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Gregory KA, Francesiaz C, Jiguet F, Besnard A. A synthesis of recent tools and perspectives in migratory connectivity studies. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2023; 11:69. [PMID: 37891684 PMCID: PMC10605477 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-023-00388-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
Migration movements connect breeding and non-breeding bird populations over the year. Such links, referred to as migratory connectivity, have important implications for migratory population dynamics as they dictate the consequences of localised events for the whole population network. This calls for concerted efforts to understand migration processes for large-scale conservation. Over the last 20 years, the toolbox to investigate connectivity patterns has expanded and studies now consider migratory connectivity over a broader range of species and contexts. Here, we summarise recent developments in analysing migratory connectivity, focusing on strategies and challenges to pooling various types of data to both optimise and broaden the scope of connectivity studies. We find that the different approaches used to investigate migratory connectivity still have complementary strengths and weaknesses, whether in terms of cost, spatial and temporal resolution, or challenges in obtaining large sample sizes or connectivity estimates. Certain recent developments offer particularly promising prospects: robust quantitative models for banding data, improved precision of geolocators and accessibility of telemetry tracking systems, and increasingly precise probabilistic assignments based on genomic markers or large-scale isoscapes. In parallel, studies have proposed various ways to combine the information of different datasets, from simply comparing the connectivity patterns they draw to formally integrating their analyses. Such data combinations have proven to be more accurate in estimating connectivity patterns, particularly for integrated approaches that offer promising flexibility. Given the diversity of available tools, future studies would benefit from a rigorous comparative evaluation of the different methodologies to guide data collection to complete migration atlases: where and when should data be collected during the migratory cycle to best describe connectivity patterns? Which data are most favourable to combine, and under what conditions? Are there methods for combining data that are better than others? Can combination methods be improved by adjusting the contribution of the various data in the models? How can we fully integrate connectivity with demographic and environmental data? Data integration shows strong potential to deepen our understanding of migratory connectivity as a dynamic ecological process, especially if the gaps can be bridged between connectivity, population and environmental models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Killian A Gregory
- Master de Biologie, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Université de Lyon, Lyon, France.
- CESCO, MNHN-CNRS-Sorbonne Université, Paris, France.
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France.
| | | | | | - Aurélien Besnard
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE-PSL University, IRD, Montpellier, France
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Hobson KA, Kardynal KJ. Multi-isotope (δ 2H, δ 13C, δ 15N) feather profiles and morphometrics inform patterns of migratory connectivity in three species of North American swallows. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2023; 11:48. [PMID: 37528460 PMCID: PMC10391972 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-023-00412-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
Aerial insectivorous birds have suffered steep population declines in North America over the last 60 years. A lack of information on migratory connectivity between breeding and non-breeding grounds for these species limits our ability to interpret factors affecting their population-specific trends. We determined likely Latin American non-breeding regions of Bank (Riparia riparia), Barn (Hirundo rustica) and Cliff (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) swallow from populations across their breeding ranges. We used predicted feather hydrogen (δ2Hf) and carbon (δ13Cf) isoscapes for winter-grown feathers to indicate areas of highest probability of moult origin and incorporated these results into a cluster analysis to determine likely broad non-breeding regions. We also assessed variation in wing length among populations to determine the potential for this metric to differentiate population moult origins. We then investigated patterns of multi-isotopic (δ2Hf, δ13Cf, δ15Nf) and wing-length niche occupancy by quantifying niche size and overlap among populations under the assumption that broad niches were consistent with low within-species migratory connectivity and narrow and non-overlapping niches with higher connectivity. Multivariate assignment identified different non-breeding regions and potential clusters of moult origin generally corresponding to Central America and northern South America, eastern and south-central South America, and the western and southern part of that continent, with variation within and among populations and species. Separate niche space indicated different wintering habitat or areas used by species or populations whereas niche overlap indicated only potential spatial similarity. Wing length varied significantly among populations by species, being longer in the west and north for Bank and Cliff Swallow and longer in eastern Canadian Barn Swallow populations. Barn Swallow occupied consistently larger isotopic and wing length niche space than the other species. Comparisons among populations across species showed variable isotopic and wing-length niche overlap generally being greater within breeding regions and lower between western and eastern breeding populations supporting a general North American continental divide for all species with generally low migratory connectivity for all species. We present a novel approach to assessing connectivity using inexpensive and broad isotopic approaches that provides the basis for hypothesis testing using more spatially explicit expensive techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith A Hobson
- Wildlife and Landscape Research Directorate, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 3H5, Canada.
- Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada.
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E2, Canada.
| | - Kevin J Kardynal
- Wildlife and Landscape Research Directorate, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 3H5, Canada
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E2, Canada
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3
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Koehler G, Hobson KA. Delineating origins of cheetah cubs in the illegal wildlife trade: Improvements based on the use of hair δ18O measurements. Front Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2023.1058985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
All African felids are listed as vulnerable or endangered according to the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List of Threatened Species. Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) in particular have declined rapidly as a result of human impacts so that development of effective strategies and tools for conservation of this highly vulnerable species, as well as African felids in general, are essential for their survival in the wild. Here we use the oxygen stable isotopic compositions of cheetah hair to determine origins of cheetah cubs destined for the illegal exotic pet trade by associating individual cubs with predicted δ18O isoscape locations. We found that cheetah cubs most likely originated in East Africa, close to the corridors responsible for this aspect of the illegal wildlife trade to the Middle East. Further refinement of these assignments using a two isotope analysis (δ18O and δ13C values) indicate that these cubs were likely sourced in Southern Ethiopia or possibly as far as Tanzania. We also demonstrate that δ18O values in tissues can provide provenance information in cases where results of δ2H analyses may be obscured by the effects of metabolic routing of nutrients during nursing, starvation, or dehydration. This study demonstrates the utility of stable isotopic tools for conservation and forensic uses for endangered mammalian species.
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Kusack JW, Tozer DC, Schummer ML, Hobson KA. Origins of harvested American black ducks: stable isotopes support the flyover hypothesis. J Wildl Manage 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jackson W. Kusack
- Western University, Department of Biology Biological and Geological Sciences Building 1151 Richmond Street London, Ontario N6A 5B7 Canada
| | - Douglas C. Tozer
- Long Point Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Program Birds Canada P.O. Box 160 (Courier: 115 Front Road) Port Rowan, Ontario N0E 1M0 Canada
| | - Michael L. Schummer
- State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry Department of Environmental Biology 1 Forestry Drive Syracuse, New York 13210 USA
| | - Keith A. Hobson
- Western University, Department of Biology Biological and Geological Sciences Building 1151 Richmond Street London, Ontario N6A 5B7 Canada
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Date Y, Managave S, Jathar G, Khot R, Hobson KA. Stable sulphur isotope ( δ34S) ratios in bird feathers from India indicate strong segregation between the Himalaya and Gangetic plain, and the rest of India. ISOTOPES IN ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH STUDIES 2022; 58:327-339. [PMID: 36006822 DOI: 10.1080/10256016.2022.2113995] [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: 02/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Although stable hydrogen (δ2H) and carbon (δ13C) isotopic compositions of bird feathers have been increasingly used to understand the migration of birds through assignment of individuals to established isoscapes, far less is known about the structure of feather isoscapes based on stable sulphur isotope (δ34S) assays. While δ2H isoscapes have been used to investigate the migratory origins of the Globe Skimmer (Pantala flavescens) dragonfly in India, no isotope studies have been applied to avian migration patterns in that region. Here, based on museum collections, we report the feather δ34S values of 13 avian species that included marine birds with expected 34S enriched feathers, resident birds throughout India and a single migratory species, Bar-headed Goose (Anser indicus). Feathers from the marine birds were the most enriched (20.6 ± 1.2 ‰, n = 10; range = 4.4 ‰) in 34S but terrestrial resident species also showed unexpectedly high δ34S values (11.7 ± 4.8 ‰, n = 74; range = 19.9 ‰) throughout most of India but the Himalayan region and Gangetic plain typically showed δ34S values less than 6.4 ‰. Our results show the utility of feather δ34S studies to decipher avian and other animal migration between these two regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuvraj Date
- Earth and Climate Science, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, Maharashtra, India
| | - Shreyas Managave
- Earth and Climate Science, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, Maharashtra, India
| | - Girish Jathar
- Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
- Srushti Conservation Foundation, Pune, Maharashtra, India
| | - Rahul Khot
- Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Keith A Hobson
- Environment and Climate Change Canada and Dept. Biology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
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Vincent JG, Schuster R, Wilson S, Fink D, Bennett JR. Clustering community science data to infer songbird migratory connectivity in the Western Hemisphere. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Richard Schuster
- Department of Biology Carleton University Ottawa Ontario Canada
- Ecosystem Science and Management Program University of Northern British Columbia Prince George British Columbia Canada
- The Nature Conservancy of Canada Vancouver BC Canada
| | - Scott Wilson
- Department of Biology Carleton University Ottawa Ontario Canada
- Wildlife Research Division Pacific Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change Canada Delta British Columbia Canada
| | - Daniel Fink
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology Ithaca New York USA
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Brewer CT, Rauch-Davis WA, Fraser EE. The Use of Intrinsic Markers for Studying the Migratory Movements of Bats. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:3477. [PMID: 34944252 PMCID: PMC8698158 DOI: 10.3390/ani11123477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Mortality of migratory bat species at wind energy facilities is a well-documented phenomenon, and mitigation and management are partially constrained by the current limited knowledge of bat migratory movements. Analyses of biochemical signatures in bat tissues ("intrinsic markers") can provide information about the migratory origins of individual bats. Many tissue samples for intrinsic marker analysis may be collected from living and dead bats, including carcasses collected at wind energy facilities. In this paper, we review the full suite of available intrinsic marker analysis techniques that may be used to study bat migration, with the goal of summarizing the current literature and highlighting knowledge gaps and opportunities. We discuss applications of the stable isotopes of hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, sulfur; radiogenic strontium isotopes; trace elements and contaminants; and the combination of these markers with each other and with other extrinsic markers. We further discuss the tissue types that may be analyzed for each and provide a synthesis of the generalized workflow required to link bats to origins using intrinsic markers. While stable hydrogen isotope techniques have clearly been the leading approach to infer migratory bat movement patterns across the landscape, here we emphasize a variety of lesser used intrinsic markers (i.e., strontium, trace elements, contaminants) that may address new study areas or answer novel research questions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Erin E. Fraser
- School of Science and the Environment, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 20 University Drive, Corner Brook, NL A2H 5G4, Canada; (C.T.B.); (W.A.R.-D.)
