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Faull J, Conteddu K, Griffin LL, Amin B, Smith AF, Haigh A, Ciuti S. Do human-wildlife interactions predict offspring hiding strategies in peri-urban fallow deer? ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:231470. [PMID: 38511083 PMCID: PMC10951722 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.231470] [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: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Human activities can induce significant behavioural changes in wildlife. Often explored through extractive interactions (e.g. hunting) that can favour certain behavioural traits, the implications of non-extractive ones, such as wildlife feeding, remain understudied. Research shows that people tend to favour bolder individuals within populations despite their dynamics and consequences being unclear. Using fallow deer in a peri-urban environment, we studied whether mothers that show reduced fear of humans and consistently approach them for food adopt weaker anti-predator strategies by selecting less concealed fawning bedsites closer to human hotspots. This would provide the advantage of additional feeding opportunities in comparison with shyer mothers while keeping their fawns close. Our dataset encompassed 281 capture events of 172 fawns from 110 mothers across 4 years. Surprisingly, mothers that regularly accepted food from humans selected more concealed bedsites farther from human hotspots, giving their offspring better protection while also benefitting from additional food during lactation. Our results show behavioural adaptations by a subset of females and, for the first time, link the tendency to approach humans and strategies to protect offspring. Given previous findings that these begging females also deliver heavier fawns at birth, our research further investigates human-wildlife feeding interactions and their behavioural implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane Faull
- Laboratory of Wildlife Ecology and Behaviour, SBES, University College Dublin, Dublin4, Ireland
| | - Kimberly Conteddu
- Laboratory of Wildlife Ecology and Behaviour, SBES, University College Dublin, Dublin4, Ireland
| | - Laura L. Griffin
- Laboratory of Wildlife Ecology and Behaviour, SBES, University College Dublin, Dublin4, Ireland
- Department of Forest Resources Management, University of British Columbia, 2424 Main, Mall, VancouverV6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Bawan Amin
- Laboratory of Wildlife Ecology and Behaviour, SBES, University College Dublin, Dublin4, Ireland
| | - Adam F. Smith
- The Frankfurt Zoological Society, Frankfurt, Germany
- Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Wildlife Ecology and Management, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Amy Haigh
- Laboratory of Wildlife Ecology and Behaviour, SBES, University College Dublin, Dublin4, Ireland
| | - Simone Ciuti
- Laboratory of Wildlife Ecology and Behaviour, SBES, University College Dublin, Dublin4, Ireland
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2
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Helm B, Liedvogel M. Avian migration clocks in a changing world. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2024:10.1007/s00359-023-01688-w. [PMID: 38305877 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-023-01688-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Avian long-distance migration requires refined programming to orchestrate the birds' movements on annual temporal and continental spatial scales. Programming is particularly important as long-distance movements typically anticipate future environmental conditions. Hence, migration has long been of particular interest in chronobiology. Captivity studies using a proxy, the shift to nocturnality during migration seasons (i.e., migratory restlessness), have revealed circannual and circadian regulation, as well as an innate sense of direction. Thanks to rapid development of tracking technology, detailed information from free-flying birds, including annual-cycle data and actograms, now allows relating this mechanistic background to behaviour in the wild. Likewise, genomic approaches begin to unravel the many physiological pathways that contribute to migration. Despite these advances, it is still unclear how migration programmes are integrated with specific environmental conditions experienced during the journey. Such knowledge is imminently important as temporal environments undergo rapid anthropogenic modification. Migratory birds as a group are not dealing well with the changes, yet some species show remarkable adjustments at behavioural and genetic levels. Integrated research programmes and interdisciplinary collaborations are needed to understand the range of responses of migratory birds to environmental change, and more broadly, the functioning of timing programmes under natural conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Helm
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Bird Migration Unit, Seerose 1, CH-6204, Sempach, Schweiz.
