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Jakubas D, Wojczulanis-Jakubas K, Petersen A, Evans PGH, Boertmann D. Decline in the West Greenland population of a zooplanktivorous seabird, the little auk Alle alle. Sci Rep 2024; 14:20686. [PMID: 39237604 PMCID: PMC11377748 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-71823-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2024] [Indexed: 09/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The warming of the Arctic had lead to a diverse range of impacts on local biota, including northward shifts of some species range. Here, we report past and present distribution and abundance of an Arctic zooplanktivorous seabird, the little auk Alle alle in West Greenland south of 74° N, and examine the changes in sea surface temperature (SST) and sea ice concentration (SIC) in the birds foraging areas in 1850-2007. We estimated the little auk population in the studied region to be 5,200 pairs in the 1930s, 6,000-6,500 pairs in the 1940-1970s and 70-80 pairs by the 2000s. We found that periods with increased SST and reduced SIC, especially in the last few decades, coincided with little auk population declines. Besides, years with little auk presence in breeding sites were characterized by either low SST and low to moderate SIC or higher SST but moderate to high SIC. Observed contraction of the breeding range and a decrease in abundance of the little auk may be attributed to more complex climate-driven changes in the marine ecosystem at finer spatial and temporal scales and/or cannot be easily detected given the coarseness of data used. It is possible that the population in this region has never been very numerous being subjected to local impacts such as disease, bycatch, predation, etc. The climate warming that is currently being observed, along with corresponding shifts in zooplankton communities, may lead to extirpation of the studied little auk populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dariusz Jakubas
- Department of Vertebrate Ecology and Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308, Gdańsk, Poland.
| | - Katarzyna Wojczulanis-Jakubas
- Department of Vertebrate Ecology and Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308, Gdańsk, Poland
| | | | - Peter G H Evans
- School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, Isle of Anglesey, Menai Bridge, LL57 2DG, UK
- Sea Watch Foundation, Ewyn y Don, Bull Bay, Isle of Anglesey, Amlwch, LL68 9SD, UK
| | - David Boertmann
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark
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2
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Winterl A, Richter S, Houstin A, Barracho T, Boureau M, Cornec C, Couet D, Cristofari R, Eiselt C, Fabry B, Krellenstein A, Mark C, Mainka A, Ménard D, Morinay J, Pottier S, Schloesing E, Le Bohec C, Zitterbart DP. Remote sensing of emperor penguin abundance and breeding success. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4419. [PMID: 38811565 PMCID: PMC11137044 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48239-8] [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: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Emperor penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri) are under increasing environmental pressure. Monitoring colony size and population trends of this Antarctic seabird relies primarily on satellite imagery recorded near the end of the breeding season, when light conditions levels are sufficient to capture images, but colony occupancy is highly variable. To correct population estimates for this variability, we develop a phenological model that can predict the number of breeding pairs and fledging chicks, as well as key phenological events such as arrival, hatching and foraging times, from as few as six data points from a single season. The ability to extrapolate occupancy from sparse data makes the model particularly useful for monitoring remotely sensed animal colonies where ground-based population estimates are rare or unavailable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Winterl
- Department of Physics, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Sebastian Richter
- Department of Physics, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Aymeric Houstin
- Department of Physics, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
- Department of Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, USA
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, F-67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Téo Barracho
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, F-67000, Strasbourg, France
- CEFE, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
- University of Moncton, Canada Research Chair in Polar and Boreal Ecology and Centre d'Études Nordiques, Department of Biology, Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
| | - Matthieu Boureau
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, F-67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Clément Cornec
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, F-67000, Strasbourg, France
- ENES Bioacoustics Research Laboratory, CRNL, CNRS, Inserm, University of Saint-Etienne, Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Douglas Couet
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, F-67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Robin Cristofari
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, F-67000, Strasbourg, France
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Claire Eiselt
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, F-67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Ben Fabry
- Department of Physics, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | | | - Christoph Mark
- Department of Physics, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Astrid Mainka
- Department of Physics, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Delphine Ménard
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, F-67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Jennifer Morinay
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, F-67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Susie Pottier
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, F-67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Elodie Schloesing
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, F-67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Céline Le Bohec
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, F-67000, Strasbourg, France.
