Journal of Animal Ecology最新文献

{"title":"Prey selection of a widespread carnivore relative to predator-prey co-occurrence in space and time.","authors":"Katherine C B Weiss, Rachel N Larson, Beckett Sterner, Izabela Wierzbowska, Sue VandeWoude, Kevin Crooks, Jan Schipper, Jesse S Lewis","doi":"10.1111/1365-2656.70146","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.70146","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Understanding how prey selection relates to food availability and the environment is fundamental to conserving wildlife populations, especially in relation to anthropogenic factors. Most assessments of diet consider the abundance of prey, but rarely temporal availability, prey biomass or the co-occurrence of species in space and time, all of which are particularly important in systems where predator and prey species are spatially ubiquitous. Using a novel method that combines camera trap and scat data, we assessed how the spatial distribution and/or activity of prey taxa influenced prey selection by bobcats (Lynx rufus), a widespread carnivore in urbanized (exurban and wildland-urban interface) and wildland areas of Colorado, USA. We developed prey availability estimates using asymmetric species interaction models (spatial) and activity overlap (temporal) analyses, then used a model selection framework to identify if co-occurrence (i.e. availability) between bobcats and prey species in space, time or both better predicted prey consumption. We further investigated whether different measures of prey consumption (i.e. the frequency of occurrence of prey items in scats vs. the proportion of biomass consumed) influenced the relationship between prey availability and use. Across study areas, bobcats consumed a variety of smaller mammals and birds, with cottontail rabbits appearing as the most important diet item. Our results indicated that incorporating time into availability estimates often better predicted prey consumption compared with spatial availability, particularly in wildland areas. Additionally, we found that both the frequency of occurrence of prey remains in scats and the proportion of biomass consumed had similar relationships to availability in our study system. Our results suggest that including temporal availability in analyses of prey consumption may be particularly informative in areas where prey species are spatially abundant. This study provides a framework for researchers and wildlife managers to consider temporal availability and species co-occurrence in studies evaluating prey selection by carnivores.</p>","PeriodicalId":14934,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Ecology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145251190","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Estimating epidemiological parameters of highly pathogenic avian influenza in common terns using exact Bayesian inference.","authors":"David A Ewing, Sandra Bouwhuis","doi":"10.1111/1365-2656.70145","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.70145","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is a contagious viral disease that has led to the culling of huge amounts of poultry as well as the mortality of countless wild birds. The recent panzootic that began in 2021 has been particularly notable for its devastating effect on seabird populations around the globe. Whilst transmission of HPAI within poultry has been relatively well studied, the recency of the current panzootic, combined with data collection challenges, means that much less is known about key epidemiological parameters, such as reproduction numbers, <math> <semantics> <mrow><msub><mi>R</mi> <mn>0</mn></msub> </mrow> <annotation>$$ {R}_0 $$</annotation></semantics> </math> , of HPAI in wild populations. We develop methodology to carry out exact Bayesian parameter inference using reversible jump Markov chain Monte Carlo applied to mortality data in the form of daily carcass counts over the duration of subsequent outbreaks in a colony of common terns, Sterna hirundo, in 2022 and 2023. We estimate <math> <semantics> <mrow><msub><mi>R</mi> <mn>0</mn></msub> </mrow> <annotation>$$ {R}_0 $$</annotation></semantics> </math> to be 3.7 (95% CI <math> <semantics><mrow><mn>2.3</mn> <mo>;</mo> <mn>7.2</mn></mrow> <annotation>$$ 2.3;7.2 $$</annotation></semantics> </math> ) in 2022, and 3.2 (95% CI <math> <semantics><mrow><mn>1.7</mn> <mo>;</mo> <mn>7.0</mn></mrow> <annotation>$$ 1.7;7.0 $$</annotation></semantics> </math> ) in 2023. The probability of mortality for an infected bird was estimated to drop from 0.26 (95% CI <math> <semantics><mrow><mn>0.24</mn> <mo>;</mo> <mn>0.28</mn></mrow> <annotation>$$ 0.24;0.28 $$</annotation></semantics> </math> ) in 2022 to 0.14 (95% CI <math> <semantics><mrow><mn>0.11</mn> <mo>;</mo> <mn>0.20</mn></mrow> <annotation>$$ 0.11;0.20 $$</annotation></semantics> </math> ) in 2023. Our findings furthermore suggest direct bird-to-bird transmission to be the predominant driver of infection within the colony, with environmental transmission playing a negligible role. We interpret our results to suggest that daily carcass removal may have kept environmental transmission at bay and that increased immunity and/or a change of the strain of HPAI may have caused the drop in mortality, but that facilitating 'social distancing', for example by providing more suitable breeding habitat, such that breeding densities can be reduced, will be key to reduce disease transmission in colony-breeding seabirds such as the terns.