The Relationship between Latitude and the Timing of Spring Migration of North American Landbirds

Hagan, John M.; Lloyd-Evans, Trevor L.; Atwood, Jonathan L.

doi:10.2307/3676543

Cited by 53 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 22 publications

(7 reference statements)

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“…It is here in the tropics where they will spend the majority of the annual cycle from autumn until early spring. Current theory suggests that because of annual climatic stability on their tropical wintering grounds, relative to their temperate breeding areas, long-distance migratory birds depend on endogenous circannual rhythms to cue spring migration (Hagan et al 1991). Strong empirical support for this comes from only a handful of Palearctic migratory bird species, but the data do uphold the hypothesis that migratory onset is primarily endogenous (Berthold and Querner 1981;Berthold 1984;Berthold and Terrill 1991;Gwinner 1990).…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 53%

The influence of climate on the timing and rate of spring bird migration

et al. 2004

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Ecological processes are changing in response to climatic warming. Birds, in particular, have been documented to arrive and breed earlier in spring and this has been attributed to elevated spring temperatures. It is not clear, however, how long-distance migratory birds that overwinter thousands of kilometers to the south in the tropics cue into changes in temperature or plant phenology on northern breeding areas. We explored the relationships between the timing and rate of spring migration of long-distance migratory birds, and variables such as temperature, the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and plant phenology, using mist net capture data from three ringing stations in North America over a 40-year period. Mean April/May temperatures in eastern North America varied over a 5°C range, but with no significant trend during this period. Similarly, we found few significant trends toward earlier median capture dates of birds. Median capture dates were not related to the NAO, but were inversely correlated to spring temperatures for almost all species. For every 1°C increase in spring temperature, median capture dates of migratory birds averaged, across species, one day earlier.Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) budburst, however, averaged 3 days earlier for every 1°C increase in spring temperature, suggesting that the impact of temperature on plant phenology is three times greater than on bird phenology. To address whether migratory birds adjust their rate of northward migration to changes in temperature, we compared median capture dates for 15 species between a ringing station on the Gulf Coast of Louisiana in the southern USA with two stations approximately 2,500 km to the north. The interval between median capture dates in Louisiana and at the other two ringing stations was inversely correlated with temperature, with an average interval of 22 days, that decreased by 0.8 days per 1°C increase in temperature. Our results suggest that, although the onset of migration may be determined endogenously, the timing of migration is flexible and can be adjusted in response to variation in weather and/or phenology along migration routes.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 53%

The influence of climate on the timing and rate of spring bird migration

et al. 2004

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“…This small variation, which may cause problems in the analysis of data if arrival time cannot be recorded accurately, is large enough to cause strong variation in fitness within a population (see Section 2.5). There is some evidence indicating that phenotypic variation in spring migration phenology is larger in short-distance than in long-distance migrants (Hagan et al 1991). This has become apparent in field studies, but is also supported by the results of a commongarden experiment with Sylvia warblers.…”

Section: Phenotypic Variationmentioning

confidence: 74%

Phenotypic changes in spring arrival: evolution, phenotypic plasticity, effects of weather and condition

Pulido¹

2007

Clim. Res.

117

129

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Global climate change is having a major impact on the viability of species. Whether a particular population will survive or go extinct will depend on its potential to adapt to new environmental conditions. In migratory birds, the timing of spring migration is one of the major determinants of the timing of reproduction, and, as spring temperatures increase, we expect birds to return earlier to their breeding grounds. In accord with this expectation, the timing of spring arrival has advanced in many bird populations within the last 30 yr. Yet, despite the presence of genetic variation in the timing of migration and fitness advantages in birds arriving early, we still lack conclusive evidence for evolutionary change. One reason for this may be that weather conditions en route, particularly the direction and speed of winds, have an important influence on individual migration speed. Moreover, there is strong evidence that physical condition may modify the timing of departure from the wintering grounds, migration speed and ultimately the timing of arrival and breeding. We also expect nestling condition and maternal effects to influence spring migration timing. Long-term population studies monitoring individual arrival in combination with experimental approaches will be needed to tease apart genetic and different environmental effects on the traits determining migration timing. This knowledge will be crucial for predicting adaptive responses of the timing of spring arrival in the future.

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“…The physiological controls of seasonal rhythms in birds, the most important vertebrate predators of mid-to highlatitude Lepidoptera, are known to involve endogenous circannual rhythms and photoperiod (Berthold and Terrill 1991;Hagan et al 1991), which suggests that they will be generally less responsive to climate change than their prey. Accordingly, the limited data that we know of indicate that warm springs advance the return of migratory birds less than it advances plant and insect phenology (Marra et al 2005;Both et al 2009).…”

Section: Consequences To Communities and Trophic Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental controls on the phenology of moths: predicting plasticity and constraint under climate change

et al. 2010

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Ecological systems have naturally high interannual variance in phenology. Component species have presumably evolved to maintain appropriate phenologies under historical climates, but cases of inappropriate phenology can be expected with climate change. Understanding controls on phenology permits predictions of ecological responses to climate change. We studied phenological control systems in Lepidoptera by analyzing flight times recorded at a network of sites in Finland. We evaluated the strength and form of controls from temperature and photoperiod, and tested for geographic variation within species. Temperature controls on phenology were evident in 51% of 112 study species and for a third of those thermal controls appear to be modified by photoperiodic cues. For 24% of the total, photoperiod by itself emerged as the most likely control system. Species with thermal control alone should be most immediately responsive in phenology to climate warming, but variably so depending upon the minimum temperature at which appreciable development occurs and the thermal responsiveness of development rate. Photoperiodic modification of thermal controls constrains phenotypic responses in phenologies to climate change, but can evolve to permit local adaptation. Our results suggest that climate change will alter the phenological structure of the Finnish Lepidoptera community in ways that are predictable with knowledge of the proximate physiological controls. Understanding how phenological controls in Lepidoptera compare to that of their host plants and enemies could permit general inferences regarding climatic effects on mid- to high-latitude ecosystems.

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The Relationship between Latitude and the Timing of Spring Migration of North American Landbirds

Cited by 53 publications

References 22 publications

The influence of climate on the timing and rate of spring bird migration

The influence of climate on the timing and rate of spring bird migration

Phenotypic changes in spring arrival: evolution, phenotypic plasticity, effects of weather and condition

Environmental controls on the phenology of moths: predicting plasticity and constraint under climate change

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