Fulmar Research Articles

Climate Influence on Legacy Organochlorine Pollutants in Arctic Seabirds.

Changing climate can influence the transport of chemical pollutants into Arctic regions and their fate once there. However, the influence of weather or climate variables on organochlorine accumulation in Arctic wildlife, including seabirds, and associated time scale are poorly understood. We assessed the interannual relationships between a suite of weather/climate variables for time lags of 0 to 10 yr and organochlorine pollutant concentrations spanning 1975-2014 in eggs of two seabird species (northern fulmar Fulmarus glacialis, thick-billed murre Uria lomvia) that breed in the Canadian High Arctic. The majority of variability in the data was associated with declining organochlorine emissions (up to 70.2% for murres and 77.4% for fulmars). By controlling for emissions using principal component ordination and general linear modeling, correlations with the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) were found for fulmars and with rainfall for murres, after a time lag of 4-9 yr between weather/climate conditions and egg collection. Our results suggest that with increasingly NAO+ conditions and increasing rainfall associated with climate change, concentrations of certain organochlorines such as hexachlorobenzene and p, p'-DDE have increased, dependent on seabird species and ecology as well as partitioning characteristics of the chemical. Analysis of a truncated version of the data sets (2005-2014), consistent with typical time series lengths for environmental pollutants in Arctic wildlife, found correlations with precipitation for murres but not with NAO for fulmars, suggesting that longer time series better elucidate relationships with broad-scale climate indices. Organochlorine pollutant data sets spanning 40 years, which is rare for Arctic wildlife, for two species of seabird were assessed, and the results highlight the association between weather/climate and pollutant accumulation in Arctic food webs and the critical role of ongoing monitoring to effectively elucidate these relationships.

The co-distribution of Arctic cod and its seabird predators across the marginal ice zone in Baffin Bay

Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) is the dominant pelagic fish in Arctic seas and a staple food of many arctic predators including several seabird species. Marginal ice zones are known as important feeding locations for seabirds. The hypothesis that thick-billed murre (Uria lomvia), northern fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) and black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) congregate in areas of high Arctic cod food resource and low ice concentration was tested at different spatial scales. Arctic cod biomass was estimated by hydroacoustics as a resource proxy, and seabirds were counted and sampled for stomach analysis along eight longitudinal transects across the marginal ice zone in southern Baffin Bay in June–July 2016. With increasing length, the epipelagic age-0 Arctic cod migrated from open waters to ice-covered areas. Subsequently, age-1 and age-2 Arctic cod tended to concentrate in a subsurface layer (40–100 m) within the epipelagic layer. Arctic cod 5.7–16.1 cm long (late age-0 to age-5) were the main fish prey of the three seabird species, which preferentially captured age-1 cod (6–11.5 cm). At large spatial scale (western versus eastern Baffin Bay), thick-billed murre, northern fulmar and their Arctic cod resource proxy were generally more abundant on the western ice-covered side of Baffin Bay. No clear spatial match was found, however, when comparing seabird abundances and their food-resource proxy in different ice concentrations across the marginal ice zone or at small scale (5 km). At medium scale (12.5 km), only murre density was influenced positively by its Arctic cod resource. A lack of schooling behavior and a successful strategy to avoid predation by hiding under the ice could explain the absence of any strong spatial match between Arctic cod and its seabird predators at these different scales.

Состав и экологические особенности фауны гельминтов с пресноводными жизненными циклами у птиц Баренцева моря

