Pelecanus erythrorhynchos

Transcription

1 Published on Climate Change Sensitivity Database ( Pelecanus erythrorhynchos This species is complete. March 17, 2010 by Jorge Tomasevic Author(s) Expertise: Print species as a PDF [1] Sensitivity 1-7 (one being least Sensitivity Factor sensitive, seven being most sensitive) Generalist/Specialist 2 Medium-Low Physiology 3 Medium Life History 5 High Habitat 7 Extremely High Dispersal Ability 1 Low 2 Poor Disturbance Regimes 3 Medium Ecology 2 Medium-Low Non-Climatic 5 High Other (weight) Sensitivity Score : 51 Medium Confidence 1-5 (one being least sensitive, five being most sensitive) Sensitivity Score 100 * [(0.5 *(Dispersal Distance + Dispersal Barriers) + Disturbance Regimes + (0.5 * Generalist/Specialist) + Physiology + (0.5 * Life History) + Sensitive Habitats + Ecology + Non- Climatic Stressors + (Other * Weight) / 49 + (7 * Weight)] Note: if Sensitive Habitats are identified, this factor automatically gets a value of seven, otherwise it remains zero. Confidence Score : Confidence Score The Confidence Score is an average of the Confidence column above.

2 Overall User Ranking: 3 Medium Common Name: American White Pelican Is this Species completed: Yes Taxonomy This is a description of the whole group Scientific Name: Pelecanus erythrorhynchos Realm: Freshwater Kingdom: Animal Phylum: Craniata Class: Aves Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Pelecanidae Genus: Pelecanus Global Rank: G4 Rounded Global Rank: G4 - Apparently Secure (2008) IUCN: Least concern (2009). Criteria ver 3.1. US Endangered Species Act Code: Species of Concern Species Element Code: ABNFC01010 Generalist/Specialist

3 Broadly, where does this species fall on the spectrum of generalist to specialist? : 2 Confidence in your assessment of the degree to which the species is a generalist or specialist: Please further describe the relationships that make the species more of a specialist: Not tightly linked to other species. Not faithful to breeding site either. Opportunistic forager, selecting on basis of availability (Knopf and Evans 2004). Physiology Species' physiological sensitivity: 3 Confidence in how physiologically sensitive the species is to climate change: Please specify whether or not this species is physiologically sensitive to one or more of the following: salinity Please describe any specific physiological sensitivities: Newly-hatched naked young succumb within 5 min in full sun at nests with floor temperature up to 48Â C. Young at 1â?2 wk of age may succumb to chilling if out of nest and unbrooded overnight (Knopf and Evans 2004). Flooding is a major factor in the species breeding cycle. It provides suitable habitat for breeding and prevents the colonization by vegetation of the breeding islands. Life History Species' reproductive strategy: 5

4 Confidence in your assessment of the species' reprodcutive strategy: Is the species polycyclic, iteroparous, or semelparous?: Iteroparous (reproduces in successive cycles--characteristic of K-strategists) Average length of time to reproductive maturity: 1095 How many surviving young can an individual produce during a single reproductive event under optimal conditions?: 2 How many reproductive events can an individual undergo in a single year under optimal conditions?: 1 two stages: juvenile (non-breeder) and adult (breeder) Sensitive Habitats Depends on the following sensitive habitat types: Coastal Lowlands/Marshes/Estuaries/Beaches Confidence in whether the species depends on the listed sensitive habitat types: Level of philopatry: medium Breeds mainly on isolated islands in freshwater lakes, forages on inland marshes, lakes, or rivers, favoring shallows. Waters range from oligotrophic to eutrophic, muddy to clear; shorelines range from mud or sand to gravel and rock. Islands used for breeding commonly 50+ km from foraging areas (Knopf and Evans 2004). Dispersal Ability

5 Maximum annual dispersal distance: km Confidence in maximum annual dispersal distance: 2 Poor Within the context of dispersal distance above, do barriers to dispersal exist?: 1 None Confidence in barriers to dispersal exists: Species make long movements for foraging. Ephemeral nature of breeding sites makes expectable that juveniles may disperse over long distances. Disturbance Regimes How sensitive is this species to one or more disturbance regimes: 3 somewhat sensitive Confidence in how sensitive is this species on one or more disturbance regimes: Periodic flooding of these islands helps restrict woody vegetation growth, making the island more attractive. Low site tenacity and high mobility appear to be important drought-related adaptations permitting pelicans to shift colony sites and take advantage of temporarily rich food supplies or availability of an island as a result of changing water levels (Knopf and Evans 2004). Ecological Relationships Please specify which of the following (if any) are sensitive to climate change for this species: forage hydrology Confidence in how sensitive the species is to other effects of climate change on its

6 ecology: Which types of climate and climate-driven changes in the environment affect these aspects of the species' ecology?: precipitation How sensitive is this species? ecological relationships to the effects of climate change?: 2 Interacting non-climatic stressors To what degree do other, non-climate-related threats, to the species make it more sensitive to climate change?: 5 Confidence in the degree to which non-climate-related threats affect the species' sensitivity to climate change: Please check all of the stressors that make the species more sensitive to climate change: habitat loss or degradation invasive/exotic species direct human conflict (including harvesting) other (please specify in the comment box below) This species is highly sensitive to human intrusion into breeding colonies, which cause desertions and exposure of eggs and young to temperature extremes and gull predation (NaturServe 2010). Hydrological alterations by humans have resulted in a net loss of breeding and feeding areas, and these alterations remain an important potential limiting factor. Some hydrological changes have created or improved nesting habitat (NaturServe 2010). Diseases (particularly Type C botulism and West Nile virus) have caused significant die-offs and mortality in recent years and are a cause for concern (NaturServe 2010). Nesting colonies can be jeopardized by several consecutive years of drought, which may lower water levels and allow mammal predators (particularly coyote and raccoon) access to pelican breeding sites (NaturServe 2010). NatureServe NatureServe Explorer: An online encyclopedia of life [web application]. Version 7.1. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available (Accessed: May 18, 2011 ). Overall User Ranking In your opinion, how would you rank the overall sensitivity of this species to climate change?:

7 3 Confidence in your overall assessment of the sensitivity of this species to climate change: Species is related to changes in lake water level. It may be affected by climate change in terms of changes on precipitation regimes (which may change flooding regimes in the lakes), and potentially by temperature changes as well. Chicks seems more vulnerable to death by exposure to high temperatures. IUCN IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version < Downloaded on 24 March Knopf, F.L. and R.M. Evans American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; NatureServe NatureServe Explorer: An online encyclopedia of life [web application]. Version 7.1. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available (Accessed: March 23, 2010). Print species as a PDF [1] Source URL (retrieved on :57): Links: [1]