| | - Miriam Liedvogel
- Institute of Avian Research, An Der Vogelwarte 21, 26386, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
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3
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Teng J, Xia S, Liu Y, Duan H, Yu X, Chen J. An integrated model for prediction of hydrologic anomalies for habitat suitability of overwintering geese in a large floodplain wetland, China. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 331:117239. [PMID: 36638722 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Climate anomalies and increasing human activities cause a high frequency of extreme hydrological events in wetlands, which has put waterbirds under greater survival pressure than ever. Therefore, it is crucial to predict the impact of this phenomenon on the habitat suitability of waterbirds. This study investigated the response of the goose distribution probability to hydrological variations using the flood duration index (FD), enhanced vegetation index (EVI), and waterbirds GPS tracking data in Poyang Lake. An overwintering geese habitat suitability index (HSI) is built based on the FD, EVI, and threat index and verifies the accuracy of the model simulation. Then, the effects of drought and flood on the goose habitat especially sub-lakes with different connectivity were analyzed. The findings reveal that in dry and flood years, geese will broaden their range of feeding vegetation (more fresh or mature vegetation) in response to environmental deterioration. Both drought and flood can lead to a decline in the HSI, especially flood. Connected sub-lakes are more vulnerable to hydrological anomalies than controlled sub-lakes. This research establishes a scientific foundation for floodplain wetland hydrology management and waterbird conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiakun Teng
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Shaoxia Xia
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Yu Liu
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Houlang Duan
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Xiubo Yu
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Jiang Chen
- Office of Poyang Lake Water Control Project Construction of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang 330009, China
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4
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Projected Shifts in Bird Distribution in India under Climate Change. DIVERSITY 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/d15030404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Abstract
Global climate change is causing unprecedented impacts on biodiversity. In India, there is little information available regarding how climate change affects biodiversity at the taxon/group level, and large-scale ecological analyses have been lacking. In this study, we demonstrated the applicability of eBird and GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility), and produced national-scale forecasts to examine the possible impacts of climate change on terrestrial avifauna in India. Using data collected by citizen scientists, we developed fine-tuned Species Distribution Models (SDMs) and predicted 1091 terrestrial bird species that would be distributed in India by 2070 on two climatic surfaces (RCP 4.5 and 8.5), using Maximum Entropy-based species distribution algorithms. Of the 1091 species modelled, our findings indicate that 66–73% of bird species in India will shift to higher elevations or shift northward, and 58–59% of bird species (RCP 4.5 and 8.5) would lose a portion of their distribution ranges. Furthermore, distribution ranges of 41–40% of bird species would increase. Under both RCP scenarios (RCP 4.5 and 8.5), bird species diversity will significantly increase in regions above 2500 m in elevation. Both RCP scenarios predict extensive changes in the species richness of the western Himalayas, Sikkim, northeast India, and the western Ghats regions by 2070. This study has resulted in novel, high-resolution maps of terrestrial bird species richness across India, and we predict predominantly northward shifts in species ranges, similar to predictions made for avifauna in other regions, such as Europe and the USA.
