild hamsters. Given the links that exist between body mass, reproductive success and population dynamics in mammals, these results are of particular importance to understand the decline of this species. In view of the rates of maize monoculture intensification and the predicted increase in winter rainfall, it is of the utmost importance to improve land management in Western Europe to avoid the extinction of this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathilde L. Tissier
- Université de Strasbourg, IPHC, 23 rue Becquerel 67087 Strasbourg, Cedex 2, France
- CNRS, UMR7178, 67087 Strasbourg, France
| | - Yves Handrich
- Université de Strasbourg, IPHC, 23 rue Becquerel 67087 Strasbourg, Cedex 2, France
- CNRS, UMR7178, 67087 Strasbourg, France
| | - Jean-Patrice Robin
- Université de Strasbourg, IPHC, 23 rue Becquerel 67087 Strasbourg, Cedex 2, France
- CNRS, UMR7178, 67087 Strasbourg, France
| | - Mathieu Weitten
- Université de Strasbourg, IPHC, 23 rue Becquerel 67087 Strasbourg, Cedex 2, France
- CNRS, UMR7178, 67087 Strasbourg, France
| | - Paul Pevet
- CNRS, UMR7168, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Département de Neurobiologie des Rythmes, 5 rue Blaise Pascal, 67084 Strasbourg, Cedex, France
| | - Charlotte Kourkgy
- Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage, Au bord du Rhin, 67150 Gerstheim, France
| | - Caroline Habold
- Université de Strasbourg, IPHC, 23 rue Becquerel 67087 Strasbourg, Cedex 2, France
- CNRS, UMR7178, 67087 Strasbourg, France
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41
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Bourret A, Bélisle M, Pelletier F, Garant D. Multidimensional environmental influences on timing of breeding in a tree swallow population facing climate change. Evol Appl 2015; 8:933-44. [PMID: 26640519 PMCID: PMC4662344 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2015] [Accepted: 08/08/2015] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Most phenological traits are extremely sensitive to current climate change, and advances in the timing of important life-history events have been observed in many species. In birds, phenotypic plasticity in response to temperature is thought to be the main mechanism underlying yearly adjustment in the timing of breeding. However, other factors could be important and interact to affect the levels of plastic responses between and/or within-individuals. Here, we use long-term individual-based data on tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) to identify the spatial and environmental drivers affecting plasticity in laying date and to assess their importance at both population and individual levels. We found that laying date has advanced by 4.2 days over 10 years, and that it was mainly influenced by latitude and an interaction between spring temperature and breeder density. Analyses of individual plasticity showed that increases in temperature, but not in breeder density, resulted in within-individual advances in laying date. Our results suggest that females can adjust their laying date as a function of temperature, but that this adjustment will be partly constrained in habitats with lower breeder densities. Such potential constraint is especially worrying for the broad array of species already declining as a result of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Bourret
- Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Marc Bélisle
- Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Fanie Pelletier
- Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Dany Garant
- Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
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42
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Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry determination for multiclass pesticides from insect samples by microwave-assisted solvent extraction followed by a salt-out effect and micro-dispersion purification. Anal Chim Acta 2015; 891:160-70. [DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2015.07.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2015] [Revised: 07/07/2015] [Accepted: 07/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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43
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Bourret A, Garant D. Candidate gene-environment interactions and their relationships with timing of breeding in a wild bird population. Ecol Evol 2015; 5:3628-41. [PMID: 26380692 PMCID: PMC4567867 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2015] [Revised: 07/09/2015] [Accepted: 07/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Monitoring and predicting evolutionary changes underlying current environmental modifications are complex challenges. Recent approaches to achieve these objectives include assessing the genetic variation and effects of candidate genes on traits indicating adaptive potential. In birds, for example, short tandem repeat polymorphism at four candidate genes (CLOCK, NPAS2, ADCYAP1, and CREB1) has been linked to variation in phenological traits such as laying date and timing of migration. However, our understanding of their importance as evolutionary predictors is still limited, mainly because the extent of genotype–environment interactions (GxE) related to these genes has yet to be assessed. Here, we studied a population of Tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) over 