SBS Informal Seminar 2023

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SBS Informal Seminar 2023
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This is a past event

Among-species variation in changing avian migration timing over 60 years: effects of ecology and life-history

For our next informal seminar, PhD student Victoria Dale, will be giving an informal seminar on:"Among-species variation in changing avian migration timing over 60 years: effects of ecology and life-history" this Friday (30 June) at 1 pm in Cruickshank G27.    

Seasonally migratory species are widely documented to have responded to historic large-scale climatic changes by altering migration timings, yet such phenological changes vary among species. Whilst many studies have described changes in phenology, relatively few have looked into the causes of this substantial variation in observed species responses. In order to advance phenology work from description towards prediction, we now need to identify patterns underlying this observed variation. A range of ecological hypotheses have been proposed that may explain these differences in species responses. However, hypotheses have so far predominantly been tested through cross-study meta-analyses, where substantial heterogeneity in data and analytical methods contributes considerable additional variation which impedes clear interpretation. New studies that rigorously test ecological hypotheses explaining variation in changing migration timings across diverse species, using standardized methodologies, are therefore required. Accordingly, I present a subset of the results of a phylogenetically controlled quantile regression analysis on 60 years of high-quality spring and autumn migration data from Fair Isle, Scotland. Analyses test for effects of six ecological hypotheses including species diet type, migration distance and changes in local population abundance. Overall, results reveal key forms of ecological and life-history structure underlying diverse changes in avian migration phenology. Findings have applications in informing future predictions of species vulnerabilities under on-going climate change, and additionally highlight potential implications of this change at the community level.

Venue
Cruickshank G27
Contact
Microsoft Teams meeting
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Meeting ID: 394 536 115 87
Passcode: JYS859