Migratory Connectivity and Non‐Breeding Habitat Segregation Across Biogeographical Scales in Closely Related Seabird Taxa
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: ABSTRACT Aim In highly mobile species, Migratory Connectivity (MC) has relevant consequences in population dynamics, genetic mixing, conservation and management. Additionally, in colonially breeding species, the maintenance of the breeding geographical structure during the non‐breeding period, that is, a strong MC, can promote isolation and population divergence, which ultimately can affect the process of lineage sorting. In geographically structured populations, studying the MC and differences in environmental preferences among colonies, populations, or taxa can improve our understanding of the ecological divergence among them. Location Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Methods We investigated the MC and non‐breeding ecological niche of three seabird taxa from the genus Calonectris ( n = 805 individuals). Using 1346 year‐round trips from 34 different breeding colonies, we assess the level (from taxa to colony) at which MC and non‐breeding spatial and environmental segregation emerge. Results At a taxon level, we found a clear difference in the non‐breeding distributions between Cory's ( C. borealis ) and Scopoli's ( C. diomedea ) shearwaters, and a clear ecological divergence between Cory's and Cape Verde ( C. edwardsii ) shearwaters. At an intermediate aggregation level, we found that birds breeding in proximity had similar non‐breeding habitat preferences, while birds breeding in very distant colonies (and therefore classified in different populations) had different non‐breeding habitat preferences. Furthermore, within each taxon, we found more structure (i.e. stronger MC) and non‐breeding divergence at an intermediate aggregation level than at the colony scale, where MC was weak. Main Conclusions These results suggest that conspecifics from nearby colonies mix in common non‐breeding areas, but not with birds from more distant colonies or different taxa. These results support the need for management and conservation strategies that take into account this structure when dealing with migratory species with high connectivity.
Source: Diversity and Distributions
DOI: 10.1111/ddi.70013
Authors: Virginia Morera‐Pujol, Paulo Catry, Maria Magalhães, Clara Péron, José Manuel Reyes‐González, José Pedro Granadeiro, Teresa Militão, Maria P. Dias, Daniel Oro, José Manuel Igual, Giacomo Dell'Omo, Martina Müller, Vitor H. Paiva, Benjamin Metzger, Verónica Neves, Joan Navarro, Georgios Karris, Stavros Xirouchakis, Jacopo G. Cecere, José Manuel Zamora‐Marín, Manuela G. Forero, Isabel Afán, Ridha Ouni, Mohamed Salah Romdhane, Fernanda De Felipe, Zuzana Zajková, Marta Cruz‐Flores, David Grémillet, Jacob González‐Solís, Raül Ramos
Institutions: Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat de la Universitat de Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, ISPA - Instituto Universitário, Regional Secretariat for the Sea, Science and Technology, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Biologie des Organismes et Écosystèmes Aquatiques, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, University of Lisbon, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes, Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Rhode Island, University of Coimbra, Universidade dos Açores, Institute of Marine Research, Institut de Ciències del Mar, Ionian University, University of Crete, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale, Universitat de Miguel Hernández d'Elx, Asociación de Naturalistas del Sureste, Universidad de Murcia, Estación Biológica de Doñana, Tunis El Manar University, University of Carthage, Institut National Agronomique de Tunisie, University of Cape Town, École Pratique des Hautes Études, Université de Montpellier, Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier, Centre d'Écologie Fonctionnelle et Évolutive, FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology
Language: English
Topic: Avian ecology and behavior
Subfield: Ecology
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Life on land
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,430
Funders: Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, Organismo Autónomo de Parques Nacionales, European Commission, Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Ministry of Environment, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Universitat de Barcelona, Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior, LifeWatch – Niclas Öberg Foundation, Regione Siciliana, Xunta de Galicia, Junta de Andalucía, Fundación Biodiversidad, Cabildo de Gran Canaria, Office Français de la Biodiversité, Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, Centro de Estudos Ambientais e Marinhos, Universidade de Aveiro, LIFE programme, Research Executive Agency, Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, European Regional Development Fund, Agencia Estatal de Investigación, FP7 People: Marie-Curie Actions
Awards: G1169335522, G121809054, G1405538221, G1528701624, G1558944773, G1597248547, Seabird migrations: ontogenetic development, causes of intra and inter-specific variability and relevance for ocean monitoring and marine spatial planning, G1622782223, G1855990336, G1871071817, G1904882797, MARE - Centro de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente, G2055059721, G2063969089, SOCIAL CHEMOSIGNALS OF PROCELLARIIFORMES USING CORY´S SHEARWATER AS A MODEL SPECIES, G2149047050, G2189168250, G2219685250, G2262748287, G2412564531, Causas e consequências da variabilidade individual nas estratégias de migração de uma ave pelágica, com relevância para a monitorização do oceano num contexto de mudanças globais, G2529526481, G2628364946, G2637256346, G2660406951, Rede de Infraestruturas em Investigação Aquática, G294693448, G3105035837, G3207356259, G3215331688, G3226779992, G3286926264, G3339475999, G3480869486, G3534458110, G3632623780, G3681454997, G3783317134, Centro de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente, Centro de Estudos do Ambiente e do Mar, G4042783231, G4053127980, G425668148, G451917667, G4631959511, G4658344825, G482673376, FINE-SCALE FORAGING BEHAVIOUR OF CORY´S SHEARWATER BREEDING IN THE AZORES, G4937468798, G495187929, G496129201, G5151999506, G53793798, G5385376234, G5421974903, G5518805754, G5554024154, Centro de Estudos do Ambiente e do Mar, G5785843826, G5805502524, G587154774, G5967599077, G6199236955, G6390037881, G6731524417, G683931746, G7084143925, G7148304117, G7248883239, G7266080280, G7405045301, G7442469051, G745763725, G7665809008, G7691951182, G7811397228, G7812852067, G7863371703, G7868512380, G7923914558, G8016226295, G8130625257, G8162409018, G8497050386, Centro de Estudos do Ambiente e do Mar, G86367267, Redes tróficas oceânicas: utilização de dados espaciais, informação sobre dieta e biomarcadores de predadores de topo para revelar a estrutura e funcionamento de ecossistemas pelágicos subtropicais, Centro de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente
OpenAlex ID: W4408626867