Fire and Drought Affect Multiple Aspects of Diversity in a Migratory Bird Stopover Community

Stanek, Jenna E.; Gadek, Chauncey R.; Milligan, Sarah E.; Thompson, Brent E.; Tranquillo, Keegan A.; Trader, Laura L.; Hathcock, Charles D.; Fettig, Stephen M.

doi:10.3390/biology14060597

Fire and Drought Affect Multiple Aspects of Diversity in a Migratory Bird Stopover Community

Journal Article · Sat May 24 00:00:00 EDT 2025 · Biology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14060597· OSTI ID:2568698

^[1]; Gadek, Chauncey R. ^[2]; Milligan, Sarah E. ^[3]; ^[1]; Tranquillo, Keegan A. ^[3]; Trader, Laura L. ^[3]; Hathcock, Charles D. ^[1]; Fettig, Stephen M. ^[4]

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Bandelier National Monument, Los Alamos, NM (United States)
US Fish and Wildlife Service, Sacramento, CA (United States)

Drought and high-severity, stand-replacing wildfires can have substantial impacts on the composition of avian communities, including stop-over communities during migration. An inextricable link exists between drought and wildfire, each operating and impacting across different timescales. Many studies have found nonlinear avian abundance trends in breeding community time series data that include pre- and post-fire observations, describing an initial decrease in abundance followed by rapid increases that can attenuate over time. Here, we use a fall bird-banding dataset to evaluate shifts in a drought-impacted avian community following wildfire from taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic perspectives. We looked at the community as a whole and also categorized birds as residents, migrants, and breeders to assess potential varying responses at the study site. We observed post-fire shifts in functional and phylogenetic diversity that corresponded to changes in vegetation. An influx of migratory insectivores post-fire drove much of the variation between pre- and post-fire avian communities and toward a more related, less phylogenetically dispersed community. A concurrent monsoon season drought was also associated with functional and phylogenetic diversity, highlighting the intertwined pulse press effects on avian communities. Overall, our results suggest that, although bird communities are immediately impacted by fire-driven resource changes, they can rebound over time, it is unclear how long-term drought may continue to shape the composition of these avian communities.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)

Grant/Contract Number:: 89233218CNA000001

OSTI ID:: 2568698

Report Number(s):: LA-UR--24-22629; 10.3390/biology14060597; 2079-7737

Journal Information:: Biology, Journal Name: Biology Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 14; ISSN 2079-7737

Publisher:: MDPICopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
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Fire and Drought Affect Multiple Aspects of Diversity in a Migratory Bird Stopover Community

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