East-central Illinois Research Articles

The Impact of Cervid Herbivory on Industrial Fiber Hemp in East Central Illinois

The Impact of Cervid Herbivory on Industrial Fiber Hemp in East Central Illinois

Fluvial channel path evolution – Documenting decades of change along the Little Wabash River, East Central Illinois, USA

Fluvial channel path evolution – Documenting decades of change along the Little Wabash River, East Central Illinois, USA

The relationship of prenatal acetaminophen exposure and attention-related behavior in early childhood

Acetaminophen is currently the only analgesic considered safe for use throughout pregnancy, but recent studies indicate that prenatal exposure to acetaminophen may be related to poorer neurodevelopmental outcomes. Multiple studies have suggested that it may be associated with attention problems, but few have examined this association by trimester of exposure. The Illinois Kids Development Study is a prospective birth cohort located in east-central Illinois. Exposure data were collected between December 2013 and March 2020, and 535 newborns were enrolled during that period. Mothers reported the number of times they took acetaminophen at six time points across pregnancy. When children were 2, 3, and 4 years of age, caregivers completed the Child Behavior Checklist for ages 1.5–5 years (CBCL). Associations of acetaminophen use during pregnancy with scores on the Attention Problems and ADHD Problems syndrome scales, the Internalizing and Externalizing Behavior composite scales, and the Total Problems score were evaluated. Higher acetaminophen exposure during the second trimester of fetal development was associated with higher Attention Problems, ADHD Problems, Externalizing Behavior, and Total Problems scores at ages 2 and 3. Higher second trimester exposure was only associated with higher Externalizing Behavior and Total Problems scores at 4 years. Higher cumulative exposure across pregnancy was associated with higher Attention Problems and ADHD Problems scores at ages 2 and 3. Findings suggest that prenatal acetaminophen exposure, especially during the second trimester, may be related to problems with attention in early childhood.

UTILIZING TECHNOLOGY AND INTEGRATED SERVICES TO SUPPORT FAMILY CAREGIVERS IN RURAL COMMUNITIES

Abstract CRIS Healthy Aging is a non-profit organization in East Central Illinois that serves older adults who are often lower-income and/or living in a rural community. CRIS’ mission is to keep older adults safe, healthy, and independent in their own homes for as long as possible. CRIS’ Memory Care Program (MCP) expanded upon the evidence-based STAR-Caregivers (STAR-C) program. In addition to administering traditional STAR-C training, CRIS provides caregiving dyads with more integrated services, including (1) implementation of technology like the Amazon Alexa Echo Show devices and OneClick video conferencing for older adults, (2) peer support and education opportunities including Memory Café, Stress-Busting Program for Family Caregivers, and the NCOA Aging Mastery Program, as well as (3) providing financial assistance, respite, and additional aging services. In the past 4 years, the CRIS MCP, funded by a federal ADPI grant through ACL, has served approximately 200 caregiving dyads, and collected pre- and post-treatment survey data from a cohort of 52. Those served consistently reported that the STAR-C program was extremely helpful for them. Most importantly, caregivers reported significant decreases in behavior frequency (t=14.75, p<0.01) and severity of personal stress response (t-21.51, p<0.01). Compared to baseline, caregivers also reported feeling less resentful (p=0.005), less socially isolated (p>0.05, however qualitative data supports downward trend), and saw improvements to quality of life (t=-1.77, p<0.042). Ongoing barriers to service in these rural and low-income communities include a global pandemic, misinformation, fear of the unknown, family unwillingness to participate, and financial concerns.

Examining the relationship of acetaminophen use during pregnancy with early language development in children

