Population Ecology Research Articles

First Record of the Red Cornetfish Fistularia petimba Lacepède, 1803 from Amorgos Island (Central Aegean Sea; Greece) and a Review of Its Current Distribution in the Mediterranean Sea

The rapid spread of non-native species (NNS) poses a significant threat to biodiversity globally, with the Mediterranean region being particularly susceptible due to increased human activities and its status as a marine biodiversity hotspot. In this study, we focus on the introduction and distribution of Fistularia petimba, a member of the Fistulariidae family, in the eastern Mediterranean Sea and a record from the coasts of Amorgos Island, Greece. Through a baseline fishery study conducted over 12 months, utilizing experimental sampling with gillnets, trammel nets, and longlines, one individual of F. petimba was captured off the coast of Katapola Bay. Morphological examination confirmed its identity, with measurements on meristic characteristics obtained and the stomach content analysed. This finding represents a significant addition to the documented distribution of F. petimba in the Mediterranean Sea, particularly in the Aegean Sea, underscoring the importance of ongoing research in uncovering new occurrences and expanding our understanding of marine biodiversity and ecosystem changes. Further investigation into the ecological preferences and population dynamics of F. petimba in the Aegean Sea is crucial for informed conservation and management efforts if this species is considered to be established.

Retraction

K. Kadowaki, “A Primer of Community Ecology Using the R Language,” Population Ecology 65, no. 4 (2023): 240–256, https://doi.org/10.1002/1438-390X.12158.The above article, published on 25 June 2023, in Wiley Online Library (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/), has been retracted by agreement between the author; the Editor‐in‐Chief, Atsushi Yamauchi; The Ecological Society of Japan; and JWAS Australia Ltd. AU. The retraction has been agreed at the request of the author, who informed the editor of significant errors in Figures 2D, 3A, and 5A that could not be corrected by a simple correction. As a result, the conclusions reported in the article are not considered reliable.

Unifying functional and population ecology to test the adaptive value of traits.

Plant strategies are phenotypes shaped by natural selection that enable populations to persist in a given environment. Plant strategy theory is essential for understanding the assembly of plant communities, predicting plant responses to climate change, and enhancing the restoration of our degrading biosphere. However, models of plant strategies vary widely and have tended to emphasize either functional traits or life-history traits at the expense of integrating both into a general framework to improve our ecological and evolutionary understanding of plant form and function. Advancing our understanding of plant strategies will require investment in two complementary research agendas that together will unify functional ecology and population ecology. First, we must determine what is phenotypically possible by quantifying the dimensionality of plant traits. This step requires dense taxonomic sampling of traits on species representing the broad diversity of phylogenetic clades, environmental gradients, and geographical regions found across Earth. It is important that we continue to sample traits locally and share data globally to fill biased gaps in trait databases. Second, we must test the power of traits for explaining species distributions, demographic rates, and population growth rates across gradients of resource limitation, disturbance regimes, temperature, vegetation density, and frequencies of other strategies. This step requires thoughtful, theory-driven empiricism. Reciprocal transplant experiments beyond the native range and synthetic demographic modelling are the most powerful methods to determine how trait-by-environment interactions influence fitness. Moving beyond easy-to-measure traits and evaluating the traits that are under the strongest ecological selection within different environmental contexts will improve our understanding of plant adaptations. Plant strategy theory is poised to (i) unpack the multiple dimensions of productivity and disturbance gradients and differentiate adaptations to climate and resource limitation from adaptations to disturbance, (ii) distinguish between the fundamental and realized niches of phenotypes, and (iii) articulate the distinctions and relationships between functional traits and life-history traits.

