Waved Albatross Research Articles

Avian Chlamydia abortus Strains Detected in Galápagos Waved Albatross (Phoebastria irrorata).

Galápagos Penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus), Flightless Cormorant (Phalacrocorax harrisi), and Waved Albatross (Phoebastria irrorata) are among the most vulnerable species to natural and anthropogenic factors in the Galápagos Islands. In 2017, a dedicated study was conducted to detect Chlamydiaceae on cloacal swabs collected from 59 albatrosses, 68 penguins, and 10 cormorants in different islands and sites in the Galápagos Archipelago. A real-time PCR method targeting the conserved 23S ribosomal RNA gene of the Chlamydiaceae family detected the presence of the bacterium only in albatrosses from Punta Suárez, Española Island, with 21 positive samples (35.6%), whereas negative results were obtained with available real-time PCR systems specific to Chlamydia psittaci and Chlamydia abortus. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) of the most strongly positive samples revealed a new sequence type closely related to the recently described avian strains of C. abortus. For a quick identification, a new real-time PCR system that allows the detection of all strains (avian and ruminant) belonging to the C. abortus species has been developed. Applied to a second set of samples from 31 albatrosses collected at Punta Suárez, Española Island, in 2018, the new real-time PCR system confirmed the presence of this bacteria in this group of birds, with the same new MLST sequence type.

Occurrence of Black-browed Albatross (Thalassarche melanophris) in southern Peru provides clues on their northern limit

The Black-browed Albatross (Thalassarche melanophris) has a circumpolar, well-documented, breeding distribution in the southern hemisphere. However, information on post-breeders and juveniles dispersal is scarce, particularly off western South America. Records off Chile occur commonly as north as ~24°S. Although the presence of the species in Peru is documented, the limited number of records is insufficient to describe the species status on Peruvian waters. To fulfill this gap, we conducted two at-sea surveys during fall and spring 2019 to determine their seasonal distribution, abundance, and habitat preference on Peruvian waters. We recorded sightings along 36 transects from the coast up to 100 nm offshore. We surveyed 7678 km2 over 483.7 h of observation, recording 46 individuals in autumn and 4 in spring, occurring only from Callao (12°S) to the southern limit (18°20′S), with the greatest concentration found between 16 and 17°S. Black-browed Albatrosses occurred mainly over the continental slope (5.91 birds/100 km2). The majority of sightings corresponded to adults (63%), whereas sub-adults (37%) were mainly second-year juveniles (67%). The significant drop in density during spring and the large presence of adults during autumn suggests that post-breeders reach southern Peru during their wintering migration, returning to their breeding colonies in southern Chile, next spring. Given the absence of Black-browed Albatrosses north of Callao, we suggest that the northern limit for the species is related to the coastal branch of the Humboldt Current System and competition with the Waved (Phoebastria irrorata) and Salvin’s (Thalassarche salvini) Albatrosses, which are abundant in the warmer waters off central-north Peru.

Investigaciones de la avifauna marina en aguas continentales ecuatorianas con énfasis en su distribución, diversidad, abundancia y estado de conservación

This investigation is part of a seismic prospection study within the project entitled Geophysics Research of the Ecuadorian Continental Shelf. The objectives of this study were to determine diversity, abundance and to learn the population and conservation status of seabirds in ecuadorian waters, as well as to identify sensitive areas and priority sites for conservation. During the field study we recorded a total of 27 speciesbelonging to 10 families. The family with the highest number of species was Laridae (gulls and terns) with eight species. The composition of species diversity included two different groups. A larger group of 17 migratory species and a group of eight resident species that reproduce in Ecuador. This study also accounts for important bird species for conservation such as Phoebastria irrorata, Puffinus creatopus, P. grisesus, Procellaria parkinsoni and confirms the presence of a previously not recognized species in Ecuador, Sula leucogaster. This investigation also reviews the conservation status of seabirds and their breeding colonies with emphasis on isla de La Plata and Sta. Clara, both of them considered Important Bird Areas (IBAs) and wildlife refuges for seabirds in mainland Ecuador.

