Coeffects of temperature and photoperiod on the age-related timing of spring migration of Whooper swans via satellite tracking

Ru Jia; Guogang Zhang; Yihua Wang; Zeyu Yang; Hongying Xu; Ge Sun; Tian Ma; Ruyi Gao; Wendong Ru; Zhihong Ji; Diqiang Li

Global Ecology and Conservation (Jun 2024)

Coeffects of temperature and photoperiod on the age-related timing of spring migration of Whooper swans via satellite tracking

Ru Jia,
Guogang Zhang,
Yihua Wang,
Zeyu Yang,
Hongying Xu,
Ge Sun,
Tian Ma,
Ruyi Gao,
Wendong Ru,
Zhihong Ji,
Diqiang Li

Affiliations

Ru Jia: Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Conservation of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, National Bird Banding Center of China, Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
Guogang Zhang: Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Conservation of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, National Bird Banding Center of China, Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China; Corresponding author.
Yihua Wang: Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Conservation of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, National Bird Banding Center of China, Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
Zeyu Yang: Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Conservation of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, National Bird Banding Center of China, Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
Hongying Xu: Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Conservation of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, National Bird Banding Center of China, Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
Ge Sun: Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Conservation of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, National Bird Banding Center of China, Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
Tian Ma: Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Conservation of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, National Bird Banding Center of China, Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China
Ruyi Gao: National Urban Wetland Park of Sanmenxia Swan Lake of Henan, Sanmenxia 472000, China
Wendong Ru: National Urban Wetland Park of Sanmenxia Swan Lake of Henan, Sanmenxia 472000, China
Zhihong Ji: Sanmenxia Swan Lake Weather Station of Henan, Sanmenxia 472000, China
Diqiang Li: Key Laboratory of Biodiversity Conservation of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, National Bird Banding Center of China, Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing 100091, China

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 51
p. e02895

Abstract

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Extrinsic and endocrine factors are important mechanisms influencing the timing of spring bird migration. Whooper swans (Cygnus cygnus), including 122 adults and subadults over one year old and 98 juveniles under one year old, were satellite tracked to obtain detailed locational data at a wintering ground from 2015 to 2020. We assessed the effects of temperature, wind, photoperiod, available food resources, and sex hormones on age-related timing of spring migration. Our results suggested that both photoperiod and temperature had the greatest impacts on the timing of spring migration of adults, subadults and juveniles when food resources and wind conditions were favourable. With increasing photoperiod and temperature, the peak sex hormone concentrations of adults and subadults occurred one month earlier than that of juveniles, which corresponded to the peak of their departure time. Our study showed the synergistic impact of photoperiod and temperature and their variation among adults, subadults and juveniles on the initiation of spring migration. Compared with juveniles, adults and subadults with spring migration experience and reproductive needs could adjust their behaviours more quickly before departure based on changes in environmental conditions.

Published in Global Ecology and Conservation

ISSN: 2351-9894 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Netherlands
LCC subjects: Science: Biology (General): Ecology
Website: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/global-ecology-and-conservation/

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