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Heming NM, Mota FMM, Talora DC, Martins WP. Impacts of climate change and habitat loss on the distribution of the endangered crested capuchin monkey (Sapajus robustus). Am J Primatol 2023; 85:e23562. [PMID: 37842913 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23562] [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: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
The crested capuchin monkey (Sapajus robustus) is endemic to the Atlantic Forest and its transition areas within Cerrado in Brazil. The species is currently threatened by habitat loss and has been classified as endangered by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species since 2015. We used ecological niche models built with MaxEnt to predict the potential impact of climate change on the distribution of this species. The models were projected onto the reference climate, considering six climate scenarios (three Global Climate Models and two Representative Concentration Pathways) from IPCC for 2050 and 2070. We showed that while the amount of suitable area is expected to change little across the species' range in most evaluated climate scenarios, climatic conditions may significantly deteriorate by 2070 in the pessimistic scenario, especially in currently warmer and dryer areas to the west. As seen on other capuchin monkeys, the potential use of tools by crested capuchins may increase the chances of the species adaptation to novel harsher environmental conditions. The major negative impacts across the species range also include habitat loss and fragmentation so that the conservation of the species relies on the protection of the forest remnants in the center of its distribution, which can harbor populations of the species in current and future climate scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neander M Heming
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação Ecologia e Conservação da Biodiversidade, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Flavio M M Mota
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação Ecologia e Conservação da Biodiversidade, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Daniela C Talora
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação Ecologia e Conservação da Biodiversidade, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Waldney P Martins
- Departamento de Biologia Geral, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Uso dos Recursos Naturais, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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2
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Correa CMA, da Silva KC, de Oliveira PLM, Salomão RP. The conversion of native savannah into pasturelands does not affect exclusively species diversity: Effects on physiological condition of a highly abundant dung beetle species. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10752. [PMID: 38020699 PMCID: PMC10659944 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Dung beetles are efficient indicators to obtain responses regarding the effects of land use change on biodiversity. Although the biological consequences of Cerrado conversion into pasture have been observed at the assemblage scale, there are no cues regarding the effects of tropical savanna conversion into pasture on physiological condition of dung beetle individuals. In this study, we evaluated whether native and non-native habitats in Cerrado affect the physiological condition and body traits of males and females of Phanaeus palaeno. The individuals were collected from a Cerrado fragment (sensu stricto) and an exotic pasture (Urochloa spp.). Physiological condition was assessed through the estimation of individuals' dry body mass, fat mass, and muscle mass. Body traits were estimated through individual body size and males' horn length. We did not find differences between dung beetle morphological traits between Cerrado and pastures. However, individuals collected in exotic pastures had lower dry mass and fat mass, but higher muscle mass, than in conserved Cerrado. Understanding how the land use change affects individuals' body condition is essential to maintain abundant and healthy populations of dung beetles in human-modified landscapes. Although the estimation of physiological condition is logistically more complex than species body traits, future studies aiming to present complex and finer ecological responses of dung beetles should incorporate physiological data to their approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- César M. A. Correa
- Laboratório de Bioecologia de Scarabaeoidea (Scaralab)Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do SulAquidauanaBrazil
| | - Kalel Caetano da Silva
- Laboratório de Bioecologia de Scarabaeoidea (Scaralab)Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do SulAquidauanaBrazil
- Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do SulAquidauanaBrazil
| | - Pedro Lucas Moreira de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Bioecologia de Scarabaeoidea (Scaralab)Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do SulAquidauanaBrazil
- Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do SulAquidauanaBrazil
| | - Renato Portela Salomão
- Facultad de Estudios Superiores IztacalaUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoTlalnepantlaMexico
- Pós‐graduação em EcologiaInstituto Nacional de Pesquisas da AmazôniaManausBrazil
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3
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Layton-Matthews K, Vriend SJG, Grøtan V, Loonen MJJE, Sæther BE, Fuglei E, Hansen BB. Extreme events, trophic chain reactions, and shifts in phenotypic selection. Sci Rep 2023; 13:15181. [PMID: 37704641 PMCID: PMC10499831 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41940-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Demographic consequences of rapid environmental change and extreme climatic events (ECEs) can cascade across trophic levels with evolutionary implications that have rarely been explored. Here, we show how an ECE in high Arctic Svalbard triggered a trophic chain reaction, directly or indirectly affecting the demography of both overwintering and migratory vertebrates, ultimately inducing a shift in density-dependent phenotypic selection in migratory geese. A record-breaking rain-on-snow event and ice-locked pastures led to reindeer mass starvation and a population crash, followed by a period of low mortality and population recovery. This caused lagged, long-lasting reductions in reindeer carrion numbers and resultant low abundances of Arctic foxes, a scavenger on reindeer and predator of migratory birds. The associated decrease in Arctic fox predation of goose offspring allowed for a rapid increase in barnacle goose densities. As expected according to r- and K-selection theory, the goose body condition (affecting reproduction and post-fledging survival) maximising Malthusian fitness increased with this shift in population density. Thus, the winter ECE acting on reindeer and their scavenger, the Arctic fox, indirectly selected for higher body condition in migratory geese. This high Arctic study provides rare empirical evidence of links between ECEs, community dynamics and evolution, with implications for our understanding of indirect eco-evolutionary impacts of global change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate Layton-Matthews
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway.
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, NINA, Tromsø, Norway.
| | - Stefan J G Vriend
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Vidar Grøtan
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
| | | | - Bernt-Erik Sæther
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Eva Fuglei
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Brage Bremset Hansen
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, NINA, Trondheim, Norway
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4
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Macdonald KJ, Driscoll DA, Macdonald KJ, Hradsky B, Doherty TS. Meta-analysis reveals impacts of disturbance on reptile and amphibian body condition. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:4949-4965. [PMID: 37401520 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
Ecosystem disturbance is increasing in extent, severity and frequency across the globe. To date, research has largely focussed on the impacts of disturbance on animal population size, extinction risk and species richness. However, individual responses, such as changes in body condition, can act as more sensitive metrics and may provide early warning signs of reduced fitness and population declines. We conducted the first global systematic review and meta-analysis investigating the impacts of ecosystem disturbance on reptile and amphibian body condition. We collated 384 effect sizes representing 137 species from 133 studies. We tested how disturbance type, species traits, biome and taxon moderate the impacts of disturbance on body condition. We found an overall negative effect of disturbance on herpetofauna body condition (Hedges' g = -0.37, 95% CI: -0.57, -0.18). Disturbance type was an influential predictor of body condition response and all disturbance types had a negative mean effect. Drought, invasive species and agriculture had the largest effects. The impact of disturbance varied in strength and direction across biomes, with the largest negative effects found within Mediterranean and temperate biomes. In contrast, taxon, body size, habitat specialisation and conservation status were not influential predictors of disturbance effects. Our findings reveal the widespread effects of disturbance on herpetofauna body condition and highlight the potential role of individual-level response metrics in enhancing wildlife monitoring. The use of individual response metrics alongside population and community metrics would deepen our understanding of disturbance impacts by revealing both early impacts and chronic effects within affected populations. This could enable early and more informed conservation management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina J Macdonald
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
| | - Don A Driscoll
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kimberley J Macdonald
- Biodiversity Protection and Information Branch, Biodiversity Division, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Bronwyn Hradsky
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Tim S Doherty
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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5
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Mott R, Prowse TAA, Jackson MV, Rogers DJ, O'Connor JA, Brookes JD, Cassey P. Measuring habitat quality for waterbirds: A review. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e9905. [PMID: 37038530 PMCID: PMC10082184 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Quantifying habitat quality is dependent on measuring a site's relative contribution to population growth rate. This is challenging for studies of waterbirds, whose high mobility can decouple demographic rates from local habitat conditions and make sustained monitoring of individuals near-impossible. To overcome these challenges, biologists have used many direct and indirect proxies of waterbird habitat quality. However, consensus on what methods are most appropriate for a given scenario is lacking. We undertook a structured literature review of the methods used to quantify waterbird habitat quality, and provide a synthesis of the context-dependent strengths and limitations of those methods. Our search of the Web of Science and Scopus databases returned a sample of 666 studies, upon which our review was based. The reviewed studies assessed habitat quality by either measuring habitat attributes (e.g., food abundance, water quality, vegetation structure), or measuring attributes of the waterbirds themselves (e.g., demographic parameters, body condition, behavior, distribution). Measuring habitat attributes, although they are only indirectly related to demographic rates, has the advantage of being unaffected by waterbird behavioral stochasticity. Conversely, waterbird-derived measures (e.g., body condition, peck rates) may be more directly related to demographic rates than habitat variables, but may be subject to greater stochastic variation (e.g., behavioral change due to presence of conspecifics). Therefore, caution is needed to ensure that the measured variable does influence waterbird demographic rates. This assumption was usually based on ecological theory rather than empirical evidence. Our review highlighted that there is no single best, universally applicable method to quantify waterbird habitat quality. Individual project specifics (e.g., time frame, spatial scale, funding) will influence the choice of variables measured. Where possible, practitioners should measure variables most directly related to demographic rates. Generally, measuring multiple variables yields a better chance of accurately capturing the relationship between habitat characteristics and demographic rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rowan Mott
