Temperature and other climate variables are currently changing at a dramatic rate. As observations have shown, these climatic changes have serious consequences for all organisms and their ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions. Birds are excellent model organisms, with a very active metabolism, they are highly sensitive to environmental changes and as highly mobile creatures they are also extremely reactive.
Birds and Climate Change discusses the current knowledge of observed changes and provides guidelines for future studies so we can document and understand how patterns of changing weather conditions may affect birds.
- Introduction
- Arrival and departure dates
- Migrators fuelling and global climate change
- Using large scale data from ringed birds for the investigation of effects of climate change on migrating birds: pitfalls and prospects
- Breeding dates and reproductive performance
- Global climate change leads to mistimed avian reproduction
- Analysis and interpretation of long-term studies investigating responses to climate change
- Photoperiodic response and the adaptability of avian life cycles to environmental change
- Microevolutionary response to climatic change
- Climate influences on avian population dynamics
- Importance of climatic change for the ranges, communities and conservation of birds
- The challenge of future research on climate change and avian biology
"[...] a valuable reference for ornithologists, for those interested in specific biotic effects of climate change, and for those looking for a portal to data sets amenable to building predictive climate-effect models."
- Jason Jones, Vassar College, for Ecology
"Given the enormouse proliferation of research projects and literature on this subject, the authors have achieved this review competently and clearly, providing guidelines for future studies but pointing out the pitfalls and problems [...] a really fascinating resume of our current understanding [...] the editors are to be congratulated on making the results more generally available. It is a publication that every ornithological library should hold [...] "
- British Birds
"One of the strengths of this book is the breadth of topics covered in a relatively short volume [...] Chapters on timing of migration and the energetics of migration are at their strongest when discussing the specifics of avian ecology [...] The editors provide a broad range of questions that will interest academic avian biologists [...] Birds and Climate Change is at its best in helping scientists take advantage of a 'unique opportunity to study the adaptation of organisms to their changing environments'. Those seeking to understand and perhaps limit the impacts of human-caused environmental change on birds and other organisms can certainly benefit from the insight presented here."
- John P. McCarty, Department of Biology, University of Nebraska in The Condor