scholarly journals The Influence of Different Light Wavelengths of Anthropogenic Light at Night on Nestling Development and the Timing of Post-fledge Movements in a Migratory Songbird

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saeedeh Bani Assadi ◽  
Kevin C. Fraser
Keyword(s):  
White Light ◽  
Migratory Birds ◽  
Green Light ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Light At Night ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Migration Timing ◽  
Nestling Development ◽  
Migratory Songbird ◽  
The Impact

Many different aspects of an animal’s lifecycle such as its behavior, patterns of hormone activity, and internal clock time, can be affected by anthropogenic light at night (ALAN). Exposing an organism to ALAN during its early life could also have an impact on its development. Since photoperiod can trigger or schedule the migration timing of long-distance migratory birds, there is great potential for anthropogenic light to interact with photoperiod to affect timing. However, very little has been investigated regarding the impacts of ALAN on post-hatching development and migration timing. We investigated the impact of ALAN during nestling development in a long-distance migratory songbird to determine the potential impact on the timing of post-breeding movements in the wild. We experimentally manipulated the light by using programmable lighting, in the nest boxes of free-living nestlings of purple martin (Progne subis) in Manitoba, Canada. We exposed two groups of developing nestlings, from hatch to fledge date, to green or white LED lights (5 lux) during the night. We also included a control group that experienced natural, ambient light at night. We found that some adults abandoned their nests shortly after starting the experiment (4 of 15 nests in the white light treatment). For the nests that remained active, nestlings exposed to the white light treatment had higher weights (at day 20 or 22), later fledge dates (1.54 ± 0.37, 95% CI 0.80–2.28), and later colony departure date (2.84 ± 1.00, 95% CI 0.88–4.81), than young of the control group. Moreover, nestlings of both white and green light groups had longer nesting duration than nestlings of the control group. This study demonstrates the impact of ALAN on the development of post-breeding movement timing in nestlings of wild migratory birds. However, our results also indicate that green light may have less of an impact as compared to white light.

scholarly journals Experimental manipulation of photoperiod influences migration timing in a wild, long-distance migratory songbird

2021 ◽  
Vol 288 (1957) ◽  
pp. 20211474
Author(s):  
Saeedeh Bani Assadi ◽  
Kevin Charles Fraser
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Phenotypic Plasticity ◽  
Experimental Manipulation ◽  
Day Length ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Migration Timing ◽  
Nestling Development ◽  
Migratory Songbird ◽  
The Impact

Previous laboratory studies have demonstrated the role of photoperiod in cueing the migration timing of small land birds; however, how migration timing of young birds in wild environments develops in relation to these cues have rarely been investigated. Such investigations can make important contributions to our developing understanding of the phenotypic plasticity of migration timing to new conditions with climate change, where changes in the timing of nesting may expose juvenile birds to different photoperiods. We investigated the impact of manipulating photoperiod during nestling development in a long-distance migratory songbird on the timing of post-breeding movements in the wild. Using programmable lighting installed in the nest-boxes of purple martins ( Progne subis ), we exposed developing nestlings, from hatch to fledge date, to an extended photoperiod that matched the day length of the summer solstice in Manitoba, Canada. We found that birds with a simulated, earlier photoperiod had a longer nesting period and later fledge and autumn departure dates than control group birds. This study demonstrates the phenotypic plasticity of first-year birds to the ontogenetic effect of their hatch date in the formation of the timing of their first post-breeding movements. Further, we discuss how these results have implications for the potential use of assisted evolution approaches to alter migration timing to match new conditions with climate change.

scholarly journals The preference and costs of sleeping under light at night in forest and urban great tits

2019 ◽  
Vol 286 (1905) ◽  
pp. 20190872 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zeynep N. Ulgezen ◽  
Teemu Käpylä ◽  
Peter Meerlo ◽  
Kamiel Spoelstra ◽  
Marcel E. Visser ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxalic Acid ◽  
White Light ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Daily Activity ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Spectral Composition ◽  
Green Light ◽  
Artificial Light ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Light At Night

