An integrative approach to understanding vulnerability of an alpine range-restricted bird to climate warming
- Authors: Oswald, Krista Natasha
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Passeriformes -- South Africa -- Western Cape , Passeriformes -- Physiology -- South Africa -- Western Cape , Passeriformes -- Behavior -- Climatic factors -- South Africa -- Western Cape , Passeriformes -- Reproduction -- Climatic factors -- South Africa -- Western Cape , Passeriformes -- Dispersal -- South Africa -- Western Cape , Passeriformes -- Food -- South Africa -- Western Cape , Passeriformes -- Nests-- South Africa -- Western Cape , Blue Hill Nature Reserve , Cape Rockjumper -- Climatic factors , Chaetops frenatus
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/148517 , vital:38746
- Description: Understanding species' vulnerability to climate change requires an integrative ecological approach involving, at minimum, physiology, behaviour, reproductive success, and limitations on dispersal. In this thesis I determined potential negative effects of increasing temperatures on behaviour, reproduction, and ability to disperse in an alpine-restricted bird, the Cape Rockjumper Chaetops frenatus ("Rockjumper"). Here I provide a comprehensive ecological set of data for understanding the link between Rockjumper population declines and warming habitats. I tested whether Rockjumper microsite-use at high temperatures resulted in decreased time spent on important behaviours, such as foraging. I found Rockjumpers made increased use of rock-shade as air temperature increased and so spent less time panting, but birds in rock-shade foraged less. Birds may be constrained to foraging in sun at high temperatures to sustain energy or water requirements, despite risks of high thermal load, or else face lost foraging opportunities by remaining in rock-shade. I determined if adult nest attendance and causes of nest failure were related to high temperatures. I filmed nests over two breeding seasons to examine temperature-effects on adult time in nests, provisioning rate, and resultant nestling daily mass gain. The only temperature effect I found was decreased percent daily change in body mass for older nestlings at hotter temperatures. I also examined causes of nest failure over three breeding seasons in relation to nest concealment and habitat openness by observing failure/success. Nests in more open territories (i.e. early post-fire habitat) had greater success, and the main cause of predation came from Boomslang Dispholydus typus. Importantly, the probability of Boomslang predation increased significantly at hotter temperatures. These findings show there may be direct negative effects of increasing temperatures on reproductive success and population recruitment, and so hotter temperature during the breeding season may be at least partly responsible for observed population declines. Lastly, I examined genetic structure of populations across mountain ranges separated from one another by lowland habitat unsuitable for Rockjumpers. I predicted I would find little evidence for dispersal between mountain ranges separated by unsuitable lowland habitat, but instead found Rockjumpers show little evidence for inbreeding. I also found evidence for a past bottleneck event or founder effect, and little overall genetic diversity (possibly as their specialized niche exerts selective pressure). Low diversity may limit Rockjumpers' ability to adapt to a changing environment. Adult physiological and behavioural thresholds to increasing temperatures are often used to create predictions of climate change effects. My past physiological research and current behavioural research suggest no particularly strong evidence that temperature-related population declines are driven by poor physiological capacity to tolerate heat or negative behaviour trade-offs. Instead, my current research shows that understanding negative effects of increasing temperatures may require a more in-depth approach involving investigation of fine-scale ecological interactions. No single one of my chapters provides the insight necessary for understanding Rockjumper population declines at warming temperatures. Instead, I show how an integrative approach may be necessary for assessing species' vulnerability to climate change by examining multiple ecological aspects of a single sentinel species, using an alpine species with a narrow thermal range and highly specialized habitat niche.
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- Date Issued: 2020
Seasonal physiological responses in the Cape Rockjumper (Chaetops frenatus): a Fynbos endemic bird shows limited capacity to deal with temperature extremes
- Authors: Oswald, Krista Natasha
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Endemic birds -- South Africa Fynbos ecology -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/12994 , vital:27142
- Description: The Fynbos biome in south-western South Africa is a global biodiversity hotspot vulnerable to climate change. Of the six Fynbos-endemic passerines, Cape Rockjumpers (hereafter Rockjumpers; Chaetops frenatus) are most vulnerable to increases in temperature, with population declines correlated with warming, and low physiological heat thresholds. Rockjumper’s preferred mountain habitat is predicted to decrease as they lack opportunity to move to cooler regions as temperatures warm. As Rockjumpers currently occupy the coldest regions of the Fynbos, I hypothesized their thermal physiology would show cold adaptation at the expense of lowered ability to cope with higher temperatures. I aimed to determine the seasonal 1) maintenance metabolism and cold tolerance, and 2) thermoregulatory responses to high temperatures of Rockjumpers. I measured seasonal maintenance metabolic rate, thermal conductance, and maximum thermogenic capacity. I also measured seasonal resting metabolic rate, evaporative water loss, evaporative cooling efficiency, and body temperature at high air temperatures. In winter, Rockjumpers had higher maximum thermogenic capacity, lower maintenance metabolic rate, and lower thermal conductance. Lower maintenance metabolic rates (and thus, lower metabolic heat production) combined with the decreased thermal conductance, confers substantial energy savings in winter. The increased winter maximum thermogenic capacity of Rockjumpers was expected, although the mean seasonal values fell below those expected for a ~ 50 g bird using a global data set, suggesting Rockjumpers are not especially cold tolerant. I further show that in summer Rockjumpers had higher elevations in resting metabolic rates, evaporative water loss, and body temperature, denoting higher rates of heat production and lower heat thresholds in summer compared to winter. My results suggest that Rockjumpers are best suited for relatively mild Krista Oswald Dissertation Chapter 1: General Introduction temperatures. While I found further support for a physiological basis for declining Rockjumper populations, further studies on other mechanisms Rockjumpers may possess to cope with climate warming (e.g. behavioural adjustments) are needed in order to truly understand their vulnerability to climate change.
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- Date Issued: 2016