Intertidal biofilm distribution underpins differential tide-following behavior of two sandpiper species (Calidris mauri and Calidris alpina) during northward migration

Jiménez, Ariám; Elner, Robert W.; Favaro, Corinna; Rickards, Karen; Ydenberg, Ronald C.

doi:10.1016/j.ecss.2014.12.038

Cited by 29 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…Our finding that the northward arrival of Western Sandpipers and other shorebirds on Roberts Bank mirrors seasonal increases in total lipid and in the abundance of essential fatty acids found in intertidal biofilm provides a new explanation. The discovery complements previous studies demonstrating that shorebirds alter their foraging behaviors to select areas with high microphytobenthic biomass Jiménez et al, 2015) and the activities of shorebirds can significantly affect benthic diatom growth (Jauffrais et al, 2015). The inference is that migration success for shorebirds hinges on their presence at a stopover site that generally coincides with maximal total lipid and fatty acid production at the site.…”

Section: Implications For Shorebird Migrationsupporting

confidence: 77%

Peak Abundance of Fatty Acids From Intertidal Biofilm in Relation to the Breeding Migration of Shorebirds

et al. 2020

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Intertidal biofilm is a thin layer of microbes and meiofauna enmeshed in an extracellular polymeric matrix within and on top of mudflat sediment. This medium provides a dynamic resource for a variety of consumers in estuarine habitats, and is rich in essential fatty acids that birds require for long-distance migration. We measured seasonal changes in biofilm fatty acid content from spring to summer on the Fraser River Estuary, one of the richest and most important ecosystems for migrant and wintering waterbirds in Canada. Fatty acid content in biofilm showed a strong seasonal pattern with a peak in the spring that is associated with the northward migration of Western Sandpipers (Calidris mauri) to their breeding grounds. This peak is linked to the abundance and physiological state, and hence nutritional condition, of epipelic diatoms, which, in turn, depend on a combination of mudflat topography, salinity, temperature, and nutrients that can fluctuate widely with the freshwater inputs from the Fraser River. Specifically, areas with higher elevation (i.e., ∼1 m) had longer periods of exposure to ambient conditions (i.e., light, warm temperatures, gas exchange into/out of biofilms) that facilitated more biofilm growth and higher fatty acid content. Moreover, springtime changes in water chemistry (i.e., salinity/osmotic stresses and nutrients) and temperature facilitated the production of higher overall total lipid/fatty acid contents in the mudflat biofilms compared to summer. Effective conservation of migrating shorebirds depends on the protection of underlying processes at important stopover sites that promote biofilm communities to escalate their production of lipids, including essential fatty acids, during key times of the year.

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Section: Implications For Shorebird Migrationsupporting

confidence: 77%

Peak Abundance of Fatty Acids From Intertidal Biofilm in Relation to the Breeding Migration of Shorebirds

et al. 2020

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“…High densities of foraging shorebirds could increase interspecific competition for prey in spring. For example, competitive interactions with dunlin at migratory stopover sites are known to influence western sandpiper foraging behavior and may cause western sandpipers to increase their biofilm consumption to reduce competition (Jiménez et al., 2015; Mathot et al., 2010; Senner et al, 1989). Nonavian competitors, including fishes and crabs, could also reduce the available prey biomass in spring (Lovvorn et al., 2013).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Age‐ and sex‐related dietary specialization facilitate seasonal resource partitioning in a migratory shorebird

Hall

Cruz

Woo

et al. 2021

Ecology and Evolution

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Dietary specialization is common in animals and has important implications for individual fitness, inter‐ and intraspecific competition, and the adaptive potential of a species. Diet composition can be influenced by age‐ and sex‐related factors including an individual's morphology, social status, and acquired skills; however, specialization may only be necessary when competition is intensified by high population densities or increased energetic demands. To better understand the role of age‐ and sex‐related dietary specialization in facilitating seasonal resource partitioning, we inferred the contribution of biofilm, microphytobenthos, and benthic invertebrates to the diets of western sandpipers (Calidris mauri) from different demographic groups during mid‐winter (January/February) and at the onset of the breeding migration (April) using stable isotope mixing models. Western sandpipers are sexually dimorphic with females having significantly greater body mass and bill length than males. Diet composition differed between seasons and among demographic groups. In winter, prey consumption was similar among demographic groups, but, in spring, diet composition differed with bill length and body mass explaining 31% of the total variation in diet composition. Epifaunal invertebrates made up a greater proportion of the diet in males which had lesser mass and shorter bills than females. Consumption of Polychaeta increased with increasing bill length and was greatest in adult females. In contrast, consumption of microphytobenthos, thought to be an important food source for migrating sandpipers, increased with decreasing bill length and was greatest in juvenile males. Our results provide the first evidence that age‐ and sex‐related dietary specialization in western sandpipers facilitate seasonal resource partitioning that could reduce competition during spring at the onset of the breeding migration. Our study underscores the importance of examining resource partitioning throughout the annual cycle to inform fitness and demographic models and facilitate conservation efforts.

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“…Pacific Dunlin and Western Sandpiper have specialized morphological features for foraging. Western Sandpiper tongues are coated in specialized spines that facilitate biofilm ingestion, which comprises 40%–70% of their daily energy intake, while Pacific Dunlin rely less on biofilm and use their longer bills to probe in the mud for benthic infaunal invertebrates (Elner et al., 2005; Jiménez et al., 2015). Some Pacific Dunlin also overwinter at Roberts Bank, and additional migrating Pacific Dunlin begin to arrive on the mudflat from March to April.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Heavy precipitation could influence or dilute nutrient conditions on the mudflat and trigger enhanced fatty-acid production in diatoms (Schnurr et al, 2020). Precipitation may also induce some invertebrates (e.g., clams) to migrate further down into the mudflat surface reducing the availability of infaunal prey (Jiménez et al, 2015) Wind vectors: westerly and southerly (speed + direction)…”

Section: Covariate Rationalementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Shorebirds may take advantage of periods of large tidal amplitude (spring tides) in which larger portions of the mudflat are exposed for longer periods of time. However, mudflats may also dry out and desiccate during such long periods of tidal exposure making foraging for biofilm and infaunal invertebrates more difficult (Jiménez et al, 2015) Discharge Discharge (flow) rate of Fraser River as observed at Hope Station. Rapid changes in salinity may result in changes in biofilm community at Roberts Bank, for example, diatoms in biofilm enhance lipid production during periods of osmotic stress, such as a large influx of freshwater leading to changes in salinity.…”

Section: Covariate Rationalementioning

confidence: 99%

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Sandpipers go with the flow: Correlations between estuarine conditions and shorebird abundance at an important stopover on the Pacific Flyway

Canham

Flemming

Hope

et al. 2021

Ecology and Evolution

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Intertidal biofilm distribution underpins differential tide-following behavior of two sandpiper species (Calidris mauri and Calidris alpina) during northward migration

Cited by 29 publications

References 47 publications

Peak Abundance of Fatty Acids From Intertidal Biofilm in Relation to the Breeding Migration of Shorebirds

Peak Abundance of Fatty Acids From Intertidal Biofilm in Relation to the Breeding Migration of Shorebirds

Age‐ and sex‐related dietary specialization facilitate seasonal resource partitioning in a migratory shorebird

Sandpipers go with the flow: Correlations between estuarine conditions and shorebird abundance at an important stopover on the Pacific Flyway

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