scholarly journals Faecal metabarcoding reveals pervasive long-distance impacts of garden bird feeding

2021 ◽  
Vol 288 (1951) ◽  
pp. 20210480
Author(s):  
Jack D. Shutt ◽  
Urmi H. Trivedi ◽  
James A. Nicholls
Keyword(s):  
Bird Species ◽  
Urban Ecosystems ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Supplementary Feeding ◽  
Ecosystem Dynamics ◽  
Blue Tit ◽  
Cyanistes Caeruleus ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Supplementary Food ◽  
The Impact

Supplementary feeding of wildlife is widespread, being undertaken by more than half of households in many countries. However, the impact that these supplemental resources have is unclear, with impacts largely considered to be restricted to urban ecosystems. We reveal the pervasiveness of supplementary foodstuffs in the diet of a wild bird using metabarcoding of blue tit ( Cyanistes caeruleus ) faeces collected in early spring from a 220 km transect in Scotland with a large urbanization gradient. Supplementary foodstuffs were present in the majority of samples, with peanut ( Arachis hypogaea ) the single commonest (either natural or supplementary) dietary item. Consumption rates exhibited a distance decay from human habitation but remained high at several hundred metres from the nearest household and continued to our study limit of 1.4 km distant. Supplementary food consumption was associated with a near quadrupling of blue tit breeding density and a 5-day advancement of breeding phenology. We show that woodland bird species using supplementary food have increasing UK population trends, while species that do not, and/or are outcompeted by blue tits, are likely to be declining. We suggest that the impacts of supplementary feeding are larger and more spatially extensive than currently appreciated and could be disrupting population and ecosystem dynamics.

scholarly journals Faecal metabarcoding reveals pervasive long-distance impacts of garden bird feeding

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jack D Shutt ◽  
Urmi H Trivedi ◽  
James A Nicholls
Keyword(s):  
Bird Species ◽  
Urban Ecosystems ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Supplementary Feeding ◽  
Ecosystem Dynamics ◽  
Blue Tit ◽  
Cyanistes Caeruleus ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Supplementary Food ◽  
The Impact

AbstractSupplementary feeding of wildlife is widespread, being undertaken by more than half of households in many countries. However, the impact that these supplemental resources have is unclear, with impacts assumed to be restricted to urban ecosystems. We reveal the pervasiveness of supplementary foodstuffs in the diet of a wild bird using metabarcoding of blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) faeces collected in early spring from a 220km transect in Scotland with a large urbanisation gradient. Supplementary foodstuffs were present in the majority of samples, with peanut (Arachis hypogaea) the single commonest (either natural or supplementary) dietary item. Consumption rates exhibited a distance decay from human habitation but remained high at several hundred metres from the nearest household and continued to our study limit of 1.4km distant. Supplementary food consumption was associated with a near quadrupling of blue tit breeding density and a five-day advancement of breeding phenology. We show that woodland bird species using supplementary food have increasing UK population trends, while species that don’t, and/or are outcompeted by blue tits, are likely to be declining. We suggest that the impacts of supplementary feeding are larger and more spatially extensive than currently appreciated and could be disrupting population and ecosystem dynamics.

scholarly journals Flight range, fuel load and the impact of climate change on the journeys of migrant birds

2018 ◽  
Vol 285 (1873) ◽  
pp. 20172329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Howard ◽  
Philip A. Stephens ◽  
Joseph A. Tobias ◽  
Catherine Sheard ◽  
Stuart H. M. Butchart ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Climate Impact ◽  
Fuel Load ◽  
Migratory Species ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Avian Flight ◽  
Flight Range ◽  
Combine Information ◽  
The Impact

Climate change is predicted to increase migration distances for many migratory species, but the physiological and temporal implications of longer migratory journeys have not been explored. Here, we combine information about species' flight range potential and migratory refuelling requirements to simulate the number of stopovers required and the duration of current migratory journeys for 77 bird species breeding in Europe. Using tracking data, we show that our estimates accord with recorded journey times and stopovers for most species. We then combine projections of altered migratory distances under climate change with models of avian flight to predict future migratory journeys. We find that 37% of migratory journeys undertaken by long-distance migrants will necessitate an additional stopover in future. These greater distances and the increased number of stops will substantially increase overall journey durations of many long-distance migratory species, a factor not currently considered in climate impact studies.

