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Hedenström A, Hedh L. Seasonal patterns and processes of migration in a long-distance migratory bird: energy or time minimization? Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20240624. [PMID: 38835274 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Optimal migration theory prescribes adaptive strategies of energy, time or mortality minimization. To test alternative hypotheses of energy- and time-minimization migration we used multisensory data loggers that record time-resolved flight activity and light for positioning by geolocation in a long-distance migratory shorebird, the little ringed plover, Charadrius dubius. We could reject the hypothesis of energy minimization based on a relationship between stopover duration and subsequent flight time as predicted for a time minimizer. We found seasonally diverging slopes between stopover and flight durations in relation to the progress (time) of migration, which follows a time-minimizing policy if resource gradients along the migration route increase in autumn and decrease in spring. Total flight duration did not differ significantly between autumn and spring migration, although spring migration was 6% shorter. Overall duration of autumn migration was longer than that in spring, mainly owing to a mid-migration stop in most birds, when they likely initiated moult. Overall migration speed was significantly different between autumn and spring. Migratory flights often occurred as runs of two to seven nocturnal flights on adjacent days, which may be countering a time-minimization strategy. Other factors may influence a preference for nocturnal migration, such as avoiding flight in turbulent conditions, heat stress and diurnal predators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anders Hedenström
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Linus Hedh
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
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2
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Gregory KA, Francesiaz C, Jiguet F, Besnard A. A synthesis of recent tools and perspectives in migratory connectivity studies. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2023; 11:69. [PMID: 37891684 PMCID: PMC10605477 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-023-00388-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
Migration movements connect breeding and non-breeding bird populations over the year. Such links, referred to as migratory connectivity, have important implications for migratory population dynamics as they dictate the consequences of localised events for the whole population network. This calls for concerted efforts to understand migration processes for large-scale conservation. Over the last 20 years, the toolbox to investigate connectivity patterns has expanded and studies now consider migratory connectivity over a broader range of species and contexts. Here, we summarise recent developments in analysing migratory connectivity, focusing on strategies and challenges to pooling various types of data to both optimise and broaden the scope of connectivity studies. We find that the different approaches used to investigate migratory connectivity still have complementary strengths and weaknesses, whether in terms of cost, spatial and temporal resolution, or challenges in obtaining large sample sizes or connectivity estimates. Certain recent developments offer particularly promising prospects: robust quantitative models for banding data, improved precision of geolocators and accessibility of telemetry tracking systems, and increasingly precise probabilistic assignments based on genomic markers or large-scale isoscapes. In parallel, studies have proposed various ways to combine the information of different datasets, from simply comparing the connectivity patterns they draw to formally integrating their analyses. Such data combinations have proven to be more accurate in estimating connectivity patterns, particularly for integrated approaches that offer promising flexibility. Given the diversity of available tools, future studies would benefit from a rigorous comparative evaluation of the different methodologies to guide data collection to complete migration atlases: where and when should data be collected during the migratory cycle to best describe connectivity patterns? Which data are most favourable to combine, and under what conditions? Are there methods for combining data that are better than others? Can combination methods be improved by adjusting the contribution of the various data in the models? How can we fully integrate connectivity with demographic and environmental data? Data integration shows strong potential to deepen our understanding of migratory connectivity as a dynamic ecological process, especially if the gaps can be bridged between connectivity, population and environmental models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Killian A Gregory
- Master de Biologie, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Université de Lyon, Lyon, France.
- CESCO, MNHN-CNRS-Sorbonne Université, Paris, France.
