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DIETARY CONTRIBUTION OF EMERGENT AQUATIC INSECTS AND CONSEQUENCES FOR REFUELING IN SPRING MIGRANT SONGBIRDS

MacDade, Lauren S.

Abstract Details

2009, Master of Science, Ohio State University, Natural Resources.
Songbirds are faced with exceptional energetic demands during migration, and the ability to refuel, or gain mass, is imperative to a successful migration. Recent evidence suggests that emergent aquatic insects, and specifically midges (Diptera: Chironomidae), provide an important food resource in the northern Great Lakes region for spring migrant landbirds. Stable-carbon isotopes in breath can be used to infer recent dietary choices, and plasma lipid metabolites can be used to assess refueling performance of migrant songbirds. Using stable-carbon isotope analysis and metabolite profiling, I investigated migrant use of midges and refueling performance in Yellow-rumped Warblers (Dendroica coronata), Magnolia Warblers (D. magnolia), and White-throated Sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis). My study was conducted in shoreline and inland forest habitat in northwestern Ohio in April-May 2007 and 2008. I found that stable-carbon isotopes varied between shoreline and inland habitats and that dietary composition and refueling performance varied among shoreline sites for Yellow-rumped Warblers, but not the other two migrant songbirds. However, there was no association between dietary composition and refueling performance. Using an information theoretic approach, I found that midge abundance was important in explaining the variation in refueling performance for Yellow-rumped Warblers and White-throated Sparrows, but not for Magnolia Warblers. My findings suggest that in both shoreline and inland forest patches migrant songbirds used a combination of aquatic and terrestrial arthropods, and received energetic benefits from use of these resources. Refueling performance of migrants at small shoreline forest sites was comparable to inland forest sites, despite shoreline forest sites often having very high concentrations of migrant landbirds, and greater potential for resource competition. These findings indicate that conservation and restoration of shoreline and inland forest patches with nearby wetlands is warranted given the high concentrations of migrants that occur in these habitat types and ability of migrant landbirds to successfully refuel.
Paul Rodewald (Advisor)
Robert Gates (Committee Member)
Stanley Gehrt (Committee Member)
Robert Smith (Committee Member)
114 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • MacDade, L. S. (2009). DIETARY CONTRIBUTION OF EMERGENT AQUATIC INSECTS AND CONSEQUENCES FOR REFUELING IN SPRING MIGRANT SONGBIRDS [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1236799366

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • MacDade, Lauren. DIETARY CONTRIBUTION OF EMERGENT AQUATIC INSECTS AND CONSEQUENCES FOR REFUELING IN SPRING MIGRANT SONGBIRDS. 2009. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1236799366.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • MacDade, Lauren. "DIETARY CONTRIBUTION OF EMERGENT AQUATIC INSECTS AND CONSEQUENCES FOR REFUELING IN SPRING MIGRANT SONGBIRDS." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2009. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1236799366

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)