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Ma Y, Hobson KA, Kardynal KJ, Guglielmo CG, Branfireun BA. Inferring spatial patterns of mercury exposure in migratory boreal songbirds: Combining feather mercury and stable isotope (δ 2H) measurements. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 762:143109. [PMID: 33162143 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2020] [Revised: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Migratory songbirds breeding in the Canadian Boreal forest are exposed to mercury (Hg), a potent neurotoxin that impairs avian health, however, the degree of exposure depends on many factors. As breeding grounds are geographically remote and vast, the measurement of Hg in individual birds is impractical particularly at large spatial scales. Here, we present a Canada-wide dataset of nearly 2000 migratory songbirds that were used to assess summer Hg exposure of 15 songbird species sampled during fall migration. We measured Hg concentrations in tail feathers and related those to dietary guild, geographic capture location, age, sex and probable breeding ground locations using feather δ2H. Overall mean (±SE) feather Hg concentration was 1.49 ± 0.03 μg/g (N = 1946): however, a clear geographic gradient in feather Hg concentrations emerged being highest in East and lowest in West. Dietary guild was the next strongest predictor of feather Hg with insectivorous songbirds in Eastern Canada at particular risk due to Hg exposure on summer breeding grounds. This broad-scale assessment of Hg exposure in migratory songbirds in Canada can be used to guide future studies on finer-scale determinants of Hg exposure in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanju Ma
- Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; Advanced Facility for Avian Research, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Keith A Hobson
- Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Kevin J Kardynal
- Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Christopher G Guglielmo
- Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; Advanced Facility for Avian Research, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Brian A Branfireun
- Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; Centre for Environment and Sustainability, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
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Wright PGR, Newton J, Agnelli P, Budinski I, Di Salvo I, Flaquer C, Fulco A, Georgiakakis P, Martinoli A, Mas M, Mazija M, Mucedda M, Papadatou E, Petrov B, Rodrigues L, Mathews F, Russo D. Hydrogen isotopes reveal evidence of migration of Miniopterus schreibersii in Europe. BMC Ecol 2020; 20:52. [PMID: 32993600 PMCID: PMC7526252 DOI: 10.1186/s12898-020-00321-7] [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: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The Schreiber’s bat, Miniopterus schreibersii, is adapted to long-distance flight, yet long distance movements have only been recorded sporadically using capture-mark-recapture. In this study, we used the hydrogen isotopic composition of 208 wing and 335 fur specimens from across the species' European range to test the hypothesis that the species migrates over long distances. Results After obtaining the hydrogen isotopic composition (δ2H) of each sample, we performed geographic assignment tests by comparing the δ2H of samples with the δ2H of sampling sites. We found that 95 bats out of 325 showed evidence of long-distance movement, based on the analysis of either fur or wing samples. The eastern European part of the species range (Greece, Bulgaria and Serbia) had the highest numbers of bats that had moved. The assignment tests also helped identify possible migratory routes, such as movement between the Alps and the Balkans. Conclusions This is the first continental-scale study to provide evidence of migratory behaviour of M. schreibersii throughout its European range. The work highlights the need for further investigation of this behaviour to provide appropriate conservation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jason Newton
- National Environmental Isotope Facility, Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre, Glasgow, UK
| | - Paolo Agnelli
- Sistema Museale dell'Università di Firenze, Museo di Storia Naturale, Sede di Zoologia "La Specola", via Romana 17, 50125, Firenze, Italy
| | - Ivana Budinski
- Department of Genetic Research, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković" - National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11060, Belgrade, Serbia
| | | | - Carles Flaquer
- Museu de Ciències Naturals de Granollers, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Antonio Fulco
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche, Chimiche e Farmaceutiche, Laboratorio di Zoologia applicata, Università degli Studi di Palermo, via Archirafi 18, 90123, Palermo, Italy
| | | | - Adriano Martinoli
- Unità di Analisi e Gestione delle Risorse Ambientali, Guido Tosi Research Group, Dipartimento di Scienze Teoriche e Applicate, Universita' degli Studi dell'Insubria,, via J. H. Dunant, 3, 21100, Varese, Italy
| | - Maria Mas
- Museu de Ciències Naturals de Granollers, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mirna Mazija
- Samostalna djelatnost / Freelance Consultant, Koledinečka 3, 10 040, Zagreb, Croatia
| | | | | | | | - Luisa Rodrigues
- Divisão de Conservação da Biodiversidade, Instituto da Conservação da Natureza e das Florestas, Lisbon, PT, Portugal
| | | | - Danilo Russo
- Wildlife Research Unit, Dipartimento di Agraria, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, via Università 100, 80055, Portici (Napoli), Italy
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Beauchamp AT, Guglielmo CG, Morbey YE. Stopover refuelling, movement and departure decisions in the white-throated sparrow: The influence of intrinsic and extrinsic factors during spring migration. J Anim Ecol 2020; 89:2553-2566. [PMID: 32770676 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Differential migration timing between sex or age classes is an example of how migratory movement strategies can differ among subgroups within a population. However, in songbirds, evidence for intrinsic differences in en route migratory behaviour is often mixed, suggesting that the local environmental context may play a role in accentuating or diminishing patterns. We evaluated how multiple intrinsic and extrinsic variables influenced refuelling rates, local movement behaviour and departure decisions in the white-throated sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis during spring migration. This species exhibits a unique genetically based plumage dimorphism, providing a unique class of individual in which to evaluate patterns and processes of differential migration, in addition to sex, age and migration distance. At a migratory stopover site, plasma metabolite analysis was used to quantify individual variation in stopover refuelling rate. In after second year adults, automated and manual radio telemetry was used to quantify daily activity timing, daily movement distances, stopover duration and departure time. Arrival timing to the stopover site was determined using capture data. Non-breeding and previous breeding/natal latitude were determined using analysis of hydrogen isotopes in claws and feathers. Males arrived at the stopover site 11 days on average before females, but no difference in migration timing was observed between plumage morph or age classes. After second year, adults with more southern previous breeding latitudes arrived at stopover earlier, whereas second year birds making their first return migration arrived at stopover in an inverse relationship to non-breeding latitude. Stopover refuelling rate did not differ between ages, sexes or plumage morphs, and daily departure probability of adults was higher under warmer temperatures and favourable tailwinds. White-striped morphs moved greater distances during stopover, initiated daily activity earlier in the morning and departed for migration earlier in the evening than tan-striped morphs. Our results show that while individual phenotype can influence some aspects of local stopover-scale movement behaviour, evidence for differential stopover behaviour was weak. Differential migration timing is unlikely to result from intrinsic differences in en route refuelling rate and departure decisions, especially because the latter is strongly influenced by meteorological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew T Beauchamp
- Department of Biology, Advanced Facility for Avian Research, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Christopher G Guglielmo
- Department of Biology, Advanced Facility for Avian Research, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Yolanda E Morbey
- Department of Biology, Advanced Facility for Avian Research, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
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Ma C, Vander Zanden HB, Wunder MB, Bowen GJ. assignR
: An
r
package for isotope‐based geographic assignment. Methods Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chao Ma
- Department of Geology & Geophysics University of Utah Salt Lake City UT USA
- Department of Computer Science University of Idaho Moscow ID USA
| | | | - Michael B. Wunder
- Department of Integrative Biology University of Colorado Denver Denver CO USA
| | - Gabriel J. Bowen
- Department of Geology & Geophysics University of Utah Salt Lake City UT USA
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Zhu Q, Hobson KA, Zhao Q, Zhou Y, Damba I, Batbayar N, Natsagdorj T, Davaasuren B, Antonov A, Guan J, Wang X, Fang L, Cao L, David Fox A. Migratory connectivity of Swan Geese based on species' distribution models, feather stable isotope assignment and satellite tracking. DIVERS DISTRIB 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Qin Zhu
- School of Life Science University of Science and Technology of China Hefei China
| | - Keith A. Hobson
- Science and Technology Branch Environment and Climate Change Canada Saskatoon SK Canada
- Department of Biology University of Western Ontario London ON Canada
| | - Qingshan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology Research Center for Eco‐Environmental Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Yiqi Zhou
- Research Center for Eco‐Environment Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Iderbat Damba
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology Research Center for Eco‐Environmental Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- Ornithology Laboratory Institute of Biology Mongolian Academy of Sciences Ulaanbaatar Mongolia
| | - Nyambayar Batbayar
- Wildlife Science and Conservation Center of Mongolia Ulaanbaatar Mongolia
| | | | | | | | - Jian Guan
- Department of Electronic Engineering and Information Science University of Science and Technology of China Hefei China
