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Clemens Küpper - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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CeutaOPEN, individual-based field observations of breeding snowy plovers Charadrius nivosus.
Scientific Data, 2020Co-Authors: Luke J. Eberhart-phillips, Medardo Cruz-lópez, Lydia Lozano-angulo, Salvador Gómez Del Ángel, Wendoly Rojas-abreu, Marcos Bucio-pacheco, Clemens KüpperAbstract:Shorebirds (part of the order Charadriiformes) have a global distribution and exhibit remarkable variation in ecological and behavioural traits that are pertinent to many core questions in the fields of evolutionary ecology and conservation biology. Shorebirds are also relatively convenient to study in the wild as they are ground nesting and often occupy open habitats that are tractable to monitor. Here we present a database documenting the reproductive ecology of 1,647 individually marked snowy plovers (Charadrius nivosus) monitored between 2006 and 2016 at Bahia de Ceuta (23°54N, 106°57W) – an important breeding site in north-western Mexico. The database encompasses various morphological, behavioural, and fitness-related traits of males and females along with spatial and temporal population dynamics. This open resource will serve as an important data repository for addressing overarching questions in avian ecology and wetland conservation during an era of big data and global collaborative science. Machine-accessible metadata file describing the reported data: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.12173511
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CeutaOPEN: Individual-based field observations of breeding snowy plovers Charadrius nivosus
2019Co-Authors: Luke J. Eberhart-phillips, Medardo Cruz-lópez, Lydia Lozano-angulo, Salvador Gómez Del Ángel, Wendoly Rojas-abreu, Clemens KüpperAbstract:Shorebirds (partim members of order Charadriiformes) have a global distribution and exhibit remarkable variation in ecological and behavioural traits that are pertinent to many core questions in the fields of evolutionary ecology and conservation biology. Shorebirds are also relatively convenient to study in the wild as they are ground nesting and often occupy open habitats that are tractable to monitor. Here we present a database documenting the reproductive ecology of 1,600 individually marked snowy plovers (Charadrius nivosus) monitored between 2006 and 2016 at Bahia de Ceuta (23°54 N, 106°57 W) − an important breeding site in north-western Mexico. The database encompasses various morphological, behavioural, and fitness-related traits of males and females along with spatial and temporal population dynamics. This open resource will serve as an important data repository for addressing overarching questions in avian ecology and wetland conservation during an era of big data and global collaborative science.
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nest initiation and flooding in response to season and semi lunar spring tides in a ground nesting shorebird
Frontiers in Zoology, 2019Co-Authors: Silvia Plaschke, Clemens Küpper, Martin Bulla, Medardo Cruzlopez, Salvador Gomez Del AngelAbstract:Background Marine and intertidal organisms face the rhythmic environmental changes induced by tides. The large amplitude of spring tides that occur around full and new moon may threaten nests of ground-nesting birds. These birds face a trade-off between ensuring nest safety from tidal flooding and nesting near the waterline to provide their newly hatched offspring with suitable foraging opportunities. The semi-lunar periodicity of spring tides may enable birds to schedule nest initiation adaptively, for example, by initiating nests around tidal peaks when the water line reaches the farthest into the intertidal habitat. We examined the impact of semi-lunar tidal changes on the phenology of nest flooding and nest initiation in Snowy Plovers (Charadrius nivosus) breeding at Bahia de Ceuta, a coastal wetland in Northwest Mexico.
