Article
Biodiversity Conservation
James R. Wright, James A. Johnson, Erin Bayne, Luke L. Powell, Carol R. Foss, Jeremiah C. Kennedy, Peter P. Marra
Summary: Understanding the movement patterns of migratory birds throughout the annual cycle can help identify potential population threats. This study used high-resolution GPS tags to track Rusty Blackbirds across different breeding populations, revealing variations in migratory connectivity and habitat use differences. The results suggest conservation efforts should target specific regions and habitats during nonbreeding periods, with a focus on stopover regions as important as wintering grounds.
AVIAN CONSERVATION AND ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Hans-Jurgen Eilts, Nele Feuerbach, Philip D. Round, Oleg Bourski, John Allcock, Paul Leader, Batmunkh Davaasuren, Tuvshinjargal Erdenechimeg, Jong-Gil Park, Wieland Heim
Summary: Studies on Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler indicate a complex postbreeding molt strategy and variable molt extent across different regions. Moreover, researchers found an increase in the number of molted primaries during migration in this bird species.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Amanda Pachomski, Stacy McNulty, Carol Foss, Jonathan Cohen, Shannon Farrell
Summary: The Rusty Blackbird prefers wetlands with lower mud cover and higher aquatic invertebrate abundance. These wetlands are found to have higher abundances of prey items such as Amphipoda, Coleoptera, Diptera, Odonata, and Trichoptera. This study provides new insights for habitat conservation of Rusty Blackbirds in a beaver-influenced landscape.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Linus Hedh, Juliana Danhardt, Anders Hedenstrom
Summary: Migration patterns and strategies of birds are influenced by environmental conditions and migration distances. Studying two populations of common ringed plover, researchers found differences in timing and speed of migration, suggesting that a combination of factors including population-specific migration timing, breeding season length, and proximity to breeding areas shape the annual cycle and migratory behaviors.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ornithology
Ana Morales, Barbara Frei, Greg W. Mitchell, Camille Begin-Marchand, Kyle H. Elliott
Summary: Migration involves tradeoffs between minimizing migration time and maximizing energy gain. This study examined the physiological and behavioral tradeoffs between molt-migrant and post-molt migrant birds. Molt-migrants had longer stopover duration and slower subsequent migration rates compared to post-molting birds.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Akiko Shoji, Kyle H. Elliott, Yutaka Watanuki, Niladri Basu, Shannon Whelan, Joshua Cunningham, Scott Hatch, Hazuki Mizukawa, Shouta M. M. Nakayama, Yoshinori Ikenaka, Mayumi Ishizuka, Stephane Aris-Brosou
Summary: Seabirds are important indicators of marine pollution including mercury, as they can track contaminant levels across space and time. The study found that seabirds may accumulate mercury during different parts of their annual cycle, reflecting the exposure through rectrices, body feathers, and blood. Understanding the timing and pathways of mercury accumulation in seabirds can help researchers assess the impact of environmental mercury on both seabirds and local plants.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Willard S. Robinson
Summary: The giant honey bee, Apis dorsata F., is an important pollinator in southern Asia, but its populations are declining. Research has shown that they migrate seasonally between highland and lowland nesting sites, and may regularly use stopover sites. These stopover sites are essential for the life history and health of migratory bee populations, and should be considered for conservation policies.
JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Ecology
Simon R. Evans, Stuart Bearhop
Summary: Research on animal migrations has revealed diverse strategies, with some migrants showing flexibility in their phenotypes while others do not. A taxon-independent organizing framework based on energetics is proposed to address this variability.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ornithology
Ji-Yeon Lee, Hyung-Kyu Nam, Jin-Young Park, Seung-Gu Kang, Nyambayar Batbayar, Dong-Won Kim, Jae-Woong Hwang, Otgonbayar Tsend, Tseveenmyadag Natsagdorj, Jugdernamjil Nergui, Tuvshintugs Sukhbaatar, Wee-Haeng Hur, Jeong-Chil Yoo
Summary: This study analyzed the migration differences, migration-influencing factors, and the effect of spring stopover site temperatures on Whooper Swans in northeastern Mongolia. The research found that Whooper Swans travel slower in spring due to environmental influences. These findings are critical for the conservation and management of Whooper Swans and their key habitats in East Asian regions.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Michael R. Kendrick, John W. McCord
Summary: Studying the distribution and behavior of monarch butterflies in different habitats, we found that their seasonal habitat use and breeding patterns diverge from established paradigms, suggesting the existence of a distinct population segment with significance for conservation.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Ornithology
Fraser Bell, Stuart Bearhop, Martins Briedis, Myriam El Harouchi, Sophie C. Bell, Joan Castello, Malcolm Burgess
Summary: Songbird populations are declining globally, with limited understanding of causal mechanisms. Studying the migratory behavior of European Pied Flycatchers reveals gender differences and individual variations, suggesting birds have flexible migratory behaviors to adapt to environmental changes.
