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Abstract
The measurement of naturally occurring stable isotope ratios of the light elements (C, N, H, O, S) in animal tissues and associated organic and inorganic fractions of associated environments holds immense potential as a means of addressing effects of global change on animals. This paper provides a brief review of studies that have used the isotope approach to evaluate changes in diet, isotopic niche, contaminant burden, reproductive and nutritional investment, invasive species and shifts in migration origin or destination with clear links to evaluating effects of global change. This field has now reached a level of maturity that is impressive but generally underappreciated and involves technical as well as statistical advances and access to freely available R-based packages. There is a need for animal ecologists and conservationists to design tissue collection networks that will best answer current and anticipated questions related to the global change and the biodiversity crisis. These developments will move the field of stable isotope ecology toward a more hypothesis driven discipline related to rapidly changing global events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith A Hobson
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 0X4, Canada.
- Department of Biology, Western University, London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada.
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2
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Gallagher KL, Dinniman MS, Lynch HJ. Quantifying Antarctic krill connectivity across the West Antarctic Peninsula and its role in large-scale Pygoscelis penguin population dynamics. Sci Rep 2023; 13:12072. [PMID: 37495764 PMCID: PMC10372022 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-39105-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) are considered a keystone species for higher trophic level predators along the West Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) during the austral summer. The connectivity of krill may play a critical role in predator biogeography, especially for central-place foragers such as the Pygoscelis spp. penguins that breed along the WAP during the austral summer. Antarctic krill are also heavily fished commercially; therefore, understanding population connectivity of krill is critical to effective management. Here, we used a physical ocean model to examine adult krill connectivity in this region using simulated krill with realistic diel vertical migration behaviors across four austral summers. Our results indicate that krill north and south of Low Island and the southern Bransfield Strait are nearly isolated from each other and that persistent current features play a role in this lack of inter-region connectivity. Transit and entrainment times were not correlated with penguin populations at the large spatial scales examined. However, long transit times and reduced entrainment correlate spatially with the areas where krill fishing is most intense, which heightens the risk that krill fishing may lead to limited krill availability for predators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine L Gallagher
- Institute for Advanced Computational Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA.
| | - Michael S Dinniman
- Department of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, 23529, USA
| | - Heather J Lynch
- Institute for Advanced Computational Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
- Department of Ecology & Evolution, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11790, USA
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3
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Buss DL, Atmore LM, Zicos MH, Goodall-Copestake WP, Brace S, Archer FI, Baker CS, Barnes I, Carroll EL, Hart T, Kitchener AC, Sabin R, Sremba AL, Weir CR, Jackson JA. Historical Mitogenomic Diversity and Population Structuring of Southern Hemisphere Fin Whales. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1038. [PMID: 37239398 PMCID: PMC10218396 DOI: 10.3390/genes14051038] [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: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Fin whales Balaenoptera physalus were hunted unsustainably across the globe in the 19th and 20th centuries, leading to vast reductions in population size. Whaling catch records indicate the importance of the Southern Ocean for this species; approximately 730,000 fin whales were harvested during the 20th century in the Southern Hemisphere (SH) alone, 94% of which were at high latitudes. Genetic samples from contemporary whales can provide a window to past population size changes, but the challenges of sampling in remote Antarctic waters limit the availability of data. Here, we take advantage of historical samples in the form of bones and baleen available from ex-whaling stations and museums to assess the pre-whaling diversity of this once abundant species. We sequenced 27 historical mitogenomes and 50 historical mitochondrial control region sequences of fin whales to gain insight into the population structure and genetic diversity of Southern Hemisphere fin whales (SHFWs) before and after the whaling. Our data, both independently and when combined with mitogenomes from the literature, suggest SHFWs are highly diverse and may represent a single panmictic population that is genetically differentiated from Northern Hemisphere populations. These are the first historic mitogenomes available for SHFWs, providing a unique time series of genetic data for this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle L. Buss
