Bird population changes reconstructed from isotopic signals of peat developed in a nutrient enriched tundra

Gąsiorowski, Michał; Sienkiewicz, Elwira

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.07.453

Cited by 6 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Similar evidence of geese population growth has also been found from northeastern Svalbard . A study of peat sequences from the current study areas also suggested major Little Auk population growth, with a threshold occurring at ~ 1920 CE (Gąsiorowski and Sienkiewicz 2019). Therefore, it appears to be clear that the bird impact has become a significant factor in Svalbard over the past decades, consequently altering the aquatic ecosystems and watersheds.…”

Section: Ecological Shiftsmentioning

confidence: 70%

“…A recent expansion of bird colonies along the Hornsund coast has been observed (Wojczulanis-Jakubas et al 2008;Zmudczyńska et al 2009). The expansion of Little Auk colonies in the area appears to have begun during the early twentieth century (Gąsiorowski and Sienkiewicz 2019).…”

Section: Study Sitementioning

confidence: 99%

“…A similar C org /N tot shift has also been recorded from the adjacent geese-impacted pond Fugledammen . Geese are present also in the catchment of Revvatnet, but Little Auks are particularly abundant (nesting cliff) fertilizing local tundra with their excrement through extensive transport of nutrients from the marine to terrestrial environment (Moe et al 2009;Gąsiorowski and Sienkiewicz 2019). In addition to lowering C org /N tot ratio, heavier δ 15 N signature has been shown to be closely connected with seabird affected Arctic lakes (Griffiths et al 2010;Stewart et al 2013;Hargan et al 2017).…”

Section: Elemental Cyclingmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Biogeochemical cycling and ecological thresholds in a High Arctic lake (Svalbard)

et al. 2019

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Lakes are a dominant feature of the Arctic landscape and a focal point of regional and global biogeochemical cycling. We collected a sediment core from a High Arctic Lake in southwestern Svalbard for multiproxy paleolimnological analysis. The aim was to find linkages between the terrestrial and aquatic environments in the context of climate change to understand centennial-long Arctic biogeochemical cycling and environmental dynamics. Two significant thresholds in elemental cycling were found based on sediment physical and biogeochemical proxies that were associated with the end of the cold Little Ice Age and the recent warming. We found major shifts in diatom, chironomid and cladoceran communities and their functionality that coincided with increased summer temperatures since the 1950s. We also discovered paleoecological evidence that point toward expanded bird (Little Auk) colonies in the catchment alongside climate warming. Apparently, climate-driven increase in glacier melt water delivery as well as a prolonged snow-and ice-free period have increased the transport of mineral matter from the catchment, causing significant water turbidity and disappearance of several planktonic diatoms and clear-water chironomids. We also found sedimentary accumulation of microplastic particles following the increase in Little Auk populations suggesting that seabirds potentially act as biovectors for plastic contamination. Our study demonstrates the diverse nature of climate-driven changes in the Arctic lacustrine environment with increased inorganic input from the more exposed catchment, larger nutrient delivery from the increased bird colonies at the surrounding mountain summits and subsequent alterations in aquatic communities.Publisher's Note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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Section: Ecological Shiftsmentioning

confidence: 70%

Section: Study Sitementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Elemental Cyclingmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Biogeochemical cycling and ecological thresholds in a High Arctic lake (Svalbard)

et al. 2019

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“…They comprise about 2-fold higher TOC and 2-fold lower TN in the GL3-III active layer (with little auk) compared with the SI1-IV active layer (thick-billed murre), resulting in a large difference in C/N (40 in GL3-III compared to 17 in SI1-IV). The OM input from bird colonies with 15 N-enriched isotopic composition (i.e., higher δ 15 N) is traceable in the devel-oping peat below the colonies (González-Bergonzoni et al, 2017;Gąsiorowski and Sienkiewicz, 2019). The magnitude of the fertilizing influence by the little auks on the colony surroundings can be considerable, ranging from 1.2 g m −2 direct deposition of dry faeces per day in a little auk colony in Spitsbergen to 0.5 g m −2 d −1 at a distance of 200 m from the bird colony towards the sea (Zwolicki et al, 2013).…”

Section: Organic Matter Signatures As a Reflection Of Bird Presencementioning

confidence: 99%

Stable isotope signatures of Holocene syngenetic permafrost trace seabird presence in the Thule District (NW Greenland)