- CEFE, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France.
- Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Département de Biologie Polaire, Monaco, Principality of Monaco.
| | - Daniel P Zitterbart
- Department of Physics, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.
- Department of Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, USA.
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Steenweg RJ, Crossin GT, Hennin HL, Gilchrist HG, Love OP. Favorable spring conditions can buffer the impact of winter carryover effects on a key breeding decision in an Arctic-breeding seabird. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8588. [PMID: 35154656 PMCID: PMC8826066 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The availability and investment of energy among successive life-history stages is a key feature of carryover effects. In migratory organisms, examining how both winter and spring experiences carryover to affect breeding activity is difficult due to the challenges in tracking individuals through these periods without impacting their behavior, thereby biasing results.Using common eiders Somateria mollissima, we examined whether spring conditions at an Arctic breeding colony (East Bay Island, Nunavut, Canada) can buffer the impacts of winter temperatures on body mass and breeding decisions in birds that winter at different locations (Nuuk and Disko Bay, Greenland, and Newfoundland, Canada; assessed by analyzing stable isotopes of 13-carbon in winter-grown claw samples). Specifically, we used path analysis to examine how wintering and spring environmental conditions interact to affect breeding propensity (a key reproductive decision influencing lifetime fitness in female eiders) within the contexts of the timing of colony arrival, pre-breeding body mass (body condition), and a physiological proxy for foraging effort (baseline corticosterone).We demonstrate that warmer winter temperatures predicted lower body mass at arrival to the nesting colony, whereas warmer spring temperatures predicted earlier arrival dates and higher arrival body mass. Both higher body mass and earlier arrival dates of eider hens increased the probability that birds would initiate laying (i.e., higher breeding propensity). However, variation in baseline corticosterone was not linked to either winter or spring temperatures, and it had no additional downstream effects on breeding propensity.Overall, we demonstrate that favorable pre-breeding conditions in Arctic-breeding common eiders can compensate for the impact that unfavorable wintering conditions can have on breeding investment, perhaps due to greater access to foraging areas prior to laying.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Glenn T. Crossin
- Department of BiologyDalhousie UniversityHalifaxNova ScotiaCanada
| | - Holly L. Hennin
- Environment and Climate Change CanadaNational Wildlife Research CentreCarleton UniversityOttawaOntarioCanada
- Department of Integrative BiologyUniversity of WindsorWindsorOntarioCanada
| | - H. Grant Gilchrist
- Environment and Climate Change CanadaNational Wildlife Research CentreCarleton UniversityOttawaOntarioCanada
| | - Oliver P. Love
- Department of Integrative BiologyUniversity of WindsorWindsorOntarioCanada
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Sea ice extent and phenology influence breeding of high-Arctic seabirds: 4 decades of monitoring in Nunavut, Canada. Oecologia 2022; 198:393-406. [PMID: 35066670 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05117-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Seabirds breeding in the high Arctic contend with variable annual sea ice conditions, with important consequences depending on a species' unique reproductive and foraging ecology. We assessed the influence of sea ice extent and phenology on seabird breeding biology using monitoring data collected for northern fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis), glaucous gull (Larus hyperboreus), black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla), and thick-billed murre (Uria lomvia) breeding at Prince Leopold Island, Nunavut, Canada over 4 decades. We expected that years of later sea ice break-up and greater ice cover around the colony would create greater challenges to foraging and could result in delayed nest initiation, decreased colony attendance, and lower nesting success, but with distinct responses from each species. We also tested for time-lagged effects of ice conditions, where sea ice in a given year could impact food availability or juvenile recruitment in later years. Ice conditions around the colony exhibited no significant overall temporal trends or changepoints over the past 50 years (1970-2021), while counts of kittiwakes and murres increased over the study period 1975-2013. No trends were evident in counts of fulmars or gulls or in egg-laying dates or nest success for any species. However, three species (all but glaucous gulls) exhibited unique responses between breeding metrics and sea ice, highlighting how breeding decisions and outcomes may differ among species under the same environmental conditions in a given year. Time-lagged effects were only detected for kittiwake nest counts, where the date of spring ice break-up around the colony was negatively associated with counts at a 5-year lag. Greater distances to open water were associated with lower colony attendance by fulmars and later nest initiation by kittiwakes and murres. Our analyses provide additional insights to effects of sea ice on high-Arctic seabird breeding ecology, which will be useful in predicting and planning for the complex effects of a changing climate and changing human pressures on this high-latitude ecosystem and for the management of high-Arctic marine-protected areas.