- School of Biological SciencesThe University of AdelaideAdelaideSouth AustraliaAustralia
| | - Thomas A. A. Prowse
- School of Biological SciencesThe University of AdelaideAdelaideSouth AustraliaAustralia
| | - Micha V. Jackson
- School of Biological SciencesThe University of AdelaideAdelaideSouth AustraliaAustralia
| | - Daniel J. Rogers
- School of Biological SciencesThe University of AdelaideAdelaideSouth AustraliaAustralia
- Department for Environment and WaterAdelaideSouth AustraliaAustralia
| | - Jody A. O'Connor
- Department for Environment and WaterAdelaideSouth AustraliaAustralia
| | - Justin D. Brookes
- School of Biological SciencesThe University of AdelaideAdelaideSouth AustraliaAustralia
| | - Phillip Cassey
- School of Biological SciencesThe University of AdelaideAdelaideSouth AustraliaAustralia
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6
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Sheridan JA, Mendenhall CD, Yambun P. Frog body size responses to precipitation shift from resource‐driven to desiccation‐resistant as temperatures warm. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9589. [DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Chase D. Mendenhall
- Section of Birds Carnegie Museum of Natural History Pittsburgh Pennsylvania USA
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7
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Sliwinski SM, Schummer ML, Alice Lindsay K, Whipps CM, Dunn DA, Wagner MR. Morphological differences and migration patterns of greater and lesser snow geese in New York State. WILDLIFE SOC B 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.1388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stephen M. Sliwinski
- Department of Environmental Biology State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry Syracuse NY 13210 USA
| | - Michael L. Schummer
- Department of Environmental Biology State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry Syracuse NY 13210 USA
| | - K. Alice Lindsay
- Department of Environmental Biology State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry Syracuse NY 13210 USA
| | - Christopher M. Whipps
- Department of Environmental Biology State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry Syracuse NY 13210 USA
| | - David A. Dunn
- Department of Biological Sciences State University of New York at Oswego Oswego NY 13126 USA
| | - Matthew R. Wagner
- Department of Biological Sciences State University of New York at Oswego Oswego NY 13126 USA
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8
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Koltz AM, Gough L, McLaren JR. Herbivores in Arctic ecosystems: Effects of climate change and implications for carbon and nutrient cycling. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2022; 1516:28-47. [PMID: 35881516 PMCID: PMC9796801 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Arctic terrestrial herbivores influence tundra carbon and nutrient dynamics through their consumption of resources, waste production, and habitat-modifying behaviors. The strength of these effects is likely to change spatially and temporally as climate change drives shifts in herbivore abundance, distribution, and activity timing. Here, we review how herbivores influence tundra carbon and nutrient dynamics through their consumptive and nonconsumptive effects. We also present evidence for herbivore responses to climate change and discuss how these responses may alter the spatial and temporal distribution of herbivore impacts. Several current knowledge gaps limit our understanding of the changing functional roles of herbivores; these include limited characterization of the spatial and temporal variability in herbivore impacts and of how herbivore activities influence the cycling of elements beyond carbon. We conclude by highlighting approaches that will promote better understanding of herbivore effects on tundra ecosystems, including their integration into existing biogeochemical models, new applications of remote sensing techniques, and the continued use of distributed experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda M. Koltz
- Department of BiologyWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMissouriUSA,The Arctic InstituteCenter for Circumpolar Security StudiesWashingtonDCUSA,Department of Integrative BiologyUniversity of Texas at AustinAustinTexasUSA
| | - Laura Gough
- Department of Biological SciencesTowson UniversityTowsonMarylandUSA
| | - Jennie R. McLaren
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Texas El PasoEl PasoTexasUSA
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9
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Aubry LM, Williams CT. Vertebrate Phenological Plasticity: from Molecular Mechanisms to Ecological and Evolutionary Implications. Integr Comp Biol 2022; 62:958-971. [PMID: 35867980 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icac121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Seasonal variation in the availability of essential resources is one of the most important drivers of natural selection on the phasing and duration of annually recurring life-cycle events. Shifts in seasonal timing are among the most commonly reported responses to climate change and the capacity of organisms to adjust their timing, either through phenotypic plasticity or evolution, is a critical component of resilience. Despite growing interest in documenting and forecasting the impacts of climate change on phenology, our ability to predict how individuals, populations, and species might alter their seasonal timing in response to their changing environments is constrained by limited knowledge regarding the cues animals use to adjust timing, the endogenous genetic and molecular mechanisms that transduce cues into neural and endocrine signals, and the inherent capacity of animals to alter their timing and phasing within annual cycles. Further, the fitness consequences of phenological responses are often due to biotic interactions within and across trophic levels, rather than being simple outcomes of responses to changes in the abiotic environment. Here, we review the current state of knowledge regarding the mechanisms that control seasonal timing in vertebrates, as well as the ecological and evolutionary consequences of individual, population, and species-level variation in phenological responsiveness. Understanding the causes and consequences of climate-driven phenological shifts requires combining ecological, evolutionary, and mechanistic approaches at individual, populational, and community scales. Thus, to make progress in forecasting phenological responses and demographic consequences, we need to further develop interdisciplinary networks focused on climate change science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lise M Aubry
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, 1474 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
| | - Cory T Williams
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, 1878 Campus Delivery Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
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10
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Kanaziz R, Huyvaert KP, Wells CP, Van Vuren D, Aubry LM. Maternal survival costs in an asocial mammal. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8874. [PMID: 35592067 PMCID: PMC9092287 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal characteristics, social dynamics, and environmental factors can all influence reproduction and survival and shape trade‐offs that might arise between these components of fitness. Short‐lived mammals like the golden‐mantled ground squirrel (GMGS; Callospermophilus lateralis) tend to maximize effort toward current reproduction at the expense of survival but may be complicated by other aspects of the species’ life history and environment. Here, we use 25 years of data (1995–2020) collected from a population of GMGS at the Rocky Mountain Biological Research Laboratory in Gothic, Colorado, to test the effect of several maternal characteristics (e.g., age, experience, and timing of litter emergence), social context (e.g., litter sex ratio and kin density), and environmental context (e.g., date of bare ground and length of vegetative growing season) on survival of reproductive female GMGS using Cox proportional hazard models. Our results indicated that social dynamics (i.e., density) and environmental conditions (i.e., standardized first day of permanent snow cover and length of growing season) explained significant variation in annual maternal survival, while maternal characteristics did not. A higher density of related breeding females and the total number of females (both related and unrelated to the focal mother) were associated with an increase in the mortality hazard. A later standardized date of the first day of permanent snow cover and a shorter growing season both reduced the maternal mortality hazard. Together, our results suggest that factors extrinsic to the squirrels affect maternal survival and thus may also influence local population growth and dynamics in GMGS and other short‐lived, territorial mammal species. We used 25 years of longitudinal data collected from golden‐mantled ground squirrel females to test the effects of individual characteristics, the social context, and the environment on female mortality using Cox proportional hazard models. Both female kin density and the environmental context explained significant variation in female mortality, while individual characteristics did not. Our results suggest that both kin density and climate metrics related to growing season phenology swamp individual characteristics in explaining variability in maternal mortality. This is an important finding in a rather short‐lived species where every additional active season survived has a lot of weight in improving lifetime reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Kanaziz
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, & Conservation Biology Colorado State University Fort Collins Colorado USA
- Graduate Degree Program in Ecology Colorado State University Fort Collins Colorado USA
| | - Kathryn P. Huyvaert
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology & Pathology Washington State University Pullman Washington USA
| | - Caitlin P. Wells
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, & Conservation Biology Colorado State University Fort Collins Colorado USA
- Graduate Degree Program in Ecology Colorado State University Fort Collins Colorado USA
| | - Dirk H. Van Vuren
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, & Conservation Biology University of California Davis Davis California USA
| | - Lise M. Aubry
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, & Conservation Biology Colorado State University Fort Collins Colorado USA
- Graduate Degree Program in Ecology Colorado State University Fort Collins Colorado USA
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11
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Lettoof DC, Cornelis J, Jolly CJ, Aubret F, Gagnon MM, Hyndman TH, Barton DP, Bateman PW. Metal(loid) pollution, not urbanisation nor parasites predicts low body condition in a wetland bioindicator snake. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 295:118674. [PMID: 34906591 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Urban ecosystems and remnant habitat 'islands' therein, provide important strongholds for many wildlife species including those of conservation significance. However, the persistence of these habitats can be undermined if their structure and function are too severely disrupted. Urban wetlands, specifically, are usually degraded by a monoculture of invasive vegetation, disrupted hydrology, and chronic-contamination from a suite of anthropogenic pollutants. Top predators-as bioindicators-can be used to assess and monitor the health of these ecosystems. We measured eight health parameters (e.g., parasites, wounds and scars, tail loss and body condition) in a wetland top predator, the western tiger snake, Notechis scutatus occidentalis. For three years, snakes were sampled across four wetlands along an urban gradient. For each site, we used GIS software to measure the area of different landscapes and calculate an urbanisation-landscape score. Previously published research on snake contamination informed our calculations of a metal-pollution index for each site. We used generalised linear mixed models to assess the relationship between all health parameters and site variables. We found the metal-pollution index to have the most significant association with poor body condition. Although parasitism, tail loss and wounds differed among sites, none of these parameters influenced body condition. Additionally, the suite of health parameters suggested differing health status among sites; however, our measure of contemporary landscape urbanisation was never a significant predictor variable. Our results suggest that the health of wetland predators surrounding a rapidly growing city may be offset by higher levels of environmental pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damian C Lettoof
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia.