| | - Xin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology Research Center for Eco‐Environmental Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Lei Fang
- School of Life Science University of Science and Technology of China Hefei China
| | - Lei Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology Research Center for Eco‐Environmental Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
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von Rönn JAC, Grüebler MU, Fransson T, Köppen U, Korner‐Nievergelt F. Integrating stable isotopes, parasite, and ring-reencounter data to quantify migratory connectivity-A case study with Barn Swallows breeding in Switzerland, Germany, Sweden, and Finland. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:2225-2237. [PMID: 32128151 PMCID: PMC7042758 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2018] [Revised: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecosystems around the world are connected by seasonal migration. The migrant animals themselves are influenced by migratory connectivity through effects on the individual and the population level. Measuring migratory connectivity is notoriously difficult due to the simple requirement of data conveying information about the nonbreeding distribution of many individuals from several breeding populations. Explicit integration of data derived from different methods increases the precision and the reliability of parameter estimates. We combine ring-reencounter, stable isotope, and blood parasite data of Barn Swallows Hirundo rustica in a single integrated model to estimate migratory connectivity for three large scale breeding populations across a latitudinal gradient from Central Europe to Scandinavia. To this end, we integrated a non-Markovian multistate mark-recovery model for the ring-reencounter data with normal and binomial mixture models for the stable isotope and parasite data. The integration of different data sources within a mark-recapture modeling framework enables the most precise quantification of migratory connectivity on the given broad spatial scale. The results show that northern-breeding populations and Southern Africa as well as southern-breeding populations and Western-Central Africa are more strongly connected through Barn Swallow migration than central European breeding populations with any of the African wintering areas. The nonbreeding distribution of Barn Swallows from central European breeding populations seems to be a mixture of those populations breeding further north and south, indicating a migratory divide.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Ulrich Köppen
- Hof Gronow 14SundhagenGermany
- Hiddensee Bird Ringing CentreGüstrowGermany
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14
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López Calderón C, Balbontín Arenas J, Hobson KA, Møller AP. Age-dependent carry-over effects in a long-distance migratory bird. Sci Rep 2019; 9:12032. [PMID: 31427594 PMCID: PMC6700079 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-47374-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Migratory birds usually respond to climate change by modifying breeding and/or wintering areas, as well as by reproducing earlier. In addition, changes in winter habitat use or breeding phenology could have important carry-over effects on subsequent breeding success. Here, we studied age- and sex-dependent carry-over effects from wintering to the breeding stage of a small aerial insectivorous long-distance migratory bird, the barn swallows (Hirundo rustica) breeding in Denmark during 1984-2013. First, we used stable isotope analyses combined with ringing recoveries to identify wintering areas. Second, we found that environmental conditions as inferred by Normalized Differential Vegetation Index (NDVI) have deteriorated at the wintering grounds. Third, we used confirmatory path analysis to quantify the indirect effect of winter conditions on subsequent breeding success. Females advanced onset of breeding, laid more eggs and raised more fledglings in the first brood when ecological conditions during the previous winter improved. This response was age dependent, since yearlings did not respond to this environmental cue but the response was increasingly stronger as females aged. Males showed a similar response to winter conditions, although not statistically significant. These results highlight the importance of studying carry-over effects within the context of climate change, especially in relation to age of individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cosme López Calderón
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Green Building, Avenue Reina Mercedes, E-41012, Seville, Spain.
| | - Javier Balbontín Arenas
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Green Building, Avenue Reina Mercedes, E-41012, Seville, Spain
| | - Keith A Hobson
- Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Anders Pape Møller
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, Université Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91405, Orsay Cedex, France
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15
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Sorensen MC, Dixit T, Kardynal KJ, Newton J, Hobson KA, Bensch S, Jenni‐Eiermann S, Spottiswoode CN. Migration distance does not predict blood parasitism in a migratory songbird. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:8294-8304. [PMID: 31380090 PMCID: PMC6662322 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2019] [Revised: 05/28/2019] [Accepted: 06/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Migration can influence host-parasite dynamics in animals by increasing exposure to parasites, by reducing the energy available for immune defense, or by culling of infected individuals. These mechanisms have been demonstrated in several comparative analyses; however, few studies have investigated whether conspecific variation in migration distance may also be related to infection risk. Here, we ask whether autumn migration distance, inferred from stable hydrogen isotope analysis of summer-grown feathers (δ 2Hf) in Europe, correlates with blood parasite prevalence and intensity of infection for willow warblers (Phylloscopus trochilus) wintering in Zambia. We also investigated whether infection was correlated with individual condition (assessed via corticosterone, scaled mass index, and feather quality). We found that 43% of birds were infected with Haemoproteus palloris (lineage WW1). Using generalized linear models, we found no relationship between migration distance and either Haemoproteus infection prevalence or intensity. There was spatial variation in breeding ground origins of infected versus noninfected birds, with infected birds originating from more northern sites than noninfected birds, but this difference translated into only slightly longer estimated migration distances (~214 km) for infected birds. We found no relationship between body condition indices and Haemoproteus infection prevalence or intensity. Our results do not support any of the proposed mechanisms for migration effects on host-parasite dynamics and cautiously suggest that other factors may be more important for determining individual susceptibility to disease in migratory bird species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjorie C. Sorensen
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- Department of Integrative BiologyUniversity of GuelphGuelphOntarioCanada
| | - Tanmay Dixit
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | | | - Jason Newton
- NERC Life Sciences Mass Spectrometry FacilityScottish Universities Environmental Research CentreEast KilbrideUK
| | - Keith A. Hobson
- Environment and Climate Change CanadaSaskatoonSaskatchewanCanada
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Western OntarioLondonOntarioCanada
| | | | | | - Claire N. Spottiswoode
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
- DST‐NRF Centre of Excellence at the FitzPatrick Institute of African OrnithologyUniversity of Cape TownCape TownSouth Africa
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16
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López‐Calderón C, Van Wilgenburg SL, Roth AM, Flaspohler DJ, Hobson KA. An evaluation of isotopic (δ
2
H) methods to provide estimates of avian breeding and natal dispersal. Ecosphere 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- C. López‐Calderón
- Department of Zoology Faculty of Biology University of Seville Green Building, Avenue Reina Mercedes Seville E‐41012 Spain
| | | | - Amber M. Roth
- Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Conservation Biology School of Forest Resources University of Maine Orono Maine USA
| | - David J. Flaspohler
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science Michigan Technological University Houghton Michigan USA
| | - Keith A. Hobson
- Science and Technology Branch Environment and Climate Change Canada Saskatoon Saskatchewan S7N 3H5 Canada
- University of Western Ontario London Ontario N6A 5B7 Canada
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17
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Foraging and recruitment hotspot dynamics for the largest Atlantic loggerhead turtle rookery. Sci Rep 2017; 7:16894. [PMID: 29203929 PMCID: PMC5715148 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-17206-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Determining patterns of migratory connectivity for highly-mobile, wide-ranging species, such as sea turtles, is challenging. Here, we combined satellite telemetry and stable isotope analysis to estimate foraging locations for 749 individual loggerheads nesting along the east central Florida (USA) coast, the largest rookery for the Northwest Atlantic population. We aggregated individual results by year, identified seven foraging hotspots and tracked these summaries to describe the dynamics of inter-annual contributions of these geographic areas to this rookery over a nine-year period. Using reproductive information for a subset of turtles (n = 513), we estimated hatchling yields associated with each hotspots. We found considerable inter-annual variability in the relative contribution of foraging areas to the nesting adults. Also reproductive success differed among foraging hotspots; females using southern foraging areas laid nests that produced more offspring in all but one year of the study. These analyses identified two high priority areas for future research and conservation efforts: the continental shelf adjacent to east central Florida and the Great Bahama Bank, which support higher numbers of foraging females that provide higher rates of hatchling production. The implementation of the continuous-surface approach to determine geographic origins of unknown migrants is applicable to other migratory species.