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France.
| | | | | | - Aurélien Besnard
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE-PSL University, IRD, Montpellier, France
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3
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Sokolovskis K, Caballero-Lopez V, Åkesson S, Lundberg M, Willemoes M, Zhao T, Bensch S. Diurnal migration patterns in willow warblers differ between the western and eastern flyways. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2023; 11:58. [PMID: 37735665 PMCID: PMC10512566 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-023-00425-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
It is a long-standing view that the main mechanism maintaining narrow migratory divides in passerines is the selection against intermediate and suboptimal migratory direction, but empirical proof of this is still lacking. We present novel results from a willow warbler migratory divide in central Sweden from where birds take the typical SW and SE as well as intermediate routes to winter quarters in Africa. We hypothesized that individuals that take the intermediate route are forced to migrate in daytime more often when crossing wide ecological barriers than birds that follow the typical western or eastern flyways. Analyses of geolocator tracks of willow warblers breeding across the entire Sweden, including the migratory divide, provided no support for our hypothesis. Instead, birds that migrated along the western flyway were the most likely to undertake full day flights. The probability of migrating for a full day when crossing major barriers declined linearly from west to east. We speculate that this difference is possibly caused by more challenging conditions in the western part of the Sahara Desert, such as the lack of suitable day-time roost sites. However, it may equally likely be that willow warblers benefit from migrating in daytime if favorable tailwinds offer assistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristaps Sokolovskis
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, 223 62, Lund, Sweden.
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Vesilinnantie 5, 20500, Turku, Finland.
| | | | - Susanne Åkesson
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, 223 62, Lund, Sweden
| | - Max Lundberg
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, 223 62, Lund, Sweden
| | - Mikkel Willemoes
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, 223 62, Lund, Sweden
| | - Tianhao Zhao
- GELIFES, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 5172.0664, 9747 AG, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Staffan Bensch
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, 223 62, Lund, Sweden
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4
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Norevik G, Åkesson S, Hedenström A. Extremely low daylight sea-crossing flights of a nocturnal migrant. PNAS NEXUS 2023; 2:pgad225. [PMID: 37476562 PMCID: PMC10355279 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgad225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the trade-off between energy expenditure of carrying large fuel loads and the risk of fuel depletion is imperative to understand the evolution of flight strategies during long-distance animal migration. Global flyways regularly involve sea crossings that may impose flight prolongations on migrating land-birds and thereby reduce their energy reserves and survival prospects. We studied route choice, flight behavior, and fuel store dynamics of nocturnally migrating European nightjars (Caprimulgus europaeus) crossing water barriers. We show that barrier size and groundspeed of the birds influence the prospects of extended daylight flights, but also that waters possible to cross within a night regularly result in diurnal flight events. The nightjars systematically responded to daylight flights by descending to about a wingspan's altitude above the sea surface while switching to an energy-efficient flap-glide flight style. By operating within the surface-air boundary layer, the nightjars could fly in ground effect, exploit local updraft and pressure variations, and thereby substantially reduce flight costs as indicated by their increased proportion of cheap glides. We propose that surface-skimming flights, as illustrated in the nightjar, provide an energy-efficient transport mode and that this novel finding asks for a reconsideration of our understanding of flight strategies when land-birds migrate across seas.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Susanne Åkesson
- Centre for Animal Movement Research, Department of Biology, Lund University, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
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5
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Fattorini N, Costanzo A, Romano A, Rubolini D, Baillie S, Bairlein F, Spina F, Ambrosini R. Eco-evolutionary drivers of avian migratory connectivity. Ecol Lett 2023. [PMID: 37125435 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Migratory connectivity, reflecting the extent by which migrants tend to maintain their reciprocal positions in seasonal ranges, can assist in the conservation and management of mobile species, yet relevant drivers remain unclear. Taking advantage of an exceptionally large (~150,000 individuals, 83 species) and more-than-a-century-long dataset of bird ringing encounters, we investigated eco-evolutionary drivers of migratory connectivity in both short- and long-distance Afro-Palearctic migratory birds. Connectivity was strongly associated with geographical proxies of migration costs and was weakly influenced by biological traits and phylogeny, suggesting the evolutionary lability of migratory behaviour. The large intraspecific variability in avian migration strategies, through which most species geographically split into distinct migratory populations, explained why most of them were significantly connected. By unravelling key determinants of migratory connectivity, our study improves knowledge about the resilience of avian migrants to ecological perturbations, providing a critical tool to inform transboundary conservation and management strategies at the population level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niccolò Fattorini
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milano, Milan, Italy
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
| | - Alessandra Costanzo
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Romano
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Diego Rubolini
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milano, Milan, Italy
- Istituto di Ricerca sulle Acque, IRSA-CNR, Brugherio, Italy
| | | | - Franz Bairlein
- Institute of Avian Research, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
- Max-Planck-Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