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Abstract
AbstractThe Little Auk Alle alle is a small planktivorous auk breeding colonially in the High Arctic. Owing to its large population size and bi-environmental lifestyle, resulting in the large-scale transport of matter from sea to land, the Little Auk is one of the most important components of the marine and terrestrial ecosystems in the Arctic. As a result of globalization, which facilitates access to remote areas of the Earth, a growing number of studies is being dedicated to this endemic Arctic seabird. Research has focussed primarily on the importance of the Little Auk as an ecological indicator reacting to the climatic and oceanological changes that are particularly evident in the Arctic as a result of Arctic amplification (warming is more rapid in the Arctic than in any other region on Earth). Importantly, the species is also used as a model to investigate matter and energy flow through the ecosystem, mate choice, parental care and biological rhythms. Here, we review the natural history of the Little Auk, highlighting studies with the potential to provide answers to universal questions regarding the response of seabirds to climate variability and avian reproductive behaviour, e.g. threshold of foraging flexibility in response to environmental variability, carry-over effects between the breeding and non-breeding periods, the reasons for the transition from bi- to uni-parental care, parental coordination mechanisms.
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Regos A, Tapia L, Arenas-Castro S, Gil-Carrera A, Domínguez J. Ecosystem Functioning Influences Species Fitness at Upper Trophic Levels. Ecosystems 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-021-00699-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
AbstractGlobal change is severely affecting ecosystem functioning and biodiversity globally. Remotely sensed ecosystem functional attributes (EFAs) are integrative descriptors of the environmental change—being closely related to the processes directly affecting food chains via trophic cascades. Here we tested if EFAs can explain the species fitness at upper trophic levels. We took advantage of a long-term time series database of the reproductive success of the Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)—an apex predator at the upper trophic level—over a 17-year period across a bioclimatic gradient (NW Spain; c. 29,575 km2). We computed a comprehensive database of EFAs from three MODIS satellite-products related to the carbon cycle, heat dynamics and radiative balance. We also assessed possible time-lag in the response of the Golden Eagle to fire, a critical disruptor of the surface energy budget in our region. We explored the role of EFAs on the fitness of the Golden Eagle with logistic-exposure nest survival models. Our models showed that the reproductive performance of the Golden Eagle is influenced by spatiotemporal variations in land surface temperature, albedo and vegetation productivity (AUC values from 0.71 to 0.8; ΣWi EFAs from 0.66 to 1). Fire disturbance also affected ecological fitness of this apex predator—with a limited effect at 3 years after fire (a time-lagged response to surface energy budget disruptions; ΣWi Fire = 0.62). Our study provides evidence for the influence of the matter and energy fluxes between land surface and atmosphere on the reproductive success of species at upper trophic levels.
