On the functional extinction of the Passenger Pigeon |
| |
| Authors: | David L Roberts Ivan Jari? Andrew R Solow |
| |
| Institution: | 1. Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology & Conservation, Marlowe Building, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, U.K;2. Leibniz‐Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany;3. Institute for Multidisciplinary Research, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia;4. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, U.S.A |
| |
| Abstract: | The Passenger Pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius) was a social breeder, and it has been suggested that the species experienced functional extinction, defined as a total reproductive failure, prior to its actual extinction in the early years of the 20th century. We applied a novel randomization test based on the relative times of the most recent egg‐ and skin‐specimen sightings (i.e., recorded date of specimen collection) to test for functional extinction. For a total of 6 eggs and 27 skins, the observed significance level was 0.38, which indicated that the species did not become functionally extinct. Thus, proposals to reverse its rapid decline in the late 19th century could have been successful. |
| |
| Keywords: | Ectopistes migratorius museum specimens North America reproductive failure Amé rica del Norte Ectopistes migratorius especí menes de museo falla reproductiva |
|
|