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18
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Fraser EE, Brooks D, Longstaffe FJ. Stable isotope investigation of the migratory behavior of silver-haired bats (Lasionycteris noctivagans) in eastern North America. J Mammal 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyx085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
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19
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Rushing CS, Marra PP, Studds CE. Incorporating breeding abundance into spatial assignments on continuous surfaces. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:3847-3855. [PMID: 28616181 PMCID: PMC5468143 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2016] [Revised: 10/11/2016] [Accepted: 10/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Determining the geographic connections between breeding and nonbreeding populations, termed migratory connectivity, is critical to advancing our understanding of the ecology and conservation of migratory species. Assignment models based on stable isotopes historically have been an important tool for studying migratory connectivity of small-bodied species, but the low resolution of these assignments has generated interest into combining isotopes with other sources in information. Abundance is one of the most appealing data sources to include in isotope-based assignments, but there are currently no statistical methods or guidelines for optimizing the contribution of stable isotopes and abundance for inferring migratory connectivity. Using known-origin stable-hydrogen isotope samples of six Neotropical migratory bird species, we rigorously assessed the performance of assignment models that differentially weight the contribution of the isotope and abundance data. For two species with adequate sample sizes, we used Pareto optimality to determine the set of models that simultaneously minimized both assignment error rate and assignment area. We then assessed the ability of the top models from these two species to improve assignments of the remaining four species compared to assignments based on isotopes alone. We show that the increased precision of models that include abundance is often offset by a large increase in assignment error. However, models that optimally weigh the abundance data relative to the isotope data can result in higher precision and, in some cases, lower error than models based on isotopes alone. The top models, however, depended on the distribution of relative breeding abundance, with patchier distributions requiring stronger downweighting of abundance, and we present general guidelines for future studies. These results confirm that breeding abundance can be an important source of information for studies investigating broad-scale movements of migratory birds and potentially other taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clark S Rushing
- Migratory Bird Center Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute National Zoological Park Washington DC USA
| | - Peter P Marra
- Migratory Bird Center Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute National Zoological Park Washington DC USA
| | - Colin E Studds
- Migratory Bird Center Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute National Zoological Park Washington DC USA.,Department of Geography & Environmental Systems University of Maryland Baltimore County Baltimore MD USA
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20
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Ruegg KC, Anderson EC, Harrigan RJ, Paxton KL, Kelly JF, Moore F, Smith TB. Genetic assignment with isotopes and habitat suitability (
gaiah
), a migratory bird case study. Methods Ecol Evol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.12800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Kristen C. Ruegg
- Center for Tropical Research, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles CA 90095‐1496 USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California Santa Cruz CA 95064 USA
| | - Eric C. Anderson
- Fisheries Ecology Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA Santa Cruz CA 95060 USA
| | - Ryan J. Harrigan
- Center for Tropical Research, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles CA 90095‐1496 USA
| | | | - Jeffrey F. Kelly
- Oklahoma Biological Survey University of Oklahoma Norman OK 73019 USA
- Department of Biology University of Oklahoma Norman OK 73019 USA
| | - Frank Moore
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg MS 39406 USA
| | - Thomas B. Smith
- Center for Tropical Research, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles CA 90095‐1496 USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California Los Angles CA 90095 USA
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21
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Magozzi S, Yool A, Vander Zanden HB, Wunder MB, Trueman CN. Using ocean models to predict spatial and temporal variation in marine carbon isotopes. Ecosphere 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- S. Magozzi
- School of Ocean and Earth Science University of Southampton European Way Southampton SO14 3ZH UK
- Department of Geology and Geophysics University of Utah 115 S 1460 E Salt Lake City Utah 84112 USA
| | - A. Yool
- National Oceanography Centre Southampton European Way Southampton SO14 3ZH UK
| | - H. B. Vander Zanden
- Department of Geology and Geophysics University of Utah 115 S 1460 E Salt Lake City Utah 84112 USA
- Department of Biology University of Florida PO Box 118525 Gainesville Florida 32611 USA
| | - M. B. Wunder
- Department of Integrative Biology University of Colorado Denver 1151 Arapahoe SI 2071 Denver Colorado 80217 USA
| | - C. N. Trueman
- School of Ocean and Earth Science University of Southampton European Way Southampton SO14 3ZH UK
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22
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Schmaljohann H, Eikenaar C. How do energy stores and changes in these affect departure decisions by migratory birds? A critical view on stopover ecology studies and some future perspectives. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2017; 203:411-429. [PMID: 28332031 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-017-1166-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2016] [Revised: 03/08/2017] [Accepted: 03/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
In birds, accumulating energy is far slower than spending energy during flight. During migration, birds spend, therefore, most of the time at stopover refueling energy used during the previous flight. This elucidates why current energy stores and actual rate of accumulating energy are likely crucial factors influencing bird's decision when to resume migration in addition to other intrinsic (sex, age) and extrinsic (predation, weather) factors modulating the decision within the innate migration program. After first summarizing how energy stores and stopover durations are generally determined, we critically review that high-energy stores and low rates of accumulating energy were significantly related to high departure probabilities in several bird groups. There are, however, also many studies showing no effect at all. Recent radio-tracking studies highlighted that migrants leave a site either to resume migration or to search for a better stopover location, so-called "landscape movements". Erroneously treating such movements as departures increases the likelihood of type II errors which might mistakenly suggest no effect of either trait on departure. Furthermore, we propose that energy loss during the previous migratory flight in relation to bird's current energy stores and migration strategy significantly affects its urge to refuel and hence its departure decision.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heiko Schmaljohann
- Institute of Avian Research "Vogelwarte Helgoland", An der Vogelwarte 21, 26386, Wilhelmshaven, Germany.
