Identifying risks to populations of migratory shorebirds

我的研究计划的目标是培养学生在人口动态，行为和生态学的北极和亚北极繁殖候鸟在气候变化的背景下。 我们会在繁殖期、迁徙期和非繁殖期对滨鸟进行研究。在丘吉尔，MB，使用长期（26年）的数据，个别确定的繁殖半棕榈Plovers，我们将确定当地人口规模，成人表观生存率和季节性繁殖成功的年度变化的原因。我们还将测试栖息地的变化是否导致了当地丘吉尔人口的重新分配或减少，以及是否有个别成年人之间的移动的后果。对于纳塔尔的新兵，我们将研究运动远离纳塔尔地点，他们的繁殖成功相比，他们的父母。我们还将从大量的父母后代样本中测量栖息地选择模式的遗传力，以确定是否有可能对栖息地偏好进行持续的自然选择。最后，我们将分析从繁殖地出发的决定，以确定繁殖季节繁殖成功影响随后迁移速度、中途停留长度和旅行距离的程度（例如，携带效应）。我们将把小型发射器固定在鸟类的背上，然后通过沿着哈德逊和詹姆斯湾西部海岸的一系列接收站跟踪鸟类。 在詹姆斯湾西部广阔的泥滩，我们将阐明迁移滨鸟分布的根本原因，以及它们在南行迁移期间停留多久，使用传统的调查方法和无线电遥测工具。我们还将使用个别色带和无线电标记的鸟类（包括濒危红结）的重新观察/检测，以计算使用这个关键的迁徙中转区的种群规模。在6-8个月的非繁殖季节，我们将研究明显的生存和运动模式（通过使用Motus阵列的接收站和传统的无线电遥测）单独标记的滨鸟在四个地点在南卡罗来纳州。地点将在捕食风险，栖息地斑块大小，人类干扰程度和觅食地点的访问。我们预测较低的表观生存的鸟类在干扰网站和那些网站的食物资源较少。 作为一个群体，滨鸟是鸟类中下降最快的群体之一。这项研究的意义在于，它将测试在加拿大繁殖滨鸟的年度周期中，重要地点的哪些条件促进了它们的生存，从而促进了保护。这项研究是针对野生动物管理人员和研究人员，将发表在学术期刊和非专业出版物上，并在面向科学家和公众的会议上发表。

The objectives of my research program are to train students in population dynamics, behaviour and ecology of arctic- and sub-arctic breeding migratory shorebirds in the context of a changing climate. We will conduct research on shorebirds during the breeding, migration and non-breeding periods of their annual cycle. In Churchill, MB, using long-term (26-yr) data on individually identified breeding Semipalmated Plovers, we will determine causes of annual variation in local population size, adult apparent survival and seasonal reproductive success. We will also test whether habitat change has caused redistribution or reduction in the local Churchill population, and if there are consequences of individual adult movement between years. For natal recruits, we will examine movements away from natal sites, and their reproductive success in comparison to that of their parents. We will also measure heritability of habitat selection patterns from a large sample of parent offspring pairs to determine whether there is potential for ongoing natural selection for habitat preferences. Finally, we will analyse departure decisions from breeding grounds to determine the extent that breeding season reproductive success affects subsequent migration speed, stopover lengths and distances traveled (e.g., carry-over effects). We will accomplish this by affixing small transmitters to the backs of birds, and subsequently following the birds through an array of receiving stations situated along the shores of Hudson and western James Bay. At the vast mudflats of western James Bay, we will elucidate the underlying causes of distributions of migrating shorebirds, and how long they stay during their southbound migration, using both traditional survey methods and radio-telemetry tools. We will also use re-sightings/detections of individually colour-banded and radio-tagged birds (including the Endangered Red Knot), to calculate population sizes using this critical migratory staging area. During the 6-8 mo non-breeding season we will study apparent survival and movement patterns (through use of the Motus array of receiving stations and traditional radio telemetry) of individually marked shorebirds at four locations in South Carolina. Sites will vary in predation risk, habitat patch size, degree of human disturbance and access to foraging sites. We predict lower apparent survival of birds at disturbed sites and those sites with fewer food resources. As a group, shorebirds are among the most rapidly declining groups of birds. The significance of this research is that it will test which conditions at important sites during the annual cycle of Canadian breeding shorebirds promote their survival and hence, conservation. The research is directed at wildlife managers and researchers and will be published in academic journals and lay publications, and presented at meetings aimed at scientists and the general public.