- British Antarctic Survey, National Environment Research Council, Cambridge CB3 0ET, UK
- Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DZ, UK
| | - Lane M. Atmore
- Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DZ, UK
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Maria H. Zicos
- The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK
| | - William P. Goodall-Copestake
- British Antarctic Survey, National Environment Research Council, Cambridge CB3 0ET, UK
- Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban PA37 1QA, UK
| | - Selina Brace
- The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Frederick I. Archer
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - C. Scott Baker
- Marine Mammal Institute and Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon State University, Newport, OR 97365, USA
| | - Ian Barnes
- The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Emma L. Carroll
- Te Kura Mātauranga Koiora—School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland Waipapa Taumata Rau, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
| | - Tom Hart
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Andrew C. Kitchener
- Department of Natural Sciences, National Museums Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh EH1 1JF, UK
- School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Drummond Street, Edinburgh EH8 9XP, UK
| | - Richard Sabin
- The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Angela L. Sremba
- Marine Mammal Institute and Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon State University, Newport, OR 97365, USA
| | - Caroline R. Weir
- Falklands Conservation, Ross Road, Stanley F1QQ 1ZZ, Falkland Islands
| | - Jennifer A. Jackson
- British Antarctic Survey, National Environment Research Council, Cambridge CB3 0ET, UK
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4
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Salmerón N, Belle S, Cruz FS, Alegria N, Finger JVG, Corá DH, Petry MV, Hernández C, Cárdenas CA, Krüger L. Contrasting environmental conditions precluded lower availability of Antarctic krill affecting breeding chinstrap penguins in the Antarctic Peninsula. Sci Rep 2023; 13:5265. [PMID: 37002269 PMCID: PMC10066220 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-32352-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Dramatic decreases of chinstrap penguin populations across the Antarctic Peninsula (AP) are thought to be influenced by climate-driven changes affecting its main prey, the Antarctic krill, however, empirical evidence supporting such hypotheses are scarce. By coupling data on breeding chinstrap penguins, environmental remote sensing and estimates of krill acoustic density, we were able to demonstrate that penguins substantially increased their foraging effort in a year of low krill availability, with consequent reduction in breeding success. A winter of low sea ice cover followed by a summer/spring with stronger wind and lower marine productivity explained the lower and deeper krill availability. Our results highlight the importance of environmental variability on penguin populations, as variability is expected to increase under climate change, affecting foraging behaviour responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuria Salmerón
- International Master of Science in Marine Biological Resources (IMBRSea), Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281/S8, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Solenne Belle
- International Master of Science in Marine Biological Resources (IMBRSea), Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281/S8, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Francisco Santa Cruz
- Departamento Científico, Instituto Antártico Chileno, Plaza Muñoz Gamero, 1055, Punta Arenas, Chile
| | - Nicolás Alegria
- Instituto de Investigación Pesquera (INPESCA), Colón, 2780, Talcahuano, Chile
| | - Júlia Victória Grohmann Finger
- Laboratório de Ornitologia e Animais Marinhos, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS), Av. Unisinos, 950, São Leopoldo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Denyelle Hennayra Corá
- Laboratório de Ornitologia e Animais Marinhos, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS), Av. Unisinos, 950, São Leopoldo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Maria Virginia Petry
- Laboratório de Ornitologia e Animais Marinhos, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS), Av. Unisinos, 950, São Leopoldo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | | | - César A Cárdenas
- Departamento Científico, Instituto Antártico Chileno, Plaza Muñoz Gamero, 1055, Punta Arenas, Chile
- Millennium Institute Biodiversity of Antarctic and Subantarctic Ecosystems (BASE), Las Palmeras, 3425, Ñuñoa, Santiago, Chile
| | - Lucas Krüger
- Departamento Científico, Instituto Antártico Chileno, Plaza Muñoz Gamero, 1055, Punta Arenas, Chile.
- Millennium Institute Biodiversity of Antarctic and Subantarctic Ecosystems (BASE), Las Palmeras, 3425, Ñuñoa, Santiago, Chile.
