Identifying risks to populations of migratory shorebirds

我的研究项目的目的是了解个体滨鸟在繁殖、迁徙和越冬期间栖息地选择模式的变异程度，并确定是否存在对栖息地偏好的持续选择。首要目标是了解栖息地线索是否具有灵活性，使滨鸟能够在年度周期的每个季节(繁殖、迁徙和越冬)对不断变化的栖息地做出反应。与适合度的联系对于确定是否存在持续的选择至关重要。这些目标只能使用单独标记的鸟类来实现，我们有足够的数量在整个研究计划期间的滨鸟年度周期的所有阶段进行分析。在丘吉尔地区，MB区域标记了三种最常见繁殖的滨鸟(Charadrius Semipalmatus，Calidris alpina和Numenius phaeopus)的种群，我的HQP对这些物种有经验。我的HQP也有繁殖地点和相关繁殖成功的历史数据。在繁殖期间，我预测个体栖息地偏好的重复性很低，因为繁殖地点应该被强烈地选择，以促进成年繁殖者的生存和繁殖成功。对于高山隐翅虫和褐飞虱，我预测随着灌木和树木的入侵，它们将进行强烈的持续选择。在迁徙过程中，在沿詹姆士湾西部、安大略省朗里奇、小比斯瓦米什和北角的三个地点，与HQP一起，我建议使用对个别彩带鸟类的目击以及对那些配备纳米标记的鸟类的检测，以记录位置及其相关的地貌特征和食物资源。这三个地点的栖息地特征差异很大。我们预测，由于与熟悉特定中途停留地点相关的健身优势，多年来选择特定迁徙中途停留地点的一致性。不能预测在较短的时间内和在一个地点的特定栖息地的行动的一致性，因为在迁徙期间，应该有强有力的选择，让个体跟踪短暂和零星的食物资源，并避免危险。在迁徙过程中，质量增长、中途停留时间和起飞时间将被用作适应性的替代指标。最后，在8-9个月的非繁殖季节，HQP将研究捕食风险不同的两个南温带地点(美国东南部)觅食和栖息地点之间的个体移动模式。我们预测，在捕食者存在的情况下，栖息地和觅食地在季节内和季节之间的移动性都会更高。在非繁殖期间，身体状况和表观存活率将被用作健康状况的估计。

The objective of my research program is to understand the degree of variability in an individual shorebird’s habitat selection patterns during breeding, migration and overwinter and to determine whether there is ongoing selection for habitat preferences. The overarching goal is to understand whether there is flexibility in habitat cues that will provide the ability for shorebirds to respond to changing habitats during each season (breeding, migration and overwintering) of the annual cycle. Links with fitness are critical for determining whether there is ongoing selection. These objectives can only be met using individually marked birds, of which we have sufficient numbers for analysis during all stages of the shorebird annual cycle, over the duration of the research program. In the Churchill, MB region marked populations of the three most commonly breeding shorebirds (Charadrius semipalmatus, Calidris alpina and Numenius phaeopus) exist, species for which my HQP have experience. My HQP also have historical data on breeding locations and associated reproductive success. During breeding I predict low repeatability of individual habitat preferences because breeding sites should be strongly selected to promote both survival of the adult breeder and reproductive success. For C. alpina and N. phaeopus I predict strong ongoing selection as a function of shrub and tree encroachment. During migration, in three locations along western James Bay, ON (Longridge, Little Piskwamish and North Point), with HQP I propose to use sightings of individually colour-banded birds as well as detections of those outfitted with nanotags, to document locations and associated geomorphological features and food resources. The three locations vary considerably in habitat features. We predict consistency in the choice of particular migratory stopover locations across years because of fitness advantages associated with familiarity of particular stopover sites. Consistency in movements over shorter time periods and to particular habitats within a location is not predicted because during migration there should be strong selection for individuals to track ephemeral and patchy food resources, and to avoid danger. During migration, mass gain, stopover lengths and departure times will be used as proxies of fitness. Finally, during the 8-9 mo non-breeding season HQP will study individual patterns of movements between foraging and roosting sites at two south temperate locations (in southeastern US) that vary in predation risk. We predict higher within and between season movements of both roost and foraging sites in the presence of predators. During non-breeding body condition and apparent survival will be used as estimates of fitness.