6. Petrels and Shearwaters (Hydrobatidae and Procellariidae)

Abstract

With key information linked to thematic maps, this section evaluates the climate change vulnerability of six species of petrels and shearwaters (Hydrobatidae and Procellariidae) – Cory’s Shearwater, Northern Fulmar, Band-rumped Storm-petrel, Leach’s Storm-petrel, European Storm-petrel, and Manx Shearwater – in the North-East Atlantic. The assessments for every species cover three categories each: the exposure, or the magnitude in percentage and the characteristics of climate change; the sensitivity, or how much and by which climatic events the species are affected, depending on their biological features; the adaptive capacity, or the potential of species to respond to climate change. Assessments of local conservation actions that can be implemented to reduce climate change impacts are listed here in readily consultable tables. This section focuses on the effectiveness of interventions to limit reduced prey availability, increased foraging difficulty, and mortality of petrels and shearwaters caused by storms. Criteria of relevance, strength, and transparency measure the effectiveness of the actions.