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Pereira JM, Ramos JA, Ceia FR, Krüger L, Marques AM, Paiva VH. Boldness predicts foraging behaviour, habitat use and chick growth in a central place marine predator. Oecologia 2024; 205:135-147. [PMID: 38739168 PMCID: PMC11144154 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-024-05557-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Animal personality can shape individual's fitness. Yet, the mechanistic relationship by which individual's personality traits lead to variations in fitness remains largely underexplored. Here, we used novel object tests to measure boldness of chick-provisioning Cory's shearwaters (Calonectris borealis) from a coastal colony off west Portugal, and deployed GPS loggers to study their at-sea behaviour and distribution. We then tested whether boldness predicts individual differences in adult's trophic ecology and variations in chick growth, to assess potential implications of personality-specific foraging behaviours. Foraging effort was higher for shyer than for bolder individuals, which, during short forays, exhibited larger foraging ranges, and foraged in regions of higher and more variable bathymetry. This suggests that nearby the colony bolder individuals expanded their foraging area to maximize resource acquisition and increase the probability of foraging success. When endeavouring to longer distances, bolder individuals exhibited comparably shorter foraging ranges and targeted low bathymetry regions, likely with enhanced prey availability, while shyer individuals exhibited much larger foraging ranges indicating greater flexibility when foraging in oceanic realms. Despite such differences between bolder and shyer individuals their isotopic niches were similar. Yet, chicks raised by bolder parents grew at a faster rate than those raised by shyer parents. Together, our results suggest that differences in resource acquisition strategies could play a key role through which individual's boldness may influence breeding performance, even when individuals have similar isotopic preferences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge M Pereira
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre / ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Jaime A Ramos
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre / ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Filipe R Ceia
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre / ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Lucas Krüger
- Instituto Antártico Chileno, Plaza Muñoz Gamero 1055, 620 000, Punta Arenas, Chile
- Instituto Milenio Biodiversidad de Ecosistemas Antárticos y Subantárticos (BASE), Las Palmeras 3425, Ñuñoa, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ana M Marques
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre / ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Vitor H Paiva
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre / ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
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2
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Phillips JA, Guilford T, Fayet AL. How do resource distribution and taxonomy affect the use of dual foraging in seabirds? A review. Behav Ecol 2023; 34:769-779. [PMID: 37744167 PMCID: PMC10516677 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arad052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
In many seabird species, parents feeding young switch between short and long foraging excursions in a strategy known as "dual foraging." To investigate whether habitat quality near breeding colonies drives the use of dual foraging, we conducted a review of the seabird literature, compiling the results of 102 studies which identified dual-foraging in 50 species across nine families from all six seabird orders. We estimated the mean distance from the colony of each species' short and long foraging trips and obtained remote-sensed data on chlorophyll-a concentrations within the radius of both short and long trips around each colony. We then assessed, for each seabird family, the relationship between the use of dual foraging strategies and the difference in the quality of foraging locations between short- and long-distance foraging trips. We found that the probability of dual foraging grew with increasing differences in the quality of foraging locations available during short- and long-distance trips. We also found that when controlling for differences in habitat quality, albatrosses and penguins were less likely to use dual foraging than Procellariidae, which in turn were less likely to use dual foraging than Sulids. This study helps clarify how environmental conditions and taxon-specific characteristics influence seabird foraging behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica A Phillips
- Department of Zoology, Oxford University, 11a Mansfield Rd, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
- Ocean Networks Canada, 2474 Arbutus Road, Victoria, BC V8N 1V8, Canada
| | - Tim Guilford
- Department of Zoology, Oxford University, 11a Mansfield Rd, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Annette L Fayet
- Department of Zoology, Oxford University, 11a Mansfield Rd, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Høgskoleringen 9, 7034 Trondheim, Norway
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3
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Santos SH, Martins BS, Ramos JA, Pereira JM, Almeida N, Gonçalves AMM, Matos DM, Norte AC, Rodrigues IF, Dos Santos I, Araújo PM, Paiva VH. Omega-3 enriched chick diet reduces the foraging areas of breeders in two closely related shearwaters from contrasting marine environments. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:jeb244690. [PMID: 37326253 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.244690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Seabirds have evolved several life-history characteristics to help buffer environmental stochasticity. However, particularly during the breeding season, seabirds may be affected by reductions in prey availability and localised oceanographic conditions caused by variations in the environment. The increase in sea surface temperature, triggered by accelerated global warming, is impairing phytoplankton production of omega-3 fatty acids (FAs). Here, we assessed the ecological role of omega-3 FAs on chick development and subsequently on breeder foraging behaviour in two closely related shearwater species foraging in contrasting marine environments. We supplemented chicks with omega-3 FA pills or with control placebo pills and monitored chick growth, chick health status and breeder at-sea foraging behaviour using global positioning system devices. We found that omega-3 chick supplementation reduced the 95% kernel utilization distribution of short trips of Cape Verde shearwaters, but overall, breeders kept a similar foraging pattern between treatments, potentially influenced by predictable prey patches off the West African coast. In contrast, for Cory's shearwaters, the parents of the omega-3 group greatly reduced the foraging effort. This suggests that the proximity to productive prey patches around the colony may help birds to adjust their effort and, therefore, energy expenditure, to changes in the development of their offspring, as driven by their nutritional status. Overall, our results suggest a link between a chick diet enriched in omega-3 FAs and parental foraging effort, providing insight into their ability to cope with a changing and increasingly stochastic marine environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara H Santos
- University of Coimbra, MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre/ARNET Aquatic Research Network, Department of Life Sciences, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Beatriz S Martins
- University of Coimbra, MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre/ARNET Aquatic Research Network, Department of Life Sciences, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Jaime A Ramos
- University of Coimbra, MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre/ARNET Aquatic Research Network, Department of Life Sciences, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Jorge M Pereira
- University of Coimbra, MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre/ARNET Aquatic Research Network, Department of Life Sciences, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Nathalie Almeida
- University of Coimbra, MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre/ARNET Aquatic Research Network, Department of Life Sciences, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
- Biosfera Cabo Verde, Sul do Cemitério, Rua 5 - Caixa Postal 233-000, São Vicente, Cabo Verde
| | - Ana M M Gonçalves
- University of Coimbra, MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre/ARNET Aquatic Research Network, Department of Life Sciences, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
- Department of Biology and CESAM, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Diana M Matos
- University of Coimbra, MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre/ARNET Aquatic Research Network, Department of Life Sciences, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ana C Norte
- University of Coimbra, MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre/ARNET Aquatic Research Network, Department of Life Sciences, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Isabel F Rodrigues
- Biosfera Cabo Verde, Sul do Cemitério, Rua 5 - Caixa Postal 233-000, São Vicente, Cabo Verde
| | - Ivo Dos Santos
- University of Coimbra, MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre/ARNET Aquatic Research Network, Department of Life Sciences, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Pedro M Araújo
- University of Coimbra, MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre/ARNET Aquatic Research Network, Department of Life Sciences, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus Agrário de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
| | - Vitor H Paiva
- University of Coimbra, MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre/ARNET Aquatic Research Network, Department of Life Sciences, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
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4
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Mauck RA, Pratte I, Hedd A, Pollet IL, Jones PL, Montevecchi WA, Ronconi RA, Gjerdrum C, Adrianowyscz S, McMahon C, Acker H, Taylor LU, McMahon J, Dearborn DC, Robertson GJ, McFarlane Tranquilla LA. Female and male Leach's Storm Petrels ( Hydrobates leucorhous) pursue different foraging strategies during the incubation period. THE IBIS 2023; 165:161-178. [PMID: 36589762 PMCID: PMC9798729 DOI: 10.1111/ibi.13112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Reproduction in procellariiform birds is characterized by a single egg clutch, slow development, a long breeding season and obligate biparental care. Female Leach's Storm Petrels Hydrobates leucorhous, nearly monomorphic members of this order, produce eggs that are between 20 and 25% of adult body weight. We tested whether female foraging behaviour differs from male foraging behaviour during the ~ 44-day incubation period across seven breeding colonies in the Northwest Atlantic. Over six breeding seasons, we used a combination of Global Positioning System and Global Location Sensor devices to measure characteristics of individual foraging trips during the incubation period. Females travelled significantly greater distances and went farther from the breeding colony than did males on individual foraging trips. For both sexes, the longer the foraging trip, the greater the distance. Independent of trip duration, females travelled farther, and spent a greater proportion of their foraging trips prospecting widely as defined by behavioural categories derived from a Hidden Markov Model. For both sexes, trip duration decreased with date. Sex differences in these foraging metrics were apparently not a consequence of morphological differences or spatial segregation. Our data are consistent with the idea that female foraging strategies differed from male foraging strategies during incubation in ways that would be expected if females were still compensating for egg formation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Isabeau Pratte