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5
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Batista R, Saraiva M, Lopes T, Silveira L, Coelho A, Furtado R, Castro R, Correia CB, Rodrigues D, Henriques P, Lóio S, Soeiro V, da Costa PM, Oleastro M, Pista A. Genotypic and Phenotypic Characterization of Pathogenic Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., and Campylobacter spp., in Free-Living Birds in Mainland Portugal. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 20:223. [PMID: 36612545 PMCID: PMC9819048 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20010223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Birds are potential carriers of pathogens affecting humans and agriculture. Aiming to evaluate the occurrence of the top three most important foodborne pathogens in free-living birds in Portugal, we investigated 108 individual fecal samples from free-living birds and one pooled sample of gull feces (n = 50) for the presence of Escherichia coli (pathogenic and non-pathogenic), Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. Virulence- and antimicrobial resistance- (AMR) associated genes were detected by PCR and Whole-Genome Sequencing (WGS), and phenotypic (serotyping and AMR profiles) characterization was performed. Overall, 8.9% of samples tested positive for pathogenic E. coli, 2.8% for Salmonella spp., and 9.9% for Campylobacter spp. AMR was performed on all pathogenic isolates and in a fraction of non-pathogenic E. coli, being detected in 25.9% of them. Ten of the tested E. coli isolates were multidrug-resistant (MDR), and seven of them were Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producers. Among Salmonella (n = 3) and Campylobacter (n = 9), only one strain of C. jejuni was identified as MDR. Most of the identified serotypes/sequence types had already been found to be associated with human disease. These results show that free-living birds in Portugal may act as carriers of foodborne pathogens linked to human disease, some of them resistant to critically important antimicrobials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Batista
- Food Microbiology Laboratory, Food and Nutrition Department, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Margarida Saraiva
- Food Microbiology Laboratory, Food and Nutrition Department, Rua Alexandre Herculano 321, 4000-055 Oporto, Portugal
| | - Teresa Lopes
- Food Microbiology Laboratory, Food and Nutrition Department, Rua Alexandre Herculano 321, 4000-055 Oporto, Portugal
| | - Leonor Silveira
- National Reference Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Infections, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Anabela Coelho
- Food Microbiology Laboratory, Food and Nutrition Department, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Rosália Furtado
- Food Microbiology Laboratory, Food and Nutrition Department, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Rita Castro
- National Reference Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Infections, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Cristina Belo Correia
- Food Microbiology Laboratory, Food and Nutrition Department, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - David Rodrigues
- ESAC-IPC, Coimbra College of Agriculture, Polytechnic of Coimbra, 3045-601 Coimbra, Portugal
- CEF, Forest Research Centre, Edifício Prof. Azevedo Gomes, ISA, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Pedro Henriques
- ESAC-IPC, Coimbra College of Agriculture, Polytechnic of Coimbra, 3045-601 Coimbra, Portugal
- Espaço de Visitação e Observação de Aves, 2600 Vila Franca de Xira, Portugal
| | - Sara Lóio
- Centro de Recuperação de Fauna do Parque Biológico de Gaia, Rua da Cunha, Avintes, 4430-812 Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
| | - Vanessa Soeiro
- Centro de Recuperação de Fauna do Parque Biológico de Gaia, Rua da Cunha, Avintes, 4430-812 Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
| | - Paulo Martins da Costa
- ICBAS—Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Oporto, Portugal
| | - Mónica Oleastro
- National Reference Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Infections, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Angela Pista
- National Reference Laboratory for Gastrointestinal Infections, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Health Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Avenida Padre Cruz, 1649-016 Lisbon, Portugal
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Hanmer HJ, Cunningham AA, John SK, Magregor SK, Robinson RA, Seilern-Moy K, Siriwardena GM, Lawson B. Hinfluences severe disease-mediated population declines in two of the most common garden bird species in Great Britain. Sci Rep 2022; 12:15055. [PMID: 36064956 PMCID: PMC9445085 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-18880-8] [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: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The influence of supplementary feeding of wildlife on disease transmission and its consequent impacts on population dynamics are underappreciated. In Great Britain, supplementary feeding is hypothesised to have enabled the spread of the protozoan parasite, Trichomonas gallinae, from columbids to finches, leading to epidemic finch trichomonosis and a rapid population decline of greenfinch (Chloris chloris). More recently, chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs), has also declined markedly from the second to fifth commonest bird in Britain. Using citizen science data, we show that both declines were driven primarily by reduced adult survival, with the greatest reductions occurring in peri-domestic habitats, where supplementary food provision is common. Post-mortem examinations showed a proportional increase in chaffinch trichomonosis cases, near-contemporaneous with its population decline. Like greenfinches, chaffinches often use supplementary food, but are less associated with human habitation. Our results support the hypothesis that supplementary feeding can increase parasite transmission frequency within and between common species. However, the dynamics behind resultant population change can vary markedly, highlighting the need for integrating disease surveillance with demographic monitoring. Other species susceptible to T. gallinae infection may also be at risk. Supplementary feeding guidelines for wildlife should include disease mitigation strategies to ensure that benefits to target species outweigh risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugh J Hanmer
- British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2PU, UK.
| | - Andrew A Cunningham
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK
| | - Shinto K John
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK
| | - Shaheed K Magregor
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK
| | - Robert A Robinson
- British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2PU, UK
| | - Katharina Seilern-Moy
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK
| | | | - Becki Lawson
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK.