scholarly journals Is UV signalling involved in male-male territorial conflict in the blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)? A new experimental approach

Behaviour ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 144 (4) ◽  
pp. 447-470 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Dijkstra ◽  
Peter Korsten ◽  
Jan Komdeur
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Approach ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Female Mate Choice ◽  
Blue Tit ◽  
Cyanistes Caeruleus ◽  
Fertile Period ◽  
Territorial Conflict ◽  
Uv Reflectance ◽  
Aggressive Reactions ◽  
Uv Coloration

Structurally-based ultraviolet (UV) coloration of plumage can signal male quality and plays a role in female mate choice in many bird species. UV-reflecting badges could also be important signals in male-male competition. We tested if territorial blue tit ( Cyanistes caeruleus ) males discriminate between conspecific male intruders which differ in the UV reflectance of their crown feathers. To this aim, we used a new experimental approach in which we simultaneously (instead of sequentially) introduced two male blue tit taxidermic mounts in the territories of resident males during the female fertile period; one mount with natural crown UV reflectance and one mount with reduced crown UV. The two mounts provoked strong aggressive reactions from resident males. Males specifically directed their aggression to conspecific intruders, as a male blue tit mount received substantially more aggression than a mount of a European robin ( Erithacus rubecula ). However, aggression of resident males did not vary between the UV-reduced and the control mount. Furthermore, the variation in natural crown UV reflectance of the resident males did not predict the intensity of their aggressive response. Contrary to previous findings our results suggest that UV signals play only a limited role in male-male interactions during territorial intrusions in the female fertile period.

scholarly journals Experimental manipulation of nocturnal nest cavity temperature in wild blue tits

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily G. Simmonds ◽  
Ben C. Sheldon ◽  
Tim Coulson ◽  
Ella F. Cole
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Manipulation ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Nest Temperature ◽  
Cyanistes Caeruleus ◽  
Nest Boxes ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Experimental Treatments ◽  
Taxonomic Groups ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Blue Tits

AbstractAdvances in the timing of reproduction in temperate species are some of the most well documented biotic responses to increasing global temperatures. However, the magnitude and rate of these advances in timing are not equal across all taxonomic groups. These differences can lead to disruption of interspecific relationships if species respond differently to temperature changes. Understanding the relationship between temperature and phenology is a key step in predicting future population trends for species living in seasonal environments. However, experimentally manipulating temperature in the wild is logistically challenging and has consequently rarely been attempted. In this study we experimentally test whether in-nest temperatures in early spring act as a cue for breeding phenology in a population of wild blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus). We split nests into three treatments; heated, cooled, and control. In-nest temperature in the heated and cooled boxes was manipulated by an average of ± 0.6 °C from control temperatures using heating devices and ice packs respectively. We assessed the impact of our experimental manipulation on box occupancy and reproductive timing. We found trends towards earlier phenology in heated nest boxes in addition to a higher occupancy rate in cooled boxes, however neither of these trends was found to be statistically significant. Our ability to distinguish statistical signals was hampered by unexpectedly low occupancy rates across all experimental treatments. Based on the results we cannot say if nocturnal in-nest temperature is an important cue for nest box choice or the timing of laying.

scholarly journals Experimental evidence that UV/yellow colouration functions as a signal of parental quality in the blue tit

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge García-Campa ◽  
Wendt Müller ◽  
Judith Morales
Keyword(s):  
Behavioural Change ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Life History Stage ◽  
Family Interactions ◽  
Blue Tit ◽  
Cyanistes Caeruleus ◽  
Quality Signal ◽  
Parental Quality ◽  
Behavioural Strategies