- Canadian Wildlife ServiceEnvironment and Climate Change Canada45 Alderney DriveDartmouthNSB2Y 2N6Canada
| | - April Hedd
- Wildlife Research DivisionEnvironment and Climate Change CanadaMount PearlNLA1N 4T3Canada
| | | | | | | | - Robert A. Ronconi
- Canadian Wildlife ServiceEnvironment and Climate Change Canada45 Alderney DriveDartmouthNSB2Y 2N6Canada
| | - Carina Gjerdrum
- Canadian Wildlife ServiceEnvironment and Climate Change Canada45 Alderney DriveDartmouthNSB2Y 2N6Canada
| | | | | | - Haley Acker
- Biology Department, Kenyon CollegeGambierOH42022USA
| | | | | | | | - Gregory J. Robertson
- Wildlife Research DivisionEnvironment and Climate Change CanadaMount PearlNLA1N 4T3Canada
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5
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Payo-Payo A, Igual JM, Sanz-Aguilar A, Real E, Genovart M, Oro D, Tavecchia G. Interspecific synchrony on breeding performance and the role of anthropogenic food subsidies. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0275569. [PMID: 36223369 PMCID: PMC9555664 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0275569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Synchrony can have important consequences for long-term metapopulations persistence, community dynamics and ecosystems functioning. While the causes and consequences of intra-specific synchrony on population size and demographic rates have received considerable attention only a few factors that may affect inter-specific synchrony have been described. We formulate the hypothesis that food subsidies can buffer the influence of environmental stochasticity on community dynamics, disrupting and masking originally synchronized systems. To illustrate this hypothesis, we assessed the consequences of European policies implementation affecting subsidy availability on the temporal synchrony of egg volume as a proxy of breeding investment in two sympatric marine top predators with differential subsidy use. We show how 7-year synchrony appears on egg volume fluctuations after subsidy cessation suggesting that food subsidies could disrupt interspecific synchrony. Moreover, cross correlation increased after subsidy cessation and environmental buffering seems to act during synchronization period. We emphasize that subsidies dynamics and waste management provide novel insights on the emergence of synchrony in natural populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Payo-Payo
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
- IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Esporles, Spain
- * E-mail:
| | - José-Manuel Igual
- IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Esporles, Spain
- Animal Demography and Ecology Unit (GEDA), IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Esporles, Spain
| | - Ana Sanz-Aguilar
- Animal Demography and Ecology Unit (GEDA), IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Esporles, Spain
- Applied Zoology and Conservation Group, University of Balearic Islands, Palma, Spain
| | - Enric Real
- Animal Demography and Ecology Unit (GEDA), IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Esporles, Spain
- Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centre Oceanográfico de Baleares, Palma, Spain
| | | | - Daniel Oro
- IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Esporles, Spain
- CEAB (CSIC), Blanes, Spain
| | - Giacomo Tavecchia
- Animal Demography and Ecology Unit (GEDA), IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Esporles, Spain
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6
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Fromant A, Eizenberg YH, Poupart T, Bustamante P, Arnould JPY. Year-round at-sea movements of fairy prions from southeastern Australia. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:220134. [PMID: 35620013 PMCID: PMC9128848 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.220134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Effective conservation assessments require detailed information of species' ecological niches during the whole annual cycle. For seabirds, this implies investigating the at-sea distribution and foraging behaviour during both the breeding and non-breeding periods. However, until recently, collecting information about small species has been precluded by the excessive size of the required devices. This lack of knowledge is exacerbated in the case of polytypic genera with species sharing very similar appearance and behaviour, such as the super-abundant prions (Pachyptila spp.). The present study investigates the year-round at-sea distribution and foraging ecology of the fairy prion (Pachyptila turtur) in southeastern Australia. Miniaturized GPS loggers during the breeding season and geolocators (GLS) during the non-breeding period were used over 4 consecutive years (2017-2021), with results that highlight the importance of the continental shelf-edge waters for fairy prions throughout the year. In addition, contrary to previous assumptions, the GLS data revealed an unsuspected post-breeding migration to the waters south of Australia, during which individuals probably undergo a rapid moult of flight feathers. Understanding the at-sea distribution and ecology of prions during the whole annual cycle will be fundamental to their conservation as it can reveal species- or population-specific threats that have been overlooked because of their status as abundant species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aymeric Fromant
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Hwy, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372, CNRS, La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Yonina H. Eizenberg
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Hwy, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372, CNRS, La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Timothée Poupart
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Hwy, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372, CNRS, La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Paco Bustamante
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266, La Rochelle Université, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000 La Rochelle, France
- Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), 1 Rue Descartes, 75005 Paris, France
| | - John P. Y. Arnould
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Hwy, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia
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Galluzzo FG, Cumbo V, Cammilleri G, Calabrese V, Pulvirenti A, Cicero N, Pantano L, Mascetti A, Lo Cascio G, Bacchi E, Macaluso A, Vella A, Seminara S, Ferrantelli V. Fatty Acids Composition of Stomach Oil of Scopoli’s Shearwater (Calonectris diomedea) from Linosa’s Colony. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12091069. [PMID: 35565496 PMCID: PMC9104134 DOI: 10.3390/ani12091069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Some Procellariiformes use an alternation of short tips and long trips to feed their chick. During these trips, they can accumulate stomach oil in the proventriculus derived from partially digested preys. The stomach oil was collected from adults of Calonectris diomedea from Linosa islands for fatty acids composition investigation. The results showed differences in fatty acid composition between the initial rearing period and the period near fledging. The present work gives a contribution to deepen the ecology and feeding strategies of the C. diomedea colony in Linosa island (Southern Italy). Abstract Calonectris diomedea is a Procellariforms seabird having a very representative colony in Linosa Island (Southern Italy). The adult forms of C. diomedea produce a pasty oil from their proventriculus to feed their chicks during the rearing period. In this work, we examined the fatty acids composition of the stomach oil of C. diomedea from Linosa Island by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID). The samples were collected at 20 and 70 days after hatching. Twenty different fatty acids (FAs) were identified. Saturated fatty acids (SFA) were the most abundant in percentage (41.6%) at day 20 followed by polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA, 38.7%) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA, 19.7%). MUFAs were the most abundant in samples collected at day 70 (53.8%), followed by SFAs (36.6%) and PUFAs (9.8%). Oleic acid (C18:1ω9) in the samples on day 70 was 4 times higher than that in the samples on day 20. The Principal Component Analysis (PCA) verified a clear separation of the stomach oil samples in two groups, according to the day of sampling. The results obtained confirm the role of FAs analysis of stomach oil to understand the ecology and breeding behaviour of C. diomedea, highlighting a resemblance with signatures recorded in marine organisms of Linosa Island.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Giuseppe Galluzzo
- Dipartimento Alimenti, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, Italy; (F.G.G.); (V.C.); (L.P.); (G.L.C.); (E.B.); (A.M.); (A.V.); (S.S.); (V.F.)
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita, Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Via Università 4, 41121 Modena, Italy;
| | - Valentina Cumbo
- Dipartimento Alimenti, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, Italy; (F.G.G.); (V.C.); (L.P.); (G.L.C.); (E.B.); (A.M.); (A.V.); (S.S.); (V.F.)
| | - Gaetano Cammilleri
- Dipartimento Alimenti, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, Italy; (F.G.G.); (V.C.); (L.P.); (G.L.C.); (E.B.); (A.M.); (A.V.); (S.S.); (V.F.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Vittorio Calabrese
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Biotecnologiche, Università degli Studi di Catania, Torre Biologica Via Santa Sofia, 95123 Catania, Italy;
| | - Andrea Pulvirenti
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita, Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Via Università 4, 41121 Modena, Italy;
| | - Nicola Cicero
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università Degli Studi di Messina, Piazza Pugliatti 1, 98122 Messina, Italy; (N.C.); (A.M.)
| | - Licia Pantano
- Dipartimento Alimenti, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, Italy; (F.G.G.); (V.C.); (L.P.); (G.L.C.); (E.B.); (A.M.); (A.V.); (S.S.); (V.F.)
| | - Antonietta Mascetti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie, Università Degli Studi di Messina, Piazza Pugliatti 1, 98122 Messina, Italy; (N.C.); (A.M.)
| | - Giovanni Lo Cascio
- Dipartimento Alimenti, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, Italy; (F.G.G.); (V.C.); (L.P.); (G.L.C.); (E.B.); (A.M.); (A.V.); (S.S.); (V.F.)
| | - Emanuela Bacchi
- Dipartimento Alimenti, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, Italy; (F.G.G.); (V.C.); (L.P.); (G.L.C.); (E.B.); (A.M.); (A.V.); (S.S.); (V.F.)
| | - Andrea Macaluso
- Dipartimento Alimenti, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, Italy; (F.G.G.); (V.C.); (L.P.); (G.L.C.); (E.B.); (A.M.); (A.V.); (S.S.); (V.F.)
| | - Antonio Vella
- Dipartimento Alimenti, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, Italy; (F.G.G.); (V.C.); (L.P.); (G.L.C.); (E.B.); (A.M.); (A.V.); (S.S.); (V.F.)
| | - Salvatore Seminara
- Dipartimento Alimenti, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, Italy; (F.G.G.); (V.C.); (L.P.); (G.L.C.); (E.B.); (A.M.); (A.V.); (S.S.); (V.F.)
| | - Vincenzo Ferrantelli
- Dipartimento Alimenti, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, Italy; (F.G.G.); (V.C.); (L.P.); (G.L.C.); (E.B.); (A.M.); (A.V.); (S.S.); (V.F.)
