Effects of weather variation on the timing and success of breeding in two cavity-nesting species in a subtropical montane forest in Taiwan

Shiao, Ming-Tang; Chuang, Mei-Chen; Yuan, Hsiao‐Wei; Wang, Ying

doi:10.1642/auk-15-10.1

Cited by 18 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 71 publications

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“…Similarly, other studies have suggested adverse weather (heavy rainfall) can negatively affect a host's ability to defend against parasites (Howe, ). Total monthly precipitation by itself was a significant predictor of fledging success, similar to other studies (Radford, Woodburn, & Morecroft, ; Shiao, Chuang, Yuan, & Wang, ). However, our results suggest that the interaction of precipitation and blowflies was a greater predictor of fledging success than precipitation alone.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

“…These results are similar to those in Meadow Pipits (Anthus pratensis), in which the combination of blowfly infection and high rainfall reduced nestling survival (Pavel et al, 2008). Similarly, other studies have suggested adverse weather (heavy rainfall) can negatively affect a host's ability to defend against parasites (Howe, 1992 Shiao, Chuang, Yuan, & Wang, 2015). However, our results suggest that the interaction of precipitation and blowflies was a greater predictor of fledging success than precipitation alone.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

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Long‐term variation in environmental conditions influences host–parasite fitness

Musgrave

Bartlow

Fair

2019

Ecology and Evolution

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Long‐term data on host and parasite fitness are important for predicting how host–parasite interactions will be altered in an era of global change. Here, we use data collected from 1997 to 2013 to explore effects of changing environmental conditions on bird–blowfly interactions in northern New Mexico. The objectives of this study were to examine what climate variables influence blowfly prevalence and intensity and to determine whether blowflies and climate variables affect bird fledging success. We examined how temperature, precipitation, and drought affect two parasitic blowflies and their hosts, Western Bluebirds ( Sialia mexicana ) and Ash‐throated Flycatchers ( Myiarchus cinerascens ). We found that blowfly prevalence did not change over time. Blowfly intensity increased over time in bluebird nests, but not in flycatcher nests. More blowflies result in slightly higher fledging success in bluebirds, but not flycatchers. There was a significant interaction between blowflies and precipitation on bluebird fledging success. For flycatchers, there was a significant interaction between blowflies and temperature and between blowflies and drought severity on fledging success. Given that the southwest is projected to be hotter and have more frequent and prolonged droughts, we predict that flycatchers may be negatively impacted by blowflies if these trends continue. Future work should focus on investigating the role of both blowflies and climate on fledging success. Climate patterns may negatively impact host fitness through altered parasite pressure.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Long‐term variation in environmental conditions influences host–parasite fitness

Musgrave

Bartlow

Fair

2019

Ecology and Evolution

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“…3), suggesting that the negative effects of both rainfall and flying (but not ground-inhabiting) invertebrate availability on nest survival are independent effects of these factors. Our findings of decreased nest success with rain are similar to those on green-backed tits Parus monticolus and rufousfaced warblers Abroscopus albogularis in subtropical Taiwan (Shiao et al 2015). This suggests that food availability does not limit breeding in larks.…”

Section: Influence Of Rain and Invertebrate Biomass On Nest Survivalsupporting

confidence: 80%

Nest survival in year‐round breeding tropical red‐capped larks Calandrella cinerea increases with higher nest abundance but decreases with higher invertebrate availability and rainfall

