Increasing temperatures increase the risk of reproductive failure in a near threatened alpine ground‐nesting bird, the Cape Rockjumper Chaetops frenatus. (29th May 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Oswald, Krista N.; Diener, Elizabeth F.; Diener, John P.; Cunningham, Susan J.; Smit, Ben; Lee, Alan T. K.
• Is Part Of: Ibis. Volume 162:Number 4(2020)
• Page Start: 1363
• Page End: 1369
• Publication Date: 2020-05-29
• Subjects: landscape ecology -- nest concealment -- predator landscape -- predator–prey interactions -- reproductive success; Birds -- Periodicals; 598
• DOI: 10.1111/ibi.12846
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0019-1019

Abstract

Abstract : A major cause of reproductive failure in birds is nest predation. Predation risk depends on predator type, as predators vary in their ecology and sensory modalities (e.g. visual vs. olfactory). Snakes (generally olfactory predators) are a major nest predator for small birds, with predation strongly associated with higher temperatures. We investigated nest survival in a ground‐nesting alpine species, the Cape Rockjumper Chaetops frenatus, endemic to alpine fynbos in southwestern South Africa. We collected 3 years of nest data, testing whether nest survival was related to (1) habitat stage (early post‐fire vs. late post‐fire habitat, ≤ 3 and > 3 years since fire respectively), (2) nest concealment and (3) temperature. We found that nests had better survival at lower temperatures, with snake predation (our main source of predation) increasing in higher temperatures.