Latitudinal variation in population ecology of neotropical migrant shorebirds

鸟类迁徙和保护生物学进化研究中的关键问题包括了解繁殖和非繁殖范围的种内差异的原因，以及这些地点之间飞行距离的广泛差异。这种变化可能会对生命率和种群动态产生重要影响。我之前的研究集中在几个地点的密集研究上，在那里我记录了栖息地使用、行为和种群动态的基于个体的变化，无论是在候鸟物种之间还是在物种内部。我计划扩大这项研究，以研究滨鸟(因此：查拉德里亚目)生物这些特征在纬度上变化的潜在原因。研究物种在加拿大北极地区繁殖，该地区预计将受到气候变化的严重影响。在从美国南部到巴西东北部的非繁殖季节，绘图者通常是从美国南部到巴西东北部的。我建议在马尼托巴省丘吉尔继续对繁殖半翅类绘图者进行密集的长期研究，以进一步研究沿纬度梯度的另外三个北极繁殖地(南安普敦和阿基米斯基群岛，努邦和麦肯齐三角洲，西北部)的绘图员和红颈斑羚，(3)在加拿大和美国的三个迁徙地点启动几项关于迁徙滨鸟的研究，以及(4)进一步研究包括美国东南部、古巴和巴西东北部在内的三个非繁殖地点的跨纬度梯度的绘图员。这些信息将有助于理解为什么特定的繁殖和非繁殖地点对于维持许多正在衰落的加拿大滨鸟物种中的两种至关重要。

Key questions in the study of the evolution of bird migration and conservation biology include understanding the causes of intraspecific variation in breeding and non-breeding ranges, associated with wide variation in distances flown between these sites. This variation can have important consequences for vital rates and population dynamics.  My previous research has focused on intensive studies at several locations, where I have documented individual-based variation in habitat use, behaviour, and population dynamics, both among and within species of migratory birds. I plan to expand this research to examine underlying reasons for latitudinal variation in these features of shorebird (SO: Charadrii) biology. The study species breed in Arctic Canada, a region that is predicted to be critically affected by climate change. Plovers spend the non-breeding season  from southern United States to northeastern Brazil.  I propose to sustain an intensive long-term study of breeding Semipalmated Plovers at Churchill, Manitoba, to further work on plovers and Red-necked Phalaropes at three other arctic breeding locations along a latitudinal gradient (Southampton and Akimiski Islands, NU and the Mackenzie Delta, NWT), (3) initiate several studies of migrating shorebirds at three Canadian and American migratory locations, and (4) further work on plovers across a latitudinal gradient at three non-breeding locations including southeastern U.S., Cuba and northeastern Brazil. This information will assist in understanding why particular breeding and non-breeding locations are critical for maintaining two of the many declining Canadian shorebird species.