Inventario, abundancia y distribución espacial de mamíferos marinos y aves en las Islas Galápagos durante el Crucero Oceanográfico (Bae Orión) en abril 2009: Implicaciones para conservación

Field surveys to determine the species, relative abundance and spatial distribution of marine mammals and sea birds were conducted during theoceanographic cruise onboard the BAE Orion around the Galapagos Islands and the Ecuadorian coast on April 02-23, 2009. A total of 90 sightings ofmarine mammals, including eleven species identified, were performed. Among the cetaceans, the following species and mean group size (mean ±SD, n) were recorded: Blue Whale, Balaenoptera musculus (1, n=1); Pilot Whale, Globicephala macrorhynchus (from 24 ± 22.6 to 29 ± 29.7, n =2);Sperm Whale, Physeter macrocephalus (4 ± 4.24, n=2); Fraser’s Dolphin, Lagenodelphis hosei (300, n=1); Stripped Dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba(60, n=1); Pantropical Spotted Dolphin, Stenella attenuata (from 175 ± 35.4 to 200 ± 70.7, n=2); Short-beaked Common dolphin, Delphinusdelphis (119 ± 65, n=5); and, Bottlenose Dolphin, Tursiops truncatus (102 ±172, n=7). The two endemic species Galapagos pinnipeds, the Galapagossea lion (Zalophus wollebaeki), and the Galapagos fur seal (Arctocephalus galapagoensis), were also reported. Furthermore, sixteen species of sea birds from 460 sightings (1,490 birds) were identified, including two species critically endangered (CR) under the IUCN-threatened categories: the Galapagos albatross (Phoebastria irrorata), and the Galapagos Petrel (Pterodroma phaeopygia). The major sea bird species and relative abundance (number of birds) throughout the cruise track were, Galapagos/Waved albatross, P. irrorata (15); Galapagos Petrel, P. phaeopygia (24); Galapagos Shearwater, Puffinus subalaris (123); Cape Petrel, Daption capense (1); Parkinson’s Petrel, Procellaria parkinsoni (5); Pink-footed Shearwater, Puffinus creatopus (1); Wedge-rumped Storm Pertrel, Oceanodroma tethys tethys (144); Swallow-tailed Gull, Larus furcatus (119); Blue-footed Booby, Sula nebouxii excisa (46);The Nazcabobby, Sula granti (797); Red-footed Booby, Sula sula websteri (200); Magnificent Frigatebird, Fregata magnificens magnificens (11); Red-billedTropic Bird, Phaethon aethereus (11); and, Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis urinator (1). The Nazca bobby was the most abundant speciesaccounting for 51% of the total abundance of sea bird species. Most of the sightings of sea birds and marine mammal species were abundant andaggregated in places southwestern Galapagos (0º–2ºS; 94–91ºW), where generally nutrient-enriched, upwelling areas are found. However, during thecruise the areas showing the highest values of primary productivity (0.46- 0.50 mg/m3) were detected southeast of the Galapagos around 2–3ºS and88ºW, where a high abundance of sea birds was also observed. These observations underline the potential use of these warm- blooded, marinevertebrates as eco-markers of primary productivity. Several sea birds and marine mammals, including threatened species, were recorded in foragingareas off the Galapagos Marine Reserve (GMR) boundaries, implying the risk of by catch due to long-line fisheries, gillnets and other anthropogenicimpacts in these unprotected areas

Recursive multi‐frequency segmentation of movement trajectories (ReMuS)

Abstract The quantity of GPS trajectories on the movement of individuals has far outstripped our ability to analyse them. Segmentation, a first step in trajectory analysis, is fundamental to imputing behaviour from patterns of movement. Behaviour occurs at multiple scales that are captured at different temporal frequencies. To identify behaviour from a complex trajectory it is essential to use a segmentation procedure that captures different frequency ranges. A limitation of existing segmentation algorithms is that they require training and parameterisation that can lead to special use segmentations that are not generalisable. This paper presents a new approach to the automated segmentation of movement trajectories at multiple scales. It has two distinguishing characteristics: it can capture movement patterns at multiple temporal frequencies through its recursive application; and requires no training or thresholding. The methodology is tested on two sets of simulated data and GPS tracking data of two species, the Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) and the Galapagos Albatross (Phoebastria irrorata). For the Turkey Vulture dataset, segments and transition points are evaluated using behavioural segmentations delineated by domain experts, and results are also compared with an existing approach. For the Albatross dataset, the segmentation results are evaluated using the geographic context of the movement tracks through visualisation. An Albatross trajectory is used to illustrate the application of recursive segmentation for extracting movement patterns at multiple temporal scales. The evaluation suggests that the segmentation technique is capable of extracting the right number of segments and in estimating transition points for most of the evaluated datasets. The proposed methodology has the potential to automate the segmentation process by enabling researchers to analyse a broad range of heterogeneous datasets without training. It will enable them to segment datasets recursively to derive multiple scales of movement patterns in a trajectory that may relate to different scales of behaviour.