Article
Ornithology
Cristina Rueda-Uribe, Ulrik Lotberg, Maria Ericsson, Sylvie V. M. Tesson, Susanne Akesson
Summary: The study reveals that Caspian terns use different migration strategies in different seasons, with adults optimizing their schedule for a quick return to breeding grounds while subadults often remain sedentary or only partially migrate. Conservation efforts in wintering areas, protecting stopover sites, and including the species in important migratory flyways will be crucial for preventing further declines in their population.
JOURNAL OF AVIAN BIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Plant Sciences
Marieke M. M. van Katwijk, Brigitta I. I. van Tussenbroek
Summary: Most plant species have either annual or perennial life cycles, but there are facultative annual species that can be either annual or perennial depending on their environment. While facultative annual species are rare in terrestrial plants, they are more common in marine angiosperms, particularly seagrasses. Six of the 63 seagrass species are facultative annual, producing significantly more seeds than their perennial counterparts. These facultative annual species can transition to an annual life cycle when exposed to specific environmental factors such as desiccation, anoxia, shading, or heat stress. A large-scale coastal protection experiment demonstrated that the facultative annual seagrass population could shift to a perennial life cycle within 5 years depending on the environmental conditions.
Article
Ecology
Mariamar Gutierrez Ramirez, Michael S. Griego, Joely G. DeSimone, Cory R. Elowe, Alexander R. Gerson
Summary: This study used non-lethal magnetic resonance technology and plasma metabolite profiling to explore the impact of muscle tissue breakdown during long-distance migratory flights on stopover duration and the strategies used by different species to cope with it.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Jeff Clerc, Liam P. McGuire
Summary: Research has shown that thermoregulation significantly impacts the optimal migration theory predictions of stopover behavior. Heterotherms, compared to homeotherms, have shorter stopovers, lower departure fuel loads, and reduced overall time and energy costs associated with stopovers.
Article
Ecology
Crinan Jarrett, Luke L. Powell, Heather McDevitt, Barbara Helm, Andreanna J. Welch
Letter
Ecology
Thomas C. Wanger, Fabrice DeClerck, Lucas A. Garibaldi, Jaboury Ghazoul, David Kleijn, Alexandra-Maria Klein, Claire Kremen, Harold Mooney, Ivette Perfecto, Luke L. Powell, Josef Settele, Mirco Sole, Teja Tscharntke, Wolfgang Weisser
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2020)
Article
Ornithology
James R. Wright, Luke L. Powell, Stephen N. Matthews, Christopher M. Tonra
Article
Ecology
Luke L. Powell, Elizabeth M. Ames, James R. Wright, Jason Matthiopoulos, Peter P. Marra
Summary: Research indicates that there is interspecific competition between Yellow Warblers and American Redstarts, with significant impacts on the migration and return of the latter. Territorial overlap in adult male American Redstarts is negatively correlated with Yellow Warblers, with lower overlap rates associated with higher annual return rates.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Kathleen K. E. Manson, Jenna P. B. McDermott, Luke L. Powell, Darroch M. Whitaker, Ian G. Warkentin
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Crinan Jarrett, Thomas B. Smith, Tabe T. R. Claire, Diogo F. Ferreira, Melanie Tchoumbou, Malange N. F. Elikwo, Jared Wolfe, Kristin Brzeski, Andreanna J. Welch, Rachid Hanna, Luke L. Powell
Summary: The conversion of forests to agriculture in the Afrotropics is leading to declines in sensitive rainforest taxa, such as understorey birds. Cocoa farms in Africa may provide habitat for biodiversity, but the suitability for vertebrate fauna and the impact of farm management on animal communities is not well understood. A study in Southern Cameroon found that sunny cocoa farms were less able to support sensitive bird guilds compared to shaded farms in forested landscapes, indicating that certain ecological and dietary guilds are disproportionately affected by land-use change.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Brian S. Evans, Luke L. Powell, Dean W. Demarest, Sinead M. Borchert, Russell S. Greenberg