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5
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Decreasing Trends of Chinstrap Penguin Breeding Colonies in a Region of Major and Ongoing Rapid Environmental Changes Suggest Population Level Vulnerability. DIVERSITY 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/d15030327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
The bulk of the chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarcticus) global population inhabits the Antarctic Peninsula and Scotia Sea, which is a region undergoing rapid environmental changes. Consequently, regional level decreases for this species are widespread. This study aimed to evaluate the level of breeding colony changes in the Antarctic Peninsula and South Orkney Islands, which, roughly, hold 60% of the global chinstrap penguin population. The results indicated that within a period of 40 to 50 years, 62% of colonies underwent decreases, and the majority of colonies experienced decreases over 50%, which is represented by numbers in the range of 2000 to 40,000 pairs. Within three generations’ time, the whole population for the area had experienced decreases of around 30%. These levels of decrease add to the fact that the suspected causes are not likely reversible in the short- to mid-term, calling for increased concern about the conservation of this species.
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6
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Feddern ML, Holtgrieve GW, Ward EJ. Delayed trophic response of a marine predator to ocean condition and prey availability during the past century. Ecology 2023; 104:e3865. [PMID: 36056575 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the response of predators to ecological change at multiple temporal scales can elucidate critical predator-prey dynamics that would otherwise go unrecognized. We performed compound-specific nitrogen stable isotope analysis of amino acids on 153 harbor seal museum skull specimens to determine how trophic position of this marine predator has responded to ecosystem change over the past century. The relationships between harbor seal trophic position, ocean condition, and prey abundance, were analyzed using hierarchical modeling of a multi-amino-acid framework and applying 1, 2, and 3 years temporal lags. We identified delayed responses of harbor seal trophic position to both physical ocean conditions (upwelling, sea surface temperature, freshwater discharge) and prey availability (Pacific hake, Pacific herring, and Chinook salmon). However, the magnitude and direction of the trophic position response to ecological changes depended on the temporal delay. For example, harbor seal trophic position was negatively associated with summer upwelling but had a 1-year delayed response to summer sea surface temperature, indicating that some predator responses to ecosystem change are not immediately observable. These results highlight the importance of considering dynamic responses of predators to their environment as multiple ecological factors are often changing simultaneously and can take years to propagate up the food web.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan L Feddern
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Gordon W Holtgrieve
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Eric J Ward
- Conservation Biology Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, Seattle, Washington, USA
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7
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Atkinson A, Hill SL, Reiss CS, Pakhomov EA, Beaugrand G, Tarling GA, Yang G, Steinberg DK, Schmidt K, Edwards M, Rombolá E, Perry FA. Stepping stones towards Antarctica: Switch to southern spawning grounds explains an abrupt range shift in krill. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:1359-1375. [PMID: 34921477 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Poleward range shifts are a global-scale response to warming, but these vary greatly among taxa and are hard to predict for individual species, localized regions or over shorter (years to decadal) timescales. Moving poleward might be easier in the Arctic than in the Southern Ocean, where evidence for range shifts is sparse and contradictory. Here, we compiled a database of larval Antarctic krill, Euphausia superba and, together with an adult database, it showed how their range shift is out of step with the pace of warming. During a 70-year period of rapid warming (1920s-1990s), distribution centres of both larvae and adults in the SW Atlantic sector remained fixed, despite warming by 0.5-1.0°C and losing sea ice. This was followed by a hiatus in surface warming and ice loss, yet during this period the distributions of krill life stages shifted greatly, by ~1000 km, to the south-west. Understanding the mechanism of such step changes is essential, since they herald system reorganizations that are hard to predict with current modelling approaches. We propose that the abrupt shift was driven by climatic controls acting on localized recruitment hotspots, superimposed on thermal niche conservatism. During the warming hiatus, the Southern Annular Mode index continued to become increasingly positive and, likely through reduced feeding success for larvae, this led to a precipitous decline in recruitment from the main reproduction hotspot along the southern Scotia Arc. This cut replenishment to the northern portion of the krill stock, as evidenced by declining density and swarm frequency. Concomitantly, a new, southern reproduction area developed after the 1990s, reinforcing the range shift despite the lack of surface warming. New spawning hotspots may provide the stepping stones needed for range shifts into polar regions, so planning of climate-ready marine protected areas should include these key areas of future habitat.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Christian S Reiss
