Quantifying the influence of urban biotic and abiotic environmental factors on great tit nestling physiology
Johan Kjellberg Jensen, Ann‐Kathrin Ziegler, Christina Isaxon, Lucía Jiménez‐Gallardo, Susana Garcia Domínguez, Jan‐Åke Nilsson, Jenny Rissler, Caroline Isaksson
Abstract
concentration, while being negatively associated with ambient temperature and number of non-native trees in the territory. Body mass and wing length both increased with the number of local oak trees. We also show, through a principal component analysis, that while the environmental variables fall into an urbanization gradient, this gradient is insufficient to explain the observed physiological responses. Therefore, accounting for individual environmental variables in parallel, and thus allowing for interactions between these, is crucial to fully understand the urban ecosystem.
Topics & Concepts
UrbanizationParusAbiotic componentEcologyBiologyBioindicatorBiotic componentEcosystemLife history theoryEnvironmental scienceGeographyLife historyAvian ecology and behaviorAnimal Behavior and ReproductionAir Quality and Health Impacts