| | - Cas Eikenaar
- Institute of Avian Research "Vogelwarte Helgoland", An der Vogelwarte 21, 26386, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
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23
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Laffoon JE, Sonnemann TF, Shafie T, Hofman CL, Brandes U, Davies GR. Investigating human geographic origins using dual-isotope (87Sr/86Sr, δ18O) assignment approaches. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0172562. [PMID: 28222163 PMCID: PMC5319690 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0172562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2016] [Accepted: 02/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Substantial progress in the application of multiple isotope analyses has greatly improved the ability to identify nonlocal individuals amongst archaeological populations over the past decades. More recently the development of large scale models of spatial isotopic variation (isoscapes) has contributed to improved geographic assignments of human and animal origins. Persistent challenges remain, however, in the accurate identification of individual geographic origins from skeletal isotope data in studies of human (and animal) migration and provenance. In an attempt to develop and test more standardized and quantitative approaches to geographic assignment of individual origins using isotopic data two methods, combining 87Sr/86Sr and δ18O isoscapes, are examined for the Circum-Caribbean region: 1) an Interval approach using a defined range of fixed isotopic variation per location; and 2) a Likelihood assignment approach using univariate and bivariate probability density functions. These two methods are tested with enamel isotope data from a modern sample of known origin from Caracas, Venezuela and further explored with two archaeological samples of unknown origin recovered from Cuba and Trinidad. The results emphasize both the potential and limitation of the different approaches. Validation tests on the known origin sample exclude most areas of the Circum-Caribbean region and correctly highlight Caracas as a possible place of origin with both approaches. The positive validation results clearly demonstrate the overall efficacy of a dual-isotope approach to geoprovenance. The accuracy and precision of geographic assignments may be further improved by better understanding of the relationships between environmental and biological isotope variation; continued development and refinement of relevant isoscapes; and the eventual incorporation of a broader array of isotope proxy data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason E. Laffoon
- Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Termeh Shafie
- Department of Computer & Information Science, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | | | - Ulrik Brandes
- Department of Computer & Information Science, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Gareth R. Davies
- Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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24
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Kishkinev D, Heyers D, Woodworth BK, Mitchell GW, Hobson KA, Norris DR. Experienced migratory songbirds do not display goal-ward orientation after release following a cross-continental displacement: an automated telemetry study. Sci Rep 2016; 6:37326. [PMID: 27876843 PMCID: PMC5120330 DOI: 10.1038/srep37326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2016] [Accepted: 10/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to navigate implies that animals have the capability to compensate for geographical displacement and return to their initial goal or target. Although some species are capable of adjusting their direction after displacement, the environmental cues used to achieve this remain elusive. Two possible cues are geomagnetic parameters (magnetic map hypothesis) or atmospheric odour-forming gradients (olfactory map hypothesis). In this study, we examined both of these hypotheses by surgically deactivating either the magnetic or olfactory sensory systems in experienced white-throated sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis) captured in southern Ontario, Canada, during spring migration. Treated, sham-treated, and intact birds were then displaced 2,200 km west to Saskatchewan, Canada. Tracking their initial post-displacement migration using an array of automated VHF receiving towers, we found no evidence in any of the groups for compensatory directional response towards their expected breeding grounds. Our results suggest that white-throated sparrows may fall back to a simple constant-vector orientation strategy instead of performing true navigation after they have been geographically displaced to an unfamiliar area during spring migration. Such a basic strategy may be more common than currently thought in experienced migratory birds and its occurrence could be determined by habitat preferences or range size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry Kishkinev
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, N1G 2W1 Guelph, Ontario, Canada
- School of Biological Sciences, Bangor University, Deiniol Road, LL57 2UW Bangor, Gwynedd, UK
| | - Dominik Heyers
- AG Neurosensorik / Animal Navigation, Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University Oldenburg, D-26111 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Bradley K. Woodworth
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, N1G 2W1 Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Greg W. Mitchell
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, 1125 Colonel By Drive, K1H 0H3, Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Keith A. Hobson
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 11 Innovation Boulevard, S7N 3H5 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
- Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, N6A 5B7, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - D. Ryan Norris
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, N1G 2W1 Guelph, Ontario, Canada
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25
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Werner SJ, Hobson KA, Van Wilgenburg SL, Fischer JW. Multi-Isotopic (δ2H, δ13C, δ15N) Tracing of Molt Origin for Red-Winged Blackbirds Associated with Agro-Ecosystems. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0165996. [PMID: 27846302 PMCID: PMC5112917 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0165996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2016] [Accepted: 10/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
We analyzed stable-hydrogen (δ2H), carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ 15N) isotope ratios in feathers to better understand the molt origin and food habits of Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) near sunflower production in the Upper Midwest and rice production in the Mid-South of the United States. Outer primary feathers were used from 661 after-second-year (ASY) male blackbirds collected in Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota (spring collection), and Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas (winter collection). The best-fit model indicated that the combination of feather δ2H, δ13C and δ15N best predicted the state of sample collections and thus supported the use of this approach for tracing molt origins in Red-winged Blackbirds. When considering only birds collected in spring, 56% of birds were classified to their collection state on the basis of δ2H and δ13C alone. We then developed feather isoscapes for δ13C based upon these data and for δ2H based upon continental patterns of δ2H in precipitation. We used 81 birds collected at the ten independent sites for model validation. The spatially-explicit assignment of these 81 birds to the δ2H isoscape resulted in relatively high rates (~77%) of accurate assignment to collection states. We also modeled the spatial extent of C3 (e.g. rice, sunflower) and C4 (corn, millet, sorghum) agricultural crops grown throughout the Upper Midwest and Mid-South United States to predict the relative use of C3- versus C4-based foodwebs among sampled blackbirds. Estimates of C3 inputs to diet ranged from 50% in Arkansas to 27% in Minnesota. As a novel contribution to blackbird conservation and management, we demonstrate how such feather isoscapes can be used to predict the molt origin and interstate movements of migratory blackbirds for subsequent investigations of breeding biology (e.g. sex-specific philopatry), agricultural depredation, feeding ecology, physiology of migration and sensitivity to environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott J. Werner
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, 4101 LaPorte Avenue, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America, 80521
- * E-mail:
| | - Keith A. Hobson
- Environment Canada, 11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon, SK, Canada, S7N 3H5
- Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St. N., London, ON, Canada, N6A 5B7
| | - Steven L. Van Wilgenburg
- Environment Canada, Prairie and Northern Wildlife Research Center, Canadian Wildlife Service, 115 Perimeter Road, Saskatoon, SK, Canada, S7N 0X4
| | - Justin W. Fischer
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, 4101 LaPorte Avenue, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America, 80521
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26
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Trueman CN, MacKenzie KM, St John Glew K. Stable isotope‐based location in a shelf sea setting: accuracy and precision are comparable to light‐based location methods. Methods Ecol Evol 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.12651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Clive N. Trueman
- Ocean and Earth Science University of Southampton Waterfront Campus Southampton SO143ZH UK
| | - Kirsteen M. MacKenzie
- Ocean and Earth Science University of Southampton Waterfront Campus Southampton SO143ZH UK
- Institute of Marine Research Tromsø Department P.O Box 6404 9294 Tromsø Norway
| | - Katie St John Glew
- Ocean and Earth Science University of Southampton Waterfront Campus Southampton SO143ZH UK
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27
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Unraveling migratory connectivity of two European diving ducks: a stable isotope approach. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-016-1048-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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28
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Fournier AMV, Sullivan AR, Bump JK, Perkins M, Shieldcastle MC, King SL. Combining citizen science species distribution models and stable isotopes reveals migratory connectivity in the secretive
V
irginia rail. J Appl Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Auriel M. V. Fournier
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Sciences Michigan Technological University Houghton MI 49931 USA
| | - Alexis R. Sullivan
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science Umeå Plant Science Centre Umeå University Umeå SE‐ 901 87 Sweden
| | - Joseph K. Bump
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Sciences Michigan Technological University Houghton MI 49931 USA
| | - Marie Perkins
- Louisiana State University AgCenter Baton Rouge LA 79803 USA
| | | | - Sammy L. King
- U.S. Geological Survey Louisiana Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit School of Renewable Natural Resources Louisiana State University Baton Rouge LA 70816 USA
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29
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Sullins DS, Conway WC, Haukos DA, Hobson KA, Wassenaar LI, Comer CE, Hung IK. American woodcock migratory connectivity as indicated by hydrogen isotopes. J Wildl Manage 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.1035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel S. Sullins
- Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture; Stephen F. Austin State University; Nacogdoches TX USA
| | - Warren C. Conway
- Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture; Stephen F. Austin State University; Nacogdoches TX USA
| | - David A. Haukos
- U.S. Geological Survey, Kansas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Division of Biology; Kansas State University; Manhattan KS USA
| | - Keith A. Hobson
- Environment Canada, National Hydrology Research Centre; University of Saskatchewan; Saskatoon SK Canada
| | - Leonard I. Wassenaar
- Environment Canada, National Hydrology Research Centre; University of Saskatchewan; Saskatoon SK Canada
| | - Christopher E. Comer
- Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture; Stephen F. Austin State University; Nacogdoches TX USA
| | - I-Kuai Hung
- Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture; Stephen F. Austin State University; Nacogdoches TX USA
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30
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Zanden HBV, Tucker AD, Hart KM, Lamont MM, Fuisaki I, Addison D, Mansfield KL, Phillips KF, Wunder MB, Bowen GJ, Pajuelo M, Bolten AB, Bjorndal KA. Determining origin in a migratory marine vertebrate: a novel method to integrate stable isotopes and satellite tracking. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2015; 25:320-335. [PMID: 26263657 DOI: 10.1890/14-0581.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Stable isotope analysis is a useful tool to track animal movements in both terrestrial and marine environments. These intrinsic markers are assimilated through the diet and may exhibit spatial gradients as a result of biogeochemical processes at the base of the food web. In the marine environment, maps to predict the spatial distribution of stable isotopes are limited, and thus determining geographic origin has been reliant upon integrating satellite telemetry and stable isotope data. Migratory sea turtles regularly move between foraging and reproductive areas. Whereas most nesting populations can be easily accessed and regularly monitored, little is known about the demographic trends in foraging populations. The purpose of the present study was to examine migration patterns of loggerhead nesting aggregations in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM), where sea turtles have been historically understudied. Two methods of geographic assignment using stable isotope values in known-origin samples from satellite telemetry were compared: (1) a nominal approach through discriminant analysis and (2) a novel continuous-surface approach using bivariate carbon and nitrogen isoscapes (isotopic landscapes) developed for this study. Tissue samples for stable isotope analysis were obtained from 60 satellite-tracked individuals at five nesting beaches within the GoM. Both methodological approaches for assignment resulted in high accuracy of foraging area determination, though each has advantages and disadvantages. The nominal approach is more appropriate when defined boundaries are necessary, but up to 42% of the individuals could not be considered in this approach. All individuals can be included in the continuous-surface approach, and individual results can be aggregated to identify geographic hotspots of foraging area use, though the accuracy rate was lower than nominal assignment. The methodological validation provides a foundation for future sea turtle studies in the region to inexpensively determine geographic origin for large numbers of untracked individuals. Regular monitoring of sea turtle nesting aggregations with stable isotope sampling can be used to fill critical data gaps regarding habitat use and migration patterns. Probabilistic assignment to origin with isoscapes has not been previously used in the marine environment, but the methods presented here could also be applied to other migratory marine species.