| | - Fernando Spina
- Area Avifauna Migratrice, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), Ozzano dell'Emilia, Italy
| | - Roberto Ambrosini
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milano, Milan, Italy
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6
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Timing rather than movement decisions explains age-related differences in wind support for a migratory bird. Anim Behav 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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7
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Acácio M, Catry I, Soriano-Redondo A, Silva JP, Atkinson PW, Franco AMA. Timing is critical: consequences of asynchronous migration for the performance and destination of a long-distance migrant. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2022; 10:28. [PMID: 35725653 PMCID: PMC9901525 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-022-00328-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Migration phenology is shifting for many long-distance migrants due to global climate change, however the timing and duration of migration may influence the environmental conditions individuals encounter, with potential fitness consequences. Species with asynchronous migrations, i.e., with variability in migration timing, provide an excellent opportunity to investigate how of the conditions individuals experience during migration can vary and affect the migratory performance, route, and destination of migrants. METHODS Here, we use GPS tracking and accelerometer data to examine if timing of autumn migration influences the migratory performance (duration, distance, route straightness, energy expenditure) and migration destinations of a long-distance, asynchronous, migrant, the white stork (Ciconia ciconia). We also compare the weather conditions (wind speed, wind direction, and boundary layer height) encountered on migration and examine the influence of wind direction on storks' flight directions. RESULTS From 2016 to 2020, we tracked 172 white storks and obtained 75 complete migrations from the breeding grounds in Europe to the sub-Saharan wintering areas. Autumn migration season spanned over a 3-month period (July-October) and arrival destinations covered a broad area of the Sahel, 2450 km apart, from Senegal to Niger. We found that timing of migration influenced both the performance and conditions individuals experienced: later storks spent fewer days on migration, adopted shorter and more direct routes in the Sahara Desert and consumed more energy when flying, as they were exposed to less supportive weather conditions. In the Desert, storks' flight directions were significantly influenced by wind direction, with later individuals facing stronger easterly winds (i.e., winds blowing to the west), hence being more likely to end their migration in western areas of the Sahel region. Contrastingly, early storks encountered more supportive weather conditions, spent less energy on migration and were exposed to westerly winds, thus being more likely to end migration in eastern Sahel. CONCLUSIONS Our results show that the timing of migration influences the environmental conditions individuals face, the energetic costs of migration, and the wintering destinations, where birds may be exposed to different environmental conditions and distinct threats. These findings highlight that on-going changes in migration phenology, due to environmental change, may have critical fitness consequences for long-distance soaring migrants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Acácio
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, Norfolk, UK.
| | - Inês Catry
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade Do Porto, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, 1349-017, Lisbon, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Andrea Soriano-Redondo
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade Do Porto, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, 1349-017, Lisbon, Portugal
- Helsinki Lab of Interdisciplinary Conservation Science (HELICS), Department of Geosciences and Geography, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science (HELSUS), University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - João Paulo Silva
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade Do Porto, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, 4485-661, Vairão, Portugal
| | | | - Aldina M A Franco
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, Norfolk, UK
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8
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Lathouwers M, Artois T, Dendoncker N, Beenaerts N, Conway G, Henderson I, Kowalczyk C, Davaasuren B, Bayrgur S, Shewring M, Cross T, Ulenaers E, Liechti F, Evens R. Rush or relax: migration tactics of a nocturnal insectivore in response to ecological barriers. Sci Rep 2022; 12:4964. [PMID: 35322145 PMCID: PMC8943004 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-09106-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
During their annual migration, avian migrants alternate stopover periods, for refuelling, with migratory flight bouts. We hypothesise that European Nightjars (Caprimulgus europaeus) adapt their daily migration tactics in association with biomes. We tracked the autumn migration of 24 European Nightjars, from breeding populations in Mongolia, Belgium and UK, using GPS-loggers and multi-sensor data loggers. We quantified crepuscular and nocturnal migration and foraging probabilities, as well as daily travel speed and flight altitude during active migration in response to biomes. Nightjars adopt a rush tactic, reflected in high daily travel speed, flight altitude and high migration probabilities at dusk and at night, when travelling through ecological barriers. Migration is slower in semi-open, hospitable biomes. This is reflected in high foraging probabilities at dusk, lower daily travel speed and lower migration probabilities at dusk. Our study shows how nightjars switch migration tactics during autumn migration, and suggest nightjars alternate between feeding and short migratory flight bouts within the same night when travelling through suitable habitats. How this may affect individuals’ fuel stores and whether different biomes provide refuelling opportunities en route remains to be investigated, to understand how future land-use change may affect migration patterns and survival probabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michiel Lathouwers
- Research Group: Zoology, Biodiversity and Toxicology, Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Campus Diepenbeek, Agoralaan, Gebouw D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium. .,Department of Geography, Institute of Life, Earth and Environment (ILEE), University of Namur, Rue de Bruxelles 61, 5000, Namur, Belgium.