The purpose of the research is integration and classification of data on the species composition of the helminths with freshwater life cycles in the birds on the Barents Sea and analysis of the infection features of birds of different species, depending on the ecology of parasites and hosts. Materials and methods . The material from 729 samples of seabirds belonging to 17 species collected during the period from 1991 to 2017 in several regions of the Barents Sea (Murman coast, Novaya Zemlya, Spitsbergen, offshore water, Pechora Sea) and in 2 regions of the western part of Kara Sea (eastern part of the Karskie Vorota Strait and Baidaratskaya Bay) was studied. The species composition of helminthes and quantitative parameters of birds infection (prevalence of infection, PI, and abundance index, AI) were determined. The statistical processing of the results using the Fisher F-distribution and cluster analysis by the "nearest neighbor" method using the data on PI was carried out. Results and discussion . 30 species of helminths with freshwater life cycles (10 species of trematodes, 14 species of cestodes, 5 species of nematodes, 1 species of acanthocephalans) were found in birds on the Barents Sea. The greatest number of freshwater parasites is typical for kittiwakes and black-backed gulls (9 species each), purple sandpipers (10 species) and herring gulls (11 species). 5 species of birds (little auks, razorbills, Atlantic puffins, Arctic terns and Steller,s eiders) were not infested by these parasites. The most widespread were nematodes Paracuaria adunca and Streptocara crassicauda, found in 5 and 8 species of hosts, respectively. In birds nesting far from the coast (Heuglin's gull, purple sandpiper, king eider), parasites predominate, in which the role of intermediate hosts is played by freshwater invertebrates. For most species of gulls (herring gull, black-backed gull, kittiwake, glaucous gull), used in the breeding season as forage biotopes sea and fresh water, more characteristic of the presence of helminths in the circulation of which fish are involved. In birds that do not have trophic connections with freshwater biocoenoses in the breeding period (alcids, northern fulmar, common eider), parasites are most often found showing wide specificity to different types of hosts and a high tolerance to fluctuations in salinity and temperature. Infestation of this group birds by freshwater helminths occurs either with a prolonged stay in the desalinated areas of the marine aquatory, or with consumption of migratory fishes after their release into the sea.

Change in the North Sea ecosystem from the 1970s to the 2010s: great skua diets reflect changing forage fish, seabirds, and fisheries

Abstract Understanding anthropogenic impacts are crucial to maintain marine ecosystem health. The North Sea has changed in recent decades, largely due to commercial fishing and climate change. Seabirds can act as useful indicators of these changes. By analyzing n = 20 013 pellets and n = 24 993 otoliths regurgitated by great skuas Stercorarius skua in northern Scotland over five decades from the 1970s to the 2010s (in 36 years 1973–2017), we reveal how the diet of this top predator has changed alongside the changing North Sea ecosystem. Sandeels Ammodytes spp. were the most common dietary item during the 1970s, but became virtually absent from the 1980s onward. Discarded whitefish dominated skua diets from the 1980s to the present day, despite long-term declines in North Sea discard production. However, the discarded fish eaten by great skuas has become smaller and the species composition changed. Skua pellets only rarely contained avian prey in the 1970s but this increased during the 1980s, and fluctuated between 10% and 20% from the 1990s to 2010s. There have also been changes in the avian prey in the diet—black-legged kittiwakes Rissa tridactyla generally being replaced by auks Alcid spp. and northern fulmars Fulmarus glacialis. The Shetland marine ecosystem has experienced steep declines in sandeel stocks and in seabirds that feed on them. Great skuas have been able to prey switch to respond to this change, supported by abundant discards, enabling them to maintain a favourable population status while other seabird species have declined.

Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) in the Beskydy Mountains according to Jan Prášek

Abstract In the Beskydy Mountains (Lachia area, 49°25′/20°15′), Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) was caught of spring, probably before the school year 1902-03, probably in Nižní Lhoty in Silesia. The record of this specimen without any information in a school in Opava and an incomplete report of J. Vrbka about “Common Fulmar” in the Olomouc region (probably European Storm Petrel, Hydrobates pelagicus) do not exclude occasional flights of Tubenoses into the inland Silesia and central Moravia in the past.

Manipulation and Investigation Activity in Seabirds: Behavioral Response to Artificial Objects Exposed to a Colony

This study was conducted in 1987–1988 and 2008 on Talan Island (59°20′ N, 146°05′ E), Sea of Okhotsk; in 2005 and 2011 on the Medvezhii Island (74°23′ N, 19°02′ E), Svalbard; and in 2009 on Saint Jonah (Iony) Island (56°24′ N, 143°23′ E), Sea of Okhotsk. Seabirds demonstrated interest in some small objects that concerned neither their life nor reproduction. To study this feature in natural conditions, we performed 64 experiments with crested auklets (Aethia cristatella), 47 with little auks (Alle alle), 15 experiments with other alcids, and one with a representative of Procellariiforms, the Northern fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis). Birds paid extra attention to small objects that stood out against the natural background. They tried to investigate these objects in visual and tactile ways. This feature was more prominent in such highly social seabirds as little auks and crested auklets. Crested auklets definitely preferred white or yellow objects. Reactions to orange or green objects were considerable as well. Birds preferred brighter objects even if they were of an unusual color. Brighter objects stimulated auklet responses to nearby less bright objects. More complicated objects were preferred over simple ones. Little auks in the experiments with a full range of colors in similar objects definitely preferred white ones. In the experiments with similar objects of colors other than white, auks first manipulated the nearest object of any color. Little auks tried to touch and manipulate objects, but paid less attention to their color and shape than crested auklets did. Objects artificially covered with substances with a heavy odor or a spicy taste were not an obstacle to сrested auklets if they wanted to manipulate these objects. Little auks ceased attempts at manipulating objects smelling of menthol.