Emerging platforms to monitor the occurrence and threats to critically endangered seabirds: The waved albatross in Chile and the Southeast Pacific

espanolLas especies de aves marinas longevas, tales como albatros y petreles ampliamente distribuidos en el mar y con poblaciones reducidas, tienen a la captura incidental en pesquerias como una de las principales amenazas para su conservacion. Entre estas, el albatros de Galapagos Phoebastria irrorata es escasamente detectado en las Zonas Economicas Exclusivas (ZEE) de paises mas alla de su distribucion tradicional a lo largo del Pacifico Sudeste. En este articulo se recopilan registros distribucionales del albatros de Galapagos in situ y obtenidos desde observaciones no sistematicas en el mar, tales como actividades de turismo (i.e., observacion pelagica de aves) desde la decada de 1980s en adelante. A su vez, se incorporan registros desde monitoreos sistematicos en pesquerias de palangre y arrastre, operando entre el norte y centro-sur de Chile (Pacifico Sudeste). La ocurrencia de avistamientos fue analizada segun caracteristicas ambientales relacionadas a estos, como presencia/ausencia de periodo reproductivo e indicadores de eventos El Nino, tal como valores negativos en el Indice de Oscilacion Sur (IOS), entre otros. Se describio un total de 13 avistamientos del albatros de Galapagos y con 76,9% de estos fuera de su periodo reproductivo (diciembre a abril). Los registros evidencian una distribucion meridional del albatros de Galapagos hasta el centro-sur de Chile (38°S), alcanzando 4.391 km al sur de Islas Galapagos, asi como hasta 920 km al oeste (79°O) desde la costa Sudamericana. El albatros de Galapagos fue registrado en asociacion con pesquerias industriales de palangre pelagico y arrastre demersal. No hubo registros de captura incidental, aunque la observacion de individuos asociados a barcos de estas pesquerias para alimentarse de descartes y eviscerados sugiere un potencial riesgo de mortalidad para esta especie. El 53,8% de los avistamientos fueron durante lecturas positivas del Indice de Oscilacion Sur (IOS), representando condiciones mas frias que las neutrales de El Nino Oscilacion Sur (ENOS). EnglishLong-lived seabird species such as albatrosses and petrels, which are widely distributed at sea and have small populations are threatened globally by bycatch in fisheries. Among these, the waved albatross Phoebastria irrorata is scarcely detected in the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of countries beyond its traditional distribution throughout the Southeast Pacific. In this article, in situ distributional records on the waved albatross obtained from non-systematic (pelagic birdwatching) and systematic (fishery monitoring) records were compiled. Occurrence of sightings was carried out in relation to recording traits as presence/absence of breeding period and El Nino proxies such as the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI), among others. A total of 13 sightings of waved albatrosses was described which 76.9% of sightings were related to non-breeding period (December to April). Records indicated waved albatrosses reached 4,391 km south of the Galapagos Islands (38°S) and 920 km west of the South American coast (79°W). The waved albatross was associated with industrial pelagic longline and demersal trawl fisheries, and although there were no records of bycatch, the observation of individuals feeding on discards and offal suggests a potential risk of mortality for this species. 53.8% of sightings were during positive readings of the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI), representing colder conditions than neutral El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO).

Avian Pox Discovered in the Critically Endangered Waved Albatross (Phoebastria irrorata) from the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

The Waved Albatross (Phoebastria irrorata) is a critically endangered seabird in a rapidly shrinking population in the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador. The introduction of novel pathogens and parasites poses a threat to population persistence. Monitoring disease prevalence and guarding against the spread of such agents in endemic taxa are conservation priorities for the Galápagos, where recent increases in the prevalence of avian pox may have contributed to population declines and range contractions in other bird species. During November 2013-January 2014, we identified 14 Waved Albatross nestlings at our study site on Española Island with avian pox-like lesions and clinical signs. Other seabirds, landbirds, and adult Waved Albatrosses were apparently unaffected. Histopathology of tissue samples from five infected nestlings revealed inclusion bodies in all samples, consistent with avipoxvirus infection. We documented higher mortality (6 of 14 nestlings) in affected nestlings than in unaffected young in this small outbreak of avian pox, the first report of its kind in the world's only tropical albatross.

