Diet of black guillemots and northern fulmars breeding beside a High Arctic polynya

Byers, Tim; Smith, Alan Р.

doi:10.1007/s00300-009-0720-4

Cited by 20 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…It is clear that amphipods and copepods are key components of the diet of High Arctic fulmars (Bradstreet 1976, Hatch & Nettleship 1998, Byers et al 2010; this study). Fulmars opportunistically capture sympagic and other amphipods, occasionally resulting in tens of amphipods per fulmar stomach.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 72%

“…In our study, pteropods were only recorded in the stomachs of fulmars collected at sea in the North Water Polynya, which strongly suggests that these soft-bodied prey are digested quickly by fulmars in transit to their breeding colonies -a potential bias due to sampling methods (Barrett et al 2007). Thus, colony-based investigations probably underestimate the contribution of soft-bodied prey to fulmar diets.It is clear that amphipods and copepods are key components of the diet of High Arctic fulmars (Bradstreet 1976, Hatch & Nettleship 1998, Byers et al 2010; this study). Fulmars opportunistically capture sympagic and other amphipods, occasionally resulting in tens of amphipods per fulmar stomach.…”

mentioning

confidence: 72%

“…For example, in a study of fulmar diet similarly based on stomach samples and conducted over 20 yr earlier at Cape Vera (n = 233 fulmars), Byers et al (2010) found that 90% of fulmars consumed cephalopods, 41% ate crus- , Harris et al 2007, Montevecchi 2007. These food web changes may affect fulmars at southern colonies during the breeding season, and may also affect Arctic fulmars, as these areas may form part of the wintering range for this species (Mallory et al 2008b).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Fulmars opportunistically capture sympagic and other amphipods, occasionally resulting in tens of amphipods per fulmar stomach. However, fulmars exploit and gorge themselves on copepod swarms at the sea surface, to the point where a bird can have difficulty departing from the water surface when approached by boat (Byers et al 2010). Hundreds of copepods can be found in an individual fulmar stomach (Table 1).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…187 Aquat Biol 10: [181][182][183][184][185][186][187][188][189][190][191] 2010 Several studies have noted the importance of 'gelatinous' prey to fulmars, particularly jellyfish and pteropods (Harrison 1984, Hobson & Welch 1992, Camphuysen & van Franeker 1996, 1997. Byers et al (2010) noted abundant pteropods in the waters near Cape Vera, but found none in the diet of fulmars from that colony, and we did not record any during recent sampling. Pteropods were common prey of fulmars collected at sea in Lancaster Sound in 1976 (21 items bird -1 ; Bradstreet 1976), but were not observed in the diet of birds at the Prince Leopold Island colony in the same year (Hatch & Nettleship 1998).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Temporal and spatial patterns in the diet of northern fulmars Fulmarus glacialis in the Canadian High Arctic

Karnovsky¹,

Gaston²,

Hobson³

et al. 2010

Aquat. Biol.

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The northern fulmar Fulmarus glacialis is a medium-sized seabird with a broad, circumpolar range in the northern hemisphere, and is the only petrel that inhabits the High Arctic. We used stomach analysis and stable isotopes (δ 15 N, δ 13 C) of muscles to examine the diet of 179 fulmars during the breeding season at 4 locations in Arctic Canada, to compare diet to those from studies conducted in these regions > 2 decades earlier. Across sampling locations, cephalopods, polychaetes and crustaceans dominated dietary remains in fulmars, although there was some regional variation. Both stable isotopes and stomach dissections showed that a seasonal shift in diet occurred in May, after which fulmars fed at a higher trophic level, suggesting a difference in winter/migration diet and breeding season diet. After migration, fulmar digestive organs decreased markedly in size, and by the time chicks were hatching, these organs were still 17 to 39% smaller than their size when birds arrived at the colony. Despite ongoing changes in the marine environment in much of the Arctic due to global warming, recent fulmar diet samples were similar to samples collected in the 1970s and 1980s, except that a higher proportion of recent collections contained fish. KEY WORDS: Arctic · Cephalopod · Crustacean · Procellariiformes · Reproduction Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisherAquat Biol 10: [181][182][183][184][185][186][187][188][189][190][191] 2010 fulmar diet in the High Arctic, although it appears to rely more on invertebrates in this region, particularly early in the breeding season, than farther south (Hatch & Nettleship 1998, Mallory 2006.We examined the diet of fulmars at several locations in the Canadian High Arctic. This region is experiencing environmental changes, including less extensive and thinner sea ice cover, earlier ice breakup, later ice formation and in some cases warmer sea surface temperatures (ACIA 2005). Most High Arctic marine birds use ice edges, leads and polynyas as important foraging locations because these sites are often highly productive and provide the only open water areas where prey are accessible (Brown & Nettleship 1981, Stirling 1997. In fact, in the Canadian Arctic, most polynyas and recurrent ice leads have been identified as key marine habitat sites for migratory birds (Mallory & Fontaine 2004). Thus, long-term changes in marine environmental conditions may influence the timing and availability of prey for breeding marine birds. For example, Gaston et al. (2003) found that the diet of thick-billed murres Uria lomvia at one Arctic colony switched from ice-associated Arctic cod Boreogadus saida to warmer-water capelin Mallotus villosus over a 20 yr period. Such changes in marine food webs could potentially influence reproduction of marine birds through changes in prey availability or diet quality. Consequently, our study sought to: (1) establish a baseline of dietary information for fulmars at locations where this had not been investigated previ...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 72%

