Climate Influences on Avian Population Dynamics

• Published in: Advances in Ecological Research Vol. 35; pp. 185 - 209
• Main Authors: SÆther, Bernt-Erik, Sutherland, William J., Engen, Steinar
• Format: Book Chapter Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United Kingdom Elsevier Science & Technology 2004
• Subjects: Ecological science, the Biosphere; Meteorology
• ISBN: 0120139359; 9780120139354
• ISSN: 0065-2504; 2163-582X
• DOI: 10.1016/S0065-2504(04)35009-9

This chapter reviews studies that have analyzed the effects of local weather and large-scale climate phenomenon on fluctuations in the size of bird populations. Population size depends upon birth rates and death rates and how these interact with density. The variation in these relationships is also important. By understanding how these interact to affect variation in population size, one can examines how climate change may affect the future fluctuations of bird populations. There are three major issues to consider in understanding how climate change may result in changes in population size: whether the climate responses are density dependent or density independent; whether climate change largely affects the reproductive success or the survival; and whether climate change primarily affects the mean values or the variability. The chapter outlines a general theoretical framework based on Lande et al. for analyzing avian population dynamics and describes how an expected change in climate may affect avian population dynamics and thus help resolve the three issues. Modeling and estimating the effects of the density dependence as well as changes in the mean and variance of the relevant climate variables have been discussed.