Hemispheric asymmetry in ocean change and the productivity of ecosystem sentinels

Background Understanding the evolution of migration requires knowledge of the patterns, sources, and consequences of variation in migratory behaviour, a need exacerbated by the fact that many migratory species show rapid population declines and require knowledge-based conservation measures. We therefore need detailed knowledge on the spatial and temporal distribution of individuals across their annual cycle, and quantify how the spatial and temporal components of migratory behaviour vary within and among individuals. Methods We tracked 138 migratory journeys undertaken by 64 adult common terns (Sterna hirundo) from a breeding colony in northwest Germany to identify the annual spatiotemporal distribution of these birds and to evaluate the individual repeatability of eleven traits describing their migratory behaviour. Results Birds left the breeding colony early September, then moved south along the East Atlantic Flyway. Wintering areas were reached mid-September and located at the west and south coasts of West Africa as well as the coasts of Namibia and South Africa. Birds left their wintering areas late March and reached the breeding colony mid-April. The timing, total duration and total distance of migration, as well as the location of individual wintering areas, were moderately to highly repeatable within individuals (repeatability indexes: 0.36–0.75, 0.65–0.66, 0.93–0.94, and 0.98–1.00, respectively), and repeatability estimates were not strongly affected by population-level inter-annual variation in migratory behaviour. Conclusions We found large between-individual variation in common tern annual spatiotemporal distribution and strong individual repeatability of several aspects of their migratory behaviour.

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“…Such consequences, in turn, are likely to affect many marine animals (for a review see [ 92 ]), including seabirds (e.g. [ 93 , 94 ]).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

High individual repeatability of the migratory behaviour of a long-distance migratory seabird

et al. 2022

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“…We show that declining temporal trends in rates of fecundity are common and widespread for kittiwakes breeding in the UK and Ireland. A recent meta‐analysis demonstrates that this trend is reflected in fish‐eating, surface‐foraging species of seabird, like kittiwakes, across the northern hemisphere (Sydeman et al, 2021). We show that kittiwake fecundity at Skomer Island is declining at a slower rate than observed in many other kittiwake colonies across the UK and Ireland.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact assessments of wind farms on seabird populations that overlook existing drivers of demographic change should be treated with caution

Horswill

Miller

Wood

2022

Conservat Sci and Prac

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Population viability analyses (PVA) are now routinely used during the consenting process for offshore wind energy developments to assess potential impacts to vulnerable species, such as seabirds. These models are typically based on mean vital rates, such as survival and fecundity, with some level of environmental stochasticity (i.e., temporal variation). However, many species of seabird are experiencing population decline due to temporal (i.e., directional) trends in their vital rates. We assess the prevalence of temporal trends in rates of fecundity for a sentinel species of seabird, the black-legged kittiwake Rissa tridactyla, and examine how accounting for these relationships affects the predictive accuracy of PVA, as well as the projected population response to an extrinsic threat. We found that temporal trends in kittiwake rates of fecundity are widespread, and that including these trends in PVA assessments dramatically influences the projected rate of population decline. We advocate that model validation become a prerequisite step in seabird PVA assessments to identify potential biases influencing the projected population response. We also argue that environmental factors driving current population dynamics need to be incorporated in PVA impact assessments as potential "worst-case" scenarios. These findings have immediate application for improving and reducing uncertainty in impact assessments conducted as part of the consenting process for offshore wind energy developments.

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“…Despite the opportunities and undoubted advances that will offered to us by the Decade, when the Decade is done the ocean will most probably still be under stress from human activities (Donovan et al, 2021;Sydeman et al, 2021). We need to keep sight of how we can use the opportunities offered by the Decade to position ourselves for what comes after.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Maximizing Benefits From Punctual Ocean Infrastructure: An Ethical Perspective

Whoriskey

Barbier²,

Mazur

et al. 2021

Front. Mar. Sci.

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Ethics are becoming a component of best practices in ocean science and observing systems, with the research community facing a duty to society to maximize the efficient use and benefits that stem from investments in ocean science/monitoring. Sustained ocean observing systems on issues of global importance are coordinated, internationally sanctioned and making the most out of the resources accorded to them and consequently fulfilling their duty to society. However, globally huge investments are made annually in establishing infrastructure for shorter-term, punctual studies that address targeted as opposed to broad science needs. More could be done to maximize the benefits and impacts of these punctual efforts. Given punctual infrastructure’s small and frequently transient nature, connections to enable sharing will probably be done locally, and both potential additional users and owners of the infrastructure will need to be energetic, receptive and flexible. The accommodation of new uses will have to be balanced against any costs of these additional activities, which could pose an ethical dilemma in themselves if they compromise the infrastructure’s ability to meet its original intent. However, such adaptive infrastructures may be the most efficient way to provide the resources needed to identify and monitor emerging or new ocean stressors.

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Hemispheric asymmetry in ocean change and the productivity of ecosystem sentinels

Cited by 44 publications

References 49 publications

High individual repeatability of the migratory behaviour of a long-distance migratory seabird

High individual repeatability of the migratory behaviour of a long-distance migratory seabird

Impact assessments of wind farms on seabird populations that overlook existing drivers of demographic change should be treated with caution

Maximizing Benefits From Punctual Ocean Infrastructure: An Ethical Perspective

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