BackgroundAcetaminophen is the only analgesic considered safe for use throughout pregnancy. Recent studies suggest that use during pregnancy may be associated with poorer neurodevelopmental outcomes in children, but few have examined language development.MethodsThe Illinois Kids Development Study is a prospective birth cohort in east-central Illinois. Between December 2013 and March 2020, 532 newborns were enrolled and had exposure data available. Participants reported the number of times they took acetaminophen six times across pregnancy. Language data were collected at 26.5–28.5 months using the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories (CDI; n = 298), and 36–38 months using the Speech and Language Assessment Scale (SLAS; n = 254).ResultsTaking more acetaminophen during the second or third trimester was associated with marginally smaller vocabularies and shorter utterance length (M3L) at 26.5–28.5 months. More acetaminophen use during the third trimester was also associated with increased odds of M3L scores ≤25th percentile in male children. More use during the second or third trimester was associated with lower SLAS scores at 36–38 months. Third trimester use was specifically related to lower SLAS scores in male children.ConclusionsHigher prenatal acetaminophen use during pregnancy may be associated with poorer early language development.ImpactTaking more acetaminophen during pregnancy, particularly during the second and third trimesters, was associated with poorer scores on measures of language development when children were 26.5–28.5 and 36–38 months of age.Only male children had lower scores in analyses stratified by child sex.To our knowledge, this is the first study that has used a standardized measure of language development to assess the potential impact of prenatal exposure to acetaminophen on language development.This study adds to the growing body of literature suggesting that the potential impact of acetaminophen use during pregnancy on fetal neurodevelopment should be carefully evaluated.

Improving nitrate load simulation of the SWAT model in an extensively tile-drained watershed

Subsurface drainage systems are effective management practices employed to remove excess soil water, thereby improving soil aeration and crop productivity. However, these systems can also contribute to water quality issues by enhancing nitrate leaching and loads from agricultural fields. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) is commonly used to assess nitrate loads and long-term water quality impacts from agricultural watersheds. However, the current SWAT model oversimplifies nitrate transport processes by assuming a linear relationship between nitrate concentrations in tile flow and soil nitrate content. It also neglects the time lag between nitrate loading and transport with the flow. This study aimed to enhance the accuracy of nitrate load prediction by revising the subsurface drainage routine in the SWAT model. The revised routine was tested using flow and nitrate load measurements from a typical tile-drained watershed in east-central Illinois, U.S. The results demonstrated that the revised SWAT nitrate routine outperformed the current one in simulating nitrate transport at field and watershed scales. The revised routine improved the nitrate load prediction from an “unacceptable” to a “satisfactory” or “good” rating on the field scale. A sensitivity analysis conducted using the revised nitrate module showed the parameters directly associated with transpiration, groundwater discharge to the reach, the lag time of tile flow, and channel flow hydraulics were the most sensitive in nitrate load simulation. In addition, different tile depth scenarios were modeled to evaluate variation in the amount of surface runoff, tile flow, and nitrate loads by the surface flow and tile flow. The results of tile configuration scenarios agreed with understanding the tile flow process. The test results demonstrated the potential of the revised SWAT nitrate module as a tool to accurately evaluate the effects of tile drainage systems on water quality.

Estimation of hydraulic conductivity in a watershed using sparse multi-source data via Gaussian process regression and Bayesian experimental design

Enhanced water management systems depend on accurate estimation of subsurface hydraulic properties. However, geologic formations can vary significantly, so information from a single source (e.g., widely spaced boreholes) is insufficient in characterizing subsurface aquifer properties. Therefore, multiple sources of information are needed to complement the hydrogeology understanding of a region. This study presents a numerical framework in which information from different measurement sources is combined to characterize the 3D random field in a multi-fidelity prediction model. Coupled with the model, a Bayesian experimental design was used to determine the best future sampling locations. The Upper Sangamon watershed in east-central Illinois was selected as the case study site, where the multi-fidelity Gaussian process model was used to estimate the hydraulic conductivity in the region of interest. Multi-source observation data were obtained from electrical resistivity and borehole pumping tests. The accuracy of the model prediction is dependent on the locations and the distribution of both high- and low-fidelity data. Furthermore, the multi-fidelity model was compared with the single-fidelity model. The uncertainties and confidence in the measurements and parameter estimates were quantified and used to design future cycles of data collection to further improve the confidence intervals.

Four 2023 ACS regional meetings open calls for papers

Organized by local sections of the American Chemical Society, ACS regional meetings provide technical programs and poster sessions, as well as expositions and social events. Abstract submissions are being accepted for four regional meetings taking place in the fall. Joint Midwest–Great Lakes Regional Meeting The Saint Louis Section and East Central Illinois Local Section invite abstract submissions to the 2023 Joint Midwest–Great Lakes Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society (MWRM–GLRM). The meeting will take place Oct. 18–21 at the Saint Charles Convention Center in Saint Charles, Missouri. The meeting, whose theme is “Scale Up Your STEM,” will feature plenary speakers, technical sessions and special symposia, poster sessions, regional award presentations, social events, and a large vendor exposition. In addition, there will be undergraduate programming, chemistry education workshops for high school teachers, and events sponsored by the local Younger Chemists Committee and the Minority Affairs Committee. Details can be found

