Abstract
Human disturbance is an important stress factor with potentially strong impact on breeding activity in animals. The consequences can be extinction of the breeding population, because disturbed animals might desert their breeding area and find no suitable substitute area. In this study, we investigated the effects of anthropogenic disturbance on a breeding population of Mediterranean storm petrels. Seabirds are increasingly used as bio-indicators for sea environmental parameters, because they are very sensitive to changing conditions. Burrowing or cave-nesting species may be particularly susceptible to human disturbance because their direct contact with humans is usually minimal or absent. First, we compared two different populations (exposed or not exposed to human disturbance) for their individual stress response to a standardized stressor (handling and keeping in a cloth bag). Second, we compared the two sub-colonies for their population-level stress response. Third, we tested experimentally whether sub-colonies of storm petrels exposed to tourism have physiological adaptations to anthropogenic disturbances. Our results indicate that storm petrels may be habituated to moderate disturbance associated with boat traffic close to the colony.
Highlights
Many seabirds, especially ground-nesting species, are vulnerable to predation, for which reason they have developed specialized behavioural strategies
Human presence can be stressful to breeding populations because it can be perceived as potential predation, which in turn may have dramatic consequences (Lishman, 1985; Culik et al 1990; Culik and Wilson, 1991; Ellenberg et al, 2007; Seddon and Ellenberg, 2008)
We investigated whether storm petrels breeding in a cave that is regularly disturbed by tourist boats during the breeding season are chronically stressed
Summary
Especially ground-nesting species, are vulnerable to predation, for which reason they have developed specialized behavioural strategies. Increasing human activity linked either to urban development or to tourism is having an enormous impact on breeding populations, with potentially catastrophic consequences for threatened and endangered species (Nisbet, 1981, 2000; Lishman, 1985; Culik et al, 1990; Culik and Wilson, 1991; Ellenberg et al, 2007; Seddon and Ellenberg, 2008; see review by Carney and Sydeman, 1999)
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