Ibis
Models of climate change predict that its effects on animal populations will not always be negative, but most studies indicate negative associations between changes in climate and the phenology of animal migration and reproduction. For some populations, however, climate change may render particular environments more favourable, with positive effects on population growth. We used a 30‐year population...
Declines in habitat quality through the breeding season within a bird’s home‐range can limit overall productivity. In environments where multiple breeding opportunities arise during the course of a season, these effects can be buffered by a shift to different breeding sites or habitats. We studied the distribution and habitat associations of a crop‐nesting farmland bird, the Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava...
Incidental capture of seabirds in longline fishing gear is a central issue in the conservation of many long‐lived marine species. Despite growing evidence of climate‐induced effects on population trends of long‐lived species, climate change remains generally overlooked in most risk assessments of seabirds. Because variation in climate may interact with the detrimental effects of bycatch, considering...
Great Bustards Otis tarda have expanded their habitat range from historical occupancy of natural steppes to arable farmland, where the species initially benefited from favourable feeding conditions. More recently, the species has suffered severe declines due partly to agricultural intensification. Nest losses and juvenile mortality are amongst the factors most seriously affecting survival probabilities...
In many countries, the implementation of measures to protect declining species has led to the recolonization of some areas by bird species within their historic range. There is, however, a lack of quantitative tools for exploring and projecting such large‐scale dynamics. Here, we present an approach that makes use of both census and habitat suitability data and integrates them into a spatially explicit...
We describe the migration, biometrics and moult of Red Knot Calidris canutus canutus in southern Africa and compare them with the biometrics and moult of Calidris canutus islandica in northern Europe to examine possible adaptations to different environments during the non‐breeding season. Northward and southward migration of C. c. canutus took place along the coast of Western Europe and there was...
The development of forward scenarios is a useful method of envisaging the environmental implications of potential changes in land use, as a tool for policy development. In this paper, a spatially explicit case study is used to provide insight into the environmental impacts of Common Agricultural Policy reform on Skylark Alauda arvensis, a species which is widespread on arable farmland, breeds in crops...