Influence of sea surface winds on shearwater migration detours

To test the potential effects of winds on the migratory detours of shearwaters, transequatorial migrations of 3 shearwaters, the Manx Puffin us puffinus, the Cory's Calonectris diomedea, and the Cape Verde C. edwardsii shearwaters were tracked using geolocators. Concurrent data on the direction and strength of winds were obtained from the NASA SeaWinds scatterometer to calculate daily impedance models reflecting the resistance of sea surface winds to the shearwater movements. From these models we estimated relative wind-mediated costs for the observed synthesis pathway obtained from tracked birds, for the shortest distance pathway and for other simulated alternative pathways for every day of the migration period. We also estimated daily trajectories of the minimum cost pathway and compared distance and relative costs of all pathways. Shearwaters followed 26 to 52% longer pathways than the shortest distance path. In general, estimated wind-mediated costs of both observed synthesis and simulated alternative pathways were strongly dependent on the date of departure. Costs of observed synthesis pathways were about 15% greater than the synthesis pathway with the minimum cost, but, in the Cory's and the Cape Verde shearwaters, these pathways were on average 15 to 20% shorter in distance, suggesting the extra costs of the observed pathways are compensated by saving about 2 travelling days. In Manx shearwaters, however, the distance of the observed synthesis pathway was 25% longer than that of the lowest cost synthesis pathway, probably because birds avoided shorter but potentially more turbulent pathways. Our results suggest that winds are a major determinant of the migratory routes of seabirds

Impacto del cambio climático en la biodiversidad: el caso de Ecuador

This is a project realized by Kraken research group and financed by the BBVA Foundation. A part of the project is being developed in the CUM (Centro Universitario de Mérida) where new techniques of predictive modelling applied to generation of spatial models are being tested. This project, with 3 PhD students for 3 years, is in collaboration with Missouri Botanical Garden and National Herbarium of Ecuador. The aim is to identify high-diversity areas in Ecuador and to estimate the pattern of change in biodiversity richness under a climate change scenario. To this end, hundreds of vegetal species are analysed; their synthesis will conform a present biodiversity richness model, which can be very useful for biological studies and forest management.Proyecto realizado por el grupo Kraken y financiado por la Fundación BBVA dentro de sus convocatorias de proyectos para el estudio y la conservación de la biodiversidad. Una parte de este proyecto se desarrolla en el Centro Universitario de Mérida donde se exploran nuevas técnicas de modelización espacial aplicada a la distribución potencial de especies. El proyecto se realiza en colaboración con el Missouri Botanical Garden y el Herbario Nacional de Ecuador y está dotado de tres becas predoctorales de 3 años de duración. El objetivo es identificar las áreas de alta diversidad en Ecuador y analizar su estabilidad y variabilidad espacial y temporal en un escenario de cambio climático global. Este análisis se realiza para varios cientos de especies vegetales cuya síntesis permitirá valorar las pérdidas o ganancias de biodiversidad en cada lugar, facilitando la labor de planificación sobre una base cartográfica

Influence of sea surface winds on shearwater migration detours

To test the potential effects of winds on the migratory detours of shearwaters, transequatorial migrations of 3 shearwaters, the Manx Puffinus puffinus, the Cory"s Calonectris diomedea, and the Cape Verde C. edwardsii shearwaters were tracked using geolocators. Concurrent data on the direction and strength of winds were obtained from the NASA SeaWinds scatterometer to calculate daily impedance models reflecting the resistance of sea surface winds to the shearwater movements. From these models we estimated relative wind-mediated costs for the observed synthesis pathway obtained from tracked birds, for the shortest distance pathway and for other simulated alternative pathways for every day of the migration period. We also estimated daily trajectories of the minimum cost pathway and compared distance and relative costs of all pathways. Shearwaters followed 26 to 52% longer pathways than the shortest distance path. In general, estimated wind-mediated costs of both observed synthesis and simulated alternative pathways were strongly dependent on the date of departure. Costs of observed synthesis pathways were about 15% greater than the synthesis pathway with the minimum cost, but, in the Cory"s and the Cape Verde shearwaters, these pathways were on average 15 to 20% shorter in distance, suggesting the extra costs of the observed pathways are compensated by saving about 2 travelling days. In Manx shearwaters, however, the distance of the observed synthesis pathway was 25% longer than that of the lowest cost synthesis pathway, probably because birds avoided shorter but potentially more turbulent pathways. Our results suggest that winds are a major determinant of the migratory routes of seabirds