- South West Fisheries Science Centre, NOAA Fisheries, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Evgeny A Pakhomov
- Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences and Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Hakai Institute, Heriot Bay, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Gregory Beaugrand
- Laboratoire d'Océanologie et de Géosciences, UMR 8187 LOG, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Station Marine de Wimereux, Université de Lille, Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale, Wimereux, France
| | | | - Guang Yang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Deborah K Steinberg
- Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William & Mary, Gloucester Point, Virginia, USA
| | - Katrin Schmidt
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
| | | | - Emilce Rombolá
- Instituto Antártico Argentino, Dirección Nacional del Antártico, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientifcas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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8
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Harrison A, Woodard PF, Mallory ML, Rausch J. Sympatrically breeding congeneric seabirds ( Stercorarius spp.) from Arctic Canada migrate to four oceans. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8451. [PMID: 35127008 PMCID: PMC8794761 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Polar systems of avian migration remain unpredictable. For seabirds nesting in the Nearctic, it is often difficult to predict which of the world's oceans birds will migrate to after breeding. Here, we report on three related seabird species that migrated across four oceans following sympatric breeding at a central Canadian high Arctic nesting location. Using telemetry, we tracked pomarine jaeger (Stercorarius pomarinus, n = 1) across the Arctic Ocean to the western Pacific Ocean; parasitic jaeger (S. parasiticus, n = 4) to the western Atlantic Ocean, and long-tailed jaeger (S. longicaudus, n = 2) to the eastern Atlantic Ocean and western Indian Ocean. We also report on extensive nomadic movements over ocean during the postbreeding period (19,002 km) and over land and ocean during the prebreeding period (5578 km) by pomarine jaeger, an irruptive species whose full migrations and nomadic behavior have been a mystery. While the small sample sizes in our study limit the ability to make generalizable inferences, our results provide a key input to the knowledge of jaeger migrations. Understanding the routes and migratory divides of birds nesting in the Arctic region has implications for understanding both the glacial refugia of the past and the Anthropocene-driven changes in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Autumn‐Lynn Harrison
- Migratory Bird CenterSmithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological ParkWashingtonDistrict of ColumbiaUSA
| | - Paul F. Woodard
- Canadian Wildlife Service, Northern RegionYellowknifeNTCanada
| | | | - Jennie Rausch
- Canadian Wildlife Service, Northern RegionYellowknifeNTCanada
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Troina GC, Riekenberg P, van der Meer MTJ, Botta S, Dehairs F, Secchi ER. Combining isotopic analysis of bulk-skin and individual amino acids to investigate the trophic position and foraging areas of multiple cetacean species in the western South Atlantic. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 201:111610. [PMID: 34224712 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111610] [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: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
We investigated the trophic structure and habitat use of ten cetacean species occurring in the oceanic waters of the western South Atlantic using naturally-occurring stable isotopes. We analysed δ15N in individual amino acids (AA) to estimate cetacean trophic position (TP) and to evaluate the spatial differences in baseline δ15N (source AAs). We adjusted cetacean bulk-skin δ13C and δ15N for the effect of trophic level using their estimated TPs, obtaining δ13CAdjusted and δ15NAdjusted, respectively. These values were applied to estimate the overlap in the niche areas of cetacean baseline sources. Our analyses showed spatial segregation between Steno bredanensis and the remaining odontocetes, and the high δ15N in this species reflects its occurrence in neritic waters of the southern region. The highest TPs were observed in Physeter macrocephalus, Stenella attenuata and Globicephala melas, while the lowest TPs were reported for S. longirostris, S. clymene and Orcinus orca. Overall, source AA-δ15N showed similar patterns as those of baseline-δ15N (zooplankton) and were higher in species sampled in the southernmost region of the study area (e.g., Delphinus delphis). Isotopic niche areas estimated using δ13CAdjusted and δ15NAdjusted suggested high overlap in foraging area between S. frontalis and Tursiops truncatus, with the latter occupying a higher TP. Our analyses of δ15N in AAs provide a unique insight into the trophic ecology, forage areas and spatial segregation in resource use among these cetacean populations. Additionally, our work provides AA-δ15N baseline for future studies on the trophic ecology and habitat use of marine organisms in the western South Atlantic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Genyffer C Troina
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação da Megafauna Marinha (ECOMEGA), Instituto de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande - FURG, Avenida Itália km 8, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil.