Small range and distinct distribution in a satellite breeding colony of the critically endangered Waved Albatross

To determine the proximate consequences of the limited breeding distribution of the critically endangered Waved Albatross (Phoebastria irrorata), we present continuous breeding season GPS tracks highlighting differences in behaviour, destinations, and distances travelled between three distinct colonies: two in Galápagos and one closer to the South American continent on Isla de la Plata, where a small number of pairs nest. Accelerometer data paired with GPS locations allowed operational classifications of Waved Albatross behaviour. All birds from Galápagos travelled eastward to the continental shelf and foraged southward along the Peruvian coast. Birds from Isla de la Plata made more and shorter foraging trips and used habitat north of the destinations of Galápagos birds. La Plata birds foraged in areas through which Galápagos birds commuted, and had slower average flight speeds and shorter commutes. Overall, albatrosses from La Plata might operate under a consistently lower return but they also incur lower costs compared to birds from Galápagos, which take fewer trips involving longer time investment. Galápagos birds may be able to forage more effectively based on more abundant or more profitable food patches in those highly productive areas. Foraging destinations of birds from the two Galápagos colonies were similar and overlapped areas that presented localized mortality risk from artisanal fisheries in previous years. This study, performed across the species’ breeding range, reveals the different foraging distribution of La Plata albatrosses and the potential conservation value of this small colony in terms of maintenance of spatial diversity and behavioural plasticity.

The environmental-data automated track annotation (Env-DATA) system: linking animal tracks with environmental data.

BackgroundThe movement of animals is strongly influenced by external factors in their surrounding environment such as weather, habitat types, and human land use. With advances in positioning and sensor technologies, it is now possible to capture animal locations at high spatial and temporal granularities. Likewise, scientists have an increasing access to large volumes of environmental data. Environmental data are heterogeneous in source and format, and are usually obtained at different spatiotemporal scales than movement data. Indeed, there remain scientific and technical challenges in developing linkages between the growing collections of animal movement data and the large repositories of heterogeneous remote sensing observations, as well as in the developments of new statistical and computational methods for the analysis of movement in its environmental context. These challenges include retrieval, indexing, efficient storage, data integration, and analytical techniques.ResultsThis paper contributes to movement ecology research by presenting a new publicly available system, Environmental-Data Automated Track Annotation (Env-DATA), that automates annotation of movement trajectories with ambient atmospheric observations and underlying landscape information. Env-DATA provides a free and easy-to-use platform that eliminates technical difficulties of the annotation processes and relieves end users of a ton of tedious and time-consuming tasks associated with annotation, including data acquisition, data transformation and integration, resampling, and interpolation. The system is illustrated with a case study of Galapagos Albatross (Phoebastria irrorata) tracks and their relationship to wind, ocean productivity and chlorophyll concentration. Our case study illustrates why adult albatrosses make long-range trips to preferred, productive areas and how wind assistance facilitates their return flights while their outbound flights are hampered by head winds.ConclusionsThe new Env-DATA system enhances Movebank, an open portal of animal tracking data, by automating access to environmental variables from global remote sensing, weather, and ecosystem products from open web resources. The system provides several interpolation methods from the native grid resolution and structure to a global regular grid linked with the movement tracks in space and time. The aim is to facilitate new understanding and predictive capabilities of spatiotemporal patterns of animal movement in response to dynamic and changing environments from local to global scales.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/2051-3933-1-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Extra-pair paternity in waved albatrosses: genetic relationships among females, social mates and genetic sires