| | - Jari Cornelis
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
| | - Christopher J Jolly
- Institute of Land, Water and Society, School of Environmental Science, Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW, 2640, Australia; Australian Museum Research Institute, Australian Museum, Sydney, NSW, 2010, Australia
| | - Fabien Aubret
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia; Station D'Ecologie Theorique et Experimentale Du CNRS a Moulis, UMR 5321 CNRS, 09200, Moulis, France
| | - Marthe Monique Gagnon
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
| | - Timothy H Hyndman
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia; Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia
| | - Diane P Barton
- School of Animal & Veterinary Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW, 2678, Australia
| | - Philip W Bateman
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia
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12
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Sedinger JS, Lindberg MS, Riecke TV, Leach AG, Meixell BW, Nicolai CA, Koons DN. Do hunters target auxiliary markers? An example using black brant. J Wildl Manage 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- James S. Sedinger
- Natural Resources and Environmental Science University of Nevada Reno 1664 N. Virginia Street Reno NV 89557 USA
| | - Mark S. Lindberg
- Institute of Arctic Biology and Department of Biology and Wildlife University of Alaska Fairbanks, PO Box 757000, University of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks AK 99775 USA
| | | | - Alan G. Leach
- Program in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology and Natural Resources and Environmental Science University of Nevada Reno 1664 N. Virginia Street Reno NV 89557 USA
| | - Brandt W. Meixell
- U.S. Forest Service Chugach National Forest 612 2nd Street, Cordova Ranger District Cordova AK 99574 USA
| | | | - David N. Koons
- Department of Fish Wildlife, and Conservation Biology and Graduate Degree Program in Ecology Colorado State University 1474 Campus Delivery Fort Collins CO 80523 USA
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13
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van Toor ML, Kharitonov S, Švažas S, Dagys M, Kleyheeg E, Müskens G, Ottosson U, Žydelis R, Waldenström J. Migration distance affects how closely Eurasian wigeons follow spring phenology during migration. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2021; 9:61. [PMID: 34895360 PMCID: PMC8665524 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-021-00296-0] [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: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The timing of migration for herbivorous migratory birds is thought to coincide with spring phenology as emerging vegetation supplies them with the resources to fuel migration, and, in species with a capital breeding strategy also provides individuals with energy for use on the breeding grounds. Individuals with very long migration distances might however have to trade off between utilising optimal conditions en route and reaching the breeding grounds early, potentially leading to them overtaking spring on the way. Here, we investigate whether migration distance affects how closely individually tracked Eurasian wigeons follow spring phenology during spring migration. METHODS We captured wigeons in the Netherlands and Lithuania and tracked them throughout spring migration to identify staging sites and timing of arrival. Using temperature-derived indicators of spring phenology, we investigated how maximum longitude reached and migration distance affected how closely wigeons followed spring. We further estimated the impact of tagging on wigeon migration by comparing spring migratory timing between tracked individuals and ring recovery data sets. RESULTS Wigeons migrated to locations between 300 and 4000 km from the capture site, and migrated up to 1000 km in a single day. We found that wigeons migrating to more north-easterly locations followed spring phenology more closely, and increasingly so the greater distance they had covered during migration. Yet we also found that despite tags equalling only around 2% of individual's body mass, individuals were on average 11-12 days slower than ring-marked individuals from the same general population. DISCUSSION Overall, our results suggest that migratory strategy can vary dependent on migration distance within species, and even within the same migratory corridor. Individual decisions thus depend not only on environmental cues, but potentially also trade-offs made during later life-history stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariëlle L van Toor
- Centre for Ecology and Evolution in Microbial Model Systems, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden.
| | - Sergey Kharitonov
- A. N. Severtsov Institut of Ecology and Evolution RAS, Moscow, Russia
| | | | | | - Erik Kleyheeg
- Sovon Dutch Centre for Field Ornithology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Ulf Ottosson
- Centre for Ecology and Evolution in Microbial Model Systems, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
| | | | - Jonas Waldenström
- Centre for Ecology and Evolution in Microbial Model Systems, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
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14
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A fat chance of survival: Body condition provides life-history dependent buffering of environmental change in a wild mammal population. CLIMATE CHANGE ECOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecochg.2021.100022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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15
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Fondell TF, Meixell BW, Flint PL. Growth of Greater White‐Fronted Goose Goslings Relates to Population Dynamics at Multiple Scales. J Wildl Manage 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas F. Fondell
- U.S. Geological Survey Alaska Science Center 4210 University Drive Anchorage AK 99508 USA
| | - Brandt W. Meixell
- U.S. Geological Survey Alaska Science Center 4210 University Drive Anchorage AK 99508 USA
| | - Paul L. Flint
- U.S. Geological Survey Alaska Science Center 4210 University Drive Anchorage AK 99508 USA
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16
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Ejsmond A, Forchhammer M, Varpe Ø, Jónsson JE, Jørgensen C. Nesting Synchrony and Clutch Size in Migratory Birds: Capital versus Income Breeding Determines Responses to Variable Spring Onset. Am Nat 2021; 198:E122-E135. [PMID: 34559609 DOI: 10.1086/716064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
AbstractSynchronous reproduction of birds has often been explained by benefits from nesting together, but this concept fails to explain observed intraspecific variation and climate-mediated changes of breeding synchrony. Here, we present a theoretical model of birds that store resources for reproduction (capital breeders) to show how breeding synchrony, clutch size, and offspring recruitment respond to changes in timing of first possible breeding date. Our approach is based on individual fitness maximization when both prebreeding foraging and offspring development are time constrained. The model predicts less synchronous breeding, smaller clutch size, and higher chances for offspring recruitment in capital breeding birds that advance their nesting. For contrast, we also show that birds that need to acquire resources during egg laying (income breeders) do not change nesting synchrony but increase clutch size along with earlier breeding. The prediction of stronger nesting synchronization of capital breeders in years with late nesting onset is confirmed by empirical data on breeding synchrony of a high-latitude capital breeding sea duck, the common eider (Somateria mollissima). We predict that in warming high-latitude ecosystems, bird species that depend on stored reserves for reproduction are expected to desynchronize their nesting.