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Galicia MP, Thiemann GW, Dyck MG, Ferguson SH. Are tissue samples obtained via remote biopsy useful for fatty acid-based diet analyses in a free-ranging carnivore? J Mammal 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyab041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Fundamental knowledge on free-ranging animals has been obtained through capture-based studies; however, these may be logistically intensive, financially expensive, and potentially inconsistent with local cultural values. Genetic mark–recapture using remote tissue sampling has emerged as a less invasive alternative to capture-based population surveys but provides fewer opportunities to collect samples and measurements for broader ecological studies. We compared lipid content, fatty acid (FA) composition, and diet estimates from adipose tissue of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) obtained from two collection methods: remote biopsies (n = 138) sampled from helicopters and hunter-collected tissue (n = 499) from bears harvested in Davis Strait and Gulf of Boothia, Nunavut, 2010 – 2018. Lipid content of adipose tissue was lower in remote biopsies than harvest samples likely because remote biopsies removed only the outermost layer of subcutaneous tissue, rather than the more metabolically dynamic innermost tissue obtained from harvest samples. In contrast, FA composition was similar between the two collection methods with relatively small proportional differences in individual FAs. For diet estimates in Davis Strait, collection method was not a predictor of prey contribution to diet. In Gulf of Boothia, collection method was a predictor for some prey types, but the differences were relatively minor; the rank order of prey types was similar (e.g., ringed seal; Pusa hispida was consistently the primary prey in diets) and prey proportions differed by < 6% between the collection methods. Results from both methods showed that diets varied by geographic area, season, year, age class, and sex. Our study demonstrates that adipose tissue from remote biopsy provides reliable estimates of polar bear diet based on FA analysis and can be used to monitor underlying ecological changes in Arctic marine food webs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gregory W Thiemann
- Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Markus G Dyck
- Wildlife Research Section, Department of Environment, Government of Nunavut, Igloolik, Nunavut, Canada
| | - Steven H Ferguson
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Central and Arctic Region, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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8
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Descamps S, Ramírez F. Species and spatial variation in the effects of sea ice on Arctic seabird populations. DIVERS DISTRIB 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Francisco Ramírez
- Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM‐CSIC) Department of Renewable Marine Resources Passeig Maritim de la Barceloneta Barcelona Spain
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9
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Labrousse S, Fraser AD, Sumner M, Le Manach F, Sauser C, Horstmann I, Devane E, Delord K, Jenouvrier S, Barbraud C. Landfast ice: a major driver of reproductive success in a polar seabird. Biol Lett 2021; 17:20210097. [PMID: 34129795 PMCID: PMC8205520 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2021.0097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In a fast-changing world, polar ecosystems are threatened by climate variability. Understanding the roles of fine-scale processes, and linear and nonlinear effects of climate factors on the demography of polar species is crucial for anticipating the future state of these fragile ecosystems. While the effects of sea ice on polar marine top predators are increasingly being studied, little is known about the impacts of landfast ice (LFI) on this species community. Based on a unique 39-year time series of satellite imagery and in situ meteorological conditions and on the world's longest dataset of emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) breeding parameters, we studied the effects of fine-scale variability of LFI and weather conditions on this species' reproductive success. We found that longer distances to the LFI edge (i.e. foraging areas) negatively affected the overall breeding success but also the fledging success. Climate window analyses suggested that chick mortality was particularly sensitive to LFI variability between August and November. Snowfall in May also affected hatching success. Given the sensitivity of LFI to storms and changes in wind direction, important future repercussions on the breeding habitat of emperor penguins are to be expected in the context of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Labrousse
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université, Paris 06, UMR 7159, LOCEAN-IPSL, 75005 Paris, France
- Department of Biology, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - Alexander D. Fraser
