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1. A global review of the temporal and spatial patterns of DDT and dieldrin monitoring in raptors

Author: FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology (South Africa), Carnegie Corporation of New York, National Research Foundation (South Africa), Padayachee, Kailen, Reynolds, Chevonne, Mateo, Rafael, Amar, Arjun, FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology (South Africa), Carnegie Corporation of New York, National Research Foundation (South Africa), Padayachee, Kailen, Reynolds, Chevonne, Mateo, Rafael, and Amar, Arjun
Abstract: Concentrations of organochlorine pesticides have been extensively monitored in birds, particularly from higher trophic guilds such as raptors. While monitoring of raptors has been ongoing for decades, patterns from monitoring activities have never been summarised on a global scale. In this study, we undertake a review to better describe the monitoring of two widespread organochlorine pesticides monitored globally in raptors, DDT and dieldrin. We provide a historical retrospective on the monitoring effort of a global environmental issue. Sampling was heavily biased geographically to the global north, with more than 90 % of studies conducted in this socio-geographic region, most from Europe and North America. Although monitoring occurred from at least 114 species, most samples came from relatively few species, with three species (Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus, Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus, and Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus) comprising 50 % of samples. The types of raptors sampled have changed over time, with avian and mammal specialists dominating samples until the 1970s, but more diverse dietary guilds monitored in later decades, and greater proportions of samples coming from generalist species. The three most sampled tissues (egg, liver, and plasma) comprised 84 % of all samples. Eggs were the earliest tissue examined and the only tissue sampled in all decades. The geographical bias in monitoring effort and relatively narrow species focus, suggests that patterns in these pesticides are unlikely to be fully representative of all global environments occupied by raptors. While DDT has been banned throughout most of the global north, it remains in use in the global south, yet monitoring effort in the south, does not match that of the north. While monitoring remains prevalent in the global north, contemporary monitoring is limited in the global south with less than 10 % of raptors sampled in Asia, Africa, and South America, over the last 3 decades.
Published: 2023

2. Incubation behaviour of Great Tits Parus major in response to ambient temperature in three contrasting Mediterranean habitats

Author: Barba Campos, Emilio, Sanz Cid, Juan José, Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (España), European Commission, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology (South Africa), Diez Méndez, David, Barba Campos, Emilio, Sanz Cid, Juan José, Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (España), European Commission, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology (South Africa), and Diez Méndez, David
Abstract: Avian incubation is a complex behaviour that, in female-only incubator species, entails key trade-offs between egg warming periods and time off the nest for female self-maintenance. The dynamics between on- and off-bouts are thought to be mainly influenced by ambient temperature, because changes in egg cooling rates would influence how females allocate their time during the incubation period. Incubating females need to keep an adequate and narrow thermal environment for the egg, with small deviations causing long-term effects on survival and reproductive success. Females would need to adjust their bout duration to ambient temperatures. Both on- and off-bouts are expected to lengthen when temperatures increase because incubation constraints are eased. Females usually lengthen on-bouts at a higher rate, thus increasing incubation effort. The opposite response, i.e., increasing self-maintenance time with increasing ambient temperature, has been also reported in both different species and different populations of the same species. While these opposite behavioural responses might be the result of different breeding strategies adapted to habitat conditions, it might also be that they arise as artefacts of limited datasets, different methodological approaches, or the timescale at which incubation behaviour is measured. Determining the onset of incubation also implies certain complexities derived from trying to delimit a progressive behaviour that is gradually settled during the egg-laying period. Despite classic studies, performed forty years ago in Great Tits Parus major describing both diurnal and nocturnal incubation behaviours and their respective periods of partial and full incubation, little is known about how the onset of incubation relates to ambient temperature and its effects on hatching asynchrony. Ambient temperature might have a major role in the onset of incubation if incubating females use it as a cue to synchronize their hatchlings maximum growth period wit, In this thesis project I have chosen a commonly studied species, the Great Tit, and collected high-quality incubation data during three consecutive years in three different breeding populations. The main aim of the project was a better understanding of the dynamics of incubation behaviour, its onset, and the consequences on hatching asynchrony in relation to ambient temperature. During an additional fourth breeding season, I also investigated whether differential egg repositioning within the clutch, a rarely studied behaviour, had a role in hatching asynchrony. Incubation behaviour was recorded using temperature data loggers placed in the nest-cup and egg repositioning was calculated from photographed clutches during the incubation period. First, I delimited the different incubation behaviours (diurnal and nocturnal, and partial and full incubation), quantified them, and assessed how ambient temperature affected their onset relative to the egg-laying sequence. I also assessed the association between the onset and duration of these incubation behaviours and the extent of hatching asynchrony. Secondly, I tried to comprehend incubation rhythms (i.e., the relation between on- and off- bouts during diurnal full incubation), their number and duration, in relation to ambient temperature. I aimed to investigate whether divergent patterns of nest attentiveness were a result of local adaptations or the consequence of incomplete datasets and different analysed timescales (hourly, daily, overall incubation period). Finally, by using an experimental approach, I deterred clutches from being partially incubated and assessed the effect on hatching asynchrony. I also investigated if residual hatching asynchrony could be endorsed to differential egg repositioning within the clutch by taking twice-a-day photographs of marked eggs during the diurnal full incubation period. The duration of the diurnal full incubation was analysed under the effect of different factors related to each obj
Published: 2021

3. A framework for mapping the distribution of seabirds by integrating tracking, demography and phenology

Author: Elizabeth J. Pearmain, Leigh G. Torres, Azwianewi B. Makhado, Peter G. Ryan, Jaimie Cleeland, Jacob González-Solís, Paul M. Sagar, David Grémillet, Andrew Stanworth, Amanda N. D. Freeman, Yvan Richard, Lorna Deppe, David R. Thompson, Maria P. Dias, R. Paul Scofield, Todd J. Landers, Edward R. Abraham, Susan M. Waugh, Anne-Sophie Bonnet-Lebrun, Ross M. Wanless, Kath Walker, Richard A. Phillips, Leandro Bugoni, Philip N. Trathan, Kalinka Rexer-Huber, Henri Weimerskirch, Cleo Small, Letizia Campioni, Christopher J. R. Robertson, Paulo Catry, Deon Nel, Joel Rice, Jean-Claude Stahl, John P. Y. Arnould, Ana P. B. Carneiro, Ben J. Dilley, Thomas A. Clay, D. G. Nicholls, Kim L. Stevens, Javier Arata, Graeme Elliott, Tammy E. Davies, Elizabeth A. Bell, Steffen Oppel, Jonathan Handley, José Pedro Granadeiro, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia (FCT NOVA), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (NOVA), Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Université Panthéon-Sorbonne (UP1), British Antarctic Survey (BAS), Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town-DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, Wake Forest University, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence at the Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, BirdLife International, Instituto Antartico Chileno, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University [Burwood], Faculty of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Graham Kerr Building, University of Glasgow, Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre [Portugal] (MARE), Instituto Universitário de Ciências Psicológicas, Sociais e da Vida (ISPA), MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre [Portugal], Instituto Universitário [Portugal], Xénobiotiques, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse (ENVT), Institut National Polytechnique (Toulouse) (Toulouse INP), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut National Polytechnique (Toulouse) (Toulouse INP), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées, CESAM, Museu Nacional de Historia Natural, Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE), Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UM3)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), Department of Zoology, University of Otago [Dunedin, Nouvelle-Zélande], School of Chemistry University of Birmingham, University of Birmingham [Birmingham], National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, National Institute of Water, Falklands Conservation, Royal Veterinary College [London], University of London [London], Natural Environment Research Council - British Antarctic Survey [Cambridge, UK], British Antarctic Survey NERC [UK], Department of Chemistry and Applied Science, College of William and Mary [Williamsburg] (WM), Centre d'études biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia = School of Science & Technology (FCT NOVA), Universidade Nova de Lisboa = NOVA University Lisbon (NOVA), Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (UP1), Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse (ENVT), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Centro de Estudos do Ambiente e do Mar (CESAM), Universidade de Lisboa (ULISBOA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud]), National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research [Wellington] (NIWA), Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé - UMR 7372 (CEBC), and Université de La Rochelle (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, Megafauna, Ecology (disciplines), Population, distributions, Distribution (economics), Conservation, 010603 evolutionary biology, 01 natural sciences, petrels, Longline fisheries, Longline fishing, megafauna, At-sea threats, biology.animal, 14. Life underwater, education, education.field_of_study, Ecology, biology, business.industry, 010604 marine biology & hydrobiology, Petrels, albatrosses, conservation, Seabird density, Fishery, Bycatch, seabird density, Identification (information), Overexploitation, Geography, [SDE]Environmental Sciences, Albatrosses, Distributions, Seabird, business, longline fisheries, at‐sea threats
Abstract: 1. The identification of geographic areas where the densities of animals are highest across their annual cycles is a crucial step in conservation planning. In marine environments, however, it can be particularly difficult to map the distribution of species, and the methods used are usually biased towards adults, neglecting the distribution of other life-history stages even though they can represent a substantial proportion of the total population. 2. Here we develop a methodological framework for estimating populationlevel density distributions of seabirds, integrating tracking data across the main life-history stages (adult breeders and non-breeders, juveniles and immatures). We incorporate demographic information (adult and juvenile/immature survival, breeding frequency and success, age at first breeding) and phenological data (average timing of breeding and migration) to weight distribution maps according to the proportion of the population represented by each life-history stage. 3. We demonstrate the utility of this framework by applying it to 22 species of albatrosses and petrels that are of conservation concern due to interactions with fisheries. Because juveniles, immatures and non-breeding adults account for 47%–81% of all individuals of the populations analysed, ignoring the distributions of birds in these stages leads to biased estimates of overlap with threats, and may misdirect management and conservation efforts. Population-level distribution maps using only adult distributions underestimated exposure to longline fishing effort by 18%–42%, compared with overlap scores based on data from all lifehistory stages. 4. Synthesis and applications. Our framework synthesizes and improves on previous approaches to estimate seabird densities at sea, is applicable for data-poor situations, and provides a standard and repeatable method that can be easily updated as new tracking and demographic data become available. We provide scripts in the R language and a Shiny app to facilitate future applications of our approach. We recommend that where sufficient tracking data are available, this framework be used to assess overlap of seabirds with at-sea threats such as overharvesting, fisheries bycatch, shipping, offshore industry and pollutants. Based on such an analysis, conservation interventions could be directed towards areas where they have the greatest impact on populations. Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia - FCT; French Polar Institute IPEV; Falkland Islands Government info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
Published: 2020
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4. Foraging behaviour and habitat use by Indian Yellow-nosed Albatrosses (Thalassarche carteri) breeding at Prince Edward Island

Author: Peter G. Ryan, Leshia Upfold, Bruce M. Dyer, Henri Weimerskirch, Rjm Crawford, Maria P. Dias, Pierre A. Pistorius, Ryan R. Reisinger, Tarron Lamont, Azwianewi B. Makhado, Department of Environmental Affairs [South Africa], Oceans & Coasts Branch, BirdLife International, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence at the Percy FitzPatrick Institute for African Ornithology [South Africa], Nelson Mandela University, FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town-DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé - UMR 7372 (CEBC), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université de La Rochelle (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University [Port Elizabeth, South Africa], and Université de La Rochelle (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, Thalassarche carteri, state-space model, biology, Ecology, foraging ground partitioning, 010604 marine biology & hydrobiology, fungi, Foraging, food and beverages, Feeding habitat characteristics, biology.organism_classification, 010603 evolutionary biology, 01 natural sciences, chemistry.chemical_compound, chemistry, Habitat, [SDE]Environmental Sciences, Environmental parameters, Indian yellow, Animal Science and Zoology, 14. Life underwater, seabirds, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Nature and Landscape Conservation
Abstract: International audience; Demographic parameters of wild animals are often closely associated with their foraging distribution and behaviour, and understanding these attributes can assist in identifying causes of population changes. The Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross (Thalassarche carteri) is endangered but little information is available on its at-sea distribution and behaviour. It breeds only in French (Iles Amsterdam, St Paul, Kerguelen and Crozet) and South African (Prince Edward Island, PEI) territories in the south-west Indian Ocean, with PEI supporting about 20% of the global population. This study aimed to investigate the at-sea distributions of adult Indian Yellow-nosed Albatrosses provisioning chicks at PEI and to compare them with distributions of Yellow-nosed Albatrosses breeding at other localities. Using satellite transmitters, we identified two areas that were particularly favoured for foraging. Parents whose partners were brooding small chicks frequently moved north-east of PEI to shallow, productive waters where cold, nutrient-rich water upwells and results in enhanced levels of chlorophyll-a. By contrast, parents with older chicks that could be left unattended often foraged along the Agulhas Bank where eddies and shear forces promote vertical mixing. The at-sea distribution of birds breeding at PEI was located between those reported for Indian Yellow-nosed Albatrosses breeding at Ile Amsterdam and Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatrosses (T. chlororhynchos) breeding at Gough Island, so that birds from these localities may face different threats at sea. Our study is the first to highlight key feeding areas for Indian Yellow-nosed Albatrosses from PEI and to demonstrate partitioning of foraging grounds by Yellow-nosed Albatrosses from different localities.
Published: 2018
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5. Females pay the oxidative cost of dominance in a highly social bird

Author: Rita Covas, Claire Doutrelant, Liliana R. Silva, André Ferreira, Benjamin Rey, Sophie Lardy, Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources (CIBIO-InBio), Biogéosciences [UMR 6282] [Dijon] (BGS), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Bourgogne (UB)-AgroSup Dijon - Institut National Supérieur des Sciences Agronomiques, de l'Alimentation et de l'Environnement, FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town-DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive - UMR 5558 (LBBE), Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL), Université de Lyon-Université de Lyon-Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique (Inria)-VetAgro Sup - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur et de recherche en alimentation, santé animale, sciences agronomiques et de l'environnement (VAS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UM3), study was supported by funding from the FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology (DST-NRF Centre of Excellence) at the University of Cape Town (South Africa) and FCT (Portugal) through grants IF/01411/2014/CP1256/CT0007 and PTDC/BIA-EVF/5249/2014., ANR: ANR-15-CE32-0012-02, European Project: 318994,EC:FP7:PEOPLE,FP7-PEOPLE-2012-IRSES,COOPERATION(2012), Université de Bourgogne (UB)-AgroSup Dijon - Institut National Supérieur des Sciences Agronomiques, de l'Alimentation et de l'Environnement-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud]), ANR-15-CE32-0012,WhyCooperate,La sélection sexuelle ou sociale sont-elles impliquées dans l'évolution de la coopération? Évaluation des mécanismes assurant la fiabilité de la coopération et des bénéfices directs obtenus par les coopérateurs(2015), Biogéosciences [UMR 6282] (BGS), Université de Bourgogne (UB)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE), and Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro)
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, 0301 basic medicine, OXY, social dominance, Oxidative phosphorylation, Social behaviour, Biology, physiological costs, Trade-off, medicine.disease_cause, 010603 evolutionary biology, 01 natural sciences, 03 medical and health sciences, Female health, medicine, oxidative stress, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, trade-off, Philetairus socius, 030104 developmental biology, Dominance (ethology), Ageing, ROMs, Animal Science and Zoology, [SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology, Oxidative stress, Demography, Social status, [SDV.EE.IEO]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology, environment/Symbiosis
Abstract: 12 pages; International audience; Understanding the evolution and maintenance of social behaviour requires a better understanding of the physiological mechanisms underlying the trade-offs between the benefits and costs of social status. Social dominance is expected to provide advantages in terms of access to resources and to reproduction but acquiring and maintaining dominance may also entail physiological costs. Dominant individuals are likely to engage more frequently in aggressive behaviours and/or may allocate a substantial amount of energy and resources to signal their status. Hence, dominance is likely to involve multiple physiological processes that stimulate aerobic metabolism and lead to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). When not depleted, ROS can ultimately lead to oxidative stress. However, the relationship between oxidative status and dominance has seldom been investigated. Here, we examined whether there is a physiological cost, measured as oxidative stress, associated with dominance in a highly social and cooperative bird, the sociable weaver, Philetairus socius. Oxidative status was assessed by measuring circulating oxidative damage and the plasma nonspecific antioxidant capacity. We found that in females, but not in males, dominance was associated with higher levels of oxidative damage than in same-sex subordinates, suggesting that the physiological cost of dominance is underpinned by oxidative stress in a sex-specific manner. This associated cost of dominance was independent of previous and future reproductive status. The sex difference in oxidative damage was associated with sex-specific differences in antioxidant defences, with males (the dominant sex) showing higher antioxidant levels than females, independently of their social rank. These findings indicate that social dominance may entail a trade-off between advantages and physiological costs in a sex-specific manner, exposing females to oxidative stress. This scenario may be aggravated during stressful periods, such as drought episodes when food is scarce, and it has implications for understanding female health, ageing and life span.
Published: 2018
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6. Being cosmopolitan: evolutionary history and phylogeography of a specialized raptor, the Osprey Pandion haliaetus

Author: Flavio Monti, Véronique Arnal, Andrea Sforzi, Claudine Montgelard, Leonida Fusani, David Grémillet, Jean-Marie Dominici, Olivier Duriez, Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud]), Università degli Studi di Ferrara (UniFE), Parc Naturel Régional de Corse, Museo di Storia Naturale della Maremma, University of Vienna [Vienna], University of Veterinary Medicine [Vienna] (Vetmeduni), DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town-Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Johannesburg (UJ), Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), Università degli Studi di Ferrara = University of Ferrara (UniFE), University of Johannesburg [South Africa] (UJ), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UM3), University of Ferrara [Ferrara], FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, and Faculty of Science
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, Entomology, Old World, Evolution, Accipitriformes, Lineage (evolution), Cytochrome b, Zoology, Subspecies, 010603 evolutionary biology, 01 natural sciences, Mitochondrial markers, 03 medical and health sciences, Cytochrome, Behavior and Systematics, Phylogenetics, Animals, Clade, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Falconiformes, Phylogeny, 030304 developmental biology, Demography, [SDV.EE]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology, environment, 0303 health sciences, biology, Ecology, [SDV.BA]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Animal biology, Ambientale, Evolutionary Significant Unit, 15. Life on land, biology.organism_classification, Biological Evolution, Phylogeography, Genes, Mitochondrial, Evolutionary biology, Aves, Molecular dating, ND2, Research Article
Abstract: Background The Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) is one of only six bird species with an almost world-wide distribution. We aimed at clarifying its phylogeographic structure and elucidating its taxonomic status (as it is currently separated into four subspecies). We tested six biogeographical scenarios to explain how the species’ distribution and differentiation took place in the past and how such a specialized raptor was able to colonize most of the globe. Results Using two mitochondrial genes (cyt b and ND2), the Osprey appeared structured into four genetic groups representing quasi non-overlapping geographical regions. The group Indo-Australasia corresponds to the cristatus ssp, as well as the group Europe-Africa to the haliaetus ssp. In the Americas, we found a single lineage for both carolinensis and ridgwayi ssp, whereas in north-east Asia (Siberia and Japan), we discovered a fourth new lineage. The four lineages are well differentiated, contrasting with the low genetic variability observed within each clade. Historical demographic reconstructions suggested that three of the four lineages experienced stable trends or slight demographic increases. Molecular dating estimates the initial split between lineages at about 1.16 Ma ago, in the Early Pleistocene. Conclusions Our biogeographical inference suggests a pattern of colonization from the American continent towards the Old World. Populations of the Palearctic would represent the last outcomes of this colonization. At a global scale the Osprey complex may be composed of four different Evolutionary Significant Units, which should be treated as specific management units. Our study brought essential genetic clarifications, which have implications for conservation strategies in identifying distinct lineages across which birds should not be artificially moved through exchange/reintroduction schemes.
Published: 2015
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7. Poor transferability of species distribution models for a pelagic predator, the grey petrel, Indicates contrasting habitat preferences across ocean basins

Author: Karine Delord, Erica Sommer, Peter G. Ryan, Paul M. Sagar, Ben J. Dilley, Henri Weimerskirch, Philip Sutton, Richard A. Phillips, Leigh G. Torres, David R. Thompson, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research [Wellington] (NIWA), Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé - UMR 7372 (CEBC), Université de La Rochelle (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research [Christchurch] (NIWA), Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town-Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, British Antarctic Survey (BAS), Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, National Institute of Water, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université de La Rochelle (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), and Faculty of Science
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, Oceans and Seas, Science, Population, Species distribution, Extrapolation, Procellaria, Oceanography, Models, Biological, 010603 evolutionary biology, 01 natural sciences, Cross-validation, Birds, Animals, 14. Life underwater, education, Ecosystem, education.field_of_study, Multidisciplinary, biology, Ecology, 010604 marine biology & hydrobiology, Petrels, Pelagic zone, 15. Life on land, biology.organism_classification, Habitats, Interpolation, Habitat, Grey petrel, Predatory Behavior, Conservation science, [SDE]Environmental Sciences, Environmental science, Medicine, Southern Hemisphere, Physical geography, Research Article
Abstract: International audience; Species distribution models (SDMs) are increasingly applied in conservation management to predict suitable habitat for poorly known populations. High predictive performance of SDMs is evident in validations performed within the model calibration area (interpolation), but few studies have assessed SDM transferability to novel areas (extrapolation), particularly across large spatial scales or pelagic ecosystems. We performed rigorous SDM validation tests on distribution data from three populations of a long-ranging marine predator, the grey petrel Procellaria cinerea, to assess model transferability across the Southern Hemisphere (25-65°S). Oceanographic data were combined with tracks of grey petrels from two remote sub-Antarctic islands (Antipodes and Kerguelen) using boosted regression trees to generate three SDMs: one for each island population, and a combined model. The predictive performance of these models was assessed using withheld tracking data from within the model calibration areas (interpolation), and from a third population, Marion Island (extrapolation). Predictive performance was assessed using k-fold cross validation and point biserial correlation. The two population-specific SDMs included the same predictor variables and suggested birds responded to the same broad-scale oceanographic influences. However, all model validation tests, including of the combined model, determined strong interpolation but weak extrapolation capabilities. These results indicate that habitat use reflects both its availability and bird preferences, such that the realized distribution patterns differ for each population. The spatial predictions by the three SDMs were compared with tracking data and fishing effort to demonstrate the conservation pitfalls of extrapolating SDMs outside calibration regions. This exercise revealed that SDM predictions would have led to an underestimate of overlap with fishing effort and potentially misinformed bycatch mitigation efforts. Although SDMs can elucidate potential distribution patterns relative to large-scale climatic and oceanographic conditions, knowledge of local habitat availability and preferences is necessary to understand and successfully predict region-specific realized distribution patterns.
Published: 2015
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8. Mercury contamination challenges the behavioral response of a keystone species to Arctic climate change