Two decades of fumigation data from the Soybean Free Air Concentration Enrichment facility

The Soybean Free Air Concentration Enrichment (SoyFACE) facility is the longest running open-air carbon dioxide and ozone enrichment facility in the world. For over two decades, soybean, maize, and other crops have been exposed to the elevated carbon dioxide and ozone concentrations anticipated for late this century. The facility, located in East Central Illinois, USA, exposes crops to different atmospheric concentrations in replicated octagonal ~280 m2 Free Air Concentration Enrichment (FACE) treatment plots. Each FACE plot is paired with an untreated control (ambient) plot. The experiment provides important ground truth data for predicting future crop productivity. Fumigation data from SoyFACE were collected every four seconds throughout each growing season for over two decades. Here, we organize, quality control, and collate 20 years of data to facilitate trend analysis and crop modeling efforts. This paper provides the rationale for and a description of the SoyFACE experiments, along with a summary of the fumigation data and collation process, weather and ambient data collection procedures, and explanations of air pollution metrics and calculations.

Macular pigment is inversely related to circulating C-reactive protein concentrations in school-aged children

Xanthophyll carotenoids (i.e., lutein and zeaxanthin) are plant pigments that selectively deposit in the macula of the eye and provide retinal tissue with protection against photooxidative stress. Although having greater xanthophylls in various tissues is related to lower inflammation in adulthood and infancy, this relationship is underinvestigated in childhood. Thus, this study aimed to elucidate the relationships between macular xanthophyll status and inflammation in school-aged children. We hypothesized that greater macular pigment would be associated with lower systemic concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP). Forty children (aged 7-12 years) from the East-Central Illinois area were recruited. Data were collected in a convenience sample over multiple visits to the laboratory that occurred over 1 month, including all individuals who provided adequate blood samples for analyses. Macular pigment optical density (MPOD) was assessed using customized heterochromatic flicker photometry. Dietary lutein and zeaxanthin were determined using 7-day diet records. Capillary dried blood spot samples were analyzed for CRP concentrations via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Whole-body percentage fat (%Fat) was measured using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Two-step hierarchical linear regression modelling was used to assess relationships between MPOD and CRP, following adjustment of pertinent covariates and the removal of outliers (N = 3). MPOD was negatively associated with CRP concentrations, after controlling for a priori covariates of age, sex, %Fat, and dietary lutein and zeaxanthin (β = –0.58, ΔR2 = 0.22, P = .004). Age, sex, dietary lutein and zeaxanthin, and %Fat did not significantly contribute to the model. This study provides novel evidence that macular pigment and peripheral inflammation are inversely related in childhood.

From prairie to crop: Spatiotemporal dynamics of surface soil organic carbon stocks over 167 years in Illinois, U.S.A.

Quantifying spatiotemporal dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks is needed to understand the impact of land use change and can help target carbon sequestration efforts. In the recently and radically transformed landscapes of the state of Illinois, U.S.A., we evaluated surface SOC stocks under land use change using a space-for-time substitution method over 167 years. Additionally, we determined SOC stocks for the A horizon vs 0-30 cm depth to evaluate pedogenically-informed vs more commonly used fixed depth approaches. Legacy soil datasets from 1980 to 2012 were combined with environmental covariates using a random forest algorithm. To more accurately estimate pre-agricultural land use SOC stocks (i.e., pre-1845), SOC observations collected from soils under native prairie and forest were extracted from peer-reviewed publications. The model was validated on 25 % of the total 627 test data (RA-hor2: 0.59 and R0-302: 0.56; RMSEA-hor: 20.5 and RMSE0-30:19.3 Mg/ha) independent of the 75 % of data for calibration (R2: 0.91; RMSEA-hor:10.1 and RMSE0-30:9.6 Mg/ha). SOC stocks were largest under prairie (A horizon: 156.1 Mg/ha; 0-30 cm: 152.4 Mg/ha) and lowest under pasture (A horizon: 33.2, 0-30 cm: 44.6 Mg/ha). SOC stocks varied less by soil order than by land use. Between 1845 and 2012, surface SOC stocks decreased for most of Illinois, with greatest losses in central (-16.3 Mg/ha) and east-central Illinois (-47.0 Mg/ha) where approximately 80 % of prairie was converted to cropland. A slight increase in surface SOC stocks occurred in the unglaciated northwest region and the less recently glaciated south region, as well as in alluvial corridors. This study (i) highlights how estimating spatiotemporal dynamics of surface SOC stocks over centennial timescales can benefit from including measures of SOC under native land use not usually contained in legacy pedon datasets, and (ii) illustrates the potential of identifying localized hotspots of historical SOC loss and thus deficits that can be prioritized for carbon sequestration efforts.