</p>","PeriodicalId":14934,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Ecology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145251143","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Direct and indirect impacts of beaver ecosystem engineering have mixed effects on bats across feeding guilds.","authors":"Ella Browning","doi":"10.1111/1365-2656.70144","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.70144","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Research Highlight: Moser, V., Capitani, L., Zehnder, L., Hürbin, A., Obrist, M., Ecker, K., Boch, S., Minnig, S., Angst, C., Pomati, F., & Risch, A. (2025). Habitat heterogeneity and food availability in beaver-engineered streams foster bat richness, activity and feeding. Journal of Animal Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.70136. Ecosystem engineers increase habitat heterogeneity, altering abiotic and biotic resources and are key to effective nature recovery. Reintroductions of Eurasian beavers (Castor fiber) in Europe have indirectly benefitted multiple taxonomic groups, aquatic and terrestrial, as their activities result in wetland restoration and diversification of vegetation composition and structure. Bats have been found to be positively impacted by beaver activity, yet the causal drivers were unknown. In a recent study, Moser et al. (2025) monitored bat species richness, activity and foraging activity at beaver pools and control beaver-free sites in Switzerland, finding significant increases in all three measures. Importantly, this study is the first to show significant positive impacts on bat foraging at beaver-engineered sites, and increases in species richness included red-listed species of conservation concern. By testing causal links of the impact of direct (increased canopy heterogeneity and standing deadwood density) and indirect (increased arthropod prey abundance) impacts of beaver engineering on bats, the authors found mixed responses at the foraging guild level. Edge-hunting aerial hawkers benefitted most from beaver engineering, and increased standing deadwood density was shown to have the strongest impact on bats. This study provides key evidence for the positive outcomes of beaver reintroductions on local biodiversity, highlighting the value of ecosystem engineers for nature recovery strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":14934,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Ecology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145212280","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Synching with seasonality: Predicting roe deer parturition phenology across its distributional range.","authors":"Johanna Kauffert, A J Mark Hewison, Benedikt Gehr, Torsten Hothorn, Sophie Baur, Jean-Michel Gaillard, Petter Kjellander, Andreas König, Jörg Müller, Manuela Panzacchi, Maryline Pellerin, Balint Tamasi, Wibke Peters, Annette Menzel","doi":"10.1111/1365-2656.70148","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.70148","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Latitude and elevation are the most commonly studied drivers of large-scale variation in the phenology of life-history events. However, these coarse gradients cannot reliably predict observed spatial variation in phenology. Although it is less often investigated, environmental predictability is also a selective force that constrains spatial variation in life-history events. Here, we explore how environmental predictability contributes to shaping spatial variation in the parturition phenology of roe deer across its distributional range in Europe. We compiled data on roe deer parturition dates across Europe within the research collaboration EURODEER, and from citizen scientists and related birth dates to elevation and environmental predictability, measured by Colwell's metrics of contingency and constancy, based on high-resolution climate and NDVI values. We predicted parturition timing and synchrony simultaneously within a single modelling framework using a distributional regression model (i.e. GAMLSS). Our approach provided more robust predictions of variation in birth phenology than commonly used approaches based on the combination of latitude and elevation. We found that roe deer align their parturition dates with both elevation and seasonality in environmental conditions. We also identified an apparent shift towards later parturition from west to east across the distributional range in Europe, putatively linked to relatively milder and more constant climates in the west. Contrary to our expectations, we did not find any consistent link between parturition synchrony and environmental predictability, suggesting that other factors, such as small-scale heterogeneities in landscape composition, play a key role. Our work emphasizes the importance of understanding macrophenological processes in the variation of life-history event timing across space. It also highlights the need to account for this spatial variation when investigating region-specific adaptations, particularly in light of climate change.