High Latitude Breeding

University Of Washington, Seattle WA

Investigators

Abstract

This research project involves field and laboratory studies on the physiological and behavioral adaptations of birds to the extreme conditions that prevail in Arctic environments. The study will focus on four bird species found at sites in Greenland and Alaska that represent a series of harsh polar conditions. The effect of different environments on breeding will be determined in order to examine the role of climate. Blood samples and steroid treatment will be used to test hypotheses about the role of environmental conditions on testosterone production and its effect on reproductive behavior during the breeding season. The results will be used to examine the potential effects of changing climate conditions, such as global warming, on the breeding behavior of birds that migrate into the Arctic.