Joint seasonality in geographic and ecological spaces, illustrated with a partially migratory bird

Ecosphere

James Watling¹  Rena Borkhataria²  Mathieu Basille³  Stephanie Romañach⁴ 

[1] Department of Biology John Carroll University University Heights OH44118USA;Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Everglades Research and Education Center University of Florida Belle Glade FL33430USA;Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center University of Florida Davie FL33314USA;Wetland and Aquatic Research Center U.S. Geological Survey Fort Lauderdale FL33314USA;

关键词: climatic niche;    ecological niche;    kernel overlap;    range;    wood stork;   

DOI  :  10.1002/ecs2.3110

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Abstract As most species live in seasonal environments, considering varying conditions is essential to understand species dynamics in both geographic and ecological spaces. Both resident and migratory species need to contend with seasonality and balance settling in favorable areas with tracking favorable environmental conditions during the year. We present an exploratory framework to jointly investigate a species' niche in geographic and ecological spaces, applied to wood storks (Mycteria americana), which are partially migratory wading birds, in the southeastern United States. We concurrently described monthly geographic distributions and climatic niches based on temperature and precipitation. Geographic distributions of wood storks were more similar throughout the year than were climatic niches, suggesting that birds stay within specific areas seasonally, rather than tracking areas of similar climate. However, wood storks expressed consistent selection of warm areas during the winter, and wet areas during the summer, indicating that the selection of seasonal ranges may be directly related to environmental conditions across the entire range. Our flexible framework, which simultaneously considered geographic and ecological spaces, suggested that tracking climate alone did not explain seasonal distributions of wood storks in breeding and non‐breeding areas.

【 授权许可】

Unknown