AbstractIn bi-parental species, reproduction is not only a crucial life-history stage where individuals must take fitness-relevant decisions, but these decisions also need to be adjusted to the behavioural strategies of a partner. Hence, communication is required, which could be facilitated by condition-dependent signals of parental quality. Yet, these traits have (co-)evolved in multiple contexts within the family, as during reproduction different family members may coincide and interact at the site of breeding. In this study we explore whether a condition-dependent trait acts a quality signal and regulates intra-family interactions in a bird species, the blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus). As a family is a complex network where signals could be perceived by multiple receivers, we expected that experimentally blocking the reflectance of an adult’s UV/yellow colouration of breast feathers may affect the behavioural strategies of all family members. We found an increase of parental investment in nests with an UV-blocked adult, as the partner compensated for the perceived lower rearing capacity. As the UV-blocked adult did not change its provisioning behaviour, as was to be expected, their partner must have responded to the (manipulated) signal but not to a behavioural change. However, offspring did not co-adjust their begging intensity to a signal of parental quality. Opposite to adults, we propose that offspring respond to the behaviour but not to the parental signal. Overall, our results show experimentally at the first time that UV/yellow colouration of blue tits acts as a quality signal revealing the rearing capacity to mates.

scholarly journals Sexual dichromatism, size dimorphism and microscale anatomy of white wing stripe in blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Janas ◽  
Paulina Gaweł ◽  
Anna Łatkiewicz ◽  
Dorota Lutyk ◽  
Lars Gustafsson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Selection ◽  
Sexual Dimorphism ◽  
Spectral Characteristics ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Common Element ◽  
Sexual Dichromatism ◽  
Blue Tit ◽  
Cyanistes Caeruleus ◽  
Size Dimorphism ◽  
Wing Patch

Achromatic patches are a common element of plumage patterns in many bird species and there is growing body of evidence that in many avian taxa they can play a signaling role in mate choice. Although the blue tit is a well-established model species in the studies on colouration, its white wing patch has never been examined in the context of sex-specific trait expression. In this exploratory study, we examined sexual size dimorphism and dichromatism of greater covert’s dots creating white wing patch and analysed its correlations with current body condition and crown colouration - a trait with established role in sexual selection. Further, we qualitatively analysed microstructural barb morphology underlying covert’s colouration. We found significant sexual dimorphism in the dot size independent of covert size, and sexual dichromatism in both white dot and blue outer covert’s vane spectral characteristics. Importantly, UV chroma of covert’s vane was positively correlated with crown UV chroma, which suggests that coverts colouration might be also an ornament assessed by females during courtship display. Internal structure of covert barbs within the white dot was similar to the one found in barbs from the blue part, i.e. with a medullary area consisting of dead keratinocytes containing channel-type ß-keratin spongy nanostructure and centrally located air cavities. However, it lacked melanosomes which was the main observed difference. Together with marked sexual dimorphism, it suggests that white dots may have emerged under sexual selection as an apomorphic trait on previously uniformly coloured feathers.

scholarly journals Size matters but hunger prevails—begging and provisioning rules in blue tit families

PeerJ ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e5301 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nolwenn Fresneau ◽  
Arne Iserbyt ◽  
Carsten Lucass ◽  
Wendt Müller
Keyword(s):  
Food Deprivation ◽  
Competitive Ability ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Blue Tit ◽  
Cyanistes Caeruleus ◽  
Parental Response ◽  
Begging Behaviour ◽  
Direct Benefits ◽  
Individual Offspring ◽  
Provisioning Rules

It is commonly observed in many bird species that dependent offspring vigorously solicit for food transfers provided by their parents. However, the likelihood of receiving food does not only depend on the parental response, but also on the degree of sibling competition, at least in species where parents raise several offspring simultaneously. To date, little is known about whether and how individual offspring adjusts its begging strategy according to the entwined effects of need, state and competitive ability of itself and its siblings. We here manipulated the hunger levels of either the two heaviest or the two lightest blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) nestlings in a short-term food deprivation experiment. Our results showed that the lightest nestlings consistently begged more than the heaviest nestlings, an effect that was overruled by the tremendous increase in begging behaviour after food deprivation. Meanwhile, the amplified begging signals after food deprivation were the only cue for providing parents in their decision process. Furthermore, we observed flexible but state-independent begging behaviour in response to changes in sibling need. As opposed to our expectations, nestlings consistently increased their begging behaviour when confronted with food deprived siblings. Overall, our study highlights that individual begging primarily aims at increasing direct benefits, but nevertheless reflects the complexity of a young birds’ family life, in addition to aspects of intrinsic need and state.

