Migratory Connectivity and Non‐Breeding Habitat Segregation Across Biogeographical Scales in Closely Related Seabird Taxa

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.

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Journal
Diversity and Distributions
Published
2025-03-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.70013
Citations
1
Primary Topic
Avian ecology and behavior
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
1.72

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article

Migratory Connectivity and Non‐Breeding Habitat Segregation Across Biogeographical Scales in Closely Related Seabird Taxa

José Manuel Zamora‐Marín, Jacob González‐Solís, Raül Ramos, Isabel Afán et al.
1 citations
Diversity and Distributions
Avian ecology and behavior
1.72
article

Migratory Connectivity and Non‐Breeding Habitat Segregation Across Biogeographical Scales in Closely Related Seabird Taxa

José Manuel Zamora‐Marín, Jacob González‐Solís, Raül Ramos, Isabel Afán, Ridha Ouni, Teresa Militão, José Manuel Reyes‐González, Zuzana Zajková, Verónica C. Neves, Mohamed Salah Romdhane, Daniel Oró, Martina S. Müller, Clara Péron, Virginia Morera‐Pujol, Marta Cruz‐Flores, Vítor H. Paiva, José Manuel Igual, Giacomo Dell’Omo, José P. Granadeiro, Benjamin Metzger, Paulo Catry, Stavros Xirouchakis, Maria P. Dias, Manuela G. Forero, Georgios Karris, Jacopo Giuseppe Cecere, Fernanda De Felipe, Joan Navarro, David Grémillet, Maria Magalhães
article en
1 citations

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.

Diversity and DistributionsVol. 31(3)
Tunis University (TN), Universitat de Miguel Hernández d'Elx (ES), Universidade dos Açores (PT), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), University of Lisbon (PT), University of Crete (GR), University of Cape Town (ZA), École Pratique des Hautes Études (FR), University of Rhode Island (US), Ionian University (GR), Université de Montpellier (FR), Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier (FR), Foro Italico University of Rome (IT), Heritage Malta (MT), Estación Biológica de Doñana (ES), Centre d'Écologie Fonctionnelle et Évolutive (FR), Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (ES), ISPA - Instituto Universitário (PT), Institut Català de Ciències del Clima (ES), Biologie des Organismes et Écosystèmes Aquatiques (FR), Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (IT), Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (ES), Regional Secretariat for the Sea, Science and Technology (PT), Institut National Agronomique de Tunisie (TN), Institut de Ciències del Mar (ES), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (FR), Tunis El Manar University (TN), Universitat de Barcelona (ES), University of Coimbra (PT), Universidad de Murcia (ES)
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
Life below water
Openalex Percentile: Top 19%
Avian ecology and behavior
1.72
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