Researchers of the Bird Migration Research Station of the Faculty of Biology of the University of Gdańsk (UG) carry out the research project “Early warning system on changes in biodiversity as a result of climate change”. Researchers returned from a scientific trip to South Africa.

During the expedition, scientists investigated the moulting and migration dates of birds migrating between their nests in Europe and wintering grounds in South Africa. The terms of moulting and migration of the species studied depend on the environmental conditions – especially temperature and precipitation, so that birds can be bioindicators of climate change in the hemispheres from they migrate.

The expedition was part of a research project led by Dr Magdalena Remisiewicz from the Bird Migration Research Station and Prof. Les G. Underhill from the Animal Demography Unit of the University of Cape Town, financed by the National Center for Research and Development and the National Research Foundation as part of the “Poland-South Africa Cooperation” program.