- Australian Antarctic Program Partnership, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
| | - Michael Sumner
- Australian Antarctic Division, Channel Highway, Kingston, Tasmania 7050, Australia
| | | | - Christophe Sauser
- Centre d’Études Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), CNRS UMR 7372, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Isabella Horstmann
- Department of Biology, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - Eileen Devane
- Department of Biology, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - Karine Delord
- Centre d’Études Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), CNRS UMR 7372, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Stéphanie Jenouvrier
- Department of Biology, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - Christophe Barbraud
- Centre d’Études Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), CNRS UMR 7372, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
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Abstract
AbstractTo monitor the rapid changes occurring in Arctic ecosystems and predict their direction, basic information about the current number and structure of the main components of these systems is necessary. Using boat-based surveys, we studied the numbers and distribution of seabirds foraging in Hornsund (SW Spitsbergen) during three summer seasons. The average number of seabirds foraging concurrently in the whole fjord was estimated at 28,000. Little Auks Alle alle were the most numerous, followed by Northern Fulmars Fulmarus glacialis, Brünnich’s Guillemots Uria lomvia and Black-legged Kittiwakes Rissa tridactyla. The pelagic zone was exploited by some 75% of the birds. Their density was the highest (> 400 ind. km−2) in the tidewater glacier bays, where kittiwakes were predominant, and the lowest in the coastal glacier bays. The seabirds in Hornsund daily consumed c. 12.7 tons of food, i.e. c. 0.2% of the summer mesozooplankton and fish standing stocks available in the fjord. This food consisted primarily of copepods, amphipods and molluscs (c. 70%), whereas fish made up < 15%. More than 50% of this biomass was ingested by pursuit divers, while surface feeders took c. 29% and benthophages c. 13%. About three-quarters of the food biomass was taken from the pelagic zone. This paper describes, for the first time in quantitative terms, the structure and function of a seabird community foraging in an Arctic fjord. It also provides a baseline for future studies on climate-induced changes in the importance of seabirds in the Arctic food web.
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11
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Doyle S, Gray A, McMahon BJ. Anthropogenic impacts on the demographics of Arctic-breeding birds. Polar Biol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-020-02756-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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Galicia MP, Thiemann GW, Dyck MG. Correlates of seasonal change in the body condition of an Arctic top predator. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:840-850. [PMID: 31465583 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2019] [Accepted: 07/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Climate-driven sea ice loss has led to changes in the timing of key biological events in the Arctic, however, the consequences and rate of these changes remain largely unknown. Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) undergo seasonal changes in energy stores in relation to foraging opportunities and habitat conditions. Declining sea ice has been linked to reduced body condition in some subpopulations, however, the specific timing and duration of the feeding period when bears acquire most of their energy stores and its relationship to the timing of ice break-up is poorly understood. We used community-based sampling to investigate seasonality in body condition (energy stores) of polar bears in Nunavut, Canada, and examined the influence of sea ice variables. We used adipose tissue lipid content as an index of body condition for 1,206 polar bears harvested from 2010-2017 across five subpopulations with varying seasonal ice conditions: Baffin Bay (October-August), Davis Strait and Foxe Basin (year-round), Gulf of Boothia and Lancaster Sound (August-May). Similar seasonal patterns were found in body condition across subpopulations with bears at their nadir of condition in the spring, followed by fat accumulation past break-up date and subsequent peak body condition in autumn, indicating that bears are actively foraging in late spring and early summer. Late season feeding implies that even minor advances in the timing of break-up may have detrimental effects on foraging opportunities, body condition, and subsequent reproduction and survival. The magnitude of seasonal changes in body condition varied across the study area, presumably driven by local environmental conditions. Our results demonstrate how community-based monitoring of polar bears can reveal population-level responses to climate warming in advance of detectable demographic change. Our data on the seasonal timing of polar bear foraging and energy storage should inform predictive models of the effects of climate-mediated sea ice loss.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Markus G Dyck