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17
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Kouba M, Bartoš L, Bartošová J, Hongisto K, Korpimäki E. Long-term trends in the body condition of parents and offspring of Tengmalm's owls under fluctuating food conditions and climate change. Sci Rep 2021; 11:18893. [PMID: 34556766 PMCID: PMC8460639 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-98447-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Physical condition is important for the ability to resist various parasites and diseases as well as in escaping predators thus contributing to reproductive success, over-winter survival and possible declines in wildlife populations. However, in-depth research on trends in body condition is rare because decades-long datasets are not available for a majority of species. We analysed the long-term dataset of offspring covering 34 years, male parents (40 years) and female parents (42 years) to find out whether the decline of Tengmalm's owl population in western Finland is attributable to either decreased adult and/or juvenile body condition in interaction with changing weather conditions and density estimates of main foods. We found that body condition of parent owl males and females declined throughout the 40-year study period whereas the body condition of owlets at the fledging stage very slightly increased. The body condition of parent owls increased with augmenting depth of snow cover in late winter (January to March), and that of offspring improved with increasing precipitation in late spring (May to June). We conclude that the decreasing trend of body condition of parent owl males and females is important factor probably inducing reduced adult survival and reduced reproduction success thus contributing to the long-term decline of the Tengmalm's owl study population. The very slightly increasing trend of body condition of offspring is obviously not able to compensate the overall decline of Tengmalm's owl population, because the number of offspring in turn simultaneously decreased considerably in the long-term. The ongoing climate change appeared to work in opposite ways in this case because declining depth of snow cover will make the situation worse but increased precipitation will improve. We suggest that the main reasons for long-term decline of body condition of parent owls are interactive or additive effects of reduced food resources and increased overall predation risk due to habitat degradation (loss and fragmentation of mature and old-growth forests due to clear-felling) subsequently leading to decline of Tengmalm's owl study population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marek Kouba
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
- Department of Ethology and Companion Animal Science, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Luděk Bartoš
- Department of Ethology and Companion Animal Science, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Ethology, Institute of Animal Science, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jitka Bartošová
- Department of Ethology and Companion Animal Science, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Ethology, Institute of Animal Science, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Erkki Korpimäki
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
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18
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Frauendorf M, Allen AM, Verhulst S, Jongejans E, Ens BJ, van der Kolk HJ, de Kroon H, Nienhuis J, van de Pol M. Conceptualizing and quantifying body condition using structural equation modelling: A user guide. J Anim Ecol 2021; 90:2478-2496. [PMID: 34437709 PMCID: PMC9291099 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13578] [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: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Body condition is an important concept in behaviour, evolution and conservation, commonly used as a proxy of an individual's performance, for example in the assessment of environmental impacts. Although body condition potentially encompasses a wide range of health state dimensions (nutritional, immune or hormonal status), in practice most studies operationalize body condition using a single (univariate) measure, such as fat storage. One reason for excluding additional axes of variation may be that multivariate descriptors of body condition impose statistical and analytical challenges. Structural equation modelling (SEM) is used in many fields to study questions relating multidimensional concepts, and we here explain how SEM is a useful analytical tool to describe the multivariate nature of body condition. In this 'Research Methods Guide' paper, we show how SEM can be used to resolve different challenges in analysing the multivariate nature of body condition, such as (a) variable reduction and conceptualization, (b) specifying the relationship of condition to performance metrics, (c) comparing competing causal hypothesis and (d) including many pathways in a single model to avoid stepwise modelling approaches. We illustrated the use of SEM on a real-world case study and provided R-code of worked examples as a learning tool. We compared the predictive power of SEM with conventional statistical approaches that integrate multiple variables into one condition variable: multiple regression and principal component analyses. We show that model performance on our dataset is higher when using SEM and led to more accurate and precise estimates compared to conventional approaches. We encourage researchers to consider SEM as a flexible framework to describe the multivariate nature of body condition and thus understand how it affects biological processes, thereby improving the value of body condition proxies for predicting organismal performance. Finally, we highlight that it can be useful for other multidimensional ecological concepts as well, such as immunocompetence, oxidative stress and environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magali Frauendorf
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Wageningen, The Netherlands.,Centre for Avian Population Studies, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Andrew M Allen
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Wageningen, The Netherlands.,Centre for Avian Population Studies, Wageningen, The Netherlands.,Department of Animal Ecology and Physiology & Experimental Plant Ecology, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Simon Verhulst
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Eelke Jongejans
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Wageningen, The Netherlands.,Centre for Avian Population Studies, Wageningen, The Netherlands.,Department of Animal Ecology and Physiology & Experimental Plant Ecology, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Bruno J Ens
- Centre for Avian Population Studies, Wageningen, The Netherlands.,Sovon-Dutch Centre for Field Ornithology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Henk-Jan van der Kolk
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Wageningen, The Netherlands.,Centre for Avian Population Studies, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Hans de Kroon
- Centre for Avian Population Studies, Wageningen, The Netherlands.,Department of Animal Ecology and Physiology & Experimental Plant Ecology, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen Nienhuis
- Sovon-Dutch Centre for Field Ornithology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Martijn van de Pol
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Wageningen, The Netherlands.,Centre for Avian Population Studies, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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19
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Cooch EG, Alisauskas RT, Buderman FE. Effect of Pre‐Harvest Mortality on Harvest Rates and Derived Population Estimates. J Wildl Manage 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Evan G. Cooch
- Department of Natural Resources Cornell University 202 Fernow Hall Ithaca NY 14853 USA
| | - Ray T. Alisauskas
- Environment and Climate Change Canada Prairie and Northern Wildlife Research Centre 115 Perimeter Road Saskatoon SK S7N 0X4 Canada
| | - Frances E. Buderman
- Department of Ecosystem Science & Management Pennsylvania State University 401 Forest Resources Building, University Park PA 16802 USA
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20
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE Game bird consumption is an important part of the diet of Indigenous populations in Canada and, as part of country food consumption, is associated with improved nutritional status. The objective of this project was to document the consumption of game birds for Dene First Nations in the Northwest Territories (NWT), Canada. DESIGN Participants were invited to complete a FFQ using an iPad to document the types of country foods consumed, as well as consumption frequency and preparation methods, including thirteen types of game birds. SETTING The project was implemented in nine communities in the Dehcho and Sahtú regions of the NWT, Canada. PARTICIPANTS A total of 237 children and adult participants from Dene First Nations in the Mackenzie Valley region of the NWT took part in the current study. RESULTS FFQ findings indicated that game birds were frequently consumed in both Dehcho and Sahtú communities. Canada goose and mallard were found to be consumed by the largest number of participants. Five different species (including Canada goose and mallard) were found to be consumed by at least 25 % of participants over the last year. When consuming game birds, most participants reported consuming the meat as well as most, if not all, other parts of the bird. CONCLUSIONS Differences were observed since the last country food assessment in the 1990s in the same regions. These findings increase knowledge of the current Dene diet patterns and support the understanding of diet transition.
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21
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Reséndiz-Infante C, Gauthier G. Temporal changes in reproductive success and optimal breeding decisions in a long-distance migratory bird. Sci Rep 2020; 10:22067. [PMID: 33328508 PMCID: PMC7744573 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-78565-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Many avian migrants have not adjusted breeding phenology to climate warming resulting in negative consequences for their offspring. We studied seasonal changes in reproductive success of the greater snow goose (Anser caerulescens atlantica), a long-distance migrant. As the climate warms and plant phenology advances, the mismatch between the timing of gosling hatch and peak nutritive quality of plants will increase. We predicted that optimal laying date yielding highest reproductive success occurred earlier over time and that the seasonal decline in reproductive success increased. Over 25 years, reproductive success of early breeders increased by 42%, producing a steeper seasonal decline in reproductive success. The difference between the laying date producing highest reproductive success and the median laying date of the population increased, which suggests an increase in the selection pressure for that trait. Observed clutch size was lower than clutch size yielding the highest reproductive success for most laying dates. However, at the individual level, clutch size could still be optimal if the additional time required to acquire nutrients to lay extra eggs is compensated by a reduction in reproductive success due to a delayed laying date. Nonetheless, breeding phenology may not respond sufficiently to meet future environmental changes induced by warming temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia Reséndiz-Infante
- Département de Biologie, and Centre d'études Nordiques, Université Laval, 1045 Av. de la Médecine, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada.