Artificial light at night (ALAN) is an increasing phenomenon associated with worldwide urbanization. In birds, broad-spectrum white ALAN can have disruptive effects on activity patterns, metabolism, stress response and immune function. There has been growing research on whether the use of alternative light spectra can reduce these negative effects, but surprisingly, there has been no study to determine which light spectrum birds prefer. To test such a preference, we gave urban and forest great tits (Parus major) the choice where to roost using pairwise combinations of darkness, white light or green dim light at night (1.5 lux). Birds preferred to sleep under artificial light instead of darkness, and green was preferred over white light. In a subsequent experiment, we investigated the consequence of sleeping under a particular light condition, and measured birds' daily activity levels, daily energy expenditure (DEE), oxalic acid as a biomarker for sleep debt and cognitive abilities. White light affected activity patterns more than green light. Moreover, there was an origin-dependent response to spectral composition: in urban birds, the total daily activity and night activity did not differ between white and green light, while forest birds were more active under white than green light. We also found that individuals who slept under white and green light had higher DEE. However, there were no differences in oxalic acid levels or cognitive abilities between light treatments. Thus, we argue that in naive birds that had never encountered light at night, white light might disrupt circadian rhythms more than green light. However, it is possible that the negative effects of ALAN on sleep and cognition might be observed only under intensities higher than 1.5 lux. These results suggest that reducing the intensity of light pollution as well as tuning the spectrum towards long wavelengths may considerably reduce its impact.

scholarly journals Ecophysiology of avian migration in the face of current global hazards

2012 ◽  
Vol 367 (1596) ◽  
pp. 1719-1732 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcel Klaassen ◽  
Bethany J. Hoye ◽  
Bart A. Nolet ◽  
William A. Buttemer
Keyword(s):  
Global Change ◽  
Migratory Birds ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Change Processes ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Physiological Limits ◽  
The Face ◽  
Abiotic And Biotic Factors ◽  
The Impact

Long-distance migratory birds are often considered extreme athletes, possessing a range of traits that approach the physiological limits of vertebrate design. In addition, their movements must be carefully timed to ensure that they obtain resources of sufficient quantity and quality to satisfy their high-energy needs. Migratory birds may therefore be particularly vulnerable to global change processes that are projected to alter the quality and quantity of resource availability. Because long-distance flight requires high and sustained aerobic capacity, even minor decreases in vitality can have large negative consequences for migrants. In the light of this, we assess how current global change processes may affect the ability of birds to meet the physiological demands of migration, and suggest areas where avian physiologists may help to identify potential hazards. Predicting the consequences of global change scenarios on migrant species requires (i) reconciliation of empirical and theoretical studies of avian flight physiology; (ii) an understanding of the effects of food quality, toxicants and disease on migrant performance; and (iii) mechanistic models that integrate abiotic and biotic factors to predict migratory behaviour. Critically, a multi-dimensional concept of vitality would greatly facilitate evaluation of the impact of various global change processes on the population dynamics of migratory birds.

scholarly journals A full annual perspective on sex-biased migration timing in long-distance migratory birds

2019 ◽  
Vol 286 (1897) ◽  
pp. 20182821 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martins Briedis ◽  
Silke Bauer ◽  
Peter Adamík ◽  
José A. Alves ◽  
Joana S. Costa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Annual Cycle ◽  
Migratory Birds ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Breeding Sites ◽  
Arrival Times ◽  
Migration Timing ◽  
Female Migration ◽  
Proximate Determinants ◽  
Carry Over ◽  
And Migration

In many taxa, the most common form of sex-biased migration timing is protandry—the earlier arrival of males at breeding areas. Here we test this concept across the annual cycle of long-distance migratory birds. Using more than 350 migration tracks of small-bodied trans-Saharan migrants, we quantify differences in male and female migration schedules and test for proximate determinants of sex-specific timing. In autumn, males started migration about 2 days earlier, but this difference did not carry over to arrival at the non-breeding sites. In spring, males on average departed from the African non-breeding sites about 3 days earlier and reached breeding sitesca4 days ahead of females. A cross-species comparison revealed large variation in the level of protandry and protogyny across the annual cycle. While we found tight links between individual timing of departure and arrival within each migration season, only for males the timing of spring migration was linked to the timing of previous autumn migration. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that protandry is not exclusively a reproductive strategy but rather occurs year-round and the two main proximate determinants for the magnitude of sex-biased arrival times in autumn and spring are sex-specific differences in departure timing and migration duration.

scholarly journals Detours in long-distance migration across the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau: individual consistency and habitat associations

PeerJ ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e4304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dongping Liu ◽  
Guogang Zhang ◽  
Hongxing Jiang ◽  
Jun Lu
Keyword(s):  
Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Migratory Birds ◽  
Habitat Associations ◽  
Migration Routes ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Migration Timing ◽  
Ecological Barriers ◽  
Flight Costs ◽  
And Migration ◽  
Individual Consistency