Author: Grunst, Andrea S., Grunst, Melissa L., Grémillet, David, Kato, Akiko, Bustamante, Paco, Albert, Céline, Brisson-Curadeau, Émile, Clairbaux, Manon, Cruz-Flores, Marta, Gentès, Sophie, Perret, Samuel, Ste-Marie, Eric, Wojczulanis-Jakubas, Katarzyna, Fort, Jérôme, LIttoral ENvironnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), La Rochelle Université (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE), Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Institut Agro Montpellier, Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Université de Montpellier (UM), Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé - UMR 7372 (CEBC), La Rochelle Université (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Ministère de l'Education nationale, de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche (M.E.N.E.S.R.), McGill University = Université McGill [Montréal, Canada], School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences [Cork] (BEES), University College Cork (UCC), Department of Vertebrate Ecology and Zoology, University of Gdańsk (UG), and ANR-16-CE34-0005,ILETOP,Impact des polluants historiques et émergents sur les prédateurs supérieurs marins de l'Arctique(2016)
Subjects: multiple stressors, [SDV.EE]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology, environment, climate change, mercury (Hg), diving behavior, behavioral ecotoxicology, Environmental Chemistry, [SDV.TOX.ECO]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Toxicology/Ecotoxicology, General Chemistry, toxicant-induced climate change sensitivity, behavioral plasticity
Abstract: International audience; Combined effects of multiple, climate change-associated stressors are of mounting concern, especially in Arctic ecosystems. Elevated mercury (Hg) exposure in Arctic animals could affect behavioral responses to changes in foraging landscapes caused by climate change, generating interactive effects on behavior and population resilience. We investigated this hypothesis in little auks (Alle alle), a keystone Arctic seabird. We compiled behavioral data for 44 birds across 5 years using accelerometers while also quantifying blood Hg and environmental conditions. Warm sea surface temperature (SST) and low sea ice coverage reshaped time activity budgets (TABs) and diving patterns, causing decreased resting, increased flight, and longer dives. Mercury contamination was not associated with TABs. However, highly contaminated birds lengthened interdive breaks when making long dives, suggesting Hg-induced physiological limitations. As dive durations increased with warm SST, subtle toxicological effects threaten to increasingly constrain diving and foraging efficiency as climate change progresses, with ecosystem-wide repercussions.
Published: 2023
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9. Is a seasonally reduced growth potential a convergent strategy to survive drought and frost in plants?

Author: Florence Volaire, Karim Barkaoui, David Grémillet, Guillaume Charrier, Olivier Dangles, Laurent J Lamarque, Nicolas Martin-StPaul, Isabelle Chuine, Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE), Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Institut Agro Montpellier, Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Université de Montpellier (UM), Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Agrosystèmes Biodiversifiés (UMR ABSys), Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (Cirad)-Centre International de Hautes Etudes Agronomiques Méditerranéennes - Institut Agronomique Méditerranéen de Montpellier (CIHEAM-IAMM), Centre International de Hautes Études Agronomiques Méditerranéennes (CIHEAM)-Centre International de Hautes Études Agronomiques Méditerranéennes (CIHEAM)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Institut Agro Montpellier, Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro), Département Performances des systèmes de production et de transformation tropicaux (Cirad-PERSYST), Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (Cirad), University of Cape Town, Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, Laboratoire de Physique et Physiologie Intégratives de l’Arbre en environnement Fluctuant (PIAF), Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Université Clermont Auvergne (UCA), Departement des sciences de l’environnement [Trois-Rivieres], Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR), and Ecologie des Forêts Méditerranéennes (URFM)
Subjects: dormancy, mortality threshold, seasonality, ‘growth-stress survival’ trade-off, embolism resistance, [SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio], ‘fast-slow’ economics spectrum, frost survival, drought survival, Plant Science, strategy, phenology, dehydration tolerance
Abstract: Background Plants have adapted to survive seasonal life-threatening frost and drought. However, the timing and frequency of such events are impacted by climate change, jeopardizing plant survival. Understanding better the strategies of survival to dehydration stress is therefore timely and can be enhanced by the cross-fertilization of research between disciplines (ecology, physiology), models (woody, herbaceous species) and types of stress (drought, frost). Scope We build upon the ‘growth–stress survival’ trade-off, which underpins the identification of global plant strategies across environments along a ‘fast–slow’ economics spectrum. Although phenological adaptations such as dormancy are crucial to survive stress, plant global strategies along the fast–slow economic spectrum rarely integrate growth variations across seasons. We argue that the growth–stress survival trade-off can be a useful framework to identify convergent plant ecophysiological strategies to survive both frost and drought. We review evidence that reduced physiological activity, embolism resistance and dehydration tolerance of meristematic tissues are interdependent strategies that determine thresholds of mortality among plants under severe frost and drought. We show that complete dormancy, i.e. programmed growth cessation, before stress occurrence, minimizes water flows and maximizes dehydration tolerance during seasonal life-threatening stresses. We propose that incomplete dormancy, i.e. the programmed reduction of growth potential during the harshest seasons, could be an overlooked but major adaptation across plants. Quantifying stress survival in a range of non-dormant versus winter- or summer-dormant plants, should reveal to what extent incomplete to complete dormancy could represent a proxy for dehydration tolerance and stress survival. Conclusions Our review of the strategies involved in dehydration stress survival suggests that winter and summer dormancy are insufficiently acknowledged as plant ecological strategies. Incorporating a seasonal fast–slow economics spectrum into global plant strategies improves our understanding of plant resilience to seasonal stress and refines our prevision of plant adaptation to extreme climatic events.
Published: 2023
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10. Insularity effects on bird immune parameters: A comparison between island and mainland populations in West Africa

Author: Covas, Rita [CIBIO/InBio, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Vairão Portugal, Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Center of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch South Africa, Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto Portugal]
Published: 2017
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11. Meta-population evidence of oriented chain migration in northern gannets (Morus bassanus)

Author: François Siorat, Jean Baptiste Pons, Stefan Garthe, William A. Montevecchi, Yann Tremblay, Svein-Håkon Lorentsen, W. James Grecian, Robert W. Furness, Emeline Pettex, Jérôme Fort, Stuart Bearhop, David Grémillet, Stephen C. Votier, Department of Biological Sciences, Aarhus University, Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE), Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UM3)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), UMR 212 EME 'écosystèmes marins exploités' (EME), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER)-Université de Montpellier (UM), Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Research and Technology Centre (FTZ), University of Kiel, Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, Plymouth University, Station ornithologique de l'Ile Grande, Ligue Pour la Protection des Oiseaux, Faculty of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Graham Kerr Building, University of Glasgow, Marine Spatial Ecology Lab, School of BioSciences, University of Exeter, University of Exeter, Memorial University of Newfoundland [St. John's], DST/NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town-Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, Faculty of Science, Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux (LPO), Memorial University of Newfoundland = Université Memorial de Terre-Neuve [St. John's, Canada] (MUN), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), and Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, National Health Programs, Range (biology), Disaster Planning, Meta population, 010603 evolutionary biology, 01 natural sciences, South Africa, Flyway, Chain migration, biology.animal, Seasonal breeder, Humans, Mass Casualty Incidents, 14. Life underwater, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Societies, Medical, [SDV.EE]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology, environment, Ecology, biology, 010604 marine biology & hydrobiology, Pelagic zone, 15. Life on land, Marine biodiversity, Geography, Practice Guidelines as Topic, Seabird, Burns
Abstract: International audience; Although oriented migrations have been identified in many terrestrial bird species, the post-breeding-season movements of seabirds are generally regarded as dispersive. We used geolocator tags to reveal post-breeding movements and winter distribution of northern gannets (Morus bassanus) at a meta-population scale. By focusing on five breeding colonies of European gannets, we show that their breeding and wintering grounds areconnected by a major flyway running along the coasts of Western Europe and Africa. Moreover, maximum winter distance to colony was similar across colonies despite their wide latitudinal range. In contrast with the general opinion that large pelagic birds such as gannets have unlimited ranges beyond the breeding season, our findings strongly suggest oriented chain migration in northern gannets (a pattern in which populations move uniformly southward) and highlight the benefit of meta-population approaches for studying seabird movements. We argue that the inclusion of such processes in ocean management plans is essential to improve efforts in marine biodiversity conservation.
Published: 2012
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12. Diving of great shearwaters (Puffinus gravis) in cold and warm water regions of the South Atlantic Ocean

Author: Robert A. Ronconi, Peter G. Ryan, Yan Ropert-Coudert, Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Dalhousie University [Halifax], DST/NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town-Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, Département Ecologie, Physiologie et Ethologie (DEPE-IPHC), Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien (IPHC), and Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, Male, Time Factors, Puffinus, Diving, lcsh:Medicine, Oceanography, 01 natural sciences, Behavioral Ecology, Feeding behavior, Ornithology, Geoinformatics, Spatial and Landscape Ecology, Foraging, lcsh:Science, Atlantic Ocean, Multidisciplinary, Remote Sensing Imagery, biology, Geography, Ecology, Animal Behavior, [SDV.BID.EVO]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Biodiversity/Populations and Evolution [q-bio.PE], Genus Puffinus, Temperature, Marine Ecology, Habitats, Habitat, [SDE]Environmental Sciences, Warm water, Female, Research Article, Antarctic Regions, Marine Biology, 010603 evolutionary biology, Birds, Marine Monitoring, Animals, Seawater, 14. Life underwater, Biology, 010604 marine biology & hydrobiology, lcsh:R, Feeding Behavior, biology.organism_classification, Procellariiformes, Computer Science, lcsh:Q, Zoology
Abstract: International audience; Background: Among the most widespread seabirds in the world, shearwaters of the genus Puffinus are also some of the deepest diving members of the Procellariiformes. Maximum diving depths are known for several Puffinus species, but dive depths or diving behaviour have never been recorded for great shearwaters (P. gravis), the largest member of this genus. This study reports the first high sampling rate (2 s) of depth and diving behaviour for Puffinus shearwaters. Methodology/Principle Findings: Time-depth recorders (TDRs) were deployed on two female great shearwaters nesting on Inaccessible Island in the South Atlantic Ocean, recording 10 consecutive days of diving activity. Remote sensing imagery and movement patterns of 8 males tracked by satellite telemetry over the same period were used to identify probable foraging areas used by TDR-equipped females. The deepest and longest dive was to 18.9 m and lasted 40 s, but most (>50%) dives were < 2 m deep. Diving was most frequent near dawn and dusk, with < 0.5% of dives occurring at night. The two individuals foraged in contrasting oceanographic conditions, one in cold (8 to 10°C) water of the Sub-Antarctic Front, likely 1000 km south of the breeding colony, and the other in warmer (10 to 16°C) water of the Sub-tropical Frontal Zone, at the same latitude as the colony, possibly on the Patagonian Shelf, 4000 km away. The cold water bird spent fewer days commuting, conducted four times as many dives as the warm water bird, dived deeper on average, and had a greater proportion of bottom time during dives. Conclusions/Significance: General patterns of diving activity were consistent with those of other shearwaters foraging in cold and warm water habitats. Great shearwaters are likely adapted to forage in a wide range of oceanographic conditions, foraging mostly with shallow dives but capable of deep diving.
Published: 2010

13. Fine‐scale interactions between boats and large albatrosses indicate variable susceptibility to bycatch risk according to species and populations

Author: Henri Weimerskirch, Alexandre Corbeau, Julien Collet, Florian Orgeret, Pierre A. Pistorius, Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé - UMR 7372 (CEBC), Université de La Rochelle (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Department of Zoology, University of Oxford [Oxford], DST/NRF Centre of Excellence at the Percy FitzPatrick Institute for African Ornithology [South Africa], and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University [Port Elizabeth, South Africa]
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, Foraging, Fishing, fine-scale interaction, 010603 evolutionary biology, 01 natural sciences, bycatch assessment, biologging, biology.animal, 14. Life underwater, Nature and Landscape Conservation, Ecology, biology, 010604 marine biology & hydrobiology, ecological trap, Exclusive economic zone, Bycatch, Fishery, Indian ocean, Geography, fisheries, [SDE]Environmental Sciences, Threatened species, albatross populations, Seabird, Scale (map)
Abstract: International audience; Many seabirds are attracted to fishing boats where they exploit foraging opportunities , often involving bycatch-related mortality. Bycatch risk is generally estimated by overlapping seabirds foraging ranges with coarse-scale monthly maps of fishing efforts, but a more direct estimation would be the time birds actually spend attending fishing boats. Here we matched data from Automatic Identification Systems from all declared boats in the Southern Ocean, with 143 simultaneous foraging trips from all populations of large albatrosses (Diomedea amsterdamensis and Dio-medea exulans) breeding in the Indian Ocean (Marion, Crozet, Kerguelen, Amster-dam islands). We quantified and compared real-time co-occurrence between boats and albatrosses, at different scales (100, 30 and 5 km). We also examined to what extent co-occurrence at a large-scale (595°grid cell) predicted fine-scale attendance (5 km). Albatrosses on average spent about 3 h per trip attending fishing boats (90% of declared fishing boat attendances occurred within Economic Exclusive Zones (EEZ) where bycatch mitigation measures are enforced. Outside EEZs, birds from all populations to a large extent also attended non-fishing boats. Fishing boat density at a large scale (5 9 5°, 100 km) was a poor predictor of time spent attending fishing boats (
Published: 2021
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14. The oxidative cost of helping and its minimization in a cooperative breeder

Author: Rita Covas, Sophie Lardy, Liliana R Silva, Benjamin Rey, André C Ferreira, Franck Theron, Arnaud Tognetti, Bruno Faivre, Claire Doutrelant, Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources (CIBIO-InBio), Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning (BIOPOLIS), FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town-DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, Biogéosciences [UMR 6282] (BGS), Université de Bourgogne (UB)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive - UMR 5558 (LBBE), Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL), Université de Lyon-Université de Lyon-Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique (Inria)-VetAgro Sup - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur et de recherche en alimentation, santé animale, sciences agronomiques et de l'environnement (VAS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE), Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Institut Agro Montpellier, Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Université de Montpellier (UM), Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse (IAST), Department of Clinical Neuroscience [Sotckholm], Karolinska Institutet [Stockholm], and The sociable weaver research was supported by funding from the FitzPatrickInstitute of African Ornithology (DST-NRF Centre of Excellence) at theUniversity of Cape Town (South Africa), Portuguese funds through FCTFundaçãopara a Ciência e a Tecnologia in the scope of projects PTDC/BIA-EVF/5249/2014 to R.C., the French ANR (ANR- 15-CE32-0012-02) to C.D. Molecular sexing was conducted at the University of Sheffieldunder grant NE/K015257/1 to Ben Hatchwell. Traveling between Franceand Portugal was supported by the CNRS-CIBIO Laboratoire InternationalAssocié (LIA). RC was funded by FCT fellowship IF/01411/2014/CP1256/CT0007, SL was funded by a Claude Leon Fellowship (South Africa) and ANR (ANR-15-CE32-0012-02). ACF was funded by FCTSFRH/BD/122106/2016 (Portugal).
Subjects: life-history trade-offs, oxidative stress, Animal Science and Zoology, [SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology, cooperative investment, helping behavior, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, [SDV.EE.IEO]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology, environment/Symbiosis
Abstract: Cooperative actions are beneficial to the group, but presumably costly to the individual co-operators. In cooperatively breeding species, helping to raise young is thought to involve important energetic costs, which could lead to elevated exposure to reactive oxygen species, resulting in oxidative stress. However, identifying such costs can be difficult if individuals adjust their investment in helping in relation to environmental conditions or their own physiological condition. Experimental approaches are therefore required to quantify the costs of helping but, to date, these have been infrequent. Here, we combined correlational and experimental data to investigate the oxidative cost of helping-at-the-nest and how this affects helping decisions in wild sociable weavers Philetairus socius, a colonial cooperatively breeding bird. At the correlational level, we found that the probability of helping was influenced by the interaction of an individual’s oxidative state and age: compared to younger birds, older individuals were more likely to help when they had higher oxidative damage, and the opposite trend was found for younger individuals. After experimentally increasing the energetic cost of flight, manipulated helpers in breeding colonies decreased nestling feeding rates and incurred an increase in oxidative damage, which was not present in manipulated helpers in non-breeding colonies. This indicates that individuals decreased their helping behavior to minimize the associated costs. These results suggest that oxidative stress can influence helping decisions and underlie a trade-off between cooperation and self-maintenance, which is central to understanding when helping might take place in this and other species.
Published: 2022
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15. Positive selection over the mitochondrial genome and its role in the diversification of gentoo penguins in response to adaptation in isolation

Author: Noll, D., Leon, F., Brandt, D., Pistorius, P., Le Bohec, Céline, Bonadonna, F., Trathan P., N., Barbosa, A., Raya Rey, A., Dantas G. P., M., Bowie R. C., K., Poulin, E., Vianna J., A., Agencia Estatal de Investigación (España), Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (España), University of South Carolina [Columbia], DST/NRF Centre of Excellence at the Percy FitzPatrick Institute for African Ornithology [South Africa], Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University [Port Elizabeth, South Africa], Département Ecologie, Physiologie et Ethologie (DEPE-IPHC), Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien (IPHC), Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Ecologie comportementale (EC), École normale supérieure - Paris (ENS-PSL), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université Montpellier 2 - Sciences et Techniques (UM2)-Université Paris-Sud - Paris 11 (UP11)-Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Université de Rennes 1 (UR1), Université de Rennes (UNIV-RENNES)-Université de Rennes (UNIV-RENNES)-Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL), Université de Lyon-Université de Lyon-Université de Bourgogne (UB)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Universidad de Chile = University of Chile [Santiago] (UCHILE), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC), University of California [Berkeley], University of California, Nelson Mandela University [Port Elizabeth], Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Centre Scientifique de Monaco (CSM), Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE), Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Institut Agro Montpellier, Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Université de Montpellier (UM), British Antarctic Survey (BAS), Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales [Madrid] (MNCN), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [Madrid] (CSIC), Universidad Nacional de Tierra del Fuego, Antártida e islas del Atlántico Sur (UNTDF), Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas [Ushuaia] (CADIC), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas [Buenos Aires] (CONICET), Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais (PUC Minas), University of California [Berkeley] (UC Berkeley), University of California (UC), Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Université de Haute-Alsace (UHA) Mulhouse - Colmar (Université de Haute-Alsace (UHA))-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Strasbourg (UNISTRA)-Université de Haute-Alsace (UHA) Mulhouse - Colmar (Université de Haute-Alsace (UHA))-Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules du CNRS (IN2P3)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), and Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE)
Subjects: [SDV.GEN.GA]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Genetics/Animal genetics, Phylogeography, Multidisciplinary, [SDV.BID.EVO]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Biodiversity/Populations and Evolution [q-bio.PE], [SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio], Genome, Mitochondrial, Animals, Antarctic Regions, DNA, Mitochondrial, Spheniscidae, Phylogeny
Abstract: Although mitochondrial DNA has been widely used in phylogeography, evidence has emerged that factors such as climate, food availability, and environmental pressures that produce high levels of stress can exert a strong influence on mitochondrial genomes, to the point of promoting the persistence of certain genotypes in order to compensate for the metabolic requirements of the local environment. As recently discovered, the gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) comprise four highly divergent lineages across their distribution spanning the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic regions. Gentoo penguins therefore represent a suitable animal model to study adaptive processes across divergent environments. Based on 62 mitogenomes that we obtained from nine locations spanning all four gentoo penguin lineages, we demonstrated lineage-specific nucleotide substitutions for various genes, but only lineage-specific amino acid replacements for the ND1 and ND5 protein-coding genes. Purifying selection (dN/dS 1) was mostly present in codons of the Complex I (NADH genes), supported by two different codon-based methods at the ND1 and ND4 in the most divergent lineages, the eastern gentoo penguin from Crozet and Marion Islands and the southern gentoo penguin from Antarctica respectively. Additionally, ND5 and ATP6 were under selection in the branches of the phylogeny involving all gentoo penguins except the eastern lineage. Our study suggests that local adaptation of gentoo penguins has emerged as a response to environmental variability promoting the fixation of mitochondrial haplotypes in a non-random manner. Mitogenome adaptation is thus likely to have been associated with gentoo penguin diversification across the Southern Ocean and to have promoted their survival in extreme environments such as Antarctica. Such selective processes on the mitochondrial genome may also be responsible for the discordance detected between nuclear- and mitochondrial-based phylogenies of gentoo penguin lineages., Financial support for this study was provided by Beca ANID Doctorado Nacional (Folio: 21171214), Millennium Institute Biodiversity of Antarctic and Subantarctic Ecosystems (BASE) ANID—Millennium Science Initiative Program—ICN2021_002, Inach RT_12-14, Fondecyt 1150517, PIA ACT172065 GAB, Center of genome regulation (CRG) ANID/FONDAP/15200002, the CNPq (431463/2016-6) and the PROANTAR, IPEV programs 137 ANTAVIA-ECOPHY and 354 ETHOTAAF and by the Spanish Research Agency (CGL2004-01348, CGL2007-60369, POL2006-06635 and CTM2015-64720-R).
Published: 2022
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16. Independent evolution of intermediate bill widths in a seabird clade