| | - Philip Riekenberg
- Department of Marine Microbiology & Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, PO Box 59, Den Hoorn, 1790AB, the Netherlands
| | - Marcel T J van der Meer
- Department of Marine Microbiology & Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, PO Box 59, Den Hoorn, 1790AB, the Netherlands
| | - Silvina Botta
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação da Megafauna Marinha (ECOMEGA), Instituto de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande - FURG, Avenida Itália km 8, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil
| | - Frank Dehairs
- Analytical, Environmental and Geo-Chemistry Department (AMGC), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Pleinlaan 2, B-1050, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Eduardo R Secchi
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação da Megafauna Marinha (ECOMEGA), Instituto de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande - FURG, Avenida Itália km 8, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil
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10
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Ramirez MD, Besser AC, Newsome SD, McMahon KW. Meta‐analysis of primary producer amino acid δ
15
N values and their influence on trophic position estimation. Methods Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew D. Ramirez
- Graduate School of Oceanography University of Rhode Island Narragansett RI USA
| | - Alexi C. Besser
- Department of Biology University of New Mexico Albuquerque NM USA
| | - Seth D. Newsome
- Department of Biology University of New Mexico Albuquerque NM USA
| | - Kelton W. McMahon
- Graduate School of Oceanography University of Rhode Island Narragansett RI USA
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11
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Feddern ML, Holtgrieve GW, Ward EJ. Stable isotope signatures in historic harbor seal bone link food web-assimilated carbon and nitrogen resources to a century of environmental change. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:2328-2342. [PMID: 33749968 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15551] [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: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic climate change will impact nutrient cycles, primary production, and ecosystem structure in the world's oceans, although considerable uncertainty exists regarding the magnitude and spatial variability of these changes. Understanding how regional-scale ocean conditions control nutrient availability and ultimately nutrient assimilation into food webs will inform how marine resources will change in response to climate. To evaluate how ocean conditions influence the assimilation of nitrogen and carbon into coastal marine food webs, we applied a novel dimension reduction analysis to a century of newly acquired molecular isotope data derived from historic harbor seal bone specimens. By measuring bulk δ13 C and δ15 N values of source amino acids of these top predators from 1928 to 2014, we derive indices of primary production and nitrogen resources that are assimilated into food webs. We determined coastal food webs responded to climate regimes, coastal upwelling, and freshwater discharge, yet the strength of responses to individual drivers varied across the northeast Pacific. Indices of primary production and nitrogen availability in the Gulf of Alaska were dependent on regional climate indices (i.e., North Pacific Gyre Oscillation) and upwelling. In contrast, the coastal Washington and Salish Sea food webs were associated with local indices of freshwater discharge. For some regions (eastern Bering Sea, northern Gulf of Alaska) food web-assimilated production was coupled with nitrogen sources; however, other regions demonstrated no production-nitrogen coupling (Salish Sea). Temporal patterns of environmental indices and isotopic data from Washington state varied about the long-term mean with no directional trend. Data from the Gulf of Alaska, however, showed below average harbor seal δ13 C values and above average ocean conditions since 1975, indicating a change in primary production in recent decades. Altogether, these findings demonstrate stable isotope data can provide useful indices of nitrogen resources and phytoplankton dynamics specific to what is assimilated by food webs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan L Feddern