| | - Gilles Gauthier
- Département de Biologie, and Centre d'études Nordiques, Université Laval, 1045 Av. de la Médecine, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada
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22
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Layton-Matthews K, Grøtan V, Hansen BB, Loonen MJJE, Fuglei E, Childs DZ. Environmental change reduces body condition, but not population growth, in a high-arctic herbivore. Ecol Lett 2020; 24:227-238. [PMID: 33184991 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Revised: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Environmental change influences fitness-related traits and demographic rates, which in herbivores are often linked to resource-driven variation in body condition. Coupled body condition-demographic responses may therefore be important for herbivore population dynamics in fluctuating environments, such as the Arctic. We applied a transient Life-Table Response Experiment ('transient-LTRE') to demographic data from Svalbard barnacle geese (Branta leucopsis), to quantify their population-dynamic responses to changes in body mass. We partitioned contributions from direct and delayed demographic and body condition-mediated processes to variation in population growth. Declines in body condition (1980-2017), which positively affected reproduction and fledgling survival, had negligible consequences for population growth. Instead, population growth rates were largely reproduction-driven, in part through positive responses to rapidly advancing spring phenology. The virtual lack of body condition-mediated effects indicates that herbivore population dynamics may be more resilient to changing body condition than previously expected, with implications for their persistence under environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate Layton-Matthews
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Vidar Grøtan
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Brage Bremset Hansen
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | | | - Eva Fuglei
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Dylan Z Childs
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
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23
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Acevedo CR, Riecke TV, Leach AG, Lohman MG, Williams PJ, Sedinger JS. Long-term research and hierarchical models reveal consistent fitness costs of being the last egg in a clutch. J Anim Ecol 2020; 89:1978-1987. [PMID: 32248534 PMCID: PMC7497156 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13232] [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] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Maintenance of phenotypic heterogeneity in the face of strong selection is an important component of evolutionary ecology, as are the consequences of such heterogeneity. Organisms may experience diminishing returns of increased reproductive allocation as clutch or litter size increases, affecting current and residual reproductive success. Given existing uncertainty regarding trade‐offs between the quantity and quality of offspring, we sought to examine the potential for diminishing returns on increased reproductive allocation in a long‐lived species of goose, with a particular emphasis on the effect of position in the laying sequence on offspring quality. To better understand the effects of maternal allocation on offspring survival and growth, we estimated the effects of egg size, timing of breeding, inter‐ and intra‐annual variation, and position in the laying sequence on gosling survival and growth rates of black brant Branta bernicla nigricans breeding in western Alaska from 1987 to 2007. We found that gosling growth rates and survival decreased with position in the laying sequence, regardless of clutch size. Mean egg volume of the clutch a gosling originated from had a positive effect on gosling survival (β = 0.095, 95% CRI: 0.024, 0.165) and gosling growth rates (β = 0.626, 95% CRI: 0.469, 0.738). Gosling survival (β = −0.146, 95% CRI: −0.214, −0.079) and growth rates (β = −1.286, 95% CRI: −1.435, −1.132) were negatively related to hatching date. These findings indicate substantial heterogeneity in offspring quality associated with their position in the laying sequence. They also potentially suggest a trade‐off mechanism for females whose total reproductive investment is governed by pre‐breeding state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheyenne R Acevedo
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA
| | - Thomas V Riecke
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA.,Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA
| | - Alan G Leach
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA.,Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA
| | - Madeleine G Lohman
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA
| | - Perry J Williams
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA
| | - James S Sedinger
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA
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24
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McLean NM, van der Jeugd HP, van Turnhout CAM, Lefcheck JS, van de Pol M. Reduced avian body condition due to global warming has little reproductive or population consequences. OIKOS 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.06802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nina M. McLean
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National Univ. Daley Road Canberra ACT 0200 Australia
| | - Henk P. van der Jeugd
- Dept of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Inst. of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW) Wageningen the Netherlands
- Vogeltrekstation – Dutch Centre for Avian Migration and Demography, NIOO‐KNAW Wageningen the Netherlands
| | - Chris A. M. van Turnhout
- Sovon Dutch Centre for Field Ornithology Nijmegen the Netherlands
- Dept of Animal Ecology, Inst. for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud Univ. Nijmegen the Netherlands
| | | | - Martijn van de Pol
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National Univ. Daley Road Canberra ACT 0200 Australia
- Dept of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Inst. of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW) Wageningen the Netherlands
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25
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Sage RF. Global change biology: A primer. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:3-30. [PMID: 31663217 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Because of human action, the Earth has entered an era where profound changes in the global environment are creating novel conditions that will be discernable far into the future. One consequence may be a large reduction of the Earth's biodiversity, potentially representing a sixth mass extinction. With effective stewardship, the global change drivers that threaten the Earth's biota could be alleviated, but this requires clear understanding of the drivers, their interactions, and how they impact ecological communities. This review identifies 10 anthropogenic global change drivers and discusses how six of the drivers (atmospheric CO2 enrichment, climate change, land transformation, species exploitation, exotic species invasions, eutrophication) impact Earth's biodiversity. Driver impacts on a particular species could be positive or negative. In either case, they initiate secondary responses that cascade along ecological lines of connection and in doing so magnify the initial impact. The unique nature of the threat to the Earth's biodiversity is not simply due to the magnitude of each driver, but due to the speed of change, the novelty of the drivers, and their interactions. Emphasizing one driver, notably climate change, is problematic because the other global change drivers also degrade biodiversity and together threaten the stability of the biosphere. As the main academic journal addressing global change effects on living systems, GCB is well positioned to provide leadership in solving the global change challenge. If humanity cannot meet the challenge, then GCB is positioned to serve as a leading chronicle of the sixth mass extinction to occur on planet Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rowan F Sage
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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26
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Sedinger BS, Riecke TV, Nicolai CA, Woolstenhulme R, Henry WG, Stewart KM. Experimental harvest regulations reveal that water availability during spring, not harvest, affects change in a waterfowl population. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:12701-12709. [PMID: 31788208 PMCID: PMC6875577 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2019] [Revised: 08/09/2019] [Accepted: 09/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Population change is regulated by vital rates that are influenced by environmental conditions, demographic stochasticity, and, increasingly, anthropogenic effects. Habitat destruction and climate change threaten the future of many wildlife populations, and there are additional concerns regarding the effects of harvest rates on demographic components of harvested organisms. Further, many population managers strictly manage harvest of wild organisms to mediate population trends of these populations. The goal of our study was to decouple harvest and environmental variability in a closely monitored population of wild ducks in North America, where we experimentally regulated harvest independently of environmental variation over a period of 4 years. We used 9 years of capture-mark-recapture data to estimate breeding population size during the spring for a population of wood ducks in Nevada. We then assessed the effect of one environmental variable and harvest pressure on annual changes in the breeding population size. Climatic conditions influencing water availability were strongly positively related to population growth rates of wood ducks in our study system. In contrast, harvest regulations and harvest rates did not affect population growth rates. We suggest efforts to conserve waterfowl should focus on the effects of habitat loss in breeding areas and climate change, which will likely affect precipitation regimes in the future. We demonstrate the utility of capture-mark-recapture methods to estimate abundance of species which are difficult to survey and test the impacts of anthropogenic harvest and climate on populations. Finally, our results continue to add to the importance of experimentation in applied conservation biology, where we believe that continued experiments on nonthreatened species will be critically important as researchers attempt to understand how to quantify and mitigate direct anthropogenic impacts in a changing world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin S. Sedinger
- College of Natural ResourcesUniversity of Wisconsin – Stevens PointStevens PointWIUSA
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation BiologyUniversity of NevadaRenoNVUSA
| | - Thomas V. Riecke
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation BiologyUniversity of NevadaRenoNVUSA
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental ScienceUniversity of NevadaRenoNVUSA
| | - Christopher A. Nicolai
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental ScienceUniversity of NevadaRenoNVUSA
- Delta Waterfowl FoundationBismarckNDUSA
| | | | | | - Kelley M. Stewart
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental ScienceUniversity of NevadaRenoNVUSA