4 years in southern Québec (Canada) to assess the relationships between those four candidate genes and two phenological traits related to reproduction (laying date and incubation duration) and also determine the importance of GxE in this system. Our results showed that NPAS2 female genotypes were nonrandomly distributed across the study system and formed a longitudinal cline with longer genotypes located to the east. We observed relationships between length polymorphism at all candidate genes and laying date and/or incubation duration, and most of these relationships were affected by environmental variables (breeding density, latitude, or temperature). In particular, the positive relationships detected between laying date and both CLOCK and NPAS2 female genotypes were variable depending on breeding density. Our results suggest that all four candidate genes potentially affect timing of breeding in birds and that GxE are more prevalent and important than previously reported in this context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Bourret
- Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke 2500 boulevard de l'Université, Sherbrooke, QC, J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Dany Garant
- Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke 2500 boulevard de l'Université, Sherbrooke, QC, J1K 2R1, Canada
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44
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Change Points in the Population Trends of Aerial-Insectivorous Birds in North America: Synchronized in Time across Species and Regions. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0130768. [PMID: 26147572 PMCID: PMC4493114 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0130768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2014] [Accepted: 05/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
North American populations of aerial insectivorous birds are in steep decline. Aerial insectivores (AI) are a group of bird species that feed almost exclusively on insects in flight, and include swallows, swifts, nightjars, and flycatchers. The causes of the declines are not well understood. Indeed, it is not clear when the declines began, or whether the declines are shared across all species in the group (e.g., caused by changes in flying insect populations) or specific to each species (e.g., caused by changes in species’ breeding habitat). A recent study suggested that population trends of aerial insectivores changed for the worse in the 1980s. If there was such a change point in trends of the group, understanding its timing and geographic pattern could help identify potential causes of the decline. We used a hierarchical Bayesian, penalized regression spline, change point model to estimate group-level change points in the trends of 22 species of AI, across 153 geographic strata of North America. We found evidence for group-level change points in 85% of the strata. Change points for flycatchers (FC) were distinct from those for swallows, swifts and nightjars (SSN) across North America, except in the Northeast, where all AI shared the same group-level change points. During the 1980s, there was a negative change point across most of North America, in the trends of SSN. For FC, the group-level change points were more geographically variable, and in many regions there were two: a positive change point followed by a negative change point. This group-level synchrony in AI population trends is likely evidence of a response to a common environmental factor(s) with similar effects on many species across broad spatial extents. The timing and geographic patterns of the change points that we identify here should provide a spring-board for research into the causes behind aerial insectivore declines.
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Lagrange P, Pradel R, Bélisle M, Gimenez O. Estimating dispersal among numerous sites using capture-recapture data. Ecology 2014; 95:2316-23. [PMID: 25230481 DOI: 10.1890/13-1564.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Dispersal affects processes as diverse as habitat selection, population growth, and gene flow. Inference about dispersal and its variation is thus crucial for assessing population and evolutionary dynamics. Two approaches are generally used to estimate dispersal in free-ranging animals. First, multisite capture-recapture models estimate movement rates among sites while accounting for survival and detection probabilities. This approach, however, is limited in the number of sites that can be considered. Second, diffusion models estimate movements within discrete habitat using a diffusion coefficient, resulting in a continuous processing of space. However, this approach has been rarely used because of its mathematical and implementation complexity. Here, we develop a multi-event capture-recapture approach that circumvents the issue of too many sites while being relatively simple to be implemented in existing software. Moreover, this new approach allows the quantifying of memory effects, whereby the decision of dispersing or not on a given year impacts the survival or dispersal likelihood of the following year. We illustrate our approach using a long-term data set on the breeding ecology of a declining passerine in southern Quebec, Canada, the Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor).
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