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Mar 377 > Colonial Breeding > Flashcards

Colonial Breeding Flashcards

1
Q

Is a gregarious lifestyle common among seabirds?

A
  • Yes!
  • Over 96% of seabird species are colonial
  • Occurs in all orders of seabirds
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2
Q

Do species that breed in colonies also breed in solitary pairs?

A

No

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3
Q

What is a characterization of colonial nesting areas?

A

Absence of mammalian predators (and avian predators)

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4
Q

How are colonies typically segregated?

A

Better quality birds are typically segregated from poorer quality birds (in terms of reproductive success)

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5
Q

Do colonial seabirds form groups outside of the breeding season?

A
  • No
  • Very few form dense long-term groups outside of the breeding season
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6
Q

What are some theories as to why seabirds breed in colonies?

A
  • Shortage of nesting sites
  • Defense against predators
  • Safety
  • Social stimulation
  • Information
  • Adjustment
  • Group foraging
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7
Q

Shortage of nesting sites theory

A
  • Nesting sites are limited in space so birds must crowd together
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8
Q

What are limitations to the shortage of nesting sites theory?

A
  • Alternative nesting areas probably exist
  • It does not explain why seabirds do not nest in those areas
  • Some species are currently spreading to new areas and forming new colonies
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9
Q

Defense against predation theory

A
  • Large number of prey intimidate or confuse predators
  • Reduce effectiveness of predators
  • Seabirds have better protection against predators in large groups
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10
Q

What are limitations to the defense against predation theory

A
  • Most colonies are free or nearly free of predators
  • Large predators are not deterred by seabird defenses
  • Many seabirds are unable to defend their eggs
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11
Q

Theoretical synchrony theory

A
  • A more synchronous breeding colony will have more birds breeding than predation requires (more young = less predation)
  • A less synchronous colony will have less birds breeding than predation requires (less young = more predation)
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12
Q

Safety theory

A
  • Birds return to the colony that they were born in
  • The presence of young seabirds indicates that a nesting site is safe
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13
Q

Social stimulation theory

A
  • Highest hatching success occurs among breeding individuals
  • Hatchling success is not linked with peak food availability for parents but to social effect within the colony
  • Large colonies are expected to be more synchronous
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14
Q

What are limitations to the social stimulation theory?

A
  • Large colonies are found to be less synchronous
  • Local density, not colony size or age composition, are important
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15
Q

Information theory

A
  • Birds may obtain information and resources of food from behavior of individuals which fed successfully (this is similar to beehive workers)
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16
Q

What are limitations to the information theory?

A
  • Worker bees are clones and therefore the information theory can be explained by kin selection
  • Natural selection suggests it is not advantageous to share information with unrelated individuals
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17
Q

Adjustment theory

A
  • Social stimulation in colonial breeders is a quicker and more effective adjustment of the breeding system
  • Solitary pairs = incapable of breeding
  • Breeding in a colony = achieved by display and interaction of a pair AND stimulation from other individuals
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18
Q

Group foraging theory?

A
  • Group foraging is a selective advantage in colonial breeding
  • Easier to form a group by returning to a high density area (colony)
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19
Q

What are limitations to the group foraging theory?

A
  • Long distance foragers take a long time to return to their colony, form a feeding group, and then return to the feeding area again
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20
Q

What are some disadvantages of colonial breeding?

A
  • Increased competition for food
  • Transfer microbes and parasites
  • Build-up of microbes, parasites, in re-used nests
  • Intraspecific aggression
  • Increased risk of predation
21
Q

Why is colonial breeding still favored over solitary breeding if there are disadvantages?

A
  • The benefits outweigh the disadvantages
  • Otherwise evolution / natural selection would have gotten rid of it
22
Q

Breeding Phenology

A

Timing of breeding events and factors that influence the timing of breeding events (ex: climate, seasonality, environmental variables etc.)

23
Q

What factors affect breeding phenology?

A
  • Temperature
  • Food availability
  • Experience
  • Length of daylight
24
Q

How does food affect breeding periods?

A
  • Seabirds breed in time with highest energy availability
25
Q

Climate and breeding phenology

A
  • Polar and sub-polar birds face the biggest energetic constraints caused by climate
  • Tropical and sub-tropical birds are less constrained by climate
26
Q

How are polar and sub-polar birds constrained by climate?

A
  • Low temperatures
  • Prey is seasonally available
  • Short time-period available for nesting
  • Birds can tolerate extreme weather conditions but are sensitive to changes in food availability
27
Q

How are tropical and sub-tropical birds less constrained by climate?

A
  • Nest seasonally (food is seasonally available)
  • Breeding period is less constrained
28
Q

How is breeding timed around food availability?

A

Breeding is timed so that birds fledge and learn to forage during periods of high food availability

29
Q

Biennial Breeding

A

Breeding cycles that last more than a year

30
Q

Can molting and nesting occur at the same time in some bird species?

A

-No
- There is a high energetic demand for both activities

31
Q

What are some breeding habitat constraints?

A
  • Nesting and foraging habitats are separate
    Seabirds spend years at sea learning how to forge before returning to colonies to breed
32
Q

What are important factors of breeding habitats?

A
  • Food (proximity to foraging areas)
  • Shelter from predators
33
Q

What are some different nest site habitats?

A
  • Cliffs
  • Flat ground
  • Trees or bushes
  • Burrows
  • Crevices
  • Open ground
34
Q

What are some bird species that nest at the surface?

A
  • Most penguins
  • Albatrosses
  • Large petals
  • Most pelecaniformes
  • Most gulls
  • Most terns
  • Most skuas
35
Q

What are some bird species that nest in burrows?

A
  • Smaller petals
  • Some penguins
  • Most alcids
  • Tropicbirds
36
Q

What are some bird species that nest in trees?

A
  • Frigatebirds
  • Red-footed Booby
  • Abbott’s Booby
  • Black Noddy
37
Q

What are the two levels of breeding habitat selection?

A
  1. Colony selection
  2. Nest-site selection
38
Q

Colony selection

A
  • Occurs when the colony is first established
  • Influenced by biotic and abiotic factors
39
Q

Nest-site selection

A

Evaluated by comparing specific characteristics at the nest sites with those available within the colony

40
Q

What are some common threats that seabirds face?

A
  • Predation
  • Grazers
  • Plants
41
Q

Why is predation a threat to seabirds?

A
  • Seabirds evolved in the absence of predators (they do not know how to
  • Explorers and tourist bring rats and other predators to seabird colonies
42
Q

What is a big threat to seabirds on Long Island (Jones Beach)

A

Feral cats

43
Q

What are some direct impacts that humans have on seabirds?

A
  • Illegal harvest of eggs or down
  • Harvesting of seabirds for food
  • Seabird - fishery interactions
  • Tourism
  • Research
  • Disturbances
44
Q

What are some indirect impacts that humans have on seabirds?

A
  • Introduction of predators
  • Habitat destruction
  • Wind farms
  • Disease
  • Contaminants / pollution
  • Climate change
45
Q

How can humans influence the habitats of seabirds?

A
  • Beach driving
  • Chemical pollution
  • Introduction of predators
46
Q

What disease currently has had a global impact on seabird populations

A

Avian influenza

47
Q

What are seabird reproductive strategies?

A

Invest in adult survival at the expense of low net reproductive output

48
Q

How do seabird reproductive strategies affect conservation efforts?

A
  • Increases in adult mortality
  • Results in low fecundity and low survival
49
Q

What are wind farms and how are they a threat to seabirds?

A
  • Increase wind energy
  • Seabirds collide with turbines
  • Result in habitat modification and displacement

Mar 377 (16 decks)

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