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8
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Cuesta-García M, Rodríguez A, Martins AM, Neves V, Magalhães M, Atchoi E, Fraga H, Medeiros V, Laranjo M, Rodríguez Y, Jones K, Bried J. Targeting efforts in rescue programmes mitigating light-induced seabird mortality: First the fat, then the skinny. J Nat Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2021.126080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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9
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Laranjeiro MI, Alves LMF, da Silva JM, Pereira JM, Norte AC, Paiva VH, Lemos MFL, Ramos JA, Novais SC, Ceia FR. Year-round element quantification of a wide-ranging seabird and their relationships with oxidative stress, trophic ecology, and foraging patterns. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 284:117502. [PMID: 34098370 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Multidisciplinary approaches are essential to diligently assess environmental health status of ecosystems. In this study, year-round chemical elements' exposure and impacts were assessed on the wide-ranging Cory's shearwater Calonectris borealis breeding in Berlenga Island, offshore Portugal, North Atlantic Ocean. The aim was to identify potential contamination and oxidative stress sources associated with trophic ecology, habitat and spatial use, and foraging patterns. A set of 20 chemical elements were quantified, along with oxidative stress biomarkers, stable isotope analyses, and GPS tracking data. Birds presented higher accumulation to some non-essential elements along the year (i.e. arsenic, As; cadmium, Cd; mercury, Hg; lead, Pb; and strontium, Sr), in which concentrations were similar or surpassed other procellariform seabird populations all over the world. No significant differences were found for any of the elements between different periods within the breeding season, with exception of Hg. However, a Principal Component Analysis taking into consideration a group of elements showed differences between pre-laying and chick-rearing periods, with overall higher concentrations in the former. Individuals spending more time engaging in an intensive search for food, and in more coastal environments, presented overall higher element concentrations, and particularly Hg. Contrary to expectations, no relationships were found between chemical elements and oxidative stress. On the other hand, spatial use and foraging patterns of Cory's shearwaters influenced their oxidative stress responses. Our results highlight the need for multidisciplinary approaches to deepen understanding of the large-scale vulnerability of bioindicators such as seabirds and, by extension, the overall environmental health of ecosystems in which they rely.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria I Laranjeiro
- University of Coimbra, MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Luís M F Alves
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ESTM, Politécnico de Leiria, 2520-641, Peniche, Portugal
| | - Joana M da Silva
- University of Coimbra, MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Jorge M Pereira
- University of Coimbra, MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal; Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Ana C Norte
- University of Coimbra, MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Vítor H Paiva
- University of Coimbra, MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Marco F L Lemos
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ESTM, Politécnico de Leiria, 2520-641, Peniche, Portugal
| | - Jaime A Ramos
- University of Coimbra, MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Sara C Novais
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ESTM, Politécnico de Leiria, 2520-641, Peniche, Portugal
| | - Filipe R Ceia
- University of Coimbra, MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal.
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Carle RD, Fleishman AB, Varela T, Manríquez Angulo P, De Rodt G, Hodum P, Colodro V, López V, Gutiérrez-Guzmán H. Introduced and native vertebrates in pink-footed shearwater (Ardenna creatopus) breeding colonies in Chile. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0254416. [PMID: 34324511 PMCID: PMC8321096 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0254416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Biodiversity conservation planning requires accurate, current information about species status and threats. Although introduced mammals are the greatest threat to seabirds globally, data on introduced species is lacking for many seabird breeding islands. To inform conservation planning, we used trail cameras to document the presence, relative abundance, and seasonal and diel attendance of introduced and native vertebrates within pink-footed shearwater (Ardenna creatopus) breeding colonies on Isla Mocha (five colonies, 2015-2020) and Isla Robinson Crusoe (Juan Fernández Archipelago), Chile (one colony, 2019-2020). The most commonly detected species were pink-footed shearwaters and introduced rats (Rattus spp.) on Isla Mocha, and European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and pink-footed shearwaters on Isla Robinson Crusoe. Introduced mammals observed, in order of greatest catch-per-unit-effort, were rats, cats (Felis catus), dogs (Canis lupus familiaris), and European hares (Lepus europaeus) on Isla Mocha and European rabbits, cats, cattle (Bos taurus), rats, dogs, mice (Mus musculus), and southern coati (Nasua nasua) on Isla Robinson Crusoe. Especially noteworthy results for pink-footed shearwater conservation were the presence of cats during all monitoring months in shearwater colonies on both islands, that catch-per-unit-effort of rabbits was greater than shearwaters on Isla Robinson Crusoe, and that rats were the most observed vertebrates after shearwaters on Isla Mocha. Pink-footed shearwaters were regularly present on the islands from October through May. Presence and relative catch-per-unit-effort of pink-footed shearwaters qualitatively matched the species' known breeding phenology. The regular presence and temporal overlap with shearwaters of cats, rats, rabbits, and cattle within shearwater colonies, coupled with the irregular presence of dogs, coati, hares, and mice, indicated a serious conservation threat for pink-footed shearwaters and other native insular fauna and flora. Finally, our study provides a widely applicable model for analysis of multi-year trail camera data collected with unstandardized settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan David Carle
- Oikonos Ecosystem Knowledge, San Juan Bautista, Robinson Crusoe Island, Valparaíso Region, Chile
- * E-mail:
| | - Abram B. Fleishman
- Conservation Metrics, Inc., Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Tiare Varela
- Oikonos Ecosystem Knowledge, San Juan Bautista, Robinson Crusoe Island, Valparaíso Region, Chile
| | - Pablo Manríquez Angulo
- Oikonos Ecosystem Knowledge, San Juan Bautista, Robinson Crusoe Island, Valparaíso Region, Chile
| | - Guillermo De Rodt
- Oikonos Ecosystem Knowledge, San Juan Bautista, Robinson Crusoe Island, Valparaíso Region, Chile
| | - Peter Hodum
- Oikonos Ecosystem Knowledge, San Juan Bautista, Robinson Crusoe Island, Valparaíso Region, Chile
- University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, Washington, United States of America
| | - Valentina Colodro
- Oikonos Ecosystem Knowledge, San Juan Bautista, Robinson Crusoe Island, Valparaíso Region, Chile
| | - Verónica López
- Oikonos Ecosystem Knowledge, San Juan Bautista, Robinson Crusoe Island, Valparaíso Region, Chile
| | - Héctor Gutiérrez-Guzmán
- Oikonos Ecosystem Knowledge, San Juan Bautista, Robinson Crusoe Island, Valparaíso Region, Chile
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11
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Furtado R, Granadeiro JP, Gatt MC, Rounds R, Horikoshi K, Paiva VH, Menezes D, Pereira E, Catry P. Monitoring of mercury in the mesopelagic domain of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans using body feathers of Bulwer's petrel as a bioindicator. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 775:145796. [PMID: 33618310 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 02/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Global mercury pollution has markedly and consistently grown over the past 70 years (although with regional variations in trends) and is a source of major concern. Mercury contamination is particularly prevalent in biota of the mesopelagic layers of the open ocean, but these realms are little studied, and we lack a large scale picture of contamination in living organisms of this region. The Bulwer's petrel Bulweria bulwerii, a species of migratory seabird, is a highly specialised predator of mesopelagic fish and squid, and therefore can be used as a bioindicator for the mesopelagic domain. Mercury accumulated by the birds through diet is excreted into feathers during the moulting process in adults and feather growth in chicks, reflecting contamination in the non-breeding and breeding periods, respectively, and hence the influence of different, largely non-overlapping breeding and non-breeding ranges. We studied mercury in feathers and the trophic position in two colonies from the Atlantic Ocean (Portugal and Cape Verde) and two colonies from the Pacific Ocean (Japan and Hawaii). We found significantly lower levels of mercury in adult and chick samples from the Pacific Ocean compared with samples from the Atlantic Ocean. However, we did not detect differences in trophic position of chicks among colonies and oceans, suggesting that differences in mercury measured in feathers reflect levels of environmental contamination, rather than differences in the structure of the trophic chain in different oceans. We conclude that despite a reduction in mercury levels in the Atlantic in recent decades, mesopelagic organisms in this ocean remain more heavily contaminated than in the Pacific at tropical and subtropical latitudes. We suggest that Bulwer's petrel is a highly suitable species to monitor the global contamination of mercury in the mesopelagic domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Furtado
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ISPA - Instituto Universitário, Rua Jardim do Tabaco, 1149-041 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - José Pedro Granadeiro
- CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Marie Claire Gatt
- CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Rachel Rounds
- Pacific Islands Refuges and Monuments Office Inventory and Monitoring Program U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Honolulu, HI 808-792-9559, United States of America
| | - Kazuo Horikoshi
- Institute of Boninology Chichijima, Ogasawara-mura, Tokyo 100-2101, Japan
| | - Vítor H Paiva
- Universidade de Coimbra, MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Dilia Menezes
- Instituto das Florestas e Conservação da Natureza, IP-RAM, 9064-512 Funchal, Portugal
| | - Eduarda Pereira
- Department of Chemistry and CESAM/REQUIMTE, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Paulo Catry
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ISPA - Instituto Universitário, Rua Jardim do Tabaco, 1149-041 Lisboa, Portugal
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12
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Koyama S, Mizutani Y, Yoda K. Exhausted with foraging: Foraging behavior is related to oxidative stress in chick-rearing seabirds. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2021; 258:110984. [PMID: 34004319 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2021.110984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
To understand foraging strategies and behavioral flexibility in wild animals, it is important to evaluate the physiological costs imposed by foraging efforts and how these costs affect foraging and provisioning behavior. Oxidative stress is a possible physiological indicator associated with foraging behavior in wild seabirds, and may also affect their reproductive performance. However, no previous study has simultaneously recorded foraging behavior and the associated oxidative stress in wild seabirds. Using an integrative approach based on oxidative stress measurements and bio-logging techniques (i.e., the use of animal-borne sensors), we determined the relationships between foraging behavior and oxidative stress in chick-rearing streaked shearwaters Calonectris leucomelas in 2018 and 2019. To quantify their oxidative stress, we measured reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROMs) and biological antioxidant potential (BAP) in their plasma. We found that the d-ROMs levels were positively related to the maximum distance from the colony and the number of takeoffs, especially in 2019 when shearwaters flew further to forage. In 2018, when they flew relatively short distances, the BAP levels were positively related to the levels of their physical activity (overall dynamic body acceleration; ODBA). We conclude that longer and less successful foraging may lead to increase oxidative stress, while successful foraging may mitigate the oxidative stress of foraging by providing dietary antioxidants. Our results highlight that the combined data from bio-logging and oxidative stress measurements aid in evaluating the underlying physiological costs of foraging behavior in wild animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiho Koyama
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan.