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Gordon W Holtgrieve
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Eric J Ward
- Conservation Biology Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, Seattle, WA, USA
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12
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Masello JF, Barbosa A, Kato A, Mattern T, Medeiros R, Stockdale JE, Kümmel MN, Bustamante P, Belliure J, Benzal J, Colominas-Ciuró R, Menéndez-Blázquez J, Griep S, Goesmann A, Symondson WOC, Quillfeldt P. How animals distribute themselves in space: energy landscapes of Antarctic avian predators. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2021; 9:24. [PMID: 34001240 PMCID: PMC8127181 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-021-00255-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Energy landscapes provide an approach to the mechanistic basis of spatial ecology and decision-making in animals. This is based on the quantification of the variation in the energy costs of movements through a given environment, as well as how these costs vary in time and for different animal populations. Organisms as diverse as fish, mammals, and birds will move in areas of the energy landscape that result in minimised costs and maximised energy gain. Recently, energy landscapes have been used to link energy gain and variable energy costs of foraging to breeding success, revealing their potential use for understanding demographic changes. METHODS Using GPS-temperature-depth and tri-axial accelerometer loggers, stable isotope and molecular analyses of the diet, and leucocyte counts, we studied the response of gentoo (Pygoscelis papua) and chinstrap (Pygoscelis antarcticus) penguins to different energy landscapes and resources. We compared species and gentoo penguin populations with contrasting population trends. RESULTS Between populations, gentoo penguins from Livingston Island (Antarctica), a site with positive population trends, foraged in energy landscape sectors that implied lower foraging costs per energy gained compared with those around New Island (Falkland/Malvinas Islands; sub-Antarctic), a breeding site with fluctuating energy costs of foraging, breeding success and populations. Between species, chinstrap penguins foraged in sectors of the energy landscape with lower foraging costs per bottom time, a proxy for energy gain. They also showed lower physiological stress, as revealed by leucocyte counts, and higher breeding success than gentoo penguins. In terms of diet, we found a flexible foraging ecology in gentoo penguins but a narrow foraging niche for chinstraps. CONCLUSIONS The lower foraging costs incurred by the gentoo penguins from Livingston, may favour a higher breeding success that would explain the species' positive population trend in the Antarctic Peninsula. The lower foraging costs in chinstrap penguins may also explain their higher breeding success, compared to gentoos from Antarctica but not their negative population trend. Altogether, our results suggest a link between energy landscapes and breeding success mediated by the physiological condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan F Masello
- Department of Animal Ecology & Systematics, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26, D-35392, Giessen, Germany.
