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Tende T, Iniunam IA, Ivande ST, Awoyemi AG, Danmallam BA, Ringim AS, Bako LA, Ramzy FJ, Kazeh NW, Izang AI, Kumdet PS, Ibrahim JI, Haruna MA, Eyos K, Iki ED, Chaskda AA, Ottosson U. Citizen science mitigates the lack of distributional data on Nigerian birds. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11280. [PMID: 38633518 PMCID: PMC11021921 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Citizen science projects are expanding globally, with the African continent, particularly Nigeria, registering significant growth. Here, we document and analyse novel operations of the Nigerian Bird Atlas Project (NIBAP), 2015-2022. This project has employed the use of ornithologists, mainly trained at the A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute (APLORI) located in Jos, Nigeria, and its 28 bird clubs established across Nigeria to enlist 827 bird enthusiasts that contribute regular and near real-time data about bird distribution and relative abundance in the country. Interestingly, NiBAP has recorded about 75% of the bird species known from Nigeria in only about 50% of Nigeria's total surface area, including 39 nationally threatened species. The Common Bulbul Pycnonotus barbatus, Laughing Dove Spilopelia senegalensis, and Grey-backed Camaroptera Camaroptera brevicaudata were the most commonly recorded species, while Amurum Forest Reserve, Rennajj Fish Farm, and Obudu Cattle Ranch were the most surveyed sites during the period. Thus, our approach reveals how to increase involvement of nature enthusiasts, ornithologists, and a regional research institute to build local capacity and contribute rich information necessary to alleviate the lack of distributional data about Afrotropical avifauna. We strongly recommend our approach to boost other citizen science projects across Africa and beyond to address the huge lack of biodiversity data, create public awareness, and foster conservation education.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talatu Tende
- Department of Zoology, A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research InstituteUniversity of JosLamingaNigeria
| | - Iniunam A. Iniunam
- Department of Zoology, A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research InstituteUniversity of JosLamingaNigeria
| | - Samuel T. Ivande
- Department of Zoology, A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research InstituteUniversity of JosLamingaNigeria
| | - Adewale G. Awoyemi
- Department of Zoology, A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research InstituteUniversity of JosLamingaNigeria
- Forest CenterInternational Institute of Tropical AgricultureIbadanNigeria
| | - Bello A. Danmallam
- Department of Zoology, A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research InstituteUniversity of JosLamingaNigeria
| | - Abubakar S. Ringim
- Biodiversity Conservation and Education Unit, Centre for Arid Zone EcologyFederal University DutseDabawaJigawaNigeria
| | - Longji A. Bako
- Department of Zoology, A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research InstituteUniversity of JosLamingaNigeria
| | - Fatima J. Ramzy
- Department of Zoology, A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research InstituteUniversity of JosLamingaNigeria
| | - Nanchin W. Kazeh
- Department of Zoology, A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research InstituteUniversity of JosLamingaNigeria
| | - Arin Izang Izang
- Department of Zoology, A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research InstituteUniversity of JosLamingaNigeria
| | - Panshak S. Kumdet
- Department of Zoology, A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research InstituteUniversity of JosLamingaNigeria
| | - Joseph I. Ibrahim
- Department of Zoology, A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research InstituteUniversity of JosLamingaNigeria
| | - M. Abubakar Haruna
- School of EducationFederal College of Education (Technical)PotiskumYobeNigeria
| | - Kevin Eyos
- Becheve Nature Reserve/Nigeria Conservation FoundationCross RiverNigeria
| | - Ezekiel D. Iki
- Department of Zoology, A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research InstituteUniversity of JosLamingaNigeria
| | - Adams A. Chaskda
- Department of Zoology, A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research InstituteUniversity of JosLamingaNigeria
| | - Ulf Ottosson
- Department of Zoology, A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research InstituteUniversity of JosLamingaNigeria
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Barshep Y, Awoyemi AG, Abalaka J, Ottosson U. Bergmann’s Rule Holds in Birds Inhabiting Southern Guinea Forests but Not in the Northern Savanna of Nigeria. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.741755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Bergmann’s rule predicts that in endotherms, body sizes will differ with respect to thermal gradients. Larger bodied individuals will inhabit colder environments while in warmer environments, individuals will be smaller-bodied. This hypothesis has been proved and disproved many times due to inconsistencies in body size differences along latitudinal gradients. We tested this hypothesis in 30 Afrotropical resident bird species inhabiting two vegetation types at different latitudes (southern guinea forests and northern savanna) and at different altitudes in Nigeria, West Africa. Using principal component analyses of body mass and wing length, the first principal component, the component of size, indicated that individuals in montane areas were larger than lowland populations in southern guinea forests. However, in the northern guinea savanna, there was no significant difference in body sizes between lowland and montane populations. General linear models show that body size increases as temperature decreases. In species found in both southern guinea forests and northern savanna (i.e., African Thrush Turdus pelios and Snowy-crowned Robin Chat Cossypha niveicapilla), variations in body sizes were significantly dependent on sites. Our study indicates that other macro-scale factors such as vegetation and rainfall patterns might modulate conformity to Bergmann’s rule in Afrotropical environments.