| | - Yuichi Mizutani
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
| | - Ken Yoda
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
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Fayet AL, Clucas GV, Anker-Nilssen T, Syposz M, Hansen ES. Local prey shortages drive foraging costs and breeding success in a declining seabird, the Atlantic puffin. J Anim Ecol 2021; 90:1152-1164. [PMID: 33748966 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
As more and more species face anthropogenic threats, understanding the causes of population declines in vulnerable taxa is essential. However, long-term datasets, ideal to identify lasting or indirect effects on fitness measures such as those caused by environmental factors, are not always available. Here we use a single year but multi-population approach on populations with contrasting demographic trends to identify possible drivers and mechanisms of seabird population changes in the north-east Atlantic, using the Atlantic puffin, a declining species, as a model system. We combine miniature GPS trackers with camera traps and DNA metabarcoding techniques on four populations across the puffins' main breeding range to provide the most comprehensive study of the species' foraging ecology to date. We find that puffins use a dual foraging tactic combining short and long foraging trips in all four populations, but declining populations in southern Iceland and north-west Norway have much greater foraging ranges, which require more (costly) flight, as well as lower chick-provisioning frequencies, and a more diverse but likely less energy-dense diet, than stable populations in northern Iceland and Wales. Together, our findings suggest that the poor productivity of declining puffin populations in the north-east Atlantic is driven by breeding adults being forced to forage far from the colony, presumably because of low prey availability near colonies, possibly amplified by intraspecific competition. Our results provide valuable information for the conservation of this and other important North-Atlantic species and highlight the potential of multi-population approaches to answer important questions about the ecological drivers of population trends.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Erpur S Hansen
- South Iceland Nature Research Centre, Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland
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Zango L, Navarro-Herrero L, García-Vendrell M, Safi K, González-Solís J. Niche partitioning and individual specialization among age, breeding status and sex classes in a long-lived seabird. Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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15
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Ravache A, Bourgeois K, Weimerskirch H, Pagenaud A, de Grissac S, Miller M, Dromzée S, Lorrain A, Allain V, Bustamante P, Bylemans J, Gleeson D, Letourneur Y, Vidal É. Behavioral and trophic segregations help the Tahiti petrel to cope with the abundance of wedge-tailed shearwater when foraging in oligotrophic tropical waters. Sci Rep 2020; 10:15129. [PMID: 32934324 PMCID: PMC7492251 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-72206-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Two species breeding in sympatry are more likely to coexist if their ecological niches are segregated either in time, space or in trophic habits. Here, we combined GPS-tracking, stable isotope analysis and DNA metabarcoding analysis to understand how the rare Tahiti petrel Pseudobulweria rostrata (TP) copes with the very abundant (i.e. 500,000 breeding pairs) wedge-tailed shearwater Ardenna pacifica (WTS) when breeding in sympatry in a tropical area. WTS foraged in restricted areas along their path, while TP predominantly foraged using extensive search behavior, suggesting a more opportunistic foraging strategy. Interspecific overlap of foraging areas was higher than intraspecific overlap. Breeding seasons largely overlap between species during the study, but TP seems to be asynchronous breeders. TP fed upon prey with higher δ15N values than WTS, and their diet was mainly composed of deep-sea organisms. TP could feed upon dead prey floating at the surface while WTS preyed mainly upon fish species that generally move in schools. Our study highlights several segregating mechanisms (temporal, behavioral and trophic) that could facilitate the coexistence of the two species despite the predominant number of WTS, and provides the very first information on the foraging and trophic ecology of the poorly-known TP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Ravache
- UMR ENTROPIE (IRD, Université de La Réunion, CNRS, Université de La Nouvelle-Calédonie, Ifremer), Centre IRD Nouméa, BP A5, 98848, Nouméa, New Caledonia.
- IMBE, Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, Avignon Université, Centre IRD Nouméa, BP A5, 98848, Nouméa Cedex, New Caledonia.
| | - Karen Bourgeois
- IMBE, Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, Avignon Université, Centre IRD Nouméa, BP A5, 98848, Nouméa Cedex, New Caledonia
| | | | - Angélique Pagenaud
- UMR ENTROPIE (IRD, Université de La Réunion, CNRS, Université de La Nouvelle-Calédonie, Ifremer), Centre IRD Nouméa, BP A5, 98848, Nouméa, New Caledonia
- IMBE, Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, Avignon Université, Centre IRD Nouméa, BP A5, 98848, Nouméa Cedex, New Caledonia
| | - Sophie de Grissac
- Centres d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé - CNRS, Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Mark Miller
- School of Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Sylvain Dromzée
- IMBE, Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, Avignon Université, Centre IRD Nouméa, BP A5, 98848, Nouméa Cedex, New Caledonia
| | - Anne Lorrain
- IRD, Univ Brest, CNRS, Ifremer, LEMAR, 29280, Plouzané, France
| | - Valérie Allain
- The Pacific Community (SPC), BP D5, 98848, Nouméa, New Caledonia
| | - Paco Bustamante
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266, CNRS - La Rochelle Université, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France
- Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), 1 rue Descartes, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Jonas Bylemans
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT, Australia
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Biophore, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Dianne Gleeson
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT, Australia
| | - Yves Letourneur
- UMR ENTROPIE (IRD, Université de La Réunion, CNRS, Université de La Nouvelle-Calédonie, Ifremer), Université de La Nouvelle-Calédonie, BP R4, 98851, Nouméa Cedex, New Caledonia
| | - Éric Vidal
- UMR ENTROPIE (IRD, Université de La Réunion, CNRS, Université de La Nouvelle-Calédonie, Ifremer), Centre IRD Nouméa, BP A5, 98848, Nouméa, New Caledonia
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De Pascalis F, Imperio S, Benvenuti A, Catoni C, Rubolini D, Cecere JG. Sex-specific foraging behaviour is affected by wind conditions in a sexually size dimorphic seabird. Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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17
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Nebel C, Sumasgutner P, McPherson SC, Tate GJ, Amar A. Contrasting parental color morphs increase regularity of prey deliveries in an African raptor. Behav Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Disassortative mating in color-polymorphic raptors is a proposed mechanism for the maintenance of color polymorphism in populations. Selection for such a mating system may occur if there are fitness advantages of mating with a contrasting morph. In the black sparrowhawk (Accipiter melanoleucus), mixed-morph pairs may have a selective advantage because they produce offspring that have higher survival rates. Two hypotheses, which may explain the mechanism, are the “avoidance-image” and “complementarity” hypotheses. The first suggests that, within a predator’s territory, prey develop a search image for the more commonly encountered parental morph, for example, the male morph during incubation and brooding. Females of a contrasting morph to their partner would then have higher capture rates once they commence hunting in the later nestling phase. Thus, the “avoidance-image” hypothesis predicts higher provisioning rates for mixed-morph pairs. Alternatively, the “complementarity” hypothesis posits that different color morphs exploit different environmental conditions, allowing mixed-morph pairs to hunt under a wider range of conditions and predicts that food is delivered more consistently. We test these hypotheses using nest cameras to record prey delivery rates during the late nestling phase when both parents are hunting. We found support for the “complementarity” hypothesis, with mixed-morph pairs delivering food more consistently but not at a higher rate. This higher consistency in prey deliveries may explain the improved survival of the offspring of mixed-morph pairs and could, therefore, play a role in maintaining the stability of color polymorphism in this system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carina Nebel