et al. 2019

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Abstract. Holocene permafrost from ice wedge polygons in the vicinity of large seabird breeding colonies in the Thule District, NW Greenland, was drilled to explore the relation between permafrost aggradation and seabird presence. The latter is reliant on the presence of the North Water Polynya (NOW) in the northern Baffin Bay. The onset of peat accumulation associated with the arrival of little auks (Alle alle) in a breeding colony at Annikitisoq, north of Cape York, is radiocarbon-dated to 4400 cal BP. A thick-billed murre (Uria lomvia) colony on Appat (Saunders Island) in the mouth of the Wolstenholme Fjord started 5650 cal BP. Both species provide marine-derived nutrients (MDNs) that fertilize vegetation and promote peat growth. The geochemical signature of organic matter left by the birds is traceable in the frozen Holocene peat. The peat accumulation rates at both sites are highest after the onset, decrease over time, and were about 2-times faster at the little auk site than at the thick-billed murre site. High accumulation rates induce shorter periods of organic matter (OM) decomposition before it enters the perennially frozen state. This is seen in comparably high C∕N ratios and less depleted δ13C, pointing to a lower degree of OM decomposition at the little auk site, while the opposite pattern can be discerned at the thick-billed murre site. Peat accumulation rates correspond to δ15N trends, where decreasing accumulation led to increasing depletion in δ15N as seen in the little-auk-related data. In contrast, the more decomposed OM of the thick-billed murre site shows almost stable δ15N. Late Holocene wedge ice fed by cold season precipitation was studied at the little auk site and provides the first stable-water isotopic record from Greenland with mean δ18O of -18.0±0.8 ‰, mean δD of -136.2±5.7 ‰, mean d excess of 7.7±0.7 ‰, and a δ18O-δD slope of 7.27, which is close to those of the modern Thule meteoric water line. The syngenetic ice wedge polygon development is mirrored in testacean records of the little auk site and delineates polygon low-center, dry-out, and polygon-high-center stages. The syngenetic permafrost formation directly depending on peat growth (controlled by bird activity) falls within the period of neoglacial cooling and the establishment of the NOW, thus indirectly following the Holocene climate trends.

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“…The OM input from bird colonies with 15 N enriched isotopic composition (i.e. higher δ 15 N) is traceable in the developing peat below the colonies (González-Bergonzoni et al, 2017;Gąsiorowski and Sienkiewicz, 2019). The magnitude of the little auk's fertilising influence on the colony surroundings can be considerable, ranging from 1.2 g m -2 direct deposition of dry faeces per day in a little auk colony in Spitsbergen to 0.5 g m -2 per day at a distance of 200 m from the bird colony towards the sea (Zwolicki et al, 2013).…”

Section: Organic Matter Signatures As Reflection Of Bird Presencementioning

confidence: 99%

Stable isotope signatures of Holocene syngenetic permafrost trace seabird presence in the Thule District (NW Greenland)

Wetterich¹,

Davidson²,

Bobrov³

et al. 2019

Preprint

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Abstract. Holocene permafrost from ice wedge polygons in the vicinity of large seabird breeding colonies in the Thule District, NW Greenland, was drilled to explore the relation between permafrost aggradation and seabird presence. The latter is reliant on the presence of the North Water (NOW) polynya in the northern Baffin Bay. The onset of peat accumulation associated with the arrival of little auks (Alle alle) in a breeding colony at Annikitisoq north of Cape York is radiocarbon-dated to 4400 cal yr BP. A thick-billed murre (Uria lomvia) colony on Appat (Saunders Ø) in the mouth of the Wolstenholme Fjord started 5650 cal yr BP. Both species provide marine-derived nutrients (MDNs) that fertilise vegetation and promote peat growth. The geochemical signature of organic matter left by the birds is traceable in the frozen Holocene peat. The peat accumulation rates at both sites are highest after the onset and decrease over time and were about two-times faster at the little auk site than at the thick-billed murre site. High accumulation rates induce shorter periods of organic matter (OM) decomposition before it enters the perennially frozen state. This is seen in comparably high C / N and less depleted δ13C, pointing to a lower degree of OM decomposition at the little auk site, while the opposite pattern can be discerned at the thick-billed murre site. Peat accumulation rates correspond to δ15N trends, where decreasing accumulation led to increasing depletion in δ15N as seen in the little-auk related data. In contrast, the more decomposed OM of the thick-billed murre site shows almost stable δ15N. Late Holocene wedge ice fed by cold season precipitation was studied at the little auk site and provides the first such stable-water isotopic records from Greenland with mean δ18O of −18.0 ± 0.8 ‰, mean δD of −136.2 ± 5.7 ‰, mean d excess of 7.7 ± 0.7 ‰, and a δ18O-δD slope of 7.27, which is close to those of the modern Thule Meteoric Water Line. The syngenetic ice wedge polygon development is mirrored in testacean records of the little auk site and delineates polygon low-centre, dry-out and polygon-high-centre stages. The syngenetic permafrost formation directly depending on peat growth (controlled by bird activity) falls within the period of Neoglacial cooling and the establishment of the NOW polynya, thus indirectly follows the Holocene climate trends.

show abstract

Bird population changes reconstructed from isotopic signals of peat developed in a nutrient enriched tundra

Cited by 6 publications

References 35 publications

Biogeochemical cycling and ecological thresholds in a High Arctic lake (Svalbard)

Biogeochemical cycling and ecological thresholds in a High Arctic lake (Svalbard)

Stable isotope signatures of Holocene syngenetic permafrost trace seabird presence in the Thule District (NW Greenland)

Stable isotope signatures of Holocene syngenetic permafrost trace seabird presence in the Thule District (NW Greenland)

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