| | - Tom Artois
- Research Group: Zoology, Biodiversity and Toxicology, Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Campus Diepenbeek, Agoralaan, Gebouw D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Nicolas Dendoncker
- Department of Geography, Institute of Life, Earth and Environment (ILEE), University of Namur, Rue de Bruxelles 61, 5000, Namur, Belgium
| | - Natalie Beenaerts
- Research Group: Zoology, Biodiversity and Toxicology, Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Campus Diepenbeek, Agoralaan, Gebouw D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Greg Conway
- British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2PU, UK
| | - Ian Henderson
- British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2PU, UK
| | - Céline Kowalczyk
- Research Group: Zoology, Biodiversity and Toxicology, Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Campus Diepenbeek, Agoralaan, Gebouw D, 3590, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | | | - Soddelgerekh Bayrgur
- Department of Biology, Mongolian National University of Education, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Mike Shewring
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.,MPS Ecology, Heol y Cyw, Bridgend, UK
| | | | - Eddy Ulenaers
- Agentschap Natuur en Bos, Regio Noord-Limburg, Herman Teirlinck Havenlaan 88 bus 75, 1000, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Felix Liechti
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Seerose 1, 6204, Sempach, Switzerland
| | - Ruben Evens
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard-Gwinner-Straße, 82319, Seewiesen, Germany.,Department of Biology, Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
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9
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Skinner AA, Ward MP, Souza‐Cole I, Wright JR, Thompson FR, Benson TJ, Matthews SN, Tonra CM. High spatiotemporal overlap in the non‐breeding season despite geographically dispersed breeding locations in the eastern whip‐poor‐will (
Antrostomus vociferus
). DIVERS DISTRIB 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Aaron A. Skinner
- School of Environment and Natural Resources The Ohio State University Columbus Ohio USA
| | - Michael P. Ward
- Illinois Natural History Survey Prairie Research Institute University of Illinois Champaign Illinois USA
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences University of Illinois Urbana Illinois USA
| | - Ian Souza‐Cole
- Illinois Natural History Survey Prairie Research Institute University of Illinois Champaign Illinois USA
| | - James R. Wright
- School of Environment and Natural Resources The Ohio State University Columbus Ohio USA
| | - Frank R. Thompson
- United States Forest ServiceNorthern Research Station Columbia Missouri USA
| | - Thomas J. Benson
- Illinois Natural History Survey Prairie Research Institute University of Illinois Champaign Illinois USA
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences University of Illinois Urbana Illinois USA
| | - Stephen N. Matthews
- School of Environment and Natural Resources The Ohio State University Columbus Ohio USA
| | - Christopher M. Tonra
- School of Environment and Natural Resources The Ohio State University Columbus Ohio USA
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10
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Norevik G, Åkesson S, Andersson A, Bäckman J, Hedenström A. Flight altitude dynamics of migrating European nightjars across regions and seasons. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:272593. [PMID: 34647575 PMCID: PMC8601712 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.242836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Avian migrants may fly at a range of altitudes, but usually concentrate near strata where a combination of flight conditions is favourable. The aerial environment can have a large impact on the performance of the migrant and is usually highly dynamic, making it beneficial for a bird to regularly check the flight conditions at alternative altitudes. We recorded the migrations between northern Europe and sub-Saharan Africa of European nightjars Caprimulgus europaeus to explore their altitudinal space use during spring and autumn flights and to test whether their climbs and descents were performed according to predictions from flight mechanical theory. Spring migration across all regions was associated