Predation Risk Does Not Delay Breeding but Reduces Nest Survival in High-Arctic Shorebirds

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Evolutionary Biology
• Animal Behavior

Background:

• Predator-prey dynamics are fundamental to ecological and evolutionary processes.
• Arctic ecosystems face changes due to climate change, impacting species interactions.
• Previous studies on ground-nesting birds often use artificial nests, missing crucial behavioral data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) predation risk on sandpiper nest survival and breeding phenology.
• To assess spatial variations in predation risk and their effects on real nests in Northeast Greenland.
• To understand how predation influences the breeding strategies of sanderling (Calidris alba) and dunlin (Calidris alpina arctica).

Main Methods:

• Utilized 3-year nest data from sandpipers in Northeast Greenland.
• Estimated arctic fox spatial activity using Autocorrelated Kernel Utilization Distributions from GPS data.
• Analyzed daily nest survival rates and incubation start dates in relation to fox activity.

Main Results:

• Both sandpiper species exhibited higher daily nest survival rates in areas with lower arctic fox activity.
• Sandpipers initiated nesting earlier in areas with higher arctic fox activity.
• Predation risk was directly linked to reduced nest survival, aligning with artificial nest study findings.

Conclusions:

• Predation risk does not delay breeding phenology in high-Arctic sandpipers.
• Spatial variation in predation risk significantly influences nest survival and breeding timing.
• Findings highlight the importance of studying real nests to understand behavioral responses to predation.