Fatty acids composition in yellow-legged (Larus michahellis) and lesser black-backed (Larus fuscus) gulls from natural and urban habitats in relation to the ingestion of anthropogenic materials

Lopes, Catarina S.; Antunes, Raquel C.C.; Paiva, Vítor H.; Gonçalves, Ana M.M.; Correia, Jorge; Ramos, Jaime A.

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151093

Cited by 6 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 96 publications

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“…However, the smaller eggs and clutch size that we registered in Porto could also be partially influenced by diet quality. Birds with access to a higher quality marine diet may have larger broods (O'Hanlon et al 2017) and no deficiency in omega-3 fatty acids (Pais de Faria et al 2021a, Lopes et al 2022). Our urban study sites were in close proximity to marine resources, which could help to explain the similar body condition of breeding gulls between urban and natural colonies.…”

Section: Breeding Parametersmentioning

confidence: 85%

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Plenty of rooftops with few neighbours occupied by young breeding Yellow‐legged Gulls (Larus michahellis): Does this occur at the expense of their health condition?

Faria

Paiva

Veríssimo

et al. 2022

Ibis

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Gulls, as largely flexible opportunistic individuals, have been increasingly breeding in many cities around the world, but it is still unclear whether urban habitats are of equal or higher quality than traditional natural habitats or represent an ecological trap with immediate reproductive benefits but longer‐term detrimental consequences to health. Here we present a study of breeding parameters (nest density, egg dimensions, clutch size, hatching success and adult body condition) and physiological parameters (erythrocyte sedimentation rate, heterophil/lymphocyte ratio, haemoglobin concentration and measurements of oxidative stress) as indicators of the general health condition of Yellow‐legged Gull Larus michahellis adults and chicks from natural and urban colonies. Yellow‐legged Gulls in the largest urban area (Porto) laid smaller eggs and clutches, showed a significantly lower occurrence of inflammatory processes in chicks, and showed a slower early chick growth than in the natural colony of Deserta. This suggests that urban gulls might be facing important trade‐offs between the advantages of breeding in lower density urban colonies, with fewer intraspecific interactions and a lower disease transmission probability, and the disadvantages of having an anthropogenic diet usually lower in nutritional value.

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Section: Breeding Parametersmentioning

confidence: 85%

“…2021a, Lopes et al . 2022). Our urban study sites were in close proximity to marine resources, which could help to explain the similar body condition of breeding gulls between urban and natural colonies.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plenty of rooftops with few neighbours occupied by young breeding Yellow‐legged Gulls (Larus michahellis): Does this occur at the expense of their health condition?

Faria

Paiva

Veríssimo

et al. 2022

Ibis

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“…have been successful at exploiting human-made food, often favouring anthropogenic resources even in situations where their natural aquatic prey remain accessible (e.g. herring gulls, Larus argentatus [73]; yellow-legged gulls, Larus michahellis [74]; ring-billed gulls [72] and lesser black-backed gulls, Larus fuscus [75]). Often, heightened reliance on rubbish has been associated with increased fitness, with landfill and urban foraging correlating with increased population size [76], clutch size, egg mass [77], fledging success [78] and adult body condition [77,79].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Short-term dietary changes are reflected in the cerebral content of adult ring-billed gulls

Lamarre,

Wilson

2024

R. Soc. Open Sci.

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Omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n3-LCPUFAs) are produced primarily in aquatic ecosystems and are considered essential nutrients for predators given their structural role in vertebrates’ cerebral tissues. Alarmingly, with urbanization, many aquatic animals now rely on anthropogenic foods lacking n3-LCPUFAs. In this study undertaken in Newfoundland (Canada), we tested whether recent or longer term diet explains the cerebral fatty acid composition of ring-billed gulls ( Larus delawarensis ), a seabird that now thrives in cities. During the breeding season, cerebral levels of n3-LCPUFAs were significantly higher for gulls nesting in a natural habitat and foraging on marine food (mean ± s.d.: 32 ± 1% of total identified fatty acids) than for urban nesters exploiting rubbish (27 ± 1%). Stable isotope analysis of blood and feathers showed that urban and natural nesters shared similar diets in autumn and winter, suggesting that the difference in cerebral n3-LCPUFAs during the breeding season was owing to concomitant and transient differences in diet. We also experimentally manipulated gulls’ diets throughout incubation by supplementing them with fish oil rich in n3-LCPUFAs, a caloric control lacking n3-LCPUFAs, or nothing, and found evidence that fish oil increased urban nesters’ cerebral n3-LCPUFAs. These complementary analyses provide evidence that the brain of this seabird remains plastic during adulthood and responds to short-term dietary changes.

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“…Plastic objects or packaging are frequently ingested accidently or through mis-categorisation as potential food (Sol et al 2011, Modlinska and Stryjek 2016, Kühn and Franeker 2020, Lopes et al 2021. Gulls are known to have consumed plastic pieces and microplastics, with negative long-term physiological effects to individuals' health and breeding success (Lopes et al 2020(Lopes et al , 2022. Spending time investigating inedible materials may not only decrease foraging efficiency, but also negatively impact health and survival (Bateman and Fleming 2012, Murray et al 2015, Modlinska and Stryjek 2016, Kühn and Franeker 2020.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Object neophilia in wild herring gulls in urban and rural locations

Inzani

Kelley

Boogert

2022

Journal of Avian Biology

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Living with increasing urbanisation and human populations requires resourcefulness and flexibility in wild animals' behaviour. Animals have to adapt to anthropogenic novelty in habitat structure and resources that may not resemble, or be as beneficial as, natural resources. Herring gulls Larus argentatus increasingly reside in towns and cities to breed and forage, yet how gulls are adjusting their behaviour to life in urban areas is not yet fully understood. This study investigated wild herring gulls' responses to novel and common anthropogenic objects in urban and rural locations. We also examined whether gulls' age influenced their object response behaviour. We found that, out of the 126 individual gulls presented with objects, 34% approached them. This suggests that the majority of targeted gulls were wary or lacked interest in the experimental setup. Of the 43 gulls that approached the objects, we found that those tested in urban locations approached more slowly than their rural counterparts. Overall, gulls showed no preference for either novel or common anthropogenic objects, and age did not influence likelihood of approach, approach speed or object choice. Individuals paid most attention to the object they approached first, potentially indicative of individual preferences. Our findings indicated that most herring gulls are not as attracted to anthropogenic objects as anecdotal reports have suggested. Covering up obvious food rewards may thus help mitigate human-gull conflict over anthropogenic food sources.

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Fatty acids composition in yellow-legged (Larus michahellis) and lesser black-backed (Larus fuscus) gulls from natural and urban habitats in relation to the ingestion of anthropogenic materials

Cited by 6 publications

References 96 publications

Plenty of rooftops with few neighbours occupied by young breeding Yellow‐legged Gulls (Larus michahellis): Does this occur at the expense of their health condition?

Plenty of rooftops with few neighbours occupied by young breeding Yellow‐legged Gulls (Larus michahellis): Does this occur at the expense of their health condition?

Short-term dietary changes are reflected in the cerebral content of adult ring-billed gulls

Object neophilia in wild herring gulls in urban and rural locations

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