| | - Andres Barbosa
- Department Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, C/José Gutiérrez Abascal, 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - Akiko Kato
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR7372 CNRS-Université La Rochelle, 79360, Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Thomas Mattern
- Department of Animal Ecology & Systematics, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26, D-35392, Giessen, Germany
- New Zealand Penguin Initiative, PO Box 6319, Dunedin, 9022, New Zealand
| | - Renata Medeiros
- Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, The Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Av, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, UK
- Cardiff School of Dentistry, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4XY, UK
| | - Jennifer E Stockdale
- Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, The Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Av, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, UK
| | - Marc N Kümmel
- Institute for Bioinformatics & Systems Biology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 58, D-35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Paco Bustamante
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, 17000, La Rochelle, France
- Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), 1 rue Descartes, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Josabel Belliure
- GLOCEE - Global Change Ecology and Evolution Group, Universidad de Alcalá, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jesús Benzal
- Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas, CSIC, Almería, Spain
| | - Roger Colominas-Ciuró
- Department Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, C/José Gutiérrez Abascal, 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Menéndez-Blázquez
- Department Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, C/José Gutiérrez Abascal, 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sven Griep
- Institute for Bioinformatics & Systems Biology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 58, D-35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - Alexander Goesmann
- Institute for Bioinformatics & Systems Biology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 58, D-35392, Giessen, Germany
| | - William O C Symondson
- Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, The Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Av, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, UK
| | - Petra Quillfeldt
- Department of Animal Ecology & Systematics, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26, D-35392, Giessen, Germany
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13
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Benham PM, Bowie RCK. The influence of spatially heterogeneous anthropogenic change on bill size evolution in a coastal songbird. Evol Appl 2021; 14:607-624. [PMID: 33664798 PMCID: PMC7896719 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 09/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural history collections provide an unparalleled resource for documenting population responses to past anthropogenic change. However, in many cases, traits measured on specimens may vary temporally in response to a number of different anthropogenic pressures or demographic processes. While teasing apart these different drivers is challenging, approaches that integrate analyses of spatial and temporal series of specimens can provide a robust framework for examining whether traits exhibit common responses to ecological variation in space and time. We applied this approach to analyze bill morphology variation in California Savannah Sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis). We found that bill surface area increased in birds from higher salinity tidal marshes that are hotter and drier. Only the coastal subspecies, alaudinus, exhibited a significant increase in bill size through time. As with patterns of spatial variation, alaudinus populations occupying higher salinity tidal marshes that have become warmer and drier over the past century exhibited the greatest increases in bill surface area. We also found a significant negative correlation between bill surface area and total evaporative water loss (TEWL) and estimated that observed increases in bill size could result in a reduction of up to 16.2% in daily water losses. Together, these patterns of spatial and temporal variation in bill size were consistent with the hypothesis that larger bills are favored in freshwater-limited environments as a mechanism of dissipating heat, reducing reliance on evaporative cooling, and increasing water conservation. With museum collections increasingly being leveraged to understand past responses to global change, this work highlights the importance of considering the influence of many different axes of anthropogenic change and of integrating spatial and temporal analyses to better understand the influence of specific human impacts on population change over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phred M. Benham
- Museum of Vertebrate ZoologyUniversity of CaliforniaBerkeley, BerkeleyCAUSA
| | - Rauri C. K. Bowie
- Museum of Vertebrate ZoologyUniversity of CaliforniaBerkeley, BerkeleyCAUSA
- Department of Integrative BiologyUniversity of CaliforniaBerkeley, BerkeleyCAUSA
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14