Population ecology, phenotypic variation and conservation strategy of wild banana Musa acuminata Colla: a case study in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, East Java, Indonesia

Population ecology, phenotypic variation and conservation strategy of wild banana Musa acuminata Colla: a case study in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, East Java, Indonesia

Population ecology and habitat suitability modelling of an endangered and endemic medicinal plant Meconopsis aculeata Royle under projected climate change in the Himalaya

The Himalayan region is home to the endangered and endemic medicinal plant, Meconopsis aculeata. Habitat degradation due to overexploitation and unscientific collection of the species in recent years has caused the restricted distribution range of species across its range. Therefore, the present study was conducted in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region (4.5 million km2 area) to study population ecology and identify suitable habitats for the habitat distribution modelling under projected climate change to monitor and restore the dwindling populations. Ten sites/populations (20 × 20 m plot) of M. aculeata have been studied. East aspect (5 sites) and rocky habitat (04 sites) represented the maximum number of sites. The density of M. aculeata has a significant negative correlation with slope and available potassium in soil. The MaxEnt algorithm, species occurrence data and environmental variables were used in the current study. CMIP6 project's MIROC6 and BCC-CSM2-MR climate change models were used to identify the potential distribution area for the future under the SSP245 and SSP370 scenarios for the period 2081–2100. The results showed the satisfactory quality of models based on the True-Skill-Statistic (0.838 ±0.149), Area-Under-Curve values (0.958±0.038), and the Receiver-Operating-Characteristic curves. MaxEnt predicted that 1,78,993 km2 (4.10 %) area is favourable for the occurrence of the species. The precipitation of the driest quarter, precipitation of the coldest quarter and elevation were the most influential variables for habitat suitability prediction. The distribution area with an increase in greenhouse gases shows a decrease in the period 2081–2100 in both SSPs and GCMs. The study predicted highly suitable areas that would play a vital role in in situ conservation and improving the status of species. The predicted distribution maps of the species would help policymakers and decision-makers in developing suitable management plans, which will ultimately help in the conservation of species.

Influence of the dietary contribution of terrestrial insects to the condition factor of bleak Alburnus alburnus in a highly polluted lowland river.

Bleak Alburnus alburnus is a highly abundant but understudied fish species, and we know little about the trophic ecology of populations inhabiting rivers in central Europe. From an ecosystem perspective, this fish species is interesting as it is known to feed on surface insects, thereby linking the terrestrial with the aquatic habitat. In a previous study, we demonstrated that this flux is intensified, and dietary contribution of terrestrial insects is higher in fish inhabiting sections of the Spree River, Germany, that are polluted from iron oxides occurring from former lignite mining activities, and thus are characterized by lower abundances of aquatic insects. As terrestrial insects can be considered as food of lower quality (measured as long-chained polyunsaturated fatty acids, n-3 LC-PUFAs) compared to aquatic prey, it is reasonable to assume that the higher contribution of terrestrial insects is related to a lower body condition in fish. In this study, we explore the trophic ecology of riverine A. alburnus and their fitness consequences of feeding on terrestrial insects. We therefore modeled a terrestrial index from stable isotopes of hydrogen (δ2H) measured in the A. alburnus muscle tissue and compared individuals caught in locations upstream of a dam that were greatly influenced by iron oxides, with individuals caught in sections located downstream of a dam where passive remediation technologies are applied. The terrestrial index was significantly higher in A. alburnus caught in locations at high-iron concentrations, characterized by low abundances of aquatic prey, compared to A. alburnus caught in unpolluted habitats at low-iron concentrations. In contradiction to our hypothesis, the terrestrial index had no significant effect on the body condition of A. alburnus (measured as Fulton's condition factor K) in the sections downstream of the dam (i.e., at low-iron concentrations) and a significant positive, albeit weak, effect in sections upstream of the dam (i.e., at high-iron concentrations). However, the condition factor was generally lower in the high-iron section, potentially related to more direct effects of the iron oxide. We conclude that in A. alburnus, terrestrial insects can be considered as the less-favored food, unless the fish occur in environments where the aquatic food is of limited availability. Further research is needed to evaluate the direct and indirect effects, including the internal n-3 LC-PUFA synthesis as an adaption toward low-quality terrestrial prey on the fitness consequences of A. alburnus.