with more exploratory vertical flights involving major climbs, a higher degree of vertical displacement within flights, and less time spent in level flight, although flight altitude per se was only higher during the Sahara crossing. The nightjars commonly operated at ascent rates below the theoretical maximum, and periods of descent were commonly undertaken by active flight, and rarely by gliding flight, which has been assumed to be a cheaper locomotion mode during descents. The surprisingly frequent shifts in flight altitude further suggest that nightjars can perform vertical displacements at a relatively low cost, which is expected if the birds can allocate potential energy gained during climbs to thrust forward movement during descents. The results should inspire future studies on the potential costs associated with frequent altitude changes and their trade-offs against anticipated flight condition improvements for aerial migrants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Norevik
- Department of Biology, Centre for Animal Movement Research, Lund University, Ecology Building, 22362Lund, Sweden
| | - Susanne Åkesson
- Department of Biology, Centre for Animal Movement Research, Lund University, Ecology Building, 22362Lund, Sweden
| | - Arne Andersson
- Department of Biology, Centre for Animal Movement Research, Lund University, Ecology Building, 22362Lund, Sweden
| | - Johan Bäckman
- Department of Biology, Centre for Animal Movement Research, Lund University, Ecology Building, 22362Lund, Sweden
| | - Anders Hedenström
- Department of Biology, Centre for Animal Movement Research, Lund University, Ecology Building, 22362Lund, Sweden
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11
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Nourani E, Bohrer G, Becciu P, Bierregaard RO, Duriez O, Figuerola J, Gangoso L, Giokas S, Higuchi H, Kassara C, Kulikova O, Lecomte N, Monti F, Pokrovsky I, Sforzi A, Therrien JF, Tsiopelas N, Vansteelant WMG, Viana DS, Yamaguchi NM, Wikelski M, Safi K. The interplay of wind and uplift facilitates over-water flight in facultative soaring birds. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20211603. [PMID: 34493076 PMCID: PMC8424339 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.1603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Flying over the open sea is energetically costly for terrestrial birds. Despite this, over-water journeys of many birds, sometimes hundreds of kilometres long, are uncovered by bio-logging technology. To understand how these birds afford their flights over the open sea, we investigated the role of atmospheric conditions, specifically wind and uplift, in subsidizing over-water flight at a global scale. We first established that ΔT, the temperature difference between sea surface and air, is a meaningful proxy for uplift over water. Using this proxy, we showed that the spatio-temporal patterns of sea-crossing in terrestrial migratory birds are associated with favourable uplift conditions. We then analysed route selection over the open sea for five facultative soaring species, representative of all major migratory flyways. The birds maximized wind support when selecting their sea-crossing routes and selected greater uplift when suitable wind support was available. They also preferred routes with low long-term uncertainty in wind conditions. Our findings suggest that, in addition to wind, uplift may play a key role in the energy seascape for bird migration that in turn determines strategies and associated costs for birds crossing ecological barriers such as the open sea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elham Nourani
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Germany
| | - Gil Bohrer
- Department of Civil, Environmental and Geodetic Engineering, The Ohio State University, USA
| | - Paolo Becciu
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, and Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Israel
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Olivier Duriez
- Centre for Evolutionary and Functional Ecology, Montpellier University-CNRS, France
| | - Jordi Figuerola
- Department of Wetland Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana, Spain
| | - Laura Gangoso
- Department of Wetland Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana, Spain
- Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sinos Giokas
- Department of Biology, University of Patras, Greece