Seabirds Breeding in Open Nests on the Yamskie Islands (Sea of Okhotsk): Numbers and Distribution

Abstract—The Yamskie Islands archipelago is regarded as a key marine bird area of global importance and since 1982 has been part of the Magadanskii Nature Reserve. The first survey of seabird numbers was conducted there in 1974 by A.G. Velizhanin. So far, his data for the Atykan, Baran, and Khatemalyu islands remain the only available information. On August 3, 2016, full photo surveys of the colonies of seabirds on these islands were carried out. The species list of all three islands includes six seabird species breeding in open nests: the Northern Fulmar, Pelagic Cormorant, Slaty-backed Gull, Black-legged Kittiwake, and Common and Thick-billed murres. Breeding of six auklet species in hidden nests and screes was confirmed: the Spectacled Guillemot, Tufted and Horned Puffins, Parakeet Auklet, and Crested and Least Auklets. The total numbers of seabirds nesting on Atykan, Baran, and Khatemalyu islands amount to more than 305 900, 103 500, and 102 000 individuals, respectively. In comparison with the previous counts, the following numerical trends have been noted. Considerable growth in the abundance of the Northern Fulmar on Atykan and Baran islands, the expansion of this species to Khatemalyu Island, and its presently high numbers on this island have been observed. The nesting population of the Black-legged Kittiwake has grown on all islands by more than twice. The abundance of the Pelagic Cormorant, which is the rarest species on the archipelago, has grown on Baran and Khatemalyu islands, which are both located closer to the mainland, with the first nests having already appeared on the most remote Atykan Island. A growing abundance of murres is noted only for Atykan Island. The stable numbers of murres on the small Baran and Khatemalyu islands possibly reflects the maximum saturation of nesting rocks accessible to murres.

Seabird Aggregation around Vessels during the Winter Trawl Fishery for Walleye Pollock in the Sea of Okhotsk

The observations conducted during the Walleye Pollock expedition to the Sea of Okhotsk in January–April 2015 showed that various seabird species (at least 12) aggregate permanently around trawlers in the Sea of Okhotsk. The birds are attracted by fish-processing waste. The quantitative and species composition of aggregations is dynamic. The richest of these in terms of number of species and the most abundant (up to 23 000 individuals around one vessel at a time) are formed in the Kamchatka–Kuril subzone, where numerous overwintering birds arrive from adjacent ocean waters. The Northern Fulmar accounts for a major part of the aggregation (68.9% of all birds); this bird dominates most of the fishery areas. The second most-abundant group of species is large white-headed gulls of the genus Larus (31.0%), mainly the Slaty-backed Gull. In general, the pollock trawl fishery is regarded as an influential factor that causes large overwintering grounds of seabirds to form in the Sea of Okhotsk. Fish-processing waste disposed overboard supports a huge bird community by providing a stable food supply during the harsh season.

Hide and seek in the Bay of Biscay—a functional investigation of marine megafauna and small pelagic fish interactions