Quantifying impacts of recreation on elk (Cervus canadensis) using novel modeling approaches

AbstractRecreation is known to impact wildlife by displacing and sometimes contributing to the extirpation of sensitive species, underscoring a need for policies that balance wildlife and recreation. This is especially pressing when Indigenous rights necessitate ecological integrity and sustainable populations of wildlife throughout traditional territories. In the Cascade Mountain Range of Washington, USA, Indigenous harvest of elk (Cervus canadensis) is declining, concurrent with increases in recreation. Yet, the nature and magnitude of the effects of recreation on elk are unknown, which prevents land managers from developing informed policies regarding recreation and wildlife management. Here, we use camera traps alongside visitation models that incorporate geolocated social media to quantify the impacts of recreation on elk in western Washington. Random forest models show elk detection rates are relatively constant at low levels of recreation (0–11 people/day), but decrease by over 41% when recreation increases from 12 to 22 people/day. Activity overlap analysis also revealed a shift toward increased evening activity by elk at cameras with higher‐than‐average recreation (∆ = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.61–0.88; χ2 = 7.79, p = 0.02). Generalized additive modeling confirms that elk are more crepuscular or nocturnal at camera locations with more than 10 hiker detections per day. We compare methods for estimating recreation, showing model‐based estimates are more informative than camera‐based estimates. This indicates that recreational intensity along and in the immediate vicinity of trails may be a better predictor of impacts on wildlife than camera‐based estimates that quantify recreational intensity at specific locations along trails. We stress the importance of examining the impacts of recreation on wildlife across multiple spatiotemporal scales and underscore how novel approaches can provide land managers valuable tools to develop management strategies that balance recreation and wildlife. We hope that our work can also serve as a strong example of collaboration between universities, state agencies, and sovereign Indigenous nations toward the broader goal of mitigating the negative impacts of recreation on wildlife.

Genetic divergence and one-way gene flow influence contemporary evolution and ecology of a partially migratory fish.

Recent work has revealed the importance of contemporary evolution in shaping ecological outcomes. In particular, rapid evolutionary divergence between populations has been shown to impact the ecology of populations, communities, and ecosystems. While studies have focused largely on the role of adaptive divergence in generating ecologically important variation among populations, much less is known about the role of gene flow in shaping ecological outcomes. After divergence, populations may continue to interact through gene flow, which may influence evolutionary and ecological processes. Here, we investigate the role of gene flow in shaping the contemporary evolution and ecology of recently diverged populations of anadromous steelhead and resident rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Results show that resident rainbow trout introduced above waterfalls have diverged evolutionarily from downstream anadromous steelhead, which were the source of introductions. However, the movement of fish from above to below the waterfalls has facilitated gene flow, which has reshaped genetic and phenotypic variation in the anadromous source population. In particular, gene flow has led to an increased frequency of residency, which in turn has altered population density, size structure, and sex ratio. This result establishes gene flow as a contemporary evolutionary process that can have important ecological outcomes. From a management perspective, anadromous steelhead are generally regarded as a higher conservation priority than resident rainbow trout, even when found within the same watershed. Our results show that anadromous and resident O. mykiss populations may be connected via gene flow, with important ecological consequences. Such eco-evolutionary processes should be considered when managing recently diverged populations connected by gene flow.

Genetic relationships and introgression events between wild and cultivated grapevines (Vitis vinifera L.): focus on Italian Lambruscos