Author: Juan F. Masello, Peter G. Ryan, Lara D. Shepherd, Petra Quillfeldt, Yves Cherel, Alan J. D. Tennyson, Rachael Alderman, Luciano Calderón, Theresa L. Cole, Richard J. Cuthbert, Ben J. Dilley, Melanie Massaro, Colin M. Miskelly, Joan Navarro, Richard A. Phillips, Henri Weimerskirch, Yoshan Moodley, Department of Animal Ecology and Systematics, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen (JLU), FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town-DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé - UMR 7372 (CEBC), Université de La Rochelle (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Department of Primary Industries, The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, School of Environmental Sciences and Institute for Land, Water and Society [Albury, Australia], Charles Sturt University [Australia], Institut de Ciències del Mar ICM-CSIC [Barcelona, Spain], British Antarctic Survey (BAS), Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), Department of Zoology [South Africa] (University of Venda), University of Venda, Agencia Estatal de Investigación (España), German Research Foundation, Department of Environmental Affairs (South Africa), and Royal Society of New Zealand
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, Gene Flow, Antarctic Regions, MacGillivray’s prion, 010603 evolutionary biology, 01 natural sciences, Birds, Evolution, Molecular, 03 medical and health sciences, Indian Ocean Islands, Pachyptila, Genetics, Procellariidae, Animals, 14. Life underwater, Molecular Biology, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Phylogeny, health care economics and organizations, 030304 developmental biology, 0303 health sciences, Gough Island, Beak, Genetic Variation, General Medicine, Phenotype, [SDE]Environmental Sciences, Hybridization, Genetic, Original Article, Convergent evolution, Procellariiformes
Abstract: 16 pages, 5 figures, 5 tables, supplementary information https://doi.org/10.1007/s00438-021-01845-3.-- Availability of data and material: DNA sequences: GenBank accession numbers are provided in Table 1. All data are available in the manuscript or in the Supplementary information file, Interspecific introgression can occur between species that evolve rapidly within an adaptive radiation. Pachyptila petrels differ in bill size and are characterised by incomplete reproductive isolation, leading to interspecific gene flow. Salvin’s prion (Pachyptila salvini), whose bill width is intermediate between broad-billed (P. vittata) and Antarctic (P. desolata) prions, evolved through homoploid hybrid speciation. MacGillivray’s prion (P. macgillivrayi), known from a single population on St Paul (Indian Ocean), has a bill width intermediate between salvini and vittata and could also be the product of interspecies introgression or hybrid speciation. Recently, another prion population phenotypically similar to macgillivrayi was discovered on Gough (Atlantic Ocean), where it breeds 3 months later than vittata. The similarity in bill width between the medium-billed birds on Gough and macgillivrayi suggest that they could be closely related. In this study, we used genetic and morphological data to infer the phylogenetic position and evolutionary history of P. macgillivrayi and the Gough medium-billed prion relative other Pachyptila taxa, to determine whether species with medium bill widths evolved through common ancestry or convergence. We found that Gough medium-billed prions belong to the same evolutionary lineage as macgillivrayi, representing a new population of MacGillivray’s prion that originated through a colonisation event from St Paul. We show that macgillivrayi’s medium bill width evolved through divergence (genetic drift) and independently from that of salvini, which evolved through hybridisation (gene flow). This represents the independent convergence towards a similarly medium-billed phenotype. The newly discovered MacGillivray’s prion population on Gough is of utmost conservation relevance, as the relict macgillivrayi population in the Indian Ocean is very small, Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL. PQ, JFM, TLC and LC were supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Germany), Heisenberg program (grant number DFG, Qu 148-5 to P.Q.). Logistical and financial support was obtained from the South African Department of Environmental Affairs, through the South African National Antarctic Programme. LDS was supported by a Rutherford Discovery Fellowship from the Royal Society of New Zealand, With the institutional support of the ‘Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence’ accreditation (CEX2019-000928-S)
Published: 2022
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17. Habitat model forecasts suggest potential redistribution of marine predators in the southern Indian Ocean

Author: Stefan Schoombie, Delia Davies, Stephen P. Kirkman, Stuart Corney, Mia Wege, Ari S. Friedlaender, Ben Raymond, Cédric Cotté, P J Nico de Bruyn, Michael D. Sumner, Kim L. Stevens, Amanda T. Lombard, Ben J. Dilley, Yan Ropert-Coudert, T. Otto Whitehead, Marthán N Bester, Pierre A. Pistorius, Cheryl Ann Tosh, Ryan R. Reisinger, Mark A. Hindell, Robert J. M. Crawford, Peter G. Ryan, Simon Wotherspoon, Azwianewi B. Makhado, School of Ocean and Earth Sciences, National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton, Institute for Marine Sciences [California, USA], University of California [Santa Cruz] (UCSC), University of California-University of California, Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé - UMR 7372 (CEBC), Université de La Rochelle (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Laboratoire d'Océanographie et du Climat : Expérimentations et Approches Numériques (LOCEAN), Institut Pierre-Simon-Laplace (IPSL (FR_636)), École normale supérieure - Paris (ENS Paris), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-École polytechnique (X)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Paris (UP)-École normale supérieure - Paris (ENS Paris), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-École polytechnique (X)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Paris (UP)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Sorbonne Université (SU), Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies and Centre for Marine Socioecology, University of Tasmania [Hobart, Australia] (UTAS), Institute for Coastal Marine Research (CMR), Nelson Mandela University, Department of Zoology and Entomology [Pretoria], University of Pretoria [South Africa], Fisheries Research and Development, Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence - Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology [South Africa], Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University [Port Elizabeth, South Africa], Australian Antarctic Division, Department of Agriculture [Australia], Australian Antarctic Division, Kingston, Tasmania, 7050, Australia, Research Office, Faculty of Health Sciences [South Africa], Processus et interactions de fine échelle océanique (PROTEO), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-École polytechnique (X)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Paris (UP)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Institut Pierre-Simon-Laplace (IPSL (FR_636)), Institute for Coastal and Marine Research and Department of Zoology [South Africa], University of California [Santa Cruz] (UC Santa Cruz), University of California (UC)-University of California (UC), La Rochelle Université (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut Pierre-Simon-Laplace (IPSL (FR_636)), École normale supérieure - Paris (ENS-PSL), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-École polytechnique (X)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Paris Cité (UPCité)-École normale supérieure - Paris (ENS-PSL), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-École polytechnique (X)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Paris Cité (UPCité), Nelson Mandela University [Port Elizabeth], and Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-École polytechnique (X)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Paris Cité (UPCité)-Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut Pierre-Simon-Laplace (IPSL (FR_636))
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Climate change, projection, 010603 evolutionary biology, 01 natural sciences, Predation, distribution, 14. Life underwater, Southern Ocean, marine mammals, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Ecology, Redistribution (cultural anthropology), prediction, 15. Life on land, Indian ocean, Oceanography, climate change, Habitat, 13. Climate action, [SDU]Sciences of the Universe [physics], [SDE]Environmental Sciences, Environmental science, seabirds
Abstract: Aim: Climate change will likely lead to a significant redistribution of biodiversity in marine ecosystems. We examine the potential redistribution of a community of marine predators by comparing current and future habitat distribution projections. We examine relative changes among species, indicative of potential future community-level changes and consider potential consequences of these changes for conservation and management. Location: Southern Indian Ocean. Methods: We used tracking data from 14 species (10 seabirds, 3 seals and 1 cetacean, totalling 538 tracks) to model the habitat selection of predators around the Prince Edward Islands. Using random forest classifiers, we modelled habitat selection as a response to a static environmental covariate and nine dynamic environmental covariates obtained from eight IPCC-class climate models. To project the potential distribution of the predators in 2071–2100, we used climate model outputs assuming two greenhouse gas emission scenarios: RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5.Results: Analogous climates are projected to predominantly shift to the southeast and southwest. Species’ potential range shifts varied in direction and magnitude, but overall shifted slightly to the southwest. Despite the variable shifts among species, current species co-occurrence patterns and future projections were statistically similar. Our projections show that at least some important habitats will shift out of national waters and marine protected areas by 2100, but important habitat area will increase in the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources Area. Predicted areas of common use among predators decreased north of the islands and increased to the south, suggesting that multiple predator species may use southerly habitats more intensively in the future. Consequently, Southern Ocean management authorities could implement conservation actions to partially offset these shifts. Main conclusions: Overall, we predict that marine predator biodiversity in the southern Indian Ocean will be redistributed, with ecological, conservation and management implications.
Published: 2022
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18. Pelagic birds around Rapa and Marotiri, French Polynesia, October–December 2019, with notes on Rapa Shearwater Puffinus myrtae and Titan Storm Petrel Fregetta [grallaria] titan

Author: Robert L. Flood, Kirk Zufelt, Vincent Bretagnolle, Hadoram Shirihai, FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town-DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, 1001 Third Line East, Sault Sainte Marie, Ontario, P6A 6J8, Canada, Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé - UMR 7372 (CEBC), Université de La Rochelle (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), and Naturhistorisches Museum der Burgergemeinde Bern [Switzerland]
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, 010604 marine biology & hydrobiology, [SDE]Environmental Sciences, Animal Science and Zoology, 14. Life underwater, 15. Life on land, 010603 evolutionary biology, 01 natural sciences, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Abstract: International audience; We report pelagic observations from around Rapa Island and MarotiriRocks, in the Austral Islands, French Polynesia, made during the first dedicatedat-sea survey of birds in the region, during October–December 2019. We recommendthat the regional occurrence of several seabird species be modified and that the listof avifauna for Rapa and Marotiri, the Austral Islands, and East Polynesia variouslybe amended to include Juan Fernández Petrel Pterodroma externa, Mottled PetrelP. inexpectata, Gould’s Petrel P. leucoptera, Stejneger’s Petrel P. longirostris, Buller’sShearwater Ardenna bulleri and Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus. Two Gould’sPetrels were behaving as if breeding, and the timing of egg laying by ChristmasShearwater Puffinus nativitatis is apparently somewhat earlier than the species’ otherpopulations. We found Polynesian Storm Petrel Nesofregetta fuliginosa foraging inlarge numbers around Marotiri suggesting a hitherto unrecognised and perhapssignificant breeding population; we also found large numbers around Rapa. TitanStorm Petrel foraged off Rapa in substantial numbers and c.5% appeared to be avariant, raising the possibility of two distinctive phenotypes. We include at-seaimages and a field description of ‘classic’ Rapa Shearwater Puffinus myrtae, andreport an unidentified small Puffinus seen at Marotiri. Our survey adds significantnew information to knowledge of seabirds in this region, and in combination withprevious work argues strongly for the conservation of Rapa, Marotiri and thesurrounding ocean’s pelagic birds.
Published: 2021
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19. Evolution of immune genes in island birds: reduction in population sizes can explain island syndrome

Author: Marie-Ka Tilak, Constance Colombier, Juan Carlos Illera, Martim Melo, Claire Doutrelant, Claire Loiseau, Mathilde Barthe, Thibault Leroy, Benoit Nabholz, Rita Covas, Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution de Montpellier (UMR ISEM), Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (Cirad)-École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Institut de recherche pour le développement [IRD] : UR226-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Montpellier (UM), Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE), Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Institut Agro Montpellier, Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Université de Montpellier (UM), Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources (CIBIO-InBio), Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning (BIOPOLIS), FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town-DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, Centro de Investigacão em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos (CIBIO), Universidade do Porto = University of Porto, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [Madrid] (CSIC), Institut de Recherche en Horticulture et Semences (IRHS), Université d'Angers (UA)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Institut Agro Rennes Angers, Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro), CIBIO-InBIO - Universidade do Porto, Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Ministère de l'Education nationale, de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche (M.E.N.E.S.R.), Labex CeMEB (project ISLAND IMMUNITY), the National Geographic Society (Grant/Award Number:W251-12), the British Ecological Society (Grant/Award Number: 369/4558), the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology under the PTDC/BIA-EVL/29390/2017 'DEEP' Research Project, CIBIO (UIDB/50027/2021), the European Regional Development Fund (Ref.: PGC2018-097575-B-I00, European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement 854248., and ANR-14-CE02-0002,BirdIslandGenomic,Influence de la taille des populations sur l'évolution du génome: le cas des Oiseaux endémiques de l'île de La Réunion(2014)
Subjects: Genetic diversity, Immune system, biology, Effective population size, Evolutionary biology, [SDV.BA]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Animal biology, Frequency-dependent selection, biology.protein, Major histocompatibility complex, Balancing selection, Phenotype, Selection (genetic algorithm)
Abstract: Shared ecological conditions encountered by species that colonize islands often lead to the evolution of convergent phenotypes, commonly referred to as “island syndrome”. Reduced immune functions have been previously proposed to be part of this syndrome, as a consequence of the reduced diversity of pathogens on island ecosystems. According to this hypothesis, immune genes are expected to exhibit genomic signatures of relaxed selection pressure in island species. In this study, we used comparative genomic methods to study immune genes in island species (N = 20) and their mainland relatives (N = 14). We gathered public data as well as generated new data on innate (TLR: Toll-Like Receptors, BD: Beta Defensins) and acquired immune genes (MHC: Major Histocompatibility Complex classes I and II), but also on hundreds of genes with various immune functions. As a control, we used a set of 97 genes, not known to be involved in immune functions based on the literature, to account for the increased drift effects of the lower effective population sizes in island species. We used synonymous and non-synonymous variants to estimate the selection pressure acting on immune genes. We found that BDs and TLRs have higher ratios of non-synonymous over synonymous polymorphisms (Pn/Ps) than randomly selected control genes, suggesting that they evolve under a different selection regime. However, simulations show that this is unlikely to be explained by ongoing positive selection or balancing selection. For the MHC genes, which evolve under balancing selection, we used simulations to estimate the impact of population size variation. We found a significant effect of drift on immune genes of island species leading to a reduction in genetic diversity and efficacy of selection. However, the intensity of relaxed selection was not significantly different from control genes, except for MHC class II genes. These genes exhibit a significantly higher level of non-synonymous loss of polymorphism than expected assuming only drift and evolution under frequency dependent selection, possibly due to a reduction of extracellular parasite communities on islands. Overall, our results showed that demographic effects lead to a decrease in the immune functions of island species, but the relaxed selection that is expected to be caused by a reduced parasite pressure may only occur in some categories of immune genes.
Published: 2021
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20. Seabird migration strategies: Flight budgets, diel activity patterns and lunar influence

Author: Anne-Sophie Bonnet-Lebrun, Maria P. Dias, Richard A. Phillips, José P. Granadeiro, M. de L. Brooke, Olivier Chastel, Thomas A. Clay, Annette L. Fayet, Olivier Gilg, Jacob González-Solís, Tim Guilford, Sveinn A. Hanssen, April Hedd, Audrey Jaeger, Johannes Krietsch, Johannes Lang, Matthieu Le Corre, Teresa Militão, Børge Moe, William A. Montevecchi, Hans-Ulrich Peter, Patrick Pinet, Matt J. Rayner, Tim Reid, José Manuel Reyes-González, Peter G. Ryan, Paul M. Sagar, Niels M. Schmidt, David R. Thompson, Rob van Bemmelen, Yutaka Watanuki, Henri Weimerskirch, Takashi Yamamoto, Paulo Catry, Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre [Portugal] (MARE), Instituto Universitário de Ciências Psicológicas, Sociais e da Vida (ISPA), British Antarctic Survey NERC [UK], CESAM, Departamento de Biologia Animal [Portugal], Universidade de Lisboa (ULISBOA), Department of Zoology [Cambridge], University of Cambridge [UK] (CAM), Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé - UMR 7372 (CEBC), Université de La Rochelle (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), School of Environmental Sciences [Liverpool], University of Liverpool, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford [Oxford], Laboratoire Chrono-environnement - CNRS - UBFC (UMR 6249) (LCE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Franche-Comté (UFC), Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté [COMUE] (UBFC)-Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté [COMUE] (UBFC), Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat - Biodiversity Research Institute [Barcelona, Spain] (IRBio UB), Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ecologie marine tropicale dans les Océans Pacifique et Indien (ENTROPIE [Réunion]), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de La Réunion (UR)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Institute of Ecology and Evolution [Germany], Friedrich-Schiller-Universität = Friedrich Schiller University Jena [Jena, Germany], Groupe de Recherche en Ecologie Arctique, Psychology Department [Canada], Memorial University, Canada, Auckland War Memorial Museum, Oceans and Atmosphere Flagship (CSIRO), CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere Flagship, FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town-DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research [Christchurch] (NIWA), Department of Bioscience [Aarhus], Wageningen Marine Research [The Netherlands], Graduate School of Fisheries Sciences, Hokkaido University [Sapporo, Japan], Organization for the Strategic Coordination of Research and Intellectual Properties [Japan], Meiji University [Tokyo], and Apollo - University of Cambridge Repository
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, Moonlight, Range (biology), Science, Bird migration, moon phases, Ocean Engineering, Aquatic Science, Nocturnal, QH1-199.5, Oceanography, 010603 evolutionary biology, 01 natural sciences, transequatorial migrants, Nocturnality, biology.animal, migratory behaviour, Diel vertical migration, Water Science and Technology, Full moon, ecological barriers, Global and Planetary Change, biology, Business Manager projecten Midden-Noord, 010604 marine biology & hydrobiology, nocturnality, General. Including nature conservation, geographical distribution, Fishery, Geography, [SDE]Environmental Sciences, Seabird, bird migration, Business Manager projects Mid-North
Abstract: Every year, billions of birds undertake extensive migrations between breeding and nonbreeding areas, facing challenges that require behavioural adjustments, particularly to flight timing and duration. Such adjustments in daily activity patterns and the influence of extrinsic factors (e.g., environmental conditions, moonlight) have received much more research attention in terrestrial than marine migrants. Taking advantage of the widespread deployment in recent decades of combined light-level geolocator-immersion loggers, we investigated diel organisation and influence of the moon on flight activities during the non-breeding season of 21 migrant seabird species from a wide taxonomic range (6 families, 3 orders). Migrant seabirds regularly stopped (to either feed or rest) migration, unlike some terrestrial and wetland birds which fly non-stop. We found an overall increase for most seabird species in time in flight and, for several species, also in flight bout duration, during migration compared to when resident at the non-breeding grounds. Additionally, several nocturnal species spent more of the day in flight during migration than at non-breeding areas, and vice versa for diurnal species. Nocturnal time in flight tended to increase during full moon, both during migration and at the nonbreeding grounds, depending on species. Our study provides an extensive overview of activity patterns of migrant seabirds, paving the way for further research on the underlying mechanisms and drivers. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
Published: 2021
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21. Multispecies tracking reveals a major seabird hotspot in the North Atlantic