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Yurkowski DJ, Brown TA, Blanchfield PJ, Ferguson SH. Atlantic walrus signal latitudinal differences in the long-term decline of sea ice-derived carbon to benthic fauna in the Canadian Arctic. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20202126. [PMID: 33290685 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2126rspb20202126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Climate change is altering the biogeochemical and physical characteristics of the Arctic marine environment, which impacts sea ice algal and phytoplankton bloom dynamics and the vertical transport of these carbon sources to benthic communities. Little is known about whether the contribution of sea ice-derived carbon to benthic fauna and nitrogen cycling has changed over multiple decades in concert with receding sea ice. We combined compound-specific stable isotope analysis of amino acids with highly branched isoprenoid diatom lipid biomarkers using archived (1982-2016) tissue of benthivorous Atlantic walrus to examine temporal trends of sea ice-derived carbon, nitrogen isotope baseline and trophic position of Atlantic walrus at high- and mid-latitudes in the Canadian Arctic. Associated with an 18% sea ice decline in the mid-Arctic, sea ice-derived carbon contribution to Atlantic walrus decreased by 75% suggesting a strong decoupling of sea ice-benthic habitats. By contrast, a nearly exclusive amount of sea ice-derived carbon was maintained in high-Arctic Atlantic walrus (98% in 1996 and 89% in 2006) despite a similar percentage in sea ice reduction. Nitrogen isotope baseline or the trophic position of Atlantic walrus did not change over time at either location. These findings indicate latitudinal differences in the restructuring of carbon energy sources used by Atlantic walrus and their benthic prey, and in turn a change in Arctic marine ecosystem functioning between sea ice-pelagic-benthic habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thomas A Brown
- Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban PA37 1QA, UK
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15
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Yurkowski DJ, Brown TA, Blanchfield PJ, Ferguson SH. Atlantic walrus signal latitudinal differences in the long-term decline of sea ice-derived carbon to benthic fauna in the Canadian Arctic. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20202126. [PMID: 33290685 PMCID: PMC7739943 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change is altering the biogeochemical and physical characteristics of the Arctic marine environment, which impacts sea ice algal and phytoplankton bloom dynamics and the vertical transport of these carbon sources to benthic communities. Little is known about whether the contribution of sea ice-derived carbon to benthic fauna and nitrogen cycling has changed over multiple decades in concert with receding sea ice. We combined compound-specific stable isotope analysis of amino acids with highly branched isoprenoid diatom lipid biomarkers using archived (1982-2016) tissue of benthivorous Atlantic walrus to examine temporal trends of sea ice-derived carbon, nitrogen isotope baseline and trophic position of Atlantic walrus at high- and mid-latitudes in the Canadian Arctic. Associated with an 18% sea ice decline in the mid-Arctic, sea ice-derived carbon contribution to Atlantic walrus decreased by 75% suggesting a strong decoupling of sea ice-benthic habitats. By contrast, a nearly exclusive amount of sea ice-derived carbon was maintained in high-Arctic Atlantic walrus (98% in 1996 and 89% in 2006) despite a similar percentage in sea ice reduction. Nitrogen isotope baseline or the trophic position of Atlantic walrus did not change over time at either location. These findings indicate latitudinal differences in the restructuring of carbon energy sources used by Atlantic walrus and their benthic prey, and in turn a change in Arctic marine ecosystem functioning between sea ice-pelagic-benthic habitats.
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16
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Tyler J, Bonfitto MT, Clucas GV, Reddy S, Younger JL. Morphometric and genetic evidence for four species of gentoo penguin. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:13836-13846. [PMID: 33391684 PMCID: PMC7771148 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) are found across the Southern Ocean with a circumpolar distribution and notable genetic and morphological variation across their geographic range. Whether this geographic variation represents species-level diversity has yet to be investigated in an integrative taxonomic framework. Here, we show that four distinct populations of gentoo penguins (Iles Kerguelen, Falkland Islands, South Georgia, and South Shetlands/Western Antarctic Peninsula) are genetically and morphologically distinct from one another. We present here a revised taxonomic treatment including formal nomenclatural changes. We suggest the designation of four species of gentoo penguin: P. papua in the Falkland Islands, P. ellsworthi in the South Shetland Islands/Western Antarctic Peninsula, P. taeniata in Iles Kerguelen, and a new gentoo species P. poncetii, described herein, in South Georgia. These findings of cryptic diversity add to many other such findings across the avian tree of life in recent years. Our results further highlight the importance of reassessing species boundaries as methodological advances are made, particularly for taxa of conservation concern. We recommend reassessment by the IUCN of each species, particularly P. taeniata and P. poncetii, which both show evidence of decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Tyler
- Department of Biology & BiochemistryMilner Centre for EvolutionUniversity of BathBathUK
| | | | - Gemma V. Clucas
- Cornell Lab of OrnithologyCornell UniversityIthacaNYUSA
- Cornell Atkinson Center for a Sustainable FutureCornell UniversityIthacaNYUSA
| | - Sushma Reddy
- Bell Museum of Natural HistoryDepartment of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation BiologyUniversity of MinnesotaSt. PaulMNUSA
| | - Jane L. Younger
- Department of Biology & BiochemistryMilner Centre for EvolutionUniversity of BathBathUK
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17
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Update on the global abundance and distribution of breeding Gentoo Penguins (Pygoscelis papua). Polar Biol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-020-02759-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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