Skip to main content
ARS Home » Plains Area » College Station, Texas » Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center » Insect Control and Cotton Disease Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #318766
Title: Atmospheric environment associated with animal flight

Author
item Westbrook, John
item Eyster, Ritchie

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/13/2018
Publication Date: 5/4/2018
Citation: Westbrook, J.K., Eyster, R.S. 2018. Atmospheric environment associated with animal flight. In: Chilson P., Frick W., Kelly J., Liechti F., editors. Aeroecology. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing. p. 13-45. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-68576-2_2.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-68576-2_2

Interpretive Summary: Flying animals can occupy the lowest 1-2 miles of the atmosphere to disperse, migrate, and feed, yet little information is known whether they gain advantage in these biological activities by flying at selective altitudes and times. Descriptions of the structure and processes in the “aeroecological environment”, which comprises the planetary boundary layer and the uppermost atmospheric extent of flying animals, are written with a biological audience in mind. The chapter describes physical processes and temporal development of atmospheric structure and wind fields within the aeroecological environment, spanning local, regional, and global scales. Brief descriptions of flight distributions and displacements of insects, birds, and bats are referenced as examples of important inter-connections between flying animals and the atmosphere. Aeroecologically-relevant atmospheric data sets and models are identified as resources for the biological audience.

Technical Abstract: Descriptions of the physical structure and processes in the “aeroecological environment”, which comprises the planetary boundary layer and the uppermost atmospheric extent of flying animals, are written with a biological audience in mind. The chapter describes processes and temporal development of thermodynamic and wind fields within the aeroecological environment, evolving from the microscale to the mesoscale and macroscale. Brief descriptions of flight distributions and displacements of insects, birds, and bats are referenced as examples of important inter-connections between flying animals and the atmosphere. Aeroecologically-relevant atmospheric data sets and models are identified as resources for the biological audience.