Little auks under the midnight sun: diel activity rhythm of a small diving seabird during the Arctic summer

Many animal species exhibit a diel, 24-hr pattern of activity, which is steered by timing cues, with the daily light–dark cycle considered the most powerful. This cue, however, is reduced in polar zones under continuous daylight conditions associated with the midnight sun. The rhythm of animal behaviour under such conditions is poorly understood. Here, we examine periodicity and patterns of daily activity (colony attendance and foraging) in a High-Arctic seabird, the little auk (Alle alle). We demonstrated a regular rhythm of colony attendance at the population level, with birds being the most abundant in the colony during hours of relatively low sun elevation. This pattern is likely to be associated with predation pressure that may be perceived by birds as lower during hours with low sun elevation, because of better predator detectability. Regarding rhythms at an individual level, however, we found the most common periodicity to be 23.2 hr (range from 19.9 hr to 30.8 hr) but no clear pattern of daily colony attendance of individuals. Such a flexibility in daily rhythms indicates that individuals may become arrhythmic in regard to the 24-hr environmental cycle, despite regularities observed at the population level. Finally, we compared males and females in terms of daily activity patterns but we did not find significant sex differences.

Download Full-text

Adaptive value of circadian rhythms in High Arctic Svalbard ptarmigan

10.1101/2020.08.17.254011 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Daniel Appenroth ◽

Gabriela C. Wagner ◽

David G. Hazlerigg ◽

Alexander C. West

Keyword(s):

Circadian Rhythms ◽

Circadian Clock ◽

Activity Patterns ◽

Bird Species ◽

High Arctic ◽

Photoperiodic Response ◽

The Arctic ◽

Pars Tuberalis ◽

Clock Gene Expression ◽

Adaptive Value

SUMMARYThe arctic archipelago of Svalbard (74 to 81° North) experiences extended periods of uninterrupted daylight in summer and uninterrupted darkness in winter. Species native to Svalbard display no daily rhythms in behaviour or physiology during these seasons, leading to the view that circadian rhythms may be redundant in arctic environments [1, 2]. Nevertheless, seasonal changes in the physiology and behaviour of arctic species rely on photoperiodic synchronisation to the solar year. Since this phenomenon is generally circadian-based in temperate species, we investigated if this might be a preserved aspect of arctic temporal organisation.Here, we demonstrate the involvement of the circadian clock in the seasonal photoperiodic response of the Svalbard ptarmigan (Lagopus muta hyperborea), the world’s northernmost resident bird species. First, we show the persistence of rhythmic clock gene expression under constant conditions within the mediobasal hypothalamus and pars tuberalis, the key tissues in the seasonal neuroendocrine cascade. We then employ a “sliding skeleton photoperiod” protocol, revealing that the driving force behind seasonal biology of the Svalbard ptarmigan is rhythmic sensitivity to light, a feature that depends on a functioning circadian rhythm. Our results suggest that the unusual selective pressure of the Arctic relaxes the adaptive value of the circadian clock for organisation of daily activity patterns, whilst preserving its importance for seasonal synchronisation. Thus, our data simultaneously reconnects circadian rhythms to life in the Arctic and establishes a universal principle of evolutionary value for circadian rhythms in seasonal biology.

Download Full-text

Photoperiodic induction without light-mediated circadian entrainment in a high arctic resident bird

10.1101/2020.06.19.160721 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Daniel Appenroth ◽

Vebjørn J. Melum ◽

Alexander C. West ◽

Hugues Dardente ◽

David G. Hazlerigg ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Activity Patterns ◽

