No evidence for a link between forest herbicides and offspring sex ratio in a migratory songbird using high-throughput molecular sexing

Rivers, James W.; Houtz, Jennifer L.; Betts, Matthew G.; Horton, Brent M.

doi:10.1093/conphys/cox054

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 70 publications

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“…Great tits (Parus major) breeding in orchards in southeastern France had fledgling sex-ratios skewed towards females in habitats where more chemical pesticides were used for pest management, which are presumably the most disturbed habitats (Bouvier et al 2016). However, no effect of pesticide use on offspring sex ratio of white-crowned sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys) was found in forests of Western Oregon (Rivers et al 2017). In the grassland of the Tibet Plateau, nestling sex ratio of Isabelline wheatears (Oenanthe isabellina) was more male-biased in areas subjected to low-intensity grazing, which more closely resembles normal grazing by native species, compared to areas ungrazed and with high-intensity grazing (Lin et al 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variation in song structure of house wrens living in urban and rural areas in a Caribbean small island developing state

et al. 2020

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The negative effects of anthropogenic noise on wildlife, particularly birds, have been widely studied but major gaps in scientific knowledge remain. The inequality of information available and studies conducted between the high-income countries of the Global North, and middle-and low-income countries of the Global South is limiting the applicability and implementation of conservation projects. I investigated the effects of noise in two different contexts: effects of noise from oil extraction in the North American grasslands on chestnut-collared longspurs (Calcarius ornatus) and effects of noise from urban activity in the Caribbean island of Grenada on house wrens (Troglodytes aedon). I tested whether distance from oil development, distance from infrastructure noise, brood size, and parent size and weight affected nestling sex ratio allocation in chestnut-collared longspurs. Large broods were skewed towards male nestlings, and bigger females and older social males reared more male nestlings, indicating that competitiveness and experience may be valuable traits for successful breeding and greater fitness in adults. Male nestlings were also more likely to be produced further from screwpump and silent playback treatments, suggesting that habitat farthest from anthropogenic development favours production of male nestlings. My results suggest that both biological and environmental characteristics interact to regulate sex ratio allocation in my study population. Conservation I want to thank my advisor, Nicola Koper. Nicky has let me progress and find my way through the difficulties of graduate school without judgment and helped make my experience a positive one. She believed in me as a researcher and I could not have asked more from an advisor.For their time, support, and positive attitudes, I want to thank my committee members Rachel Vallender, Margaret Docker, and Kevin Ellison. Countless people have helped me and were vital to the completion of this project. I would have no results if it wasn't for Chelsea Enslow, Erin Wieler and Arfa Khan's assistance in the lab. Thank you to all my predecessors and fellow graduate students for all the knowledge and skills you have shared with me, as well as for your friendships: Patricia Rosa,

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variation in song structure of house wrens living in urban and rural areas in a Caribbean small island developing state

et al. 2020

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Effect of storage temperature and duration on direct PCR amplification of various feather types and DBS matrices

Aslam

Naeem

Seher

et al. 2023

Gene

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No evidence of a demographic response to experimental herbicide treatments by the White-crowned Sparrow, an early successional forest songbird

et al. 2019

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Early-successional forest birds, which depend on disturbance events within forested landscapes, have received increased conservation concern because of long-term population declines. Herbicides are often used to control vegetation within early-successional forests, with unknown effects on avian vital rates. We used a large-scale experiment to test how nest and post-fledging survival were influenced by herbicide intensity within managed conifer plantations across 2 breeding seasons. We created a gradient of 4 stand-scale herbicide treatments (light, moderate, and intensive, and no-spray control) and evaluated the reproductive response of the White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys), a declining songbird in managed forest landscapes of the Pacific Northwest. Against initial predictions, we found no evidence that either daily nest survival (n > 760 nests across all treatments) or post-fledging survival (n = 70 individuals reared in control and moderate treatments) were influenced by herbicide application intensity. Increased herbicide intensity resulted in an extensive reduction in vegetation cover at both stand and nest-patch scales; in contrast, vegetative cover at nest sites did not differ across herbicide treatments, nor was nest survival related to vegetation concealment measures. As the largest experimental investigation to assess forest herbicide effects on songbird demography, our study indicates that components of sparrow reproductive success were not influenced by experimental vegetation control measures, although additional work on other early-successional species will be useful to evaluate the generalities of our findings.

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No evidence for a link between forest herbicides and offspring sex ratio in a migratory songbird using high-throughput molecular sexing

Cited by 4 publications

References 70 publications

Variation in song structure of house wrens living in urban and rural areas in a Caribbean small island developing state

Variation in song structure of house wrens living in urban and rural areas in a Caribbean small island developing state

Effect of storage temperature and duration on direct PCR amplification of various feather types and DBS matrices

No evidence of a demographic response to experimental herbicide treatments by the White-crowned Sparrow, an early successional forest songbird

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