Estimating prey capture rates of a planktivorous seabird, the little auk (Alle alle), using diet, diving behaviour, and energy consumption

Harding, Ann M. A.; Egevang, Carsten; Walkusz, Wojciech; Merkel, Flemming; Blanc, Stéphane; Grémillet, David

doi:10.1007/s00300-009-0581-x

Cited by 52 publications

(61 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…The differences in foraging behavior between auklets and murrelets either represents different foraging tactics for capturing the same prey or differences in prey type, as foraging behavior indicates prey type in other alcids (Elliott et al 2008a). The dive depths and durations of auklets and murrelets were comparable to those of 150 g planktivorous dovekies Alle alle, while dive shape was comparable between dovekies and murrelets (Harding et al 2009, Table 4). Dive depths and durations were much smaller than for larger-bodied alcids, but total time spent underwater was similar, due to the greater number of dives by the smaller alcids (Table 4).…”

Section: Foraging Behaviormentioning

confidence: 71%

“…Small size also restricts the size of devices that can be used to monitor underwater behavior, and most of what is known about the at-sea behavior of small divers has been obtained from observations at the surface (Hunt et al 1998). However, recent advances in the miniaturization of electronic recorders now permit detailed examinations of the free-ranging dive profiles of some of the smallest marine endotherms, the planktivorous alcids (Harding et al 2009). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Oxygen stores and foraging behavior of two sympatric, planktivorous alcids

Elliott¹,

Shoji²,

Campbell³

et al. 2010

Aquat. Biol.

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Seabird species with overlapping diets commonly coexist at breeding colonies. For example, ancient murrelets Synthliboramphus antiquus and Cassin's auklets Ptychoramphus aleuticus are similar-sized small alcids that feed on krill and small fish. Little is known regarding their partitioning of aquatic resources, so we assessed the O 2 stores and foraging behavior of sympatrically breeding populations of these species. The attachment of recorders (1 to 3% of body mass) caused substantial nest desertion, but we reduced these effects by only equipping experienced birds early in the day. Auklets and murrelets had 18 to 24% higher mass-specific O 2 stores than slightly larger nondiving kittiwakes Rissa tridactyla. When compared to published values, blood hemoglobin content was higher, muscle pH buffering capacity was similar and muscle myoglobin content was lower for small divers than for larger non-phocid divers. The slightly higher O 2 stores of Cassin's auklets was reflected in their aquatic behavior, as auklets dived longer than murrelets at any given dive depth. Moreover, chick-rearing auklets spent 31% more time underwater than incubating auklets and 50% more time underwater than incubating murrelets. In total, 45% of dives by chick-rearing auklets, 36% of dives by incubating auklets and 13% of dives by incubating murrelets exceeded their estimated aerobic dive limits. Murrelets primarily used V-shaped dives while auklets generally exhibited W-shaped dive profiles with a protracted bottom phase. Thus the O 2 stores and foraging behavior of the 2 sympatric seabirds differed.

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Section: Foraging Behaviormentioning

confidence: 71%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Oxygen stores and foraging behavior of two sympatric, planktivorous alcids

Elliott¹,

Shoji²,

Campbell³

et al. 2010

Aquat. Biol.

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“…Consequently, this paper only considers bite-feeding for LEAU and CAAU. Because of the very high intake rates of zooplankton required to meet energy requirements, Harding et al (2009) also suggested the need for filter-feeding in DOVE. Direct measurements of intake rates by auklets feeding on krill and other zooplankton underwater are needed to clarify this issue, which is quite important to modeling trophic relations.…”

Section: Model Of Intake Ratesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Such loggers include time-depth recorders (TDRs), accelerometers, and heart rate loggers (Kato et al 2003, Tremblay et al 2003, Butler et al 2004, Watanuki et al 2006, Harding et al 2009). At the time of writing this paper, minimum sizes of loggers used in published studies were about 8 × 16 × 27 mm and 5 g for TDRs, 50 × 15 mm and 14 g for cylindrical accelerometer-TDRs (Kato et al 2003), and 40 × 30 × 13 mm and 20 g for heart rate loggers (Butler et al 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Modeling profitability for the smallest marine endotherms: auklets foraging within pelagic prey patches

Lovvorn¹

2010

Aquat. Biol.

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Auklets (Alcidae) can be very abundant in north-temperate to arctic seas. Their numbers and trophic impacts in a given area depend on their ability to forage profitably as a function of the dispersion, depth, and density of prey patches. Thus, modeling these relationships is important when predicting the auklets' response to environmental change. This paper presents a simulation model of the foraging costs and intake rates of Cassin's auklets Ptychoramphus aleuticus (~170 g) and least auklets Aethia pusilla (~80 g) once they have located a patch of zooplankton prey. In the model, water temperature and dive depth (max. 20 m) have important effects on dive costs, mainly by affecting the duration and magnitude of costs during passive ascent. Within a prey patch, modeled intake rates are limited at relatively low prey densities by pursuit and handling time after a prey item is detected. Because intake rate is limited by capture time and not prey visibility, the model indicates that changes in light conditions over these depths have little direct effect on intake rates of zooplankton prey. However, vertical migration of prey in response to diel light cycles can strongly affect profitability (energy gain minus cost) by altering the depth of dives to prey patches. Because pursuit and handling time limit modeled intake rate, profitability cannot be increased further by finding patches of higher density, but rather by extending time in patches by swimming farther or slower. The model suggests that auklet dispersion should be insensitive to variations in patch density above a threshold that is relatively low compared to the very high densities that can occur. However, auklets may be attracted to higher-density patches because the patches themselves are more visible or predictable, or because other predators -from seabirds to whales -may gather in such patches and increase their visibility.

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Ecology of Arctic Birds

Fox

2020

Arctic Ecology

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Estimating prey capture rates of a planktivorous seabird, the little auk (Alle alle), using diet, diving behaviour, and energy consumption

Cited by 52 publications

References 44 publications

Oxygen stores and foraging behavior of two sympatric, planktivorous alcids

Oxygen stores and foraging behavior of two sympatric, planktivorous alcids

Modeling profitability for the smallest marine endotherms: auklets foraging within pelagic prey patches

Ecology of Arctic Birds

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