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Genetic structure among Charadrius plovers on the African mainland and islands of Madagascar and St Helena
Ibis, 2018Co-Authors: Natalie Dos Remedios, Clemens Küpper, Tamás Székely, Sama Zefania, Fiona Burns, Mark Bolton, Patricia L. M. LeeAbstract:Colonization of islands by long‐distance dispersers has great impact on genetic diversification among populations and may spearhead speciation events. We investigated intra‐ and interspecific divergence in Charadrius plovers with populations on mainland Africa, Madagascar and St Helena. We analysed microsatellite loci and sequence data from four nuclear and two mitochondrial gene regions. Charadrius plovers are shorebirds with high dispersal and mobility. Our results confirmed genetic differentiation between Madagascar and mainland populations of three plover species (White‐fronted Plover Charadrius marginatus, Kittlitz's Plover Charadrius pecuarius and, based on sequence data only, Three‐banded Plover Charadrius tricollaris) but highlight substantial variation in levels of intraspecific divergence among the three species. Namely, the Kittlitz's Plover, a dispersive habitat generalist with a polygamous mating system, exhibited lower island–mainland differentiation (0.05% COI sequence divergence) compared with the two monogamous species, the White‐fronted Plover (0.6% COI divergence) and Three‐banded Plover (1.6% COI divergence). In addition, past colonization of the islands of St Helena and Madagascar by ancestors of today's Kittlitz's Plover has led to the evolution of two endemic island species, the Madagascar Plover Charadrius thoracicus and the more closely‐related St Helena Plover Charadrius sanctaehelenae. We discuss the factors driving species differences in island–mainland divergence and highlight the importance of conserving genetically unique island populations and island habitats to safeguard future evolutionary potential.
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Molecular ecology of the Kentish plover Charadrius alexandrinus
2008Co-Authors: Clemens KüpperAbstract:Molecular ecology has already provided profound insights into behaviour, ecology and systematics of organisms improving our understanding of the relationship between genetic variation and biodiversity. The objectives of my PhD were to develop new genetic markers and use these markers to address fundamental issues in evolutionary biology using shorebirds as model organisms. Shorebirds are part of the ancient avian Charadriiformes order and are characterised by extraordinary ecological and behavioural diversity. However, due to the lack of appropriate genetic markers the molecular ecology of many shorebirds has not been investigated previously. Therefore, first, I developed polymorphic microsatellite markers from genomic libraries for a behaviourally diverse shorebird, the Kentish plover Charadrius alexandrinus (Chapter II). Second, using the genomic data-bases I expended this work to develop further markers that cannot only be used in the Kentish plover, but also a large number of other shorebird species (Chapter III). Third, I investigated population differentiation and genetic diversity of Eurasian and American Kentish plover populations using the newly developed microsatellite markers and further mitochondrial markers (Chapter IV). The genetic differences between Eurasian and American populations that are mirrored by phenotypic differences call for a reconsideration of the current taxonomic status of the species; Eurasian and American populations should be recognised as belonging to two separate species. Finally, I asked how genetic diversity influences the fitness of precocial Kentish plover young (Chapter V). I found that survival of chicks until fledging was associated with genetic diversity (measured as heterozygosity) at three of eleven marker loci. Genetic diversity at one marker locus had a positive effect on survival whilst it had negative effects at two loci. The results of my PhD have brought up many new questions and I propose promising lines that need to be explored in the future (Chapter VI).
Tamás Székely - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Mate fidelity in a polygamous shorebird, the snowy plover (Charadrius nivosus)
Ecology and Evolution, 2019Co-Authors: Naerhulan Halimubieke, José O. Valdebenito, Philippa Harding, Medardo Cruz-lópez, Martín Alejandro Serrano-meneses, Richard James, Krisztina Kupán, Tamás SzékelyAbstract:Social monogamy has evolved multiple times and is particularly common in birds. However, it is not well understood why some species live in long-lasting monogamous partnerships while others change mates between breeding attempts. Here, we investigate mate fidelity in a sequential polygamous shorebird, the snowy plover (Charadrius nivosus), a species in which both males and females may have several breeding attempts within a breeding season with the same or different mates. Using 6 years of data from a well-monitored population in Bahia de Ceuta, Mexico, we investigated predictors and fitness implications of mate fidelity both within and between years. We show that in order to maximize reproductive success within a season, individuals divorce after successful nesting and re-mate with the same partner after nest failure. Therefore, divorced plovers, counterintuitively, achieve higher reproductive success than individuals that retain their mate. We also show that different mating decisions between sexes predict different breeding dispersal patterns. Taken together, our findings imply that divorce is an adaptive strategy to improve reproductive success in a stochastic environment. Understanding mate fidelity is important for the evolution of monogamy and polygamy, and these mating behaviors have implications for reproductive success and population productivity.
