Climate and Dispersal: Black-Winged Stilts Disperse Further in Dry Springs
Author Information
Author(s): Jordi Figuerola
Primary Institution: Estación Biológica de Doñana, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Seville, Spain
Hypothesis
How do climatic conditions influence the dispersive behaviour of Black-winged Stilts?
Conclusion
Climatic conditions significantly influence the dispersive behaviour of Black-winged Stilts, leading to changes in their breeding populations.
Supporting Evidence
- Black-winged Stilt populations varied with changes in the North Atlantic Oscillation and local rainfall.
- Survival rates were low during the first year of life but constant thereafter.
- Local rainfall explained more variance in resighting rates than the North Atlantic Oscillation.
Takeaway
This study shows that weather affects how far Black-winged Stilts travel to find new homes, especially when it's dry.
Methodology
The study used capture-recapture data from a long-term monitoring program to analyze the relationship between climate and dispersive behaviour.
Potential Biases
The resighting rate may be influenced by observer effort, which could affect the results.
Limitations
The study lacks data on Black-winged Stilt populations in North Africa, which limits understanding of their breeding distribution.
Participant Demographics
The study focused on Black-winged Stilts in Doñana National Park, Spain.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.0001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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