Summary: The study revealed a significant decline in the Rusty Blackbird population, primarily inhabiting the Boreal forest. By utilizing citizen science efforts in the southeastern United States, environmental factors influencing the occurrence of Rusty Blackbirds were determined, with large hotspots identified in specific regions.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Robert E. Wilson, Steven M. Matsuoka, Luke L. Powell, James A. Johnson, Dean W. Demarest, Diana Stralberg, Sarah A. Sonsthagen
Summary: The genomic structure of the rusty blackbird population showed patterns influenced by historical vicariance during the last glacial maximum and contemporary forces, restricting dispersal among populations and potentially limiting their ability to respond to rapid environmental changes.
Article
Ornithology
Crinan Jarrett, Luke L. Powell, Tabe T. Regine Claire, Melanie Tchoumbou, Barbara Helm
Summary: Through capturing and monitoring Wood Warblers in Cameroon over two winters, it was found that the moulting process of the birds started on December 26 and completed on February 25, lasting 61 days. The birds encountered relatively stable climatic conditions for moulting in Cameroon, and the moulting period occurred during the peak of the dry season with high humidity.
JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ornithology
Luke L. Powell, Adam Metallo, Crinan Jarrett, Nathan W. Cooper, Peter P. Marra, Scott R. McWilliams, Ulf Bauchinger, Bryant C. Dossman
Summary: A noninvasive aluminum muscle meter device was developed to estimate the size of pectoral muscles in birds, and a durable plastic 3D-printed version was created for wider availability. The device showed repeatability among users, correlation with visual scoring systems, and outperformed traditional systems in predicting body condition indices. The precision of the 3D-scanning hardware used to create the device made it as useful as the original aluminum version, but more cost-effective and accessible.
JOURNAL OF FIELD ORNITHOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Steven C. Miller, Joris H. Wiethase, Amancio Motove Etingue, Elaine Franklin, Maximilliano Fero, Jared D. Wolfe, Mary K. Gonder, Luke L. Powell
Summary: This study investigated the potential factors influencing avian understory community composition along a newly constructed road on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea. Results showed that elevation was the most significant factor influencing the composition of avian communities, with low elevation avian understory insectivores suggested as focal species for future conservation efforts. The findings emphasize the importance of conserving both upland and lowland elevations for protecting the diverse segments of the bird community.
Article
Ornithology
Cody M. Kent, Kyu Min Huh, Sarah Chieko Hunter, Kathryn Judson, Luke L. Powell, Thomas W. Sherry
Summary: Empirical studies in the past have focused on simple communities, making experimental tests of species interactions in complex systems challenging. High dietary overlap during scarce resource periods increases the potential negative impacts of interspecific competition.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
James R. Wright, James A. Johnson, Erin Bayne, Luke L. Powell, Carol R. Foss, Jeremiah C. Kennedy, Peter P. Marra
Summary: Understanding the movement patterns of migratory birds throughout the annual cycle can help identify potential population threats. This study used high-resolution GPS tags to track Rusty Blackbirds across different breeding populations, revealing variations in migratory connectivity and habitat use differences. The results suggest conservation efforts should target specific regions and habitats during nonbreeding periods, with a focus on stopover regions as important as wintering grounds.