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Genetic structure among Charadrius plovers on the African mainland and islands of Madagascar and St Helena
Ibis, 2018Co-Authors: Natalie Dos Remedios, Clemens Küpper, Tamás Székely, Sama Zefania, Fiona Burns, Mark Bolton, Patricia L. M. LeeAbstract:Colonization of islands by long‐distance dispersers has great impact on genetic diversification among populations and may spearhead speciation events. We investigated intra‐ and interspecific divergence in Charadrius plovers with populations on mainland Africa, Madagascar and St Helena. We analysed microsatellite loci and sequence data from four nuclear and two mitochondrial gene regions. Charadrius plovers are shorebirds with high dispersal and mobility. Our results confirmed genetic differentiation between Madagascar and mainland populations of three plover species (White‐fronted Plover Charadrius marginatus, Kittlitz's Plover Charadrius pecuarius and, based on sequence data only, Three‐banded Plover Charadrius tricollaris) but highlight substantial variation in levels of intraspecific divergence among the three species. Namely, the Kittlitz's Plover, a dispersive habitat generalist with a polygamous mating system, exhibited lower island–mainland differentiation (0.05% COI sequence divergence) compared with the two monogamous species, the White‐fronted Plover (0.6% COI divergence) and Three‐banded Plover (1.6% COI divergence). In addition, past colonization of the islands of St Helena and Madagascar by ancestors of today's Kittlitz's Plover has led to the evolution of two endemic island species, the Madagascar Plover Charadrius thoracicus and the more closely‐related St Helena Plover Charadrius sanctaehelenae. We discuss the factors driving species differences in island–mainland divergence and highlight the importance of conserving genetically unique island populations and island habitats to safeguard future evolutionary potential.
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No overall benefit of predator exclosure cages for the endangered St. Helena Plover Charadrius sanctaehelenae
Ibis, 2013Co-Authors: Fiona Burns, Tamás Székely, Neil Mcculloch, Mark BoltonAbstract:Predator exclosure cages are designed to increase the clutch survival of ground-nesting birds. Predator exclosures provided for the endangered St. Helena Plover Charadrius sanctaehelenae, however, did not result in differences in clutch survival between protected and control nests and may have resulted in elevated adult mortality. Exclosures did not exclude all cats, the dominant nest predator, and it is likely that cats caused the adult mortalities observed close to the exclosures. A population model indicates that even if predator exclosures had excluded all cats, the benefits of increased clutch survival would have been more than negated by the estimated decrease in adult survival. The overall effect of predator exclosures needs to be clarified for other species, taking into consideration annual productivity and adult survival, to understand the circumstances in which predator exclosures are beneficial.
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Cryptic sexual size dimorphism in Malagasy plovers Charadrius spp.
Ostrich, 2010Co-Authors: Sama Zefania, Razafimahatratra Emilienne, Patricia J. Faria, Michael William Bruford, Peter R. Long, Tamás SzékelyAbstract:Many small plovers Charadrius spp. have sexually monomorphic plumage and cryptic sexual size dimorphism. The objective of our study was to assess the variation in body sizes between male and female plovers breeding in Madagascar. We collected blood samples and data on adult body sizes of four small plovers (Madagascar Plover Charadrius thoracicus, Kittlitz's Plover C. pecuarius, White-fronted Plover C. marginatus and Three-banded Plover C. tricollaris), and used molecular genetic markers to sex the adults. We found significant differences in body size among the four species, and between sexes. Furthermore, individuals from the southern ecoregion tended to be larger than in the western ecoregion. The Madagascar Plover's body size was significantly more dimorphic than the Kittlitz's and White-fronted Plovers. Breeding Malagasy plovers' show significant sexual size dimorphism (SSD): Madagascar Plover females were heavier and had longer wings than males, whereas the males had longer tarsi; in White-fronted Plover only wing length was different between the sexes. Taken together, our work reports SSD in small African plovers that exhibit monomorphic plumage, and we propose that SSD may be more common than currently acknowledged; we term this 'cryptic sexual size dimorphism'. Our results also suggest sexual selection and/or natural selection exert different pressures on body size in different Malagasy plover species.
