Marianne Allard
Project
Carry-over effects of environmental conditions at wintering sites and during migration on the migration and breeding phenology of the Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor).One of the major environmental changes currently occurring is the advancement of spring, linked to higher temperatures. In response to earlier spring starts, migratory species may advance their breeding. However, if they fail to adapt to changing food availability, carry-over effects may occur, impacting their fitness and breeding success. These effects occur when an earlier event influences individual performance during a later period. Weather conditions at wintering sites and during migration may also generate such effects. My project aims to determine whether these environmental conditions influence the migration phenology, fitness, and breeding of the Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor). Specifically, I will assess the intensity of delayed effects experienced at wintering sites and during spring migration on female body mass upon arrival at breeding sites, as well as on their reproductive success (like the clutch size). This project will thus deepen our understanding of the consequences of events occurring outside the breeding season on migratory species.
