The impact of climate change on the phenology of short- and long-distance migratory birds
Abstract
Quickly changing temperatures due to climate change are expected to have
devastating consequences on the migratory bird populations around the globe. However,
surprisingly, several studies have demonstrated that some species may be able to keep
up with the unusually rapid changing temperatures that we are experiencing, as a variety
of species in these studies have shown changes in their migratory behavior in response
to these changing temperatures. This thesis aims to determine how climate change will
affect the migratory behavior in birds and which bird species will be more resilient to
these changes. It was hypothesized that short-distance migrants would be more resilient
and better able to adapt to climate change than long-distance migrants, and that short-
distance migrants would shorten their migratory journey or become residents on their
breeding grounds. Two case studies were investigated to determine whether this
hypothesis was valid: case study #1 examined the shifts in bird migration timing of
long- and short-distance migrants, and case study #2 explored the selection for lower
migratory activity and residency in previously migratory bird populations. It was found
that short- and long-distance migrants are both responding significantly to the changing
temperatures and are adjusting their migration times accordingly. In short-distance
migrant populations, it was found that the increased global temperatures are currently
favouring birds that are expressing reduced migratory activity. These results suggest that
phenotypic plasticity and/or microevolution are at play. It has been concluded that it is
still more likely that short-distance migrants are more resilient to climate change than
long-distance migrants in the long-run because they show more genetic variability in
their phenotypic responses, which means that they have a greater evolutionary potential
than long-distance migrants.
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