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van Toor ML, Kharitonov S, Švažas S, Dagys M, Kleyheeg E, Müskens G, Ottosson U, Žydelis R, Waldenström J. Migration distance affects how closely Eurasian wigeons follow spring phenology during migration. Mov Ecol 2021; 9:61. [PMID: 34895360 PMCID: PMC8665524 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-021-00296-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The timing of migration for herbivorous migratory birds is thought to coincide with spring phenology as emerging vegetation supplies them with the resources to fuel migration, and, in species with a capital breeding strategy also provides individuals with energy for use on the breeding grounds. Individuals with very long migration distances might however have to trade off between utilising optimal conditions en route and reaching the breeding grounds early, potentially leading to them overtaking spring on the way. Here, we investigate whether migration distance affects how closely individually tracked Eurasian wigeons follow spring phenology during spring migration. METHODS We captured wigeons in the Netherlands and Lithuania and tracked them throughout spring migration to identify staging sites and timing of arrival. Using temperature-derived indicators of spring phenology, we investigated how maximum longitude reached and migration distance affected how closely wigeons followed spring. We further estimated the impact of tagging on wigeon migration by comparing spring migratory timing between tracked individuals and ring recovery data sets. RESULTS Wigeons migrated to locations between 300 and 4000 km from the capture site, and migrated up to 1000 km in a single day. We found that wigeons migrating to more north-easterly locations followed spring phenology more closely, and increasingly so the greater distance they had covered during migration. Yet we also found that despite tags equalling only around 2% of individual's body mass, individuals were on average 11-12 days slower than ring-marked individuals from the same general population. DISCUSSION Overall, our results suggest that migratory strategy can vary dependent on migration distance within species, and even within the same migratory corridor. Individual decisions thus depend not only on environmental cues, but potentially also trade-offs made during later life-history stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariëlle L van Toor
- Centre for Ecology and Evolution in Microbial Model Systems, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden.
| | - Sergey Kharitonov
- A. N. Severtsov Institut of Ecology and Evolution RAS, Moscow, Russia
| | | | | | - Erik Kleyheeg
- Sovon Dutch Centre for Field Ornithology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Ulf Ottosson
- Centre for Ecology and Evolution in Microbial Model Systems, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
| | | | - Jonas Waldenström
- Centre for Ecology and Evolution in Microbial Model Systems, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden
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Omotoriogun TC, Albrecht T, Gohli J, Hořák D, Johannessen LE, Johnsen A, Kreisinger J, Marki PZ, Ottosson U, Rowe M, Sedláček O, Lifjeld JT. Sperm length variation among Afrotropical songbirds reflects phylogeny rather than adaptations to the tropical environment. ZOOLOGY 2020; 140:125770. [DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2020.125770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2019] [Revised: 03/07/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Omotoriogun TC, Tende T, Adeiza ZO, Onoja JD, Karau S, Mwansat GS, Ottosson U, Manu SA. Large mammals and wetland utilisation: A case study in Yankari Game Reserve, Nigeria. Afr J Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Taiwo C. Omotoriogun
- A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute University of Jos Jos Nigeria
- Biotechnology Unit, Department of Biological Sciences Elizade University Ilara‐Mokin Nigeria
| | - Talatu Tende
- A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute University of Jos Jos Nigeria
| | - Zainab O. Adeiza
- A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute University of Jos Jos Nigeria
- Department of Biological Sciences Baze University Abuja Nigeria
| | - Joseph D. Onoja
- A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute University of Jos Jos Nigeria
- Nigerian Conservation Foundation Lekki, Lagos Nigeria
| | - Shomboro Karau
- A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute University of Jos Jos Nigeria
- National Centre for Remote Sensing Jos Nigeria
| | - Georgina S. Mwansat
- A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute University of Jos Jos Nigeria
| | - Ulf Ottosson
- A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute University of Jos Jos Nigeria
| | - Shiiwua A. Manu
- A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute University of Jos Jos Nigeria
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Olsson O, Nuñez-Iturri G, Smith HG, Ottosson U, Effiom EO. Competition, seed dispersal and hunting: what drives germination and seedling survival in an Afrotropical forest? AoB Plants 2019; 11:plz018. [PMID: 31024680 PMCID: PMC6475525 DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plz018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2018] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Disentangling the contributions of different processes that influence plant recruitment, such as competition and seed dispersal, is important given the increased human-mediated changes in tropical forest ecosystems. Previous studies have shown that seedling communities in an Afrotropical rainforest in southeastern Nigeria are strongly affected by the loss of important seed-dispersing primates, including Cross River gorillas (Gorilla gorilla diehli), chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes elioti) and drill (Mandrillus leucophaeus). Here we study how germination and survival of tree seedlings are affected by competition and reduced seed dispersal in three contiguous forest reserves, in southeastern Nigeria, with similar mature tree species composition and structure. We use an experimental design aimed at manipulating the effect of competition among seedlings in three protected and three hunted sites within the reserves. We use a total of sixty 5 × 5 m plots of three types: plots cleared of all seedlings, plots selectively cleared of all primate-dispersed seedlings and control plots. All seedlings were identified, measured, assigned to dispersal mode and tagged, and after 1 year we evaluated survival, mortality and new recruits. We found that in hunted