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27
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Ross MV, Alisauskas RT, Douglas DC, Kellett DK. Decadal declines in avian herbivore reproduction: density-dependent nutrition and phenological mismatch in the Arctic. Ecology 2018; 98:1869-1883. [PMID: 28403519 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.1856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2016] [Revised: 03/08/2017] [Accepted: 03/31/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
A full understanding of population dynamics depends not only on estimation of mechanistic contributions of recruitment and survival, but also knowledge about the ecological processes that drive each of these vital rates. The process of recruitment in particular may be protracted over several years, and can depend on numerous ecological complexities until sexually mature adulthood is attained. We addressed long-term declines (23 breeding seasons, 1992-2014) in the per capita production of young by both Ross's Geese (Chen rossii) and Lesser Snow Geese (Chen caerulescens caerulescens) nesting at Karrak Lake in Canada's central Arctic. During this period, there was a contemporaneous increase from 0.4 to 1.1 million adults nesting at this colony. We evaluated whether (1) density-dependent nutritional deficiencies of pre-breeding females or (2) phenological mismatch between peak gosling hatch and peak forage quality, inferred from NDVI on the brood-rearing areas, may have been behind decadal declines in the per capita production of goslings. We found that, in years when pre-breeding females arrived to the nesting grounds with diminished nutrient reserves, the proportional composition of young during brood-rearing was reduced for both species. Furthermore, increased mismatch between peak gosling hatch and peak forage quality contributed additively to further declines in gosling production, in addition to declines caused by delayed nesting with associated subsequent negative effects on clutch size and nest success. The degree of mismatch increased over the course of our study because of advanced vegetation phenology without a corresponding advance in Goose nesting phenology. Vegetation phenology was significantly earlier in years with warm surface air temperatures measured in spring (i.e., 25 May-30 June). We suggest that both increased phenological mismatch and reduced nutritional condition of arriving females were behind declines in population-level recruitment, leading to the recent attenuation in population growth of Snow Geese.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan V Ross
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N 5E2, Canada
| | - Ray T Alisauskas
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N 5E2, Canada.,Environment and Climate Change Canada, 115 Perimeter Road, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N 0X4, Canada
| | - David C Douglas
- U.S. Geological Survey Alaska Science Center, 250 Egan Drive, Juneau, Alaska, 99801, USA
| | - Dana K Kellett
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N 5E2, Canada.,Environment and Climate Change Canada, 115 Perimeter Road, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N 0X4, Canada
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28
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Iles DT, Rockwell RF, Koons DN. Reproductive success of a keystone herbivore is more variable and responsive to climate in habitats with lower resource diversity. J Anim Ecol 2018; 87:1182-1191. [PMID: 29676509 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2017] [Accepted: 03/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The effects of climate on wild populations are often channelled through species interactions. Population responses to climate variation can therefore differ across habitats, owing to variation in the biotic community. Theory predicts that consumer demography should be less variable and less responsive to climate in habitats with greater resource diversity. We tested these predictions using a long-term study of breeding lesser snow geese along the western coast of Hudson Bay, Manitoba, Canada. Reproductive success was measured in 22 years from 114 locations, in either coastal or inland habitat types. We used Bayesian analysis to estimate the response of reproductive success to climate in each habitat type, along with residual variation not explained by climate. We then quantified gosling diet composition in each habitat type to test the prediction that reproductive success would be less variable and more responsive to climate in habitats with lower resource diversity. Reproductive success responded positively to seasonal warmness, but this response was much stronger in inland habitats than in coastal habitats. Site- and year-level random effects were also three to five times more variable in inland habitats. Simultaneously, land cover diversity and gosling diet diversity were lower in inland habitats. Our study illustrates that spatial variation in resource diversity (and thus, species interactions) can have important effects on consumer responses to climate. In this system, climate change is expected to disproportionately increase the reproductive success of snow geese in vast inland habitats, potentially counteracting management efforts to reduce the abundance of this keystone herbivore.
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Affiliation(s)
- David T Iles
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts
| | - Robert F Rockwell
- Department of Ornithology, Division of Vertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York
| | - David N Koons
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
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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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Boggie MA, Carleton SA, Collins DP, Vradenburg J, Sroka CJ. Using stable isotopes to estimate reliance on agricultural food subsidies and migration timing for a migratory bird. Ecosphere 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew A. Boggie
- Department of Biology; New Mexico State University; Las Cruces New Mexico 88003 USA
| | - Scott A. Carleton
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Migratory Bird Office, Region 2; Albuquerque New Mexico 87103 USA
| | - Daniel P. Collins
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Migratory Bird Office, Region 2; Albuquerque New Mexico 87103 USA
| | - John Vradenburg
- Kalamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex; Tulelake California 96134 USA
| | - Christopher J. Sroka
- Department of Economics, Applied Statistics, & International Business; College of Business; New Mexico State University; Las Cruces New Mexico 88003 USA
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McCormick MI, Lönnstedt OM. Disrupted learning: habitat degradation impairs crucial antipredator responses in naive prey. Proc Biol Sci 2017; 283:rspb.2016.0441. [PMID: 27170715 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2016.0441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2016] [Accepted: 04/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Habitat degradation is a global problem and one of the main causes of biodiversity loss. Though widespread, the mechanisms that underlie faunal changes are poorly understood. In tropical marine systems, corals play a crucial role in forming habitat, but coral cover on many reefs is declining sharply. Coral degradation affects the olfactory cues that provide reliable information on the presence and intensity of threat. Here, we show for the first time that the ability of a habitat generalist to learn predators using an efficient and widespread method of predator learning is compromised in degraded coral habitats. Results indicate that chemical alarm cues are no longer indicative of a local threat for the habitat generalist (the damselfish, Pomacentrus amboinensis), and these cues can no longer be used to learn the identity of novel predators in degraded habitats. By contrast, a rubble specialist and congeneric (Pomacentrus coelestis) responded to olfactory threat cues regardless of background environment and could learn the identity of a novel predator using chemical alarm cues. Understanding how some species can cope with or acclimate to the detrimental impacts of habitat degradation on risk assessment abilities will be crucial to defining the scope of resilience in threatened communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark I McCormick
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and College of Marine and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Oona M Lönnstedt
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and College of Marine and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia Department of Ecology and Genetics, Limnology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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Hupp JW, Ward DH, Hogrefe KR, Sedinger JS, Martin PD, Stickney AA, Obritschkewitsch T. Growth of black brant and lesser snow goose goslings in northern alaska. J Wildl Manage 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jerry W. Hupp
- U.S. Geological SurveyAlaska Science Center4210 University DriveAnchorageAK 99508USA
| | - David H. Ward
- U.S. Geological SurveyAlaska Science Center4210 University DriveAnchorageAK 99508USA
| | - Kyle R. Hogrefe
- U.S. Geological SurveyAlaska Science Center4210 University DriveAnchorageAK 99508USA
| | - James S. Sedinger
- University of Nevada RenoDepartment of Natural Resources and Environmental Science1000 Valley RoadRenoNV 89512USA
| | - Philip D. Martin
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service101 12th AvenueRoom 216FairbanksAK 99701USA
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Jónsson JE, Afton AD. Do foraging methods in winter affect morphology during growth in juvenile snow geese? Ecol Evol 2016; 6:7656-7670. [PMID: 30128119 PMCID: PMC6093151 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2016] [Revised: 08/19/2016] [Accepted: 08/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Physical exertion during growth can affect ultimate size and density of skeletal structures. Such changes from different exercise regimes may explain morphological differences between groups, such as those exhibited by lesser snow geese (Chen caerulescens caerulescens; hereafter snow geese) foraging in southwest Louisiana. In rice‐prairie habitats (hereafter rice‐prairies), snow geese bite off or graze aboveground vegetation, whereas they dig or grub for subterranean plant parts in adjacent coastal marshes. Grubbing involves considerably more muscular exertion than does grazing. Thus, we hypothesized that rates of bone formation and growth would be lower for juveniles wintering in rice‐prairies than those in coastal marshes, resulting in smaller bill and skull features at adulthood. First, we tested this exertion hypothesis by measuring bills, skulls, and associated musculature from arrival to departure (November–February) in both habitats in southwest Louisiana, using both banded birds and collected specimens. Second, we used the morphological data to test an alternative hypothesis, which states that smaller bill dimensions in rice‐prairies evolved because of hybridization with Ross's geese (C. rossii). Under the exertion hypothesis, we predicted that bill and skull bones of juveniles would grow at different rates between habitats. However, we found that bill and skull bones of juveniles grew similarly between habitats, thus failing to support the exertion hypothesis. Morphometrics were more likely to differ by sex or change with sampling date than to differ by habitat. We predicted that significant, consistent skewness toward smaller birds could indicate hybridization with Ross's geese, but no skewness was observed in our morphological data, which fails to support the hybridization hypothesis. Further research is needed to clarify whether snow geese wintering in Louisiana represent a single polymorphic population that segregates into individually preferred habitats, which we believe at present to be more likely as an explanation than two ecologically and spatially distinct morphotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jón Einar Jónsson
