Birds and Climate Change

Temperature and other climate variables are currently changing at a dramatic rate. As observations have shown, these climatic changes have serious consequences for all organisms and their ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions. Birds are excellent model organisms, with a very active metabolism, they are highly sensitive to environmental changes and as highly mobile creatures they are also extremely reactive. Birds and Climate Change discusses our current knowledge of observed changes and provides guidelines for studies in the years to come so we can document and understand how patterns of changing weather conditions may affect birds.

Provides reviews of long-term datasetsIncorporates meta-analyses of studies about climate change effects on birdsIncludes guidelines and suggestions for further studies

Introduction
Arrival and departure dates
Migrators fuelling and global climate change
Using large scale data from ringed birds for the investigation of effects of climate change on migrating birds: pitfalls and prospects
Breeding dates and reproductive performance
Global climate change leads to mistimed avian reproduction
Analysis and interpretation of long-term studies investigating responses to climate change
Photoperiodic response and the adaptability of avian life cycles to environmental change
Microevolutionary response to climatic change
Climate influences on avian population dynamics
Importance of climatic change for the ranges, communities and conservation of birds
The challenge of future research on climate change and avian biology