Evidence for Long-distance Dispersal and Successful Interpopulation Breeding of the Endangered Piping Plover

Hillman, Matthew D.; Karpanty, Sarah M.; Fraser, James D.; Cuthbert, Francesca J.; Altman, Jonathan M.; Borneman, Tracy E.; DeRose-Wilson, Audrey

doi:10.1675/063.035.0414

Cited by 11 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…2 ) and 133 adult and 33 natal dispersal events over 100 km. Similar dispersal events over 250 km have been documented in the Canadian Atlantic [ 2 ] and Lake of the Woods, Minnesota [ 26 ] breeding populations, with maximum single individual events of 1200 km (adult [ 26 ], and 1500 km (juvenile,[ 29 ]. Isolated subpopulations, such as Lake of the Woods, and discontinuous habitat over a broad area, like the Gulf of St. Lawrence, seem to lead to longer dispersal events.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 57%

“…Plovers in the Northern Great Plains rely on breeding habitat with little to no vegetative cover on riverine sandbars, reservoir shorelines, or dry margins of wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region commonly referred to as alkali wetlands [ 3 , 5 , 53 , 71 ]. Individual plovers have been documented making long distance dispersals of ~ 1500 km between major breeding populations [ 26 , 29 ]. However, mean natal dispersal distances were much shorter (males: 8.6 ± 16 km, females: 12.8 ± 24.5 km) as were breeding dispersal distances (males: 35 ± 14.5 km; females: 26 ± 9.8 km) [ 2 , 15 , 26 ], which may limit the ability for individuals to discover available nesting sites.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Dispersal distance is driven by habitat availability and reproductive success in Northern Great Plains piping plovers

et al. 2021

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Background Dispersal is a critical life history strategy that has important conservation implications, particularly for at-risk species with active recovery efforts and migratory species. Both natal and breeding dispersal are driven by numerous selection pressures, including conspecific competition, individual characteristics, reproductive success, and spatiotemporal variation in habitat. Most studies focus on dispersal probabilities, but the distance traveled can affect survival, fitness, and even metapopulation dynamics. Methods We examined sources of variation in dispersal distances with 275 natal dispersal and 1335 interannual breeding events for piping plovers (Charadrius melodus) breeding in the Northern Great Plains between 2014 and 2019. Results Natal dispersal was on average longer (mean: 81.0 km, median: 53 km) than adult breeding movements (mean: 23.7 km, median: 1 km). Individuals moved the shortest distances when hatched, previously nested, or settling on river habitats. When more habitat was available on their natal area than in the year prior, hatch-year birds moved shorter distances to their first breeding location. Similarly, adults also moved shorter distances when more habitat was available at the settling site and when in closer proximity to other known nesting areas. Additionally, adult movement distance was shorter when successfully hatching a nest the year prior, retaining a mate, or initiating a current nest earlier. Conclusion Habitat availability appears to be associated with dispersal distance for both hatch-year and adult piping plovers. Conservation efforts that integrate dispersal distances may benefit from maintaining nesting habitat within close proximity to other areas for adults and a network of clustered sites spread out across a larger landscape for natal dispersal.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 57%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dispersal distance is driven by habitat availability and reproductive success in Northern Great Plains piping plovers

et al. 2021

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“…Cape Lookout National Seashore is a 90-km chain of barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina (Hillman et al 2012). Plovers in North Carolina nest in coarse, shelly substrates and sandy overwash habitats (Cooper 1990, Kwon et al 2018.…”

Section: Cape Lookout National Seashore North Carolinamentioning

confidence: 99%

Irruptions: evidence for breeding season habitat limitation in Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus)

