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Braving the harsh conditions with wet snow battering and hindering my ski ascent past the 8,000-foot mark in eastern California’s Sierra Nevada, I persevere, dragging a sled laden with essential equipment for our mountain chickadee research, including batteries, bolts, wire, and 40 pounds of sunflower seeds.
The Chickadee in the Snowbank: A ‘Canary in the Coal Mine’ for Climate Change in the Sierra Nevada Mountains
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Introduction
Imagine trudging through the snow in the Sierra Nevada mountains, carrying a sled loaded with supplies for our mountain chickadee research. As a behavioral ecologist, I have spent years studying these fascinating birds and their ability to survive in extreme winter conditions. In recent years, we have noticed a concerning pattern – intense winters followed by drought years, which are believed to be symptoms of climate change. The impact of these changes on the chickadees is providing us with valuable insight into the future challenges that ecosystems in this region may face.
The Incredible Spatial Cognitive Abilities of Chickadees
One of the reasons chickadees are able to thrive in harsh winter conditions is their incredible spatial cognitive abilities. These birds are food-storing specialists, hiding thousands of individual food items throughout the forest before winter arrives. They then use their specialized spatial memory to retrieve these food caches when they need them. It’s like having a mental map of where all their food is hidden.
Measuring Spatial Memory in Chickadees
To study the spatial memory of chickadees, we use a unique method. We hang a circular array of feeders equipped with radio-frequency identification and filled with seed in different locations across our research site. Each bird is tagged with a transponder tag in a leg band, which acts as a key to open the feeder and access the food reward. By measuring the spatial memory performance of individual chickadees, we can determine how their memory abilities affect their survival in the mountains.
The Impact of Extreme Snow and Drought
In recent years, we have observed that extreme snowfall followed by drought has had a significant impact on chickadee populations. During the record-breaking snowfall in 2017, adult chickadees had the lowest probability of survival ever measured at our research site. The combination of cold weather, high winds, and deep snow made it difficult for the birds to forage and survive. Additionally, the deep snow prevented them from finding insects to feed their nestlings, resulting in a decline in successful nesting.
The Whiplash of Climate Change
The Sierra Nevada and other mountain ranges in western North America have been experiencing more extreme snow years and drought years, which are amplified by climate change. Warmer air can hold more moisture, leading to heavier snowfall during storms. However, these intense snowfall events can disrupt the survival and breeding of chickadees. The oscillation between extreme snow and drought creates challenges for these birds and other species that rely on them for food.
The Cascading Effects on Ecosystems
The impacts of extreme snow and drought go beyond the survival of chickadees. Insects, which are critical for feeding chickadee chicks, can also be affected. While snow cover can provide insulation for overwintering insects, if the snow persists too long into the summer, insects may run out of energy and die before they can emerge. Drought years can also lead to a decline in insect populations. These cascading effects can destabilize ecosystems and have long-term consequences for the species that depend on them.
Conclusion
Studying the mountain chickadees in the Sierra Nevada mountains has provided us with valuable insights into the impacts of climate change on ecosystems. These small birds, with their incredible spatial memory abilities, serve as a “canary in the coal mine” for understanding the challenges that lie ahead. By studying their survival and breeding patterns, we can gain a better understanding of how climate change is affecting the delicate balance of these coniferous forest ecosystems. It is our hope that this research will contribute to efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change and protect the biodiversity of these unique mountain environments.
FAQ’s
1. How do chickadees use their spatial cognitive abilities to survive in harsh winter conditions?
Chickadees are food-storing specialists, hiding thousands of individual food items throughout the forest before winter arrives. They then use their specialized spatial memory to retrieve these food caches when they need them.
2. How do researchers measure the spatial memory of chickadees?
Researchers use a unique method by hanging a circular array of feeders equipped with radio-frequency identification and filled with seed in different locations. Each bird is tagged with a transponder tag in a leg band, which acts as a key to open the feeder and access the food reward.
3. What impact does extreme snow and drought have on chickadee populations?
Extreme snowfall followed by drought has had a significant impact on chickadee populations. During record-breaking snowfall, adult chickadees had the lowest probability of survival ever measured. The deep snow also prevented them from finding insects to feed their nestlings, resulting in a decline in successful nesting.
4. How does climate change contribute to the challenges faced by chickadees?
Climate change has led to more extreme snow years and drought years in mountain ranges like the Sierra Nevada. Warmer air can hold more moisture, resulting in heavier snowfall during storms. The oscillation between extreme snow and drought creates challenges for chickadees and other species that rely on them for food.
5. What are the cascading effects of extreme snow and drought on ecosystems?
Extreme snow and drought can impact not only the survival of chickadees but also the insect populations they rely on for food. Snow cover can provide insulation for overwintering insects, but if the snow persists too long into the summer, insects may run out of energy and die before they can emerge. Drought years can also lead to a decline in insect populations, destabilizing ecosystems and impacting other species that depend on them.
Links to additional Resources:
National Audubon Society NOAA Climate.gov Sierra Club.Related Wikipedia Articles
Topics: Mountain Chickadee (bird), Sierra Nevada (mountain range), Climate ChangeMountain chickadee
The mountain chickadee (Poecile gambeli) is a small songbird, a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae.
Read more: Mountain chickadee
Sierra Nevada
The Sierra Nevada ( see-ERR-ə niv-A(H)D-ə) is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Carson Range spur lies primarily in Nevada. The Sierra Nevada is...
Read more: Sierra Nevada
Climate change
In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to Earth's climate. The current rise in global average temperature is primarily caused by humans burning fossil fuels since...
Read more: Climate change