mentioning

confidence: 72%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Temporal and spatial patterns in the diet of northern fulmars Fulmarus glacialis in the Canadian High Arctic

Karnovsky¹,

Gaston²,

Hobson³

et al. 2010

Aquat. Biol.

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Variable sea‐ice conditions influence trophic dynamics in an Arctic community of marine top predators

Pratte

Braune

Hobson

et al. 2019

Ecology and Evolution

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Sea‐ice coverage is a key abiotic driver of annual environmental conditions in Arctic marine ecosystems and could be a major factor affecting seabird trophic dynamics. Using stable isotope ratios of carbon (δ 13 C) and nitrogen (δ 15 N) in eggs of thick‐billed murres ( Uria lomvia ), northern fulmars ( Fulmarus glacialis ), glaucous gulls ( Larus hyperboreus ), and black‐legged kittiwakes ( Rissa tridactyla ), we investigated the trophic ecology of prebreeding seabirds nesting at Prince Leopold Island, Nunavut, and its relationship with sea‐ice conditions. The seabird community of Prince Leopold Island had a broader isotopic niche during lower sea‐ice conditions, thus having a more divergent diet, while the opposite was observed during years with more extensive sea‐ice conditions. Species' trophic position was influenced by sea ice; in years of lower sea‐ice concentration, gulls and kittiwakes foraged at higher trophic levels while the opposite was observed for murres and fulmars. For murres and fulmars over a longer time series, there was no evidence of the effect of sea‐ice concentration on species' isotopic niche. Results suggest a high degree of adaptation in populations of high Arctic species that cope with harsh and unpredictable conditions. Such different responses of the community isotopic niche also show that the effect of variable sea‐ice conditions, despite being subtle at the species level, might have larger implications when considering the trophic ecology of the larger seabird community. Species‐specific responses in foraging patterns, in particular trophic position in relation to sea ice, are critical to understanding effects of ecosystem change predicted for a changing climate.

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PCB and organochlorine pesticides in northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) from a High Arctic colony: Chemical exposure, fate, and transfer to predators

Foster

Hill

Blais

2011

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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Organochlorine contaminant concentrations, associated fugacities, and stable isotopes of nitrogen (δ(15) N) are reported for liver, whole body homogenate, and opportunistically collected samples of prey (amphipods), stomach oils, digestive tract contents, and guano for northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) collected at Cape Vera, Devon Island in the Canadian High Arctic. Liver concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (ΣPCB) and ΣDDT were on average 49.9 ± 35.4 ng g(-1) and 29.9 ± 25.2 ng g(-1) wet weight, respectively. Whole body homogenate concentrations of ΣPCB and ΣDDT were 637 ± 293 ng g(-1) and 365 ± 212 ng g(-1) wet weight, respectively. A mass and energy balance showed that whole body contaminant concentrations, which are seldom reported for Arctic seabirds, are critical in determining contaminant exposure and associated risk to predators such as the Arctic fox (Alopex lagopus). Biomagnification in the fulmars is evident, because concentrations and fugacities of contaminants were generally one to three orders of magnitude higher than those of likely prey items. The fate of diet-derived contaminants along the digestive tract is discussed, in particular with respect to stomach oils, which are used to feed chicks and for defensive purposes. The benefits of considering both concentrations and fugacities are demonstrated and provide information on the absorption and distribution of chemicals within the fulmars and contaminant transfer to offspring and predators.

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Diet of black guillemots and northern fulmars breeding beside a High Arctic polynya

Cited by 20 publications

References 31 publications

Temporal and spatial patterns in the diet of northern fulmars Fulmarus glacialis in the Canadian High Arctic

Temporal and spatial patterns in the diet of northern fulmars Fulmarus glacialis in the Canadian High Arctic

Variable sea‐ice conditions influence trophic dynamics in an Arctic community of marine top predators

PCB and organochlorine pesticides in northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) from a High Arctic colony: Chemical exposure, fate, and transfer to predators

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