Summary Interactions among close relatives are expected to be common in colonially breeding species, species with limited geographic distributions such as island endemics, or those with limited natal or breeding dispersal. The waved albatross, Phoebastria irrorata, a colonially nesting, endemic seabird in Galapagos, Ecuador, presents an opportunity to closely examine relationships between genetic similarity of parents and extra-pair paternity. This species’ mating system is characterized by high year-to-year social mate and nest site fidelity as well as an unexpectedly high level of extra-pair paternity. The probability of hatching was lower for social pairs with high genetic similarity, suggesting an apparent cost of inbreeding. Despite this apparent cost, analyses of multilocus minisatellite band-sharing coefficients revealed that genetic similarity was somewhat negatively associated with EPF probability, inconsistent with the pattern predicted by the Genetic Similarity Hypothesis (GSH) that social pairs with extrapair offspring would be more similar than those with within-pair offspring. We found that a model with no effect of the type of dyad the female was in (female–social mate compared to female–genetic sire) on genetic similarity was as heavily weighted as one incorporating an effect, also inconsistent with the GSH. Evidence from our analyses suggested that cuckolded males were more genetically similar to randomly drawn males than to the genetic sire of their extra-pair offspring, a finding in contrast to the main prediction of our novel EPF tolerance hypothesis that males might tolerate extra-pair offspring if the actual sire is closely related. We discuss these findings in light of information about dispersal and we present some alternative explanations for extra-pair paternity in the waved albatross.

Wind, Waves, and Wing Loading: Morphological Specialization May Limit Range Expansion of Endangered Albatrosses

Among the varied adaptations for avian flight, the morphological traits allowing large-bodied albatrosses to capitalize on wind and wave energy for efficient long-distance flight are unparalleled. Consequently, the biogeographic distribution of most albatrosses is limited to the windiest oceanic regions on earth; however, exceptions exist. Species breeding in the North and Central Pacific Ocean (Phoebastria spp.) inhabit regions of lower wind speed and wave height than southern hemisphere genera, and have large intrageneric variation in body size and aerodynamic performance. Here, we test the hypothesis that regional wind and wave regimes explain observed differences in Phoebastria albatross morphology and we compare their aerodynamic performance to representatives from the other three genera of this globally distributed avian family. In the North and Central Pacific, two species (short-tailed P. albatrus and waved P. irrorata) are markedly larger, yet have the smallest breeding ranges near highly productive coastal upwelling systems. Short-tailed albatrosses, however, have 60% higher wing loading (weight per area of lift) compared to waved albatrosses. Indeed, calculated aerodynamic performance of waved albatrosses, the only tropical albatross species, is more similar to those of their smaller congeners (black-footed P. nigripes and Laysan P. immutabilis), which have relatively low wing loading and much larger foraging ranges that include central oceanic gyres of relatively low productivity. Globally, the aerodynamic performance of short-tailed and waved albatrosses are most anomalous for their body sizes, yet consistent with wind regimes within their breeding season foraging ranges. Our results are the first to integrate global wind and wave patterns with albatross aerodynamics, thereby identifying morphological specialization that may explain limited breeding ranges of two endangered albatross species. These results are further relevant to understanding past and potentially predicting future distributional limits of albatrosses globally, particularly with respect to climate change effects on basin-scale and regional wind fields.

Female-Biased Sex Ratio Arises After Parental Care in The Sexually Dimorphic Waved Albatross (Phoebastria Irrorata)

Abstract In response to evidence of sexual segregation at foraging grounds as well as male-biased band recoveries, we investigated the ontogeny of the female- biased adult sex ratio in the Waved Albatross (Phoebastria irrorata), an IUCN “critically endangered species” essentially endemic to Isla Española, Galapagos, Ecuador. Using a molecular technique to determine the sex of chicks and adults and known fate analysis of chicks during rearing, we found no evidence of a sex-ratio bias at hatching or fledging in three consecutive years with variable reproductive success. Although male chicks were significantly larger than females at fledging, survival to fledging of a large sample of male and female chicks did not differ. The sex ratio among a cohort of young adults at approximately the age of first breeding (eight years) also did not differ significantly from parity. Differential adult mortality, including male-biased mortality in fisheries, is the most probable cause of a female- biased population sex ratio, and is at least partially responsible for an apparent reduction in the number of breeding pairs of this species. El Albatros Phoebastria irrorata, una Especie con Dimorfismo Sexual, Presenta una Mayor Proporción de Hembras Luego del Cuidado Parental

Isotopic (δ15N and δ13C) evidence for intersexual foraging differences and temporal variation in habitat use in waved albatrosses

