Demography and Natural History of Laysan Albatross on Oahu, Hawaii

Young, Lindsay C.; VanderWerf, Eric A.; Smith, David G.; Polhemus, John T.; Swenson, Naomi; Swenson, Chris; Liesemeyer, Brent R.; Gagne, Betsy H.; Conant, Sheila

doi:10.1676/08-150.1

Cited by 16 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…However, seabirds are not typically limited by barriers to dispersal, as demonstrated through mark–recapture studies, and satellite telemetry (Fisher, 1976; Jouventin & Weimerskirch, 1990). Laysan albatross fall on the extreme end of this spectrum; they are highly vagile seabirds characterized by an almost entirely pelagic existence (Hyrenbach, Fernandez & Anderson, 2002; Young et al , 2009 a,b ). However, despite an inherently high dispersal potential, and an almost complete lack of dispersal barriers, mark–recapture studies of Laysan albatross have shown them to be philopatric to their natal nest site (Fisher, 1976).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 75%

“…These colonization events all occurred within the past 35 years (<2 albatross generations) and include <400 breeding pairs at each site. The few birds breeding in these new colonies that were banded elsewhere as chicks (<20 individuals colony −1 ) have been primarily from French Frigate Shoals in the NWHI (Young et al , 2009 a,b ). This site lost an important nesting area, Whale‐Skate Island, in the extreme El‐Nino event of 1997 after more than 30 years of erosion due to natural atoll processes and displaced hundreds breeding pairs of Laysan albatross (B.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Inferring colonization history and dispersal patterns of a long‐lived seabird by combining genetic and empirical data

Young

2010

Journal of Zoology

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Identifying biological trends and threats to organisms that make long distance migrations are often the limiting factors in their conservation. Indeed, Laysan albatross Phoebastria immutabilis are highly vagile seabirds, foraging throughout the North Pacific Ocean. Despite mark-recapture data indicating natal philopatry, Laysan albatross recently re-colonized several anthropogenically extirpated breeding locations. At the same time, a breeding population in the north-western Hawaiian Islands was lost to erosion and it was hypothesized that the colonization events were due to displacement rather than dispersal. Nuclear and mitochondrial markers were used in a range wide survey to test whether natal philopatry corresponded to population structure in Laysan albatross, and to determine whether recent colonization events were a result of displacement from vanishing breeding habitat. Five microsatellite loci found little population structure (F ST = 0.01, P= 0.001), and sequences from the mitochondrial control region revealed low population structure (p ST = 0.05, Po0.001). The results were consistent with male-mediated dispersal and strong, but not absolute, philopatry by females. Mixed stock analyses and banding records from the newly colonized sites indicated contributions from multiple source populations, which contradicted the displacement hypothesis of a single source population and instead supported species-wide dispersal from all source colonies. High genetic diversity (p= 0.045, h = 0.989), rapid colonization, and great dispersal potential bode well for the conservation of Laysan albatross. However, it may be necessary to protect highisland nesting sites, preserve genetic diversity and maintain breeding populations in the face of projected sea level rises and persistent bycatch.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 75%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Inferring colonization history and dispersal patterns of a long‐lived seabird by combining genetic and empirical data

Young

2010

Journal of Zoology

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“…We monitored Laysan albatrosses at Kaena Point Natural Area Reserve on Oahu, HI, USA from 2003 to 2012 following protocols in Young et al [9,16] and VanderWerf & Young [17]. We marked each bird with a metal ring and a field-readable plastic ring to facilitate monitoring of birds without having to recapture them, and we collected a 400 ml blood sample from the tarsal vein for genetic analysis.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adaptive value of same-sex pairing in Laysan albatross

Young

VanderWerf

2014

Proc. R. Soc. B.

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Same-sex pairing is widespread among animals but is difficult to explain in an evolutionary context because it does not result in reproduction, and thus same-sex behaviour often is viewed as maladaptive. Here, we compare survival, fecundity and transition probabilities of female Laysan albatross in different pair types, and we show how female-female pairing could be an adaptive alternative mating strategy, albeit one that resulted in lower fitness than male-female pairing. Females in same-sex pairs produced 80% fewer chicks, had lower survival and skipped breeding more often than those in male-female pairs. Females in same-sex pairs that raised a chick sometimes acquired a male mate in the following year, but females in failed same-sex pairs never did, suggesting that males exert sexual selection by assessing female quality and relegating low-quality females into same-sex pairs. Sexual selection by males in a monomorphic, non-ornamented species is rare and suggests that reconsideration is needed of the circumstances in which alternative reproductive behaviour evolves. Given the lack of males and obligate biparental care in this species, this research demonstrates how same-sex pairing was better than not breeding and highlights how it could be an adaptive strategy under certain demographic conditions.

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“…Conflicts with Laysan Albatrosses continue to the present because of their propensity for nesting on or near military runways at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kane'ohe, and Dillingham Field, both on O'ahu, and on the Pacific Missile Range on Kaua'i (Young et al 2009;L. Young, pers.…”

Section: Disturbancementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Techniques have ranged from fencing to exclude ungulates and dogs, boulder piles to exclude off-road vehicles, signs and guides to reduce human disturbance, and trapping or shooting predators (cf. Harrison 1997;Rauzon 2007, Young et al 2009 (Byrd et al 1984;Young et al 2009;B. Zaun, pers.…”

Section: Seabird Restorationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changing Seabird Management in Hawai'i: from Exploitation through Management to Restoration

Duffy¹

2010

Waterbirds

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Demography and Natural History of Laysan Albatross on Oahu, Hawaii

Cited by 16 publications

References 13 publications

Inferring colonization history and dispersal patterns of a long‐lived seabird by combining genetic and empirical data

Inferring colonization history and dispersal patterns of a long‐lived seabird by combining genetic and empirical data

Adaptive value of same-sex pairing in Laysan albatross

Changing Seabird Management in Hawai'i: from Exploitation through Management to Restoration

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