Mwangi

Ndithia

Kentie

et al. 2018

Journal of Avian Biology

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Nest survival is critical to breeding in birds and plays an important role in life‐history evolution and population dynamics. Studies evaluating the proximate factors involved in explaining nest survival and the resulting temporal patterns are biased in favor of temperate regions. Yet, such studies are especially pertinent to the tropics, where nest predation rates are typically high and environmental conditions often allow for year‐round breeding. To tease apart the effects of calendar month and year, population‐level breeding activity and environmental conditions, we studied nest survival over a 64‐month period in equatorial, year‐round breeding red‐capped larks Calandrella cinerea in Kenya. We show that daily nest survival rates varied with time, but not in a predictable seasonal fashion among months or consistently among years. We found negative influences of flying invertebrate biomass and rain on nest survival and higher survival of nests when nests were more abundant, which suggests that nest predation resulted from incidental predation. Although an increase in nest predation is often attributed to an increase in nest predators, we suggest that in our study, it may be caused by altered predator activity resulting from increased activity of the primary prey, invertebrates, rather than activity of the red‐capped larks. Our results emphasize the need to conduct more studies in Afro‐tropical regions because proximate mechanisms explaining nest predation can be different in the unpredictable and highly variable environments of the tropics compared with the relatively predictable seasonal changes found in temperate regions. Such studies will aid in better understanding of the environmental influences on life‐history variation and population dynamics in birds.

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“…One explanation is that heavy rainfall and low temperatures reduce insect prey activity, and hence increase the level of parental effort required to provision the brood (Avery and Krebs 1984;Radford et al 2001). Heavy rainfall can also increase the risk of nests being flooded out (Wesołowski et al 2002;Radford and Du Plessis 2003) backed Tits P. monticolus (Shiao et al 2015). Although this effect has been proposed as an explanation for dryseason breeding in Afromontane rain forests (Tye 1992;Fotso 1996), at Bwindi more broods were reared during the January-February dry season than the (drier) June-July season, suggesting that additional factors apply.…”

Section: Dry Season Breedingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rainfall, leafing phenology and sunrise time as potential Zeitgeber for the bimodal, dry season laying pattern of an African rain forest tit (Parus fasciiventer)

Shaw

2016

J Ornithol

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Recent studies have documented a mismatch between the phenology of leaf production, prey availability and the nestling food requirements of north temperate songbirds, attributed to climate change effects. Although tropical forest species have often been regarded as relatively aseasonal breeders, similar disruptive effects can be expected at equatorial latitudes, where comparatively little is known of the links between weather, leafing phenology, food availability and bird breeding activity, particularly in complex rain forest habitats. During a 19-year study at 1°S in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda, Stripe-breasted Tits Parus fasciiventer showed a strongly bimodal laying pattern, breeding mainly in the two dry seasons, with 50 % of breeding activity occurring in January-February and 19 % in June-July. Individual females bred in both dry seasons, laying their first and last clutches up to 28 weeks apart. Breeding activity was linked to leaf production, which peaked mainly in November-December, following the September-November wet season. Increased leaf production is likely to have stimulated a rise in caterpillar numbers during December-February, coinciding with peak food demands by nestling tits. Laying was thus positively correlated with increased leaf production in the preceding calendar month, but was also linked to day length and a change in sunset time. To investigate possible links between egg laying and photic cues I compared the median date of first clutches laid by marked females in each half of the breeding year (October-March and April-September), with annual changes in photoperiod (varying by 7 min p.a.) and sunrise time (varying bimodally, by 31 min p.a.). The two median laying dates fell 138-139 days after the last date on which sunrise had occurred at 07:05 in August and January, suggesting the potential for sunrise time to act as a cue, or Zeitgeber, for breeding in tropical birds. Further work is required to establish whether the relationship is causative or coincidental.

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Effects of weather variation on the timing and success of breeding in two cavity-nesting species in a subtropical montane forest in Taiwan

Cited by 18 publications

References 71 publications

Long‐term variation in environmental conditions influences host–parasite fitness

Long‐term variation in environmental conditions influences host–parasite fitness

Nest survival in year‐round breeding tropical red‐capped larks Calandrella cinerea increases with higher nest abundance but decreases with higher invertebrate availability and rainfall

Rainfall, leafing phenology and sunrise time as potential Zeitgeber for the bimodal, dry season laying pattern of an African rain forest tit (Parus fasciiventer)

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