AbstractPrey and predator distributions influence one another. Understanding the scale and the orientation of predator–prey spatial correlations is crucial in foraging ecology. Growing evidence suggests that predator–prey interactions are more constrained by functional characteristics of both the predator and the prey. Unfortunately, in marine pelagic systems, the scale and orientation of spatial correlations between predators and prey have been only little explored from a functional point of view. We tested the existence of fine-scale association between predators and fish functional groups. Visual predator sightings and acoustic fish records were collected synchronously during oceanographic surveys from 2004 to 2014. Prey biomass was integrated by nautical miles and split into four size classes (<10 cm; 10–20 cm; 20–30 cm; >30 cm) and two depth layers (surface, deep). We computed the relative biomass by prey size and depth category from 0 to 12 nm around predator sightings to determine the predators’ proximity to local prey biomass. Two cetaceans (common, bottlenose dolphins) and three seabirds (northern gannets, auks, northern fulmars) were studied. No association was found in fulmars, indicating they probably do not feed on considered fishes in the area. Gannets and auks were positively correlated with local prey biomass for sizes <20 cm at both depth layers. Significant negative relationships were found between common dolphins and prey size classes <20 cm at both depth layers, and between bottlenose dolphins and all size ranges at the deeper layer. Our results suggest that the fine-scale spatial overlap of predator and prey is influenced by their functional traits, and that prey exhibit predator avoidance behaviour in presence of swimming predators but not of flying ones.

Offline: The scent of death in our oceans

Who cares about the world's oceans? Too few, and almost no-one in health. This indifference is shocking and dangerous. Geir Wing Gabrielsen leads ecotoxicology research at the Norwegian Polar Institute in Tromsø, in the northernmost part of the country. His main concern is the pollution of one of the world's most important and neglected environments—our oceans. His specific focus is plastic. In 2016, the world produced 325 million tonnes of plastic, a figure that is growing by 4% annually. 40% of the plastic we make is used just once. By 2050, the expected production of plastic will have reached 1124 million tonnes. 8–10 million tonnes enter the oceans annually—by 2050, the total mass of ocean plastic will exceed that of fish. In 1976, on average, each person used 2 kg of plastic annually. By 2017, that figure had risen to 43 kg. Every minute, human beings use 2 million plastic bags and 1 million plastic bottles. Only 14% of these plastics are recycled effectively. The main categories of plastic pollutants are polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, and polyurethane. A vast gap exists between the plastics produced and those recovered. The main effort to reduce environmental plastic contamination is landfill. Yet a third of all plastics still remain in the environment—most plastics are non-biodegradable—with the oceans being their principal dustbin. You might think that ocean plastic pollution is a small problem. When you look at the seas, their shores and beaches, little plastic is evident—a few discarded plastic bottles and containers, at most. But of the total quantifiable marine plastic pollution, only 1% is floating on the sea surface and 5% is washed up on beaches. The remaining 94% sits on the sea floor. The effects on life are devastating. Sea birds die with their intestines full and obstructed with plastic detritus. Marine and terrestrial mammals, fish, and marine invertebrates are all fatally affected. Gabrielsen's research shows that 93% of northern fulmars (a sea bird found in the Arctic) have an average of 32 pieces of plastic in their stomachs. A particular concern are micro (<5 mm) and nano (<1 μm) plastics. In 1983, 29% of fulmars had microplastics in their stomachs. By 2013, that figure had risen to 88%. Plastic is a cruel pollutant. It plays tricks on its victims. Plastics can become coated with an attractively nutritious biofilm of marine microbes, tempting ingestion. Microplastics produce dimethyl sulfide, an odorant (or scent) that encourages consumption. Plastic pollution is ubiquitous and deadly. All very well, but what has this to do with human health? A signal of possibility—and urgency—was published last year in Scientific Reports. Karin Mattsson and colleagues found that plastic (polystyrene) nanoparticles reduced the survival of zooplankton and penetrated the blood–brain barrier of the fish that consume them. These fish exhibited severe behavioural disturbances. The conclusion is menacing. Plastic nanoparticles can move through the food chain and enter and damage the neural tissue of consumers. As Mattsson et al conclude, “our results may have implications for human wellbeing”. Sustainable Development Goal 14 is about life below water—reducing marine pollution, protecting marine ecosystems, addressing ocean acidification, ending overfishing, conserving marine areas, and enhancing oceans and their resources. These objectives seem remote from human health. But Gabrielsen argues that our oceans are indispensable to human wellbeing. The human-induced erosion of ocean ecosystems is a threat not only to marine life but also to terrestrial life, including human health. Gabrielsen argues that, “We need more studies on the effects of plastic pollution on marine animals and humans. We need to do more recycling of plastic.” 2018 is the 50th anniversary of the Arctic University of Norway, the Universitetet i Tromsø. It is the world's northernmost university. Geography determines form and content. This global university dedicates itself to research into the region's natural environment, culture, and society, and their international implications—auroral light research, fisheries science, telemedicine, Sami society, and multiculturalism (the university sits at a junction between west and east, with Russia a close and valued neighbour). Institutions such as the Norwegian Polar Institute and Arctic University of Norway may lie outside the usual axes of global health discussion. But their concerns are central to the future of life on our planet.