sites germination of abiotically dispersed species was over four times higher in cleared plots compared to control plots, whereas germination of primate-dispersed species was the same, which indicated that dispersal limitation was the dominant force in seedling recruitment in hunted sites. This was supported by the fact that the germination of all dispersal modes in the selectively cleared plots in protected sites was similar to the control plots in the same sites, but germination of abiotically dispersed species was significantly lower than in cleared plots in hunted sites. Competition among seedlings was mostly evident from the fact that 75 % more seedlings of primate-dispersed species germinated in cleared compared to control plots in protected sites. We conclude that inter-seedling competition may be irrelevant to seedling recruitment in hunted sites, where dispersal limitation appears to be a much stronger force shaping the seedling plant community, and thus hunting indirectly reverses the importance of competition and dispersal limitation in structuring seedling communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ola Olsson
- Department of Biology, Biodiversity Unit, Lund University, Ecology Building, Lund, Sweden
- Corresponding author’s e-mail address:
| | - Gabriela Nuñez-Iturri
- Herbario MOL de la Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Lima, Peru
| | - Henrik G Smith
- Department of Biology, Biodiversity Unit, Lund University, Ecology Building, Lund, Sweden
| | - Ulf Ottosson
- A.P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institution, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria
| | - Edu O Effiom
- Cross River State Forestry Commission, Calabar, Nigeria
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Stervander M, Alström P, Olsson U, Ottosson U, Hansson B, Bensch S. Multiple instances of paraphyletic species and cryptic taxa revealed by mitochondrial and nuclear RAD data for Calandrella larks (Aves: Alaudidae). Mol Phylogenet Evol 2016; 102:233-45. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2016.05.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2015] [Revised: 05/07/2016] [Accepted: 05/24/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Bertola LD, Jongbloed H, van der Gaag KJ, de Knijff P, Yamaguchi N, Hooghiemstra H, Bauer H, Henschel P, White PA, Driscoll CA, Tende T, Ottosson U, Saidu Y, Vrieling K, de Iongh HH. Phylogeographic Patterns in Africa and High Resolution Delineation of Genetic Clades in the Lion (Panthera leo). Sci Rep 2016; 6:30807. [PMID: 27488946 PMCID: PMC4973251 DOI: 10.1038/srep30807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2015] [Accepted: 07/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Comparative phylogeography of African savannah mammals shows a congruent pattern in which populations in West/Central Africa are distinct from populations in East/Southern Africa. However, for the lion, all African populations are currently classified as a single subspecies (Panthera leo leo), while the only remaining population in Asia is considered to be distinct (Panthera leo persica). This distinction is disputed both by morphological and genetic data. In this study we introduce the lion as a model for African phylogeography. Analyses of mtDNA sequences reveal six supported clades and a strongly supported ancestral dichotomy with northern populations (West Africa, Central Africa, North Africa/Asia) on one branch, and southern populations (North East Africa, East/Southern Africa and South West Africa) on the other. We review taxonomies and phylogenies of other large savannah mammals, illustrating that similar clades are found in other species. The described phylogeographic pattern is considered in relation to large scale environmental changes in Africa over the past 300,000 years, attributable to climate. Refugial areas, predicted by climate envelope models, further confirm the observed pattern. We support the revision of current lion taxonomy, as recognition of a northern and a southern subspecies is more parsimonious with the evolutionary history of the lion.
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Affiliation(s)
- L D Bertola
- Leiden University, Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML), PO Box 9518, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands.,Leiden University, Institute of Biology Leiden (IBL), PO Box 9505, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - H Jongbloed
- Leiden University, Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML), PO Box 9518, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands.,Leiden University, Institute of Biology Leiden (IBL), PO Box 9505, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - K J van der Gaag
- Forensic Laboratory for DNA Research, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - P de Knijff
- Forensic Laboratory for DNA Research, Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - N Yamaguchi
- Qatar University, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, PO Box 2713, Doha, Qatar
| | - H Hooghiemstra
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1018 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - H Bauer
- WildCRU, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford. Tubney House, Abingdon Road, OX13 5QL, UK
| | - P Henschel
- Panthera, 8 West 40th Street, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10018, USA
| | - P A White
- Center for Tropical Research, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1496, USA
| | - C A Driscoll
- Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun 248001, Uttarakhand, India
| | - T Tende
- A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute, P.O. Box 13404 Jos, Nigeria
| | - U Ottosson
- A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute, P.O. Box 13404 Jos, Nigeria
| | - Y Saidu
- Nigeria National Park Service, PMB 0258 Garki-Abuja, Nigeria
| | - K Vrieling
- Leiden University, Institute of Biology Leiden (IBL), PO Box 9505, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - H H de Iongh
- Leiden University, Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML), PO Box 9518, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands.,University of Antwerp, Department Biology, Evolutionary Ecology Group, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium
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Schmaljohann H, Meier C, Arlt D, Bairlein F, van Oosten H, Morbey YE, Åkesson S, Buchmann M, Chernetsov N, Desaever R, Elliott J, Hellström M, Liechti F, López A, Middleton J, Ottosson U, Pärt T, Spina F, Eikenaar C. Proximate causes of avian protandry differ between subspecies with contrasting migration challenges. Behav Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arv160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Omotoriogun TC, Albrecht T, Hořák D, Laskemoen T, Ottosson U, Rowe M, Sedláček O, Lifjeld JT. Sperm size evolution in African greenbuls (Passeriformes: Pycnonotidae). Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/bij.12663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Taiwo C. Omotoriogun
- Natural History Museum; University of Oslo; Oslo Norway
- AP Leventis Ornithological Research Institute; University of Jos; Jos Nigeria
| | - Tomas Albrecht
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology; Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic; Brno Czech Republic
- Department of Zoology; Faculty of Science; Charles University in Prague; Prague Czech Republic
| | - David Hořák
- Department of Ecology; Faculty of Science; Charles University in Prague; Prague Czech Republic
| | | | - Ulf Ottosson
- AP Leventis Ornithological Research Institute; University of Jos; Jos Nigeria
| | - Melissah Rowe
- Natural History Museum; University of Oslo; Oslo Norway
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis; Department of Biosciences; University of Oslo; Oslo Norway
| | - Ondřej Sedláček
- Department of Ecology; Faculty of Science; Charles University in Prague; Prague Czech Republic
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Abalaka J, Hudin NS, Ottosson U, Bloomer P, Hansson B. Genetic diversity and population structure of the range restricted rock firefinch Lagonosticta sanguinodorsalis. CONSERV GENET 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-014-0667-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Tende T, Bensch S, Ottosson U, Hansson B. Dual phylogenetic origins of Nigerian lions (Panthera leo). Ecol Evol 2014; 4:2668-74. [PMID: 25077018 PMCID: PMC4113291 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2013] [Revised: 04/16/2014] [Accepted: 04/23/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Lion fecal DNA extracts from four individuals each from Yankari Game Reserve and Kainji-Lake National Park (central northeast and west Nigeria, respectively) were Sanger-sequenced for the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. The sequences were aligned against 61 lion reference sequences from other parts of Africa and India. The sequence data were analyzed further for the construction of phylogenetic trees using the maximum-likelihood approach to depict phylogenetic patterns of distribution among sequences. Our results show that Nigerian lions grouped together with lions from West and Central Africa. At the smaller geographical scale, lions from Kainji-Lake National Park in western Nigeria grouped with lions from Benin (located west of Nigeria), whereas lions from Yankari Game Reserve in central northeastern Nigeria grouped with the lion populations in Cameroon (located east of Nigeria). The finding that the two remaining lion populations in Nigeria have different phylogenetic origins is an important aspect to consider in future decisions regarding management and conservation of rapidly shrinking lion populations in West Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talatu Tende
- A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute P.O. Box 13404, Jos, Nigeria ; Department of Biology, Lund University Ecology Building, Lund, SE-223 62, Sweden
| | - Staffan Bensch
- Department of Biology, Lund University Ecology Building, Lund, SE-223 62, Sweden
| | - Ulf Ottosson
- A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute P.O. Box 13404, Jos, Nigeria
| | - Bengt Hansson
- Department of Biology, Lund University Ecology Building, Lund, SE-223 62, Sweden
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Abstract
Abstract
Lion faecal samples, collected in the field between 1 hour to 1 week after defecation were preserved in three different media (ethanol, ASL buffer and Two-step storage). The aim was to determine which faecal DNA field preservation method best enhances PCR amplification success. Samples stored in ethanol showed a significantly higher amplification success of microsatellite loci than samples stored in the other two media. In contrast, amplification success of a mitochondrial locus was similar among the samples stored in the three types of media. We reviewed twelve previous studies that employed different media for the storage of faeces, although patterns of success were not fully consistent among different media, ethanol storage was scored highest in the majority of these tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talatuxs Tende
- A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute, P. O. Box 13404, Jos, Nigeria
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Bengt Hansson
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Ulf Ottosson
- A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute, P. O. Box 13404, Jos, Nigeria
| | - Staffan Bensch
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden
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Hellgren O, Wood MJ, Waldenström J, Hasselquist D, Ottosson U, Stervander M, Bensch S. Circannual variation in blood parasitism in a sub-Saharan migrant passerine bird, the garden warbler. J Evol Biol 2014; 26:1047-59. [PMID: 23621369 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2012] [Revised: 01/03/2013] [Accepted: 01/03/2013] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Knowing the natural dynamics of pathogens in migratory birds is important, for example, to understand the factors that influence the transport of pathogens to and their transmission in new geographical areas, whereas the transmission of other pathogens might be restricted to a specific area. We studied haemosporidian blood parasites of the genera Plasmodium, Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon in a migratory bird, the garden warbler Sylvia borin. Birds were sampled in spring, summer and early autumn at breeding grounds in Sweden, on migration at Capri, Italy and on arrival and departure from wintering staging areas in West Africa: mapping recoveries of garden warblers ringed in Fennoscandia and Capri showed that these sites are most probably on the migratory flyway of garden warblers breeding at Kvismaren. Overall, haemosporidian prevalence was 39%, involving 24 different parasite lineages. Prevalence varied significantly over the migratory cycle, with relatively high prevalence of blood parasites in the population on breeding grounds and at the onset of autumn migration, followed by marked declines in prevalence during migration both on spring and autumn passage. Importantly, we found that when examining circannual variation in the different lineages, significantly different prevalence profiles emerged both between and within genera. Our results suggest that differences in prevalence profiles are the result of either different parasite transmission strategies or coevolution between the host and the various parasite lineages. When separating parasites into common vs. rare lineages, we found that two peaks in the prevalence of rare parasites occur; on arrival at Swedish breeding grounds, and after the wintering period in Africa. Our results stress the importance of appropriate taxonomic resolution when examining host-parasite interactions, as variation in prevalence both between and within parasite genera can show markedly different patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- O Hellgren