The methodological approach for the determination of the pressure of artificial raindrops as a question of the theory of splash soil erosion

2020 ◽  
pp. 24-28
Author(s):  
Mihail Zver'kov
Keyword(s):  
Block Diagram ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Effective Pressure ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Splash Erosion ◽  
Rain Drops ◽  
Artificial Rain ◽  
The Impact

To the article the results of the theoretical and experimental researches are given on questions of estimates of the dynamic rate effect of raindrop impact on soil. The aim of this work was to analyze the current methods to determine the rate of artificial rain pressure on the soil for the assessment of splash erosion. There are the developed author’s method for calculation the pressure of artificial rain on the soil and the assessment of splash erosion. The study aims to the justification of evaluation methods and the obtaining of quantitative characteristics, prevention and elimination of accelerated (anthropogenic) erosion, the creation and the realization of the required erosion control measures. The paper considers the question of determining the pressure of artificial rain on the soil. At the moment of raindrops impact, there is the tension in the soil, which is called vertical effective pressure. It is noted that the impact of rain drops in the soil there are stresses called vertical effective pressure. The equation for calculation of vertical effective pressure is proposed in this study using the known spectrum of raindrops. Effective pressure was 1.4 Pa for the artificial rain by sprinkler machine «Fregat» and 5.9 Pa for long distance sprinkler DD-30. The article deals with a block diagram of the sequence for determining the effective pressure of rain drops on the soil. This diagram was created by the author’s method of calculation of the effective pressure of rain drops on the soil. The need for an integrated approach to the description of the artificial rain impact on the soil is noted. Various parameters characterizing drop erosion are considered. There are data about the mass of splashed soil in the irrigation of various irrigation machinery and installations. For example, the rate (mass) of splashed soil was 0.28…0.78 t/ha under irrigation sprinkler apparatus RACO 4260–55/701C in the conditions of the Ryazan region. The method allows examining the environmental impact of sprinkler techniques for analyzes of the pressure, caused by raindrops, on the soil. It can also be useful in determining the irrigation rate before the runoff for different types of sprinkler equipment and soil conditions.

DISCRESSION OF THE SAMPLE RESORTS POLICE IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ADMINISTRATIVE LAW PERSPECTIVE INVESTIGATION

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 147
Author(s):  
Tamrin Muchsin ◽  
Sri Sudono Saliro ◽  
Nahot Tua Parlindungan Sihaloho ◽  
Sardjana Orba Manullang
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Research ◽  
Qualitative Method ◽  
Government Regulation ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Administrative Law ◽  
Criminal Investigation ◽  
Accurate Data ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Depth Interviews

It is still found that investigating officers do not have an S1 degree or equivalent in thejurisdiction of the Sambass Resort Police as mandated in PP No. 58 of 2010 concerningAmendments to Government Regulation Number 27 of 1983 concerning theImplementation of KUHAP article 2A paragraph (1) letter a. If the requirements ofinvestigators are not fulfilled, there will automatically be limits of authority, includingthe inability to issue investigation orders, detention warrants and other administrativeletters. This study used a qualitative method with juridical empirical research. Toobtain accurate data, purposive sampling technique was used, and primary datacollection by conducting in-depth interviews. The research results found, among others:first, discretion regarding the administration of investigations in the jurisdiction of theSambas Resort Police for the Sambas District Police who do not have investigatingofficers who meet the requirements, is then taken over by the Head of the CriminalInvestigation Unit as the supervisor of the integrated criminal investigation function.Second, the impact of an integrated investigation administration causes the time tocarry out investigations to be slow due to the long distance between the Sector Policeand the Resort Police.

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