High Arctic ◽

Gonadal Development ◽

Photoperiodic Response ◽

Day Length ◽

The Arctic ◽

Constant Light ◽

Constant Darkness ◽

Polar Regions ◽

Lagopus Muta

AbstractOrganisms use changes in photoperiod to anticipate and exploit favourable conditions in a seasonal environment. While species living at temperate latitudes receive day length information as a year-round input, species living in the Arctic may spend as much as two-thirds of the year without experiencing dawn or dusk. This suggests that specialised mechanisms may be required to maintain seasonal synchrony in polar regions.Svalbard ptarmigan (Lagopus muta hyperborea) are resident at 74-81° north latitude. They spend winter in constant darkness (DD) and summer in constant light (LL); extreme photoperiodic conditions under which they do not display overt circadian rhythms.Here we explored how arctic adaptation in circadian biology affects photoperiodic time measurement in captive Svalbard ptarmigan. For this purpose, DD-adapted birds, showing no circadian behaviour, either remained in prolonged DD, were transferred into a simulated natural photoperiod (SNP) or were transferred directly into LL. Birds transferred from DD to LL exhibited a strong photoperiodic response in terms of activation of the hypothalamic thyrotropin-mediated photoperiodic response pathway. This was assayed through expression of the Eya3, Tshβ and deiodinase genes, as well as gonadal development. While transfer to SNP established synchronous diurnal activity patterns, activity in birds transferred from DD to LL showed no evidence of circadian rhythmicity.These data show that the Svalbard ptarmigan does not require circadian entrainment to develop a photoperiodic response involving conserved molecular elements found in temperate species. Further studies are required to define how exactly arctic adaptation modifies seasonal timer mechanisms.Summary statementSvalbard ptarmigan show photoperiodic responses when transferred from constant darkness to constant light without circadian entrainment.

Download Full-text

Diel activity patterns of urban Woodchucks (Marmota monax) revealed by camera traps at burrows in southwestern Ontario, Canada

The Canadian Field-Naturalist ◽

10.22621/cfn.v134i4.2110 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 134 (4) ◽

pp. 353-360

Author(s):

Ronny Steen

Keyword(s):

Direct Observation ◽

Activity Pattern ◽

Daily Activity ◽

Abiotic Factors ◽

Activity Patterns ◽

Statistical Modelling ◽

Camera Traps ◽

Diel Activity ◽

Marmota Monax ◽

Invasive Method

Animals display a range of diurnal and nocturnal activity patterns and, among mammals, a high proportion of species are crepuscular or nocturnal. Daily activities are often endogenous and oscillate on a light:dark regime. Such cycles are referred to as ‘circadian’ and are generally influenced by biotic and abiotic factors. I investigated the daily activity of urban Woodchucks (Marmota monax) by using 24-hour camera traps at backyard burrows in London, Ontario, Canada, in June. Cameras enabled the collection of data that would otherwise have been labour intensive by direct observation. Statistical modelling showed that Woodchucks exhibited a strictly diurnal activity pattern. The unimodal activity pattern started at sunrise and ended before sunset. The general daily activity trend was similar to the pattern described by others who used direct observations and telemetry to monitor Woodchucks in more rural settings. Temperature and wind were not included in the best-fit model. Camera trapping is a non-invasive method that could give insight to diel activity as it can easily monitor extended periods and reduce the effort required by direct observation.

Download Full-text

Sex-specific, inverted rhythms of breeding-site attendance in an Arctic seabird

Biology Letters ◽

10.1098/rsbl.2016.0289 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 12 (9) ◽

pp. 20160289 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Nicholas Per Huffeldt ◽

Flemming R. Merkel

Keyword(s):

Activity Patterns ◽

Population Level ◽

Breeding Site ◽

Diel Activity ◽

Daily Rhythms ◽

Uria Lomvia ◽

Dark Cycle ◽

Egg Incubation ◽

Diel Activity Patterns ◽

Polar Day

In contrast to daily rhythms that are common in the presence of the geophysical light–dark cycle, organisms at polar latitudes exhibit many diel activity patterns during natural periods of continuous solar light or darkness (polar day and night, respectively), from 24 h rhythms to arrhythmicity. In Arctic Greenland (73.7° N, 56.6° W) during polar day, we observed breeding-site attendance rhythms of thick-billed murres ( Uria lomvia ; n = 21 pairs), a charadriiform seabird, which provide biparental care at the colony. We found that U. lomvia egg-incubation and chick-brooding attendance is rhythmic and synchronized to the geophysical day (mean period length [rhythm duration] ± 95% confidence interval = 24.13 ± 0.52 h). Individual pair members had temporally segregated, sex-specific colony-attendance rhythms that were opposite (inverted) to each other, and these sex-specific rhythms were prominent at the population level. Our results provide a basis for investigating circadian systems at polar latitudes and sex-specific parental-care strategies.

