Using the North American Breeding Bird Survey to assess broad-scale response of the continent's most imperiled avian community, grassland birds, to weather variability

Gorzo, Jessica M.; Pidgeon, Anna M.; Thogmartin, Wayne E.; Allstadt, Andrew J.; Radeloff, Volker C.; Heglund, Patricia J.; Vavrus, Stephen J.

doi:10.1650/condor-15-180.1

Cited by 43 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 44 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Sympatric species may vary in the extent to which they respond to variation in environmental conditions (Gorzo et al, 2016;Greenville, Wardle, Nguyen, & Dickman, 2016;Martin et al, 2017;Skagen et al, 2018). In contrast to the strong response to environmental conditions displayed by Lark Buntings, we found no evidence that Chestnut-collared Longspur spatial dynamics were influenced by drought conditions at either temporal scale.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 92%

Opposing responses to drought shape spatial population dynamics of declining grassland birds

Wilson

Smith

Naujokaitis‐Lewis

2018

Diversity and Distributions

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Aim: The joint threats of climate and land-use change require an understanding of how environmental variation influences species abundance and distribution. However, most species distribution models use static data and methods without considering how species respond over multiple temporal and spatial scales. Using a novel analytical approach, we show how multiscalar environmental variation drives spatial population dynamics of mobile species.Location: Great Plains, North America. Methods:We developed a spatial hierarchical model of abundance using long-term citizen science data for two severely declining species (Lark Bunting, Calamospiza melanocorys, Chestnut-collared Longspur, Calcarius ornatus). Specifically, we (a) compared regional variation in range-wide abundance and population trends, (b) evaluated the influence of short-term and long-term drought on range dynamics and (c) tested whether regional population dynamics are spatially autocorrelated by environmental conditions occurring in geographically separated areas.Results: Both species exhibited long-term range-wide declines >70% with contraction towards the range core. Lark Buntings showed opposing responses to environmental variation; regional abundance increased with wetter conditions during arrival on the breeding grounds but also with longer-term (4-year) drought conditions. Chestnut-collared Longspurs showed no response to drought at either temporal scale. We found strong evidence that Lark Bunting abundance in the southern portion of the range increases with favourable environmental conditions leading to subsequent declines in abundance in northern regions. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

show abstract

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 92%

Opposing responses to drought shape spatial population dynamics of declining grassland birds

Wilson

Smith

Naujokaitis‐Lewis

2018

Diversity and Distributions

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Temperature affects avian physiology and vegetation communities upon which birds depend, thereby influencing bird distribution and density (Cody 1985, Wiens 1989, O'Connor et al 1999, Thogmartin et al 2006a, Gorzo et al 2016). …”

Section: Emergent Herbaceous Wetlands (%) Areas Where Herbaceous Vegementioning

confidence: 99%

Reproductive success of songbirds and waterfowl in native mixed-grass pasture and planted grasslands used for pasture and hay

Davis¹,

Ludlow²,

McMaster³

2016

The Condor

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

“…Habitat characteristics can have consequences for productivity and survival (Misenhelter and Rotenberry 2000, Davis 2005, Fisher and Davis 2011, Davis et al 2016). In addition, because primary productivity, and therefore vegetation structure, in grasslands has been positively associated with previous seasonal precipitation (Sala et al 1988, Mowll et al 2015, climate may have both direct and indirect impacts on avian populations as well as productivity and survival (Morrison and Bolger 2002, Skagen and Yackel Adams 2012,Öberg et al 2015, Gorzo et al 2016. There is evidence that Grasshopper Sparrow nest survival is associated with both seasonal precipitation and nest site habitat characteristics (J. M. Ruth personal observation).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Associations of wintering birds with habitat in semidesert and plains grasslands in Arizona

Ruth

Stanley

Gordon

2014

The Southwestern Naturalist

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Using the North American Breeding Bird Survey to assess broad-scale response of the continent's most imperiled avian community, grassland birds, to weather variability

Cited by 43 publications

References 44 publications

Opposing responses to drought shape spatial population dynamics of declining grassland birds

Opposing responses to drought shape spatial population dynamics of declining grassland birds

Reproductive success of songbirds and waterfowl in native mixed-grass pasture and planted grasslands used for pasture and hay

Associations of wintering birds with habitat in semidesert and plains grasslands in Arizona

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About