Chlamydophila psittaci pneumonia associated to exposure to fulmar birds (Fulmaris glacialis) in the Faroe Islands

Background: For more than 200 years people in the Faroe Islands have supplemented their food by hunting different species of wild birds in the Faroe Islands. Traditionally, juvenile fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) are caught at sea in late August. The fulmars may be infected or colonized with the bacterium Chlamydophila psittaci which may infect the hunter by the respiratory route and mostly presents as an atypical pneumonia, also called psittacosis or ornithosis or parrot fever. In the Faroe Islands it is called ‘nátasjúka’ meaning ‘fulmar disease’. Historically, it has also been called ‘September Pneumonia’ in the Faroe Islands.Methods: A case series with patients infected with Chlamydophila psittaci.Results: All four cases presented in this article occurred around the month of September. Improved hygiene measures during the last 50 years in handling the fulmar birds have led to a decline of verified psittacosis in the Faroe Islands. After the last two hunting seasons (2016–2017), four cases of psittacosis were diagnosed and treated in the Faroe Islands. Only nine cases of verified psittacosis have been reported to the Chief Medical Officer of the Faroe Islands during the last 27 years.Conclusions: There is an association between catching and handling Fulmarus glacialis and human psittacosis disease in the Faroe Islands. Clinicians treating patients with contact with fulmars should be aware of this zoonotic disease.

Modelling demographic impacts of a growing Arctic fishery on a seabird population in Canada and Greenland

In Baffin Bay and Davis Strait, reports indicate that Northern Fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) are vulnerable to bycatch in the fisheries for Greenland Halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides). We modeled the potential current and future impacts the expanding halibut fishery may have on fulmar populations in the region using population viability analysis. By varying age-specific bycatch vulnerability, detectability, and the size of the at-risk population, we tested how different scenarios may influence population trajectories. From 2011 to 2015, the bycatch rate of fulmars was approximately 212 (SD ± 111) individuals per year. This could cause declines (−12%) over three generations (66 years) at the three colonies closest to the fishing grounds. However, declines could be as high as −33% over this same period if unobservable bycatch is considered, and as low as −0.4% if bycatch is distributed among a larger population. Several uncertainties we modeled could be reduced by improving how bycatch data are recorded by at-sea observer programs.

Genome Sequence of a Gyrovirus Associated with Ashy Storm-Petrel.

Ashy storm-petrels (order Procellariiformes) are seabirds that are found along the coast of California to Baja Mexico. A novel gyrovirus was identified from a cloacal swab of an ashy storm-petrel, which is the second gyrovirus to be identified in sea birds, the first being found in the related northern fulmar.

Garbage in guano? Microplastic debris found in faecal precursors of seabirds known to ingest plastics

Plastic pollution is global environmental contaminant. Plastic particulates break down into smaller fragments in the environment, and these small pieces are now commonly found to be ingested by animals. To date, most plastic ingestion studies have focused on assessing retained plastics or regurgitated plastics, but it is likely that animals also excrete plastic and other debris items. We examined the terminal portion of the gastrointestinal tract of a seabird known to commonly ingest plastics, the Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis), to determine if seabirds excrete microplastics and other debris via their guano. We also examine how guano collections may be used as an indicator of retained plastics. The frequency of occurrence of microplastics did not correlate between the gut and faecal precursor samples, but there was a positive relationship between the number of pieces of plastics in the gut and the number of microplastics in the guano. Our findings suggest that seabirds are acting as vectors of microplastics and debris in the marine environment where their guano accumulates around their colonies. This transport of microplastics and debris by colonial seabirds needs to be further examined, and considered when designing environmental monitoring for microplastics in regions where seabird colonies are found.

