A Modern Landscape Ecology of Black-Tailed Godwits: Habitat Selection in Southwest Friesland, The Netherlands

Groen, Niko M.; Kentie, Rosemarie; Goeij, Petra de; Verheijen, Bram H. F.; Piersma, Theunis; Hooijmeijer, Jos C.E.W.

doi:10.5253/078.100.0105

Cited by 45 publications

(86 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…Especially in the increasingly fragmented landscape of our study area (Groen et al . ), it is likely that chicks use both meadows and monocultures during development. To better interpret habitat use, chick growth and movements should be monitored on finer spatiotemporal scales than we have been able to.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…), our study area still holds a relatively high, and relatively stable, number of breeding Godwits (Groen et al . , Kentie et al . ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…The study area consists mostly of grassland that is managed primarily for dairy farming, along with some reserves for breeding meadow birds (Groen et al . ). Although the decline of Godwits in The Netherlands is ongoing (Kentie et al .…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…To classify the management type and thus the quality of each field for Godwit chicks, we assigned fields into two classes on the basis of herb richness and the presence of foot drains (Groen et al . , Kentie et al . ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sex‐specific growth in chicks of the sexually dimorphic Black‐tailed Godwit

Loonstra

Verhoeven

Piersma

2017

Ibis

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Sexual size dimorphism (SSD) is common in birds and has been linked to various selective forces. Nevertheless, the question of how and when the sexes start to differentiate from each other is poorly studied. This is a critical knowledge gap, as sex differences in growth may cause different responses to similar ecological conditions. In this study, we describe the sex-specific growth -based on body mass and five morphometric measurements -of 56 captive Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa limosa chicks raised under ad libitum food conditions, and conclude that all six growth curves are sex-specific. Females are the larger sex in terms of body mass and skeletal body size. To test whether sex-specific growth leads to sex-specific susceptibility to environmental conditions, we compared the age-specific sizes of male and female chicks in the wild with those of Black-tailed Godwits reared in captivity. We then tested for a relationship between residual growth and relative hatching date, age, sex and habitat type in which the wild chicks were born. Early-hatched chicks were relatively bigger and in better condition than late-hatched chicks, but body condition and size were not affected by natal habitat type. Female chicks deviated more negatively from the sex-specific growth curves than male chicks for body mass and total-head length. This suggests that the growth of the larger females is more susceptible to limiting environmental conditions. On average, the deviations of wild chicks from the predicted growth curves were negative for all measurements, which suggests that conditions are limiting in the current agricultural landscape. We argue that in estimating growth curves for sexually dimorphic species, it is critical first to make accurate sex and age determinations.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…), our study area still holds a relatively high, and relatively stable, number of breeding Godwits (Groen et al . , Kentie et al . ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 96%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sex‐specific growth in chicks of the sexually dimorphic Black‐tailed Godwit

Loonstra

Verhoeven

Piersma

2017

Ibis

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“…Gaast is situated between a region with modern industrial dairy farming (Groen et al 2012 for a landscape description) and the shoreline of Lake IJsselmeer, with extensive reed bed areas within 500 m of the colony. Nests were built at heights of 3 to 7 m under an eastward facing gable and under a northward facing gable (respectively the East and North sub-colonies).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Timing, Nest Site Selection and Multiple Breeding in House Martins: Age-Related Variation and the Preference for Self-Built Mud Nests

Piersma

2013

Ardea

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Earthworm abundance and availability does not influence the reproductive decisions of black‐tailed godwits in an agricultural grassland

Verhoeven

McBride

Hooijmeijer

et al. 2022

Ecol Sol and Evidence

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Maintaining the biodiversity of agricultural ecosystems has become a global imperative. Across Europe, species that occupy agricultural grasslands, such as black‐tailed godwits (Limosa limosa limosa), have undergone steep population declines. In this context, there is a significant need to both determine the root causes of these declines and identify actions that will promote biodiversity while supporting the livelihoods of farmers. Food availability, and specifically earthworm abundance (Lumbricidae), during the pre‐breeding period has often been suggested as a potential driver of godwit population declines. Previous studies have recommended increasing the application of nitrogen to agricultural grasslands to enhance earthworm populations and aid agricultural production. Here we test whether food availability during the pre‐breeding period affects when and where godwits breed. Using large‐scale surveys of food availability, a long‐term mark‐recapture study, focal observations of foraging female godwits, and tracking devices that monitored godwit movements, we found little evidence of a relationship between earthworm abundance and the timing of godwit reproductive efforts or the density of breeding godwits. Furthermore, we found that the soils of intensively managed agricultural grasslands may frequently be too dry for godwits to forage for those earthworms that are present. The increased application of nitrogen to agricultural grasslands will therefore likely have no positive effect on godwit populations. Instead, management efforts should focus on increasing the botanical diversity of agricultural grasslands, facilitating conditions that prevent hardening soils, and reducing the populations of generalist predators.

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A Modern Landscape Ecology of Black-Tailed Godwits: Habitat Selection in Southwest Friesland, The Netherlands

Cited by 45 publications

References 34 publications

Sex‐specific growth in chicks of the sexually dimorphic Black‐tailed Godwit

Sex‐specific growth in chicks of the sexually dimorphic Black‐tailed Godwit

Timing, Nest Site Selection and Multiple Breeding in House Martins: Age-Related Variation and the Preference for Self-Built Mud Nests

Earthworm abundance and availability does not influence the reproductive decisions of black‐tailed godwits in an agricultural grassland

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