Effects of Extreme Weather on Reproductive Success in a Temperate-Breeding Songbird

Abstract

The frequency of extreme meteorological events such as heat waves and rainstorms is predicted to increase with climate change. However, there is still little information about how extreme weather influences reproduction in animals. It may not only affect breeding success but might also alter offspring sex ratio if males and females are differentially sensitive to meteorological conditions during development. We investigated the relationship between meteorological conditions and reproductive success over 6 years in a house sparrow population in central Europe. We found that hatching success increased with the number of extremely hot days (daily maximum >31°C) and decreased with the number of extremely cold days (<16°C) during incubation, although the latter effect held only for clutches with relatively short incubation periods. Fledging success was unrelated to weather variables. However, the frequency of extremely hot days had a negative effect on fledglings’ body mass and tarsus length, although both of these traits were positively related to average temperature. Additionally, fledglings’ body mass increased with the length of period without rainfall before fledging. Male to female ratio among fledglings did not differ from 1:1 and did not vary with weather variables. The magnitude of the effects of extreme meteorological events was usually small, although in some cases comparable to those of ecologically relevant predictors of reproductive success. Our results indicate that meteorological conditions have complex effects on breeding success, as the effects of extreme weather can differ between different aspects of reproduction and also from the effects of overall meteorological conditions.

The effect of extreme weather events on breeding parameters of the White StorkCiconia ciconia

“…Unfavourable weather conditions (e.g. strong wind and heavy rain) may strongly reduce breeding effectiveness even in good feeding conditions (Jovani & Tella 2004, Pipoly et al 2013. Kosicki (2011) showed that temperature negatively influenced nestling survival, while Bairlein & Henneberg (2000) suggested that high precipitation and low temperature occurring simultaneously are a major driver of the nestling survival.…”

Effects of severe weather on reproduction for sympatric songbirds in an alpine environment: Interactions of climate extremes influence nesting success

“…In temperate biomes, parent birds must make up a thermal deficit or excess of 10-408C or more from ambient conditions by heating and cooling their offspring over a period of several weeks while meeting their own somatic requirements (Conway and Martin 2000a, 2000b. Although cold or inhospitable weather is considered to be an energetic challenge with potential fitness costs (Hendricks and Norment 1991, Martin and Wiebe 2004, 2006, the difference in the ecological costs to birds breeding in normal vs. extreme weather conditions has received little study until recently (Skagen and Yackel Adams 2012, Pipoly et al 2013, Conrey et al 2016. In general, we have little direct knowledge as to which elements of ambient weather constitute ''extreme conditions'' for bird species within or across habitats, which has hampered our ability to refine predictions about the impacts of climate change.…”

To fledge or not to fledge: factors influencing the number of eggs and the eggs-to-fledglings rate in White Storks Ciconia ciconia in an agricultural environment

“…Simulations indicated more striking environmental changes in the future, and many of the predicted weather anomalies, i.e. increases in frequency, duration, and intensity of meteorological extremes, such as droughts or extreme precipitation, are expected to occur during summer, the period when most reproductive activities take place (Jentsch and Beierkuhnlein 2008;Hansen et al 2012;Pipoly et al 2013). A variety of studies have documented the effects of changing climatic conditions on birds, e.g.…”

“…Because of the low thermoregulation abilities during early life (Tortosa and Castro 2003;Jovani and Tella 2004), and because weather conditions are in general important factors influencing the reproductive output in birds (e.g. Skinner et al 1998;McDonald et al 2004;Pipoly et al 2013), we assumed weather to be among the most important factors directly influencing White Stork breeding success, with unfavourable weather lowering the reproductive outcome by directly provoking nestling mortality (cf. Starck and Ricklefs 1998;Bionda and Brambilla 2012;Anctil et al 2014).…”