A latitudinal gradient in climate effects on seabird demography : results from interspecific analyses

摘要: For an understanding of the effect climate change on animal population dynamics, it is crucial to be able identify which climatologic parameters affect demographic rate, and what underlying mechanistic links are. An important reason for why interactions between demography still are poorly understood that effects vary both geographically taxonomically. Here, we analyse interspecifically how different variables breeding success North Atlantic seabird species along latitudinal longitudinal gradients. By approaching problem comparatively, generalize across populations species. We find a strong interactive latitude success. Of climatic considered, local sea surface temperatures during season tend more relevant than Oscillation (NAO). However, NAO shows clear geographic pattern, changing in sign from positive south negative north. If this interaction taken account of, model explains variation any with temperature. This superiority index due its ability capture one single parameter. Mechanistically, however, several lines evidence suggest temperature biologically most explanatory variable.