Community Ecology
Volume/Issue:
Volume 15: Issue 2
Species’ ecological traits correlate with predicted climatically-induced shifts of European breeding ranges in birds
Authors:
M. Koschová Charles University in Prague Institute for Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science Benátská 2 128 01 Praha 2 Czech Republic

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F. Kuda Masaryk University Brno Department of Geography, Faculty of Science Kotlářská 2 611 37 Brno Czech Republic

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D. Hořák Charles University in Prague Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science Viničná 7 128 44 Praha 2 Czech Republic

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J. Reif

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Pages:
139–146
Online Publication Date:
17 Nov 2014
Publication Date:
01 Dec 2014
Article Category:
Research Article
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1556/comec.15.2014.2.2
Keywords:
Birds; Climate change; Climatic envelope; Ecological niche; Life history; Range shift
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Climatically induced shifts of species’ geographic ranges can provide important information about the potential future assembly of ecological communities. Surprisingly, interspecific variability in the magnitude and direction of these range shifts in birds has been the subject of few scientific studies, and a more detailed examination of species’ ecological traits related to this variability is needed. Using maps in the Climatic Atlas of European Breeding Birds (Huntley et al. 2007) we calculated the potential shifts of European breeding ranges in 298 bird species, and explored their relationships with breeding habitat, dietary niche, migration strategy, life history and geographic position of the current breeding range. Breeding habitat type showed the strongest relationship with the potential range shifts, with forest and wetland species showing the largest magnitude of shift. At the same time, ecological specialists showed a larger magnitude of shifts than generalists. In addition, we found that species with current ranges situated near continental borders and species with lower migratory capacity are more limited in their potential to shift due to climate change. Our analyses thus indicate which ecological groups of birds will be most likely forced to move their ranges under predicted climate change. This knowledge can help to adopt proper conservation actions. These actions will be particularly important in the case of specialist species, which have been shown to be the most sensitive to climate change impacts.

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Cover Community Ecology
Community Ecology An Interdisciplinary Journal Reporting Progress in Community and Population Studies
Print ISSN:
1585-8553
Online ISSN:
1588-2756

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Community Ecology
Language English
Size A4
Year of
Foundation		 2000
Volumes
per Year		 1
Issues
per Year		 3
Founder Akadémiai Kiadó
Founder's
Address		 H-1117 Budapest, Hungary 1516 Budapest, PO Box 245
Publisher Akadémiai Kiadó
Springer Nature Switzerland AG
Publisher's
Address		 H-1117 Budapest, Hungary 1516 Budapest, PO Box 245.
CH-6330 Cham, Switzerland Gewerbestrasse 11.
Responsible
Publisher		 Chief Executive Officer, Akadémiai Kiadó
ISSN 1585-8553 (Print)
ISSN 1588-2756 (Online)

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