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Lab, Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
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Tende T, Hansson B, Ottosson U, Åkesson M, Bensch S. Individual identification and genetic variation of lions (Panthera leo) from two protected areas in Nigeria. PLoS One 2014; 9:e84288. [PMID: 24427283 PMCID: PMC3888380 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0084288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2013] [Accepted: 11/15/2013] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
This survey was conducted in two protected areas in Nigeria to genetically identify individual lions and to determine the genetic variation within and between the populations. We used faecal sample DNA, a non-invasive alternative to the risky and laborious task of taking samples directly from the animals, often preceded by catching and immobilization. Data collection in Yankari Game Reserve (YGR) spanned through a period of five years (2008 -2012), whereas data in Kainji Lake National Park (KLNP) was gathered for a period of three years (2009, 2010 and 2012). We identified a minimum of eight individuals (2 males, 3 females, 3 unknown) from YGR and a minimum of ten individuals (7 males, 3 females) from KLNP. The two populations were found to be genetically distinct as shown by the relatively high fixation index (FST = 0.17) with each population exhibiting signs of inbreeding (YGR FIS = 0.49, KLNP FIS = 0.38). The genetic differentiation between the Yankari and Kainji lions is assumed to result from large spatial geographic distance and physical barriers reducing gene flow between these two remaining wild lion populations in Nigeria. To mitigate the probable inbreeding depression in the lion populations within Nigeria it might be important to transfer lions between parks or reserves or to reintroduce lions from the zoos back to the wild.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talatu Tende
- A.P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Bengt Hansson
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Ulf Ottosson
- A.P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute, Department of Zoology, University of Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria
| | - Mikael Åkesson
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Riddarhyttan, Sweden
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Abstract
To assess ecological consequences of bushmeat hunting in African lowland rainforests, we compared paired sites, with high and low hunting pressure, in three areas of southeastern Nigeria. In hunted sites, populations of important seed dispersers-both small and large primates (including the Cross River gorilla, Gorilla gorilla diehli)-were drastically reduced. Large rodents were more abundant in hunted sites, even though they are hunted. Hunted and protected sites had similar mature tree communities dominated by primate-dispersed species. In protected sites, seedling communities were similar in composition to the mature trees, but in hunted sites species with other dispersal modes dominated among seedlings. Seedlings emerging 1 year after clearing of all vegetation in experimental plots showed a similar pattern to the standing seedlings. This study thus verifies the transforming effects of bushmeat hunting on plant communities of tropical forests and is one of the first studies to do so for the African continent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edu O Effiom
- Department of Biology, Biodiversity unit, Lund University, Ecology Building, Lund 22362, Sweden
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Albrecht T, Kleven O, Kreisinger J, Laskemoen T, Omotoriogun TC, Ottosson U, Reif J, Sedláček O, Hořák D, Robertson RJ, Lifjeld JT. Sperm competition in tropical versus temperate zone birds. Proc Biol Sci 2012; 280:20122434. [PMID: 23235706 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2012.2434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Sperm competition represents an important component of post-copulatory sexual selection. It has been argued that the level of sperm competition declines in birds towards the equator. However, to date, sperm competition estimates have been available mainly for avian species inhabiting the northern temperate zone. Here we apply a novel approach, using the coefficient of between-male variation (CV(bm)) in sperm size as an index for sperm competition risk, in a comparative analysis of 31 Afrotropical and 99 northern temperate zone passerine species. We found no difference in sperm competition risk between the two groups, nor any relationship with migration distance. However, a multivariate model indicated that sperm competition risk was highest in species with a combination of low body mass and few eggs per clutch. The effect of clutch size was most pronounced in tropical species, which indicates that sperm competition risk in tropical and temperate species is differently associated with particular life-history traits. Although tropical species had lower sperm competition risk than temperate zone species for overlapping clutch sizes, the idea of a generally reduced risk of sperm competition in tropical birds was not supported by our analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomáš Albrecht
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, vvi, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Kvetna 8, Brno 603 65, Czech Republic
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Snoeck CJ, Adeyanju AT, De Landtsheer S, Ottosson U, Manu S, Hagemeijer W, Mundkur T, Muller CP. Reassortant low-pathogenic avian influenza H5N2 viruses in African wild birds. J Gen Virol 2011; 92:1172-1183. [PMID: 21248176 DOI: 10.1099/vir.0.029728-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