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, John Day Building, 7700 Rondebosch, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
| | - Petra Sumasgutner
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, John Day Building, 7700 Rondebosch, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
- Konrad Lorenz Research Centre, Core Facility for Behaviour and Cognition, University of Vienna, Fischerau 11, 4645 Grünau/Almtal, Austria
| | - Shane C McPherson
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, John Day Building, 7700 Rondebosch, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
- Konrad Lorenz Research Centre, Core Facility for Behaviour and Cognition, University of Vienna, Fischerau 11, 4645 Grünau/Almtal, Austria
| | - Gareth J Tate
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, John Day Building, 7700 Rondebosch, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
- Endangered Wildlife Trust, Birds of Prey Programme, Glen Austin AH, Midrand, 1685 Gauteng, South Africa
| | - Arjun Amar
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, John Day Building, 7700 Rondebosch, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
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18
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Oceans of stimuli: an individual-based model to assess the role of olfactory cues and local enhancement in seabirds' foraging behaviour. Anim Cogn 2020; 23:629-642. [PMID: 32152923 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-020-01368-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2019] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Oceans are extremely dynamic environments, which poses challenges for top-predators such as seabirds to find food resources. Yet, seabirds evolved sensorial abilities (olfactory senses) along with complex behaviours (social information transfer through local enhancement) to improve foraging efficiency. Using the Cory's shearwater (Calonectris borealis) as a model species, we developed an individual-based model to explore the complementary role of different searching mechanisms (olfactory foraging and local enhancement) for the optimal foraging behaviour of pelagic seabirds during 1-day foraging trips around breeding colonies. Model outputs were compared with observed patterns of Cory's shearwaters distribution during local foraging trips. Also, the foraging efficiency of virtual individuals was analysed considering hypothetical scenarios of foraging conditions and densities of foraging individuals around breeding colonies. The results support the use of a combination of searching strategies by Cory's shearwaters, which produced representative patterns of space use from tracked individuals, including spatial foraging segregation of neighbouring sub-colonies. Furthermore, while the mechanisms underpinning local enhancement played a key role in mitigating sub-optimal foraging conditions, the use of olfactory senses conferred great adaptive foraging advantages over a wide range of environmental conditions. Our results also indicate a synergistic effect between the two strategies, which suggests that a multimodal foraging strategy is useful to forage in extremely dynamic environments. The developed model provides a basis for further investigation regarding the role of foraging mechanisms in the population dynamics of colonial animals, including the adaptive foraging behaviour of marine top predators to dynamic environmental conditions.
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Bennet DG, Horton TW, Goldstien SJ, Rowe L, Briskie JV. Flying south: Foraging locations of the Hutton's shearwater ( Puffinus huttoni) revealed by Time-Depth Recorders and GPS tracking. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:7914-7927. [PMID: 31380060 PMCID: PMC6662427 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Revised: 03/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The Hutton's shearwater Puffinus huttoni is an endangered seabird endemic to Kaikōura, New Zealand, but the spatial and temporal aspects of its at-sea foraging behavior are not well known.To identify foraging areas and estimate trip durations, we deployed Global Positioning Systems (GPS) devices and Time-Depth Recorders (TDR) on 26 adult Hutton's shearwaters during the chick-rearing period in 2017 and 2018.We found Hutton's shearwaters traveled much further from their breeding grounds at Kaikōura than previously considered, with most individuals foraging in coastal and oceanic areas 125-365 km south and near Banks Peninsula. Trip durations varied from 1 to 15 days (mean = 5 days), and total track lengths varied from 264 to 2,157 km (mean = 1092.9 km).Although some diving occurred in near-shore waters near the breeding colony, most foraging was concentrated in four regions south of Kaikōura. Dive durations averaged 23.2 s (range 8.1 to 71.3 s) and dive depths averaged 7.1 m (range 1.5 to 30 m). Foraging locations had higher chlorophyll a levels and shallower water depths than nonforaging locations. Birds did not feed at night, but tended to raft in areas with deeper water than foraging locations.Mapping the spatial and temporal distribution of Hutton's shearwaters at sea will be fundamental to their conservation, as it can reveal potential areas of overlap with fisheries and other industrial users of the marine environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Della G. Bennet
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of CanterburyChristchurchNew Zealand
| | - Travis W. Horton
- Department of Geological SciencesUniversity of CanterburyChristchurchNew Zealand
| | - Sharyn J. Goldstien
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of CanterburyChristchurchNew Zealand
| | - Lindsay Rowe
- Hutton's Shearwater Charitable TrustKaikōuraNew Zealand
| | - James V. Briskie
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of CanterburyChristchurchNew Zealand
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Wischnewski S, Arneill GE, Bennison AW, Dillane E, Poupart TA, Hinde CA, Jessopp MJ, Quinn JL. Variation in foraging strategies over a large spatial scale reduces parent–offspring conflict in Manx shearwaters. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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21
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Soliño L, Ferrer-Obiol J, Navarro-Herrero L, González-Solís J, Costa PR. Are pelagic seabirds exposed to amnesic shellfish poisoning toxins? HARMFUL ALGAE 2019; 84:172-180. [PMID: 31128801 DOI: 10.1016/j.hal.2019.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2018] [Revised: 03/09/2019] [Accepted: 03/28/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Marine birds have been hypothesized to be underreported victims of harmful algal blooms (HABs). Toxic blooms of Pseudo-nitzschia spp., the primary amnesic toxin producer microalgae, domoic acid (DA) are known to cause massive mortalities of coastal seabirds and marine mammals around the world. However, these fatalities are only detected when birds die nearby the coastline and little is known about possible outbreaks of pelagic seabirds in oceanic areas. Here we aim to understand whether pelagic seabirds are exposed to amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP) toxins. For this purpose, we tracked pelagic seabirds feeding on small epipelagic fish and squid, reported to be vectors of DA, which are obtained in high productivity zones where intense Pseudo-nitzschia blooms regularly occur. In particular, we tracked Cory's (Calonectris borealis) and Scopoli's (C. diomedea) shearwaters breeding in Gran Canaria (Canary Is.) and in Menorca (Balearic Is.) and feeding on the Canary Current region and the Catalonian coast, respectively. We sampled birds for blood at the recovery of the GPS (Global Positioning System) and analyzed it for DA determination by Liquid Chromatography coupled with Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Among the 61 samples analyzed from Gran Canaria, and 87 from Menorca, 31 (50.8%) and 28 (32.2%) from each location presented detectable levels of DA ranging 1.0-10.6 ng mL-1. This work reveals that DA can be detected at variable levels in the blood of ASP-asymptomatic shearwaters and suggests a chronic exposure of shearwaters to DA, highlighting the need for further studies on DA effects. These results are of high relevance due to the vulnerability of these marine birds, which populations are in continuous decline. Since global warming is expected to alter and increase the occurrence of HABs, marine toxins might become an additional stressor for seabirds and exacerbate the already precarious conservation status of many species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucía Soliño
- IPMA - Instituto Português do Mar da Atmosfera, Rua Alfredo Magalhães Ramalho, 6, 1495-006, Lisbon, Portugal; CCMAR - Centre of Marine Sciences, University of Algarve, Campus of Gambelas, 8005-139, Faro, Portugal.
