Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), PO Box 40, 6666 ZG Heteren, The Netherlands.
Curr Biol. 2010 Feb 9;20(3):243-8. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2009.11.074. Epub 2010 Jan 28.
During the past decades, phenology of many organisms has advanced in response to climate change [1]. Earlier arrival of long-distance migrants has been reported frequently [2, 3], but advancements of arrival and breeding were not always sufficient to match phenology at other trophic levels [4]. This has led to increased selection for early breeding [5] and severe population declines [6, 7]. This inadequate response has been explained by an inflexible start of migration, governed by cues unrelated to climate change, such as photoperiod [8]. It has been suggested that evolution at the genetic level is required for a change in photoresponsiveness [9]. Recently, such an evolutionary change in migration timing was suggested [10]. Here I show that timing of spring migration of pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca) has responded flexibly to climate change. Recovery dates during spring migration in Northern Africa advanced by ten days between 1980 and 2002, which was explained by improving Sahel rainfall and a phenotypic effect of birth date. The lack of advance on the breeding grounds most likely was due to environmental constraints during migration. Adjustment of arrival date in migrants to climate change could thus be rapid, but only if circumstances favorably change for the whole journey.
在过去的几十年中，许多生物的物候已经随着气候变化而提前[1]。长距离迁徙者提前到达的情况经常被报道[2,3]，但到达和繁殖的提前并不总是足以与其他营养级的物候相匹配[4]。这导致了对早期繁殖的选择增加[5]和严重的种群减少[6,7]。这种不充分的反应可以通过迁徙的开始缺乏灵活性来解释，迁徙的开始不受气候变化相关的线索控制，例如光照周期[8]。有人认为，需要在遗传水平上进行进化才能改变对光的反应性[9]。最近，有人提出迁徙时间的这种进化变化[10]。在这里，我展示了 pied flycatcher（Ficedula hypoleuca）春季迁徙的时间已经对气候变化做出了灵活的反应。1980 年至 2002 年间，北非春季迁徙的恢复日期提前了十天，这可以用萨赫勒降雨的改善和出生日期的表型效应来解释。在繁殖地没有提前，最有可能是因为迁徙过程中的环境限制。因此，迁徙者适应气候变化的到达日期可能很快，但前提是整个旅程的情况都有利于变化。