- Wildlife Research Station, Department of Environment, Government of Nunavut, Igloolik, NU, Canada
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13
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Descamps S, Ramírez F, Benjaminsen S, Anker-Nilssen T, Barrett RT, Burr Z, Christensen-Dalsgaard S, Erikstad KE, Irons DB, Lorentsen SH, Mallory ML, Robertson GJ, Reiertsen TK, Strøm H, Varpe Ø, Lavergne S. Diverging phenological responses of Arctic seabirds to an earlier spring. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2019; 25:4081-4091. [PMID: 31368188 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The timing of annual events such as reproduction is a critical component of how free-living organisms respond to ongoing climate change. This may be especially true in the Arctic, which is disproportionally impacted by climate warming. Here, we show that Arctic seabirds responded to climate change by moving the start of their reproduction earlier, coincident with an advancing onset of spring and that their response is phylogenetically and spatially structured. The phylogenetic signal is likely driven by seabird foraging behavior. Surface-feeding species advanced their reproduction in the last 35 years while diving species showed remarkably stable breeding timing. The earlier reproduction for Arctic surface-feeding birds was significant in the Pacific only, where spring advancement was most pronounced. In both the Atlantic and Pacific, seabirds with a long breeding season showed a greater response to the advancement of spring than seabirds with a short breeding season. Our results emphasize that spatial variation, phylogeny, and life history are important considerations in seabird phenological response to climate change and highlight the key role played by the species' foraging behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Francisco Ramírez
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | - Robert T Barrett
- Department of Natural Sciences, Tromsø University Museum, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Zofia Burr
- The University Centre in Svalbard, Longyearbyen, Norway
| | | | - Kjell-Einar Erikstad
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Tromsø, Norway
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD), Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - David B Irons
- Migratory Bird Management, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | | | - Mark L Mallory
- Department of Biology, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Øystein Varpe
- The University Centre in Svalbard, Longyearbyen, Norway
- Akvaplan-niva, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Sébastien Lavergne
- Laboratoire d'Écologie Alpine (LECA), CNRS, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
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14
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Cusset F, Fort J, Mallory M, Braune B, Massicotte P, Massé G. Arctic seabirds and shrinking sea ice: egg analyses reveal the importance of ice-derived resources. Sci Rep 2019; 9:15405. [PMID: 31659198 PMCID: PMC6817817 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51788-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 10/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In the Arctic, sea-ice plays a central role in the functioning of marine food webs and its rapid shrinking has large effects on the biota. It is thus crucial to assess the importance of sea-ice and ice-derived resources to Arctic marine species. Here, we used a multi-biomarker approach combining Highly Branched Isoprenoids (HBIs) with δ13C and δ15N to evaluate how much Arctic seabirds rely on sea-ice derived resources during the pre-laying period, and if changes in sea-ice extent and duration affect their investment in reproduction. Eggs of thick-billed murres (Uria lomvia) and northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) were collected in the Canadian Arctic during four years of highly contrasting ice conditions, and analysed for HBIs, isotopic (carbon and nitrogen) and energetic composition. Murres heavily relied on ice-associated prey, and sea-ice was beneficial for this species which produced larger and more energy-dense eggs during icier years. In contrast, fulmars did not exhibit any clear association with sympagic communities and were not impacted by changes in sea ice. Murres, like other species more constrained in their response to sea-ice variations, therefore appear more sensitive to changes and may become the losers of future climate shifts in the Arctic, unlike more resilient species such as fulmars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanny Cusset
- UMI Takuvik, Département de Biologie, Université Laval, 1045 Avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada.