To investigate the presence and persistence of avian influenza virus in African birds, we monitored avian influenza in wild and domestic birds in two different regions in Nigeria. We found low-pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) H5N2 viruses in three spur-winged geese (Plectropterus gambensis) in the Hadejia-Nguru wetlands. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that all of the genes, except the non-structural (NS) genes, of the LPAI H5N2 viruses were more closely related to genes recently found in wild and domestic birds in Europe. The NS genes formed a sister group to South African and Zambian NS genes. This suggested that the Nigerian LPAI H5N2 viruses found in wild birds were reassortants exhibiting an NS gene that circulated for at least 7 years in African birds and is part of the African influenza gene pool, and genes that were more recently introduced into Africa from Eurasia, most probably by intercontinental migratory birds. Interestingly the haemagglutinin and neuraminidase genes formed a sister branch to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N2 strains found in the same wild bird species in the same wetland only 1 year earlier. However, they were not the closest known relatives of each other, suggesting that their presence in the wetland resulted from two separate introductions. The presence of LPAI H5N2 in wild birds in the Hadejia-Nguru wetlands, where wild birds and poultry occasionally mix, provides ample opportunity for infection across species boundaries, with the potential risk of generating HPAI viruses after extensive circulation in poultry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chantal J Snoeck
- Institute of Immunology, CRP-Santé and Laboratoire National de Santé, Luxembourg
| | - Adeniyi T Adeyanju
- A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute, University of Jos, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria
| | | | - Ulf Ottosson
- Ottenby Bird Observatory, Degerhamn, Sweden.,A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute, University of Jos, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria
| | - Shiiwua Manu
- A. P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute, University of Jos, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria
| | | | - Taej Mundkur
- Wetlands International, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Claude P Muller
- Institute of Immunology, CRP-Santé and Laboratoire National de Santé, Luxembourg
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Molokwu MN, Nilsson JÅ, Ottosson U, Olsson O. Effects of season, water and predation risk on patch use by birds on the African savannah. Oecologia 2010; 164:637-45. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-010-1781-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2010] [Accepted: 09/03/2010] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Ottosson U, Sandberg R, Pettersson J. Orientation Cage and Release Experiments with Migratory Wheatears (Oenanthe oenanthe) in Scandinavia and Greenland: The Importance of Visual Cues. Ethology 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0310.1990.tb00418.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Gaidet N, Cattoli G, Hammoumi S, Newman SH, Hagemeijer W, Takekawa JY, Cappelle J, Dodman T, Joannis T, Gil P, Monne I, Fusaro A, Capua I, Manu S, Micheloni P, Ottosson U, Mshelbwala JH, Lubroth J, Domenech J, Monicat F. Evidence of infection by H5N2 highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses in healthy wild waterfowl. PLoS Pathog 2008; 4:e1000127. [PMID: 18704172 PMCID: PMC2503949 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1000127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2008] [Accepted: 07/16/2008] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The potential existence of a wild bird reservoir for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been recently questioned by the spread and the persisting circulation of H5N1 HPAI viruses, responsible for concurrent outbreaks in migratory and domestic birds over Asia, Europe, and Africa. During a large-scale surveillance programme over Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, we detected avian influenza viruses of H5N2 subtype with a highly pathogenic (HP) viral genotype in healthy birds of two wild waterfowl species sampled in Nigeria. We monitored the survival and regional movements of one of the infected birds through satellite telemetry, providing a rare evidence of a non-lethal natural infection by an HP viral genotype in wild birds. Phylogenetic analysis of the H5N2 viruses revealed close genetic relationships with H5 viruses of low pathogenicity circulating in Eurasian wild and domestic ducks. In addition, genetic analysis did not reveal known gallinaceous poultry adaptive mutations, suggesting that the emergence of HP strains could have taken place in either wild or domestic ducks or in non-gallinaceous species. The presence of coexisting but genetically distinguishable avian influenza viruses with an HP viral genotype in two cohabiting species of wild waterfowl, with evidence of non-lethal infection at least in one species and without evidence of prior extensive circulation of the virus in domestic poultry, suggest that some strains with a potential high pathogenicity for poultry could be maintained in a community of wild waterfowl. Until recently, the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses responsible for high mortality in some domestic poultry were considered not to have a wild bird reservoir, but to emerge in domestic poultry populations from low pathogenic viruses perpetuated in wild waterbirds. The rapid spread of H5N1 HPAI virus in 2005–2006, with concurrent outbreaks reported in both domestic and wild birds over Asia, Europe, and Africa, has raised concerns about the potential role of migratory birds in the epidemiology of the HPAI infection. Wild birds were sampled in Africa and tested by molecular and virological methods in an attempt to trace the circulation of HPAI viruses. In addition, some of these wild birds were equipped with satellite transmitters to track their local and migratory movements in relation to the potential spread of avian diseases. Avian influenza viruses (H5N2) were detected in wild waterfowl in Nigeria, and were subsequently characterized as highly pathogenic by molecular sequencing (HPAI viral genotype). Movements of one infected bird tracked by satellite telemetry revealed that it survived infection by an HP viral genotype. This result constitutes a rare finding of infection by an AIV with an HPAI viral genotype in healthy wild birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Gaidet
- Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement, Montpellier, France.