Download Full-text

Low Density of Top Predators (Seabirds and Marine Mammals) in the High Arctic Pack Ice

Scientifica ◽

10.1155/2016/1982534 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2016 ◽

pp. 1-14 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Claude R. Joiris ◽

Karin Boos ◽

Diederik D’Hert ◽

Dominik A. Nachtsheim

Keyword(s):

Marine Mammals ◽

High Arctic ◽

The Arctic ◽

Arctic Seas ◽

Cetacean Species ◽

Little Auk ◽

Seabird Species ◽

Fin Whale ◽

Top Predators ◽

Pack Ice

The at-sea distribution of top predators, seabirds and marine mammals, was determined in the high Arctic pack ice on board the icebreaker RVPolarsternin July to September 2014. In total, 1,620 transect counts were realised, lasting 30 min each. The five most numerous seabird species represented 74% of the total of 15,150 individuals registered: kittiwakeRissa tridactyla, fulmarFulmarus glacialis, puffinFratercula arctica, Ross’s gullRhodostethia rosea, and little aukAlle alle. Eight cetacean species were tallied for a total of 330 individuals, mainly white-beaked dolphinLagenorhynchus albirostrisand fin whaleBalaenoptera physalus. Five pinniped species were represented by a total of 55 individuals and the polar bearUrsus maritimuswas represented by 12 individuals. Four main geographical zones were identified: from Tromsø to the outer marginal ice zone (OMIZ), the Arctic pack ice (close pack ice, CPI), the end of Lomonosov Ridge off Siberia, and the route off Siberia and northern Norway. Important differences were detected between zones, both in species composition and in individual abundance. Low numbers of species and high proportion of individuals for some of them can be considered to reflect very low biodiversity. Numbers encountered in zones 2 to 4 were very low in comparison with other European Arctic seas. The observed differences showed strong patterns.

Download Full-text

Seasonal and diel activity patterns of the endangered taiga bean goose (Anser fabalis fabalis) during the breeding season, monitored with camera traps

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0254254 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (7) ◽

pp. e0254254

Author(s):

Milaja Nykänen ◽

Hannu Pöysä ◽

Sari Hakkarainen ◽

Tuomas Rajala ◽

Juho Matala ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breeding Season ◽

Activity Patterns ◽

Time Of Day ◽

Camera Traps ◽

The Arctic ◽

Diel Activity ◽

Ecological Knowledge ◽

Bean Goose ◽

Diel Activity Patterns ◽

Anser Fabalis

Taiga bean goose (Anser fabalis fabalis) is an endangered subspecies that breeds sporadically in remote habitats in the arctic and boreal zones. Due to its elusive behaviour, there is a paucity of knowledge on the behaviour of taiga bean goose during the breeding season, and survey methods for monitoring numbers in the breeding areas are lacking. Camera traps are a useful tool for wildlife monitoring, particularly when there is a need for non-invasive methods due to the shy nature of the species. In this study, we tested the use of camera traps to investigate seasonal and diel activity patterns of taiga bean goose in Finland over two successive breeding seasons, 2018 and 2019. We did this by modelling counts of geese from images with generalized linear and additive mixed models. The camera type (cameras placed by experts specialized in bean goose ecology vs randomly placed cameras) did not influence the count of taiga bean goose (p = 0.386). However, the activity varied significantly by region, Julian day, time of day and temperature, with the study site (individual peatland) and year adding substantial random variation and uncertainty in the counts. Altogether, the best fitting model explained nearly 70% of the variation in taiga bean goose activity. The peak in activity occurred about a month later in the southernmost region compared to the more northern regions, which may indicate behaviours related to migration rather than breeding and moulting. Our results show that long-term monitoring with game camera traps provide a potential unobtrusive approach for studying the behavioural patterns of taiga bean goose and can increase our ecological knowledge of this little-known subspecies. The results can be applied to planning of the annual censuses and finding the optimal time frame for their execution.

Download Full-text

Lifelong exposure to artificial light at night impacts stridulation and locomotion activity patterns in the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus

Proceedings of The Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rspb.2021.1626 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 288 (1959) ◽

pp. 20211626

Author(s):

Keren Levy ◽

Yoav Wegrzyn ◽

Ronny Efronny ◽

Anat Barnea ◽

Amir Ayali

Keyword(s):

Activity Patterns ◽

Population Level ◽

Field Cricket ◽

Artificial Light ◽

Light At Night ◽

Insect Behaviour ◽

Relative Level ◽

Continuous Increase ◽

Individual Level ◽

Custom Made

Living organisms experience a worldwide continuous increase in artificial light at night (ALAN), negatively affecting their behaviour. The field cricket, an established model in physiology and behaviour, can provide insights into the effect of ALAN on insect behaviour. The stridulation and locomotion patterns of adult male crickets reared under different lifelong ALAN intensities were monitored simultaneously for five consecutive days in custom-made anechoic chambers. Daily activity periods and acrophases were compared between the experimental groups. Control crickets exhibited a robust rhythm, stridulating at night and demonstrating locomotor activity during the day. By contrast, ALAN affected both the relative level and timing of the crickets' nocturnal and diurnal activity. ALAN induced free-running patterns, manifested in significant changes in the median and variance of the activity periods, and even arrhythmic behaviour. The magnitude of disruption was light intensity dependent, revealing an increase in the difference between the activity periods calculated for stridulation and locomotion in the same individual. This finding may indicate the existence of two peripheral clocks. Our results demonstrate that ecologically relevant ALAN intensities affect crickets’ behavioural patterns, and may lead to decoupling of locomotion and stridulation behaviours at the individual level, and to loss of synchronization at the population level.