Temporal trends of legacy organochlorines in eggs of Canadian Arctic seabirds monitored over four decades

We compared temporal trends of legacy organochlorine pesticides and PCBs in eggs of five seabird species breeding at Prince Leopold Island in the Canadian high Arctic. Concentrations of most of the major organochlorine groups/compounds have either declined (e.g. Σ35PCB, ΣDDT, ΣCBz, ΣCHL, octachlorostyrene) or shown no consistent directional change (e.g. heptachlor epoxide) since 1975 in eggs of thick-billed murres (Uria lomvia), northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) and black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla). Aside from β-HCH, which increased in most species, the major organochlorine compounds either declined or showed no trend between 1993 and 2013 in eggs of five seabird species (thick-billed murre, northern fulmar, black-legged kittiwake, black guillemot Cepphus grylle, glaucous gull Larus hyperboreus). Most of the declines occurred during the 1970s to 1990s followed by little change during the 2000s. Glaucous gull eggs had the highest concentrations of almost all organochlorines in the five years compared (1993, 1998, 2003/04, 2008, 2013), and murre eggs generally had among the lowest concentrations. The primary organochlorines found in eggs of all five species were Σ35PCB, ΣDDT (mainly p,p′-DDE), ΣCBz (mainly hexachlorobenzene) and ΣCHL (mainly oxychlordane) although proportions varied by species and year. The major PCB congeners found in eggs of all five species were CB-153, -138, -118 and -180. The penta-, hexa- and heptachlorobiphenyl homologs comprised the largest proportion of Σ35PCB in all five species. Although levels of most legacy organochlorines have declined since 1975, the potential for climate change to alter chemical transport pathways as well as exposure pathways in the biotic environment could affect temporal trends. Therefore, it is important to continue to monitor these legacy contaminants in order to determine how these changes will affect the temporal trends observed to date.

Seasonal vessel activity risk to seabirds in waters off Baffin Island, Canada

Millions of seabirds use the waters off Baffin Island. Considering current and future vessel activity in this region, it is important to understand where vulnerability to anthropogenic threats is highest to enable sound wildlife management and regulatory decisions. Using kernel density analysis on at-sea survey data spanning 1970 to 1983 and 2007 to 2016, we identified marine areas of high density for five of the most abundant species sighted: Dovekie Alle alle, Thick-billed Murre Uria lomvia, Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla, Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis and Black Guillemot Cepphus grylle, in summer (June–August) and fall (September–November). We quantified the level of vessel activity from vessel traffic data spanning 2011 to 2015. Overlapping these data layers, we identified regions where high vessel activity posed the highest risk to these species. Navy Board Inlet, Eclipse Sound, Frobisher Bay, Hudson Strait and the northern Labrador Shelf were consistently identified as areas of highest risk to multiple species of seabirds in summer and autumn. These waters not only encompass important summer foraging areas near colonies and post-breeding/migratory habitat but are also frequently navigated by vessels servicing busy communities. The level of vessel activity we found for the study area is relatively low compared to waters where many Arctic species overwinter (e.g., Thick-billed Murres off Newfoundland and Labrador). However, identifying current high-risk areas in Arctic waters is important for the conservation and management of Arctic seabirds as industrial and commercial development in this region expands and leads to higher levels of vessel activity.

Are ingested plastics a vector of PCB contamination in northern fulmars from coastal Newfoundland and Labrador?

While marine animals are exposed to environmental contaminants via their prey, because plastic pollution in the aquatic environment can concentrate some chemicals, ingested plastics are thought to increase the exposure of biota to contaminants. Currently, in the literature there are contradictory results relating to how higher levels of ingested plastics by birds may lead to higher levels of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs). To date none of these have incorporated known Toxic Equivalency Factors (TEFs) for non-ortho and mono-ortho congeners of PCB which is critical to assessing the potential effects from PCBs. We examined northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) from the Labrador Sea region Canada, and the ingested plastics from these same birds for comparative PCB concentrations. We found no significant correlations between the PCB concentrations in the birds and the mass or number of retained ingested plastic pieces in the stomach, this held true when PCBs were considered by a number of different ways, including ∑4PCB, ∑PCB, lower-chlorinated, high-chlorinated, non-ortho PCB, and mono-ortho congeners. PCB concentrations were lower in plastics as compared with livers. We found significant differences in congener profiles between the ingested plastics and seabird livers suggesting that while plastics do not contribute to the PCB concentrations, there may be some interactions between plastics and the chemicals that the birds are exposed to via ingested plastics.