Fishes of Champaign County, Illinois: as affected by 120 years of stream changes

With data spanning over 120 years, the Fishes of Champaign County is a comprehensive, long-term investigation into the changing fish communities of east-central Illinois. Surveys first occurred in Champaign County in the late 1880s (40 sites), with subsequent surveys in 1928–1929 (125 sites), 1959–1960 (143 sites), and 1987–1988 (141 sites). Between 2012 and 2015, we resampled 122 sites across Champaign County. The combined data from these five surveys have produced a unique perspective into not only the fish communities of the region, but also insight into in-stream habitat changes during the past 120 years. After a period of degradation, fish communities appear to be improving throughout the county, demonstrated by the return of two state-threatened species that had not been recorded since 1928. Our analysis of in-stream habitat indicates a general trend away from small streams of various substrate types toward wider, deeper streams with a more uniform substrate. Fish community data support the results, indicating a shift from typical headwater species to those species that frequent deeper streams with more stable flows. Long-term surveys such as this are rare, and the data and analyses of these surveys can provide managers with valuable information to further restoration efforts using a historical perspective.

Far from home: Bat activity and diversity in row crop agriculture decreases with distance to potential roost habitat

As demand for food increases, agricultural production is poised to increase dramatically. Pesticides are commonly used to maintain high crop yield, though they have several drawbacks, including reduced efficacy over time and harmful effects to human and ecosystem health. Bats are highly effective predators of crop pests and have great potential to reduce crop damage resulting from insects. However, few studies have investigated how pest control by bats might change over large expanses of continuous row crop agriculture, which is common in the midwestern USA. Agricultural landscapes offer few roosting opportunities and could be difficult for bats to traverse, which might affect the degree of ecosystem services provided by bats. We hypothesized that with increasing distance into uninterrupted row crop agriculture 1) bat activity would decrease and 2) bat species richness would decrease, but that these effects would be buffered when insect pest abundance is high. We deployed 50 acoustic bat detectors over 10 transects in east-central Illinois from July to September 2021. In each transect, we placed detectors on crop field edges at increasing distance from a large riparian corridor assumed to be frequented by bats. Bat activity was high across the landscape but declined by 56% from the forest edge to 4000 m into row crop agriculture, while bat diversity decreased by 34%. Pest abundance seemed to decrease overall bat activity but had no effect on bat diversity. These results indicate that bats, although able to have a large effect on crop pest reduction, might not be as efficient in suppressing crop pests in vast uninterrupted agricultural landscapes which offer scant roost availability. Our work will inform recommendations to landowners and private lands managers on ways to increase bat access to roosts and forest cover near agricultural areas, thereby enhancing the potential for bats to provide pest control services.

Post-fledging behavioral ecology of migratory songbirds: how do fledgling activity rates vary across species?

AbstractDespite a large literature on the ontogeny of animal behavior, our understanding of behavioral development in young songbirds remains relatively poor. This is particularly true for the post-fledging period, where it is often difficult to follow and observe small, freely moving fledglings for extended periods of time. Fortunately, technological advances have enabled more robust examinations of songbird post-fledging behaviors. To provide greater insight into fledgling developmental and behavioral ecology, we used automated radio-telemetry systems to document post-fledging activity rates of juveniles across 9 songbird species of east-central Illinois, USA. Specifically, we sought to examine differences in the ontogeny of activity rates across species, and compare activity rates to intrinsic (e.g. morphological traits, age) and extrinsic (e.g. predation risk, brood size) factors that have the potential to influence fledgling behavior. While post-fledging activity rates differed by species, our findings show remarkable similarities in the ontogeny of fledgling activity across the avian community; all species exhibited a steady increase in activity rates with post-fledging age, with rates leveling off roughly 3 to 4 weeks post-fledging. These general patterns mirrored rates of post-fledging mortality (primarily due to predation) across the period, including the presence or absence of a post-fledging bottleneck, in which species with bottlenecks exhibit slight declines in activity rates during the first few days out of the nest. Alongside fledgling age and mortality risk, our findings also suggest that juvenile wing development and brood size at fledging mediate fledgling activity rates within and across species.