Waved albatrosses ( Phoebastria irrorata Salvin, 1883) forage close to their breeding grounds on Isla Española, Galápagos, during the short chick-brooding stage and make long trips to the Peruvian upwelling during incubation and chick rearing. Previous studies have suggested foraging segregation by sex: females spend more time searching than males do while foraging in the Galápagos Marine Reserve (GMR), and band recoveries suggest higher bycatch vulnerability of males in the Peruvian upwelling. We used stable isotope analysis (δ15N and δ13C) of whole blood of adult male and female albatrosses to test for intraspecific foraging segregation in this sexually dimorphic species. Analysis of serial blood samples revealed higher δ15N values in males, suggesting consumption of prey items of higher trophic level. We also detected seasonal variation in foraging ecology, with higher δ15N values at the beginning of the breeding season. Sex and regional differences in δ13C values were not significant, reflecting primarily pelagic foraging sites of both sexes, both in the GMR and the Peruvian upwelling. Our results provide evidence of trophic segregation, suggestive of competitive exclusion, and novel information on marine isoscape values in the Eastern Equatorial Pacific.

FEMALE-BIASED SEX RATIO ARISES AFTER PARENTAL CARE IN THE SEXUALLY DIMORPHIC WAVED ALBATROSS (PHOEBASTRIA IRRORATA)

Abstract In response to evidence of sexual segregation at foraging grounds as well as male-biased band recoveries, we investigated the ontogeny of the female- biased adult sex ratio in the Waved Albatross (Phoebastria irrorata), an IUCN “critically endangered species” essentially endemic to Isla Espanola, Galapagos, Ecuador. Using a molecular technique to determine the sex of chicks and adults and known fate analysis of chicks during rearing, we found no evidence of a sex-ratio bias at hatching or fledging in three consecutive years with variable reproductive success. Although male chicks were significantly larger than females at fledging, survival to fledging of a large sample of male and female chicks did not differ. The sex ratio among a cohort of young adults at approximately the age of first breeding (eight years) also did not differ significantly from parity. Differential adult mortality, including male-biased mortality in fisheries, is the most probable cause of a female- biased population sex rati...

Incidental and intentional catch threatens Galápagos waved albatross

As large, long-lived seabirds with delayed and slow reproduction, albatrosses have low intrinsic mortality rates and are especially vulnerable to extinction from extrinsic sources of mortality such as fishery bycatch. Leg-band recovery information for waved albatrosses revealed mortality from both incidental catch and intentional catch for human consumption. Annual adult survival in 1999–2005, estimated from capture-mark-recapture data, was lower than historical estimates. This recent increase in adult mortality probably contributed to recent and dramatic shrinkage of the breeding population; periodic matrix models confirm that population growth rate is most sensitive to changes in adult survival. Banding data and recovery information also suggest that capture by fisheries is male-biased, which should reduce fecundity in this species with obligate bi-parental care. This new documentation of bycatch, harvesting, and associated demographic consequences provides reason for serious concern about the persistence of the single breeding population of the waved albatross.

Extra‐pair paternity in the strongly monogamous Wandering AlbatrossDiomedea exulanshas no apparent benefits for females

Although 92% of avian species are socially monogamous, extra‐pair copulation (EPC), resulting in extra‐pair paternity (EPP), is a common reproductive strategy in birds. Among seabirds, in which the rate of social monogamy reaches 100%, Procellariiformes (albatrosses and petrels) show low EPP rates, with the noticeable exception of the only albatross investigated in this regard, the Waved AlbatrossPhoebastria irrorata. This species, in which forced copulations are known to occur, showed a surprisingly high rate of EPP (25% of chicks). We investigate here EPP rates in another albatross species, the Wandering AlbatrossDiomedea exulans, subject to a demographic survey conducted for 38 years. We combined data on pair bonds with analysis of ten microsatellite loci and found that 10.7% of 75 chicks had an extra‐pair sire. Although there was some evidence for inbreeding avoidance, within‐pair and extra‐pair chicks showed similar levels of heterozygosity, and the incidence of EPP was independent of age, experience or past reproductive success. Hence, we found no evidence that females benefit from EPCs. Owing to the male‐biased sex ratio in adults, widowed and divorced males required more time to find a new mate (+28 and +72%, respectively) than did females. Combined with high sexual size dimorphism, this phenomenon might promote the forced copulations observed in this species. Our data therefore suggest that EPC is beneficial to unpaired males but occurs at random in females, consistent with the hypothesis that EPP results solely from forced EPCs. However, the importance of the latter for EPP and the part played by solitary males require further investigation.

