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米的地方繁殖。我使用高山专家和“海拔通才”作为模式物种来研究鸟类的生态和生活史变化与海拔和环境变化的关系。高山地区的动物在非生物参数（温度、风、降水、积雪）方面比低海拔和低纬度地区的动物具有更大的变异和随机性。每天的气温从零下40摄氏度到零下40摄氏度不等，但高山鸟类必须提供与其他鸟类相同的缓冲热环境来孵蛋和养育后代。我们的初步研究表明，随着海拔的升高，鸟类的繁殖时间减少了60%，每年的产子量比低海拔（LE）的鸟类少50-60%。高山鸣禽的存活率比高山同种鸟高15-20%，至少部分抵消了它们的繁殖力劣势。我的工作假设是，选择在几个重要的速率和行为上起作用，使在高海拔（HE）繁殖的鸟类转向一种较慢的生活方式，在这种生活方式中，成年和幼鸟的存活率增加弥补了较低的年繁殖力（需要权衡）。我们将研究鸣禽和松鸡的寿命、繁殖物候、繁殖力和行为，利用温度和活动数据记录仪以及跨纬度标记鸟类的行为研究来确定它们在高温下的一般应对能力。对于已经很好地适应了HE的物种，我们的目标是确定允许生存-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，选择力驱动权衡，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，但形成鸟类生活史的关键驱动因素可能不同。在全球范围内，高山栖息地正在经历着气候变暖、栖息地上升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影响的净效应和改进预测。我将培养16名HQP（10名博士，3名硕士，3名PDF）和60名HQP学士。

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.