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1. Biomass burning in the Neotropics is exposing migrating birds to elevated fine particulate matter concentrations

   https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.13767  

   La Sorte, Frank A. ; Zuckerberg, Benjamin ; Lepczyk, Christopher A. ; Aronson, Myla F. J. ; Horton, Kyle G. ( October 2023 , Global Ecology and Biogeography)

   A unique risk faced by nocturnally migrating birds is the disorienting influence of artificial light at night (ALAN). ALAN originates from anthropogenic activities that can generate other forms of environmental pollution, including the emission of fine particulate matter (PM_2.5). PM_2.5concentrations can display strong seasonal variation whose origin can be natural or anthropogenic. How this variation affects seasonal associations with ALAN and PM_2.5for nocturnally migrating bird populations has not been explored.

   Western Hemisphere.

   2021

   Nocturnally migrating passerine (NMP) bird species.

   We combined monthly estimates of PM_2.5and ALAN with weekly estimates of relative abundance for 164 NMP species derived using observations from eBird. We identified groups of species with similar associations with monthly PM_2.5. We summarized their shared environmental, geographical, and ecological attributes.

   PM_2.5was lowest in North America, especially at higher latitudes during the boreal winter. PM_2.5was highest in the Amazon Basin, especially during the dry season (August–October). ALAN was highest within eastern North America, especially during the boreal winter. For NMP species, PM_2.5associations reached their lowest levels during the breeding season (<10 μg/m³) and highest levels during the nonbreeding season, especially for long‐distance migrants that winter in Central and South America (~20 μg/m³). Species that migrate through Central America in the spring encountered similarly high PM_2.5concentrations. ALAN associations reached their highest levels for species that migrate (~12 nW/cm²/sr) or spend the nonbreeding season (~15 nW/cm²/sr) in eastern North America.

   We did not find evidence that the disorienting influence of ALAN enhances PM_2.5exposure during stopover in the spring and autumn for NMP species. Rather, our findings suggest biomass burning in the Neotropics is exposing NMP species to consistently elevated PM_2.5concentrations for an extended period of their annual life cycles.

    

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2. Phenological synchronization of seasonal bird migration with vegetation greenness across dietary guilds

   https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.13345  

   La Sorte, Frank A. ; Graham, Catherine H. ; Chapman, ed., Jason ( October 2020 , Journal of Animal Ecology)

   The seasonal movement of animals has been linked to seasonal variation in ecological productivity, and it has been hypothesized that primary consumers synchronize migration with vegetation phenology. Within temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, herbivorous bird species often track the phenology of vegetation greenness during spring migration. Phenological synchronization with vegetation greenness by migratory birds in other dietary guilds, across the full extent of their annual distributions during both spring and autumn migration, has not been explored.

   Here, we document population‐level associations with a remotely sensed measure of vegetation greenness for 230 North American migratory bird species in seven dietary guilds across the full annual cycle using eBird occurrence information for the combined period 2006–2018.

   Evidence of phenological synchronization was strongest for omnivores, herbivores, herbivore–granivores and granivores during spring and autumn migration, except for omnivores in the west during spring migration. Strong evidence of synchronization was also observed for insectivores during spring migration and carnivores during spring and autumn migration that migrated across the entire breadth of the continent. The level of evidence declined for insectivores in the west and east during spring migration, and for nectarivores in the west during spring and autumn migration. Limited evidence was also found for insectivores in the east during autumn migration, insectivores in the west and the centre of the continent during spring and autumn migration, and carnivores in the west during spring migration. Carnivores in the west during autumn migration showed the weakest evidence of synchronization.

   We found broad support across an array of dietary guilds for phenological coupling between vegetation greenness and seasonal bird migration within North America. Our results highlight the potential for many migratory bird species to encounter phenological mismatches as vegetation phenology responds to climate change. Our findings emphasize the need to better understand the environmental cues that regulate migratory behaviour across dietary guilds, consumer levels and migration tactics.

    

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3. Seasonal associations with urban light pollution for nocturnally migrating bird populations

   https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.13792  

   La Sorte, Frank A. ; Fink, Daniel ; Buler, Jeffrey J. ; Farnsworth, Andrew ; Cabrera‐Cruz, Sergio A. ( July 2017 , Global Change Biology)