Author: Annette L. Fayet, Geir Helge Systad, William A. Montevecchi, Richard A. Phillips, Jeremy Madeiros, Thierry Boulinier, Hólmfríður Arnardóttir, Maria P. Dias, Anders Mosbech, Olivier Gilg, Hallvard Strøm, Janos C. Hennicke, Sarah Wanless, Morten Frederiksen, Ben Lascelles, Rob van Bemmelen, Signe Christensen-Dalsgaard, Carolina Hazin, Nicholas Per Huffeldt, Bergur Olsen, Johannes Krietsch, Marta Cruz-Flores, Robert T. Barrett, Ellen Magnusdottir, Jannie F. Linnebjerg, Manuel Biscoito, Niels Martin Schmidt, Tim Guilford, Yann Kolbeinsson, Paulo Catry, Ana Isabel Fagundes, Robert A. Ronconi, Thorkell Lindberg Thórarinsson, Jaime A. Ramos, Johannes Lang, Tammy E. Davies, Michael P. Harris, Euan Dunn, Mark Jessopp, Raül Ramos, Vitor H. Paiva, Francis Zino, Loïc Bollache, José Pedro Granadeiro, Peter G. Ryan, Aevar Petersen, Sveinn Are Hanssen, Flemming Merkel, Benoît Sittler, Hans-Ulrich Peter, Mark Newell, Svein-Håkon Lorentsen, Virginia Morera-Pujol, Paul M. Thompson, Francis Daunt, Børge Moe, Carsten Egevang, Ewan D. Wakefield, Jóhannis Danielsen, Jérôme Fort, April Hedd, Erpur Snær Hansen, Robert W. Furness, Ana P. B. Carneiro, Tycho Anker-Nilssen, Ingvar A. Sigurðsson, Olivier Chastel, David Grémillet, Iván Ramírez, Harald Steen, Verónica C. Neves, Mark L. Mallory, Filipe R. Ceia, Jacob González-Solís, Bruna Campos, Marguerite Tarzia, Iain J. Stenhouse, Laura McFarlane Tranquilla, Teresa Militão, BirdLife International, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia = School of Science & Technology (FCT NOVA), Universidade Nova de Lisboa = NOVA University Lisbon (NOVA), Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark, EuroNatur Foundation, Southwest Iceland Nature Research Centre, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Fuglavernd / BirdLife in Iceland, Tromsø University Museum, University of Tromsø (UiT), Funchal Natural History Museum, Laboratoire Chrono-environnement - CNRS - UBFC (UMR 6249) (LCE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Franche-Comté (UFC), Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté [COMUE] (UBFC)-Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté [COMUE] (UBFC), Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE), Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre [Portugal] (MARE), Instituto Universitário de Ciências Psicológicas, Sociais e da Vida (ISPA), Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre (MARE UC), Universidade de Coimbra [Coimbra], Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé - UMR 7372 (CEBC), Université de La Rochelle (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio) and Dept. de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Faroe Marine Research Institute, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology [Penicuik, U.K.], Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), National Institute of Water, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds (SPEA) [Lisboa], University of Oxford [Oxford], LIttoral ENvironnement et Sociétés - UMRi 7266 (LIENSs), Université de La Rochelle (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), School of Veterinary Medicine, (Institute of Biodiversity Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, Centro de Estudos do Ambiente e do Mar, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal (CESAM), Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change [Mount Pearl], Department of Bioscience [Roskilde], Aarhus University [Aarhus], School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences [Ireland], University College Cork (UCC), Northeast Iceland Nature Research Centre [Húsavík], Institute of Ecology and Evolution [Jena], Friedrich-Schiller-Universität = Friedrich Schiller University Jena [Jena, Germany], Clinic for Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians & Fish, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen (JLU), Department of Bioscience [Roskilde, Denmark], Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Government of Bermuda, Paget, Bermuda, Háskóli Íslands [Reykjavik, Iceland], University of Iceland [Reykjavik], Biology, Acadia University,Wolfville, NS, Canada, Acadia University, Birds Canada, Sackville, NB, Canada, Psychology Department, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, Canada, Memorial University of Newfoundland [St. John's], Lake Ecosystems Group [Lancaster, U.K.] (Centre for Ecology & Hydrology), Lancaster Environment Centre [Lancaster, U.K.], Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Jena, Germany, Independent Researcher, British Antarctic Survey (BAS), Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town-DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, Icelandic Institute of Natural History, University of Freiburg [Freiburg], Norwegian Polar Institute, Biodiversity Research Institute, Lighthouse Field Station, University of Aberdeen, Bureau Waardenburg, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology [Penicuik, UK], Freira Conservation Project, Funchal, Portugal, Laboratoire Chrono-environnement (UMR 6249) (LCE), Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Institut Agro - Montpellier SupAgro, Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro), Instituto Universitário de Ciências Psicológicas, Sociais e da Vida = University Institute of Psychological, Social and Life Sciences (ISPA), La Rochelle Université (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Greenland Institute of Natural Resources (GINR), University of Oxford, LIttoral ENvironnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), La Rochelle Université (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen = Justus Liebig University (JLU), and Memorial University of Newfoundland = Université Memorial de Terre-Neuve [St. John's, Canada] (MUN)
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, marine protected area, SHEARWATERS, STOPOVER, Marine protected area, 01 natural sciences, Biologging conservation, Abundance (ecology), HABITAT, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS, Ecology, biology, Phenology, conservation, Area beyond national jurisdiction, OVERLAP, Hotspot (Wi-Fi), Geography, area beyond national jurisdiction, International waters, [SDE]Environmental Sciences, Population data, Seabird, MIGRATION, CONSERVATION, QH1-199.5, 010603 evolutionary biology, Ecology and Environment, FEEDING ECOLOGY, biologging, biology.animal, parasitic diseases, VDP::Mathematics and natural science: 400::Zoology and botany: 480, High seas, 14. Life underwater, PELAGIC SEABIRD, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, regional seas convention, Nature and Landscape Conservation, MOVEMENTS, 010604 marine biology & hydrobiology, fungi, General. Including nature conservation, geographical distribution, Pelagic zone, Regional seas convention, Fishery, Marine Sciences, high seas, Atlantic, VDP::Matematikk og Naturvitenskap: 400::Zoologiske og botaniske fag: 480
Abstract: The conservation of migratory marine species, including pelagic seabirds, is challenging because their movements span vast distances frequently beyond national jurisdictions. Here, we aim to identify important aggregations of seabirds in the North Atlantic to inform ongoing regional conservation efforts. Using tracking, phenology, and population data, we mapped the abundance and diversity of 21 seabird species. This revealed a major hotspot associated with a discrete area of the subpolar frontal zone, used annually by 2.9–5 million seabirds from ≥56 colonies in the Atlantic: the first time this magnitude of seabird concentrations has been documented in the high seas. The hotspot is temporally stable and amenable to site-based conservation and is under consideration as a marine protected area by the OSPAR Commission. Protection could help mitigate current and future threats facing species in the area. Overall, our approach provides an exemplar data-driven pathway for future conservation efforts on the high seas. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
Published: 2021
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22. Neuroendocrine patterns underlying seasonal song and year-round territoriality in male black redstarts

Author: Manfred Gahr, Camila P. Villavicencio, Harriet Windley, Pietro B. D'Amelio, Wolfgang Goymann, René Quispe, Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, and Faculty of Science
Subjects: 0301 basic medicine, animal structures, Individual variation, medicine.drug_class, Sexual hormones, Hypothalamus, Estrogen receptor, Zoology, Context (language use), Brain receptors, Biology, 03 medical and health sciences, 0302 clinical medicine, Song control system, lcsh:Zoology, medicine, Seasonal breeder, lcsh:QL1-991, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Testosterone, Phoenicurus ochruros, Research, Aggressive behavior, mRNA expression, Seasonality, Androgen, Preoptic area, Androgen receptor, 030104 developmental biology, nervous system, behavior and behavior mechanisms, Animal Science and Zoology, In situ hybridization, 030217 neurology & neurosurgery
Abstract: Background The connection between testosterone and territoriality in free-living songbirds has been well studied in a reproductive context, but less so outside the breeding season. To assess the effects of seasonal androgenic action on territorial behavior, we analyzed vocal and non-vocal territorial behavior in response to simulated territorial intrusions (STIs) during three life-cycle stages in free-living male black redstarts: breeding, molt and nonbreeding. Concurrently, we measured changes in circulating testosterone levels, as well as the mRNA expression of androgen and estrogen receptors and aromatase in the preoptic, hypothalamic and song control brain areas that are associated with social and vocal behaviors. Results Territorial behavior and estrogen receptor expression in hypothalamic areas did not differ between stages. But plasma testosterone was higher during breeding than during the other stages, similar to androgen receptor and aromatase expression in the preoptic area. The expression of androgen receptors in the song control nucleus HVC was lower during molt when birds do not sing or sing rarely, but similar between the breeding and the nonbreeding stage. Nevertheless, some song spectral features and the song repertoire differed between breeding and nonbreeding. Territorial behavior and song rate correlated with the expression of steroid receptors in hypothalamic areas, and in the song control nucleus lMAN. Conclusions Our results demonstrate seasonal modulation of song, circulating testosterone levels, and brain sensitivity to androgens, but a year-round persistency of territorial behavior and estrogen receptor expression in all life-cycle stages. This suggests that seasonal variations in circulating testosterone concentrations and brain sensitivity to androgens is widely uncoupled from territorial behavior and song activity but might still affect song pattern. Our study contributes to the understanding of the complex comparative neuroendocrinology of song birds in the wild.
Published: 2021

23. The Indian Ocean 'garbage patch': Empirical evidence from floating macro-litter

Author: Peter G. Ryan, Yves Cherel, Maëlle Connan, Ben J. Dilley, Vonica Perold, Christophe Barbraud, Marine Apex Predator Research Unit (MAPRU) [Port Elizabeth, South Africa], Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University [Port Elizabeth, South Africa], FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town-DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé - UMR 7372 (CEBC), and Université de La Rochelle (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, Empirical data, 010501 environmental sciences, Aquatic Science, Garbage, Oceanography, 01 natural sciences, Ocean gyre, Marine debris, Frontal system, Humans, 14. Life underwater, Indian Ocean garbage patch, Indian Ocean, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Waste Products, geography.geographical_feature_category, Plastic litter, Great Pacific garbage patch, 010604 marine biology & hydrobiology, At-sea survey, Pollution, Geography, [SDE]Environmental Sciences, Litter, Period (geology), Physical geography, Seasons, Southern Indian Ocean, Garbage patch, Plastics, Environmental Monitoring
Abstract: International audience; Marine litter has become a global issue with ‘garbage patches’ documented in all ocean gyres. The Pacific and Atlantic garbage patches have been well described, but there are few empirical data for the Indian Ocean. In the austral summer 2019–2020, we conducted an at-sea survey of macro-litter in the rarely investigated south-west Indian Ocean. Over 24 days, 1623 man-made items were observed including plastic fragments, packaging and fishing-related items during 216 h of observations covering 5464 km. More than 99% of the litter items were plastics of which almost 60% were white. Floating litter was patchily distributed with only five items (0.2%) recorded south of 40°S (0.1 items·km‐2). Half of the items were encountered over a two-day period south-east of Madagascar (30°S; 59–67°E; 75.2 items·km‐2). Our survey detected an accumulation of litter in the southern Indian Ocean and demonstrated that this area warrants more research.
Published: 2021
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24. Global political responsibility for the conservation of albatrosses and large petrels

Author: Scott A. Shaffer, Steffen Oppel, April Hedd, Henri Weimerskirch, Benjamin Metzger, John P. Y. Arnould, Richard J. Cuthbert, Martin Beal, José Pedro Granadeiro, Christopher J. R. Robertson, José Manuel Reyes-González, Lorna Deppe, Paul M. Sagar, Valentina Colodro, William A. Montevecchi, Carolina Hazin, Matthieu Le Corre, Mark Carey, Flavio Quintana, Richard A. Phillips, Jill A. Awkerman, Michelle Antolos, José Manuel Arcos, Susan M. Waugh, Christopher A. Surman, Daniel Oro, Elizabeth J. Pearmain, Jaimie Cleeland, Leia Navarro-Herrero, Tim Reid, Karine Delord, Zuzana Zajková, Virginia Morera-Pujol, Manuela G. Forero, Vikash Tatayah, D. G. Nicholls, Takashi Yamamoto, Graeme A. Taylor, Peter Hodum, Audrey Jaeger, Ryan D. Carle, Herculano Andrade Dinis, Robert M. Suryan, David R. Thompson, Ridha Ouni, R. Paul Scofield, Kiyoaki Ozaki, Amanda N. D. Freeman, Elizabeth A. Bell, Ross M. Wanless, José Manuel Igual, Graham Robertson, Kim L. Stevens, Javier Arata, Todd J. Landers, Jonathan J. Felis, Josh Adams, Deon Nel, David J. Anderson, Ben J. Dilley, Paulo Catry, Fumio Sato, Teresa Militão, Michael A. Bell, Mohamed Salah Romdhane, Akinori Takahashi, Raül Ramos, Peter G. Ryan, Nirmal Shah, Kath Walker, Stefan Schoombie, Marta Cruz-Flores, Akira Fukuda, Thomas A. Clay, Fernanda De Felipe, Graeme Elliott, Jacob González-Solís, Laura Zango, Leigh G. Torres, Maria P. Dias, Azwianewi B. Makhado, Melinda G. Conners, European Commission, National Science Foundation (US), Universidad de Barcelona, Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (España), Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (España), Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (España), Generalitat de Catalunya, Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre [Portugal] (MARE), Instituto Universitário de Ciências Psicológicas, Sociais e da Vida = University Institute of Psychological, Social and Life Sciences (ISPA), BirdLife International, British Antarctic Survey (BAS), Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Western Ecological Research Center, Wake Forest University, Oregon State University (OSU), SEO/BirdLife, Deakin University [Burwood], U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Wildlife Management International Limited, La Trobe University, Oikonos Ecosysteme Knowledge [Chile], University of Liverpool, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence at the Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Oikonos Ecosystem Knowledge [Chile], University of California [Santa Cruz] (UC Santa Cruz), University of California (UC), Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat - Biodiversity Research Institute [Barcelona, Spain] (IRBio UB), Universitat de Barcelona (UB), World Land Trust, Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé - UMR 7372 (CEBC), La Rochelle Université (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), The Hutton’s Shearwater Charitable Trust, Associação Projecto Vitó, New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC), DoC, CSIC, EBD, E-41080 Seville, Spain, Partenaires INRAE, Nature North, University of Shizuoka, Universidade de Lisboa = University of Lisbon (ULISBOA), Environment and Climate Change Canada, University of Puget Sound, Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avancats (IMEDEA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [Madrid] (CSIC)-Universidad de las Islas Baleares (UIB), Ecologie marine tropicale dans les Océans Pacifique et Indien (ENTROPIE [Réunion]), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Université de La Réunion (UR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), University of Auckland [Auckland], Auckland Museum, Auckland Council, Department of Environment, Agriculture and Fisheries [South Africa] (Oceans and Coasts), BirdLife [Malta], Memorial University of Newfoundland = Université Memorial de Terre-Neuve [St. John's, Canada] (MUN), WWF-Netherlands, Chisholm Institute, Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [Madrid] (CSIC), Faculté des Sciences Mathématiques, Physiques et Naturelles de Tunis (FST), Université de Tunis El Manar (UTM), Yamashina Institute for Ornithology, Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos [Chubut] (IBIOMAR), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas [Buenos Aires] (CONICET), University of Tasmania [Hobart, Australia] (UTAS), Wild Press, Institut National Agronomique de Tunisie, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research [Christchurch] (NIWA), Canterbury Museum, San Jose State University [San Jose] (SJSU), Nature Seychelles, Halfmoon Biosciences, National Institute of Polar Research [Tokyo] (NiPR), Mauritian Wildlife Foundation, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research [Wellington] (NIWA), National Taiwan Ocean University (NTOU), Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Meiji Institute for Advanced Study of Mathematical Sciences (MIMS), Meiji University [Tokyo], Instituto Universitário de Ciências Psicológicas, Sociais e da Vida (ISPA), University of California [Santa Cruz] (UCSC), University of California, Université de La Rochelle (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Universidade de Lisboa (ULISBOA), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de La Réunion (UR)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Memorial University of Newfoundland [St. John's], San Jose State University [San José] (SJSU), and Meiji university
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, seabird, Environmental management, Science Policy, Population, Fishing, Biodiversity, Biodiversity conservation, 010603 evolutionary biology, 01 natural sciences, Politics, tracking data, Ocells marins, 14. Life underwater, education, Applied Ecology, Research Articles, education.field_of_study, Multidisciplinary, 010604 marine biology & hydrobiology, conservation, SciAdv r-articles, Gestió ambiental, Sea birds, 15. Life on land, [SDE.ES]Environmental Sciences/Environmental and Society, Fishery, Geography, International waters, Work (electrical), 13. Climate action, Threatened species, high seas, Conservació de la diversitat biològica, Fisheries management, ecology, [SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology, Research Article
Abstract: Migratory marine species cross political borders and enter the high seas, where the lack of an effective global management framework for biodiversity leaves them vulnerable to threats. Here, we combine 10,108 tracks from 5775 individual birds at 87 sites with data on breeding population sizes to estimate the relative year-round importance of national jurisdictions and high seas areas for 39 species of albatrosses and large petrels. Populations from every country made extensive use of the high seas, indicating the stake each country has in the management of biodiversity in international waters. We quantified the links among national populations of these threatened seabirds and the regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) which regulate fishing in the high seas. This work makes explicit the relative responsibilities that each country and RFMO has for the management of shared biodiversity, providing invaluable information for the conservation and management of migratory species in the marine realm., This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement no. 766417. Research made possible with the support, permissions, and funding granted by the following organizations, institutions, and grant agreements: Marine Conservation Program of DPIPWE Tasmania; American Bird Conservancy; Bureau of Ocean Energy Management; communities of Isla Mocha and Islas Juan Fernández; Corporación Nacional Forestal and Servicio Agrícola y Ganadería (Chile); Environment Canada; the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation; the National Geographic Society; ProDelphinus; and the Wallis Foundation; NSF grants DEB 9304579, DEB 9629539, DEB9806606, DEB0235818, and DEB 0842199 to D.J.A.; the National Geographic Society; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; U.S. Geological Survey Ecosystems Mission Area, Wake Forest University; Max-Planck Society and State of Baden-Wuerttemberg Innovation funding; Colorado State University International Programs; Swiss Friends of Galapagos; the International Center for Tropical Ecology at University of Missouri-St. Louis; the Instituto Antartico Chileno (INACH) and the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD); LIFE “Marine IBAs IN Spain” (LIFE04NAT/ES/000049, 2004-2009) and LIFE+ INDEMARES (2009-2014); Sea World Research and Rescue Foundation Inc.; Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment; and Winifred Violet Scott Trust; FCT-Portugal through projects (UIDB/04292/2020 and UIDP/04292/2020 and UIDP/50017/2020 and UIDB/50017/2020, granted to MARE and CESAM, respectively); the Falklands Islands Government; Natural Environmental Research Council (NERC) core funding to British Antarctic Survey Ecosystems Programme and Official Development Assistance Atlantic Islands project (NE/ R000 107/1); the New Zealand Department of Conservation; Ministry for Primary Industries; Ngāti Rehua Ngāti Wai ki Aotea; Falklands Island Conservation; University of Barcelona (APIF/2015, to M.C.-F.); the French Polar Institute (program IPEV n°109 to H.W.); Réserve Naturelle Nationale des Terres Australes Françaises; and the Zones Atelier Antarctique (LTSER France, CNRS-INEE); European funds through the European Commission Training and Mobility of Researchers Programme (ERBFMBICT983030); Spanish funds through the Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología (REN2002-01164/GLO), Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (CGL2006-01315/BOS), Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (CGL2009-11278/BOS), and Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (CGL2013-42585-P); Catalan funds through the Generalitat de Catalunya (2001SGR00091); and additional funding from SEO/BirdLife (programa Migra & proyecto LIFE+ Indemares), Fundación Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BIOCON04/099) and Fundación Biodiversidad (18PCA4328, 2012-2013); NSERC Discovery Grant and Government of Canada’s Program for International Polar Year to W.A.M.; and an ACAP AC Grant in 2013-14, predoctoral contract BES-2017-079874 of the Spanish Ministerio de Industria, Economía y Competitividad (to L.N.-H.); Spanish Foundation for Biodiversity and Spanish Ministry of Science grant ref. CGL2013-42203-R; the Pew Environment Group via the Pew Fellowship Award in Marine Conservation (to M.L.C.); National Research Foundation; South Africa and Oceans and Coasts; Department of Environment, Agriculture and Fisheries; Malta Seabird Project (LIFE10NAT/MT/090) co-funded by the LIFE program of the European Commission and the Maltese Ministry for the Environment, Sustainable Development and Climate Change, in partnership with the Royal Society for the Protection of Bird and the Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds; predoctoral contract BES-2014-068025 of the Spanish Ministerio de Industria, Economía y Competitividad (to V.M.-P.); Scientific Expert PIM initiative (Petites Iles de Méditerranée); the PIM initiative (Petites Iles de Méditerranée); the Tunisian Coastal Protection and Planning Agency (APAL); Ministry of the Environment, Japan; Funding by Fundación Ecocentro, Argentina; Wildlife Conservation Society, USA; and Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación, Argentina; Centro Nacional Patagónico (CONICET), postdoctoral contracts by Beatriu de Pinós (2010-BP_A-00173), Juan de la Cierva (JCI-2009-05426), PLEAMAR (2017/2349), and Ramón y Cajal (RYC-2017-22055) programme (to R.R.); Seventh Framework Programme (Research Executive Agency of the European Commission, 618841, FP7-PEOPLE-2013-CIG); Fondation Total pour la Biodiversité (project: Trophic ecology and impacts of bycatch on the avifauna communities of Zembra archipelago); Agence de Protection et d’Aménagement du Littoral (APAL-Tunisia); Killam Postdoctoral fellowship from Dalhousie University; South African National Antarctic Programme; ACAP; Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument; NOAA; Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Kakenhi grant 19651100 and 15H02857; National Parks and Conservation Service (Mauritius) (to M.L.C.); IPEV Prog 109; and NASA. The use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. government. The scientific results and conclusions, as well as any views or opinions expressed herein, are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the NOAA or the Department of Commerce. This communication reflects only the authors’ view, and the Research Executive Agency of the European Union is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains. Z.Z. acknowledges funding from a predoctoral grant (APIF/2012) from the University of Barcelona. J.Ad. acknowledges funding from the U.S. Geological Survey Ecosystems Mission Area, U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Pacific OCS Region.
Published: 2021
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25. Incubation behaviour of Great Tits Parus major in response to ambient temperature in three contrasting Mediterranean habitats