| | - Jérôme Fort
- LIENSs, UMR 7266, CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France
| | - Mark Mallory
- Biology Department, Acadia University, 15 University Avenue, Wolfville, NS, B4P 2R6, Canada
| | - Birgit Braune
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, Raven Road, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0H3, Canada
| | - Philippe Massicotte
- UMI Takuvik, Département de Biologie, Université Laval, 1045 Avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Guillaume Massé
- UMI Takuvik, Département de Biologie, Université Laval, 1045 Avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada.,LOCEAN, UMR 7159, CNRS, MNHN, IRD, Sorbonne-Université, Station Marine de Concarneau, BP225, 29900, Concarneau, France
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15
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Cimino MA, Patterson‐Fraser DL, Stammerjohn S, Fraser WR. The interaction between island geomorphology and environmental parameters drives Adélie penguin breeding phenology on neighboring islands near Palmer Station, Antarctica. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:9334-9349. [PMID: 31463025 PMCID: PMC6706194 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2019] [Revised: 06/25/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite many studies on Adélie penguin breeding phenology, understanding the drivers of clutch initiation dates (CIDs, egg 1 lay date) is limited or lacks consensus. Here, we investigated Adélie penguin CIDs over 25 years (1991-2016) on two neighboring islands, Torgersen and Humble (<1 km apart), in a rapidly warming region near Palmer Station, Antarctica. We found that sea ice was the primary large-scale driver of CIDs and precipitation was a secondary small-scale driver that fine-tunes CID to island-specific nesting habitat geomorphology. In general, CIDs were earlier (later) when the spring sea ice retreat was earlier (later) and when the preceding annual ice season was shorter (longer). Island-specific effects related to precipitation and island geomorphology caused greater snow accumulation and delayed CIDs by ~2 days on Torgersen compared to Humble Island. When CIDs on the islands were similar, conditions were mild with less snow across breeding sites. At Torgersen Island, the negative relationship between CID and breeding success highlights detrimental effects of delayed breeding and/or snow on penguin fitness. Past phenological studies reported a relationship between air temperature and CID, assumed to be related to precipitation, but we found air temperature was more highly correlated to sea ice, revealing a misinterpretation of temperature effects. Finally, contrasting trends in CIDs based on temporal shifts in regional sea ice patterns revealed trends toward earlier CIDs (4-6 day advance) from 1979 to 2009 as the annual ice season shortened, and later CIDs (7-10 day delay) from 2010 to 2016 as the annual ice season lengthened. Adélie penguins tracked environmental conditions with flexible breeding phenology, but their life history remains vulnerable to subpolar weather conditions that can delay CIDs and decrease breeding success, especially on landscapes where geomorphology facilitates snow accumulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan A. Cimino
- Institute of Marine SciencesUniversity of California, Santa CruzSanta CruzCAUSA
| | | | - Sharon Stammerjohn
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine ResearchUniversity of ColoradoBoulderCOUSA
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Amélineau F, Grémillet D, Harding AMA, Walkusz W, Choquet R, Fort J. Arctic climate change and pollution impact little auk foraging and fitness across a decade. Sci Rep 2019; 9:1014. [PMID: 30705325 PMCID: PMC6355795 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-38042-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Ongoing global changes apply drastic environmental forcing onto Arctic marine ecosystems, particularly through ocean warming, sea-ice shrinkage and enhanced pollution. To test impacts on arctic marine ecological functioning, we used a 12-year integrative study of little auks (Alle alle), the most abundant seabird in the Atlantic Arctic. We monitored the foraging ecology, reproduction, survival and body condition of breeding birds, and we tested linkages between these biological variables and a set of environmental parameters including sea-ice concentration (SIC) and mercury contamination. Little auks showed substantial plasticity in response to SIC, with deeper and longer dives but less time spent underwater and more time flying when SIC decreased. Their diet also contained less lipid-rich ice-associated prey when SIC decreased. Further, in contrast to former studies conducted at the annual scale, little auk fitness proxies were impacted by environmental changes: Adult body condition and chick growth rate were negatively linked to SIC and mercury contamination. However, no trend was found for adult survival despite high inter-annual variability. Our results suggest that potential benefits of milder climatic conditions in East Greenland may be offset by increasing pollution in the Arctic. Overall, our study stresses the importance of long-term studies integrating ecology and ecotoxicology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Françoise Amélineau
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE) UMR 5175, CNRS - Université de Montpellier - Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier - EPHE, Montpellier, France.
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS - Université de La Rochelle, La Rochelle, France.
| | - David Grémillet
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE) UMR 5175, CNRS - Université de Montpellier - Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier - EPHE, Montpellier, France
- Percy FitzPatrick Institute and DST/NRF Excellence Centre at the University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | - Ann M A Harding
- Environmental Science Department, Alaska Pacific University, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | - Wojciech Walkusz
- Freshwater Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 501 University Crescent, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, Poland
| | - Rémi Choquet
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE) UMR 5175, CNRS - Université de Montpellier - Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier - EPHE, Montpellier, France
| | - Jérôme Fort
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS - Université de La Rochelle, La Rochelle, France
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