</p>","PeriodicalId":14934,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Ecology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145212360","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Resource suitability drives low use of avian-excavated tree cavities: A multi-state occupancy dynamics approach.","authors":"Diego Jhoel Zavala, Kristina Louise Cockle, Milka Raquel Gomez, Carlos Ariel Ferreyra, Eugenia Bianca Bonaparte, Facundo G Di Sallo, Gonçalo Ferraz","doi":"10.1111/1365-2656.70131","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.70131","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Avian tree-cavity excavators are widely held to maintain diversity of forest vertebrate faunas through the facilitation of nesting resources, and yet in many systems they are absent or redundant. Why do avian excavators sometimes supply only a small proportion of cavities used by non-excavating species? Researchers hypothesized that low re-use of excavated cavities could be driven by high rates of excavated cavity loss (low availability) or by low suitability of excavated cavities. The two hypotheses imply different cavity use dynamics. The availability hypothesis predicts high rates of excavated-cavity transition from excavators to secondary cavity-nesters. The suitability hypothesis predicts high transition rates from excavators to empty (unused), and high reuse rates for cavities previously used by secondary cavity-nesters. From 2006 to 2021, we studied 438 excavated and non-excavated bird nest cavities in the Atlantic Forest of Argentina, where excavators provide ~20% of cavities used by secondary cavity-nesters. We fit our data with a multi-state occupancy dynamics model that accounts for observation errors and estimates transition probabilities among cavity states 'Empty', 'Occupied by an excavator', 'Occupied by a secondary cavity-nester' and 'Lost'. We complemented the modelling results with a numerical simulation of cavity use dynamics. As predicted by the suitability hypothesis, the estimated probability of transition was high from excavator to empty (~0.75), low from excavator to secondary cavity-nester (~0.05) and high for reuse by secondary cavity-nester. Transition from 'Empty' to use by secondary cavity-nester was much more probable among non-excavated (~0.2) than excavated cavities (~0.05), which-our simulation shows-is compatible with secondary cavity-nesters using excavated cavities in proportion to their availability. Excavated cavities remained available for several years after their last use, suggesting suitability declines with age. We conclude that the marginal role of excavators as cavity producers is driven primarily by low suitability of their excavated cavities for other birds. Statistical support for the suitability hypothesis relied on the quantification of uncertainty about cavity states afforded by multi-state occupancy dynamics models. We encourage further exploration of state-transition probabilities among tree cavities and other multi-use resources to test ecological hypotheses and inform resource conservation policy.</p>","PeriodicalId":14934,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Ecology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145206599","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Microclimate refugia shape microclimatic niches and predict individual variability in post-breeding migration in a partially migratory species.","authors":"Rita F Ramos, Karolina Zalewska, James J Gilroy, João P Silva, Aldina M A Franco","doi":"10.1111/1365-2656.70147","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.70147","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The characterization of species' environmental niches can help predict biodiversity responses to global environmental change and identify areas where environmental suitability declines as the conditions change. However, environmental niches, that is the full range of conditions a species experiences, are frequently described at coarse spatial and temporal scales, thus are unlikely to capture the across-individual variability in exposure to microclimate conditions. Within species ranges and even within populations, individuals may vary in their ability to access microclimate refugia or may adopt different movement strategies to avoid exposure to unsuitable conditions. This individual variability currently remains unclear but could help us understand species' capacity to adjust to changes in climate. We used an 11-year satellite tracking dataset and high-resolution remotely sensed habitat and climate information to investigate the microclimatic niche of a partially migratory grassland bird, the endangered little bustard (Tetrax tetrax) in the species' western stronghold populations in Southern Europe. Our study, including both breeding and post-breeding seasons, aimed to determine whether the local conditions experienced by individuals during the breeding season can