Author: Diez Méndez, David, Barba Campos, Emilio, Sanz Cid, Juan José, Facultat de Ciències Biològiques, Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (España), European Commission, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, and FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology (South Africa)
Subjects: ambient temperature, UNESCO::CIENCIAS DE LA VIDA, ornithology, incubation behaviour, reproduction biology, CIENCIAS DE LA VIDA [UNESCO]
Abstract: Esta tesis fue leída el 14 de junio de 2021 en la Universidad de Valencia y forma parte del Doctoral Program in Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology (RD 99/2011) del Departamento de Zoología de la Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas de dicha universidad.-168 pp., Avian incubation is a complex behaviour that, in female-only incubator species, entails key trade-offs between egg warming periods and time off the nest for female self-maintenance. The dynamics between on- and off-bouts are thought to be mainly influenced by ambient temperature, because changes in egg cooling rates would influence how females allocate their time during the incubation period. Incubating females need to keep an adequate and narrow thermal environment for the egg, with small deviations causing long-term effects on survival and reproductive success. Females would need to adjust their bout duration to ambient temperatures. Both on- and off-bouts are expected to lengthen when temperatures increase because incubation constraints are eased. Females usually lengthen on-bouts at a higher rate, thus increasing incubation effort. The opposite response, i.e., increasing self-maintenance time with increasing ambient temperature, has been also reported in both different species and different populations of the same species. While these opposite behavioural responses might be the result of different breeding strategies adapted to habitat conditions, it might also be that they arise as artefacts of limited datasets, different methodological approaches, or the timescale at which incubation behaviour is measured. Determining the onset of incubation also implies certain complexities derived from trying to delimit a progressive behaviour that is gradually settled during the egg-laying period. Despite classic studies, performed forty years ago in Great Tits Parus major describing both diurnal and nocturnal incubation behaviours and their respective periods of partial and full incubation, little is known about how the onset of incubation relates to ambient temperature and its effects on hatching asynchrony. Ambient temperature might have a major role in the onset of incubation if incubating females use it as a cue to synchronize their hatchlings maximum growth period with the expected prey peak. Prey development, mainly caterpillars for Great Tits, accelerates with increasing temperatures. Once females start laying eggs, they could only keep track of faster prey development by an earlier onset of incubation. But an earlier onset also implies that incubation happens before the clutch is complete, which could cause hatching asynchrony. Hatching asynchrony could still occur even if incubation is delayed after clutch completion. Thermal gradients within the clutch during incubation might be a potential factor behind this residual hatching asynchrony. Females keep eggs under their brood patch warmer than peripheral ones, because they are not able to cover the whole clutch. If females do not distribute the heat properly by repositioning eggs within the nest-cup it could cause a differential embryo development, potentially resulting in hatching asynchrony., In this thesis project I have chosen a commonly studied species, the Great Tit, and collected high-quality incubation data during three consecutive years in three different breeding populations. The main aim of the project was a better understanding of the dynamics of incubation behaviour, its onset, and the consequences on hatching asynchrony in relation to ambient temperature. During an additional fourth breeding season, I also investigated whether differential egg repositioning within the clutch, a rarely studied behaviour, had a role in hatching asynchrony. Incubation behaviour was recorded using temperature data loggers placed in the nest-cup and egg repositioning was calculated from photographed clutches during the incubation period. First, I delimited the different incubation behaviours (diurnal and nocturnal, and partial and full incubation), quantified them, and assessed how ambient temperature affected their onset relative to the egg-laying sequence. I also assessed the association between the onset and duration of these incubation behaviours and the extent of hatching asynchrony. Secondly, I tried to comprehend incubation rhythms (i.e., the relation between on- and off- bouts during diurnal full incubation), their number and duration, in relation to ambient temperature. I aimed to investigate whether divergent patterns of nest attentiveness were a result of local adaptations or the consequence of incomplete datasets and different analysed timescales (hourly, daily, overall incubation period). Finally, by using an experimental approach, I deterred clutches from being partially incubated and assessed the effect on hatching asynchrony. I also investigated if residual hatching asynchrony could be endorsed to differential egg repositioning within the clutch by taking twice-a-day photographs of marked eggs during the diurnal full incubation period. The duration of the diurnal full incubation was analysed under the effect of different factors related to each objective. I found that both ambient temperature and clutch size affected the onset of incubation behaviour (Chapter 1). Increasing ambient temperature during the egg-laying period advanced diurnal partial incubation relative to the laying sequence, but larger clutches delayed the onset of both nocturnal full incubation and diurnal partial incubation. Only diurnal incubation affected hatching asynchrony despite nocturnal periods being longer. Both partial incubation and full incubation occurring before clutch completion increased hatching asynchrony. In Chapter 2 I showed that incubating females allocated time into self-maintenance at higher ambient temperatures, i.e., reducing nest attentiveness when constraints alleviate, as a generalized response among populations. Females maximised the duration of incubation bouts based on local temperatures and not absolute values as suggested in previous studies. This behaviour translated into different nest attentiveness patterns depending on the timescale, even showing contrary incubating behaviours.Going beyond correlational studies, in Chapter 3 clutches where partial incubation was prevented showed longer incubation periods and reduced hatching asynchrony. However, egg repositioning within the clutch did not seem to be the cause behind the observed residual hatching asynchrony. Ambient temperature is a key variable for incubation behaviour, both for its onset and rhythms. It affects the onset of incubation asymmetrically, advancing only diurnal partial incubation. Female incubation rhythms differ among populations because they maximise onbout duration at different local ambient temperatures. Ambient temperature, both during the egg-laying and full incubation period, is indirectly associated with the duration of the full incubation period and the extent of hatching asynchrony., This project would have not existed without the funding granted by former Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) (CGL2013-48001-C2-1-P and CGL2016- 79568-C3-1-P) thanks to the European funds “Fondo Social Europeo” (FSE). To work on this project, I was supported by an FPI fellowship (BES-2014-069191, MINECO and FSE) and two short-term research stays in North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences (Raleigh, NC, USA) (grant EEBB-I-16-11668, MINECO), supervised by Dr Caren Cooper; and in the FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology (Cape Town, South Africa) (grant EEBB-I-18-12903, MINECO), supervised by Dr Susan J. Cunningham, who greatly contributed to achieve my objectives.
Published: 2021

26. Computational modelling of penguins’ vocal tract

Author: Favaro, Livio, Gamba, Marco, Ludynia, Katrin, Snyman, Albert, Pichegru, Lorien, Cresta, Eleonora, Scaglione, Frine, Sammartano, Federica, Valazza, Alberto, Mathevon, Nicolas, Reby, David, Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Biologia dei Sistemi, Università degli studi di Torino (UNITO), Animal Demography Unit, University of Cape Town, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town-Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, Centre de recherche en neurosciences de Lyon (CRNL), Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL), Université de Lyon-Université de Lyon-Université Jean Monnet [Saint-Étienne] (UJM)-Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Ministère de l'Education nationale, de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche (M.E.N.E.S.R.), Ecologie et Neuro-Ethologie Sensorielles (ENES), and Université Jean Monnet [Saint-Étienne] (UJM)
Subjects: [PHYS.MECA.VIBR]Physics [physics]/Mechanics [physics]/Vibrations [physics.class-ph], penguins, vocal tract modelling, formants, Source-filter theory, [PHYS.MECA.ACOU]Physics [physics]/Mechanics [physics]/Acoustics [physics.class-ph]
Abstract: International audience; Penguin calls are produced by vibrating membranes in the syrinx, which generate a harmonic sound source. The tracheal tube, larynx, and oro-pharyngeal cavity subsequently filter the source signal and generate acoustic resonances called “formants”. The application of the source-filter theory of vocal production to penguin calls has demonstrated that fundamental frequency and formants encode acoustic cues to species, individual identity, and body size of the emitter. In this study, we investigated the anatomical basis of formants production in the vocal apparatus of the African penguin (Spheniscus demersus). We subjected the supra-syringeal vocal tract of 20 adult specimens to Computed Tomography. We calculated the cross- sectional areas of the vocal tract of each individual every five millimetres from the syrinx to the beak opening. The cross-sectional area functions were then used to model the acoustic response of the vocal tracts using the VTAR (Vocal Tract Acoustic Response) toolbox in MATLAB. The average values predicted for the first four formants were then compared to the spectrographic output of vocalizations recorded from live penguins. The results support our prediction that formant spacing is mostly affected by variations in tracheal length, and that, during phonation, African penguins shorten the vocal tract to an average length of 23-24 cm by contraction of the tracheal pipe. Our methodology, combining anatomical and modelling approaches to link the anatomy of the vocal apparatus with the spectral features of vocalizations, paves the way for further studies of vocal communication in non-passerine birds.
Published: 2020
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27. The dance of the Cape gannet may contain social information on foraging behaviour

Author: Peter G. Ryan, Lorien Pichegru, Ambalika Verma-Grémillet, Clara Péron, Nicolas Courbin, Tendai Chinho, David Grémillet, Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE), Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), DST/NRF Centre of Excellence - Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology [South Africa], Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University [Port Elizabeth, South Africa], Institute for Coastal and Marine Research and Department of Zoology [South Africa], Biologie des Organismes et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques (BOREA), Université de Caen Normandie (UNICAEN), Normandie Université (NU)-Normandie Université (NU)-Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université des Antilles (UA), Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Institut Agro - Montpellier SupAgro, Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro), and Nelson Mandela University [Port Elizabeth]
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, Dance, Ecology, Ephemeral key, [SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio], 05 social sciences, Foraging, Waggle dance, Honey bee, 15. Life on land, 010603 evolutionary biology, 01 natural sciences, Predation, Geography, Nest, Seasonal breeder, 0501 psychology and cognitive sciences, Animal Science and Zoology, 050102 behavioral science & comparative psychology, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS
Abstract: Social information percolates through a variety of channels to influence animal decision making, with a notable effect on reproductive and feeding success. Colonial central place foragers can reduce time to locate ephemeral food patches and/or increase foraging rate by following their informed peers, parasitizing direction of returning successful foragers, or being intentionally informed on distant food locations at the colony (e.g. the waggle dance of the honey bee). Ceremonial behaviours may also deliver social foraging information between mates, which can spread inadvertently to neighbours. Here we tested for information display in Cape gannets, Morus capensis, a socially monogamous species, during the elaborate dance ceremony performed each time a partner returns to the nest during the breeding season. We tracked fine-scale foraging behaviour of gannets using bird-borne GPS recorders, and video-recorded their subsequent dance ceremony, which involved up to 14 different displays. As we hypothesized, dance characteristics were associated with foraging trip features. Notably, overall dance duration was negatively linked to foraging trip duration, which was highly positively correlated with foraging range, foraging path length and time spent foraging during the trip. Overall dance duration was also negatively linked with distance to the main foraging grounds. Additionally, the duration of preening behaviour was related to the bearing of the main feeding spot. The latter relationship was supported by a Bayesian model averaging analysis, allowing inferences robust to multiple comparisons. Overall, ceremonial behaviour may provide social foraging information on feeding locations, while evidence for further information transfer to the mate or neighbours was not tested here. Frequent updating on prey spatial distribution, inadvertently communicated or not, should be particularly valuable for predators tracking ephemeral prey patches, providing an additional advantage to colonial living. Our results may have strong implications for cultural evolution in animal societies.
Published: 2020
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28. Multi-predator assemblages, dive type, bathymetry and sex influence foraging success and efficiency in African penguins

Author: Lorien Pichegru, John P. Y. Arnould, Scott Adams, Jonathan A. Botha, Abbas Z. Kouzani, Grace J. Sutton, Charles A. Bost, School of Life and Environmental Sciences [Victoria, Australia] (Deakin University), Deakin University [Victoria, Australia], Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé - UMR 7372 (CEBC), Université de La Rochelle (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), DST/NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town-Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, Marine Apex Predator Research Unit (MAPRU) [Port Elizabeth, South Africa], Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University [Port Elizabeth, South Africa], and School of Engineering [Victoria, Australia]
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, Spheniscus demersus, Conservation Biology, Foraging, lcsh:Medicine, Marine Biology, 010603 evolutionary biology, 01 natural sciences, General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology, Predation, Prey capture, South Africa, Predatory fish, 14. Life underwater, Benthic, Predator, Bio-logging, Animal Behavior, Ecology, Sex-specific foraging, biology, Endangered, 010604 marine biology & hydrobiology, General Neuroscience, lcsh:R, Pelagic zone, General Medicine, biology.organism_classification, Fishery, Accelerometer, Habitat, Benthic zone, [SDE]Environmental Sciences, Group foraging, Camera, General Agricultural and Biological Sciences, Zoology, Penguin
Abstract: Marine predators adapt their hunting techniques to locate and capture prey in response to their surrounding environment. However, little is known about how certain strategies influence foraging success and efficiency. Due to the miniaturisation of animal tracking technologies, a single individual can be equipped with multiple data loggers to obtain multi-scale tracking information. With the addition of animal-borne video data loggers, it is possible to provide context-specific information for movement data obtained over the video recording periods. Through a combination of video data loggers, accelerometers, GPS and depth recorders, this study investigated the influence of habitat, sex and the presence of other predators on the foraging success and efficiency of the endangered African penguin,Spheniscus demersus, from two colonies in Algoa Bay, South Africa. Due to limitations in the battery life of video data loggers, a machine learning model was developed to detect prey captures across full foraging trips. The model was validated using prey capture signals detected in concurrently recording accelerometers and animal-borne cameras and was then applied to detect prey captures throughout the full foraging trip of each individual. Using GPS and bathymetry information to inform the position of dives, individuals were observed to perform both pelagic and benthic diving behaviour. Females were generally more successful on pelagic dives than males, suggesting a trade-off between manoeuvrability and physiological diving capacity. By contrast, males were more successful in benthic dives, at least for Bird Island (BI) birds, possibly due to their larger size compared to females, allowing them to exploit habitat deeper and for longer durations. Both males at BI and both sexes at St Croix (SC) exhibited similar benthic success rates. This may be due to the comparatively shallower seafloor around SC, which could increase the likelihood of females capturing prey on benthic dives. Observation of camera data indicated individuals regularly foraged with a range of other predators including penguins and other seabirds, predatory fish (sharks and tuna) and whales. The presence of other seabirds increased individual foraging success, while predatory fish reduced it, indicating competitive exclusion by larger heterospecifics. This study highlights novel benthic foraging strategies in African penguins and suggests that individuals could buffer the effects of changes to prey availability in response to climate change. Furthermore, although group foraging was prevalent in the present study, its influence on foraging success depends largely on the type of heterospecifics present.
Published: 2020
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29. Tracking of marine predators to protect Southern Ocean ecosystems

Author: Marthán N Bester, Birgitte I. McDonald, Karine Delord, Ben Raymond, Jaimie Cleeland, Steven L. Chown, Jean-Benoît Charrassin, Daniel P. Costa, Norman Ratcliffe, Michael E. Goebel, Henri Weimerskirch, Bruno Danis, Rachael Alderman, Simon D. Goldsworthy, Akiko Kato, Keith W. Nicholls, Peter G. Ryan, Nick Gales, Luciano Dalla Rosa, Andrew D. Lowther, Pierre A. Pistorius, Rochelle Constantine, P J Nico de Bruyn, Christian Lydersen, Mike Double, Jefferson T. Hinke, Stuart Corney, Arnaud Tarroux, Kieran Lawton, Yan Ropert-Coudert, Colin Southwell, Kerstin Jerosch, Silvia Olmastroni, Richard A. Phillips, Dominik A Nachtsheim, David R. Thompson, Robert J. M. Crawford, Ian D. Jonsen, Kimberly T. Goetz, Mary-Anne Lea, José C. Xavier, Sébastien Descamps, Charles-André Bost, Michael A. Fedak, Grant Ballard, Robert Harcourt, Mônica M. C. Muelbert, Klemens Pütz, Christophe Guinet, Simon Wotherspoon, Kit M. Kovacs, Iain J. Staniland, Leigh G. Torres, Luis A. Hückstädt, Phil O'b. Lyver, Ari S. Friedlaender, Arnoldus Schytte Blix, Azwianewi B. Makhado, Mercedes Santos, Roger Kirkwood, Peter L. Boveng, John L. Bengtson, Erling S. Nordøy, Barbara Wienecke, Mark A. Hindell, Ryan R. Reisinger, Wayne Z. Trivelpiece, Joachim Plötz, Knowles Kerry, Ben Arthur, Akinori Takahashi, Virginia Andrews-Goff, Horst Bornemann, M. E. I. Marquez, Clive R. McMahon, Gerald L. Kooyman, Anton Van de Putte, Ewan D. Wakefield, Lars Boehme, Philip N. Trathan, Louise Emmerson, Antarctic Wildlife Research Unit, University of Tasmania [Hobart, Australia] (UTAS), Processus et interactions de fine échelle océanique (PROTEO), Laboratoire d'Océanographie et du Climat : Expérimentations et Approches Numériques (LOCEAN), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut Pierre-Simon-Laplace (IPSL (FR_636)), École normale supérieure - Paris (ENS-PSL), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-École polytechnique (X)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Paris Cité (UPCité)-École normale supérieure - Paris (ENS-PSL), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-École polytechnique (X)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Paris Cité (UPCité)-Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut Pierre-Simon-Laplace (IPSL (FR_636)), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-École polytechnique (X)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Paris Cité (UPCité), CESAB-FRB [France], Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé - UMR 7372 (CEBC), La Rochelle Université (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (University of California Santa Cruz), University of California [Santa Cruz] (UC Santa Cruz), University of California (UC)-University of California (UC), Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology [Santa Cruz], Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung (AWI), School of Biological Sciences [Victoria, Australia] (Monash University), Monash University [Victoria, Australia], Marine Biology Laboratory, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies [Hobart] (IMAS), National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research [Wellington] (NIWA), Marine Mammal Institute, Oregon State University (OSU), BEDIC, OD Nature [Brussels, Belgium], Royal Belgian Institute for Natural Sciences [Belgium], Department of Primary Industries [Australia], Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, Australian Antarctic Division (AAD), Australian Government, Department of the Environment and Energy, PRBO Conservation Science, Department of Zoology and Entomology [Pretoria], University of Pretoria [South Africa], The Arctic University of Norway [Tromsø, Norway] (UiT), Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews [Scotland], School of Biological Sciences [Auckland, New Zealand], University of Auckland [Auckland], Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre (ACE-CRC), Department of Environment, Agriculture and Fisheries [South Africa] (Oceans and Coasts), Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação da Megafauna Marinha [Rio Grande, Brazil], Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul [Porto Alegre] (UFRGS), Norvegian Polar Research Institute (NPRI), Norwegian Polar Institute, Institute of Marine Sciences, Long Marine Laboratory, South Australian Research and Development Institute [Australia], Department of Biological Sciences [North Ryde], Macquarie University, Antarctic Ecosystem Research Division, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)-National Marine Fisheries Service, Scholander Hall, Scripps Institution of Oceanography [CA, USA], Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO - UC San Diego), University of California [San Diego] (UC San Diego), University of California (UC)-University of California (UC)-University of California [San Diego] (UC San Diego), FRAM Centre, Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research [Lincoln], Instituto Antartico Argentino, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories [CA, USA] (San José State University), San Jose State University [San Jose] (SJSU), University of Sydney Institute of Marine Science (USIMS), The University of Sydney, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, British Antarctic Survey (BAS), Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), University of Tromsø (UiT), Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali 'G. Sarfatti', Università degli Studi di Siena = University of Siena (UNISI), National Research Foundation Centre of Excellence at the Percy FitzPatrick Institute, Antarctic Research Trust, British Antarctic Survey NERC [UK], DST/NRF Centre of Excellence at the Percy FitzPatrick Institute for African Ornithology [South Africa], Nelson Mandela University [Port Elizabeth], Instituto Antártico Argentino, National Insitute of Polar Research, National Institute of Polar Research [Tokyo] (NiPR), Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC), NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)-National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)-NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)-National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Natural Environment Research Council - British Antarctic Survey [Cambridge, UK], Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University (Australia), Institut Pierre-Simon-Laplace (IPSL (FR_636)), École normale supérieure - Paris (ENS Paris), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-École polytechnique (X)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Paris (UP)-École normale supérieure - Paris (ENS Paris), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-École polytechnique (X)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Paris (UP)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Institut Pierre-Simon-Laplace (IPSL (FR_636)), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-École polytechnique (X)-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Paris (UP)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Sorbonne Université (SU), Université de La Rochelle (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), University of California [Santa Cruz] (UCSC), University of California-University of California, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies [Horbat] (IMAS), The Arctic University of Norway (UiT), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Scripps Institution of Oceanography, San Jose State University [San José] (SJSU), and Nelson Mandela University
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, Conservation of Natural Resources, Aquatic Organisms, Food Chain, bird, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, General Science & Technology, Oceans and Seas, Climate Change, Fishing, Population Dynamics, Animal Identification Systems, Climate change, Antarctic Regions, climate chang, mammal, 01 natural sciences, Predation, long-term change, Birds, bird, climate chang, econtinental shelf, exploitation, long-term change, mammal, predator tracking, Animals, Ecosystem, Ice Cover, 14. Life underwater, econtinental shelf, Life Below Water, Exploitation of natural resources, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Mammals, geography, Multidisciplinary, geography.geographical_feature_category, Continental shelf, predator tracking, 010604 marine biology & hydrobiology, Fishes, Biodiversity, Fishery, Climate Action, 13. Climate action, Predatory Behavior, Ecological significance, [SDE]Environmental Sciences, Environmental science, exploitation, Sciences exactes et naturelles
Abstract: International audience; Southern Ocean ecosystems are under pressure from resource exploitation and climate change1,2. Mitigation requires the identification and protection of Areas of Ecological Significance (AESs), which have so far not been determined at the ocean-basin scale. Here, using assemblage-level tracking of marine predators, we identify AESs for this globally important region and assess current threats and protection levels. Integration of more than 4,000 tracks from 17 bird and mammal species reveals AESs around sub-Antarctic islands in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans and over the Antarctic continental shelf. Fishing pressure is disproportionately concentrated inside AESs, and climate change over the next century is predicted to impose pressure on these areas, particularly around the Antarctic continent. At present, 7.1% of the ocean south of 40°S is under formal protection, including 29% of the total AESs. The establishment and regular revision of networks of protection that encompass AESs are needed to provide long-term mitigation of growing pressures on Southern Ocean ecosystems.
Published: 2020
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30. Deep learning‐based methods for individual recognition in small birds