| | - Joan Ferrer-Obiol
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Leia Navarro-Herrero
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals (BEECA), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jacob González-Solís
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals (BEECA), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pedro Reis Costa
- IPMA - Instituto Português do Mar da Atmosfera, Rua Alfredo Magalhães Ramalho, 6, 1495-006, Lisbon, Portugal; CCMAR - Centre of Marine Sciences, University of Algarve, Campus of Gambelas, 8005-139, Faro, Portugal
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Karris G, Xirouchakis S, Maina I, Grivas K, Kavadas S. Home range and foraging habitat preference of Scopoli's shearwater Calonectris diomedea during the early chick-rearing phase in the eastern Mediterranean. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Georgios Karris
- G. Karris (http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5264-8026) , Dept of Environmental Technolo
| | - Stavros Xirouchakis
- S. Xirouchakis, Natural History Museum of Crete, Univ. of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Irida Maina
- I. Maina S. Kavadas, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Inst. of Marine Biological Resources and I
| | - Kostas Grivas
- K. Grivas, Biosfaira, Environmental Studies and Wildlife Services, Aidiniou, Athens, Greece
| | - Stefanos Kavadas
- I. Maina S. Kavadas, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Inst. of Marine Biological Resources and I
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Campos LFAS, Andrade AB, Bertrand S, Efe MA. Foraging behavior and at-sea distribution of White-Tailed Tropicbirds in tropical ocean. BRAZ J BIOL 2017; 78:556-563. [PMID: 29160365 DOI: 10.1590/1519-6984.173578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2016] [Accepted: 02/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
We used miniaturized GPS loggers and site observations to access foraging patterns and nest behaviour of the White-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon lepturus (WTTB), an endangered species at its South Atlantic breeding colony. Dual foraging pattern was observed with alternation between long and short foraging trips. Birds responsible for nest attendance engaged in short foraging trips with mean distance from colony of 25 ± 17 km, total distance covered of 79 ± 65 km and mean duration of 4.02 ± 5.28 hours. Birds flew by dawn and returned before dusk while partners were at sea for long foraging trips that ranged from four to 11 days, with mean maximum distance from colony of 105 ± 47.48 km. Chicks were usually left alone for hours and chick predation by Land Crab Johngartia lagostroma, egg consumption by Goniopsis cruentata and intra-specific competition are suspected to be responsible for high chick mortality rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- L F A S Campos
- Laboratório de Bioecologia e Conservação de Aves Neotropicais - LABECAN, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde - ICBS, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, UFAL, Av. Lourival Melo Mota, s/n, Tabuleiro dos Martins, CEP 57072-900, Maceió, AL, Brazil
| | - A B Andrade
- Laboratório de Bioecologia e Conservação de Aves Neotropicais - LABECAN, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde - ICBS, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, UFAL, Av. Lourival Melo Mota, s/n, Tabuleiro dos Martins, CEP 57072-900, Maceió, AL, Brazil
| | - S Bertrand
- Institut de Recherche pour Le Développement - IRD, Centre de Recherche Halieutique Méditerranéenne et Tropicale - CRHMT, UMR248MARBEC, Avenue Jean Monnet, BP 171, 34203, Sète Cedex, France
| | - M A Efe
- Laboratório de Bioecologia e Conservação de Aves Neotropicais - LABECAN, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde - ICBS, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, UFAL, Av. Lourival Melo Mota, s/n, Tabuleiro dos Martins, CEP 57072-900, Maceió, AL, Brazil
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Collins PM, Halsey LG, Arnould JPY, Shaw PJA, Dodd S, Green JA. Energetic consequences of time‐activity budgets for a breeding seabird. J Zool (1987) 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- P. M. Collins
- School of Life Sciences University of Roehampton London UK
| | - L. G. Halsey
- School of Life Sciences University of Roehampton London UK
| | - J. P. Y. Arnould
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences Deakin University Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | - P. J. A. Shaw
- School of Life Sciences University of Roehampton London UK
| | - S. Dodd
- Royal Society for the Protection of Birds North Wales Office Bangor UK
| | - J. A. Green
- School of Environmental Sciences University of Liverpool Liverpool UK
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26
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Campioni L, Granadeiro JP, Catry P. Niche segregation between immature and adult seabirds: does progressive maturation play a role? Behav Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arv167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Shoji A, Aris-Brosou S, Fayet A, Padget O, Perrins C, Guilford T. Dual foraging and pair coordination during chick provisioning by Manx shearwaters: empirical evidence supported by a simple model. J Exp Biol 2015. [PMID: 25964419 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.12062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The optimal allocation of time and energy between one's own survival and offspring survival is critical for iteroparous animals, but creates a conflict between what maximises the parent's fitness and what maximises fitness of the offspring. For central-place foragers, provisioning strategies may reflect this allocation, while the distance between central-places and foraging areas may influence the decision. Nevertheless, few studies have explored the link between life history and foraging in the context of resource allocation. Studying foraging behaviour alongside food load rates to chicks provides a useful system for understanding the foraging decisions made during parent-offspring conflict. Using simultaneously deployed GPS and time-depth recorders, we examined the provisioning strategies in free-living Manx shearwaters Puffinus puffinus, which were caring for young. Our results showed a bimodal pattern, where birds alternate short and long trips. Short trips were associated with higher feeding frequency and larger meals than long trips, suggesting that long trips were performed for self-feeding. Furthermore, most foraging was carried out within 100 km of sea fronts. A simple model based on patch quality and travel time shows that for Manx shearwaters combining chick feeding and self-maintenance, bimodal foraging trip durations optimise feeding rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akiko Shoji
- Oxford University, Department of Zoology, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
| | - Stéphane Aris-Brosou
- University of Ottawa, Department of Mathematics, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1N 6N5
| | - Annette Fayet
- Oxford University, Department of Zoology, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
| | - Oliver Padget
- Oxford University, Department of Zoology, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
| | - Christopher Perrins
- Oxford University, Department of Zoology, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
| | - Tim Guilford
- Oxford University, Department of Zoology, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
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A new approach to study of seabird-fishery overlap: Connecting chick feeding with parental foraging and overlap with fishing vessels. Glob Ecol Conserv 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2015.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
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Shoji A, Aris-Brosou S, Fayet A, Padget O, Perrins C, Guilford T. Dual foraging and pair coordination during chick provisioning by Manx shearwaters: empirical evidence supported by a simple model. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 218:2116-23. [PMID: 25964419 PMCID: PMC4510841 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.120626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2015] [Accepted: 04/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The optimal allocation of time and energy between one's own survival and offspring survival is critical for iteroparous animals, but creates a conflict between what maximises the parent's fitness and what maximises fitness of the offspring. For central-place foragers, provisioning strategies may reflect this allocation, while the distance between central-places and foraging areas may influence the decision. Nevertheless, few studies have explored the link between life history and foraging in the context of resource allocation. Studying foraging behaviour alongside food load rates to chicks provides a useful system for understanding the foraging decisions made during parent-offspring conflict. Using simultaneously deployed GPS and time-depth recorders, we examined the provisioning strategies in free-living Manx shearwaters Puffinus puffinus, which were caring for young. Our results showed a bimodal pattern, where birds alternate short and long trips. Short trips were associated with higher feeding frequency and larger meals than long trips, suggesting that long trips were performed for self-feeding. Furthermore, most foraging was carried out within 100 km of sea fronts. A simple model based on patch quality and travel time shows that for Manx shearwaters combining chick feeding and self-maintenance, bimodal foraging trip durations optimise feeding rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akiko Shoji
- Oxford University, Department of Zoology, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
| | - Stéphane Aris-Brosou
- University of Ottawa, Department of Mathematics, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1N 6N5
| | - Annette Fayet
- Oxford University, Department of Zoology, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
| | - Oliver Padget
- Oxford University, Department of Zoology, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
| | - Christopher Perrins
- Oxford University, Department of Zoology, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
| | - Tim Guilford
- Oxford University, Department of Zoology, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
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30
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Individual repeatability of foraging behaviour in a marine predator, the great cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo. Anim Behav 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Ogawa M, Shiozaki T, Shirai M, Müller MS, Yamamoto M, Yoda K. How do biparental species optimally provision young when begging is honest? Behav Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arv028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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Berlincourt M, Arnould JPY. Breeding short-tailed shearwaters buffer local environmental variability in south-eastern Australia by foraging in Antarctic waters. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2015; 3:16. [PMID: 26236479 PMCID: PMC4522076 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-015-0044-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2014] [Accepted: 05/19/2015] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Establishing patterns of movements of free-ranging animals in marine ecosystems is crucial for a better understanding of their feeding ecology, life history traits and conservation. As central place foragers, the habitat use of nesting seabirds is heavily influenced by the resources available within their foraging range. We tested the prediction that during years with lower resource availability, short-tailed shearwaters (Puffinus tenuirostris) provisioning chicks should increase their foraging effort, by extending their foraging range and/or duration, both when foraging in neritic (short trips) and distant oceanic waters (long trips). Using both GPS and geolocation data-loggers, at-sea movements and habitat use were investigated over three breeding seasons (2012-14) at two colonies in southeastern Australia. RESULTS Most individuals performed daily short foraging trips over the study period and inter-annual variations observed in foraging parameters where mainly due to few individuals from Griffith Island, performing 2-day trips in 2014. When performing long foraging trips, this study showed that individuals from both colonies exploited similar zones in the Southern Ocean. The results of this study suggest that individuals could increase their foraging range while exploiting distant feeding zones, which could indicate that short-tailed shearwaters forage in Antarctic waters not only to maintain their body condition but may also do so to buffer against local environmental stochasticity. Lower breeding performances were associated with longer foraging trips to distant oceanic waters in 2013 and 2014 indicating they could mediate reductions in food availability around the breeding colonies by extending their foraging range in the Southern Ocean. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights the importance of foraging flexibility as a fundamental aspect of life history in coastal/pelagic marine central place foragers living in highly variable environments and how these foraging strategies are use to buffer this variability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maud Berlincourt