be used to predict individual movement strategies after breeding. Furthermore, we examined whether the distance travelled during post-breeding dispersive migration influenced the level of dissimilarity between seasonal niches experienced by individuals. The little bustard microclimatic niche was characterized along a gradient of temperature and microclimate refugia availability. Our results revealed that individuals occupying breeding areas with low microclimate refugia availability were more likely to move longer distances after breeding. Furthermore, long-distance migratory individuals maintained similar microclimatic niches across seasons, whereas short-distance migrants predominantly displayed a higher niche dissimilarity between seasons. Temperature and microclimate refugia availability during the breeding season can help predict individual differences in migratory behaviour of little bustards and their niche dissimilarity across seasons. Global warming and subsequent declines in microclimate refugia availability may force this species to move earlier and travel longer distances after breeding. This study provides information that can help design conservation strategies for little bustards and other endangered grassland bird species exposed to high temperatures.</p>","PeriodicalId":14934,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Ecology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145186006","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Revealing species responses to environmental change through long-term data and mechanistic frameworks.","authors":"Elise F Zipkin, Peter J Williams","doi":"10.1111/1365-2656.70143","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.70143","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Research Highlight: Dri, G. F., Bogdziewicz, M., Hunter, M., Witham, J., & Mortelliti, A. (2025). Coupled effects of forest growth and climate change on small mammal abundance and body weight: Results of a 39-year field study. Journal of Animal Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.70114. Biodiversity is declining due to global environmental change, yet it remains challenging to assess how specific drivers, such as climate change, affect the dynamics and trends of individual species. While many studies correlate climate variables with species abundance or occurrence, few explicitly link environmental drivers to demographic processes to uncover the mechanisms behind population trends. Such insight requires long-term data capable of revealing slow-moving, nonlinear trends and disentangling natural variability from directional change. In a 39-year study, Dri et al. (2025) demonstrate the power of sustained observation and mechanistic approaches by linking climate warming and forest maturation to increased acorn production, which enhanced body condition and survival in white-footed mice, ultimately driving population increases. Their findings underscore the importance of long-term data for identifying meaningful ecological trends and tracing the causal pathways by which biodiversity changes. Effective conservation under global change depends on two key shifts: greater investment in long-term biodiversity monitoring and broader adoption of frameworks that explicitly connect environmental drivers to demographic responses. Together, these approaches provide the foundation for adaptive, evidence-based conservation strategies in a rapidly changing world.</p>","PeriodicalId":14934,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Ecology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145186021","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Poison frog chemical defences are influenced by environmental availability and dietary selectivity for ants.","authors":"Nora A Martin, Camilo Rodríguez, Aurora Alvarez-Buylla, Katherine Fiocca, Colin R Morrison, Adolfo Chamba-Carrillo, Ana B García-Ruilova, Janet Rentería, Elicio E Tapia, Luis A Coloma, David A Donoso, Lauren A O'Connell","doi":"10.1111/1365-2656.70142","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.70142","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The ability to use small molecule alkaloids as defensive chemicals, often acquired via trophic interactions, has evolved in many organisms. Animals with diet-derived defences must balance food choices to maintain their defence reservoirs along with other physiological needs. Poison frogs accumulate skin alkaloids from their arthropod diet, but whether they show selectivity for specific prey remains unexplored. We investigated the role of leaf litter prey availability and dietary selectivity in shaping poison frog chemical defences along a geographic gradient. Specifically, we examined skin alkaloid composition, stomach contents and leaf litter ants in aposematic diablito frogs (Oophaga sylvatica) at five sites in north-western Ecuador and in sympatric, cryptic Chimbo rocket frogs (Hyloxalus infraguttatus) at one site. Our results show that differential availability of leaf litter ants influenced alkaloid profiles across diablito populations, and low levels of alkaloids were observed in the sympatric, 'undefended' Chimbo rocket frog. Ants were the primary dietary component of the defended species, while the 'undefended' species ate other prey categories including beetles and larvae in addition to ants. A prey selection analysis suggested that defended and 'undefended' frogs both feed on a high proportion of specific small ant genera that naturally contain alkaloids, suggesting that selectivity for toxic prey is not restricted to classically aposematic and highly toxic species. These findings suggest that poison frogs' use of feeding resources relative to availability may be an understudied and important selection factor in the evolution of acquired defences.