Migratory birds often follow detours when confronted with ecological barriers, and understanding the extent and the underlying drivers of such detours can provide important insights into the associated cost to the annual energy budget and the migration strategies. The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is the most daunting geographical barrier for migratory birds because the partial pressure of oxygen is dramatically reduced and flight costs greatly increase. We analyzed the repeated migration detours and habitat associations of four Pallas’s Gulls Larus ichthyaetus across the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau over 22 migration seasons. Gulls exhibited notable detours, with the maximum distance being more than double that of the expected shortest route, that extended rather than reduced the passage across the plateau. The extent of longitudinal detours significantly increased with latitude, and detours were longer in autumn than in spring. Compared with the expected shortest routes, proximity to water bodies increased along autumn migration routes, but detour-habitat associations were weak along spring migration routes. Thus, habitat availability was likely one, but not the only, factor shaping the extent of detours, and migration routes were determined by different mechanisms between seasons. Significant between-individual variation but high individual consistency in migration timing and routes were revealed in both seasons, indicating a stronger influence of endogenous schedules than local environmental conditions. Gulls may benefit from repeated use of familiar routes and stopover sites, which may be particularly significant in the challenging environment of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

scholarly journals Early Birds by Light at Night: Effects of Light Color and Intensity on Daily Activity Patterns in Blue Tits

2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 323-333 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maaike de Jong ◽  
Samuel P. Caro ◽  
Phillip Gienapp ◽  
Kamiel Spoelstra ◽  
Marcel E. Visser
Keyword(s):  
White Light ◽  
Daily Activity ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Spectral Characteristics ◽  
Spectral Composition ◽  
Green Light ◽  
Daily Rhythms ◽  
Light At Night ◽  
Blue Tits ◽  
Daily Activity Patterns

Artificial light at night disturbs the daily rhythms of many organisms. To what extent this disturbance depends on the intensity and spectral composition of light remain obscure. Here, we measured daily activity patterns of captive blue tits ( Cyanistes caeruleus) exposed to similar intensities of green, red, or white light at night. Birds advanced their onset of activity in the morning under all light colors but more under red and white light than under green light. Offset of activity was slightly delayed in all light colors. The total activity over a 24-h period did not change but birds moved a part of their daily activity into the night. Since the effect of red and white lights are comparable, we tested the influence of light intensity in a follow-up experiment, where we compared the activity of the birds under different intensities of green and white light only. While in the higher range of intensities, the effects of white and green light were comparable; at lower intensities, green light had a less disturbing effect as compared with white light on daily rhythms in blue tits. Our results show that the extent of this disturbance can be mitigated by modulating the spectral characteristics and intensity of outdoor lighting, which is now feasible through the use of LED lighting.

scholarly journals Exposure to artificial light at night accelerates but does not override latitude-dependent seasonal reproductive response in dark-eyed juncos

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Singh ◽  
J. Montoure ◽  
E.D. Ketterson
Keyword(s):  
Migratory Birds ◽  
Day Length ◽  
Breeding Cycle ◽  
Artificial Light ◽  
Reproductive Timing ◽  
Light At Night ◽  
Reproductive Response ◽  
Length Changes ◽  
Gonadal Recrudescence ◽  
The Impact

AbstractIn the modern era of industrialization, illuminated nights have become a common defining feature of human-occupied environments, particularly cities. Artificial light at night (ALAN) imposes several known negative impacts on the neuroendocrine system, metabolism, and seasonal reproduction of species living in the wild. However, we know little about the impact of ALAN on populations of birds that either live year-round in the same location or move to different latitudes across seasons. To test whether ALAN has differing impact on reproductive timing of the bird populations that winter in sympatry but breed at different latitudes, we monitored sedentary and migratory male dark-eyed juncos that were or were not exposed to low intensity (~2.5 ± 0.5 lux) ALAN. All groups were held in common conditions and day length was gradually increased to mimic natural day length changes (NDL). We assessed seasonal reproductive response from initiation to termination of the breeding cycle. As expected based on earlier research, the sedentary birds exhibited earlier gonadal recrudescence and terminated breeding later than the migratory birds. In addition, resident and migrant birds exposed to ALAN initiated gonadal recrudescence earlier and terminated reproduction sooner as compared to their conspecifics experiencing NDL. Importantly, the difference in the reproductive timing of sedentary and migratory populations was maintained even when exposed to ALAN. This variation in the seasonal reproductive timing may likely have a genetic ground or early developmental effects imposed due to different latitude of origin. This study reveals first that latitude-dependent variation in reproductive timing is maintained despite exposure to ALAN, and second that ALAN accelerated reproductive development across both migrants and residents. The results corroborating relationship between latitude, population, and ALAN impact on seasonal reproductive timing, may provide a potential mechanism to test the fitness of a population and its range expansion to exploit urban environment.

scholarly journals The Impact of Increased Food Availability on Reproduction in a Long-Distance Migratory Songbird: Implications for Environmental Change?

PLoS ONE ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. e111180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam M. Seward ◽  
Colin M. Beale ◽  
Lucy Gilbert ◽  
T. Hefin Jones ◽  
Robert J. Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Change ◽  
Food Availability ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Migratory Songbird ◽  
The Impact
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