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC 3125 Australia
| | - John P. Y. Arnould
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC 3125 Australia
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Hovinen JEH, Wojczulanis-Jakubas K, Jakubas D, Hop H, Berge J, Kidawa D, Karnovsky NJ, Steen H. Fledging success of little auks in the high Arctic: do provisioning rates and the quality of foraging grounds matter? Polar Biol 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-014-1466-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Gormezano LJ, Rockwell RF. Dietary composition and spatial patterns of polar bear foraging on land in western Hudson Bay. BMC Ecol 2013; 13:51. [PMID: 24359342 PMCID: PMC3923008 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6785-13-51] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2013] [Accepted: 12/12/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Flexible foraging strategies, such as prey switching, omnivory and food mixing, are key to surviving in a labile and changing environment. Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in western Hudson Bay are versatile predators that use all of these strategies as they seasonally exploit resources across trophic levels. Climate warming is reducing availability of their ice habitat, especially in spring when polar bears gain most of their annual fat reserves by consuming seal pups before coming ashore in summer. How polar bears combine these flexible foraging strategies to obtain and utilize terrestrial food will become increasingly important in compensating for energy deficits from lost seal hunting opportunities. We evaluated patterns in the composition of foods in scat to characterize the foraging behaviors that underpin the diet mixing and omnivory observed in polar bears on land in western Hudson Bay. Specifically, we measured diet richness, proportions of plant and animal foods, patterns in co-occurrence of foods, spatial composition and an index of temporal composition. RESULTS Scats contained between 1 and 6 foods, with an average of 2.11 (SE = 0.04). Most scats (84.9%) contained at least one type of plant, but animals (35.4% of scats) and both plants and animals occurring together (34.4% of scats) were also common. Certain foods, such as Lyme grass seed heads (Leymus arenarius), berries and marine algae, were consumed in relatively higher proportions, sometimes to the exclusion of others, both where and when they occurred most abundantly. The predominance of localized vegetation in scats suggests little movement among habitat types between feeding sessions. Unlike the case for plants, no spatial patterns were found for animal remains, likely due the animals' more vagile and ubiquitous distribution. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that polar bears are foraging opportunistically in a manner consistent with maximizing intake while minimizing energy expenditure associated with movement. The frequent mixing of plant-based carbohydrate and animal-based protein could suggest use of a strategy that other Ursids employ to maximize weight gain. Further, consuming high rates of certain vegetation and land-based animals that may yield immediate energetic gains could, instead, provide other benefits such as fulfilling vitamin/mineral requirements, diluting toxins and assessing new foods for potential switching.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda J Gormezano
- Division of Vertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, 79th Street and Central Park West, 10024 New York, NY, USA.
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Rendón MA, Garrido A, Rendón-Martos M, Ramírez JM, Amat JA. Assessing sex-related chick provisioning in greater flamingoPhoenicopterus roseusparents using capture-recapture models. J Anim Ecol 2013; 83:479-90. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2013] [Accepted: 08/26/2013] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Miguel A. Rendón
- Department of Wetland Ecology; Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC); calle Américo Vespucio s/n 41092 Sevilla Spain
| | - Araceli Garrido
- Programa de Actuaciones de Aves Acuáticas en Andalucía; Agencia de Medio Ambiente y Agua de Andalucía; Consejería de Agricultura; Pesca y Medio Ambiente; Junta de Andalucía; Parque Comercial Málaga Nostrum; Edificio Galia Center; calle Jaén 9-3ª 29004 Málaga Spain
| | - Manuel Rendón-Martos
- Reserva Natural Laguna de Fuente de Piedra; Consejería de Agricultura; Pesca y Medio Ambiente; Junta de Andalucía; Apartado 1 29520 Fuente de Piedra Spain
| | - José M. Ramírez
- Programa de Actuaciones de Aves Acuáticas en Andalucía; Agencia de Medio Ambiente y Agua de Andalucía; Consejería de Agricultura; Pesca y Medio Ambiente; Junta de Andalucía; Parque Comercial Málaga Nostrum; Edificio Galia Center; calle Jaén 9-3ª 29004 Málaga Spain
| | - Juan A. Amat
- Department of Wetland Ecology; Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC); calle Américo Vespucio s/n 41092 Sevilla Spain
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Tracking through life stages: adult, immature and juvenile autumn migration in a long-lived seabird. PLoS One 2013; 8:e72713. [PMID: 23977344 PMCID: PMC3745401 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0072713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2013] [Accepted: 07/15/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Seasonal long-distance migration is likely to be experienced in a contrasted manner by juvenile, immature and adult birds, leading to variations in migratory routes, timing and behaviour. We provide the first analysis of late summer movements and autumn migration in these three life stages, which were tracked concurrently using satellite tags, geolocators or GPS recorders in a long-ranging migratory seabird, the Scopoli's shearwater (formerly named Cory's shearwater, Calonectrisdiomedea) breeding on two French Mediterranean islands. During the late breeding season, immatures foraged around their colony like breeding adults, but they were the only group showing potential prospecting movements around non-natal colonies. Global migration routes were broadly comparable between the two populations and the three life stages, with all individuals heading towards the Atlantic Ocean through the strait of Gibraltar and travelling along the West African coast, up to 8000 km from their colony. However, detailed comparison of timing, trajectory and oceanographic conditions experienced by the birds revealed remarkable age-related differences. Compared to adults and immatures, juveniles made a longer stop-over in the Balearic Sea (10 days vs 4 days in average), showed lower synchrony in crossing the Gibraltar strait, had more sinuous pathways and covered longer daily distances (240 km.d(-1) vs 170 km.d(-1)). Analysis of oceanographic habitats along migratory routes revealed funnelling selection of habitat towards coastal and more productive waters with increasing age. Younger birds may have reduced navigational ability and learn progressively fine-scale migration routes towards the more profitable travelling and wintering areas. Our study demonstrates the importance of tracking long-lived species through the stages, to better understand migratory behavior and assess differential exposure to at-sea threats. Shared distribution between life stages and populations make Scopoli's shearwaters particularly vulnerable to extreme mortality events in autumn and winter. Such knowledge is key for the conservation of critical marine habitats.
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Welcker J, Beiersdorf A, Varpe Ø, Steen H. Mass Fluctuations Suggest Different Functions of Bimodal Foraging Trips in a Central-place Forager. Behav Ecol 2012. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ars131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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38
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Saraux C, Robinson-Laverick SM, Le Maho Y, Ropert-Coudert Y, Chiaradia A. Plasticity in foraging strategies of inshore birds: how Little Penguins maintain body reserves while feeding offspring. Ecology 2011; 92:1909-16. [PMID: 22073782 DOI: 10.1890/11-0407.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Breeding animals face important time and energy constraints when caring for themselves and their offspring. For long-lived species, life-history theory predicts that parents should favor survival over current reproductive attempts, thus investing more into their own maintenance than the provisioning of their young. In seabirds, provisioning strategies may additionally be influenced by the distance between breeding sites and foraging areas, and offshore and inshore species should thus exhibit different strategies. Here, we examine the provisioning strategies of an inshore seabird using a long-term data set on more than 200 Little Penguins, Eudyptula minor. They alternated between two consecutive long and several short foraging trips all along chick rearing, a strategy almost never observed for inshore animals. Short trips allowed for regular provisioning of the chicks (high feeding frequency and larger meals), whereas long trips were performed when parent body mass was low and enabled them to rebuild their reserves, suggesting that adult body condition may be a key factor in initiating long trips. Inshore seabirds do use dual strategies of alternating short and long trips, but from our data, on a simpler and less flexible way than for offshore birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Saraux
- Université de Strasbourg, IPHC, 23 Rue Becquerel, 67087 Strasbourg, France.
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Persistent bimodal activity patterns in wild and captive black-tailed godwit Limosa limosa under different environmental conditions. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2011. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-011-1285-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Catry P, Dias MP, Phillips RA, Granadeiro JP. Different means to the same end: long-distance migrant seabirds from two colonies differ in behaviour, despite common wintering grounds. PLoS One 2011; 6:e26079. [PMID: 22022513 PMCID: PMC3191162 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0026079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2011] [Accepted: 09/19/2011] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Although seabirds that are trans-equatorial migrants show apparently broad overlap among populations in the non-breeding season, such large-scale pattern may conceal subtle but nevertheless key differences in migratory behaviour. These specializations could reflect adaptation to different environments during the breeding season, carry-over effects from the breeding to the nonbreeding period, or asymmetries in competitive ability of birds of different origin. We compared the migratory and wintering behaviour of Cory's shearwaters Calonectris diomedea nesting in Berlengas and in the Selvagens, two colonies in contrasting oceanographic environments, separated by ca. 1200 km. Although no differences were found in winter distribution, there was a marked divergence in timing, route and the use of staging areas during the postbreeding (autumn) migration. Birds from Berlengas typically travelled to oceanic waters in the North Atlantic for an extended stopover, whereas those from Selvagens rarely did so. In the South Atlantic, birds from Selvagens spent more time in flight, perhaps because they had higher energy and nutrient requirements for feather replacement compared to birds from Berlengas, which moult more flight feathers during breeding. Stable isotope analyses of feathers suggested that this variation in activity patterns was unrelated to trophic ecology. Differences in migration routes and stopovers may expose populations to distinct threats, and should be taken into consideration when defining units for conservation purposes and developing appropriate management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo Catry
- Eco-Ethology Research Unit, ISPA, Lisboa, Portugal.
