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Full-Text Articles in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Niche Segregation Among Three Sympatric Species Of Swallows In Southern Ontario, Kaelyn H. Bumelis
Niche Segregation Among Three Sympatric Species Of Swallows In Southern Ontario, Kaelyn H. Bumelis
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository
Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica), Cliff Swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) and Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) breed sympatrically in southern Ontario but it is unclear how these species differ ecologically, and their coexistence implies niche segregation. I investigated potential interspecific differences in nestling diet and post-fledging movements. Using DNA barcoding of nestling feces and stable isotope analysis (δ13C, δ15N, δ2H) of nestling feathers, I found evidence of differences in dietary sources of provisioned young. Barn Swallows showed evidence of provisioning more terrestrial-based prey, Cliff Swallows provisioned an intermediate diet, and Tree …
Diet Composition And Mercury Exposure In Bank Swallows (Riparia Riparia) Breeding At Lakeshore And Aggregate Pits, Corrine S. V. Génier
Diet Composition And Mercury Exposure In Bank Swallows (Riparia Riparia) Breeding At Lakeshore And Aggregate Pits, Corrine S. V. Génier
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository
Bank Swallows (Riparia riparia), a threatened species in Ontario, breed primarily in banks at lakeshores and in artificial aggregate pits. Inland pits may be ecological traps for this species, but the relative tradeoffs between these two nesting habitats are unknown. Availability of aquatic emergent insects at lakeshores may have associated nutritional benefits (e.g. Omega-3 fatty acids) and contaminants (e.g. mercury) that can directly influence juvenile growth. This study compares these breeding habitats to evaluate dietary differences as revealed by fatty acids, stable isotopes (δ13C, δ15N, δ2H), fecal DNA barcoding, and mercury. Lakeshore-nesting …
Landscape-Level Effects Of Agricultural Intensification On The Condition And Diet Of Nestling Barn Swallows (Hirundo Rustica), Jackson W. Kusack
Landscape-Level Effects Of Agricultural Intensification On The Condition And Diet Of Nestling Barn Swallows (Hirundo Rustica), Jackson W. Kusack
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository
Farmland bird populations have experienced declines with increasing agricultural intensification for which the leading hypothesis is a reduction of prey insects. This may be especially relevant for aerial insectivores whose primary diet is aerial insects. For this thesis, I examined nestling body condition and used stable isotopes (δ13C, δ15N) and fecal DNA barcoding to determine the diet of a farmland breeding aerial insectivore, the Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica), within an agro-ecosystem in Southern Ontario, Canada. Nestling body condition was positively affected by agricultural intensification, but all benefits were lost by the pre-fledging stage and …