Research efforts on genomic structure and ecology of wild populations of Vitis vinifera L. offer insights on grape domestication processes and on the assortment evolution of the cultivated forms. Attention is also paid to the origin of traditional, long-cultivated varieties, often producing renowned and valuable wines. The genetic relationships between 283 Vitis vinifera cultivated varieties (subsp. sativa) and 65 individuals from 9 populations of the sylvestris subspecies mainly from northern Italy were explored by means of molecular markers (27 nuclear and 4 chloroplastic microsatellites). Several episodes of contamination of the wild germplasm by the pollen of specific grape cultivars were detected, implying concern for maintaining the purity of the wild form. At the same time, events of introgression from the wild subspecies resulted playing a crucial role in the emergence of several cultivated varieties with a clear admixed genome ancestry sativa-sylvestris. These included Lambruscos originated from the flat areas crossed by the Po and Adige rivers in northern Italy, while other cultivars still called Lambrusco but typical of hilly areas did not show the same admixed genome. Historical and ecological evidences suggesting an adaptative recent post-domestication process in the origin of several Italian Lambruscos are discussed.

FORMATION OF THE FUNDAMENTALS OF INTERNATIONAL LEGAL REGULATION OF POPULATION MIGRATION PROCESSES DUE TO ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS: HISTORICAL AND LEGAL ESSAY

Introduction. The article highlights the process of forming the foundations of international legal regulation of population migration processes due to environmental factors, defining its main stages and identifying the specifics of relevant international legal sources inherent in each period. Summary of the main results of the study. It is noted that natural changes and ecological disasters, which made it impossible for groups of people to live in the area of their traditional residence, from ancient times caused mass migrations to areas more suitable for living, yet the basis of international legal regulation of the processes of population migration due to environmental factors is only a development international organizations during the 20s of the 20th - the beginning of the 21st century. With certain caveats, we can single out three main stages of this process: 1) the preparatory stage of the functioning of the League of Nations, when the international legal foundations for regulating the status of refugees in general were laid; 2) the stage of improvement of the international legal basis for solving migration problems (without specifically distinguishing migration for environmental reasons), which chronologically covered the second half of the 40s - the beginning of the 70s of the last century; 3) the stage of development of international legal acts, which already reflect an understanding of the relationship between acute environmental problems and migration processes, as well as provide for certain measures aimed at protecting the rights of environmental migrants. The last stage is still ongoing. Conclusion. The conclusion that population migration due to environmental factors is a complex international phenomenon that poses a number of important tasks to the world community is substantiated. To meet the needs of the legal regulation of ecological population migration at the universal level, a certain regulatory framework has already been formed, which, however, still needs improvement. The urgency of codifying international legal norms aimed at obtaining a detailed assessment of the state of the environment and migration flows, regulation of migration processes due to environmental factors and protection of the rights of environmental migrants is also gradually increasing. However, at present such activity can be considered only as a perspective.

The Ecological Separation of Deer and Domestic, Feral and Native Mammals in Tropical Northern Australia-A Review.

We explored the ecological and historical factors that led to formation of the unique guild of native and introduced mammalian herbivores between 5 and 1000 kg in northern Australia. Following the disappearance of large native herbivores about 46 kya, and until the arrival of Europeans and their livestock, the only herbivorous mammals were mid-sized endemic marsupial macropods, which continued to utilise the same vegetation as their much larger former neighbours. Only one species of contemporary native herbivore has an adult bodyweight approaching 100 kg, and for the past 150-200 years, the total biomass of introduced domestic and wild vertebrate herbivores has massively exceeded that of native herbivorous species. We conclude that the current guild of native and introduced mammalian herbivores differentially utilises the landscape ecologically. However, climate- and anthropogenically related changes due to fire, drought, flooding, predation and introduced weeds are likely to have significant impacts on the trajectory of their relative ecological roles and populations. Given their differing ecological and dietary characteristics, against this backdrop, it is unclear what the potential impact of the dispersal of deer species could have in northern Australia. We hence focus on whether sufficient knowledge exists against which the potential impacts of the range expansion of three deer species can be adequately assessed and have found a dearth of supporting evidence to inform appropriate sustainable management. We identify suitable research required to fill the identified knowledge gaps.

