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Carneiro APB, Dias MP, Oppel S, Pearmain EJ, Clark BL, Wood AG, Clavelle T, Phillips RA. Integrating immersion with
GPS
data improves behavioural classification for wandering albatrosses and shows scavenging behind fishing vessels mirrors natural foraging. Anim Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - M P Dias
- BirdLife International Cambridge UK
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, cE3c & Department of Animal Biology, Faculdade de Ciências Universidade de Lisboa Lisbon Portugal
| | - S Oppel
- Royal Society for the Protection of Birds The David Attenborough Building Cambridge UK
| | | | | | - A G Wood
- British Antarctic Survey Natural Environment Research Council Cambridge UK
| | - T Clavelle
- Global Fishing Watch Washington District of Columbia USA
| | - R A Phillips
- British Antarctic Survey Natural Environment Research Council Cambridge UK
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2
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Murphy EJ, Johnston NM, Hofmann EE, Phillips RA, Jackson JA, Constable AJ, Henley SF, Melbourne-Thomas J, Trebilco R, Cavanagh RD, Tarling GA, Saunders RA, Barnes DKA, Costa DP, Corney SP, Fraser CI, Höfer J, Hughes KA, Sands CJ, Thorpe SE, Trathan PN, Xavier JC. Global Connectivity of Southern Ocean Ecosystems. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.624451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Southern Ocean ecosystems are globally important. Processes in the Antarctic atmosphere, cryosphere, and the Southern Ocean directly influence global atmospheric and oceanic systems. Southern Ocean biogeochemistry has also been shown to have global importance. In contrast, ocean ecological processes are often seen as largely separate from the rest of the global system. In this paper, we consider the degree of ecological connectivity at different trophic levels, linking Southern Ocean ecosystems with the global ocean, and their importance not only for the regional ecosystem but also the wider Earth system. We also consider the human system connections, including the role of Southern Ocean ecosystems in supporting society, culture, and economy in many nations, influencing public and political views and hence policy. Rather than Southern Ocean ecosystems being defined by barriers at particular oceanic fronts, ecological changes are gradual due to cross-front exchanges involving oceanographic processes and organism movement. Millions of seabirds and hundreds of thousands of cetaceans move north out of polar waters in the austral autumn interacting in food webs across the Southern Hemisphere, and a few species cross the equator. A number of species migrate into the east and west ocean-basin boundary current and continental shelf regions of the major southern continents. Human travel in and out of the Southern Ocean region includes fisheries, tourism, and scientific vessels in all ocean sectors. These operations arise from many nations, particularly in the Northern Hemisphere, and are important in local communities as well as national economic, scientific, and political activities. As a result of the extensive connectivity, future changes in Southern Ocean ecosystems will have consequences throughout the Earth system, affecting ecosystem services with socio-economic impacts throughout the world. The high level of connectivity also means that changes and policy decisions in marine ecosystems outside the Southern Ocean have consequences for ecosystems south of the Antarctic Polar Front. Knowledge of Southern Ocean ecosystems and their global connectivity is critical for interpreting current change, projecting future change impacts, and identifying integrated strategies for conserving and managing both the Southern Ocean and the broader Earth system.
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Seco J, Aparício S, Brierley AS, Bustamante P, Ceia FR, Coelho JP, Philips RA, Saunders RA, Fielding S, Gregory S, Matias R, Pardal MA, Pereira E, Stowasser G, Tarling GA, Xavier JC. Mercury biomagnification in a Southern Ocean food web. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 275:116620. [PMID: 33581632 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.116620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Revised: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Biomagnification of mercury (Hg) in the Scotia Sea food web of the Southern Ocean was examined using the stable isotope ratios of nitrogen (δ15N) and carbon (δ13C) as proxies for trophic level and feeding habitat, respectively. Total Hg and stable isotopes were measured in samples of particulate organic matter (POM), zooplankton, squid, myctophid fish, notothenioid fish and seabird tissues collected in two years (austral summers 2007/08 and 2016/17). Overall, there was extensive overlap in δ13C values across taxonomic groups suggesting similarities in habitats, with the exception of the seabirds, which showed some differences, possibly due to the type of tissue analysed (feathers instead of muscle). δ15N showed increasing enrichment across groups in the order POM to zooplankton to squid to myctophid fish to notothenioid fish to seabirds. There were significant differences in δ15N and δ13C values among species within taxonomic groups, reflecting inter-specific variation in diet. Hg concentrations increased with trophic level, with the lowest values in POM (0.0005 ± 0.0002 μg g-1 dw) and highest values in seabirds (3.88 ± 2.41 μg g-1 in chicks of brown skuas Stercorarius antarcticus). Hg concentrations tended to be lower in 2016/17 than in 2007/08 for mid-trophic level species (squid and fish), but the opposite was found for top predators (i.e. seabirds), which had higher levels in the 2016/17 samples. This may reflect an interannual shift in the Scotia Sea marine food web, caused by the reduced availability of a key prey species, Antarctic krill Euphausia superba. In 2016/17, seabirds would have been forced to feed on higher trophic-level prey, such as myctophids, that have higher Hg burdens. These results suggest that changes in the food web are likely to affect the pathway of mercury to Southern Ocean top predators.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Seco
- Department of Chemistry and CESAM/REQUIMTE, University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal; Pelagic Ecology Research Group, Scottish Oceans Institute, Gatty Marine Laboratory, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, KY16 8LB, Scotland, UK.
| | - Sara Aparício
- Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal
| | - Andrew S Brierley
- Pelagic Ecology Research Group, Scottish Oceans Institute, Gatty Marine Laboratory, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, KY16 8LB, Scotland, UK
| | - 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
| | - Filipe R Ceia
- University of Coimbra, Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - João P Coelho
- CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Richard A Philips
- British Antarctic Survey, NERC, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK
| | - Ryan A Saunders
- British Antarctic Survey, NERC, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK
| | - Sophie Fielding
- British Antarctic Survey, NERC, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK
| | - Susan Gregory
- British Antarctic Survey, NERC, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK; Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands, Stanley, Falkland Islands
| | - Ricardo Matias
- British Antarctic Survey, NERC, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK
| | - Miguel A Pardal
- CFE - Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Eduarda Pereira
- Department of Chemistry and CESAM/REQUIMTE, University of Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Gabriele Stowasser
- British Antarctic Survey, NERC, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK
| | - Geraint A Tarling
- University of Coimbra, Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - José C Xavier
- University of Coimbra, Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, Calçada Martim de Freitas, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal; British Antarctic Survey, NERC, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK
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Rackete C, Poncet S, Good SD, Phillips RA, Passfield K, Trathan P. Variation among colonies in breeding success and population trajectories of wandering albatrosses Diomedea exulans at South Georgia. Polar Biol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-020-02780-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThe wandering albatross, Diomedea exulans, is a globally threatened species breeding at a number of sites within the Southern Ocean. Across the South Georgia archipelago, there are differences in population trends even at closely located colonies. Between 1999 and 2018 the largest colony, at Bird Island, declined at 3.01% per annum, while in the Bay of Isles, the decline was 1.44% per annum. Using mean demographic rates from a 31-year study at Bird Island and an 11-year study of breeding success at Prion Island in the Bay of Isles in a VORTEX model, we show that differences in breeding success do not fully explain observed differences in population trends. Other potential contributing factors are differential use of foraging areas, with possible knock-on effects on adult body condition, provisioning rate and breeding success, or on bycatch rates of adults or immatures.
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Carneiro APB, Pearmain EJ, Oppel S, Clay TA, Phillips RA, Bonnet‐Lebrun A, Wanless RM, Abraham E, Richard Y, Rice J, Handley J, Davies TE, Dilley BJ, Ryan PG, Small C, Arata J, Arnould JPY, Bell E, Bugoni L, Campioni L, Catry P, Cleeland J, Deppe L, Elliott G, Freeman A, González‐Solís J, Granadeiro JP, Grémillet D, Landers TJ, Makhado A, Nel D, Nicholls DG, Rexer‐Huber K, Robertson CJR, Sagar PM, Scofield P, Stahl J, Stanworth A, Stevens KL, Trathan PN, Thompson DR, Torres L, Walker K, Waugh SM, Weimerskirch H, Dias MP. A framework for mapping the distribution of seabirds by integrating tracking, demography and phenology. J Appl Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Thomas A. Clay
- School of Environmental Sciences University of Liverpool Liverpool UK
| | | | | | - Ross M. Wanless
- Institute of Marine Affairs and Resources Management National Taiwan Ocean University Keelung Taiwan
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology DST/NRF Centre of Excellence University of Cape Town Cape Town South Africa
| | | | | | - Joel Rice
- Rice Marine Analytics Saint Paul MN USA
| | | | | | - Ben J. Dilley
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology DST/NRF Centre of Excellence University of Cape Town Cape Town South Africa
| | - Peter G. Ryan
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology DST/NRF Centre of Excellence University of Cape Town Cape Town South Africa
| | - Cleo Small
- Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Sandy UK
| | - Javier Arata
- Centro FONDAP de Investigacion en Dinamica de Ecosistemas Marinos de Altas Latitudes Valdivia Chile
| | - John P. Y. Arnould
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences Deakin University Burwood Vic. Australia
| | - Elizabeth Bell
- Wildlife Management International Ltd. Blenheim New Zealand