</p>","PeriodicalId":14934,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Ecology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145113388","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Density dependent habitat selection in response to habitat loss in a coral reef fish.","authors":"Lisa Boström-Einarsson, Mary C Bonin, Philip L Munday, Geoffrey P Jones, Sally A Keith","doi":"10.1111/1365-2656.70135","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.70135","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Habitat degradation alters the availability and quality of resources, with ramifications for how populations distribute across remnant patches. Decisions about habitat use are often made to optimise fitness by minimising competition for resources. Individuals can sort themselves optimally across patches by selecting habitat based on the density of resident individuals, yet it is unclear whether this mechanism is disrupted by habitat loss. Moreover, density-dependent habitat selection could create a socially reinforced 'bandwagon' effect in species that use adults as a positive settlement cue. Here, we aimed to (1) determine the effect of habitat degradation on density-dependent habitat selection and (2) test whether habitat use by adults influences settlement decisions by juveniles via a bandwagon effect in the coral-associated reef fish, Pomacentrus moluccensis. We combined field surveys with a habitat choice experiment in Pomacentrus moluccensis to assess how fish respond to varying coral quality and conspecfici densities. Field observations revealed that adults only used dead coral on degraded reefs where fish densities on surrounding remnant live colonies were exceptionally high. When presented experimentally with the choice of two colonies, fish were more likely to choose a near empty alternate colony when the other colony was severely crowded with conspecifics. Taken together, these results offer strong support for density-dependent habitat selection during habitat loss. This choice cascades to influence juvenile habitat use: juveniles selected dead corals to a greater extent if there was a conspecific adult present. To our knowledge, this is the first empirical demonstration of how habitat degradation can trigger density-dependent habitat selection, which in turn may shape settlement decisions in the next generation via socially mediated cues.</p>","PeriodicalId":14934,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Ecology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145091715","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Complex effects of climatic variation on bumblebee queen fitness.","authors":"Ruth Archer, Paul Schmid-Hempel, Regula Schmid-Hempel, Lena Wilfert","doi":"10.1111/1365-2656.70140","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.70140","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Climate change is a global biodiversity threat. To understand how a changing climate affects individual fitness and gain insights into which mechanisms are responsible, we need to establish how climatic variation affects individual life-history traits (e.g. growth, survival and reproduction). Long-term data linking insect life histories and climate parameters are therefore valuable but, unfortunately, rare. Here, we test how climatic variation affects health, survival and reproduction in a key European pollinator, the buff-tailed bumblebee Bombus terrestris. We relate climatic variation experienced by developing queens in the field, caught between 2000 and 2014, to fitness traits assayed in these queens under otherwise constant lab conditions. We show that wet years consistently reduce queen fitness, while warm temperatures have positive and negative impacts. Behind these annual effects lies strong seasonality. In particular, climatic conditions experienced by young queens as they forage, mate and enter hibernation are vital determinants of whether they reproduce the following spring. Results suggest that climatic drivers that reduce queen resource acquisition prior to hibernation, or accelerate resource loss over winter, are especially detrimental to spring queen fitness. This suggests a strategy to mitigate the negative effects of climate change on bumblebees: ensuring high-quality forage late in summer before queens enter diapause.</p>","PeriodicalId":14934,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Ecology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145091711","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}