Resumen
Carry-over effects from one stage of the annual cycle to subsequent stages can have profound effects on individual fitness. In migratory birds, much research has been devoted to examining such effects from the nonbreeding to the breeding period. We investigated potential carry-over effects influencing spring body condition, breeding phenology, and performance for 3 species of sympatric, declining Nearctic-Neotropical migratory swallows: Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia), Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica), and Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota). To examine carry-over effects, we used structural equation modeling and several intrinsic markers, including stable isotope (δ2H, δ13C, and δ15N) and corticosterone (CORTf) values from winter molted-feathers, and changes in telomere length between breeding seasons. We found support for carry-over effects for all 3 species, however, the specific relationships varied between species and sexes. Effects leading to lower breeding performance were only observed in male Bank, female Barn, and female and male Cliff Swallows. In most cases, carry-over effects were attributed to differences in stable isotope values (most commonly with δ2H) presumably related to differences in winter habitat use, but, for Cliff Swallows, negative carry-over effects were also linked to higher CORTf values and greater rates of telomere shortening. This work provides further support for the potential role of nonbreeding conditions on population declines, and indicates how multiple intrinsic markers can be used to provide information on ecological conditions throughout the annual cycle.
| Idioma original | English |
|---|---|
| Número de artículo | ukz053 |
| Publicación | Auk |
| Volumen | 136 |
| N.º | 4 |
| DOI | |
| Estado | Published - oct. 17 2019 |
Nota bibliográfica
Funding Information:We gratefully thank the field assistants, lab technicians, and volunteers involved in collecting this data and processing samples, and the landowners who provided study sites for these species on the breeding grounds. We also thank P. Marra, L. Phillmore, and 2 anonymous reviewers for comments on an earlier draft of this manuscript, J. Lefcheck for statistical advice, and P. Thomas and B. Whittam for their support. Funding statement: This study was funded by (in alphabetical order) the Canadian Wildlife Federation, Environment and Climate Change Canada, the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada, New Brunswick Wildlife Trust Fund, Nova Scotia Habitat Conservation Fund, and Wildlife Preservation Canada. None of these funders had any input into the content of the manuscript, nor was their approval required before submission.
Funding Information:
Funding statement:This study was funded by (in alphabetical order) the Canadian Wildlife Federation, Environment and Climate Change Canada, the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada, New Brunswick Wildlife Trust Fund, Nova Scotia Habitat Conservation Fund, and Wildlife Preservation Canada. None of these funders had any input into the content of the manuscript, nor was their approval required before submission. Ethics statement: All field methods were approved by the Dalhousie University Animal Ethics Committee (protocols 14-025 and 15-103). Author contributions: T.L.I. and M.L.L. conceived of the study, and T.L.I. and S.S. collected data and biological samples. F.A., K.A.H., and G.M. oversaw and/or conducted lab analyses for telomeres, stable isotopes, and CORTf, respectively. T.L.I. performed the analysis and drafted the manuscript; all other authors substantially edited the manuscript.
Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © American Ornithological Society 2019.
ASJC Scopus Subject Areas
- Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
- Animal Science and Zoology