Algal toxins in Alaskan seabirds: Evaluating the role of saxitoxin and domoic acid in a large-scale die-off of Common Murres

Hemert, Caroline R. Van; Schoen, Sarah K.; Litaker, R. Wayne; Smith, Matthew M.; Arimitsu, Mayumi L.; Piatt, John F.; Holland, William C.; Hardison, D. Ransom; Pearce, John M.

doi:10.1016/j.hal.2019.101730

Cited by 32 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…Domoic acid was found in a single bird, and in some prey taxa (4%-33%). Authors noted that all biotoxin values were below levels reported in other seabird die-offs where causal links were established between toxin concentration and bird mortality, and as such, do not support a hypothesis that algal bloom biotoxins were a primary cause of murre mortality in Alaska [123].…”

Section: Causal Factorsmentioning

confidence: 82%

“…Trace levels of saxitoxin (1.4-3.9 ppb) were detected in eight of 39 murre samples (stomach or cloacal content) obtained by the National Wildlife Health Center and tested immediately in 2015-2016 (see Methods). Later analyses of an additional 56 murres at the USGS Alaska Science Center, including die-off and healthy specimens, as well as samples of forage fish and invertebrate prey collected in 2015-2017, revealed a low to moderate frequency (20%-54%) of saxitoxin occurrence among taxa groups; but all at low concentrations [123]. Domoic acid was found in a single bird, and in some prey taxa (4%-33%).…”

Section: Causal Factorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Extreme mortality and reproductive failure of common murres resulting from the northeast Pacific marine heatwave of 2014-2016

et al. 2020

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About 62,000 dead or dying common murres (Uria aalge), the trophically dominant fish-eating seabird of the North Pacific, washed ashore between summer 2015 and spring 2016 on beaches from California to Alaska. Most birds were severely emaciated and, so far, no evidence for anything other than starvation was found to explain this mass mortality. Threequarters of murres were found in the Gulf of Alaska and the remainder along the West Coast. Studies show that only a fraction of birds that die at sea typically wash ashore, and we estimate that total mortality approached 1 million birds. About two-thirds of murres killed were adults, a substantial blow to breeding populations. Additionally, 22 complete reproductive failures were observed at multiple colonies region-wide during (2015) and after (2016-2017) the mass mortality event. Die-offs and breeding failures occur sporadically in murres, but the magnitude, duration and spatial extent of this die-off, associated with multi-colony and multi-year reproductive failures, is unprecedented and astonishing. These events cooccurred with the most powerful marine heatwave on record that persisted through 2014-2016 and created an enormous volume of ocean water (the "Blob") from California to Alaska with temperatures that exceeded average by 2-3 standard deviations. Other studies PLOS ONE | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0226087 January 15, 2020 1 / 32 OPEN ACCESS Citation: Piatt JF, Parrish JK, Renner HM, Schoen SK, Jones TT, Arimitsu ML, et al. (2020) Extreme mortality and reproductive failure of common murres resulting from the northeast Pacific marine heatwave of 2014-2016. PLoS ONE 15(1):indicate that this prolonged heatwave reduced phytoplankton biomass and restructured zooplankton communities in favor of lower-calorie species, while it simultaneously increased metabolically driven food demands of ectothermic forage fish. In response, forage fish quality and quantity diminished. Similarly, large ectothermic groundfish were thought to have increased their demand for forage fish, resulting in greater top-predator demands for diminished forage fish resources. We hypothesize that these bottom-up and top-down forces created an "ectothermic vise" on forage species leading to their system-wide scarcity and resulting in mass mortality of murres and many other fish, bird and mammal species in the region during 2014-2017.

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Section: Causal Factorsmentioning

confidence: 82%

Section: Causal Factorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Extreme mortality and reproductive failure of common murres resulting from the northeast Pacific marine heatwave of 2014-2016

et al. 2020

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“…Seabird MMEs involving PSTs originating from Alexandrium spp. have been documented in North America and Europe, usually where piscivorous birds consumed contaminated fish [ 29 , 37 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 ]. In a review by Band-Schmidt et al [ 61 ] about the taxonomy, bloom dynamics, toxicity, autoecology, and trophic interactions of PSTs producing dinoflagellates in Latin America—some episodes in which seabirds were affected are mentioned.…”

Section: Direct and Indirect Impacts From Habs On Marine Birds Biotoxins And Other Bioactive Compoundsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nowadays, the advances in analytical methods with increased sensitivity and selectivity [ 12 , 13 , 14 , 16 , 25 ], allow seabird carcasses to be tested for the presence of marine biotoxins. To this end, relevant tissue samples need to be taken and sampling preparation must be adapted, if required, to the particular tissues [ 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 ]. However, the ultimate cause of seabird’s morbidity and mortality cannot always be found.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Paralytic and Amnesic Shellfish Toxins Impacts on Seabirds, Analyses and Management