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Hellgren O, Waldenström J, Peréz-Tris J, Szöll E, Si O, Hasselquist D, Krizanauskiene A, Ottosson U, Bensch S. Detecting shifts of transmission areas in avian blood parasites: a phylogenetic approach. Mol Ecol 2007; 16:1281-90. [PMID: 17391413 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2007.03227.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 168] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
We investigated the degree of geographical shifts of transmission areas of vector-borne avian blood parasites (Plasmodium, Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon) over ecological and evolutionary timescales. Of 259 different parasite lineages obtained from 5886 screened birds sampled in Europe and Africa, only two lineages were confirmed to have current transmission in resident bird species in both geographical areas. We used a phylogenetic approach to show that parasites belonging to the genera Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon rarely change transmission area and that these parasites are restricted to one resident bird fauna over a long evolutionary time span and are not freely spread between the continents with the help of migratory birds. Lineages of the genus Plasmodium seem more freely spread between the continents. We suggest that such a reduced transmission barrier of Plasmodium parasites is caused by their higher tendency to infect migratory bird species, which might facilitate shifting of transmission area. Although vector-borne parasites of these genera apparently can shift between a tropical and a temperate transmission area and these areas are linked with an immense amount of annual bird migration, our data suggest that novel introductions of these parasites into resident bird faunas are rather rare evolutionary events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olof Hellgren
- Department of Animal Ecology, Ecology Building, Lund University, SE-22362 Lund, Sweden.
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Akesson S, Morin J, Muheim R, Ottosson U. Dramatic Orientation Shift of White-Crowned Sparrows Displaced across Longitudes in the High Arctic. Curr Biol 2005; 15:1591-7. [PMID: 16139216 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2005.07.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2005] [Revised: 06/30/2005] [Accepted: 07/01/2005] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Advanced spatial-learning adaptations have been shown for migratory songbirds, but it is not well known how the simple genetic program encoding migratory distance and direction in young birds translates to a navigation mechanism used by adults. A number of convenient cues are available to define latitude on the basis of geomagnetic and celestial information, but very few are useful to defining longitude. To investigate the effects of displacements across longitudes on orientation, we recorded orientation of adult and juvenile migratory white-crowned sparrows, Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii, after passive longitudinal displacements, by ship, of 266-2862 km across high-arctic North America. After eastward displacement to the magnetic North Pole and then across the 0 degrees declination line, adults and juveniles abruptly shifted their orientation from the migratory direction to a direction that would lead back to the breeding area or to the normal migratory route, suggesting that the birds began compensating for the displacement by using geomagnetic cues alone or together with solar cues. In contrast to predictions by a simple genetic migration program, our experiments suggest that both adults and juveniles possess a navigation system based on a combination of celestial and geomagnetic information, possibly declination, to correct for eastward longitudinal displacements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Akesson
- Department of Animal Ecology, Lund University, Ecology Building, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden.
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Pain DJ, Green RE, Giebetaing B, Kozulin A, Poluda A, Ottosson U, Flade M, Hilton GM. Using stable isotopes to investigate migratory connectivity of the globally threatened aquatic warbler Acrocephalus paludicola. Oecologia 2003; 138:168-74. [PMID: 14595555 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-003-1416-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2003] [Accepted: 09/30/2003] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the links between breeding and wintering areas of migratory species has important ecological and conservation implications. Recently, stable isotope technology has been used to further our understanding. Stable isotope ratios vary geographically with a range of biogeochemical factors and isotope profiles in organisms reflect those in their food and environment. For inert tissues like feathers, isotope profiles reflect the environment in which they were formed. Following large-scale habitat destruction, the globally threatened aquatic warbler Acrocephalus paludicola has a fragmented breeding population across central Europe, largely in Belarus, Poland and Ukraine. The species' sub-Saharan African wintering grounds have not yet been discovered, and this significantly hampers conservation efforts. Aquatic warblers grow their flight feathers on their wintering grounds, and we analysed stable isotope ratios (delta(15)N, delta(13)C, delta D) in rectrices of adults from six main breeding sites (subpopulations) across Europe to determine whether different breeding subpopulations formed a single mixed population on the wintering grounds. delta(15)N varies considerably with dietary trophic level and environmental factors, and delta D with the delta D in rainfall; neither varied between aquatic warbler subpopulations. Uniform feather delta(15)N signatures suggest no major variation in dietary trophic level during feather formation. High variance and inter-annual differences in mean delta D values hinder interpretation of these data. Significant differences in mean delta(13)C ratios existed between subpopulations. We discuss possible interpretations of this result, and consider differences in moulting latitude of different subpopulations to be the most parsimonious. delta(13)C in plants and animals decreases with latitude, along a steep gradient in sub-Saharan Africa. Birds from the most northwesterly breeding subpopulation (Karsibor, Poland) had significantly lower variance in delta(13)C and delta(15)N than birds from all other sites, suggesting either that birds from Karsibor are less geographically dispersed during moult, or moult in an area with less isotopic heterogeneity. Mean delta(13)C signatures from winter-grown feathers of different subpopulations were positively correlated with the latitude and longitude of breeding sites, suggesting a strong relationship between European breeding and African winter moulting latitudes. The use of stable isotopes provides novel insights into migratory connectivity and migration patterns in this little-known threatened species.