Weight Status and Visceral Adiposity Mediate the Relation between Exclusive Breastfeeding Duration and Skin Carotenoids in Later Childhood.

ABSTRACTBackgroundBreastfeeding is associated with healthier weight and nutrient status in early life. However, the impact of breastfeeding on carotenoid status beyond infancy, and the influence of adiposity, are unknown.ObjectivesThe aim of the study was to retrospectively investigate the relation between breastfeeding and carotenoid status, and the mediating effect of weight status and adiposity on this relation, among school-age children.MethodsThis was a secondary analysis of baseline data collected from a randomized-controlled clinical trial. Children 7–12 y old (n = 81) were recruited from East-Central Illinois. DXA was used to assess visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and whole-body total fat percentage (%Fat; i.e., whole-body adiposity). Weight was obtained to calculate children's BMI percentiles. Skin carotenoids were assessed via reflection spectroscopy. Macular carotenoids were assessed as macular pigment optical density (MPOD). Dietary, birth, and breastfeeding information was self-reported by parents.ResultsSkin carotenoids were inversely related to %Fat (P < 0.01), VAT (P < 0.01), and BMI percentile (P < 0.01). VAT and BMI percentile significantly mediated this relation between exclusive breastfeeding duration and skin carotenoids, after adjustment for dietary carotenoids, energy intake, and mother education.ConclusionsWeight status and adipose tissue distribution mediate the positive correlation between exclusive breastfeeding duration and skin carotenoids among children aged 7–12 y. The results indicate the need to support breastfeeding and healthy physical growth in childhood for optimal carotenoid status.This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03521349.

Variable or atypical? Comparing unusual songs of the Tufted Titmouse with a citizen-science database

The Tufted Titmouse Baeolophus bicolor is well known for its stereotyped “peter-peter-peter” song, but anecdotal reports of its song’s diversity also exist. We identified an atypical song in East-Central Illinois, USA, that has persisted for several years in the same vicinity. We used a spectrogram-based comparison metric to assess song similarity scores against con- and heterospecific songs from a citizen-science database. The results suggest that these novel songs may truly be outliers beyond the Tufted Titmouse’s local range of species-typical song variability. Our study also illustrates a methodological approach regarding the assessment of other, potentially atypical vocalizations recorded from birds.

Agricultural Nitrogen Budget for a Long-Term Row Crop Production System in the Midwest USA

In the Midwestern United States, subsurface drainage (commonly known as tile drains) systems have been extensively used for sustaining agricultural production. However, the tile drains have raised concerns of facilitating the transport of agricultural chemicals from the fields to receiving waters. Data from a long-term field experiment in the Little Vermilion River (LVR) watershed of east-central Illinois, USA, shows that the tile drain systems have contributed to increased nitrate N (NO3-N) to the receiving water body, Georgetown Lake Reservoir, over time. We conducted more than 10 years of research on fate and transport of NO3-N in tile drain water, surface runoff and soil N. Corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max L.) were planted in rotation for this watershed. We evaluated N balance (inputs and outputs) and transfer (runoff and leaching) components from three sites with both surface and subsurface flow stations within this watershed, and N budgets for individual sites were developed. Nitrogen fertilizer application (average 192 kg ha−1 y−1) and soil N mineralization (average 88 kg ha−1 y−1) were the major N inputs for corn and soybean, respectively in this watershed. Plant N uptake was the major N output for both crops during this entire study period. Annual N uptake for the LVR watershed ranged from +39 to +148 (average +93) kg ha−1 and −63 to +5 (average −32) kg ha−1, respectively, for corn and soybeans. This data indicates that most of the soil mineralized N was used during soybean production years, while corn production years added extra N in the soil. Surface runoff from the watershed was negligible, however, subsurface leaching through tile drains removed about 18% of the total rainfall. Average NO3-N concentrations of leaching water at sites A (15 mg L−1) and B (16.5 mg L−1) exceeded maximum contaminant level (MCL; 10 mg L−1) throughout the experiment. However, NO3-N concentrations from site E (6.9 mg L−1) never exceeded MCL possibly because 15–22% lower N was received at this site. We estimated that the average corn grain yield would need to be 28% higher to remove the additional N from this watershed. Our study suggests that N application schemes of the LVR watershed need to be reevaluated for better N management, optimum crop production, and overall environmental sustainability.