AVIAN CONSERVATION AND ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Philip C. Stouffer, Vitek Jirinec, Cameron L. Rutt, Richard O. Bierregaard, Angelica Hernandez-Palma, Erik I. Johnson, Stephen R. Midway, Luke L. Powell, Jared D. Wolfe, Thomas E. Lovejoy
Summary: Research has shown that bird populations in the Amazon rainforest are decreasing without the presence of deforestation or other human-induced changes. Today's forest fragments and second growth are more impoverished compared to historical abundance, and goals for bird community recovery in second growth must acknowledge that modern bird communities will inevitably differ from those of over 35 years ago.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sarah C. Davidson, Gil Bohrer, Eliezer Gurarie, Scott LaPoint, Peter J. Mahoney, Natalie T. Boelman, Jan U. H. Eitel, Laura R. Prugh, Lee A. Vierling, Jyoti Jennewein, Emma Grier, Ophelie Couriot, Allicia P. Kelly, Arjan J. H. Meddens, Ruth Y. Oliver, Roland Kays, Martin Wikelski, Tomas Aarvak, Joshua T. Ackerman, Jose A. Alves, Erin Bayne, Bryan Bedrosian, Jerrold L. Belant, Andrew M. Berdahl, Alicia M. Berlin, Dominique Berteaux, Joel Bety, Dmitrijs Boiko, Travis L. Booms, Bridget L. Borg, Stan Boutin, W. Sean Boyd, Kane Brides, Stephen Brown, Victor N. Bulyuk, Kurt K. Burnham, David Cabot, Michael Casazza, Katherine Christie, Erica H. Craig, Shanti E. Davis, Tracy Davison, Dominic Demma, Christopher R. DeSorbo, Andrew Dixon, Robert Domenech, Gotz Eichhorn, Kyle Elliott, Joseph R. Evenson, Klaus-Michael Exo, Steven H. Ferguson, Wolfgang Fiedler, Aaron Fisk, Jerome Fort, Alastair Franke, Mark R. Fuller, Stefan Garthe, Gilles Gauthier, Grant Gilchrist, Petr Glazov, Carrie E. Gray, David Gremillet, Larry Griffin, Michael T. Hallworth, Autumn-Lynn Harrison, Holly L. Hennin, J. Mark Hipfner, James Hodson, James A. Johnson, Kyle Joly, Kimberly Jones, Todd E. Katzner, Jeff W. Kidd, Elly C. Knight, Michael N. Kochert, Andrea Koelzsch, Helmut Kruckenberg, Benjamin J. Lagasse, Sandra Lai, Jean-Francois Lamarre, Richard B. Lanctot, Nicholas C. Larter, A. David M. Latham, Christopher J. Latty, James P. Lawler, Don-Jean Leandri-Breton, Hansoo Lee, Stephen B. Lewis, Oliver P. Love, Jesper Madsen, Mark Maftei, Mark L. Mallory, Buck Mangipane, Mikhail Y. Markovets, Peter P. Marra, Rebecca McGuire, Carol L. McIntyre, Emily A. McKinnon, Tricia A. Miller, Sander Moonen, Tong Mu, Gerhard J. D. M. Muskens, Janet Ng, Kerry L. Nicholson, Ingar Jostein Oien, Cory Overton, Patricia A. Owen, Allison Patterson, Aevar Petersen, Ivan Pokrovsky, Luke L. Powell, Rui Prieto, Petra Quillfeldt, Jennie Rausch, Kelsey Russell, Sarah T. Saalfeld, Hans Schekkerman, Joel A. Schmutz, Philipp Schwemmer, Dale R. Seip, Adam Shreading, Monica A. Silva, Brian W. Smith, Fletcher Smith, Jeff P. Smith, Katherine R. S. Snell, Aleksandr Sokolov, Vasiliy Sokolov, Diana V. Solovyeva, Mathew S. Sorum, Grigori Tertitski, J. F. Therrien, Kasper Thorup, T. Lee Tibbitts, Ingrid Tulp, Brian D. Uher-Koch, Rob S. A. van Bemmelen, Steven Van Wilgenburg, Andrew L. Von Duyke, Jesse L. Watson, Bryan D. Watts, Judy A. Williams, Matthew T. Wilson, James R. Wright, Michael A. Yates, David J. Yurkowski, Ramunas Zydelis, Mark Hebblewhite