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Abstract
We studied the phylogeny of avian haemosporidian parasites, Haemoproteus and Plasmodium, in a number of African resident and European migratory songbird species sampled during spring and autumn in northern Nigeria. The phylogeny of the parasites was constructed through sequencing part of their mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. We found eight parasite lineages, five Haemoproteus and three Plasmodium, infecting multiple host species. Thus, 44% of the 18 haemospiridian lineages found in this study were detected in more than one host species, indicating that host sharing is a more common feature than previously thought. Furthermore, one of the Plasmodium lineages infected species from different host families, Sylviidae and Ploceidae, expressing exceptionally large host range. We mapped transmission events, e.g. the occurrence of the parasite lineages in resident bird species in Europe or Africa, onto a phylogenetic tree. This yielded three clades, two Plasmodium and one Haemoproteus, in which transmission seems to occur solely in Africa. One Plasmodium clade showed European transmission, whereas the remaining two Haemoproteus clades contained mixes of lineages of African, European or unknown transmission. The mix of areas of transmission in several branches of the phylogenetic tree suggests that transmission of haemosporidian parasites to songbirds has arisen repeatedly in Africa and Europe. Blood parasites could be viewed as a cost of migration, as migratory species in several cases were infected with parasite lineages from African resident species. This cost of migration could have considerable impact on the evolution of migration and patterns of winter distribution in migrating birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Waldenström
- Department of Animal Ecology, Ecology Building, Lund University, Sweden
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Akesson S, Morin J, Muheim R, Ottosson U. Avian orientation at steep angles of inclination: experiments with migratory white-crowned sparrows at the magnetic North Pole. Proc Biol Sci 2001; 268:1907-13. [PMID: 11564346 PMCID: PMC1088826 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2001.1736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The Earth's magnetic field and celestial cues provide animals with compass information during migration. Inherited magnetic compass courses are selected based on the angle of inclination, making it difficult to orient in the near vertical fields found at high geomagnetic latitudes. Orientation cage experiments were performed at different sites in high Arctic Canada with adult and young white-crowned sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii) in order to investigate birds' ability to use the Earth's magnetic field and celestial cues for orientation in naturally very steep magnetic fields at and close to the magnetic North Pole. Experiments were performed during the natural period of migration at night in the local geomagnetic field under natural clear skies and under simulated total overcast conditions. The experimental birds failed to select a meaningful magnetic compass course under overcast conditions at the magnetic North Pole, but could do so in geomagnetic fields deviating less than 3 degrees from the vertical. Migratory orientation was successful at all sites when celestial cues were available.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Akesson
- Department of Animal Ecology, Lund University, Ecology Building, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden.
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Abstract
Orientation experiments were performed with first-year snow buntings (Plectrophenax nivalis) during their autumn migration in a natural near-vertical geomagnetic field approximately 400 km away from the magnetic north pole. Migratory orientation of snow buntings was recorded using two different techniques: orientation cage tests and free-flight release experiments. Experiments were performed under clear skies, as well as under natural and simulated complete overcast. Several experimental manipulations were performed including an artificial shift of the E-vector direction of polarized light, depolarization of incoming light and a 4 h slow clock-shift experiment. The amount of stored fat proved to be decisive for the directional selections of the buntings. Fat individuals generally chose southerly mean directions, whereas lean birds selected northerly headings. These directional selections seemed to be independent of experimental manipulations of the buntings' access to visual cues even in the local near-vertical magnetic field. Under clear skies, the buntings failed to respond to either a deflection of the E-vector direction of polarized light or an experimental depolarization of incoming skylight. When tested under natural as well as simulated overcast, the buntings were still able to select a meaningful mean direction according to their fat status. Similarly, the free-flight release test under complete overcast resulted in a well-defined southsoutheast direction, possibly influenced by the prevailing light northwest wind. Clock-shift experiments did not yield a conclusive result, but the failure of these birds to take off during the subsequent free-flight release test may indicate some unspecified confusion effect of the treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Sandberg
- Department of Animal Ecology, Lund University, Ecology Building, S-223 62 Lund, Sweden.
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Smith HG, Ottosson U, Ohlsson T. Interclutch Variation in Egg Mass among Starlings Sturnus vulgaris Reflects Female Condition. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1993. [DOI: 10.2307/3676793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Bensch S, Gezelius L, Grahn M, Hasselqvist D, Lindstrom A, Ottosson U. Influence of Brood Size on Moult in Female Willow Warblers. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1985. [DOI: 10.2307/3676481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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