Immobilization of agricultural phosphorus in temperate floodplain soils of Illinois, USA

Nutrient losses from Mississippi watersheds degrade downstream water bodies. As forested floodplains intercept agricultural drainage waters, a limiting nutrient like phosphorus (P) could potentially be sequestered in forest soils, reducing P loss to the Gulf of Mexico. Thus far, the role of temperate deciduous floodplain soils for P has not been extensively investigated in the Midwestern United States. The objective of this study was to investigate the buffering capacity of P in floodplain soils using soil biochemical chemical assays, 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and P K-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy (XANES). Phosphorus reaction dynamics were compared between floodplains and surrounding upland soils in east-central Illinois, USA. Total organic P was significantly greater in the floodplain (277.27 ± 159.51 mg kg−1) than that in the upland (113.04 ± 74.88 mg kg−1), illustrating its buffering capacity. Notably, microbial biomass P (averaged 13.08 mg kg−1) was greater in the floodplain than that in the upland. The results of 31P NMR analysis showed the presence of organic P (e.g., orthophosphate monoesters) and orthophosphate. The P K-edge XANES analysis shows that these inorganic and organic P species are predominantly adsorbed in calcite and precipitated as calcium phosphate in floodplain soils. These findings suggest that temperate deciduous floodplain soils have a great potential to immobilize agricultural P in the Upper Mississippi watershed.

Closed depressions and soil phosphorus influence subsurface phosphorus losses in a tile-drained field in Illinois.

Artificial subsurface (tile) drainage systems can convey phosphorus (P) from agricultural fields to surface waters; however, controls of subsurface dissolved reactive P (DRP) losses at the sub-field scale are not fully understood. We characterized subsurface DRP loads and flow-weighted mean concentration (FWMC) from January 2015 through September 2017 to determine seasonal (growing vs. non-growing) patterns from 36 individually monitored plots across a farm under a corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotation in east-central Illinois. Using linear mixed models, we investigated the effects of soil test P (STP), depression depth, and their interaction with precipitation and P fertilization on subsurface DRP losses. Dissolved reactive P loads in drainage tiles increased with precipitation and were greatest during the non-growing season (NGS) in 2016 and 2017. Annual subsurface DRP loads were positively related to STP, and during the NGS, there was a positive relationship between depression depth quantified at the plot-scale and subsurface DRP loads and FWMC. Along a depression-depth gradient, piecewise regression displayed a threshold at a depth of 0.38m at which STP increased, indicating soil P accumulation in deeper closed depressions. Our study highlights the need to identify areas with the greatest risk of subsurface P losses to implement sub-field scale nutrient management practices.

Pre- to post-fledging carryover effects and the adaptive significance of variation in wing development for juvenile songbirds.

Evolutionary ecologists have long been interested in the adaptive significance of morphological traits across stages of animal life. In some cases, traits that are not adaptive in one life stage may be adaptive in a subsequent stage. As such, morphological traits may generate important carryover effects, whereby conditions experienced during one life-history stage influence fitness during subsequent stages. Carryover effects are particularly relevant in young animals, as early life stages are thought to be critical with respect to animal life-history evolution and population dynamics. In songbirds, pre- to post-fledging carryover effects operating within species may be critical for survival and shape life histories among species, but remain poorly understood. Among potential songbird traits, wing development and its associated flight ability may be the most important for post-fledging survival. Thus, to assess the adaptive significance of wing development for juvenile songbirds under Arnold's (Integrative and Comparative Biology, 23, 1983, 347) classic performance-morphology-fitness paradigm, we tested for pre- to post-fledging carryover effects among 20 coexisting species (nine focal species) of an avian community in east-central Illinois, USA. We found evidence for pre- to post-fledging carryover effects of wing development in all species, by which individuals with less developed wings exhibited poorer flight ability and experienced higher rates of mortality after fledging. Furthermore, our findings suggest that carryover effects operating at the species level ultimately help shape patterns of life-history variation among species. Specifically, we found that species with higher rates of nest predation had shorter nestling periods, fledged young with less developed wings and exhibited higher rates of post-fledging mortality. Our results highlight the adaptive significance of wing development as a key factor generating pre- to post-fledging carryover effects among songbirds, and demonstrate how morphological traits, locomotor performance, and age-specific survival may trade-off and interact across juvenile life stages to shape animal life histories.