Author: Francesco Renna, Claire Doutrelant, Julien P. Renoult, Liliana R. Silva, Hanja B. Brandl, André C. Ferreira, Damien R. Farine, Rita Covas, Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE), Université de Montpellier (UM)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Centro de Investigacão em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos (CIBIO), Universidade do Porto, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos (CIBIO), Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town-DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Institut Agro - Montpellier SupAgro, Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro), Universidade do Porto = University of Porto, ANR-19-CE02-0014,EXTENDEDPHENOTYPE,L'évolution des phénotypes L'évolution des phénotypes étendus et signaux associés chez les animaux: les nids de tisserins et la sélection sexuelle en tant que cas d'étude(2019), Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay (NeuroPSI), Université Paris-Saclay-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), and Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, Computer science, [SDE.MCG]Environmental Sciences/Global Changes, [SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio], [SDV.BID]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Biodiversity, Machine learning, computer.software_genre, 010603 evolutionary biology, 01 natural sciences, Convolutional neural network, 03 medical and health sciences, ddc:570, Zebra finch, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, 030304 developmental biology, Parus, [SDV.EE]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology, environment, 0303 health sciences, Data collection, Training set, biology, business.industry, 010604 marine biology & hydrobiology, Ecological Modeling, Deep learning, biology.organism_classification, Identification (information), [SDE]Environmental Sciences, Identity (object-oriented programming), Identification (biology), Artificial intelligence, [SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology, business, computer, Taeniopygia
Abstract: Individual identification is a crucial step to answer many questions in evolutionary biology and is mostly performed by marking animals with tags. Such methods are well established but often make data collection and analyses time consuming and consequently are not suited for collecting very large datasets.Recent technological and analytical advances, such as deep learning, can help overcome these limitations by automatizing data collection and analysis. Currently one of the bottlenecks preventing the application of deep learning for individual identification is the need of hundreds to thousands of labelled pictures required for training convolutional neural networks (CNNs).Here, we describe procedures that improve data collection and allow individual identification in captive and wild birds and we apply it to three small bird species, the sociable weaver Philetairus socius, the great tit Parus major and the zebra finch Taeniopygia guttata.First, we present an automated method that allows the collection of large samples of individually labelled images. Second, we describe how to train a CNN to identify individuals. Third, we illustrate the general applicability of CNN for individual identification in animal studies by showing that the trained CNN can predict the identity of birds from images collected in contexts that differ from the ones originally used to train the CNNs. Fourth, we present a potential solution to solve the issues of new incoming individuals.Overall our work demonstrates the feasibility of applying state-of-the-art deep learning tools for individual identification of birds, both in the lab and in the wild. These techniques are made possible by our approaches that allow efficient collection of training data. The ability to conduct individual identification of birds without requiring external markers that can be visually identified by human observers represents a major advance over current methods.
Published: 2020
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31. SEABIRD AND CETACEAN OCCURRENCE IN THE BAY OF BENGAL ASSOCIATED WITH MARINE PRODUCTIVITY AND COMMERCIAL FISHING EFFORT

Author: Mondreti, Ravichandra, Davidar, Priya, Ryan, Peter, Thiebot, Jean-Baptiste, Grémillet, David, Université de Pondichéry, Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE), Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Institut Agro - Montpellier SupAgro, Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro), Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, National Institute of Polar Research [Tokyo] (NiPR), Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), and gremillet, david
Subjects: overfishing, upper trophic level predators, conservation, Bay of Bengal, [SDU.STU.OC] Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Oceanography, at-sea survey, [SDE.BE] Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology, cetaceans, [SDV.BA.ZV]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Animal biology/Vertebrate Zoology, [SDV.BA.ZV] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Animal biology/Vertebrate Zoology, [SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology, seabirds, biogeography, [SDU.STU.OC]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Oceanography
Abstract: International audience; At-sea observations of seabirds and cetaceans provide essential baseline information about their biogeography and behaviour, facilitating marine spatial planning and management. Much of the world's oceans have been surveyed, yet some regions remain particularly data-poor for seabirds and cetaceans, including the Bay of Bengal. We performed 39 d of vessel-based observations within the Bay of Bengal from 2012 to 2014, surveying an overall linear distance of 4722.3 km. We observed 2697 seabirds of 17 species and 1441 cetaceans of at least eight species. Among the seabirds, Sooty Terns Onychoprion fuscatus (n = 2282, 85% of all birds) and Wedge-tailed Shearwaters Ardenna pacifica (n = 327, 12%) predominated, whereas cetacean numbers were dominated by Spinner Dolphins Stenella longirostris (n = 772, 54% of all cetaceans) and Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins Tursiops aduncus (n = 533, 37%). Other seabirds and cetaceans accounted for only 4% and 7%, respectively, of all sightings. The abundance and diversity of both groups was low compared to other tropical areas. We propose that low seabird and cetacean abundance results from low productivity due to stratification in the Bay of Bengal, as well as long-lasting disturbance, overexploitation of marine resources, possible impacts of longline fisheries, and the near absence of seabird breeding sites.
Published: 2020

32. Energetic fitness: Field metabolic rates assessed via 3D accelerometry complement conventional fitness metrics

Author: Melanie Massaro, Grant Ballard, Katie M. Dugger, David Grémillet, Elizabeth L. Porzig, David G. Ainley, Amélie Lescroël, Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud]), Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), PRBO Conservation Science, Institute for Land, Water and Society, Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW, Australia, Charles Sturt University [Australia], H.T. Harvey & Associates, Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UM3)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), Centre d'études biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), and Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UM3)
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, 0301 basic medicine, Field (physics), Computational biology, Biology, Accelerometer, 010603 evolutionary biology, 01 natural sciences, Complement (complexity), 03 medical and health sciences, 030104 developmental biology, [SDE]Environmental Sciences, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Abstract: International audience
Published: 2018
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33. Group foraging in Socotra cormorants: A biologging approach to the study of a complex behavior

Author: Peter G. Ryan, Rob Gubiani, Sabir Bin Muzaffar, Timothée R. Cook, Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Institut d'écologie et des sciences de l'environnement de Paris (IEES), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Paris-Est Créteil Val-de-Marne - Paris 12 (UPEC UP12)-Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Department of Biology, United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), Institut d'écologie et des sciences de l'environnement de Paris (iEES), and Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Université Paris-Est Créteil Val-de-Marne - Paris 12 (UPEC UP12)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, Prey detection, Foraging, communal, 010603 evolutionary biology, 01 natural sciences, sardine, Intraspecific competition, Predation, anchovy, Phalacrocorax nigrogularis, biology.animal, [SDV.BA.ZV]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Animal biology/Vertebrate Zoology, 14. Life underwater, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Nature and Landscape Conservation, Original Research, [SDV.EE]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology, environment, Ecology, biology, Flocking (behavior), 010604 marine biology & hydrobiology, Cormorant, social, biology.organism_classification, fisheries, cooperative, Flock
Abstract: International audience; Group foraging contradicts classic ecological theory because intraspecific competition normally increases with aggregation. Hence, there should be evolutionary benefits to group foraging. The study of group foraging in the field remains challenging however, because of the large number of individuals involved and the remoteness of the interactions to the observer. Biologging represents a cost-effective solution to these meth-odological issues. By deploying GPS and temperature–depth loggers on individuals over a period of several consecutive days, we investigated intraspecific foraging interactions in the Socotra cormorant Phalacrocorax nigrogularis, a threatened colonial sea-bird endemic to the Arabian Peninsula. In particular, we examined how closely birds from the same colony associated with each other spatially when they were at sea at the same time and the distance between foraging dives at different periods of the day. Results show that the position of different birds overlapped substantially, all birds targeting the same general foraging grounds throughout the day, likely following the same school of fish. There were as many as 44,500 birds within the foraging flock at sea at any time (50% of the colony), and flocking density was high, with distance between birds ranging from 8 to 1,380 m. Birds adopted a diving strategy maximizing time spent underwater relative to surface time, resulting in up to 72% of birds underwater in potential contact with prey at all times while foraging. Our data suggest that the benefits of group foraging outweigh the costs of intense aggregation in this sea-bird. Prey detection and information transmission are facilitated in large groups. Once discovered, shoaling prey are concentrated under the effect of the multitude. Fish school cohesiveness is then disorganized by continuous attacks of diving birds to facilitate prey capture. Decreasing population size could pose a risk to the persistence of threatened seabirds where group size is important for foraging success.
Published: 2017
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34. Landscape homogenization due to agricultural intensification disrupts the relationship between reproductive success and main prey abundance in an avian predator

Author: Alexandre Villers, Nayden Chakarov, Aurélie Coulon, Petra Sumasgutner, Erkki Korpimäki, Julien Terraube, Luise Kruckenhauser, University of Turku, Universität Wien, Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, University of Helsinki, Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la COnservation (CESCO), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE), Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage (ONCFS), Lund University [Lund], Universität Bielefeld, Natural History Museum [Vienna] (NHM), Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science (HELSUS), Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Global Change and Conservation Lab, Helsingin yliopisto = Helsingfors universitet = University of Helsinki, and Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE)
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, 0301 basic medicine, Kestrel, Biodiversity conservation, 01 natural sciences, Falco tinnunculus, Predation, lcsh:Zoology, Heterozygosity-fitness correlations, lcsh:QL1-991, Eurasian kestrel, Global change, [SDV.EE]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology, environment, education.field_of_study, Ecology, SEASONAL DECLINE, ECOLOGICAL TRAPS, Agro-ecosystems, Spatial heterogeneity, 1181 Ecology, evolutionary biology, Individual quality, Agro-ecosystems Biodiversity conservation Boreal landscapes, Ecological trap, Population, HABITAT HETEROGENEITY, Biology, Predator-prey interactions, 010603 evolutionary biology, BREEDING DISPERSAL, 03 medical and health sciences, [SDV.EE.ECO]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology, environment/Ecosystems, [SDV.BA.ZV]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Animal biology/Vertebrate Zoology, MULTIMODEL INFERENCE, education, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, KESTRELS FALCO-TINNUNCULUS, LAND-USE, Reproductive success, Research, BIRD COMMUNITY, Heterozygosity–fitness correlations, BLOOD PARASITES, 15. Life on land, biology.organism_classification, Boreal landscapes, 030104 developmental biology, NATAL DISPERSAL, Animal Science and Zoology, Vole, [SDV.EE.IEO]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology, environment/Symbiosis
Abstract: Background Selecting high-quality habitat and the optimal time to reproduce can increase individual fitness and is a strong evolutionary factor shaping animal populations. However, few studies have investigated the interplay between land cover heterogeneity, limitation in food resources, individual quality and spatial variation in fitness parameters. Here, we explore how individuals of different quality respond to possible mismatches between a cue for prey availability (land cover heterogeneity) and the actual fluctuating prey abundance. Results We analyse timing of breeding and reproductive success in a migratory population of Eurasian kestrels (Falco tinnunculus) breeding in nest-boxes, over a full three-year abundance cycle of main prey (voles), and consider several components of individual quality, including body condition, blood parasite infection, and genetic diversity (n = 448 adults) that act on different time scales. Older individuals, and kestrel parents in higher body condition started egg-laying earlier than younger birds and those in lower body condition. Additionally, egg-laying was initiated earlier during the increase and decrease phases (2011 and 2012) than during the low phase of the vole cycle (2013). Nestling survival (ratio of eggs that fledged successfully) was higher in early nests and in heterogeneous landscapes (i.e., mosaic of different habitat types), which was evident during the increase and decrease phases of the vole cycle, but not during the low vole year. Conclusions We found a strong positive effect of landscape heterogeneity on nestling survival, but only when voles were relatively abundant, whereas a difference in the timing of breeding related to territory landscape heterogeneity was not evident. Therefore, landscape heterogeneity appeared as the main driver of high reproductive performance under favourable food conditions. Our results show that landscape homogenization linked to agricultural intensification disrupts the expected positive effect of vole abundance on reproductive success of kestrels.
Published: 2019
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35. Additive Traits Lead to Feeding Advantage and Reproductive Isolation, Promoting Homoploid Hybrid Speciation

Author: Petra Quillfeldt, Peter G. Ryan, Edson Sandoval-Castellanos, Cristián G. Suazo, Yoshan Moodley, Richard J. Cuthbert, Lara D. Shepherd, Luciano Calderón, Richard A. Phillips, Melanie Massaro, Yves Cherel, Henri Weimerskirch, Manuel Marin, Joan Navarro, Juan F. Masello, Theresa L. Cole, Rachael Alderman, Department of Animal Ecology & Systematics [Germany], Justus-Liebig-University [Gießen, Germany], Department of Animal Ecology and Systematics, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen (JLU), Institute of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel (CAU), Department of Primary Industries [Australia], Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé - UMR 7372 (CEBC), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université de La Rochelle (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), RSPB Centre for Conservation Science, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Section of Ornithology, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County [USA], Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Institute for Land, Water and Society, Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW, Australia, Charles Sturt University [Australia], Institut de Ciències del Mar (CSIC), British Antarctic Survey (BAS), Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence-University of Cape Town, Museum of New Zealand - Te Papa Tongarewa, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Department of Zoology, University of Venda [South Africa], University of Venda, Institut Polaire Français, Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises, Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, Brian Mason Scientific and Technical Trust, German Research Foundation, Natural Environment Research Council (UK), Université de La Rochelle (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Institute of Marine Sciences / Institut de Ciències del Mar [Barcelona] (ICM), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [Madrid] (CSIC), and University of Cape Town-DST-NRF Centre of Excellence
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, additive traits, increased hybrid fitness, Biología, reproductive isolation, 01 natural sciences, purl.org/becyt/ford/1 [https], Genética y Herencia, homoploid hybrid speciation, Pachyptila, ADDITIVE TRAITS, 0303 health sciences, education.field_of_study, Pachyptila desolata, biology, Beak, Reproductive isolation, Pachyptila salvini, [SDE]Environmental Sciences, REPRODUCTIVE ISOLATION, CIENCIAS NATURALES Y EXACTAS, Procellariiformes, seabird, Pachyptila vittata, Genetic Speciation, Population, Zoology, 010603 evolutionary biology, Birds, Ciencias Biológicas, 03 medical and health sciences, Genetics, SEABIRD, Animals, PROCELLARIIFORMES, purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6 [https], education, Molecular Biology, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Discoveries, HOMOPLOID HYBRID SPECIATION, 030304 developmental biology, Feeding Behavior, 15. Life on land, Ecología, biology.organism_classification, Diet, INCREASED HYBRID FITNESS, Backcrossing, Hybridization, Genetic, Hybrid speciation
Abstract: 15 pages, 7 figures, 2 tables, supplementary material, Speciation through homoploid hybridization (HHS) is considered extremely rare in animals. This is mainly because the establishment of reproductive isolation as a product of hybridization is uncommon. Additionally, many traits are underpinned by polygeny and/or incomplete dominance, where the hybrid phenotype is an additive blend of parental characteristics. Phenotypically intermediate hybrids are usually at a fitness disadvantage compared with parental species and tend to vanish through backcrossing with parental population(s). It is therefore unknown whether the additive nature of hybrid traits in itself could lead successfully to HHS. Using a multi-marker genetic data set and a meta-analysis of diet and morphology, we investigated a potential case of HHS in the prions (Pachyptila spp.), seabirds distinguished by their bills, prey choice, and timing of breeding. Using approximate Bayesian computation, we show that the medium-billed Salvin’s prion (Pachyptila salvini) could be a hybrid between the narrow-billed Antarctic prion (Pachyptila desolata) and broad-billed prion (Pachyptila vittata). Remarkably, P. salvini’s intermediate bill width has given it a feeding advantage with respect to the other Pachyptila species, allowing it to consume a broader range of prey, potentially increasing its fitness. Available metadata showed that P. salvini is also intermediate in breeding phenology and, with no overlap in breeding times, it is effectively reproductively isolated from either parental species through allochrony. These results provide evidence for a case of HHS in nature, and show for the first time that additivity of divergent parental traits alone can lead directly to increased hybrid fitness and reproductive isolation, This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Germany), Heisenberg program (grant number DFG, Qu 148-5 to P.Q.), a CGS award from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), the Institut Polaire Français Paul Emile Victor (Programme N°109, to H.W.), the Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises (Kerguelen), Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund and the Brian Mason Scientific and Technical Trust (Chatham Islands)
Published: 2019
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36. Consistency and flexibility in migration

Author: Ian R. Cleasby, Thomas W. Bodey, Stephen C. Votier, Richard A. Phillips, Hannah J. Williams, Keith C. Hamer, Ewan D. Wakefield, Jason Newton, W. James Grecian, Stuart Bearhop, David Grémillet, Amélie Lescroël, Mélanie Le Nuz, Samantha C. Patrick, Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, Plymouth University, Institut d'histoire moderne et contemporaine (IHMC), Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (UP1)-École normale supérieure - Paris (ENS Paris), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Environment and Sustainability Institute [Penryn, UK], University of Exeter, Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud]), FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town-DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, Réserve Naturelle des Sept-Iles Station, LPO, Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), PRBO Conservation Science, British Antarctic Survey (BAS), Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-École normale supérieure - Paris (ENS Paris)-Université Panthéon-Sorbonne (UP1), Environment and Sustainability Institute, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UM3), Centre d'études biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (UP1)-École normale supérieure - Paris (ENS-PSL), Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE), University of St Andrews. School of Biology, University of St Andrews. Scottish Oceans Institute, and University of St Andrews. Sea Mammal Research Unit
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, 0301 basic medicine, stable isotope analysis (SIA), Individual variation, Geolocator (GLS), Range (biology), QH301 Biology, Population, Foraging, lcsh:Evolution, Animal migration, Biology, 010603 evolutionary biology, 01 natural sciences, Latitude, QH301, 03 medical and health sciences, lcsh:QH540-549.5, lcsh:QH359-425, Carry-over effects, 14. Life underwater, education, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS, Trophic level, animal migration, education.field_of_study, Ecology, δ13C, individual variation, Stable isotope analysis (SIA), Flexibility (personality), DAS, Geolocation, carry-over effects, 030104 developmental biology, [SDE]Environmental Sciences, lcsh:Ecology
Abstract: Funding: UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC Standard Grant NE/H007466/1). SB is currently funded by an ERC consolidator’s grant (310820: STATEMIG). EW is funded by the NERC (Independent Research Fellowship NE/M017990/1). Migration is a fundamental behavioral process prevalent among a wide variety of animal taxa. As individuals are increasingly shown to present consistent responses to environmental cues for breeding or foraging, it may be expected that approaches to migration would present similar among-individual consistencies. Seabirds frequently show consistent individual differences in a range of traits related to foraging and space-use during both the breeding and non-breeding seasons, but the causes and consequences of this consistency are poorly understood. In this study, we combined analysis of geolocation and stable isotope data across multiple years to investigate individual variation in the non-breeding movements and diets of northern gannets Morus bassanus, and the consequences for changes in body condition. We found that individuals were highly repeatable in their non-breeding destination over consecutive years even though the population-level non-breeding distribution spanned >35° of latitude. Isotopic signatures were also strongly repeatable, with individuals assigned to one of two dietary clusters defined by their distinct trophic (δ15N) and spatial (δ13C) position. The only non-breeding destination in which the two dietary clusters co-occurred was off the coast of northwest Africa. The majority of individuals adopted a consistent foraging strategy, as they remained within the same dietary cluster across years, with little variation in body mass corrected for size among these consistent individuals. In contrast, the few individuals that switched clusters between years were in better condition relative to the rest of the population, suggesting there may be benefits to flexibility during the non-breeding period. Our results indicate that a consistent migratory strategy can be effective regardless of wintering region or diet, but that there may be benefits to those individuals able to display flexibility. This appears to be an important behavioral strategy that may enhance individual condition. Publisher PDF
Published: 2019
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37. Important At-Sea Areas of Colonial Breeding Marine Predators on the Southern Patagonian Shelf