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Breeding distribution and ecology of the threatened Madagascar Plover Charadrius thoracicus
Ostrich, 2008Co-Authors: Sama Zefania, Peter R. Long, Richard H. Ffrench-constant, Tamás SzékelyAbstract:The Madagascar Plover Charadrius thoracicus is a threatened wader endemic to Madagascar. We report the first detailed study of its distribution and breeding ecology. Madagascar Plovers breed on the west coast of Madagascar between the Mahavavy delta in the north and Fort-Dauphin in the south-east. Between 2002 and 2005, we found a total of 149 nests concentrated at two sites: Lake Tsimanampetsotsa (108 nests), an alkaline inland lake in the south, and Marambitsy Bay (24 nests) on the north-west. Nesting was observed between August and May, with peak activity between December and April. We followed the success of 74 nests from egg-laying to chick fledging. Hatching and fledging success were both low (22.9% and 41.4%, respectively, using the Mayfield method). Overall breeding success was also low and only 9.5% of nests produced fledged chicks. The effects of this low breeding success are compounded by the specific habitat requirements of the plover and its limited dispersal. Using these data, we constructed...
Adam C. Brown - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Status of breeding Wilson’s Plovers ( Charadrius wilsonia ) on St. Kitts, West Indies
The Journal of Caribbean Ornithology, 2013Co-Authors: Adam C. Brown, Theodore A. SnyderAbstract:We report observations from waterbird surveys completed in 2004 and 2009 that detected breeding Wilson’s Plovers ( Charadrius wilsonia ) on the southeast peninsula of St. Kitts in the Lesser Antilles. Our comparison of surveys indicates a slight decrease in activity island-wide, with eight nests in 2004 and seven nests in 2009. The breeding activity at each wetland differed between years, perhaps in response to increased development at historic nesting sites. Reportamos las observaciones que detectaron individuos reproductores de Charadrius wilsonia a partir de muestreos de aves acuaticas completados en 2004 y 2009 en la peninsula Sudeste de San Kitts, en las Antillas Menores. La comparacion de nuestros muestreos indica una ligera disminucion en la actividad en toda la isla, con ocho nidos en 2004 y siete en 2009. La actividad de cria en cada humedal difiere entre anos, probablemente como respuesta a un incremento de la urbanizacion en los sitios historicos de cria. Le suivi des oiseaux d’eau realise en 2004 et 2009 sur la peninsule sud-est de Saint-Kitts dans les Petites Antilles a permis d’observer la reproduction du Pluvier de Wilson ( Charadrius wilsonia ). La comparaison des releves indique une legere diminution de l’activite sur toute l’ile, avec huit nids en 2004 et sept nids en 2009. L’activite de reproduction sur chaque zone humide differe entre les annees, peut-etre en reponse a l’augmentation du developpement sur les sites de nidification historiques.
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Extirpation of the Snowy Plover ( Charadrius alexandrinus ) on St. Martin, West Indies
The Journal of Caribbean Ornithology, 2012Co-Authors: Adam C. BrownAbstract:Recent surveys for the Snowy Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus) on St. Martin reveal that the species is no longer a resident on the island. Following surveys from 1997–2005, when the species was annually detected and observed breeding, plovers were no longer observed on the island. Both human disturbance to nesting birds and predation by invasive species are potential causes of the extirpation.
Bruce C. Robertson - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Phylogenetic position and subspecies divergence of the endangered New Zealand Dotterel (Charadrius obscurus).
