Offshore refuges support higher densities and show slower population declines of wintering Ruddy Turnstones Arenaria interpres: a response

In this reply, we confirm that the results of the original paper are robust and that our conclusions were correct: densities of Ruddy Turnstones Arenaria interpres were lower on sites located further from undisturbed refuges. There are two points of learning here: (i) taking the findings of a paper...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Bird study 2020-04, Vol.67 (2), p.264-267
Main Authors: Whittingham, Mark J., McKenzie, Ailsa J., Francksen, Richard M., Feige, David, Cadwallender, Tom, Grainger, Matthew, Fazaa, Nadheer, Rhymer, Caroline, Wilkinson, Catherine, Lloyd, Pauline, Smurthwaite, Ben, Percival, Steve M., Morris-Hale, Tammy, Rawcliffe, Clare, Dewson, Claire, Woods, Sarah, Stewart, Gavin B., Oughton, Elizabeth
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Arenaria interpres
Offshore
Overwintering
Population decline
Refuges
Turnstones
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Summary:In this reply, we confirm that the results of the original paper are robust and that our conclusions were correct: densities of Ruddy Turnstones Arenaria interpres were lower on sites located further from undisturbed refuges. There are two points of learning here: (i) taking the findings of a paper based purely on what is published is normal but there is an unpublished iterative process for analysis that is often hidden from a reader (described here), so we refute that our results were caused by chance; (ii) we published a result based on an incorrect method in the revision process. We hope that other researchers involved in long-term projects involving large and complex datasets can learn from our mistake, as we will endeavour to do.
ISSN:0006-3657
1944-6705
DOI:10.1080/00063657.2020.1820447