Author: Megan Tierney, Paul Brickle, Iain J. Staniland, Ginger A. Rebstock, Letizia Campioni, April Hedd, Sarah Crofts, Petra Quillfeldt, Ewan D. Wakefield, Victoria Warwick-Evans, John P. Croxall, William A. Montevecchi, Norman Ratcliffe, P. Dee Boersma, Ryan R. Reisinger, Phil Trathan, W. James Grecian, Rachael A. Orben, Klemens Pütz, José Pedro Granadeiro, Jonathan Handley, Simona Sanvito, Alastair M. M. Baylis, Paulo Catry, Filippo Galimberti, Juan F. Masello, Sean Hayes, University of St Andrews. School of Biology, University of St Andrews. Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews. Sea Mammal Research Unit, South Atlantic Environmental Research Institute [Australia], Macquarie University, South Atlantic Environmental Research Institute [UK], Falkland Islands Joint Nature Conservation Committee [UK], Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University (OSU), British Antarctic Survey NERC [UK], Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, British Antarctic Survey (BAS), Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé - UMR 7372 (CEBC), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université de La Rochelle (ULR), Centre de Synthèse et d’Analyse sur la Biodiversité (CESAB), Fondation pour la recherche sur la Biodiversité (FRB), BirdLife International, Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre [Portugal] (MARE), Instituto Universitário de Ciências Psicológicas, Sociais e da Vida (ISPA), Falklands Conservation, Global Penguin Society and Center for Ecosystem Sentinels [USA], University of Washington [Seattle], Elephant Seal Research Group [Falkland Islands], Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence at the Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, More Energy LTD [UK], Department of Animal Ecology & Systematics, Justus-Liebig-University [Gießen, Germany], CESAM, Departamento de Biologia Animal [Portugal], Universidade de Lisboa (ULISBOA), Memorial University of Newfoundland [St. John's], Antarctic Research Trust, School of Biological Sciences [Aberdeen], University of Aberdeen, and Université de La Rochelle (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)
Subjects: 0301 basic medicine, Behavioural ecology, QH301 Biology, Science, Foraging, Biodiversity, NDAS, Article, 03 medical and health sciences, QH301, 0302 clinical medicine, biology.animal, Marine ecosystem, 14. Life underwater, SDG 14 - Life Below Water, Endemism, Multidisciplinary, biology, Ecology, Conservation biology, Marine spatial planning, 15. Life on land, 030104 developmental biology, Geography, Habitat, Biogeography, 13. Climate action, [SDE]Environmental Sciences, Medicine, Seabird, Large marine ecosystem, 030217 neurology & neurosurgery
Abstract: The Patagonian Shelf Large Marine Ecosystem supports high levels of biodiversity and endemism and is one of the most productive marine ecosystems in the world. Despite the important role marine predators play in structuring ecosystems, areas of high diversity where multiple predators congregate remains poorly known on the Patagonian Shelf. Here, we used biotelemetry and biologging tags to track the movements of six seabird species and three pinniped species breeding at the Falkland Islands. Using Generalized Additive Models, we then modelled these animals’ use of space as functions of dynamic and static environmental indices that described their habitat. Based on these models, we mapped the predicted distribution of animals from both sampled and unsampled colonies and thereby identified areas where multiple species were likely to overlap at sea. Maximum foraging trip distance ranged from 79 to 1,325 km. However, most of the 1,891 foraging trips by 686 animals were restricted to the Patagonian Shelf and shelf slope, which highlighted a preference for these habitats. Of the seven candidate explanatory covariates used to predict distribution, distance from the colony was retained in models for all species and negatively affected the probability of occurrence. Predicted overlap among species was highest on the Patagonian Shelf around the Falkland Islands and the Burdwood Bank. The predicted area of overlap is consistent with areas that are also important habitat for marine predators migrating from distant breeding locations. Our findings provide comprehensive multi-species predictions for some of the largest marine predator populations on the Patagonian Shelf, which will contribute to future marine spatial planning initiatives. Crucially, our findings highlight that spatially explicit conservation measures are likely to benefit multiple species, while threats are likely to impact multiple species.
Published: 2019
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38. Radar detectors carried by Cape gannets reveal surprisingly few fishing vessel encounters

Author: Peter G. Ryan, Henri Weimerskirch, Julien Collet, Nicolas Courbin, Lorien Pichegru, David Grémillet, Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE), Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UM3)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé - UMR 7372 (CEBC), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université de La Rochelle (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Nelson Mandela University, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud]), Université de La Rochelle (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University [Port Elizabeth, South Africa], Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-La Rochelle Université (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), and Nelson Mandela University [Port Elizabeth]
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, Social Sciences, Predation, 01 natural sciences, Remote Sensing, Medicine and Health Sciences, Psychology, Foraging, Multidisciplinary, biology, Animal Behavior, Ecology, Morus capensis, Fishes, Eukaryota, Agriculture, Trophic Interactions, Seabirds, Geography, Community Ecology, Vertebrates, [SDE]Environmental Sciences, Medicine, Engineering and Technology, Seabird, Research Article, Marine conservation, Science, Fishing, Fisheries, 010603 evolutionary biology, Birds, biology.animal, [SDV.BA.ZV]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Animal biology/Vertebrate Zoology, Animals, 14. Life underwater, Nutrition, Seascape, Behavior, Radar, 010604 marine biology & hydrobiology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Organisms, Biology and Life Sciences, Pelagic zone, Feeding Behavior, biology.organism_classification, Saury, Diet, Fishery, Amniotes, Zoology, [SDV.EE.IEO]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology, environment/Symbiosis
Abstract: International audience; Fisheries compete with seabirds for vanishing marine resources, but also produce fishery waste consumed by seabirds. Marine birds may therefore avoid or seek fishing vessels, and have evolved complex, plastic behavioural responses to vessel presence. Understanding these responses is essential to the conservation of a globally declining seabird community. We studied Cape gannets (Morus capensis), which compete with fisheries for reduced sardine (Sardinops sagax) resources in the Benguela upwelling region off South Africa. Using bird-borne GPS trackers coupled with newly-developed ship-radar detectors we show that foraging gannets seldom attended fishing vessels. Rather, they switched from eating scarce sardines or energetically-poor fishery waste to targeting locally abundant saury (Scomberesox saurus). This pelagic fish is brought into the seascape by warm water influx, and is not commercially exploited by fisheries. Cape gannets thereby show dietary plasticity, allowing them to maintain adult body condition and chick growth rates. This diet switch is a strong indicator that Cape gannets forage in an ecologically perturbed marine environment.
Published: 2019
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39. Testing the sexual and social benefits of cooperation in animals

Author: Rita Covas, Claire Doutrelant, Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources (CIBIO), FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town-DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud]), ANR-15-CE32-0012,WhyCooperate,La sélection sexuelle ou sociale sont-elles impliquées dans l'évolution de la coopération? Évaluation des mécanismes assurant la fiabilité de la coopération et des bénéfices directs obtenus par les coopérateurs(2015), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UM3), ANR-15-CE32-0012,WhyCooperate,La sélection sexuelle ou sociale sont-elles impliquées dans l’évolution de la coopération? Évaluation des mécanismes assurant la fiabilité de la coopération et des bénéfices directs obtenus par les coopérateurs(2015), Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE), and Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro)
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, genetic structures, [SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio], Theoretical models, Context (language use), Field tests, [SDV.BID]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Biodiversity, Models, Biological, 010603 evolutionary biology, 01 natural sciences, 03 medical and health sciences, Animals, Cooperative Behavior, Social Behavior, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Selection (genetic algorithm), ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS, 030304 developmental biology, Sexual selection in animals, 0303 health sciences, Field (Bourdieu), Social benefits, Mating Preference, Animal, Biological Evolution, Cooperation, Sexual selection, [SDE]Environmental Sciences, [SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology, Psychology, Cognitive psychology
Abstract: Theoretical models show that sexual and social selection can stabilise cooperation. However, field tests of these mechanisms have been difficult to conduct and the results are mixed. We discuss the conceptual and practical difficulties associated with testing the role of social and sexual selection on cooperation and argue that there are alternative ways of examining these hypotheses. Specifically, approaches based on the classic theories of sexual selection and signalling, and recent developments in the field of behavioural syndromes, provide mechanisms to insure the reliability of cooperation. In addition, methodological developments (social networks and microtracking) and long-term datasets, allow measuring partner choice in a cooperation context and the resulting fitness benefits for both the cooperators and the individuals that associate with them.
Published: 2019
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40. Genomics detects population structure within and between ocean basins in a circumpolar seabird: The white‐chinned petrel

Author: Yasmin Foster, Richard A. Phillips, Yves Cherel, John C. McEwan, Kalinka Rexer-Huber, Jonathan M. Waters, Bruce C. Robertson, Andrew Stanworth, Tracey C. van Stijn, Andrew J. Veale, Ludovic Dutoit, David R. Thompson, Paulo Catry, Graham C. Parker, Peter G. Ryan, Department of Zoology, University of Otago [Dunedin, Nouvelle-Zélande], Parker Conservation [New Zealand], MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre [Portugal], Instituto Universitário [Portugal], Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé - UMR 7372 (CEBC), Université de La Rochelle (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), AgResearch [New Zealand], Invermay Agricultural Centre [New Zealand], British Antarctic Survey (BAS), Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town-DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, Falklands Conservation, and National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research [Wellington] (NIWA)
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, 0301 basic medicine, seabird, Genotype, population genomics, Genetic Speciation, Range (biology), Population, GBS, DNA, Mitochondrial, 010603 evolutionary biology, 01 natural sciences, Birds, Evolution, Molecular, Population genomics, 03 medical and health sciences, biology.animal, Genetics, genetic structure, Animals, 14. Life underwater, education, Southern Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Isolation by distance, Genetic diversity, education.field_of_study, Genome, biology, Chromosome Mapping, Genetic Variation, circumpolar, Cytochromes b, biology.organism_classification, Procellaria aequinoctialis, Genetics, Population, 030104 developmental biology, Circumpolar, Evolutionary biology, Genetic structure, [SDE]Environmental Sciences, Animal Migration, Seabird, Population genomics seabird, New Zealand
Abstract: The Southern Ocean represents a continuous stretch of circumpolar marine habitat, but the potential physical and ecological drivers of evolutionary genetic differentiation across this vast ecosystem remain unclear. We tested for genetic structure across the full circumpolar range of the white-chinned petrel (Procellaria aequinoctialis) to unravel the potential drivers of population differentiation and test alternative population differentiation hypotheses. Following range-wide comprehensive sampling, we applied genomic (genotyping-by-sequencing or GBS; 60,709 loci) and standard mitochondrial-marker approaches (cytochrome b and first domain of control region) to quantify genetic diversity within and among island populations, test for isolation by distance, and quantify the number of genetic clusters using neutral and outlier (non-neutral) loci. Our results supported the multi-region hypothesis, with a range of analyses showing clear three-region genetic population structure, split by ocean basin, within two evolutionary units. The most significant differentiation between these regions confirmed previous work distinguishing New Zealand and nominate subspecies. Although there was little evidence of structure within the island groups of the Indian or Atlantic oceans, a small set of highly-discriminatory outlier loci could assign petrels to ocean basin and potentially to island group, though the latter needs further verification. Genomic data hold the key to revealing substantial regional genetic structure within wide-ranging circumpolar species previously assumed to be panmictic. Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia - FCT info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
Published: 2019
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41. High-coverage genomes to elucidate the evolution of penguins

Author: Kim Labuschagne, Melanie J. Young, M. Thomas P. Gilbert, Pablo García Borboroglu, Mikkel-Holger S. Sinding, Guojie Zhang, Zhengtao Yang, Ursula Ellenberg, Tom Hart, Richard A. Phillips, X. J. Bi, Charles-André Bost, Chengran Zhou, Stefanie Grosser, Theresa L. Cole, Lisa S. Argilla, Gary Miller, Thomas Mattern, Petra Quillfeldt, Juan F. Masello, Lisa J. Nupen, George Pacheco, Daniel T. Ksepka, David M. Houston, Peter G. Ryan, Pauline Howard, Bruce McKinlay, Juan L. Bouzat, Martin R. Ellegaard, Lara D. Shepherd, Patricia G. Parker, Peter Dann, Miaoquan Fang, Andrew Hart Reeve, De Xing Zhang, David R. Thompson, P. Dee Boersma, Yves Cherel, Steven R. Fiddaman, Kathryn Johnson, Hailin Pan, Mads F. Bertelsen, Helen Taylor, Emily Kay, Thomas Stracke, Alan J. D. Tennyson, Beijing Genomics Institute [Shenzhen] (BGI), Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research [Lincoln], Bruce Museum [USA], Department of Zoology [Oxford], University of Oxford [Oxford], Department of Biological Sciences [OH, USA], Bowling Green State University (BGSU), The Wildlife Hospital Dunedin [New Zealand], Otago Polytechnic [New Zealand], Copenhagen Zoo, Center for Ecosystem Sentinels [Seattle, USA], University of Washington [Seattle], Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé - UMR 7372 (CEBC), Université de La Rochelle (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Research Department, Phillip Island Nature Parks [Australia], Phillip Island Nature Parks [Australia], Department of Zoology, Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research [UK], Hornby Veterinary Centre [New Zealand], National Zoological Gardens of South Africa, Department of Zoology, University of Otago [Dunedin, Nouvelle-Zélande], Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine [Australia], The University of Western Australia (UWA), Department of Biology, University of Missouri [USA], University of Missouri [USA], British Antarctic Survey (BAS), Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen [Germany], Universität Giessen [Germany], FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town-DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, Vet Services Hawkes Bay Ltd [New Zealand], National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research [Auckland] (NIWA), Department of Zoology, University of Otago [New Zealand], Section for GeoGenetics, Globe Institute, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen = Københavns Universitet (KU)-University of Copenhagen = Københavns Universitet (KU)-Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen = Københavns Universitet (KU)-University of Copenhagen = Københavns Universitet (KU), Department of Biology [Copenhagen], Faculty of Science [Copenhagen], Museum of New Zealand - Te Papa Tongarewa, Wildbase, Massey University [New Zealand], Massey University [New Zealand], Global Penguin Society and Department of Ecology [Australia], La Trobe University [Melbourne], Biodiversity Group, Department of Conservation [New Zealand], Section for Ecology and Evolution [Copenhagen], University of Copenhagen = Københavns Universitet (KU)-University of Copenhagen = Københavns Universitet (KU)-Faculty of Science [Copenhagen], South Island Wildlife Hospital [New Zealand], Global Penguin Society and Center for Ecosystem Sentinels [USA], Center for Computational and Evolutionary Biology [China], and Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences [China]
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, demography, Range (biology), Biogeography, AcademicSubjects/SCI02254, Climate change, Health Informatics, Data Note, 01 natural sciences, Ciencias Biológicas, purl.org/becyt/ford/1 [https], Evolution, Molecular, Genética y Herencia, 03 medical and health sciences, comparative evolution, evolution, genomics, Animals, 14. Life underwater, Sphenisciformes, purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6 [https], Southern Hemisphere, Phylogeny, biogeography, 030304 developmental biology, 0303 health sciences, Genome, biology, Ecology, 15. Life on land, biology.organism_classification, Spheniscidae, Computer Science Applications, phylogenetics, Geography, Procellariiformes, climate change, speciation, [SDE]Environmental Sciences, AcademicSubjects/SCI00960, Antarctica, Adaptation, Corrigendum, Temperate rainforest, CIENCIAS NATURALES Y EXACTAS, 010606 plant biology & botany
Abstract: Background: Penguins (Sphenisciformes) are a remarkable order of flightless wing-propelled diving seabirds distributed widely across the southern hemisphere. They share a volant common ancestor with Procellariiformes close to the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary (66 million years ago) and subsequently lost the ability to fly but enhanced their diving capabilities. With ∼20 species among 6 genera, penguins range from the tropical Galápagos Islands to the oceanic temperate forests of New Zealand, the rocky coastlines of the sub-Antarctic islands, and the sea ice around Antarctica. To inhabit such diverse and extreme environments, penguins evolved many physiological and morphological adaptations. However, they are also highly sensitive to climate change. Therefore, penguins provide an exciting target system for understanding the evolutionary processes of speciation, adaptation, and demography. Genomic data are an emerging resource for addressing questions about such processes. Results: Here we present a novel dataset of 19 high-coverage genomes that, together with 2 previously published genomes, encompass all extant penguin species. We also present a well-supported phylogeny to clarify the relationships among penguins. In contrast to recent studies, our results demonstrate that the genus Aptenodytes is basal and sister to all other extant penguin genera, providing intriguing new insights into the adaptation of penguins to Antarctica. As such, our dataset provides a novel resource for understanding the evolutionary history of penguins as a clade, as well as the fine-scale relationships of individual penguin lineages. Against this background, we introduce a major consortium of international scientists dedicated to studying these genomes. Moreover, we highlight emerging issues regarding ensuring legal and respectful indigenous consultation, particularly for genomic data originating from New Zealand Taonga species. Conclusions: We believe that our dataset and project will be important for understanding evolution, increasing cultural heritage and guiding the conservation of this iconic southern hemisphere species assemblage. Fil: Pan, Hailin. Bgi-shenzhen; China Fil: Cole, Theresa L. University Of Otago; Canadá Fil: Bi, Xupeng. Bgi-shenzhen; China Fil: Fang, Miaoquan. Bgi-shenzhen; China Fil: Zhou, Chengran. Bgi-shenzhen; China Fil: Yang, Zhengtao. Bgi-shenzhen; China Fil: Ksepka, Daniel T. Bruce Museum; Estados Unidos Fil: Hart, Tom. University of Oxford; Reino Unido Fil: Bouzat, Juan L.. Bowling Green State University; Estados Unidos Fil: Boersma, P. Dee. University of Washington; Estados Unidos Fil: Bost, Charles-André. Centre Detudes Biologiques de Chizé; Francia Fil: Cherel, Yves. Centre Detudes Biologiques de Chizé; Francia Fil: Dann, Peter. Phillip Island Nature Parks; Australia Fil: Mattern, Thomas. University of Otago; Nueva Zelanda Fil: Ellenberg, Ursula. Global Penguin Society; Estados Unidos. La Trobe University; Australia Fil: Garcia Borboroglu, Jorge Pablo. University of Washington; Estados Unidos. Global Penguin Society; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos; Argentina Fil: Argilla, Lisa S.. Otago Polytechnic; Nueva Zelanda Fil: Bertelsen, Mads F.. Copenhagen Zoo; Dinamarca. University of Copenhagen; Dinamarca Fil: Fiddaman, Steven R.. University of Oxford; Reino Unido Fil: Howard, Pauline. Hornby Veterinary Centre; Nueva Zelanda. South Island Wildlife Hospital; Nueva Zelanda Fil: Labuschagne, Kim. National Zoological Garden; Sudáfrica Fil: Miller, Gary. University of Western Australia; Australia. University of Tasmania; Australia Fil: Parker, Patricia. University of Missouri St. Louis; Estados Unidos Fil: Phillips, Richard A.. Natural Environment Research Council; Reino Unido Fil: Quillfeldt, Petra. Justus-Liebig-Universit ̈ at Giessen; Alemania Fil: Ryan, Peter G.. University of Cape Town; Sudáfrica Fil: Taylor, Helen. Vet Services Hawkes Bay Ltd; Nueva Zelanda. Wairoa Farm Vets; Nueva Zelanda Fil: Zhang, De-Xing. Chinese Academy of Sciences; República de China Fil: Zhang, Guojie. BGI-Shenzhen; China. Chinese Academy of Sciences; República de China. University of Copenhagen; Dinamarca Fil: McKinlay, Bruce. Department of Conservation; Nueva Zelanda
Published: 2019
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42. Arctic climate change and pollution impact little auk foraging and fitness across a decade

Author: Ann M. A. Harding, Françoise Amélineau, Rémi Choquet, Wojciech Walkusz, David Grémillet, Jérôme Fort, Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud]), LIttoral ENvironnement et Sociétés - UMRi 7266 (LIENSs), Université de La Rochelle (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), DST/NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town-Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, Institute of Oceanology, Polska Akademia Nauk = Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN), Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UM3)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), LIttoral ENvironnement et Sociétés - UMR 7266 (LIENSs), Polska Akademia Nauk (PAN), Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), LIttoral ENvironnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), and La Rochelle Université (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
Subjects: 0301 basic medicine, Pollution, Effects of global warming on oceans, media_common.quotation_subject, Foraging, lcsh:Medicine, Article, Predation, 03 medical and health sciences, 0302 clinical medicine, biology.animal, Ecotoxicology, Marine ecosystem, 14. Life underwater, lcsh:Science, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS, media_common, Multidisciplinary, biology, Ecology, lcsh:R, 030104 developmental biology, Arctic, 13. Climate action, Environmental science, lcsh:Q, Seabird, [SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology, 030217 neurology & neurosurgery
Abstract: Ongoing global changes apply drastic environmental forcing onto Arctic marine ecosystems, particularly through ocean warming, sea-ice shrinkage and enhanced pollution. To test impacts on arctic marine ecological functioning, we used a 12-year integrative study of little auks (Alle alle), the most abundant seabird in the Atlantic Arctic. We monitored the foraging ecology, reproduction, survival and body condition of breeding birds, and we tested linkages between these biological variables and a set of environmental parameters including sea-ice concentration (SIC) and mercury contamination. Little auks showed substantial plasticity in response to SIC, with deeper and longer dives but less time spent underwater and more time flying when SIC decreased. Their diet also contained less lipid-rich ice-associated prey when SIC decreased. Further, in contrast to former studies conducted at the annual scale, little auk fitness proxies were impacted by environmental changes: Adult body condition and chick growth rate were negatively linked to SIC and mercury contamination. However, no trend was found for adult survival despite high inter-annual variability. Our results suggest that potential benefits of milder climatic conditions in East Greenland may be offset by increasing pollution in the Arctic. Overall, our study stresses the importance of long-term studies integrating ecology and ecotoxicology.
Published: 2019
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43. Receding ice drove parallel expansions in Southern Ocean penguins