PLoS ONE, 2013Co-Authors: Julia Maria Isis Barth, Michael Matschiner, Bruce C. RobertsonAbstract:The New Zealand Dotterel (Charadrius obscurus), an endangered shorebird of the family Charadriidae, is endemic to New Zealand where two subspecies are recognized. These subspecies are not only separated geographically, with C. o. aquilonius being distributed in the New Zealand North Island and C. o. obscurus mostly restricted to Stewart Island, but also differ substantially in morphology and behavior. Despite these divergent traits, previous work has failed to detect genetic differentiation between the subspecies, and the question of when and where the two populations separated is still open. Here, we use mitochondrial and nuclear markers to address molecular divergence between the subspecies, and apply maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods to place C. obscurus within the non-monophyletic genus Charadrius. Despite very little overall differentiation, distinct haplotypes for the subspecies were detected, thus supporting molecular separation of the northern and southern populations. Phylogenetic analysis recovers a monophyletic clade combining the New Zealand Dotterel with two other New Zealand endemic shorebirds, the Wrybill and the Double-Banded Plover, thus suggesting a single dispersal event as the origin of this group. Divergence dates within Charadriidae were estimated with BEAST 2, and our results indicate a Middle Miocene origin of New Zealand endemic Charadriidae, a Late Miocene emergence of the lineage leading to the New Zealand Dotterel, and a Middle to Late Pleistocene divergence of the two New Zealand Dotterel subspecies.
John E. Dowding - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Breeding success of northern New Zealand dotterels (Charadrius obscurus aquilonius) following mammal eradication on Motuihe Island, New Zealand
2011Co-Authors: Hester R. Neate, John E. Dowding, Kevin A. Parker, Mark E. HauberAbstract:Population size and breeding success of northern New Zealand dotterels ( Charadrius obscurus aquilonius) were studied on the recently mammalian predator-eradicated Motuihe Island in the Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand. The island's entire breeding population was monitored during the austral breeding season from Nov 2007 - Feb 2008. Nine breeding pairs were identified and their breeding success recorded. A total of 41% of nesting attempts produced fledglings and 1.22 chicks fledged per pair for the season; each egg had a 38% chance of survival to fledging. The breeding success of this endemic shorebird was twice as high on Motuihe Island as that at unmanaged mainland sites, and is comparable to levels of breeding success at other managed sites with mammal trapping or predator-proof fencing. The only identified cause of nesting failure over the breeding season was avian predation. Suggestions are made to maintain and enhance breeding success at this locality. Neate, H.R.; Dowding, J.E.; Parker, K.A.; Hauber, M.E. 2011. Breeding success of northern New Zealand dotterels (Charadrius obscurus aquilonius) following mammal eradication on Motuihe Island, New Zealand. Notornis 58 (1): 17-21.
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Mortality of northern New Zealand dotterels (Charadrius obscurus aquilonius) following an aerial poisoning operation
2006Co-Authors: John E. Dowding, Tim G. Lovegrove, Jo Ritchie, Sharon N. Kast, Maurice PuckettAbstract:The anticoagulant brodifacoum is widely used for the control and eradication of vertebrate pests in New Zealand. During poisoning operations with this toxin, some native birds eat baits and die. Because brodifacoum persists in the environment, other birds may suffer secondary poisoning from eating animals that have ingested the poison baits.We describe here high mortality of New Zealand dotterels (Charadrius obscurus) following an aerial brodifacoum operation at Tawharanui Regional Park, North Auckland, in 2004. At least 50% of the dotterels in the area at the time of the operation disappeared or were found dead; one bird found freshly dead had a high liver level of brodifacoum residue. Sandhoppers (Talorchestia spp.) are a common food item of New Zealand dotterels. Sandhoppers at Tawharanui ate baits and accumulated brodifacoum and provided a potential route for transmission of the toxin to dotterels. Three pied stilts (Himantopus himantopus) and one spur-winged plover (Vanellus miles novaehollandiae) were also found dead. These records appear to be the first to document probable secondary poisoning of shorebirds in New Zealand. There was no apparent mortality of variable oystercatchers (Haematopus unicolor). Measures are suggested to reduce shorebird mortality in future operations of this type. Monitoring of New Zealand dotterels and other shorebirds during other types of poisoning operations in coastal areas is also recommended. Dowding, J.E.; Lovegrove, T.G.; Ritchie, J.; Kast, S.N.; Puckett, M. 2006.Mortality of northern New Zealand dotterels (Charadrius obscurus aquilonius) following an aerial poisoning operation. Notornis 53: 235-239.