   The spatial extent and intensity of artificial light at night (ALAN) has increased worldwide through the growth of urban environments. There is evidence that nocturnally migrating birds are attracted toALAN, and there is evidence that nocturnally migrating bird populations are more likely to occur in urban areas during migration, especially in the autumn. Here, we test if urban sources ofALANare responsible, at least in part, for these observed urban associations. We use weekly estimates of diurnal occurrence and relative abundance for 40 nocturnally migrating bird species that breed in forested environments in North America to assess how associations with distance to urban areas andALANare defined across the annual cycle. Migratory bird populations presented stronger than expected associations with shorter distances to urban areas during migration, and stronger than expected association with higher levels ofALANoutside and especially within urban areas during migration. These patterns were more pronounced during autumn migration, especially within urban areas. Outside of the two migration periods, migratory bird populations presented stronger than expected associations with longer distances to urban areas, especially during the nonbreeding season, and weaker than expected associations with the highest levels ofALANoutside and especially within urban areas. These findings suggest thatALANis associated with higher levels of diurnal abundance along the boundaries and within the interior of urban areas during migration, especially in the autumn when juveniles are undertaking their first migration journey. These findings support the conclusion that urban sources ofALANcan broadly effect migratory behavior, emphasizing the need to better understand the implications ofALANfor migratory bird populations.

    

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4. Delayed herbivory by migratory geese increases summer‐long CO 2 uptake in coastal western Alaska

   https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.14473  

   Leffler, A. Joshua ; Beard, Karen H. ; Kelsey, Katharine C. ; Choi, Ryan T. ; Schmutz, Joel A. ; Welker, Jeffrey M. ( November 2018 , Global Change Biology)

   The advancement of spring and the differential ability of organisms to respond to changes in plant phenology may lead to “phenological mismatches” as a result of climate change. One potential for considerable mismatch is between migratory birds and food availability in northern breeding ranges, and these mismatches may have consequences for ecosystem function. We conducted a three‐year experiment to examine the consequences for CO₂exchange of advanced spring green‐up and altered timing of grazing by migratory Pacific black brant in a coastal wetland in western Alaska. Experimental treatments represent the variation in green‐up and timing of peak grazing intensity that currently exists in the system. Delayed grazing resulted in greater net ecosystem exchange (NEE) and gross primary productivity (GPP), while early grazing reduced CO₂uptake with the potential of causing net ecosystem carbon (C) loss in late spring and early summer. Conversely, advancing the growing season only influenced ecosystem respiration (ER), resulting in a small increase in ER with no concomitant impact on GPP or NEE. The experimental treatment that represents the most likely future, with green‐up advancing more rapidly than arrival of migratory geese, results in NEE changing by 1.2 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹toward a greater CO₂sink in spring and summer. Increased sink strength, however, may be mitigated by early arrival of migratory geese, which would reduce CO₂uptake. Importantly, while the direct effect of climate warming on phenology of green‐up has a minimal influence on NEE, the indirect effect of climate warming manifest through changes in the timing of peak grazing can have a significant impact on C balance in northern coastal wetlands. Furthermore, processes influencing the timing of goose migration in the winter range can significantly influence ecosystem function in summer habitats.

    

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5. Neotropical migratory and resident birds occurring in sympatry during winter have distinct haemosporidian parasite assemblages

   https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.13760  

   Soares, Leticia ; Latta, Steven C. ; Ricklefs, Robert E. ( December 2019 , Journal of Biogeography)

   We compared the parasite assemblages of over‐wintering migratory birds and permanent residents on the wintering grounds. We determined whether parasite sharing between migratory and resident birds is influenced by host phylogenetic relatedness. We then inferred whether migratory birds transport haemosporidian parasite lineages between the breeding and wintering grounds.

   Sierra de Bahoruco National Park, Dominican Republic, Hispaniola.

   Migratory and resident birds (primarily Aves: Passeriformes) and their haemosporidian parasites (order Haemosporida,Plasmodium,HaemoproteusandParahaemoproteus).

   We used mist nets to capture birds in thorn scrub, broadleaf dry forests and pine forests during midwinter. We used molecular methods to recognize haemosporidian parasites in blood samples, and genotyped infections based on the nucleotide differences in a region of the parasite cytochromebgene.

   We identified 505 infections by 32 haemosporidian parasite lineages in 1,780 blood samples from 37 resident species, and in 901 blood samples from 14 overwintering migratory species, over five years at the same sites. Infection prevalence varied among migratory species from zero to 13%, whereas infection prevalence among resident species ranged up to 77%. Host relatedness did not predict parasite assemblage similarity. We discuss four hypotheses for the rarity of haemosporidian infections in migratory birds during winter, and for the infrequency of parasite sharing between migratory and resident birds: (a) relative abundance and host preferences of dipteran vectors lower parasite transmission to migratory birds; (b) parasite lineages adapted to infect endemic Caribbean hosts are unable to infect migratory species; (c) the physiology of migratory birds after migration and during winter reduces parasite survival; and (d) infected individuals suffer more pronounced mortality rates during migration. We highlight the link between host–parasite coevolution and the physiological adaptations associated with avian seasonal migration.

    

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