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Birds often participate in mixed-species foraging associations to improve their feeding efficiency. Wilson's Phalaropes Steganopus tricolor wintering in saline lakes of the Atacama Desert, northern Chile, were found to feed either solitarily or in close proximity (commensally) to Chilean Flamingos Phoenicopterus chilensis. Those individuals following Chilean Flamingos were picking up prey (mainly copepods) stirred up by flamingos rapidly stomping their feet ('foot paddling'). In contrast, Wilson's Phalaropes ignored Andean Flamingos Phoenicoparrus andinus and Chilean Flamingos using different foraging tactics. Feeding rates of Wilson's Phalaropes associating with Chilean Flamingos (38 ± 9 prey/min) were significantly higher than those of solitary phalaropes (17 ± 6 prey/min), indicating that this association allows profitable feeding on small prey suspended in water. Although this association appears to involve a high benefit to Wilson's Phalaropes and a low cost (if any) to Chilean Flamingos, thus partly explaining the stability of mixed-species groups, it is restricted to moderate and deep foraging depths. Three other shorebird species (Baird's Sandpiper Calidris bairdii, Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes and Greater Yellowlegs Tringa mela - noleuca) associated with the Chilean Flamingo at shallower foraging depths, indicating these facilitative interactions are species and context dependent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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• Cradle-to-gate life cycle comparison of lithium from brine and spodumene ore. • Li 2 CO 3 and LiOH•H 2 O from brine have lower life cycle GHG emissions than from ore. • Lithium source meaningfully affects lithium ion battery environmental footprints. • Fresh water consumption is lower for brine-based products than ore-based products. Life cycle analyses (LCAs) were conducted for battery-grade lithium carbonate (Li 2 CO 3) and lithium hydroxide monohydrate (LiOH•H 2 O) produced from Chilean brines (Salar de Atacama) and Australian spodumene ores. The LCA was also extended beyond the production of Li 2 CO 3 and LiOH•H 2 O to include battery cathode materials as well as full automotive traction batteries to observe the effect that the lithium production pathways had on these end products. The LCA here covers material, water, and energy flows associated with lithium acquisition; lithium concentration; production of lithium chemicals, battery cathode powders, and batteries; and associated transportation activities along the supply chain. Based on battery cathode material, the difference in lithium source represents a difference of up to 20% for NMC811 cathode greenhouse gases (GHGs) and up to 45% for NMC622 cathode GHGs. For full batteries, this represents a difference of up to 9% for NMC811 batteries and 20% for NMC622 batteries. Production of Li 2 CO 3 from brine-based resources had less life cycle GHG emissions and freshwater consumption per tonne of Li 2 CO 3 than Li 2 CO 3 from ore-based resources. And LiOH•H 2 O produced from brine-based lithium also had less life cycle GHG emissions and freshwater consumption per tonne of LiOH•H 2 O than LiOH•H 2 O from ore-based resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]