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7
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Environmental and social correlates, and energetic consequences of fitness maximisation on different migratory behaviours in a long-lived scavenger. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-022-03223-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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8
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Bosco L, Xu Y, Deshpande P, Lehikoinen A. Range shifts of overwintering birds depend on habitat type, snow conditions and habitat specialization. Oecologia 2022; 199:725-736. [PMID: 35767049 PMCID: PMC9309152 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05209-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Climatic warming is forcing species to shift their ranges poleward, which has been demonstrated for many taxa globally. Yet, the influence of habitat types on within- and among-species variations of distribution shifts has rarely been studied, especially during the non-breeding season. Here, we investigated habitat-specific shift distances of northern range margins and directions of the distribution center based on long-term data of overwintering birds in Finland. Specifically, we explored influences of habitat type, species' snow depth tolerance, species' climatic niche and habitat specialization on range shifts during the past 40 years in 81 bird species. Birds overwintering in arable land shifted more clearly toward north compared to birds of the same species in rural and forest habitats, while the northern range margin shift distances did not significantly differ among the habitat types. Range shifts were more linked with the species' snow depth tolerance rather than species' climatic niche. Snow depth tolerance of species was negatively associated with the eastward shift direction across all habitats, while we found habitat-specific patterns with snow depth for northward shift directions and northern margin shift distances. Species with stronger habitat specializations shifted more strongly toward north as compared to generalist species, whereas the climatic niche of bird species only marginally correlated with range shifts, so that cold-dwelling species shifted longer distances and more clearly eastward. Our study reveals habitat-specific patterns linked to snow conditions for overwintering boreal birds and highlights the importance of habitat availability and preference in climate driven range shifts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Bosco
- The Helsinki Lab of Ornithology, Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Yanjie Xu
- The Helsinki Lab of Ornithology, Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Purabi Deshpande
- The Helsinki Lab of Ornithology, Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Research Programme in Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, 00011, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Aleksi Lehikoinen
- The Helsinki Lab of Ornithology, Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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9
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Šujanová A, Václav R. Phylogeographic Patterns of Haemoproteid Assemblages of Selected Avian Hosts: Ecological and Evolutionary Implications. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10051019. [PMID: 35630463 PMCID: PMC9144617 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10051019] [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: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: While the dynamics of disease emergence is driven by host–parasite interactions, the structure and dynamics of these interactions are still poorly understood. Here we study the phylogenetic and morphological clustering of haemosporidian parasite lineages in a local avian host community. Subsequently, we examine geographical patterns of parasite assemblages in selected avian hosts breeding in Europe. Methods: We conduct phylogenetic and haplotype network analyses of Haemoproteus (Parahaemoproteus) lineages based on a short and an extended cytochrome b barcode region. Ordination analyses are used to examine changes in parasite assemblages with respect to climate type and geography. Results: We reveal relatively low phylogenetic clustering of haemoproteid lineages in a local avian host community and identify a potentially new Haemoproteus morphospecies. Further, we find that climate is effectively capturing geographical changes in parasite assemblages in selected widespread avian hosts. Moreover, parasite assemblages are found to vary distinctly across the host’s breeding range, even within a single avian host. Conclusions: This study suggests that a few keystone hosts can be important for the local phylogenetic and morphological clustering of haemoproteid parasites. Host spatio-temporal dynamics, both for partially and long-distance migratory birds, appear to explain geographical variation in haemoproteid parasite assemblages. This study also gives support to the idea that climate variation in terms of rainfall seasonality can be linked to the propensity for host switching in haemosporidians.
