Identifying risks to populations of migratory shorebirds

我的研究项目的目标是在气候变化的背景下，培养学生在北极和亚北极繁殖候鸟的种群动态、行为和生态方面的知识。我们将在滨鸟一年周期的繁殖期、迁徙期和非繁殖期对它们进行研究。在MB的Churchill，我们将使用长期（26年）的数据，对个别鉴定的繁殖半颊鸻进行研究，确定当地种群规模、成虫表观存活率和季节性繁殖成功的年度变化原因。我们还将测试栖息地的变化是否导致了当地丘吉尔种群的重新分配或减少，以及不同年份之间是否存在个体成年迁移的后果。对于出生新兵，我们将检查离开出生地点的运动，以及他们与父母相比的生殖成功率。我们还将从大量的亲本后代对样本中测量栖息地选择模式的遗传力，以确定是否存在栖息地偏好的持续自然选择的潜力。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对随后的迁徙速度、停留长度和旅行距离的影响程度（例如，结转效应）。为此，我们将把小型发射机安装在鸟类的背上，然后通过位于哈德逊河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上，我们将利用传统的调查方法和无线电遥测工具，阐明迁徙的滨鸟分布的潜在原因，以及它们在向南迁徙期间停留的时间。我们还将利用重新目击/探测个别彩色条纹和无线电标记的鸟类（包括濒临灭绝的红结），计算在这个关键的迁徙集结地的种群规模。在6-8个月的非繁殖季节，我们将在南卡罗来纳州的四个地点研究单独标记的滨鸟的明显生存和运动模式（通过使用Motus接收站阵列和传统的无线电遥测技术）。地点在捕食风险、栖息地斑块大小、人类干扰程度和觅食地点的可及性方面各不相同。我们预测在受干扰的地点和食物资源较少的地点，鸟类的表观存活率较低。作为一个群体，滨鸟是数量下降最快的鸟类之一。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，哪些重要地点的条件有助于它们的生存，从而促进保护。这项研究的对象是野生动物管理人员和研究人员，将在学术期刊和非专业出版物上发表，并在面向科学家和公众的会议上提出。

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.