Article
Behavioral Sciences
Ginger A. Rebstock, Briana Abrahms, P. Dee Boersma
Summary: Using movement and breeding data for Magellanic penguins, this study shows that returning to familiar foraging sites increases efficiency and breeding success. Penguins with higher site fidelity can make more frequent trips and feed chicks more frequently, resulting in higher chick survival rates. The study also found that higher ocean productivity is associated with higher foraging-site fidelity.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Thomas A. Morrison, Jerod A. Merkle, J. Grant C. Hopcraft, Ellen O. Aikens, Jeffrey L. Beck, Randall B. Boone, Alyson B. Courtemanch, Samantha P. Dwinnell, W. Sue Fairbanks, Brad Griffith, Arthur D. Middleton, Kevin L. Monteith, Brendan Oates, Louise Riotte-Lambert, Hall Sawyer, Kurt T. Smith, Jared A. Stabach, Kaitlyn L. Taylor, Matthew J. Kauffman
Summary: Site fidelity, the tendency for animals to return to previously visited locations, is influenced by environmental factors and varies among species. Environmental predictability and success in resource tracking play a role in shaping site fidelity, which can strengthen with age and experience. Differences between species in memory and attraction to sites contribute to variations in site fidelity expression.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Jeanne Clermont, Charline Couchoux, Sandra Lai, Dominique Berteaux
Summary: The relationship between boldness and reproductive success in Arctic foxes is influenced by the abundance of their main prey, lemmings. When lemmings are scarce, bold foxes have more pups, suggesting that boldness provides an advantage in hunting or accessing alternative resources. However, when lemmings are abundant, all foxes produce large litters, indicating that environmental conditions can affect the relationship between behavior and reproductive success in predators.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Clara Superbie, Kathrine M. Stewart, Charlotte E. Regan, Jill F. Johnstone, Philip D. McLoughlin
Summary: Understanding the relative importance of threats to species across their range is crucial for large-scale conservation planning. A study on the Canada-wide boreal caribou reveals that current policy draws heavily from data obtained in the southern area, but further research is needed to understand the situation in the northern region.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
John P. Severson, Heather E. Johnson, Stephen M. Arthur, William B. Leacock, Michael J. Suitor
Summary: Phenological changes in spring can have significant impacts on the behavior and space utilization patterns of migratory barren-ground caribou, with future climate conditions projected to further shift their distributions westward.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Walter H. Piper, Katy Dahl, Martha Kebeh, Allison J. Piper
Summary: Most studies on vertebrate breeding success have shown that it increases with age, but the exact reasons for this pattern are still unclear. This study on a population of common loons revealed that both the male's residency time on a territory and the female's experience on the territory influenced hatching success. Other factors such as breeding investment, learning, and reproductive coordination were not significant predictors of breeding success.
Article
Ecology
Michel P. Laforge, Quinn M. R. Webber, Eric Vander Wal
Summary: In seasonal environments, animals display behavioral plasticity to adapt to changing conditions and maximize reproductive success. The timing of migration in caribou is positively correlated with snowmelt, while the timing of parturition varies based on inter-annual variation in snowmelt and green-up. Repeatability in migration timing suggests the potential for evolutionary responses, but observed plasticity may negate the need for such responses. The lack of repeatability in parturition timing may hinder adaptation as warming increases.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Samantha McFarlane, Micheline Manseau, Teri B. B. Jones, Darren Pouliot, Gabriela Mastromonaco, Gigi Pittoello, Paul J. J. Wilson
Summary: This study examines the effects of variable density on demographic parameters in a wild population of boreal woodland caribou. The results show that density affects individual reproductive success, female pregnancy status, and dispersal distance. The study suggests that remnant habitat patches may create population sinks.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Timothy J. Fullman, Brian T. Person, Alexander K. Prichard, Lincoln S. Parrett
Summary: Animals migrate to benefit from temporal and spatial variability in resources, but the cost-benefit ratio can lead to partial migration where only a portion of the population migrates. In the Teshekpuk Caribou Herd, there is variability in movement behavior and wintering area use, with low fidelity to wintering areas among individuals. The duration and distance of migration varied by season and wintering area, indicating the importance of understanding factors influencing migratory behaviors in the rapidly changing Arctic environment.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yingqiang Lou, Qingshan Zhao, Yunbiao Hu, Lijun Chen, Pengfei Liu, Yun Fang, Huw Lloyd, Yuehua Sun
Summary: In this study, the researchers investigate how a female bird's personality traits, such as activity and breathing rate, can influence nest site selection at different spatial scales. They also examine the impact of nest site characteristics and female personality traits on clutch size and nest success during incubation. The findings reveal that activity and breathing rate are not associated with large-scale nesting habitat variables. However, at a smaller scale, more active females tend to choose nest sites with better lateral concealment. Females with higher breathing rates lay smaller clutch sizes, while those with lower breathing rates have higher nest success during incubation. This research highlights the link between personality and nest site selection in birds, and emphasizes the important role of female personality traits in reproductive success.
