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Biomass burning in the Neotropics is exposing migrating birds to elevated fine particulate matter concentrations

La Sorte, Frank1; Zuckerberg, Benjamin2; Lepczyk, Christopher3; Aronson, Myla4; Horton, Kyle5

Published Sep 22, 2023; Updated Mar 25, 2024 on Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.hdr7sqvpn

Data files

Sep 22, 2023 version files 221.03 KB

Abstract

Aim: A unique risk faced by nocturnally migrating birds is the disorienting influence of artificial light at night (ALAN). ALAN originates from anthropogenic activities that can generate other forms of environmental pollution, including the emission of fine particulate matter (PM2.5). PM2.5 concentrations can display strong seasonal variation originating from natural and anthropogenic processes. How these processes affect seasonal associations with ALAN and PM2.5 for nocturnally migrating birds has not been documented.

Location: Western Hemisphere

Time period: 2021

Major taxa studied: Nocturnally migrating passerine (NMP) bird species

Methods: We combined monthly estimates of PM2.5 and ALAN with weekly estimates of relative abundance for 164 NMP species within the Western Hemisphere derived using bird observations from eBird. We identify groups of species with shared associations with PM2.5.

Results: PM2.5 was lowest in North America, especially at higher latitudes during the boreal winter. PM2.5 was highest in the Amazon Basin, especially during the dry season (August-October). ALAN was highest within eastern North America, especially during the boreal winter. For the NMP species, PM2.5 associations reached their lowest levels during the breeding season (<10 μg/m3) and highest levels during the non-breeding season, especially for species that winter in Central and South America (~20 μg/m3). Species that migrate through Central America in the spring encountered similarly high PM2.5 concentrations. ALAN associations reached their highest levels for species that migrate (~12 nW/cm2/sr) or spend the nonbreeding season (~15 nW/cm2/sr) in eastern North America.

Main conclusions: We did not find evidence that the disorienting influence of ALAN enhances PM2.5 exposure during a stopover in the spring and autumn for NMP species. Rather, our findings suggest biomass burning in the Neotropics is exposing NMP species to consistently elevated PM2.5 concentrations for an extended period of their annual life cycles.