Climate change affects populations of northern birds in boreal protected areas

Virkkala, Raimo; Rajasärkkä, Ari

doi:10.1098/rsbl.2010.1052

Cited by 47 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 13 publications

(21 reference statements)

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“…[5,61]), and fewer studies have focused on changes in population size (e.g. [62,63]). The present study used a direct and statistically powerful approach focusing on latitudinal variation in population trends within species.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal Variation in Population Size of European Bird Species: Effects of Latitude and Marginality of Distribution

Cuervo

Møller

2013

PLoS ONE

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In the Northern Hemisphere, global warming has been shown to affect animal populations in different ways, with southern populations in general suffering more from increased temperatures than northern populations of the same species. However, southern populations are also often marginal populations relative to the entire breeding range, and marginality may also have negative effects on populations. To disentangle the effects of latitude (possibly due to global warming) and marginality on temporal variation in population size, we investigated European breeding bird species across a latitudinal gradient. Population size estimates were regressed on years, and from these regressions we obtained the slope (a proxy for population trend) and the standard error of the estimate (SEE) (a proxy for population fluctuations). The possible relationships between marginality or latitude on one hand and slopes or SEE on the other were tested among populations within species. Potentially confounding factors such as census method, sampling effort, density-dependence, habitat fragmentation and number of sampling years were controlled statistically. Population latitude was positively related to regression slopes independent of marginality, with more positive slopes (i.e., trends) in northern than in southern populations. The degree of marginality was positively related to SEE independent of latitude, with marginal populations showing larger SEE (i.e., fluctuations) than central ones. Regression slopes were also significantly related to our estimate of density-dependence and SEE was significantly affected by the census method. These results are consistent with a scenario in which southern and northern populations of European bird species are negatively affected by marginality, with southern populations benefitting less from global warming than northern populations, thus potentially making southern populations more vulnerable to extinction.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal Variation in Population Size of European Bird Species: Effects of Latitude and Marginality of Distribution

Cuervo

Møller

2013

PLoS ONE

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“…Densities of northern species have generally declined (Virkkala and Rajasärkkä 2011a). However, population densities of northern species preferring old-growth forests remained the same, so the patterns are not always unambiguous: different species and species groups are affected in a different manner by several factors, including climate change and land use.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Populations of species preferring coniferous forests are probably also affected by the overall increase in coniferous wood volume due to, for example, drainage of mires and increased annual increment of the growing stock (wood volume), which is also affected by increased temperatures. Moreover, in a previous study, Virkkala and Rajasärkkä (2011a) showed that migratory patterns could not explain the population changes observed among bird species in Finnish protected areas.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Preserving species populations in the boreal zone in a changing climate: contrasting trends of bird species groups in a protected area network

Virkkala¹,

Rajasärkkä²

2012

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Citation: Virkkala R, Rajasärkkä A (2012) Preserving species populations in the boreal zone in a changing climate: contrasting trends of bird species groups in a protected area network. Nature Conservation 3: 1-20. doi: 10.3897/ natureconservation.3.3635Abstract A protected area network should ensure the maintenance of biodiversity. Because of climate change, species ranges are expected to move polewards, causing further demand for the protected area network to be efficient in preserving biota. We compared population changes of different bird species groups according to their habitat preferences in boreal protected areas in Finland on the basis of large-scale censuses carried out in 1981-1999 and in 2000-2009. Population densities of common forest habitat generalists remained the same between the two periods, while densities of species of conservation concern showed contrasting trends: species preferring old-growth forests increased, but those living on mires and wetlands, and species of Arctic mountains decreased. These trends are most probably connected with climate change, but successional changes in protected areas and regional habitat alteration should also be taken into account. Of species preferring old-growth forests, a larger proportion are southern than among species of mires and wetlands, or of Arctic mountains, most or all of which, respectively, had a northerly distribution. In general, northern species have decreased and southern increased with the exception of northern species of old-growth forests which had not declined. On the other hand, bird species of mires and wetlands decreased also in the northernmost protected areas although mires had not been drained in the region in contrast with southern and central Finland thus indicating that regional-scale direct habitat loss did not cause the decline of these species in the north. It is suggested that climate change effects on species in natural boreal and Arctic habitats most probably are habitat-specific with large differences in response times and susceptibility.

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“…This is especially the case in arctic areas; in southern parts of the region climate change is still considered subordinate to the other threats listed above. In terms of negative impacts, in Finland the existing studies indicate negative impacts of climate change on some bird species, for example migration and nesting times changing compared to the available food resources, or changes in distribution patterns (Rainio et al 2006, Virkkala andRajasärkkä 2011). On the other hand, some new species such as butterflies have extended their range to the Nordic countries following the changed climate conditions.…”

Section: Nordic Ecosystems: Status and Trendsmentioning

confidence: 99%