Author: Tom Hart, Adrian Smith, Juliana A. Vianna, Jonathan M. Waters, Thomas Mattern, Theresa L. Cole, Petra Quillfeldt, Gemma V. Clucas, Peter G. Ryan, Jane L. Younger, Alana Alexander, Barbara Wienecke, Colin M. Miskelly, Michael J. Polito, María José Frugone, Gary Miller, Paul M. Nolan, Yves Cherel, Ludovic Dutoit, Richard J. Cuthbert, Steven R. Fiddaman, Nicolas Dussex, Ursula Ellenberg, Pierre Jouventin, David R. Thompson, David M. Houston, Johanna Hiscock, Alan J. D. Tennyson, Department of Zoology, University of Otago [Dunedin, Nouvelle-Zélande], Department of Bioinformatics and Genetics [Stockholm, Sweden], Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Department of Zoology [Oxford], University of Oxford [Oxford], Department of Anatomy [Dunedin, New Zealand], Milner Centre for Evolution, University of Bath [Bath], Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future and Cornell Lab of Ornithology [USA], Cornell University, Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas [Chile], Universidad de Chile, Centre d'études biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), RSPB Centre for Conservation Science, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Global Penguin Society and Department of Ecology [Australia], La Trobe University [Melbourne], Department of Zoology, Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research [UK], Department of Conservation [Invercargill, New Zealand], Murikihu District Office, Biodiversity Group, Department of Conservation [New Zealand], Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UM3), Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine [Australia], The University of Western Australia (UWA), Museum of New Zealand - Te Papa Tongarewa, Department of Biology, The Citadel [Charleston, UK], Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, Louisiana State University (LSU), Department of Animal Ecology and Systematics, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen (JLU), FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence-University of Cape Town, National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research Ltd [New Zealand], Australian Antarctic Division (AAD), Australian Government, Department of the Environment and Energy, Departamento de Ecosistemas y Medio Ambiente [Chile], Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC), Cornell University [New York], Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé - UMR 7372 (CEBC), Université de La Rochelle (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud]), University of Cape Town-DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research [Wellington] (NIWA), and Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UM3)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro)
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, 0301 basic medicine, Population, Climate change, Refugia, 010603 evolutionary biology, 01 natural sciences, 03 medical and health sciences, SDG 13 - Climate Action, Sea ice, 14. Life underwater, General, education, geography, education.field_of_study, Multidisciplinary, geography.geographical_feature_category, Last Glacial Maximum, biology, Aptenodytes, Oceanic climate, Genomics, Biological Sciences, 15. Life on land, biology.organism_classification, Pygoscelis, 030104 developmental biology, Oceanography, Habitat, 13. Climate action, [SDE]Environmental Sciences, Sphenisciformes
Abstract: Climate shifts are key drivers of ecosystem change. Despite the critical importance of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean for global climate, the extent of climate-driven ecological change in this region remains controversial. In particular, the biological effects of changing sea ice conditions are poorly understood. We hypothesize that rapid postglacial reductions in sea ice drove biological shifts across multiple widespread Southern Ocean species. We test for demographic shifts driven by climate events over recent millennia by analyzing population genomic datasets spanning 3 penguin genera ( Eudyptes , Pygoscelis , and Aptenodytes ). Demographic analyses for multiple species (macaroni/royal, eastern rockhopper, Adélie, gentoo, king, and emperor) currently inhabiting southern coastlines affected by heavy sea ice conditions during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) yielded genetic signatures of near-simultaneous population expansions associated with postglacial warming. Populations of the ice-adapted emperor penguin are inferred to have expanded slightly earlier than those of species requiring ice-free terrain. These concerted high-latitude expansion events contrast with relatively stable or declining demographic histories inferred for 4 penguin species (northern rockhopper, western rockhopper, Fiordland crested, and Snares crested) that apparently persisted throughout the LGM in ice-free habitats. Limited genetic structure detected in all ice-affected species across the vast Southern Ocean may reflect both rapid postglacial colonization of subantarctic and Antarctic shores, in addition to recent genetic exchange among populations. Together, these analyses highlight dramatic, ecosystem-wide responses to past Southern Ocean climate change and suggest potential for further shifts as warming continues.
Published: 2019
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44. Happy Feet in a hostile world? The future of penguins depends on proactive management of current and predictable threats

Author: Yan Ropert-Coudert, Andre Chiaradia, David Ainley, Andres Barbosa, P. Dee Boersma, Rebecka Brasso, Meagan Dewar, Ursula Ellenberg, Pablo García-Borboroglu, Louise Emmerson, Rachel Hickcox, Stephanie Jenouvrier, Akiko Kato, Rebecca Ruth McIntosh, Phoebe Lewis, Francisco Ramírez, Valeria Ruoppolo, Peter G. Ryan, Philip J. Seddon, Richard Brain Sherley, Ralph E. T. Vanstreels, Lauren J. Waller, Eric J. Woehler, Phil N. Trathan, Universitat de Barcelona, Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé - UMR 7372 (CEBC), Université de La Rochelle (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Research Department, Phillip Island Nature Parks, H.T. Harvey & Associates, Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva (Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales), Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN), Global Penguin Society and Center for Ecosystem Sentinels [USA], University of Washington [Seattle], Department of Zoology, Weber State University [USA], Weber State University, School of Applied and Biomedical Sciences, Federation University [Churchill, Australia], Global Penguin Society and Department of Ecology [Australia], La Trobe University [Melbourne], Centro Nacional Patagónico (CENPAT), Australian Antarctic Division (AAD), Australian Government, Department of the Environment and Energy, University of Otago [Dunedin, Nouvelle-Zélande], Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Remediation, RMIT University, Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciencies Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Aiuká [Brazil], International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) [USA], FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town-DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, Camborne School of Mines & Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Institute of Research and Rehabilitation of Marine Animals [Brazil], Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, University of Western Cape, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies [Horbat] (IMAS), University of Tasmania [Hobart, Australia] (UTAS), British Antarctic Survey (BAS), and Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, Resource (biology), lcsh:QH1-199.5, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Range (biology), Population, Climate change, Ocean Engineering, Introduced species, Context (language use), lcsh:General. Including nature conservation, geographical distribution, Aquatic Science, Penguins, Oceanography, 01 natural sciences, mitigation, pollution, Canvi climàtic, 14. Life underwater, lcsh:Science, education, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Water Science and Technology, Pingüins, Effect of human beings on nature, Global and Planetary Change, education.field_of_study, threats, business.industry, Influència de l'home en la natura, 010604 marine biology & hydrobiology, Environmental resource management, 15. Life on land, Spheniscidae, Climatic change, climate change, Habitat destruction, Geography, Disturbance (ecology), 13. Climate action, fisheries, [SDE]Environmental Sciences, lcsh:Q, business
Abstract: International audience; Penguins face a wide range of threats. Most observed population changes havebeen negative and have happened over the last 60 years. Today, populations of 11penguin species are decreasing. Here we present a review that synthesizes detailsof threats faced by the world’s 18 species of penguins. We discuss alterations totheir environment at both breeding sites on land and at sea where they forage. Themajor drivers of change appear to be climate, and food web alterations by marinefisheries. In addition, we also consider other critical and/or emerging threats, namelyhuman disturbance near nesting sites, pollution due to oil, plastics and chemicals suchas mercury and persistent organic compounds. Finally, we assess the importance ofemerging pathogens and diseases on the health of penguins. We suggest that in the context of climate change, habitat degradation, introduced exotic species andresource competition with fisheries, successful conservation outcomes will require newand unprecedented levels of science and advocacy. Successful conservation storiesof penguin species across their geographical range have occurred where there hasbeen concerted effort across local, national and international boundaries to implementeffective conservation planning.
Published: 2019
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45. Physiological stress does not increase with urbanization in European blackbirds: Evidence from hormonal, immunological and cellular indicators

Author: Robert L. Thomson, Jordi Figuerola, Juan Diego Ibáñez-Álamo, Alazne Díez-Fernández, B. Irene Tieleman, Bruno Faivre, Blanca Jimeno, José I. Aguirre, Diego Gil, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences [Groningen] (GELIFES), University of Groningen [Groningen], Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [Madrid] (CSIC), Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva (Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales), Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN), FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town-DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, Department of Biology, Section of Ecology, University of Turku, Departamento de Zoologia y Antropologia Fisica, Universidad Complutense de Madrid = Complutense University of Madrid [Madrid] (UCM), Biogéosciences [UMR 6282] [Dijon] (BGS), Université de Bourgogne (UB)-AgroSup Dijon - Institut National Supérieur des Sciences Agronomiques, de l'Alimentation et de l'Environnement-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Postdoctoral contract (TAHUB-104) from the program 'Andalucia Talent Hub' (co-funded by the European's Union Seventh Framework Program Marie Sklodowska-Curie actions - COFUND-and the regional Government of Andalucia), research grant from the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion y Universidades (CGL2014-55577-R), research grant from the Spanish Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad (CGL2012-30759), Severo-Ochoa grant from the Spanish Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad (SVP-2014-068571)., Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (España), European Commission, Tieleman lab, and Verhulst lab
Subjects: Male, BLOOD-CELLS, Environmental Engineering, 010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences, Ecology (disciplines), URBAN, 010501 environmental sciences, Cellular level, Biology, Stress, 01 natural sciences, Songbirds, Birds, PASSER-DOMESTICUS, Stress, Physiological, Urbanization, BODY CONDITION, 11. Sustainability, Animals, Environmental Chemistry, Cities, Waste Management and Disposal, Ecosystem, FEATHER CORTICOSTERONE, Physiological stress, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Ecology, Landscape structure, TURDUS-MERULA, 15. Life on land, Pollution, Physiological responses, 3. Good health, Habitat, H/L ratio, HOUSE SPARROWS, LEUKOCYTE PROFILES, Heat-shock proteins, [SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology, Corticosterone, FOOD SUPPLEMENTATION, Hormone
Abstract: Urbanization changes the landscape structure and ecological processes of natural habitats. While urban areas expose animal communities to novel challenges, they may also provide more stable environments in which environmental fluctuations are buffered. Species´ ecology and physiology may determine their capacity to cope with the city life. However, the physiological mechanisms underlying organismal responses to urbanization, and whether different physiological systems are equally affected by urban environments remain poorly understood. This severely limits our capacity to predict the impact of anthropogenic habitats on wild populations. In this study, we measured indicators of physiological stress at the endocrine, immune and cellular level (feather corticosterone levels, heterophil to lymphocyte ratio, and heat-shock proteins) in urban and non-urban European blackbirds (Turdus merula) across 10 European populations. Among the three variables, we found consistent differences in feather corticosterone, which was higher in non-urban habitats. This effect seems to be dependent on sex, being greater in males. In contrast, we found no significant differences between urban and non-urban habitats in the two other physiological indicators. The discrepancy between these different measurements of physiological stress highlights the importance of including multiple physiological variables to understand the impact of urbanization on species' physiology. Overall, our findings suggest that adult European blackbirds living in urban and non-urban habitats do not differ in terms of physiological stress at an organismal level. Furthermore, we found large differences among populations on the strength and direction of the urbanization effect, which illustrates the relevance of spatial replication when investigating urban-induced physiological responses., JDI was funded by a postdoctoral contract (TAHUB-104) from the program “Andalucía Talent Hub” (co-funded by the European's Union Seventh Framework Program Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions -COFUND- and the regional Government of Andalucía). DG was funded by a research grant from the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (CGL2014-55577-R). JF was funded by a research grant from the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (CGL2012-30759). ADF was supported by a Severo-Ochoa grant from the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (SVP-2014-068571).
Published: 2020
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46. Comparative population genomics reveals key barriers to dispersal in Southern Ocean penguins

Author: Barbara Wienecke, Patrick M. Lelliott, Tom Hart, Michael J. Polito, Jonathan Handley, Alex Rogers, Gemma V. Clucas, Charles-André Bost, Sarah Crofts, Richard A. Phillips, Louise Emmerson, Michael J. Dunn, Karen Miller, Gary Miller, Jane L. Younger, Damian Kao, Colin Southwell, Department of Zoology [Oxford], University of Oxford, Australian Antarctic Division (AAD), Australian Government, Department of the Environment and Energy, Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE), Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine [Australia], The University of Western Australia (UWA), Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, Louisiana State University (LSU), Australian School of Advanced Medicine [Australia], Macquarie University, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence - Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology [South Africa], Nelson Mandela University [Port Elizabeth], Falklands Conservation, British Antarctic Survey (BAS), Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), Australian Institute of Marine Science [Western Australia], University of Oxford [Oxford], Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UM3)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University [Port Elizabeth, South Africa], Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), and Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])
Subjects: Gene Flow, 0106 biological sciences, 0301 basic medicine, Genotyping Techniques, population genomics, Range (biology), Population, Niche, Biodiversity, Antarctic Regions, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide, 010603 evolutionary biology, 01 natural sciences, 03 medical and health sciences, Genetics, Animals, 14. Life underwater, education, Ecosystem, Phylogeny, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Ecological niche, education.field_of_study, [SDV.GEN.GPO]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Genetics/Populations and Evolution [q-bio.PE], biology, Ecology, [SDV.BID.EVO]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Biodiversity/Populations and Evolution [q-bio.PE], Aptenodytes, Genetic Variation, Genomics, 15. Life on land, biology.organism_classification, Spheniscidae, RAD-Seq, Pygoscelis, [SDV.GEN.GA]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Genetics/Animal genetics, Genetics, Population, 030104 developmental biology, [SDE]Environmental Sciences, Polar Front, Biological dispersal, genetic differentiation, Animal Distribution
Abstract: The mechanisms that determine patterns of species dispersal are important factors in the production and maintenance of biodiversity. Understanding these mechanisms helps to forecast the responses of species to environmental change. Here we used a comparative framework and genome-wide data obtained through RAD-seq to compare the patterns of connectivity among breeding colonies for five penguin species with shared ancestry, overlapping distributions, and differing ecological niches, allowing an examination of the intrinsic and extrinsic barriers governing dispersal patterns. Our findings show that at-sea range and oceanography underlie patterns of dispersal in these penguins. The pelagic niche of emperor (Aptenodytes forsteri), king (A. patagonicus), Adélie (Pygoscelis adeliae) and chinstrap (P. antarctica) penguins facilitates gene flow over thousands of kilometres. In contrast, the coastal niche of gentoo penguins (P. papua) limits dispersal, resulting in population divergences. Oceanographic fronts also act as dispersal barriers to some extent. We recommend that forecasts of extinction risk incorporate dispersal and that management units are defined by at-sea range and oceanography in species lacking genetic data. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Published: 2018
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47. Status and trends of albatrosses in the French Southern Territories, Western Indian Ocean

Author: Fabrice Le Bouard, Peter G. Ryan, Cédric Marteau, Henri Weimerskirch, Karine Delord, Peter T. Fretwell, Christophe Barbraud, Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé - UMR 7372 (CEBC), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université de La Rochelle (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Centre d'études biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Réserve Naturelle Nationale des Terres Australes Françaises, TAAF, British Antarctic Survey (BAS), Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence-University of Cape Town, Université de La Rochelle (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), and University of Cape Town-DST-NRF Centre of Excellence
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, geography, education.field_of_study, geography.geographical_feature_category, Monitoring, Range (biology), 010604 marine biology & hydrobiology, Fishing, Population, Fisheries, Albatross, Biology, 010603 evolutionary biology, 01 natural sciences, Kerguelen, Fishery, Indian ocean, Crozet, Threatened species, Archipelago, [SDE]Environmental Sciences, 14. Life underwater, Amsterdam, General Agricultural and Biological Sciences, education
Abstract: International audience; Today albatrosses are threatened worldwide, especially by fishing activities, and many populations are currently in decline. Albatrosses breeding at the French Southern Territories in the south-western Indian Ocean, on the Crozet, Kerguelen and Saint-Paul–Amsterdam island archipelagos, are monitored regularly. This monitoring has been based on a sample of species and sites, and there was a need for an assessment of the population trends for all species at each site. During the past 3 years most populations have been surveyed, allowing an assessment of the trends of albatrosses breeding at the archipelagos of the French Southern Territories over the past 40 years. Wandering Albatrosses show similar trends at all sites within the Crozet and Kerguelen archipelagos, with a recent recovery of colonies after strong declines in the 1970s. Amsterdam Albatrosses are increasing, albeit at lower rates during recent years. Indian Yellow-nosed Albatrosses show a global decline over the entire range. The trends among Black-browed and Grey-headed Albatrosses vary between colonies and archipelagos. Sooty Albatrosses have continuously decreased in numbers whereas Light-mantled Albatross numbers vary considerably between years, with an overall increase over the past 30 years. These results confirm that the French Southern Territories in the south-west Indian Ocean support a significant portion of the world populations of several albatross species. Several species appear to be steadily decreasing probably because of the impact of fisheries and disease outbreaks. The reasons for different trends among populations of the same species are not well understood and require further investigation.
Published: 2018
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48. Factors affecting the foraging distance and duration of a colonial bird, the sociable weaver, in a semi-arid environment

Author: Res Altwegg, Claire Doutrelant, Rita Covas, Kyle John Lloyd, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence at the Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Kirstenbosch Research Centre, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE), Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UM3)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Institut national d’études supérieures agronomiques de Montpellier (Montpellier SupAgro), and Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD [France-Sud])
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, Ecology, [SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio], Foraging, Biology, Colonialism, biology.organism_classification, 010603 evolutionary biology, 01 natural sciences, Arid, 010605 ornithology, [SDE]Environmental Sciences, Duration (project management), Sociable weaver, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS
Abstract: International audience
Published: 2018
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49. Massive decline of the world’s largest king penguin colony at Ile aux Cochons, Crozet

Author: Charles-André Bost, Peter G. Ryan, Fabrice Le Bouard, Henri Weimerskirch, Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé - UMR 7372 (CEBC), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université de La Rochelle (ULR), Réserve Naturelle Nationale des Terres Australes Françaises, TAAF, FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town-DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, and Université de La Rochelle (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, education.field_of_study, biology, 010604 marine biology & hydrobiology, Population, Geology, Aptenodytes patagonicus, Oceanography, biology.organism_classification, 010603 evolutionary biology, 01 natural sciences, Indian ocean, remote sensing, Geography, Remote sensing (archaeology), Satellite image, satellite image, [SDE]Environmental Sciences, Satellite imagery, 14. Life underwater, education, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Abstract: King penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus Miller) are major consumers in the Southern Ocean. The colony at Ile aux Cochons, Iles Crozet, in the southern Indian Ocean was known in the 1980s as the largest king penguin colony and the second largest penguin colony in the world. However, there have not been any recent estimates of this colony. Aerial photographs taken from a helicopter, and satellite images were used to report on changes in the colony and population sizes over the past 50 years. The colony has declined by 88% over the past 35 years, from c. 500 000 pairs to 60 000 pairs. The possible causes of this decline were explored but no plausible explanation for such an unprecedented decrease in penguin populations was found. The study highlights the use of satellite imagery as a non-invasive technique for population monitoring, and stresses the need for further research on the causes of this alarming trend in this colony.
Published: 2018
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50. Differential fitness effects of moonlight on plumage colour morphs in barn owls

Author: Anastasia Questiaux, Alexandre Roulin, Aymeric Oliveira-Xavier, Arjun Amar, Clarisse Judes, Kim Schalcher, Robin Séchaud, Paul Béziers, Charlène Gémard, Luis M. San-Jose, Almut Kelber, Bettina Almasi, Université de Lausanne (UNIL), SWISS ORNITHOLOGICAL INSTITUTE SEMPACH CHE, Partenaires IRSTEA, Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)-Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA), Lund University [Lund], FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, and University of Cape Town-DST-NRF Centre of Excellence
Subjects: 0106 biological sciences, Moonlight, Zoology, Color, Nocturnal, 010603 evolutionary biology, 01 natural sciences, Article, Predation, 03 medical and health sciences, Animals, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Ecosystem, 030304 developmental biology, [SDV.EE]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology, environment, 0303 health sciences, Ecology, biology, Barn-owl, [SDV.BA]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Animal biology, Tyto, biology.organism_classification, Strigiformes, Phenotype, Plumage, Female, [SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology, Barn
Abstract: International audience; The Moon cycle exposes nocturnal life to variation in environmental light. However, whether moonlight shapes the fitness of nocturnal species with distinct colour variants remains unknown. Combining data from long-term monitoring, high-resolution global positioning system tracking and experiments using prey, we show that barn owls (Tyto alba) with distinct plumage colourations are differently affected by moonlight. The reddest owls are less successful at hunting and providing food to their offspring during moonlit nights, which associates with lower body mass and lower survival of the youngest nestlings and with female mates starting to lay eggs at low moonlight levels. Although moonlight should make white owls more conspicuous to prey, it either positively affects or does not affect the hunting and fitness of the whitest owls. We experimentally show that, under full-moon conditions, white plumage triggers longer freezing times in prey, which should facilitate prey catchability. We propose that the barn owl’s white plumage, a rare trait among nocturnal predators, exploits the known aversion of rodents to bright light, explaining why, counterintuitively, moonlight has a lesser impact on the whitest owls. Our study provides evidence for the long-suspected influence of the Moon on the evolution of colouration in nocturnal species, highlighting the importance of colour in nocturnal ecosystems.
Published: 2018
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