Absence of Population Genetic Structure Among Breeding Colonies of the Waved Albatross

AbstractWe used four variable microsatellite loci to examine the distribution of genetic variation and degree of genetic structuring among three subcolonies of Waved Albatrosses (Phoebastria irrorata). The breeding population of this species is almost entirely limited to the island of Española in the Galápagos Archipelago. Such strong philopatry could lead to population genetic structure among subcolonies on the island. Pairwise values of the FST analog, θ, calculated from microsatellite genotypes, were all less than 0.012, indicating little genetic differentiation and the presence of gene flow throughout the population.

Mate Opportunity Hypothesis and Extrapair Paternity in Waved Albatrosses (Phoebastria Irrorata)

Abstract Early arrival at breeding sites can influence reproductive success through enhanced access to critical resources such as nest sites or mates. One hypothesis explaining protandry, or male-first arrival at breeding sites, proposes that males arrive earlier to increase their extrapair copulation (EPC) opportunities, which may, in turn, enhance males' reproductive success through extrapair fertilizations (EPFs) (“mate opportunity hypothesis”). Extrapair behavior is unexpected in long-lived birds, in which the male is expected to abandon a brood of uncertain paternity, because his probability of future reproduction is high. A previous study of the Waved Albatross (Phoebastria irrorata), a long-lived, socially monogamous seabird, showed evidence of EPFs in 4 of 16 (25%) families. Here, we combined behavioral observations of copulations with additional molecular genetic evidence of EPFs in Waved Albatross families to investigate the fitness consequences of protandry under the mate opportunity hypothesis. During three breeding seasons, we documented 3,661 attempted copulations between birds of known identity; >60% of copulations that involved at least one breeding bird were classified as EPCs. Protandry was pronounced in all three study years: 76.3–96.6% of males arrived before (typically, 6–10 days before) their social mates. Early arrival was associated with increased opportunities for copulations: individual EPC frequencies were higher for breeding males than for breeding females, and males that arrived earlier than their social mates engaged in the most EPCs. Extrapair fertilizations were also regular in our study population; social fathers were excluded as the genetic sire in 14–21% of families. Egg laying dates of EPFs tended to be earlier in the season than those of within-pair fertilizations (WPFs). However, earlier arrival by a male did not translate into a higher probability of siring either within-pair or extrapair offspring, nor did cuckolding males have enhanced reproductive success. Although the fitness consequences of early arrival remain unclear, these findings suggest alternative advantages of early arrival for male Waved Albatrosses. La Hipótesis de Oportunidad de Apareamiento y Paternidad Extra-pareja en Phoebastria irrorata

ABSENCE OF POPULATION GENETIC STRUCTURE AMONG BREEDING COLONIES OF THE WAVED ALBATROSS

Abstract We used four variable microsatellite loci to examine the distribution of genetic variation and degree of genetic structuring among three subcolonies of Waved Albatrosses (Phoebastria irrorata). The breeding population of this species is almost entirely limited to the island of Espanola in the Galapagos Archipelago. Such strong philopatry could lead to population genetic structure among subcolonies on the island. Pairwise values of the FST analog, θ, calculated from microsatellite genotypes, were all less than 0.012, indicating little genetic differentiation and the presence of gene flow throughout the population.

MATE OPPORTUNITY HYPOTHESIS AND EXTRAPAIR PATERNITY IN WAVED ALBATROSSES (PHOEBASTRIA IRRORATA)

Abstract Early arrival at breeding sites can influence reproductive success through enhanced access to critical resources such as nest sites or mates. One hypothesis explaining protandry, or male-first arrival at breeding sites, proposes that males arrive earlier to increase their extrapair copulation (EPC) opportunities, which may, in turn, enhance males' reproductive success through extrapair fertilizations (EPFs) (“mate opportunity hypothesis”). Extrapair behavior is unexpected in long-lived birds, in which the male is expected to abandon a brood of uncertain paternity, because his probability of future reproduction is high. A previous study of the Waved Albatross (Phoebastria irrorata), a long-lived, socially monogamous seabird, showed evidence of EPFs in 4 of 16 (25%) families. Here, we combined behavioral observations of copulations with additional molecular genetic evidence of EPFs in Waved Albatross families to investigate the fitness consequences of protandry under the mate opportunity hypothesis...