| | - Hiroyoshi Higuchi
- Research and Education Centre for Natural Sciences, Keio University, Japan
| | | | - Olga Kulikova
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Germany
- Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of the Biological Problems of the North, Russia
| | - Nicolas Lecomte
- Canada Research Chair in Polar and Boreal Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Moncton, Canada
| | - Flavio Monti
- Department of Physical Sciences, Earth and Environment, University of Siena, Italy
| | - Ivan Pokrovsky
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Germany
- Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of the Biological Problems of the North, Russia
- Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia
| | | | | | | | - Wouter M. G. Vansteelant
- Department of Wetland Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana, Spain
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Duarte S. Viana
- German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Germany
- Leipzig University, Germany
| | - Noriyuki M. Yamaguchi
- Graduate School of Fisheries and Environmental Sciences, Nagasaki University, Japan
- Organization for Marine Science and Technology, Nagasaki University, Japan
| | - Martin Wikelski
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Germany
| | - Kamran Safi
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Germany
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Vansteelant WMG, Gangoso L, Bouten W, Viana DS, Figuerola J. Adaptive drift and barrier-avoidance by a fly-forage migrant along a climate-driven flyway. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2021; 9:37. [PMID: 34253264 PMCID: PMC8276455 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-021-00272-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Route choice and travel performance of fly-forage migrants are partly driven by large-scale habitat availability, but it remains unclear to what extent wind support through large-scale wind regimes moulds their migratory behaviour. We aimed to determine to what extent a trans-equatorial fly-forage migrant engages in adaptive drift through distinct wind regimes and biomes across Africa. The Inter-tropical Front (ITF) marks a strong and seasonally shifting climatic boundary at the thermal equator, and we assessed whether migratory detours were associated with this climatic feature. Furthermore, we sought to disentangle the influence of wind and biome on daily, regional and seasonal travel performance. METHODS We GPS-tracked 19 adult Eleonora's falcons Falco eleonorae from the westernmost population on the Canary Islands across 39 autumn and 36 spring migrations to and from Madagascar. Tracks were annotated with wind data to assess the falcons' orientation behaviour and the wind support they achieved in each season and distinct biomes. We further tested whether falcon routes across the Sahel were correlated with the ITF position, and how realized wind support and biome affect daily travel times, distances and speeds. RESULTS Changes in orientation behaviour across Africa's biomes were associated with changes in prevailing wind fields. Falcons realized higher wind support along their detours than was available along the shortest possible route by drifting through adverse autumn wind fields, but compromised wind support while detouring through supportive spring wind fields. Movements across the Sahel-Sudan zone were strongly associated to the ITF position in autumn, but were more individually variable in spring. Realized wind support was an important driver of daily travel speeds and distances, in conjunction with regional wind-independent variation in daily travel time budgets. CONCLUSIONS Although daily travel time budgets of falcons vary independently from wind, their daily travel performance is strongly affected by orientation-dependent wind support. Falcons thereby tend to drift to minimize or avoid headwinds through opposing wind fields and over ecological barriers, while compensating through weak or supportive wind fields and over hospitable biomes. The ITF may offer a climatic leading line to fly-forage migrants in terms of both flight and foraging conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wouter M G Vansteelant
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC. Cartuja TA-10, Edificio I, Calle Américo Vespucio, s/n, 41092, Sevilla, Spain.
