| Description: |
As climate change has been reported to disproportionately affect different regions, it becomes paramount to understand those effects on migratory organisms, who depend upon spatial, temporal, and climatically diverse habitats throughout migration and other parts of the annual cycle. Evidence suggests changes in temperature, precipitation, and wind have affected migratory landbirds, specifically their body mass, fat load, and arrival timing. Moreover, the debate continues of whether species will be able to sufficiently adapt to these climatic changes. In investigating this prominent issue, I utilized a long-term (18 year; 2004-2019, 2021-2022) avian capture data set to look for effects of the meteorological variables (temperature at 925 mbar, precipitable water, and v-wind [North/South] component at 925 mbar) on body mass, body fat, and arrival timing in Gray Catbirds (Dumetella carolinensis) and Common Yellowthroats (Geothlypis trichas) captured using habitat in and around Lackawanna State Park, Dalton, Pennsylvania during spring migration. I also looked for evidence of climate change at the site by looking for long-term (19 year; 2004-2022) changes in similar meteorological variables (minimum temperature, precipitable water, and v-wind component at 925 mbar) using interpolated data from the National Center for Environmental Protection (NCEP). While I found no evidence of climate change, I did find evidence of short-term weather (extrinsic) effects on body mass and when birds arrived in both species. I also found evidence that intrinsic factors (sex, age) influenced body mass, fat load and arrival timing, and did so differently depending upon the individual's sex and age. My goal is to advance our understanding of how short-term meteorological events influence stopover in migrating landbirds. |