- Research Centre at Snæfellsnes University of Iceland Stykkishólmur Iceland
| | - Alan D Afton
- U.S. Geological Survey Louisiana Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Louisiana State University Baton Rouge LA USA
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Maxwell SL, Venter O, Jones KR, Watson JEM. Integrating human responses to climate change into conservation vulnerability assessments and adaptation planning. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2016; 1355:98-116. [PMID: 26555860 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.12952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The impact of climate change on biodiversity is now evident, with the direct impacts of changing temperature and rainfall patterns and increases in the magnitude and frequency of extreme events on species distribution, populations, and overall ecosystem function being increasingly publicized. Changes in the climate system are also affecting human communities, and a range of human responses across terrestrial and marine realms have been witnessed, including altered agricultural activities, shifting fishing efforts, and human migration. Failing to account for the human responses to climate change is likely to compromise climate-smart conservation efforts. Here, we use a well-established conservation planning framework to show how integrating human responses to climate change into both species- and site-based vulnerability assessments and adaptation plans is possible. By explicitly taking into account human responses, conservation practitioners will improve their evaluation of species and ecosystem vulnerability, and will be better able to deliver win-wins for human- and biodiversity-focused climate adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean L Maxwell
- School of Geography, Planning, and Environmental Management.,ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Oscar Venter
- University of Northern British Columbia, Ecosystem Science and Management, Prince George, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | - James E M Watson
- School of Geography, Planning, and Environmental Management.,Wildlife Conservation Society, Global Conservation Program, Bronx, New York
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Doiron M, Gauthier G, Lévesque E. Trophic mismatch and its effects on the growth of young in an Arctic herbivore. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2015; 21:4364-76. [PMID: 26235037 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2015] [Revised: 07/22/2015] [Accepted: 07/24/2015] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
In highly seasonal environments, timing of breeding of organisms is typically set to coincide with the period of highest resource availability. However, breeding phenology may not change at a rate sufficient to keep up with rapid changes in the environment in the wake of climate change. The lack of synchrony between the phenology of consumers and that of their resources can lead to a phenomenon called trophic mismatch, which may have important consequences on the reproductive success of herbivores. We analyzed long-term data (1991-2010) on climate, plant phenology and the reproduction of a long-distance Arctic migrant, the greater snow goose (Chen caerulescens atlantica), in order to examine the effects of mismatched reproduction on the growth of young. We found that geese are only partially able to adjust their breeding phenology to compensate for annual changes in the timing of high-quality food plants, leading to mismatches of up to 20 days between the two. The peak of nitrogen concentration in plants, an index of their nutritive quality for goslings, occurred earlier in warm springs with an early snow melt. Likewise, mismatch between hatch dates of young and date of peak nitrogen was more important in years with early snow melt. Gosling body mass and structural size at fledging was reduced when trophic mismatch was high, particularly when the difference between date of peak nitrogen concentration and hatching was >9 days. Our results support the hypothesis that trophic mismatch can negatively affect the fitness of Arctic herbivores and that this is likely to be exacerbated by rising global temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine Doiron
- Département de Biologie & Centre d'études Nordiques, Université Laval, 1045 Avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Gilles Gauthier
- Département de Biologie & Centre d'études Nordiques, Université Laval, 1045 Avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Esther Lévesque
- Département des Sciences de l'environnement & Centre d'études Nordiques, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC, G9A 5H7, Canada
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Wilson S, Alisauskas RT, Kellett DK. Factors influencing emigration of Ross's and snow geese from an Arctic breeding area. J Wildl Manage 2015. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Scott Wilson
- Science and Technology Branch, Environment Canada National Wildlife Research Centre; 1125 Colonel by Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0H3; Canada
| | - Ray T. Alisauskas
- Science and Technology Branch, Environment Canada Prairie and Northern Wildlife Research Centre; 115 Perimeter Road, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 0X4; Canada
| | - Dana K. Kellett
- Science and Technology Branch, Environment Canada Prairie and Northern Wildlife Research Centre; 115 Perimeter Road, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 0X4; Canada
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Gormezano LJ, Rockwell RF. The Energetic Value of Land-Based Foods in Western Hudson Bay and Their Potential to Alleviate Energy Deficits of Starving Adult Male Polar Bears. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0128520. [PMID: 26061693 PMCID: PMC4489586 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0128520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2014] [Accepted: 04/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change is predicted to expand the ice-free season in western Hudson Bay and when it grows to 180 days, 28–48% of adult male polar bears are projected to starve unless nutritional deficits can be offset by foods consumed on land. We updated a dynamic energy budget model developed by Molnar et al. to allow influx of additional energy from novel terrestrial foods (lesser snow geese, eggs, caribou) that polar bears currently consume as part of a mixed diet while on land. We calculated the units of each prey, alone and in combination, needed to alleviate these lethal energy deficits under conditions of resting or limited movement (2 km d-1) prior to starvation. We further considered the total energy available from each sex and age class of each animal prey over the period they would overlap land-bound polar bears and calculated the maximum number of starving adult males that could be sustained on each food during the ice-free season. Our results suggest that the net energy from land-based food, after subtracting costs of limited movement to obtain it, could eliminate all projected nutritional deficits of starving adult male polar bears and likely other demographic groups as well. The hunting tactics employed, success rates as well as behavior and abundance of each prey will determine the realized energetic values for individual polar bears. Although climate change may cause a phenological mismatch between polar bears and their historical ice-based prey, it may simultaneously yield a new match with certain land-based foods. If polar bears can transition their foraging behavior to effectively exploit these resources, predictions for starvation-related mortality may be overestimated for western Hudson Bay. We also discuss potential complications with stable-carbon isotope studies to evaluate utilization of land-based foods by polar bears including metabolic effects of capture-related stress and consuming a mixed diet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda J. Gormezano
- Division of Vertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Robert F. Rockwell
- Division of Vertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, United States of America
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Visser ME, Gienapp P, Husby A, Morrisey M, de la Hera I, Pulido F, Both C. Effects of spring temperatures on the strength of selection on timing of reproduction in a long-distance migratory bird. PLoS Biol 2015; 13:e1002120. [PMID: 25848856 PMCID: PMC4388467 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1002120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2014] [Accepted: 03/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change has differentially affected the timing of seasonal events for interacting trophic levels, and this has often led to increased selection on seasonal timing. Yet, the environmental variables driving this selection have rarely been identified, limiting our ability to predict future ecological impacts of climate change. Using a dataset spanning 31 years from a natural population of pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca), we show that directional selection on timing of reproduction intensified in the first two decades (1980-2000) but weakened during the last decade (2001-2010). Against expectation, this pattern could not be explained by the temporal variation in the phenological mismatch with food abundance. We therefore explored an alternative hypothesis that selection on timing was affected by conditions individuals experience when arriving in spring at the breeding grounds: arriving early in cold conditions may reduce survival. First, we show that in female recruits, spring arrival date in the first breeding year correlates positively with hatch date; hence, early-hatched individuals experience colder conditions at arrival than late-hatched individuals. Second, we show that when temperatures at arrival in the recruitment year were high, early-hatched young had a higher recruitment probability than when temperatures were low. We interpret this as a potential cost of arriving early in colder years, and climate warming may have reduced this cost. We thus show that higher temperatures in the arrival year of recruits were associated with stronger selection for early reproduction in the years these birds were born. As arrival temperatures in the beginning of the study increased, but recently declined again, directional selection on timing of reproduction showed a nonlinear change. We demonstrate that environmental conditions with a lag of up to two years can alter selection on phenological traits in natural populations, something that has important implications for our understanding of how climate can alter patterns of selection in natural populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcel E. Visser
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Phillip Gienapp
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Arild Husby
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Michael Morrisey
- Dyers Brae House, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, United Kingdom
| | - Iván de la Hera
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Francisco Pulido
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Zoology and Physical Anthropology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Christiaan Both
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Animal Ecology Group, Center for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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Benard MF. Warmer winters reduce frog fecundity and shift breeding phenology, which consequently alters larval development and metamorphic timing. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2015; 21:1058-1065. [PMID: 25263760 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.12720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2014] [Accepted: 07/24/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
One widely documented phenological response to climate change is the earlier occurrence of spring-breeding events. While such climate change-driven shifts in phenology are common, their consequences for individuals and populations have rarely been investigated. I addressed this gap in our knowledge by using a multi-year observational study of six wood frog (Rana sylvatica) populations near the southern edge of their range. I tested first if winter temperature or precipitation affected the date of breeding and female fecundity, and second if timing of breeding affected subsequent larval development rate, mass at metamorphosis, date of metamorphosis, and survival. Warmer winters were associated with earlier breeding but reduced female fecundity. Winter precipitation did not affect breeding date, but was positively associated with female fecundity. There was no association between earlier breeding and larval survival or mass at metamorphosis, but earlier breeding was associated with delayed larval development. The delay in larval development was explained through a counterintuitive correlation between breeding date and temperature during larval development. Warmer winters led to earlier breeding, which in turn was associated with cooler post-breeding temperatures that slowed larval development. The delay in larval development did not fully compensate for the earlier breeding, such that for every 2 days earlier that breeding took place, the average date of metamorphosis was 1 day earlier. Other studies have found that earlier metamorphosis is associated with increased postmetamorphic growth and survival, suggesting that earlier breeding has beneficial effects on wood frog populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael F Benard
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106-7080, USA
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Luo Z, Zhou S, Yu W, Yu H, Yang J, Tian Y, Zhao M, Wu H. Impacts of climate change on the distribution of Sichuan snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana) in Shennongjia area, China. Am J Primatol 2014; 77:135-51. [PMID: 25224271 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2014] [Revised: 06/28/2014] [Accepted: 06/30/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the effects of climate change on primate ranging patterns is crucial for conservation planning. Rhinopithecus roxellana is an endangered primate species distributed in mountainous forests at the elevation of 1500-3500 m a.s.l. in China. Our study site, the Shennongjia National Nature Reserve, represents the eastern-most distribution of this species. This area has experienced significant habitat loss and fragmentation because of human population growth, increased farming and logging, and climate change. To estimate how changes in temperature and rainfall will affect the presumed future distribution of this species, we examined eco-geographic factors including bioclimate, habitat (vegetation type, landcover, etc.), topography, and human impact (human population, gross domestic product, etc.), and provide suggestions for management and conservation. We used a maximum entropy approach to predict the location and distribution of habitats suitable for R. roxellana in the present, 2020, 2050, and 2080 based on 33 environmental parameters, three general circulation models, three emissions scenarios, and two dispersal hypotheses. According to the ensemble modeling, we found range reductions of almost 30% by 2020, 70% by 2050, and over 80% by 2080. Although no obvious differences were found in distribution change based on full and zero dispersal assumptions, our results revealed range reductions in response to elevational, latitudinal, and longitudinal gradients, with the monkeys forced to migrate to higher elevations over time. Bioclimte factors, such as temperature, precipitation, evapo-transpiration, and aridity condition, were dominant contributors to range shifting. As habitat loss due to human influence and climate change is likely to be even more severe in the future, we considered three conservation hot-spots in the Shennongjia area and recommended: (i) securing existing reserves and establishing new reserves, (ii) re-designing management systems to include the Shenongjia reserve and the surrounding reserves and highlighting ecosystem protection at higher elevations, and (iii) using finer-scale research to guide the conservation planning and education in order to enhance protection and awareness in the local community. National and provincial conservation policies should integrate projections of climate change in making effective conservation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenhua Luo
- Molecular and Behavioral Ecology Research Group, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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Koons DN, Gamelon M, Gaillard JM, Aubry LM, Rockwell RF, Klein F, Choquet R, Gimenez O. Methods for studying cause-specific senescence in the wild. Methods Ecol Evol 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.12239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- David N. Koons
- Department of Wildland Resources and the Ecology Center; Utah State University; 5230 Old Main Hill Logan UT 84322-5230 USA
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive; Campus CNRS; UMR 5175; 1919 Route de Mende Montpellier Cedex 5 34293 France
| | - Marlène Gamelon
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics; Norwegian University of Science and Technology; Trondheim N-7491 Norway
| | - Jean-Michel Gaillard
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive; UMR 5558; Université de Lyon; Université Lyon 1 Villeurbanne F-69622 France
| | - Lise M. Aubry
- Department of Wildland Resources and the Ecology Center; Utah State University; 5230 Old Main Hill Logan UT 84322-5230 USA
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive; Campus CNRS; UMR 5175; 1919 Route de Mende Montpellier Cedex 5 34293 France
| | - Robert F. Rockwell
- Division of Vertebrate Zoology; American Museum of Natural History; Central Park West at 79th Street New York NY 10024 USA
| | - François Klein
- Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage; Centre d'Etude et de Recherche Appliquée Cervidés-Sanglier; 85 bis avenue de Wagram Paris 75008 France
| | - Rémi Choquet
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive; Campus CNRS; UMR 5175; 1919 Route de Mende Montpellier Cedex 5 34293 France
| | - Olivier Gimenez
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive; Campus CNRS; UMR 5175; 1919 Route de Mende Montpellier Cedex 5 34293 France
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The influence of weather and lemmings on spatiotemporal variation in the abundance of multiple avian guilds in the arctic. PLoS One 2014; 9:e101495. [PMID: 24983471 PMCID: PMC4077800 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0101495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2013] [Accepted: 06/08/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change is occurring more rapidly in the Arctic than other places in the world, which is likely to alter the distribution and abundance of migratory birds breeding there. A warming climate can provide benefits to birds by decreasing spring snow cover, but increases in the frequency of summer rainstorms, another product of climate change, may reduce foraging opportunities for insectivorous birds. Cyclic lemming populations in the Arctic also influence bird abundance because Arctic foxes begin consuming bird eggs when lemmings decline. The complex interaction between summer temperature, precipitation, and the lemming cycle hinder our ability to predict how Arctic-breeding birds will respond to climate change. The main objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between annual variation in weather, spring snow cover, lemming abundance and spatiotemporal variation in the abundance of multiple avian guilds in a tundra ecosystem in central Nunavut, Canada: songbirds, shorebirds, gulls, loons, and geese. We spatially stratified our study area based on vegetation productivity, terrain ruggedness, and freshwater abundance, and conducted distance sampling to estimate strata-specific densities of each guild during the summers of 2010-2012. We also monitored temperature, rainfall, spring snow cover, and lemming abundance each year. Spatial variation in bird abundance matched what was expected based on previous ecological knowledge, but weather and lemming abundance also significantly influenced the abundance of some guilds. In particular, songbirds were less abundant during the cool, wet summer with moderate snow cover, and shorebirds and gulls declined with lemming abundance. The abundance of geese did not vary over time, possibly because benefits created by moderate spring snow cover were offset by increased fox predation when lemmings were scarce. Our study provides an example of a simple way to monitor the correlation between weather, spring snow cover, lemming abundance, and spatiotemporal variations in Arctic-breeding birds.
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Pilotte C, Reed ET, Rodrigue J, Giroux JF. Factors influencing survival of Canada geese breeding in Southern Quebec. J Wildl Manage 2014. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Pilotte
- Département des Sciences Biologiques; Université du Québec à Montréal; P.O. Box 8888 Station Centre-Ville Montreal QC Canada H3C 3P8
| | - Eric T. Reed
- Canadian Wildlife Service; Environment Canada; 351 St-Joseph Boulevard Gatineau QC Canada K1A 0H3
| | - Jean Rodrigue
- Canadian Wildlife Service; Environment Canada; 801-1550 Avenue d'Estimauville Quebec QC Canada G1V 4H5
| | - Jean-François Giroux
- Département des Sciences Biologiques; Université du Québec à Montréal; P.O. Box 8888 Station Centre-Ville Montreal QC Canada H3C 3P8
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Koons DN, Rockwell RF, Aubry LM. Effects of exploitation on an overabundant species: the lesser snow goose predicament. J Anim Ecol 2013; 83:365-74. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2013] [Accepted: 08/05/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- David N. Koons
- Department of Wildland Resources and the Ecology Center; Utah State University; 5230 Old Main Hill Logan UT 84322-5230 USA
| | - Robert F. Rockwell
- Division of Vertebrate Zoology; American Museum of Natural History; Central Park West at 79th Street New York NY 10024 USA
| | - Lise M. Aubry
- Department of Wildland Resources; Utah State University; 5230 Old Main Hill Logan UT 84322-5230 USA
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