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam, Sciencepark 904, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Laura Gangoso
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC. Cartuja TA-10, Edificio I, Calle Américo Vespucio, s/n, 41092, Sevilla, Spain
- Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution. Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, C/ José Antonio Novais 2, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Willem Bouten
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), University of Amsterdam, Sciencepark 904, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Duarte S Viana
- German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Deutscher Platz 5e, Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jordi Figuerola
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC. Cartuja TA-10, Edificio I, Calle Américo Vespucio, s/n, 41092, Sevilla, Spain
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Somveille M, Bay RA, Smith TB, Marra PP, Ruegg KC. A general theory of avian migratory connectivity. Ecol Lett 2021; 24:1848-1858. [PMID: 34173311 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Birds exhibit a remarkable array of seasonal migrations. Despite much research describing migratory behaviour, the underlying forces driving how a species' breeding and wintering populations redistribute each year, that is, migratory connectivity, remain largely unknown. Here, we test the hypothesis that birds migrate in a way that minimises energy expenditure while considering intraspecific competition for energy acquisition, by developing a modelling framework that simulates an optimal redistribution of individuals between breeding and wintering areas. Using 25 species across the Americas, we find that the model accurately predicts empirical migration patterns, and thus offers a general explanation for migratory connectivity based on first ecological and energetic principles. Our model provides a strong basis for exploring additional processes underlying the ecology and evolution of migration, but also a framework for predicting how migration impacts local adaptation across seasons and how environmental change may affect population dynamics in migratory species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marius Somveille
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.,Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK
| | - Rachael A Bay
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Thomas B Smith
- Center for Tropical Research, Institute for the Environment and Sustainability, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Peter P Marra
- Department of Biology and McCourt School of Public Policy, Georgetown University, DC, USA
| | - Kristen C Ruegg
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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Vickers SH, Franco AMA, Gilroy JJ. Sensitivity of migratory connectivity estimates to spatial sampling design. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2021; 9:16. [PMID: 33810815 PMCID: PMC8019184 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-021-00254-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The use of statistical methods to quantify the strength of migratory connectivity is commonplace. However, little attention has been given to their sensitivity to spatial sampling designs and scales of inference. METHODS We examine sources of bias and imprecision in the most widely used methodology, Mantel correlations, under a range of plausible sampling regimes using simulated migratory populations. RESULTS As Mantel correlations depend fundamentally on the spatial scale and configuration of sampling, unbiased inferences about population-scale connectivity can only be made under certain sampling regimes. Within a contiguous population, samples drawn from smaller spatial subsets of the range generate lower connectivity metrics than samples drawn from the range as a whole, even when the underlying migratory ecology of the population is constant across the population. Random sampling of individuals from contiguous subsets of species ranges can therefore underestimate population-scale connectivity. Where multiple discrete sampling sites are used, by contrast, overestimation of connectivity can arise due to samples being biased towards larger between-individual pairwise distances in the seasonal range where sampling occurs (typically breeding). Severity of all biases was greater for populations with lower levels of true connectivity. When plausible sampling regimes were applied to realistic simulated populations, accuracy of connectivity measures was maximised by increasing the number of discrete sampling sites and ensuring an even spread of sites across the full range. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest strong potential for bias and imprecision when making quantitative inferences about migratory connectivity using Mantel statistics. Researchers wishing to apply these methods should limit inference to the spatial extent of their sampling, maximise their number of sampling sites, and avoid drawing strong conclusions based on small sample sizes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen H Vickers
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK.
| | - Aldina M A Franco
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - James J Gilroy
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
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Krietsch J, Valcu M, Kempenaers B. Wind conditions influence breeding season movements in a nomadic polygynous shorebird. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20192789. [PMID: 32075527 PMCID: PMC7031675 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.2789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Nomadism is a behaviour where individuals respond to environmental variability with movements that seem unpredictable in timing and direction. In contrast to migration, the mechanisms underlying nomadic movements remain largely unknown. Here, we focus on a form of apparent nomadism in a polygynous shorebird, the pectoral sandpiper (Calidris melanotos). Local mating opportunities are unpredictable and most males sampled multiple sites across a considerable part of their breeding range. We test the hypothesis that individuals decided which part of the breeding range to sample in a given season based on the prevailing wind conditions. Using movement data from 80 males in combination with wind data from a global reanalysis model, we show that male pectoral sandpipers flew with wind support more often than expected by chance. Stronger wind support led to increased ground speed and was associated with a longer flight range. Long detours (loop-like flights) can be explained by individuals flying initially with the wind. Individuals did not fly westwards into the Russian Arctic without wind support, but occasionally flew eastwards into the North American Arctic against strong headwinds. Wind support might be less important for individuals flying eastwards, because their autumn migration journey will be shorter. Our study suggests that individuals of a species with low site fidelity choose their breeding site opportunistically based on the prevailing wind conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Krietsch
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard-Gwinner-Strasse, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Mihai Valcu
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard-Gwinner-Strasse, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Bart Kempenaers
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard-Gwinner-Strasse, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
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