| | - Leandro Bugoni
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande‐FURG Rio Grande Brazil
| | - Letizia Campioni
- MARE‐Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre ISPA‐Instituto Universitario Lisbon Portugal
| | - Paulo Catry
- MARE‐Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre ISPA‐Instituto Universitario Lisbon Portugal
| | | | - Lorna Deppe
- The Hutton's Shearwater Charitable Trust Kaikoura New Zealand
| | | | | | - Jacob González‐Solís
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals Universitat de Barcelona Barcelona Spain
| | | | - David Grémillet
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology DST/NRF Centre of Excellence University of Cape Town Cape Town South Africa
- CEFE CNRS Université de MontpellierUniversité Paul‐Valéry MontpellierEPHE Montpellier France
| | - Todd J. Landers
- Auckland Council, Research and Evaluation Unit (RIMU) Auckland New Zealand
- School of Biological Sciences University of Auckland Auckland New Zealand
| | - Azwianewi Makhado
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology DST/NRF Centre of Excellence University of Cape Town Cape Town South Africa
- Department of Environmental Affairs Oceans & Coasts Branch South Africa
| | - Deon Nel
- Global Resilience Partnership Stockholm Resilience Centre Stockholm University Stockholm Sweden
| | | | | | | | - Paul M. Sagar
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Christchurch New Zealand
| | | | | | | | - Kim L. Stevens
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology DST/NRF Centre of Excellence University of Cape Town Cape Town South Africa
| | - Philip N. Trathan
- British Antarctic Survey Natural Environment Research Council Cambridge UK
| | - David R. Thompson
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Christchurch New Zealand
| | - Leigh Torres
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Oregon State University Newport OR USA
| | | | - Susan M. Waugh
- Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa Wellington New Zealand
| | | | - Maria P. Dias
- BirdLife International Cambridge UK
- MARE‐Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre ISPA‐Instituto Universitario Lisbon Portugal
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Collet J, Patrick SC, Weimerskirch H. Behavioral responses to encounter of fishing boats in wandering albatrosses. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:3335-3347. [PMID: 28515870 PMCID: PMC5433987 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2016] [Revised: 11/02/2016] [Accepted: 11/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals are attracted to human food subsidies worldwide. The behavioral response of individuals to these resources is rarely described in detail, beyond chances of encounters. Seabirds for instance scavenge in large numbers at fishing boats, triggering crucial conservation issues, but how the response to boats varies across encounters is poorly known. Here we examine the behavioral response of wandering albatrosses (Diomedea exulans), equipped with GPS tags, to longline fishing boats operating near their colony for which we had access to vessel monitoring system data. We distinguish between encounters (flying within 30 km of a boat) and attendance behavior (sitting on the sea within 3 km of a boat), and examine factors affecting each. In particular, we test hypotheses that the response to encountered boats should vary with sex and age in this long‐lived dimorphic species. Among the 60% trips that encountered boats at least once, 80% of them contained attendance (but attendance followed only 60% of each single encounter). Birds were more attracted and remained attending longer when boats were hauling lines, despite the measures enforced by this fleet to limit food availability during operations. Sex and age of birds had low influence on the response to boats, except the year when fewer boats came fishing in the area, and younger birds were attending further from boats compared to older birds. Net mass gain of birds was similar across sex and not affected by time spent attending boats. Our results indicate albatrosses extensively attend this fishery, with no clear advantages, questioning impacts on foraging time budgets. Factors responsible for sex foraging segregation at larger scale seem not to operate at this fleet near the colony and are not consistent with predictions of optimal foraging theory on potential individual dominance asymmetries. This approach complements studies of large‐scale overlap of animals with human subsidies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Collet
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé UMR 7372 CNRS - Université La Rochelle Villiers-en-Bois France
| | | | - Henri Weimerskirch
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé UMR 7372 CNRS - Université La Rochelle Villiers-en-Bois France
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