Birds of Pochamaria of Puthia Upazila in Rajshahi, Bangladesh

A study was carried out on the birds of Pochamaria in Shilmaria Union Parishad under Puthia Upazila of Rajshahi District through direct field observations during the winter season from October 2009 to March 2010. A total of 54 species of birds belonging to 9 orders, 26 families and 45 genera were recorded. Among them, 26 (48.15%) species were passerines and 28 (51.85%) non-passerines, and 42 (77.8%) were resident species, 8 (14.8%) locally migratory and 4 (7.4%) winter visitor to Pochamaria. A total of 2,394 trees and 158 bamboo clusters support the roosting habitat. The environmental and human impacts on the roosting colonies and their population ecology and conservation awareness need further study. The Chittagong Univ. J. B. Sci.,Vol. 7(1 &2):59-64 , 2012.

Assessing Residency and Site Fidelity in Bottlenose Dolphins: A Literature Review and Bibliometric Analysis

Residency and site fidelity are important parameters in population ecology for many species as they indicate the temporal and spatial use for individuals. Although both terms are clearly different, they are used interchangeably due to lack of clarity in their definitions and the ways to assess them, especially in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops spp.). Individuals with well-defined patterns of residency and site fidelity may be more vulnerable to anthropogenic disturbances; thus, the study of these parameters may help to better assess such impacts. However, interspecific differences and logistical restrictions for the study of dolphins have prevented consensus. We set out to investigate the factors that have influenced measurements of residency and site fidelity in bottlenose and a set of other dolphin species through a retrospective (~30 y: 1990 to 2019) literature review. We found 117 scientific papers with a two-fold increasing trend approximately every 15 years, with 50% published in only four journals. Most of the studies were developed in the United States, followed by Australia and Europe, likely due to strict policies for marine mammal conservation. Author collaboration network analysis showed highly atomized national groups in which North American organizations formed the biggest cluster, followed by Australia, Africa, and Europe. However, large worldwide gaps still exist, possibly because of the heterogeneity in marine mammal sampling efforts and limited information availability in the North Pacific, Central and South America, Africa, Asia, and the Indian Ocean. We found 30 different classification methods in which 12 were based on defined categories. We provide conceptual aid to distinguish between the use of both terms, as well as guidance to tackle the challenge of defining patterns of temporal use due to the variability of thresholds for classifying individuals. A paradigm shift is needed to create comprehensive, standardized, and generalized assessments of residency and site fidelity, which can be compared based on their performance across different populations of bottlenose dolphins around the world.

First insights into the spatio-temporal ecology of sympatric large carnivores in Niokolo-Koba National Park, Senegal

Abstract Large carnivores play a crucial role in their native ecosystems, but their populations are rapidly declining across the African continent. West Africa is no exception, with large protected areas often forming the last strongholds for these species. Little is known about the population status and ecology of large carnivores in the region, hampering the design and implementation of effective conservation strategies. We conducted a camera-trap survey during the dry season in Niokolo-Koba National Park, the largest terrestrial protected area in Senegal and the second largest in West Africa, to investigate the spatio-temporal ecology of the four large carnivores inhabiting the Park: the spotted hyaena Crocuta crocuta, leopard Panthera pardus, West African lion Panthera leo leo and African wild dog Lycaon pictus. Spotted hyaenas and leopards had the widest spatial distribution and highest probability of site use. Spotted hyaena site use was positively associated with leopard relative abundance index and negatively associated with normalized difference vegetation index, whereas only distance to the nearest road influenced leopard site use. Distance to the Gambian River was the most important covariate positively affecting site use by lions. African wild dog site use was negatively associated with the relative abundance indices of lions and leopards. Lions, spotted hyaenas and leopards showed strong overlap in their activity patterns. By providing new information on the ecology of large carnivores in West Africa, including where they range and which habitats are critical for their survival, our study will facilitate conservation planning. Our findings lay the foundations for future research to conserve these threatened species in West Africa effectively and to guide ranger patrol efforts, which are key for their long-term survival.