Robinson¹,

Fraser²,

Catlin³

et al. 2019

ACE

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Effective management of wildlife populations requires identification of the factors limiting their growth. The Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) is an imperiled, disturbance-dependent, shorebird species that nests on broad, sparsely vegetated beaches, sandbars, and lakeshores. In areas minimally affected by human use, plover habitat loss occurs through vegetation encroachment and erosion. Alternatively, habitat availability may be increased by sand deposition caused by storm-or flood-induced sediment transport or scouring that removes vegetation, or by receding lake levels. To test the hypothesis that plover populations are limited by available breeding habitat, we estimated the amount of habitat available before and after four significant storm and flooding events (i.e., disturbance) by classifying pre-and postdisturbance aerial imagery. We then evaluated the population changes that occurred after disturbance-related habitat alterations. Additionally, we report on population changes from four population increases that occurred after habitat creation events for which we did not have imagery suitable for classification. The storm and flood effects considered were those from hurricanes and nor'easters on barrier islands of Virginia, North Carolina, New York, and Maryland, USA, and those from floods and high water output from the Gavins Point Dam on the Missouri River between South Dakota and Nebraska, USA. The amount of nesting habitat increased 27-950% at these sites, and plover populations increased overall 72-622% after these events (increase of 8-217 pairs in 3 to 8 years after the disturbance, average 12-116% increase annually). The demographic changes were driven by productivity in some cases and probably by increases in immigration in others, and occurred simultaneously with regional increases. Our results support our hypothesis that the focal plover populations were at or near carrying capacity and are habitat limited. Currently, human interventions such as beach stabilization, the construction of artificial dunes, and dams reduce natural disturbance, and therefore, the carrying capacity, in many plover breeding areas. If these interventions were reduced or modified in such a way as to create and improve habitat, plover populations would likely reach higher average numbers and the potential for achieving recovery goals would be increased.

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“…Finally, because monitoring occurs throughout the entire known breeding range, young are likely to be encountered even if they disperse to a new breeding location within the Great Lakes. Because of their status as a federally threatened species, piping plovers have been intensively monitored in all three recognized populations, and only one color‐marked plover has ever been documented as emigrating from the Great Lakes population (Hillman et al ).…”

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confidence: 99%

Age‐specific survival and recruitment of piping ploversCharadrius melodusin the Great Lakes region

Saunders

Arnold

Roche

et al. 2014

Journal of Avian Biology

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Juvenile survival and age at first breeding (i.e. recruitment) are critical parameters affecting population dynamics in birds, but high levels of natal dispersal preclude measurement of these variables in most species. We used multi‐state capture–recapture models to measure age‐specific survival and recruitment probabilities of piping plovers Charadrius melodus in the Great Lakes region during 1993–2012. This federally endangered population is thoroughly monitored throughout its entire breeding range, minimizing concerns that measures of survival and recruitment are confounded by temporary or permanent emigration. First‐year survival (± SE) averaged 0.284 ± 0.019 from mean banding age (9 d) and 0.374 ± 0.023 from fledging age (23 d). Factors that increased first‐year survival during the pre‐fledging period (9–23 d) included earlier hatching dates, older age at banding, greater number of fledglings at a given site, and better body condition at time of banding. However, when chicks that died prior to fledging were excluded from analysis, only earlier hatching dates improved first‐year survival estimates. Females had a higher probability (0.557 ± 0.066) of initiating breeding at age one than did males (0.353 ± 0.052), but virtually all plovers began breeding by age three. Adult survival was reduced by increased hurricane activity on the southeast U.S. Atlantic coast where Great Lakes piping plovers winter and by higher populations of merlins Falco columbarius. Mean annual adult survival declined from 1993 to 2012, and did not differ between males and females. Enhanced body condition led to higher survival to fledge and early breeding led to improved first‐year survival; therefore, management actions focused on ensuring access to quality feeding habitat for growing young and protecting early nests may increase recruitment in this federally endangered population.

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Evidence for Long-distance Dispersal and Successful Interpopulation Breeding of the Endangered Piping Plover

Cited by 11 publications

References 5 publications

Dispersal distance is driven by habitat availability and reproductive success in Northern Great Plains piping plovers

Dispersal distance is driven by habitat availability and reproductive success in Northern Great Plains piping plovers

Irruptions: evidence for breeding season habitat limitation in Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus)

Age‐specific survival and recruitment of piping ploversCharadrius melodusin the Great Lakes region

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