Present-Day Assemblage of Birds and Mammals in the Islands of Four Mountains, Eastern Aleutians, Alaska

AbstractWe compiled present-day observations and survey data of the avian and mammal fauna in the Islands of Four Mountains, Alaska, which primarily consist of marine-adapted species, to provide insight into the prehistoric fauna found in the archaeological record. We documented 63 bird species, mainly seabirds (67%). The majority (71%) of the estimated number of breeding birds are ledge nesters, predominately murres, and most (68%) spend the majority of their lives in the offshore environment. We lack good estimates for burrow and crevice nesters, which were impacted by and are still recovering from a period of arctic fox farming in the twentieth century. Marine mammals, predominately Steller sea lion, harbor seal, and sea otter, primarily use accessible land as haul-outs and are found in low numbers compared with the rest of the Aleutians. Red fox, the only land mammal, presently only reside on Chuginadak Island. While the present-day fauna is similar to the fauna recorded in the archaeological record, we found no indication of nesting by ancient murrelets and northern fulmars in the Island of Four Mountains, whereas both species were present in midden sites on Carlisle and Chuginadak Islands, with the possibility of prehistoric breeding colonies on Carlisle Island.

Genomic insights into natural selection in the common loon (Gavia immer): evidence for aquatic adaptation

BackgroundThe common loon (Gavia immer) is one of five species that comprise the avian order Gaviiformes. Loons are specialized divers, reaching depths up to 60 m while staying submerged for intervals up to three minutes. In this study we used comparative genomics to investigate the genetic basis of the common loon adaptations to its ecological niche. We used Illumina short read DNA sequence data from a female bird to produce a draft assembly of the common loon (Gavia immer) genome.ResultsWe identified 14,169 common loon genes, which based on well-resolved avian genomes, represent approximately 80.7% of common loon genes. Evolutionary analyses between common loon and Adelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae), red-throated loon (Gavia stellata), chicken (Gallus gallus), northern fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis), and rock pigeon (Columba livia) show 164 positively selected genes in common and red-throated loons. These genes were enriched for a number of protein classes, including those involved in muscle tissue development, immunoglobulin function, hemoglobin iron binding, G-protein coupled receptors, and ATP metabolism.ConclusionsSignatures of positive selection in these areas suggest the genus Gavia may have adapted for underwater diving by modulating their oxidative and metabolic pathways. While more research is required, these adaptations likely result in (1) compensations in oxygen respiration and energetic metabolism, (2) low-light visual acuity, and (3) elevated solute exchange. This work represents the first effort to understand the genomic adaptations of the common loon as well as other Gavia and may have implications for subsequent studies that target particular genes for loon population genetic, ecological or conservation studies.

Central place foragers and moving stimuli: A hidden-state model to discriminate the processes affecting movement.

Human activities can influence the movement of organisms, either repelling or attracting individuals depending on whether they interfere with natural behavioural patterns or enhance access to food. To discern the processes affecting such interactions, an appropriate analytical approach must reflect the motivations driving behavioural decisions at multiple scales. In this study, we developed a modelling framework for the analysis of foraging trips by central place foragers. By recognising the distinction between movement phases at a larger scale and movement steps at a finer scale, our model can identify periods when animals are actively following moving attractors in their landscape. We applied the framework to GPS tracking data of northern fulmars Fulmarus glacialis, paired with contemporaneous fishing boat locations, to quantify the putative scavenging activity of these seabirds on discarded fish and offal. We estimated the rate and scale of interaction between individual birds and fishing boats and the interplay with other aspects of a foraging trip. The model classified periods when birds were heading out to sea, returning towards the colony or following the closest boat. The probability of switching towards a boat declined with distance and varied depending on the phase of the trip. The maximum distance at which a bird switched towards the closest boat was estimated around 35km, suggesting the use of olfactory information to locate food. Individuals spent a quarter of a foraging trip, on average, following fishing boats, with marked heterogeneity among trips and individuals. Our approach can be used to characterise interactions between central place foragers and different anthropogenic or natural stimuli. The model identifies the processes influencing central place foraging at multiple scales, which can improve our understanding of the mechanisms underlying movement behaviour and characterise individual variation in interactions with a range of human activities that may attract or repel these species. Therefore, it can be adapted to explore the movement of other species that are subject to multiple dynamic drivers.