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31
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Lavoie RA, Kyser TK, Friesen VL, Campbell LM. Tracking overwintering areas of fish-eating birds to identify mercury exposure. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2015; 49:863-872. [PMID: 25514043 DOI: 10.1021/es502813t] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Migration patterns are believed to greatly influence concentrations of contaminants in birds due to accumulation in spatially and temporally distinct ecosystems. Two species of fish-eating birds, the Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) and the Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) breeding in Lake Ontario were chosen to measure the impact of overwintering location on mercury concentrations ([Hg]). We characterized (1) overwintering areas using stable isotopes of hydrogen (δ(2)H) and band recoveries, and (2) overwintering habitats by combining information from stable isotopes of sulfur (δ(34)S), carbon (δ(13)C), nitrogen (δ(15)N), and δ(2)H in feathers grown during the winter. Overall, overwintering location had a significant effect on [Hg]. Both species showed high [Hg] in (13)C-rich habitats. In situ production of Hg (e.g., through sulfate reducing bacteria in sediments) and allochthonous import could explain high [Hg] in birds visiting (13)C-rich habitats. Higher [Hg] were found in birds with high δ(2)H, suggesting that Hg is more bioavailable in southern overwintering locations. Hotspot maps informed that higher [Hg] in birds were found at the limit of their southeastern overwintering range. Mercury concentrations in winter feathers were positively related to predicted spatial pattern of [Hg] in fish using the National Descriptive Model of Mercury in Fish (NDMMF) based on bird spatial assignment (using δ(2)H). This study indicates that the overwintering location greatly influences [Hg].
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Thorup K, Korner-Nievergelt F, Cohen EB, Baillie SR. Large-scale spatial analysis of ringing and re-encounter data to infer movement patterns: A review including methodological perspectives. Methods Ecol Evol 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.12258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kasper Thorup
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate; Natural History Museum of Denmark; University of Copenhagen; Universitetsparken 15 DK-2100 Copenhagen Denmark
| | - Fränzi Korner-Nievergelt
- Swiss Ornithological Institute; CH - 6204 Sempach and Oikostat GmbH CH-6218 Ettiswil Switzerland
| | - Emily B. Cohen
- Migratory Bird Center; Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute; National Zoological Park; Washington DC USA
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Veen T, Hjernquist MB, Van Wilgenburg SL, Hobson KA, Folmer E, Font L, Klaassen M. Identifying the African wintering grounds of hybrid flycatchers using a multi-isotope (δ2H, δ13C, δ15N) assignment approach. PLoS One 2014; 9:e98075. [PMID: 24847717 PMCID: PMC4029901 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0098075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2014] [Accepted: 04/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Migratory routes and wintering grounds can have important fitness consequences, which can lead to divergent selection on populations or taxa differing in their migratory itinerary. Collared (Ficedula albicollis) and pied (F. hypoleuca) flycatchers breeding in Europe and wintering in different sub-Saharan regions have distinct migratory routes on the eastern and western sides of the Sahara desert, respectively. In an earlier paper, we showed that hybrids of the two species did not incur reduced winter survival, which would be expected if their migration strategy had been a mix of the parent species' strategies potentially resulting in an intermediate route crossing the Sahara desert to different wintering grounds. Previously, we compared isotope ratios and found no significant difference in stable-nitrogen isotope ratios (δ15N) in winter-grown feathers between the parental species and hybrids, but stable-carbon isotope ratios (δ13C) in hybrids significantly clustered only with those of pied flycatchers. We followed up on these findings and additionally analyzed the same feathers for stable-hydrogen isotope ratios (δ2H) and conducted spatially explicit multi-isotope assignment analyses. The assignment results overlapped with presumed wintering ranges of the two species, highlighting the efficacy of the method. In contrast to earlier findings, hybrids clustered with both parental species, though most strongly with pied flycatcher.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thor Veen
- Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Theoretical Biology Group, University of Groningen, Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
| | | | | | | | - Eelke Folmer
- Department of Marine Ecology, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Den Burg, Noord-Holland, The Netherlands
| | - Laura Font
- Deep Earth Cluster, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, The Netherlands
| | - Marcel Klaassen
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Wageningen, Gelderland, The Netherlands
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
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Rushing CS, Ryder TB, Saracco JF, Marra PP. Assessing migratory connectivity for a long-distance migratory bird using multiple intrinsic markers. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2014; 24:445-456. [PMID: 24834732 DOI: 10.1890/13-1091.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Patterns of migratory connectivity are a vital yet poorly understood component of the ecology and evolution of migratory birds. Our ability to accurately characterize patterns of migratory connectivity is often limited by the spatial resolution of the data, but recent advances in probabilistic assignment approaches have begun pairing stable isotopes with other sources of data (e.g., genetic and mark-recapture) to improve the accuracy and precision of inferences based on a single marker. Here, we combine stable isotopes and geographic variation in morphology (wing length) to probabilistically assign Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustilena) captured on the wintering grounds to breeding locations. In addition, we use known-origin samples to validate our model and assess potentially important impacts of isotopic and morphological covariates (age, sex, and breeding location). Our results show that despite relatively high levels of mixing across their breeding and nonbreeding ranges, moderate levels of migratory connectivity exist along an east-west gradient. In addition, combining stable isotopes with geographic variation in wing length improved the precision of breeding assignments by 10% and 37% compared to assignments based on isotopes alone or wing length alone, respectively. These results demonstrate that geographical variation in morphological traits can greatly improve estimates of migratory connectivity when combined with other intrinsic markers (e.g., stable isotopes or genetic data). The wealth of morphological data available from museum specimens across the world represents a tremendously valuable, but largely untapped, resource that is widely applicable for quantifying patterns of migratory connectivity.
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Veen T. Unravelling migratory connections: the next level. Mol Ecol 2014; 22:4144-4146. [PMID: 23927409 DOI: 10.1111/mec.12441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2013] [Revised: 07/02/2013] [Accepted: 07/05/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Migration is widespread among birds, and the strength of the link between the breeding and wintering grounds, migratory connectivity, influences many ecological and evolutionary processes. Despite its importance, migratory connectivity is poorly estimated for most species. Traditionally, visual observations and bird ringing have been used to monitor migration, but these methods require more effort for relatively little return. Genetic markers and stable isotope signatures have increasingly been used to study connectivity. Each approach has its distinct strengths and weaknesses, and as is often the case, a combination may yield the most insight. In this issue of Molecular Ecology, Rundel and colleagues (2013) present a novel Bayesian statistical framework in which genetics and stable isotope data can be combined to improve the assignment of individuals to different winter or breeding regions. The development of such new statistical methods combined with the increasing number and ease of access of isotopic and genetic data sets will greatly enhance our understanding of migratory connectivity. Add to this the developments of miniature devices to track movements of individuals, and the field is destined to make major progression in the decades to come.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thor Veen
- Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, 6270 University Blvd, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 1Z4, Canada
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36
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García-Pérez B, Hobson KA. A multi-isotope (δ2H, δ13C, δ15N) approach to establishing migratory connectivity of Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica). Ecosphere 2014. [DOI: 10.1890/es13-00116.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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Bowen GJ, Liu Z, Vander Zanden HB, Zhao L, Takahashi G. Geographic assignment with stable isotopes in IsoMAP. Methods Ecol Evol 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.12147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel J. Bowen
- Department of Geology & Geophysics and Global Change and Sustainability Center; University of Utah; Salt Lake City UT 84112 USA
| | - Zhongfang Liu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Water Resource and Environment; Tianjin Normal University; Tianjin 300387 China
| | - Hannah B. Vander Zanden
- Department of Geology & Geophysics and Global Change and Sustainability Center; University of Utah; Salt Lake City UT 84112 USA
| | - Lan Zhao
- Rosen Center for Advanced Computing; Purdue University; West Lafayette IN 47907 USA
| | - George Takahashi
- Rosen Center for Advanced Computing; Purdue University; West Lafayette IN 47907 USA
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Flockhart DTT, Wassenaar LI, Martin TG, Hobson KA, Wunder MB, Norris DR. Tracking multi-generational colonization of the breeding grounds by monarch butterflies in eastern North America. Proc Biol Sci 2013; 280:20131087. [PMID: 23926146 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2013.1087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Insect migration may involve movements over multiple breeding generations at continental scales, resulting in formidable challenges to their conservation and management. Using distribution models generated from citizen scientist occurrence data and stable-carbon and -hydrogen isotope measurements, we tracked multi-generational colonization of the breeding grounds of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) in eastern North America. We found that monarch breeding occurrence was best modelled with geographical and climatic variables resulting in an annual breeding distribution of greater than 12 million km(2) that encompassed 99% occurrence probability. Combining occurrence models with stable isotope measurements to estimate natal origin, we show that butterflies which overwintered in Mexico came from a wide breeding distribution, including southern portions of the range. There was a clear northward progression of monarchs over successive generations from May until August when reproductive butterflies began to change direction and moved south. Fifth-generation individuals breeding in Texas in the late summer/autumn tended to originate from northern breeding areas rather than regions further south. Although the Midwest was the most productive area during the breeding season, monarchs that re-colonized the Midwest were produced largely in Texas, suggesting that conserving breeding habitat in the Midwest alone is insufficient to ensure long-term persistence of the monarch butterfly population in eastern North America.
