title: Effects of extreme thermal conditions on plasticity in breeding phenology and double-broodedness of Great Tits and Blue Tits in central Poland in 2013 and 2014.
abstract: Many avian species in Europe breed earlier as a result of higher temperatures caused by global climate changes. Climate change means not only higher temperatures but also more frequent extreme weather events, sometimes contrasting with the long-term trends. It was suggested that we should look closely at every extreme phenomenon and its consequences for the phenology of organisms. Examining the limits of phenotypic plasticity may be an important goal for future research. Extremely low spring temperatures in 2013 (coldest spring in 40 years) resulted in birds laying unusually late, and it was followed in 2014 by the earliest breeding season on record (warmest spring in 40 years). Here, we present results concerning breeding phenology and double-broodedness in the Great Tit (Parus major) and the Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) in 2013 and 2014 in an urban parkland and a deciduous forest in central Poland. Great Tits started laying eggs 18.2 days later in 2013 than in 2014 in the parkland, whereas the analogous difference was 21.1 days in the forest. Blue Tits started laying eggs in the parkland 18.5 days later in 2013 than in 2014, while the analogous difference was 21.6 days in the forest. The difference in the proportion of second clutches in Great Tits between 2013 (fewer second clutches) and 2014 (more second clutches) was highly significant in the parkland and in the forest. This rather large extent of breeding plasticity has developed in reaction to challenges of irregular inter-annual variability of climatic conditions. Such a buffer of plasticity may be sufficient for Blue Tits and Great Tits to adjust the timing of breeding to the upcoming climate changes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Banacha 12/16, 90-237, Łódź, Poland. mglad@biol.uni.lodz.pl.
authors.forename: Michał
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Glądalski
authors.affiliation: Museum of Natural History, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Kilińskiego 101, 90-011, Łódź, Poland.
authors.forename: Mirosława
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bańbura
authors.affiliation: Department of Teacher Training and Biological Diversity Studies, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Banacha 1/3, 90-237, Łódź, Poland.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kaliński
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Banacha 12/16, 90-237, Łódź, Poland.
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Markowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Banacha 12/16, 90-237, Łódź, Poland.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Skwarska
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Banacha 12/16, 90-237, Łódź, Poland.
authors.forename: Jarosław
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wawrzyniak
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology and Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Banacha 12/16, 90-237, Łódź, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zieliński
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Banacha 12/16, 90-237, Łódź, Poland.
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bańbura
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D057231:Climate Change; D005260:Female; D065928:Forests; D000068316:Parks, Recreational; D046109:Passeriformes / Q000502:physiology*; D011044:Poland; D012098:Reproduction; D012621:Seasons; D013696:Temperature
keywords: Accelerated breeding time; Climate change; Climate warming; Cyanistes caeruleus; Delayed breeding time; Extreme weather event; Laying date; Parus major; Second clutch