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10
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How migratory birds might have tracked past climate change. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:2121738119. [PMID: 35012989 PMCID: PMC8784094 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2121738119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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11
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Meade J, Martin JM, Welbergen JA. Fast food in the city? Nomadic flying-foxes commute less and hang around for longer in urban areas. Behav Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arab078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Urbanization creates novel ecological spaces where some species thrive. Geographical urbanization promotes human–wildlife conflict; however, we know relatively little about the drivers of biological urbanization, which poses impediments for sound wildlife management and conservation action. Flying-foxes are extremely mobile and move nomadically in response to flowering resources, but are now increasingly found in urban areas, for reasons that are poorly understood. To investigate the mechanisms behind flying-fox urbanization, we examined the movement of 99 satellite tracked grey-headed flying-foxes (Pteropus poliocephalus) over 1 year in urban versus non-urban environments. We found that tracked individuals preferentially visited major-urban roosts, exhibited higher fidelity to major-urban roosts, and foraged over shorter distances when roosting in major-urban areas. In contrast to other colonial species, there were no density-dependent effects of colony size on foraging distance, suggesting that at a landscape scale, flying-foxes distribute themselves across roosts in an ideal-free manner, minimizing competition over urban and non-urban foraging resources. Yet, males consistently foraged over shorter distances than females, suggesting that at a local scale foraging distances reflect competitive inequalities between individuals. Overall, our study supports the hypothesis that flying-fox urbanization is driven by increased spatiotemporal availability of food resources in urban areas; however, unlike in other species, it is likely a consequence of increased urban visitation by nomadic individuals rather than a subset of the population becoming “urban residents” per se. We discuss the implications of the movement behavior we report for the conservation and management of highly mobile species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Meade
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Hawkesbury Campus, Bourke Street, Richmond, NSW, Australia
| | - John M Martin
- Institute of Science and Learning, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Bradley’s Head Rd, Mosman, 2088 NSW, Australia
| | - Justin A Welbergen
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Hawkesbury Campus, Bourke Street, Richmond, NSW, Australia
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12
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Dufour P, de Franceschi C, Doniol-Valcroze P, Jiguet F, Guéguen M, Renaud J, Lavergne S, Crochet PA. A new westward migration route in an Asian passerine bird. Curr Biol 2021; 31:5590-5596.e4. [PMID: 34687610 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.09.086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The evolution of migration routes in birds remains poorly understood as changes in migration strategies are rarely observed on contemporary timescales.1-3 The Richard's Pipit Anthus richardi, a migratory songbird breeding in Siberian grasslands and wintering in Southeast Asia, has only recently become a regular autumn and winter visitor to western Europe. Here, we examine whether this change in occurrence merely reflects an increase in the number of vagrants, that is, "lost" individuals that likely do not manage to return to their breeding grounds, or represents a new migratory strategy.4-6 We show that Richard's Pipits in southwestern Europe are true migrants: the same marked individuals return to southern France in subsequent winters and geo-localization tracking revealed that they originate from the western edge of the known breeding range. They make an astonishing 6,000 km journey from Central Asia across Eurasia, a very unusual longitudinal westward route among Siberian migratory birds.7,8 Climatic niche modeling using citizen-science bird data suggests that the winter niche suitability has increased in southwestern Europe, which may have led to increased winter survival and eventual successful return journey and reproduction of individuals that initially reached Europe as autumn vagrants. This illustrates that vagrancy may have an underestimated role in the emergence of new migratory routes and adaptation to global change in migratory birds.9,10 Whatever the underlying drivers and mechanisms, it constitutes one of the few documented contemporary changes in migration route, and the first longitudinal shift, in a long-distance migratory bird.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Dufour
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, LECA, 38000 Grenoble, France.