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Affiliation(s)
- D T Tyler Flockhart
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1.
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Rundel CW, Wunder MB, Alvarado AH, Ruegg KC, Harrigan R, Schuh A, Kelly JF, Siegel RB, DeSante DF, Smith TB, Novembre J. Novel statistical methods for integrating genetic and stable isotope data to infer individual-level migratory connectivity. Mol Ecol 2013; 22:4163-4176. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.12393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2013] [Revised: 04/27/2013] [Accepted: 05/03/2013] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Colin W. Rundel
- Department of Statistical Sciences; Duke University; Durham NC 27708 USA
- Department of Statistics; University of California, Los Angeles; Los Angeles CA 90095 USA
| | - Michael B. Wunder
- Department of Integrative Biology; University of Colorado, Denver; Denver CO 80217 USA
| | - Allison H. Alvarado
- Center for Tropical Research Institute of the Environment and Sustainability; University of California, Los Angeles; Los Angeles CA 90095 USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of California, Los Angeles; Los Angeles CA 90095 USA
| | - Kristen C. Ruegg
- Department of Integrative Biology; University of Colorado, Denver; Denver CO 80217 USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of California, Santa Cruz; Santa Cruz CA 95064 USA
| | - Ryan Harrigan
- Center for Tropical Research Institute of the Environment and Sustainability; University of California, Los Angeles; Los Angeles CA 90095 USA
| | - Andrew Schuh
- Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA); Fort Collins CO 80523 USA
| | - Jeffrey F. Kelly
- Oklahoma Biological Survey and Department of Biology; Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Program; University of Oklahoma; Norman OK 73019 USA
| | - Rodney B. Siegel
- The Institute for Bird Populations; Point Reyes Station CA 94956 USA
| | - David F. DeSante
- The Institute for Bird Populations; Point Reyes Station CA 94956 USA
| | - Thomas B. Smith
- Center for Tropical Research Institute of the Environment and Sustainability; University of California, Los Angeles; Los Angeles CA 90095 USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of California, Los Angeles; Los Angeles CA 90095 USA
| | - John Novembre
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of California, Los Angeles; Los Angeles CA 90095 USA
- Department of Human Genetics; Chicago IL 60637 USA
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A stable isotope (δ 2H) approach to deriving origins of harvested woodcock (Scolopax rusticola) taken in France. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-013-0742-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Garcia-Perez B, Hobson KA, Powell RL, Still CJ, Huber GH. Switching hemispheres: a new migration strategy for the disjunct Argentinean breeding population of Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica). PLoS One 2013; 8:e55654. [PMID: 23383257 PMCID: PMC3561328 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0055654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2012] [Accepted: 12/28/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica) breed almost exclusively in the Northern Hemisphere. However, since the early 1980's, a small disjunct breeding population has become established in eastern Argentina, presumably by birds previously derived from those breeding in North America. Currently, it is unknown where these individuals go following breeding and how they have adjusted to a reversal in phenology. Their austral wintering period corresponds to the breeding period of the northern ancestral population and so they can potentially return to these more traditional breeding sites or they may occupy other South American wintering regions left vacant by conspecifics returning to the Northern Hemisphere. Principal Findings We used a three-isotope (δ13C, δ15N, δ2H) approach to investigate potential wintering areas in Central and South America of individuals breeding in Argentina. Feather isotope values differed from those expected and measured at local breeding sites in Argentina indicating molt after the austral breeding period and away from the breeding grounds. Potential molting origins were identified applying likelihood-based assignment methods to a δ2H isoscape for South America and dichotomous prior information on the distribution of C3 and C4 vegetation types based on modeled vegetation-δ13C values. Barn Swallows now breeding in Argentina have changed their migratory behavior but presumably use the same cues as those used by the ancestral population, molting their feathers during the austral winter, likely in north-eastern South America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belen Garcia-Perez
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
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42
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The role of nuclear technologies in the diagnosis and control of livestock diseases--a review. Trop Anim Health Prod 2013; 44:1341-66. [PMID: 22286376 PMCID: PMC3433664 DOI: 10.1007/s11250-012-0077-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/08/2012] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Nuclear and nuclear-related technologies have played an important role in animal health, particularly in relation to disease diagnosis and characterization of pathogenic organisms. This review focuses primarily on how and where nuclear technologies, both non-isotopic and isotopic methods, have made their impact in the past and where it might be expected they could have an impact in the future. The review outlines the extensive use of radiation attenuation in attempts to create vaccines for a multiplicity of pathogenic organisms and how the technology is being re-examined in the light of recent advances in irradiation techniques and cryopreservation/lyophilization that might obviate some of the problems of maintenance of viable, attenuate vaccines and their transport and use in the field. This approach could be used for a number of parasitic diseases where vaccination has been problematic and where investigations into the development of molecular vaccines have still failed to deliver satisfactory candidates for generating protective immune responses. Irradiation of antigens or serum samples also has its uses in diagnosis, especially when the samples need to be transported across international boundaries, or when handling the pathogens in question when carrying out a test presents serious health hazards to laboratory personnel. The present-day extensive use of enzyme immunoassays and molecular methods (e.g., polymerase chain reaction) for diagnosis and characterization of animal pathogens has its origins in the use of isotope-labeled antigens and antibodies. These isotopic techniques that included the use of 75Se, 32P, 125I, and 35S isotopes enabled a level of sensitivity and specificity that was hitherto unrealized, and it is prescient to remind ourselves of just how successful these technologies were, in spite of their infrequent use nowadays. Finally, the review looks at the potential for stable isotope analysis for a variety of applications--in the tracking of animal migrations, where the migrant are potential carriers of transboundary animal diseases, and where it would be useful to determine the origins of the carrier, e.g., Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza and its dissemination by wild water fowl. Other applications could be in monitoring sequestered microbial culture (e.g., rinderpest virus) where in the case of accidental or deliberate release of infective culture it would be possible to identify the laboratory from which the isolate originated.
