Ecology and life history of alpine birds

高山鸟类的生态和生活史-鸟类是分布最广的陆生脊椎动物，在海拔0-6000米范围内繁殖。我使用高山专家和“海拔多面手”作为模式物种，研究鸟类的生态和生活史变化与海拔和环境变化的关系。与那些在低海拔和低纬度繁殖的动物相比，高山地区的动物在非生物参数(温度、风、降水、积雪)上经历了更多的变化和随机。每天的温度在-lt；0到&gt；40℃之间，但高山鸟类必须像其他鸟类一样提供相同的缓冲温度条件来孵化鸡蛋和哺育幼鸟。我们的初步研究表明，随着海拔的增加，鸟类繁殖的时间减少了60%，与海拔较低的鸟类(LE)相比，每年繁殖的后代减少了50%-60%。阿尔卑斯鸣禽的存活率比同种鸣禽高15%-20%，这至少部分抵消了它们繁殖力的劣势。我的工作假设是，选择根据几种重要的比率和行为进行，以允许在高海拔繁殖的鸟类转变为较慢的生活方式，在这种生活方式下，成鸟和幼鸟的存活率增加，以补偿较低的年度繁殖力(这是权衡所需的)。我们将调查鸣禽和松鸡的寿命、繁殖物候、繁殖力和行为，以确定在HE下的一般应对能力，使用温度和活动数据记录器，并对纬度上的标记鸟类进行行为研究。对于适应HE的物种，我们的目标是确定允许生存和繁殖力权衡的生理适应和/或遗传分化，种群可以沿着环境梯度改变其生活史的机制，驱动权衡的选择力量，以及可塑性在生命率中的作用。大多数研究假设北极和高山栖息地是可比较的环境，但影响鸟类生活史的关键驱动因素可能不同。高山栖息地正在经历全球变暖、栖息地上移和极端天气的显著增加。我们的研究将确定气候变化对高山脊椎动物的净影响并改进预测。我将培训16名HQP(10名博士，3名硕士，3名PDF)和60名理科HQP。

ECOLOGY AND LIFE HISTORY OF ALPINE BIRDS - Birds, the most widespread terrestrial vertebrates, breed from 0-6000 m asl. I use alpine specialists and 'elevational generalists' as model species to examine the ecology and life history variation of birds in relation to elevation and environmental variation. Animals in the alpine experience more variation and stochasticity in abiotic parameters (temperature, wind, precipitation, snow cover) than those breeding at lower elevations and latitudes. Daily temperatures range from <0 to >40 degC, but alpine birds must provide the same buffered thermal regime to incubate eggs and rear young as other birds. Our initial research reveals that as elevation increases, birds have 60% less time to breed and produce 50-60% fewer offspring annually compared with birds at lower elevation (LE). Alpine songbirds have 15-20% higher survival than LE conspecifics, offsetting at least partially their fecundity disadvantage. My working hypothesis is that selection operates on several vital rates and behaviours to allow birds breeding at high elevation (HE) to shift to a slower life style where increased survival of adults and juveniles compensates for lower annual fecundity (required for a tradeoff). We will investigate the longevity, breeding phenology, fecundity and behaviour of songbirds and grouse to determine the general coping abilities at HE using temperature and activity data loggers and behaviour studies on marked birds across latitudes. For species well adapted to HE, our objectives are to determine the physiological adaptations and/or genetic differentiation that allow survival-fecundity tradeoffs, the mechanisms whereby populations can shift their life history along an environmental gradient, which selective forces drive the tradeoff, and the role of plasticity in vital rates. Most studies assume that arctic and alpine habitats are comparable environments, but the key drivers shaping avian life histories may differ. Alpine habitats are experiencing globally significant increases in warming, habitat upshifting and extreme weather. Our research will determine net effects and improve predictions for climate change impacts on alpine vertebrates. I will train 16 HQP (10 PhD, 3 MSc, 3 PDF) and >60 BSc HQP.