| | | | | | - Frédéric Jiguet
- CESCO, UMR7204 MNHN-CNRS-Sorbonne Université, CP135, 43 Rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Maya Guéguen
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, LECA, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Julien Renaud
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, LECA, 38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Sébastien Lavergne
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, LECA, 38000 Grenoble, France
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13
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Del Mar Delgado M, Arlettaz R, Bettega C, Brambilla M, de Gabriel Hernando M, España A, Fernández-González Á, Fernández-Martín Á, Gil JA, Hernández-Gómez S, Laiolo P, Resano-Mayor J, Obeso JR, Pedrini P, Roa-Álvarez I, Schano C, Scridel D, Strinella E, Toranzo I, Korner-Nievergelt F. Spatio-temporal variation in the wintering associations of an alpine bird. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20210690. [PMID: 34034515 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.0690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Many animals make behavioural changes to cope with winter conditions, being gregariousness a common strategy. Several factors have been invoked to explain why gregariousness may evolve during winter, with individuals coming together and separating as they trade off the different costs and benefits of living in groups. These trade-offs may, however, change over space and time as a response to varying environmental conditions. Despite its importance, little is known about the factors triggering gregarious behaviour during winter and its change in response to variation in weather conditions is poorly documented. Here, we aimed at quantifying large-scale patterns in wintering associations over 23 years of the white-winged snowfinch Montifringilla nivalis nivalis. We found that individuals gather in larger groups at sites with harsh wintering conditions. Individuals at colder sites reunite later and separate earlier in the season than at warmer sites. However, the magnitude and phenology of wintering associations are ruled by changes in weather conditions. When the temperature increased or the levels of precipitation decreased, group size substantially decreased, and individuals stayed united in groups for a shorter time. These results shed light on factors driving gregariousness and points to shifting winter climate as an important factor influencing this behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Del Mar Delgado
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UMIB, UO-CSIC-PA), Oviedo University - Campus Mieres, 33600 Mieres, Spain
| | - Raphaël Arlettaz
- Division of Conservation Biology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Chiara Bettega
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UMIB, UO-CSIC-PA), Oviedo University - Campus Mieres, 33600 Mieres, Spain
| | - Mattia Brambilla
- LIPU/BirdLife Italia, Via Udine 3/A, I-43122, Parma, Italy.,Museo delle Scienze, Sezione Zoologia dei Vertebrati, Corso della Scienza e del Lavoro 3, 38123 Trento, Italy.,Fondazione Lombardia per l'Ambiente, Settore Biodiversità e Aree protette, Largo 10 luglio 1976 1, 20822 Seveso, MB, Italy
| | | | - Antonio España
- Grup d'anellament PARUS, Salze 36, 08186 Lliça d'Amunt, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | - Juan Antonio Gil
- Fundación para la Conservación del Quebrantahuesos, Plaza San Pedro Nolasco 1, 4 F, 50001 Zaragoza, Spain.,Estación Zaragoza-Delicias, Grupo Aragón de Anillamiento Científico de Aves, c/Rioja, 33, 50011 Zaragoza, Spain
| | | | - Paola Laiolo
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UMIB, UO-CSIC-PA), Oviedo University - Campus Mieres, 33600 Mieres, Spain
| | - Jaime Resano-Mayor
- Division of Conservation Biology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.,Grup d'anellament PARUS, Salze 36, 08186 Lliça d'Amunt, Barcelona, Spain
| | - José Ramón Obeso
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UMIB, UO-CSIC-PA), Oviedo University - Campus Mieres, 33600 Mieres, Spain
| | - Paolo Pedrini
- Museo delle Scienze, Sezione Zoologia dei Vertebrati, Corso della Scienza e del Lavoro 3, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | | | - Christian Schano
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Seerose 1, 6204 Sempach, Switzerland
| | - Davide Scridel
- Museo delle Scienze, Sezione Zoologia dei Vertebrati, Corso della Scienza e del Lavoro 3, 38123 Trento, Italy
| | - Eliseo Strinella
- Reparto Carabinieri Biodiversità L'Aquila, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Ignasi Toranzo
- Grup d'anellament PARUS, Salze 36, 08186 Lliça d'Amunt, Barcelona, Spain
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