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Britzke E, Loeb S, Romanek C, Hobson K, Vonhof M. Variation in catchment areas of Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) hibernacula inferred from stable hydrogen (δ2H) isotope analysis. CAN J ZOOL 2012. [DOI: 10.1139/z2012-093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Understanding seasonal movements of bats is important for effective conservation efforts. Although female Indiana bats ( Myotis sodalis Miller and Allen, 1928) have been documented to migrate >500 km, knowledge of their migratory patterns is still extremely limited. We used the relationship between latitude and stable hydrogen isotope ratio in bat hair (δ2Hhair) to estimate the north–south extent of the summer range (catchment area) of bats hibernating in 14 Indiana bat hibernacula in eight states throughout its range. Range of δ2Hhair values varied substantially among hibernacula, suggesting large differences among sites in the north–south distance travelled by bats between summer and winter habitats. In particular, hibernacula in the southern portion of the range had greater catchment areas than those in the central and northern portions of the range. Variability in movement distances among sites was not associated with the number of hair samples analyzed or colony size. Significant year-to-year variation (2007–2008 to 2008–2009) in the distribution of δ2Hhair for two sites in Tennessee was observed. Currently, hibernacula considered important for species conservation are largely determined by population size, but our results suggest that migratory diversity should also be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- E.R. Britzke
- US Army Engineer Research and Development Center, 3909 Halls Ferry Road, Vicksburg, MS 39180, USA
| | - S.C. Loeb
- US Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
| | - C.S. Romanek
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA
| | - K.A. Hobson
- Environment Canada, 11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon, SK S7N 3H5, Canada
| | - M.J. Vonhof
- Department of Biological Sciences and Environmental Studies Program, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI 49008, USA
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Reichlin TS, Hobson KA, Van Wilgenburg SL, Schaub M, Wassenaar LI, Martín-Vivaldi M, Arlettaz R, Jenni L. Conservation through connectivity: can isotopic gradients in Africa reveal winter quarters of a migratory bird? Oecologia 2012; 171:591-600. [PMID: 23011847 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-012-2418-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2011] [Accepted: 07/11/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Conservation of migratory wildlife requires knowledge of migratory connectivity between breeding and non-breeding locations. Stable isotopes in combination with geographical isotopic patterns (isoscapes) can provide inferences about migratory connectivity. This study examines whether such an approach can be used to infer wintering areas in sub-Saharan Africa, where we lack such knowledge for many species, but where this method has not been used widely. We measured δ (2)H, δ (13)C and δ (15)N in winter-grown feathers of a breeding Swiss and Spanish population of European hoopoe Upupa epops--a typical Palaearctic-Afrotropical migrant. δ (2)H values predicted that ~70 % of the hoopoes spent the non-breeding season in the western portion of their potential winter range. This was corroborated by a shallow east-west gradient in feather-δ (2)H values of museum specimens from known African origin across the potential winter range and by the recovery of Swiss hoopoes marked with geolocators. Hoopoes categorized as from eastern versus western regions of the wintering range were further delineated spatially using feather δ (13)C and δ (15)N. δ (15)N showed no trend, whereas adults were more enriched in (13)C in the western portion of the range, with eastern adults being in addition more depleted in (13)C than eastern juveniles. This suggests that eastern juveniles may have occupied more xeric habitats than sympatric adults. We demonstrated that stable isotopes, especially δ (2)H, could only very roughly delineate the winter distribution of a trans-Saharan Palaearctic migrant restricted primarily to the Sahelian and savanna belt south of the Sahara. Further refinements of precipitation isoscapes for Africa as well the development of isoscapes for δ (13)C and δ (15)N may improve assignment of this and other migrants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas S Reichlin
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Seerose 1, 6204, Sempach, Switzerland
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45
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Sullivan AR, Bump JK, Kruger LA, Peterson RO. Bat-cave catchment areas: using stable isotopes (deltaD) to determine the probable origins of hibernating bats. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2012; 22:1428-1434. [PMID: 22908703 DOI: 10.1890/11-1438.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The application of stable hydrogen isotope (deltaD) techniques has swiftly advanced our understanding of animal movements, but this progression is dominated by studies of birds and relatively long-distance, north-south migrants. This dominance reflects the challenge of incorporating multiple sources of error into geographic assignments and the nature of spatially explicit deltaD models, which possess greater latitudinal than longitudinal resolution. However, recent progress in likelihood-based assignments that incorporate multiple sources of isotopic error and Bayesian approaches that include additional sources of information may advance finer-scale understanding of animal movements. We develop a stable-isotope method for determining probable origins of bats within hibernacula and show that this method produces spatially explicit, continuous assignments with regional resolution. We outline how these assignments can be used to infer hibernacula connectivity, an application that could inform spatial modeling of white-nose syndrome. Additionally, estimates of seasonal and annual flight distances for many cave-dwelling bat species can be derived from this approach. We also discuss how this application can be used in general to provide insights into variable migratory and foraging strategies within bat populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis R Sullivan
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Michigan 49931, USA
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46
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Hobson KA, Van Wilgenburg SL, Wassenaar LI, Powell RL, Still CJ, Craine JM. A multi-isotope (δ13C, δ15N, δ2H) feather isoscape to assign Afrotropical migrant birds to origins. Ecosphere 2012. [DOI: 10.1890/es12-00018.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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Disease dynamics and bird migration--linking mallards Anas platyrhynchos and subtype diversity of the influenza A virus in time and space. PLoS One 2012; 7:e35679. [PMID: 22536424 PMCID: PMC3335010 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0035679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2011] [Accepted: 03/22/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The mallard Anas platyrhynchos is a reservoir species for influenza A virus in the northern hemisphere, with particularly high prevalence rates prior to as well as during its prolonged autumn migration. It has been proposed that the virus is brought from the breeding grounds and transmitted to conspecifics during subsequent staging during migration, and so a better understanding of the natal origin of staging ducks is vital to deciphering the dynamics of viral movement pathways. Ottenby is an important stopover site in southeast Sweden almost halfway downstream in the major Northwest European flyway, and is used by millions of waterfowl each year. Here, mallards were captured and sampled for influenza A virus infection, and positive samples were subtyped in order to study possible links to the natal area, which were determined by a novel approach combining banding recovery data and isotopic measurements (δ2H) of feathers grown on breeding grounds. Geographic assignments showed that the core natal areas of studied mallards were in Estonia, southern and central Finland, and northwestern Russia. This study demonstrates a clear temporal succession of latitudes of natal origin during the course of autumn migration. We also demonstrate a corresponding and concomitant shift in virus subtypes. Acknowledging that these two different patterns were based in part upon different data, a likely interpretation worth further testing is that the early arriving birds with more proximate origins have different influenza A subtypes than the more distantly originating late autumn birds. If true, this knowledge would allow novel insight into the origins and transmission of the influenza A virus among migratory hosts previously unavailable through conventional approaches.
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48
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Hobson KA, Soto DX, Paulson DR, Wassenaar LI, Matthews JH. A dragonfly (δ
2
H) isoscape for North America: a new tool for determining natal origins of migratory aquatic emergent insects. Methods Ecol Evol 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/j.2041-210x.2012.00202.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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49
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Linking hydrogen (δ2H) isotopes in feathers and precipitation: sources of variance and consequences for assignment to isoscapes. PLoS One 2012; 7:e35137. [PMID: 22509393 PMCID: PMC3324428 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0035137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2012] [Accepted: 03/13/2012] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Tracking small migrant organisms worldwide has been hampered by technological and recovery limitations and sampling bias inherent in exogenous markers. Naturally occurring stable isotopes of H (δ2H) in feathers provide an alternative intrinsic marker of animal origin due to the predictable spatial linkage to underlying hydrologically driven flow of H isotopes into foodwebs. This approach can assess the likelihood that a migrant animal originated from a given location(s) within a continent but requires a robust algorithm linking H isotopes in tissues of interest to an appropriate hydrological isotopic spatio-temporal pattern, such as weighted-annual rainfall. However, a number of factors contribute to or alter expected isotopic patterns in animals. We present results of an extensive investigation into taxonomic and environmental factors influencing feather δ2H patterns across North America. Principal Findings Stable isotope data were measured from 544 feathers from 40 species and 140 known locations. For δ2H, the most parsimonious model explaining 83% of the isotopic variance was found with amount-weighted growing-season precipitation δ2H, foraging substrate and migratory strategy. Conclusions/Significance This extensive H isotopic analysis of known-origin feathers of songbirds in North America and elsewhere reconfirmed the strong coupling between tissue δ2H and global hydrologic δ2H patterns, and accounting for variance associated with foraging substrate and migratory strategy, can be used in conservation and research for the purpose of assigning birds and other species to their approximate origin.
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Ofukany AFA, Hobson KA, Wassenaar LI. Connecting breeding and wintering habitats of migratory piscivorous birds: implications for tracking contaminants (Hg) using multiple stable isotopes. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2012; 46:3263-3272. [PMID: 22385064 DOI: 10.1021/es204135s] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Contaminant concentrations in migratory species are complicated by differential accumulation and elimination among geographically separated biomes. Double-crested cormorants ( Phalacrocorax auritus ) are used as monitors of Hg in North America; however, migration from northern breeding colonies to southern marine, freshwater, and aquaculture systems exposes individuals to spatiotemporal variations in contaminant uptake. We used stable isotopes (δ(34)S, δ(13)C, δ(15)N, δ(2)H) in primary feathers and a combined Bayesian assignment and isotopic threshold model to identify feather origins and the potential winter use of aquaculture (δ(34)S < 10‰, δ(13)C > -14‰), freshwater (δ(34)S < 10‰, δ(13)C < -20‰), and marine habitats (δ(34)S > 10‰). This approach allowed us to contrast body burden Hg derived from the breeding and wintering grounds, as well as from marine and freshwater habitats. We found feathers grown on Lake Winnipeg had greater Hg concentrations (mean = 4.26 ± 1.47 μg/g fresh weight; n = 20) than winter-grown feathers (3.19 ± 1.64 μg/g; n = 19), but Hg in winter-grown feathers was not related to any specific habitat. Isotopic assays of tissues of migratory birds allowed the source and degree of contaminant exposure to be identified throughout the annual cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy F A Ofukany
- Toxicology Graduate Program, 44 Campus Drive, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B3, Canada
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