Article
Entomology
Peng Zhou, Xiong Zhao He, Chen Chen, Qiao Wang
Summary: The European red mite has successfully invaded new habitats by overcoming barriers such as inbreeding depression and adjusting resource allocations for reproduction, leading to its invasion success in successive generations.
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ornithology
Melanie Browne, Sheela P. Turbek, Constanza Pasian, Adrian S. Di Giacomo
Summary: Subtropical grasslands in northeastern Argentina, identified as a priority conservation area, are important for the breeding of the endangered Ibera Seedeater. The breeding biology study revealed that the Ibera Seedeater nests exclusively in flooded lowland grasslands on marsh plants, with a male-biased site fidelity and low female return rate. Effective lowland grassland management is crucial for maintaining the necessary vegetation structure for reproduction in the Ibera Seedeater.
ORNITHOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Sinchan Ghosh, Arnab Banerjee, Soumalya Mukhopadhyay, Sabyasachi Bhattacharya, Santanu Ray
Summary: This study proposes a methodology and modeling framework to accurately predict the nesting success probabilities of birds, using Merops philippinus as a model species. The study highlights the vulnerability of the time window between nesting and mating to environmental fluctuations and the importance of both biotic and abiotic factors in nesting success. Linear modeling frameworks and artificial neural networks are useful tools for predicting mating, nesting, and overall reproductive success probabilities.
ECOLOGICAL INFORMATICS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Annie E. Schmidt, Grant Ballard, Amelie Lescroel, Katie M. Dugger, Dennis Jongsomjit, Megan L. Elrod, David G. Ainley
Summary: Variations in group sizes are common in colonially breeding species like seabirds, with factors like nesting habitat quality influencing reproductive success. This study found that subcolony habitat characteristics significantly affect reproductive success, with smaller colonies showing more variability and being more impacted by interactions with nest predators.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Alexej Siren, Marketa Zimova, Chris S. Sutherland, John T. Finn, Jillian R. Kilborn, Rachel M. Cliche, Leighlan S. Prout, L. Scott Mills, Toni Lyn Morelli
Summary: This study focuses on the influence of resource availability on snowshoe hare populations along their trailing range edge. The results show that variability in resource availability affects population density and fluctuations, as well as survival rates. Hares living in resource-limited environments have lower population density but higher survival rates and lower parasite loads compared to populations in resource-rich environments.
