Causes of Hatching Failure in Great Tit (Parus major) and Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) Populations in Comparison of Urban-Rural Areas
Date of Award
Spring 6-15-2024
Document Type
Undergraduate Honors Thesis
Degree Name
B.A. in Environmental Science
Organizational Unit
College of Natural Science and Mathematics, Geography and the Environment
First Advisor
Michael Kerwin
Second Advisor
Patrick Martin
Third Advisor
Zsófia Toth
Keywords
Urbanization, Hatching failure, Birds
Abstract
Bird populations around the globe are facing declines due to various factors, including climate change, pollution, and urbanization. Urbanization in particular presents a unique challenge, as various types of pollution impact reproductive success for a variety of bird species. In this study of Southern Sweden, we investigate the causes of hatching failure in urban and rural populations of Great tits (Parus major) and Blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus). Through nest monitoring and egg dissections, we explore various causes of hatching failure, including abandonment, predation, and multiple types of embryo fatality. We hypothesized that there would be higher rates of hatching failure among the urban populations, with early embryo death being the leading factor in urban failure. We also predicted that predation would be the leading cause of hatching failure among rural populations. Our results reveal significant differences in nest fate between urban and rural populations, with higher rates of abandonment observed in urban Great tit populations and predation primarily affecting rural nests. Despite hypothesized differences in causes of hatching failure, early embryo death emerges as a prominent factor across all populations. The study highlights the importance of understanding urbanization's impact on avian reproductive success. Recommendations for future research include continued monitoring and analysis to interpret the complex interactions between urbanization, pollution, and avian reproductive outcomes. Overall, this study contributes to our understanding of the ecological consequences of urbanization on bird populations and highlights the need for conservation efforts to protect avian biodiversity in urban environments.
Copyright Date
5-22-2024
Copyright Statement / License for Reuse
All Rights Reserved.
Publication Statement
Copyright is held by the author. Permanently suppressed.
This thesis was written as an undergraduate thesis for the University of Denver Department of Geography and the Environment with the purpose of attaining Distinction in the Major. All of the data was collected by the author and other researchers in the Lund University Evolutionary Ecology Department under the direction of Caroline Isaksson. As such, the results are stored and distributed by Lund University.
Rights Holder
Joslyn Hays
Provenance
Received from author
File Format
application/pdf
Language
English (eng)
Extent
18 pgs
File Size
1.2 MB
Recommended Citation
Hays, Joslyn, "Causes of Hatching Failure in Great Tit (Parus major) and Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) Populations in Comparison of Urban-Rural Areas" (2024). Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals. 36.
https://digitalcommons.du.edu/undergraduate_theses/36