Multidimensional natal isotopic niches reflect migratory patterns in birds.

ABSTRACT: Naturally occurring stable isotope ratios in animal tissues allow estimation of species trophic position and ecological niche. Measuring multiple isotopes of migratory species along flyway bottlenecks offers the opportunity to sample multiple populations and species whose tissues carry information at continental scales. We measured δ²H, δ¹⁸O, δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N in juvenile feathers of 21 bird species captured at a migratory bottleneck in the Italian Alps. We examined if trends in individual isotopes reflected known migratory strategies and whether dietary (δ¹³C-δ¹⁵N) and spatially-explicit breeding origin (δ²H-δ¹⁸O) niche breadth (NB) differed among long-distance trans-Saharan (TS), short-distance (IP) and irru

SUBMITTER: Franzoi A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8531022 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature