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Stable isotopes examined across a migratory divide in Scandinavian willow warblers (Phylloscopus trochilus trochilus and Phylloscopus trochilus acredula) reflect their African winter quarters

Chamberlain, CP ; Bensch, Staffan LU ; Feng, X ; Åkesson, Susanne LU and Andersson, T (2000) In Royal Society of London. Proceedings B. Biological Sciences 267(1438). p.43-48
Abstract
The C and N isotopes of feathers from two subspecies of willow warblers (Phylloscopus trochilus trochilus and Phylloscopus trochilus acredula) are isotopically distinct. Our analysis of 138 adult males from 14 sites distributed across Sweden shows that the mean delta(15)N and delta(13)C values of subspecies acredula (from latitudes above 63 degrees N) were significantly higher than the mean delta(15)N and delta(13)C values of subspecies trochilus (from latitudes below 61 degrees N). The analysed willow warbler feathers had been moulted in the winter quarters and the observed isotopic signatures should thus reflect the isotopic pattern of food assimilated in Africa. The isotopic data observed in Sweden match the dine in morphology, both... (More)
The C and N isotopes of feathers from two subspecies of willow warblers (Phylloscopus trochilus trochilus and Phylloscopus trochilus acredula) are isotopically distinct. Our analysis of 138 adult males from 14 sites distributed across Sweden shows that the mean delta(15)N and delta(13)C values of subspecies acredula (from latitudes above 63 degrees N) were significantly higher than the mean delta(15)N and delta(13)C values of subspecies trochilus (from latitudes below 61 degrees N). The analysed willow warbler feathers had been moulted in the winter quarters and the observed isotopic signatures should thus reflect the isotopic pattern of food assimilated in Africa. The isotopic data observed in Sweden match the dine in morphology, both showing abrupt changes around 62 degrees N. This result agrees with data from ringing recoveries indicating that the two subspecies occupy geographically and isotopically distinct wintering grounds in Africa. Our isotopic data suggest that analysis of stable isotopes of C and N is a promising method to track wintering quarters of European birds that migrate to Africa. (Less)
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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Royal Society of London. Proceedings B. Biological Sciences
volume
267
issue
1438
pages
43 - 48
publisher
Royal Society Publishing
external identifiers
  • scopus:0003143028
ISSN
1471-2954
DOI
10.1098/rspb.2000.0964
project
Genetics of migration
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
906fd0bc-d878-4e15-af77-f2d870ec13a6 (old id 146095)
alternative location
http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2000.0964
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:49:07
date last changed
2022-04-05 05:33:48
@article{906fd0bc-d878-4e15-af77-f2d870ec13a6,
  abstract     = {{The C and N isotopes of feathers from two subspecies of willow warblers (Phylloscopus trochilus trochilus and Phylloscopus trochilus acredula) are isotopically distinct. Our analysis of 138 adult males from 14 sites distributed across Sweden shows that the mean delta(15)N and delta(13)C values of subspecies acredula (from latitudes above 63 degrees N) were significantly higher than the mean delta(15)N and delta(13)C values of subspecies trochilus (from latitudes below 61 degrees N). The analysed willow warbler feathers had been moulted in the winter quarters and the observed isotopic signatures should thus reflect the isotopic pattern of food assimilated in Africa. The isotopic data observed in Sweden match the dine in morphology, both showing abrupt changes around 62 degrees N. This result agrees with data from ringing recoveries indicating that the two subspecies occupy geographically and isotopically distinct wintering grounds in Africa. Our isotopic data suggest that analysis of stable isotopes of C and N is a promising method to track wintering quarters of European birds that migrate to Africa.}},
  author       = {{Chamberlain, CP and Bensch, Staffan and Feng, X and Åkesson, Susanne and Andersson, T}},
  issn         = {{1471-2954}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1438}},
  pages        = {{43--48}},
  publisher    = {{Royal Society Publishing}},
  series       = {{Royal Society of London. Proceedings B. Biological Sciences}},
  title        = {{Stable isotopes examined across a migratory divide in Scandinavian willow warblers (Phylloscopus trochilus trochilus and Phylloscopus trochilus acredula) reflect their African winter quarters}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/2655484/625083.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1098/rspb.2000.0964}},
  volume       = {{267}},
  year         = {{2000}},
}