Mosquitoes do not influence Cotton Mouse (Peromyscus gossypinus) giving-up densities

Abstract It is commonly recognized that predation and the risk of predation can have profound effects on behaviors and population ecology of prey. Comparatively, little attention has been paid to the trade-offs hosts make to manage the risk of parasitism, but there is evidence that hosts make behavioral trade-offs to avoid parasitism in ways that resemble those made by prey animals under the risk of predation. Mosquitoes are common hematophagous ectoparasites which parasitize a wide range of vertebrates, resulting in blood loss, distraction, and disease transmission. Many hosts engage in defensive behaviors to repel or kill mosquitoes and these behaviors likely come at the expense of activities such as foraging and vigilance for predators. We placed a mosquito attractant (BG-Sweetscent) and repellant (allethrin) near artificial foraging patches in areas where mosquitoes were common and measured the amount of grain left after a night of foraging (giving-up density) to investigate whether mosquitoes influenced Cotton Mouse (Peromyscus gossypinus) foraging. We predicted that in patches with mosquito attractants, mosquito harassment would cause mice to engage in defensive behaviors which would distract or deter them from foraging, resulting in less grain consumption relative to control patches. Conversely, we predicted that in mosquito-repellent patches, mice would experience less harassment, resulting in more grain consumption. Indoor arena trials found no evidence that the mosquito treatments influenced cotton mouse behavior in the absence of mosquitoes. However, we found no evidence that mosquito treatments affected giving-up densities.

Coding Optimization for an Ecological non-linear Age-structured Fish Population Model with a Shepherd Recruitment Function

The study of the optimally density-regulated recruitment plays a crucial role in the overall management and determining of fishing efforts of marine fish populations. This paper will develop a Matlab code can determine what an optimal recruitment density regulation strategy would be for the un-fished population and what it changes to when fishing efforts are applied. This code can determine threshold values used to avoid fisheries from collapsing. The code will be applied to the Gulf of California Pacific sardine (Sardinops caeruleus) population. An age structured design with a Shepherd density regulating stock-recruitment function is used in this study. In this work, the parameter which is varied is captured in the Shepherd recruitment function and is associated with behavioral interventions such as selecting different drift routes and clumping on resources that will increase egg-larvae survival to the recruitment stage. A detailed background study of other models is explored, then a derivation of the Shepherd recruitment model is developed from the traditional discrete model. A special MATLAB code is then developed to illustrate the pair-wise invasive plots for the model structures. The code is for theoretical analysis of fish population models.

Ecology and abundance of a relict population of the bush cricket Saga pedo in the Northern Apennines, Italy.

The expansion of forest cover and intensification of agriculture represent the main threats to the bush cricket Saga pedo, currently listed as Vulnerable globally by the IUCN and included in Annex IV of the European Union Habitats Directive. Gathering information on its ecology and population size is challenging due to its low abundance and localized distribution. Additionally, the elusive and cryptic behavior of this species reduces the likelihood of its detection, potentially resulting in population underestimations. Thus, in this study, we aimed to (1) estimate S. pedo population size in relation to environmental variables and prey availability and (2) predict abundance of S. pedo in our study area for future monitoring in nearby territories. We found that the population of S. pedo in our study area consists of 197 (±115) individuals with a detection probability of 21.01% (±11.09). Detection probability of S. pedo further decreases on windy days. Moreover, we found that the investigated population of S. pedo occupies suboptimal areas, as highlighted not only by the predicted abundances but also by the association between S. pedo and other subfamilies of orthoptera that are ecologically very distant from our target species and mostly linked to mesophilic biotopes. Most of the individuals we observed are concentrated in small clearings completely within wooded matrices and therefore isolated from each other. Based on our results, it is possible that forest expansion toward open meadows represents the main threat to this population, transforming the clearings and xeric meadows (to which S. pedo is linked) into small and fragmented patches that are suboptimal and insufficient to host viable populations.