Download Full-text

Photoperiodic induction without light-mediated circadian entrainment in a High Arctic resident bird

Journal of Experimental Biology ◽

10.1242/jeb.220699 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 223 (16) ◽

pp. jeb220699 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Daniel Appenroth ◽

Vebjørn J. Melum ◽

Alexander C. West ◽

Hugues Dardente ◽

David G. Hazlerigg ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Activity Patterns ◽

High Arctic ◽

Gonadal Development ◽

Photoperiodic Response ◽

Day Length ◽

The Arctic ◽

Constant Darkness ◽

Polar Regions ◽

Natural Photoperiod ◽

Lagopus Muta

ABSTRACTOrganisms use changes in photoperiod to anticipate and exploit favourable conditions in a seasonal environment. While species living at temperate latitudes receive day length information as a year-round input, species living in the Arctic may spend as much as two-thirds of the year without experiencing dawn or dusk. This suggests that specialised mechanisms may be required to maintain seasonal synchrony in polar regions. Svalbard ptarmigan (Lagopus muta hyperborea) are resident at 74–81°N latitude. They spend winter in constant darkness (DD) and summer in constant light (LL); extreme photoperiodic conditions under which they do not display overt circadian rhythms. Here, we explored how Arctic adaptation in circadian biology affects photoperiodic time measurement in captive Svalbard ptarmigan. For this purpose, DD-adapted birds, showing no circadian behaviour, either remained in prolonged DD, were transferred into a simulated natural photoperiod (SNP) or were transferred directly into LL. Birds transferred from DD to LL exhibited a strong photoperiodic response in terms of activation of the hypothalamic thyrotropin-mediated photoperiodic response pathway. This was assayed through expression of the Eya3, Tshβ and deiodinase genes, as well as gonadal development. While transfer to SNP established synchronous diurnal activity patterns, activity in birds transferred from DD to LL showed no evidence of circadian rhythmicity. These data show that the Svalbard ptarmigan does not require circadian entrainment to develop a photoperiodic response involving conserved molecular elements found in temperate species. Further studies are required to define how exactly Arctic adaptation modifies seasonal timer mechanisms.

Download Full-text

Does Sea Ice Constrain the Breeding Schedules of High Arctic Northern Fulmars?

The Condor ◽

10.1093/condor/109.4.894 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 109 (4) ◽

pp. 894-906 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Mark L. Mallory ◽

Mark R. Forbes

Keyword(s):

Sea Ice ◽

Behavioral Flexibility ◽

High Arctic ◽

Egg Laying ◽

The Arctic ◽

Breeding Phenology ◽

Canadian High Arctic ◽

Behavioral Adaptations ◽

Southern Colonies ◽

Colony Attendance

Abstract The Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) is a pelagic seabird that breeds across 25° of latitude, from the boreal to the high Arctic oceanographic zones. We examined the breeding schedule of fulmars in the remote Cape Vera colony in the Canadian high Arctic, a marine region covered by sea ice much of the year, to determine if the timing of breeding and colony attendance patterns of birds differed from the breeding phenology of fulmars in colonies farther south. Cape Vera fulmars arrived at the colony later in the year, spent less time at the colony before egg-laying, and took a significantly longer prelaying exodus from the colony compared to fulmars nesting in more southerly colonies. After egg-laying, however, patterns of colony attendance by fulmars in the high Arctic were similar to patterns for fulmars in southern colonies; this part of the fulmar breeding schedule may be inflexible. The differences in breeding schedules across the species' range might reflect behavioral adaptations by arctic-nesting birds to accommodate the physical and biological limitations imposed by extensive sea ice near arctic colonies, particularly early in the breeding season. Given that climate warming and corresponding reductions in sea ice are taking place in the Arctic, it remains to be determined whether fulmars in the high Arctic have the behavioral flexibility in their breeding phenology to compensate for rapidly occurring changes in their environment.

Download Full-text