Ben-Gigirey

Soliño

Bravo

et al. 2021

Toxins

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Marine biotoxins have been frequently implicated in morbidity and mortality events in numerous species of birds worldwide. Nevertheless, their effects on seabirds have often been overlooked and the associated ecological impact has not been extensively studied. On top of that, the number of published studies confirming by analyses the presence of marine biotoxins from harmful algal blooms (HABs) in seabirds, although having increased in recent years, is still quite low. This review compiles information on studies evidencing the impact of HAB toxins on marine birds, with a special focus on the effects of paralytic and amnesic shellfish toxins (PSTs and ASTs). It is mainly centered on studies in which the presence of PSTs and/or ASTs in seabird samples was demonstrated through analyses. The analytical techniques commonly employed, the tissues selected and the adjustments done in protocols for processing seabird matrixes are summarized. Other topics covered include the role of different vectors in the seabird intoxications, information on clinical signs in birds affected by PSTs and ASTs, and multifactorial causes which could aggravate the syndromes. Close collaboration between seabird experts and marine biotoxins researchers is needed to identify and report the potential involvement of HABs and their toxins in the mortality events. Future studies on the PSTs and ASTs pharmacodynamics, together with the establishment of lethal doses in various seabird species, are also necessary. These studies would aid in the selection of the target organs for toxins analyses and in the postmortem intoxication diagnoses.

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“…Reasons for participant tenacity are varied but appear to include belief that programme‐scale data are significant to science and useful in a management or conservation context (Haywood et al., 2016). In fact, COASST data are widely used in scholarly publications and in natural resource management decision‐making, relative to issues as diverse as historic use of seabird die‐offs as a Native American resource (Bovy et al., 2016), climate impacts on coastal ecosystems (Jones et al., 2018, 2019; Parrish et al., 2007), impacts of harmful algal blooms on coastal seabirds (Jones et al., 2017; Van Hemert et al., 2020) and fishery bycatch (Hamel et al, 2009; Moore et al, 2009). Our work with COASST (Haywood, 2015, 2019; Haywood et al., 2016; He et al., 2019) suggests that place plays a fundamental role in facilitating learning and motivating continued engagement in citizen science.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shapeshifting attachment: Exploring multi‐dimensional people–place bonds in place‐based citizen science

Haywood

Parrish

2020

People and Nature

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Research on citizen science programmes has highlighted that they can foster science content and knowledge gain, enhance pro‐environmental behaviour and cultivate civic action among participants. Especially in the case of place‐based citizen science, which requires hands‐on repeated activity in an out‐of‐door setting through a scientific lens, evidence suggests that some of these outcomes may be linked to the unique people–place relationships and interactions afforded by such programmes. Even still, studies that empirically examine the influence of place on citizen science participant and programme outcomes are scant. This is due, in part, to the methodological challenges involved in interrogating complex aspects of a person's sense of place—aspects like place attachment—the emotional bonds between people and place. Here, an adapted three‐dimensional model of place attachment is proposed as a theoretical framework from which place‐based citizen science experiences and outcomes might be empirically examined in depth. The model, which posits personal, social and natural environment dimensions of place attachment is contextualized with research findings from the US‐based Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST) citizen science programme. Data from COASST suggest that participants do exhibit place attachment in all three dimensions of attachment, categorized within seven unique constructs, although questions remain regarding the unique intensity, make‐up (shape) and scale (spatial, social and nature‐science) of individual‐level attachment along the three central dimensions. Critically, more research is needed to investigate whether the unique place attachment ‘profile’ of participants is a function of personal, social or programmatic variables pre‐ and post‐programme participation. To encourage further scholarship on potential links between the experiences, exposures and programme components of place‐based citizen science and the place attachment profiles of participants, this paper includes a brief review of the research opportunities presented by the adapted three‐dimensional place attachment model discussed. Advancing this line of inquiry is an important component of broader efforts to understand how sense of place is altered via place‐based citizen science and whether or not that is linked to specific programme outputs or participant outcomes in science knowledge, ecological understanding and civic engagement. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.

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Algal toxins in Alaskan seabirds: Evaluating the role of saxitoxin and domoic acid in a large-scale die-off of Common Murres

Cited by 32 publications

References 43 publications

Extreme mortality and reproductive failure of common murres resulting from the northeast Pacific marine heatwave of 2014-2016

Extreme mortality and reproductive failure of common murres resulting from the northeast Pacific marine heatwave of 2014-2016

Paralytic and Amnesic Shellfish Toxins Impacts on Seabirds, Analyses and Management

Shapeshifting attachment: Exploring multi‐dimensional people–place bonds in place‐based citizen science

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