Traversing the Great Lakes: Post‐glacial colonization by a widespread terrestrial salamander

AbstractAimsGlacial retreat at the end of the Pleistocene epoch opened vast expanses of emergent habitat in the northern hemisphere that were colonized by opportunistic taxa. However, species that undergo post‐glacial expansion may have originated from one or several glacial refugia. We inferred the post‐glacial expansion history of the Eastern Red‐backed Salamander (Plethodon cinereus), a fully terrestrial species with a vast distribution despite severe dispersal limitations. Previous studies indicated populations south of the glacial boundary at the eastern and western limits of the distribution were closely related, suggesting either multiple refugia or an extraordinary post‐glacial expansion event.LocationEastern North America.Taxon Plethodon cinereus (Green, 1818), Caudata: Plethodontidae.MethodsWe collected ddRAD‐seq data from 106 individuals throughout the distribution of P. cinereus. We estimated phylogeographic structure, including finer‐scale structure among the post‐glacial populations. To test the origins and routes of colonization, we used ecological niche modelling, population trees and analyses of directional range expansion.ResultsAnalyses supported our hypothesis of a southeastern glacial refugium, with northward expansion along the Eastern Seaboard prior to westward invasion into the Great Lakes region, including southwestern expansion into unglaciated areas at the western end of the distribution. However, a distinct subgroup in the northwestern portion of the range raises the possibility of a second refugium near the ice‐free Driftless Area.Main ConclusionsBased on our results, we hypothesize a southeastern refugium from which most of today's northern populations undertook extensive post‐glacial colonization. Our results indicate a geographically non‐linear colonization history for P. cinereus.

A comprehensive review on the impact of climate change on the ecology, breeding seasonality, abundance and distribution of birds and possible approaches to address and conserve bird populations

The purpose of this paper is to review and evaluate published literature on the impact of climate change on birds. A systematic method was utilized to access research works of literature on “Impact of Climate Change on Birds”. A total of sixty-seven (67) research papers published between the years 1962 to 2023 was accumulated and used for this review. A subjective approach was used to select the topics: impact of climate change and birds. In this paper, nine (9) threatening impacts of climate change on the bird populations were assessed and presented as well as three (3) detrimental impacts of climate change on birds inhabiting mangrove forests. Further, this paper assessed some birds that are threatened with extinction and it also provided a checklist of some migratory birds that are threatened due to the changing climate and that are found on the RED list of the IUCN. Approaches and strategies to enhance and address bird conservation to combat the effect of climate change was also presented in this review. The published works of literature established that the global bird population dynamics, ecology, breeding seasonality, abundance and distribution are all affected due to the threats of climate change. Climate change will affect birds indirectly in the future by modifying their habitats through sea level rise, changes in fire regimes, and changes in vegetation or land use. Birds are in particular vulnerable to environmental changes like climate change since they are subject to continuous changes that may be negatively connected. This review highlights the fact that more extensive studies on the impact of climate change on birds should be done in neotropical countries since there are gaps of such information on research and published data in these biodiversity rich regions.

Social and genetic connectivity despite ecological variation in a killer whale network.

Philopatric kin-based societies encourage a narrow breadth of conservative behaviours owing to individuals primarily learning from close kin, promoting behavioural homogeneity. However, weaker social ties beyond kin, and across a behaviourally diverse social landscape, could be sufficient to induce variation and a greater ecological niche breadth. We investigated a network of 457 photo-identified killer whales from Norway (548 encounters in 2008-2021) with diet data available (46 mixed-diet individuals feeding on both fish and mammals, and 411 exclusive fish-eaters) to quantify patterns of association within and between diet groups, and to identify underlying correlates. We genotyped a subset of 106 whales to assess patterns of genetic differentiation. Our results suggested kinship as main driver of social bonds within and among cohesive social units, while diet was most likely a consequence reflective of cultural diffusion, rather than a driver. Flexible associations within and between ecologically diverse social units led to a highly connected network, reducing social and genetic differentiation between diet groups. Our study points to a role of social connectivity, in combination with individual behavioural variation, in influencing population ecology in killer whales.