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Jakubas D, Iliszko L, Wojczulanis-Jakubas K, Stempniewicz L. Foraging by little auks in the distant marginal sea ice zone during the chick-rearing period. Polar Biol 2011. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-011-1034-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Fairhurst GD, Navarro J, González-Solís J, Marchant TA, Bortolotti GR. Feather corticosterone of a nestling seabird reveals consequences of sex-specific parental investment. Proc Biol Sci 2011; 279:177-84. [PMID: 21632628 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2011.0884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Offspring of long-lived species should face costs of parental trade-offs that vary with overall energetic demands encountered by parents during breeding. If sex differences exist in how parents make the trade-off, sex-specific differences may exist in the contribution of each parent to those costs. Adaptations of offspring facing such costs are not well understood, but the hormone corticosterone probably plays a role. We manipulated breeding effort in Cory's shearwaters (Calonectris diomedea) to increase costs to offspring and used an integrated measure of corticosterone from chick feathers to investigate how experimental variation in parental investment influences offspring physiology. Average foraging trip duration and foraging efficiency (FE) of breeding pairs were not related to chick corticosterone, but sex biases in FE were. Adult male investment was more strongly related to chick corticosterone than was female investment. Importantly, we show for the first time suppression of adrenocortical activity in nestling Procellariiform seabirds, and explain how our results indicate an adaptive mechanism invoked by chicks facing increased costs of parental trade-offs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graham D Fairhurst
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
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Villard P, Bonenfant C, Bretagnolle V. Effects of satellite transmitters fitted to breeding Cory's shearwaters. J Wildl Manage 2011. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.90] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Villard
- UPR CNRS 1934, Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé, Villiers en Bois, 79360 Beauvoir‐sur‐Niort, France
| | - Christophe Bonenfant
- UMR CNRS 5558, Laboratoire Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive, Université Claude Bernard – Lyon 1, 43, Boulevard du 11 Novembre 1918, 69622 Villeurbanne Cedex, France
| | - Vincent Bretagnolle
- UPR CNRS 1934, Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé, Villiers en Bois, 79360 Beauvoir‐sur‐Niort, France
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Paiva VH, Geraldes P, Ramírez I, Garthe S, Ramos JA. How area restricted search of a pelagic seabird changes while performing a dual foraging strategy. OIKOS 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0706.2010.18294.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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46
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Granadeiro JP, Alonso H, Almada V, Menezes D, Phillips RA, Catry P. Mysterious attendance cycles in Cory's shearwater, Calonectris diomedea: an exploration of patterns and hypotheses. Anim Behav 2009. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2009.09.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Gómez-Díaz E, González-Solis J. Geographic assignment of seabirds to their origin: combining morphologic, genetic, and biogeochemical analyses. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2007; 17:1484-98. [PMID: 17708223 DOI: 10.1890/06-1232.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Longline fisheries, oil spills, and offshore wind farms are some of the major threats increasing seabird mortality at sea, but the impact of these threats on specific populations has been difficult to determine so far. We tested the use of molecular markers, morphometric measures, and stable isotope (delta15N and delta13C) and trace element concentrations in the first primary feather (grown at the end of the breeding period) to assign the geographic origin of Calonectris shearwaters. Overall, we sampled birds from three taxa: 13 Mediterranean Cory's Shearwater (Calonectris diomedea diomedea) breeding sites, 10 Atlantic Cory's Shearwater (Calonectris diomedea borealis) breeding sites, and one Cape Verde Shearwater (C. edwardsii) breeding site. Assignment rates were investigated at three spatial scales: breeding colony, breeding archipelago, and taxa levels. Genetic analyses based on the mitochondrial control region (198 birds from 21 breeding colonies) correctly assigned 100% of birds to the three main taxa but failed in detecting geographic structuring at lower scales. Discriminant analyses based on trace elements composition achieved the best rate of correct assignment to colony (77.5%). Body measurements or stable isotopes mainly succeeded in assigning individuals among taxa (87.9% and 89.9%, respectively) but failed at the colony level (27.1% and 38.0%, respectively). Combining all three approaches (morphometrics, isotopes, and trace elements on 186 birds from 15 breeding colonies) substantially improved correct classifications (86.0%, 90.7%, and 100% among colonies, archipelagos, and taxa, respectively). Validations using two independent data sets and jackknife cross-validation confirmed the robustness of the combined approach in the colony assignment (62.5%, 58.8%, and 69.8% for each validation test, respectively). A preliminary application of the discriminant model based on stable isotope delta15N and delta13C values and trace elements (219 birds from 17 breeding sites) showed that 41 Cory's Shearwaters caught by western Mediterranean long-liners came mainly from breeding colonies in Menorca (48.8%), Ibiza (14.6%), and Crete (31.7%). Our findings show that combining analyses of trace elements and stable isotopes on feathers can achieve high rates of correct geographic assignment of birds in the marine environment, opening new prospects for the study of seabird mortality at sea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Gómez-Díaz
- Department Biologia Animal (Vertebrats), Av. Diagonal 645, Barcelona 08028, Spain.
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Is sex-specific mass gain in Cory’s shearwaters Calonectris diomedea related to begging and steroid hormone expression? Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2006. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-006-0310-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Navarro J, González-Solís J. Experimental increase of flying costs in a pelagic seabird: effects on foraging strategies, nutritional state and chick condition. Oecologia 2006; 151:150-60. [PMID: 17124570 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-006-0559-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2006] [Accepted: 08/23/2006] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
A central point in life history theory is that parental investment in current reproduction should be balanced by the costs in terms of residual reproductive value. Long-lived seabirds are considered fixed investors, that is, parents fix a specific level of investment in their current reproduction independent to the breeding requirements. We tested this hypothesis analysing the consequences of an experimental increase in flying costs on the foraging ecology, body condition and chick condition in Cory's shearwaters Calonectris diomedea. We treated 28 pairs by reducing the wing surface in one partner and compared them with 14 control pairs. We monitored mass changes and incubation shifts and tracked 19 foraging trips per group using geolocators. Furthermore, we took blood samples at laying, hatching and chick-rearing to analyse the nutritional condition, haematology, muscle damage and stable isotopes. Eighty-day-old chicks were measured, blood sampled and challenged with PHA immune assay. In addition, we analysed the effects of handicap on the adults at the subsequent breeding season. During incubation, handicapped birds showed a greater foraging effort than control birds, as indicated by greater foraging distances and longer periods of foraging, covering larger areas. Eighty-day-old chicks reared by treated pairs were smaller and lighter and showed a lower immunity than those reared by control pairs. However, oxygen demands, nutritional condition and stable isotopes did not differ between control and handicapped birds. Although handicapped birds had to increase their foraging effort, they maintained physical condition by reducing parental investment and transferred the experimentally increased costs to their partners and the chick. This result supports the fixed investment hypothesis and is consistent with life history theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan Navarro
- Departament de Biologia Animal (Vertebrats), Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 645, Barcelona 08028, Spain.
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Hipfner J, Gaston A, Smith B. Regulation of provisioning rate in the Thick-billed Murre (Uria lomvia). CAN J ZOOL 2006. [DOI: 10.1139/z06-066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Many studies of marine birds report that parents regulate provisioning, thus meeting their offsprings’ nutritional requirements at minimum cost. Others report that food availability limits provisioning, mediated by parental body condition. One hypothesis that might explain these discrepancies holds that seabirds are better able to regulate provisioning under more favourable feeding conditions. To test this, we studied provisioning behaviour in the Thick-billed Murre (Uria lomvia L., 1758) in three colony-years that, based on chick growth rates, spanned a wide range of feeding conditions. We considered that parents regulating provisioning would (i) deliver more food as their offspring aged, to meet their increasing requirements, (ii) space consecutive deliveries nonrandomly in time, and (iii) maintain additional mass to buffer against future deterioration in feeding conditions. As predicted, we found that (i) provisioning rates increased with chick age in all three colony-years, but more strongly when feeding conditions were better; (ii) consecutive deliveries were spaced nonrandomly in all three colony-years, again more strongly when feeding conditions were better; and (iii) adults were heavier at mid chick-rearing when feeding conditions were better. Future studies that investigate how feeding conditions influence seabird provisioning could improve our understanding of how long-lived species optimize reproductive effort in variable environments.
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