Exceptionally high apparent adult survival in three tropical species of plovers in Madagascar
Adult survival is a key component of population dynamics, and understanding variation in and the drivers of adult survival rates and longevity is critical for ecological and evolutionary studies, as well as for conservation biology and practice. Tropical species of landbirds are often selected to ha...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Avian Biology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/jav.02911 |
| _version_ | 1828402343470694400 |
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| author | William Jones Luke J. Eberhart‐Hertel Robert P. Freckleton Joseph I. Hoffman Oliver Krüger Brett K. Sandercock Orsolya Vincze Sama Zefania Tamás Székely |
| author_facet | William Jones Luke J. Eberhart‐Hertel Robert P. Freckleton Joseph I. Hoffman Oliver Krüger Brett K. Sandercock Orsolya Vincze Sama Zefania Tamás Székely |
| author_sort | William Jones |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Adult survival is a key component of population dynamics, and understanding variation in and the drivers of adult survival rates and longevity is critical for ecological and evolutionary studies, as well as for conservation biology and practice. Tropical species of landbirds are often selected to have higher adult survival due to high nest predation rates, but it is unclear if the same patterns occur in other avian lineages with different life history strategies. Here, we investigate adult survival of three sympatrically breeding species of shorebirds in south‐west Madagascar: the endemic and endangered Madagascar plover Charadrius thoracicus and two more widely distributed African species: the white‐fronted plover C. marginatus and the Kittlitz's plover C. pecuarius. Using mark–recapture data from 1843 individuals breeding at an intensely monitored saltmarsh over a 13‐year period, we estimated annual rates of apparent survival (φ) corrected for encounter probability. Adult apparent survival rates were high for all three species (mean ± SE): Madagascar (φ = 0.899 ± 0.010) and white‐fronted plovers (φ = 0.923 ± 0.008). Kittlitz's plovers showed a difference between the first (φ1 = 0.719 ± 0.026) and subsequent transitions (φ2+ = 0.892 ± 0.014), suggesting that transient breeders are common in this species. For birds first captured as adults, these survival estimates translate to life expectancies of 9.72 (±1.11) years in Kittlitz's plovers, 9.36 (±0.98) years in Madagascar plovers and 12.48 (±1.32) in white‐fronted plovers. We hypothesise that a long lifespan could be an adaptation arising from the unique climatic pressures on the island of Madagascar that would otherwise lead to reduced fitness. However, long lifespans may not sufficiently compensate for a reduction in breeding opportunities due to possible climatic disruption in the future. Consequently, at least two of these plover species seem vulnerable to ongoing habitat destruction and changing climate cycles. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T09:58:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8f5754371c06404ea8f7d388223aa1a1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0908-8857 1600-048X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T09:58:52Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Avian Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-8f5754371c06404ea8f7d388223aa1a12022-12-22T01:53:24ZengWileyJournal of Avian Biology0908-88571600-048X2022-01-0120221n/an/a10.1111/jav.02911Exceptionally high apparent adult survival in three tropical species of plovers in MadagascarWilliam Jones0Luke J. Eberhart‐Hertel1Robert P. Freckleton2Joseph I. Hoffman3Oliver Krüger4Brett K. Sandercock5Orsolya Vincze6Sama Zefania7Tamás Székely8Dept of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, Univ. of Debrecen Debrecen HungaryResearch Group Behavioural Genetics and Evolutionary Ecology, Max Planck Inst. for Ornithology Seewiesen GermanyDept of Animal and Plant Sciences, Univ. of Sheffield, Western Bank Sheffield South Yorkshire UKDept of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld Univ. Bielefeld GermanyDept of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld Univ. Bielefeld GermanyDept of Terrestrial Ecology, Norwegian Inst. for Nature Research Trondheim NorwayInst. of Aquatic Ecology, Centre for Ecological Research Debrecen HungaryInst. Supérieur de Technologie de Menabe, Univ. of Toliara Morondava MadagascarDept of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, Univ. of Debrecen Debrecen HungaryAdult survival is a key component of population dynamics, and understanding variation in and the drivers of adult survival rates and longevity is critical for ecological and evolutionary studies, as well as for conservation biology and practice. Tropical species of landbirds are often selected to have higher adult survival due to high nest predation rates, but it is unclear if the same patterns occur in other avian lineages with different life history strategies. Here, we investigate adult survival of three sympatrically breeding species of shorebirds in south‐west Madagascar: the endemic and endangered Madagascar plover Charadrius thoracicus and two more widely distributed African species: the white‐fronted plover C. marginatus and the Kittlitz's plover C. pecuarius. Using mark–recapture data from 1843 individuals breeding at an intensely monitored saltmarsh over a 13‐year period, we estimated annual rates of apparent survival (φ) corrected for encounter probability. Adult apparent survival rates were high for all three species (mean ± SE): Madagascar (φ = 0.899 ± 0.010) and white‐fronted plovers (φ = 0.923 ± 0.008). Kittlitz's plovers showed a difference between the first (φ1 = 0.719 ± 0.026) and subsequent transitions (φ2+ = 0.892 ± 0.014), suggesting that transient breeders are common in this species. For birds first captured as adults, these survival estimates translate to life expectancies of 9.72 (±1.11) years in Kittlitz's plovers, 9.36 (±0.98) years in Madagascar plovers and 12.48 (±1.32) in white‐fronted plovers. We hypothesise that a long lifespan could be an adaptation arising from the unique climatic pressures on the island of Madagascar that would otherwise lead to reduced fitness. However, long lifespans may not sufficiently compensate for a reduction in breeding opportunities due to possible climatic disruption in the future. Consequently, at least two of these plover species seem vulnerable to ongoing habitat destruction and changing climate cycles.https://doi.org/10.1111/jav.02911demographylife historylifespanmark–recaptureshorebird |
| spellingShingle | William Jones Luke J. Eberhart‐Hertel Robert P. Freckleton Joseph I. Hoffman Oliver Krüger Brett K. Sandercock Orsolya Vincze Sama Zefania Tamás Székely Exceptionally high apparent adult survival in three tropical species of plovers in Madagascar Journal of Avian Biology demography life history lifespan mark–recapture shorebird |
| title | Exceptionally high apparent adult survival in three tropical species of plovers in Madagascar |
| title_full | Exceptionally high apparent adult survival in three tropical species of plovers in Madagascar |
| title_fullStr | Exceptionally high apparent adult survival in three tropical species of plovers in Madagascar |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exceptionally high apparent adult survival in three tropical species of plovers in Madagascar |
| title_short | Exceptionally high apparent adult survival in three tropical species of plovers in Madagascar |
| title_sort | exceptionally high apparent adult survival in three tropical species of plovers in madagascar |
| topic | demography life history lifespan mark–recapture shorebird |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/jav.02911 |
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