Article
Zoology
Emilie E. Chavel, Marc J. Mazerolle, Louis Imbeau, Pierre Drapeau
Article
Forestry
Virginie A. Angers, Y. Bergeron, P. Drapeau
TREE-RING RESEARCH
(2017)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Daniel Fortin, Florian Barnier, Pierre Drapeau, Thierry Duchesne, Claude Dussault, Sandra Heppell, Marie-Caroline Prima, Martin-Hugues St-Laurent, Guillaume Szor
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2017)
Article
Ecology
Judit Lecina-Diaz, Albert Alvarez, Adrian Regos, Pierre Drapeau, Alain Paquette, Christian Messier, Javier Retana
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2018)
Article
Ecology
Adrian Regos, Louis Imbeau, Melanie Desrochers, Alain Leduc, Michel Robert, Benoit Jobin, Lluis Brotons, Pierre Drapeau
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2018)
Article
Ecology
Alexandre Lafontaine, Pierre Drapeau, Daniel Fortin, Sylvie Gauthier, Yan Boulanger, Martin-Hugues St-Laurent
Article
Ecology
Marie-Caroline Prima, Thierry Duchesne, Andre Fortin, Louis-Paul Rivest, Pierre Drapeau, Martin-Hugues St-Laurent, Daniel Fortin
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Ecology
Pauline Suffice, Marianne Cheveau, Louis Imbeau, Marc J. Mazerolle, Hugo Asselin, Pierre Drapeau
JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
(2020)
Article
Forestry
Fabien St-Pierre, Pierre Drapeau, Martin-Hugues St-Laurent
Summary: This study investigated the natural regrowth of logging roads in Canada's eastern boreal forest. The results showed that the number of growing degree-days and the proportion of coniferous stands in the surroundings were the main factors influencing vegetation regrowth. Soil compaction was found to be the most important variable impeding vegetation establishment on logging roads, while a higher proportion of wetlands surrounding the road segment contributed to poor regrowth.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Virginie Vanlandeghem, Pierre Drapeau, Marie-Caroline Prima, Martin-Hugues St-Laurent, Daniel Fortin
Summary: Landscape complexity plays a key role in determining the population dynamics of interacting predators and prey. The commonly used aspatial predictive models in management plans may lead to unexpected outcomes or missed opportunities for spatial interventions. By utilizing spatially explicit individual-based models, it is possible to manipulate species interactions and achieve specific management goals related to predation rates.
Article
Forestry
Fabien St-Pierre, Pierre Drapeau, Martin-Hugues St-Laurent
Summary: Decades of industrial resource extraction in boreal forests have led to the fragmentation of wildlife habitats due to linear features, highlighting the importance of decommissioning these features and restoring suitable habitats. Research on forest road use by gray wolves, black bears, and moose found that road-scale characteristics such as surrounding wetlands, lateral cover density, age of roads, and surrounding vegetation influence their use patterns.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ariane Dumas, Catherine Bouchard, Antonia Dibernardo, Pierre Drapeau, L. Robbin Lindsay, Nicholas H. Ogden, Patrick A. Leighton
Summary: Ixodes scapularis ticks are expanding their range in northeastern North America, bringing with them pathogens of public health concern. This study found that birds and rodents are reservoir hosts for the ticks, with ground-foraging bird species and species inhabiting open habitat being more susceptible to infestation and transmission of Borrelia bacteria.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Martin-Hugues St-Laurent, Yan Boulanger, Dominic Cyr, Francis Manka, Pierre Drapeau, Sylvie Gauthier
Summary: This study evaluated how climate change will affect boreal caribou habitat, finding that it may lead to a decrease in habitat quality, a reduction in high-quality habitat, and a northward recession of suitable habitat. Timber harvesting was found to be the most important factor of change for the 2030-2050 horizon, although it may be replaced by changes in fire regime by 2100.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Review
Ecology
Maxence Martin, Yoan Paillet, Laurent Larrieu, Christel C. Kern, Patricia Raymond, Pierre Drapeau, Nicole J. Fenton
Summary: Sustainable management of forest ecosystems requires reliable and easy to implement biodiversity and naturalness indicators. Tree-related microhabitats (TreMs) can fulfill this role as they provide habitat to specialized species. Current research on TreMs has focused on assessing their robustness as indicators of biodiversity and naturalness at the stand scale. However, there is a lack of geographical representativity and knowledge gaps in the field.
FRONTIERS IN FORESTS AND GLOBAL CHANGE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Manuella Strukelj, Suzanne Brais, Marc J. Mazerolle, David Pare, Pierre Drapeau