Impacts of Seabirds on Plant and Soil Properties

Mulder, Christa P. H.; Jones, HC; Kameda, Kayoko; Palmborg, Cecilia; Schmidt, Susanne; Ellis, Julie C.; Orrock, John L.; Wait, A.J.; Wardle, David A.; Yang, Liu; Young, Hillary S.; Croll, Donald A.; Vidal, Éric

doi:10.1093/acprof:osobl/9780199735693.003.0005

Cited by 47 publications

(56 citation statements)

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“…This suggests that additional factors, besides plant communities' alteration, accounted for species composition of the tardigrades around the seabird colony. One of these factors could be soil pH, which was recognised to be lowered near little auk guano (Wait et al 2005;Mulder et al 2011;Zwolicki et al 2013). Dastych (1985Dastych ( , 1988 divided tardigrade species into five categories with respect to their preferences for pH values: eucalciphil, polycalciphil, mesocalciphil, oligocalciphil and acalciphil.…”

Section: Discussion Tardigrada Abundance and Species Compositionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Such habitats are, for example, formed in the vicinity of seabird colonies. The supply of ornithogenic nutrients around these colonies, originating mainly from guano, significantly enhances soil conductivity, nitrogen, potassium and phosphate ion concentrations and decreases soil pH values, all of which dramatically change the environmental conditions (Mulder et al 2011;Zmudczyńska et al 2012;Zwolicki et al 2013;Klimaszyk et al 2015a, b). In polar regions, such fertilisation results in the development of exceptionally lush, compact and diverse plant and microbiota communities (Eurola and Hakala 1977;Odasz 1994;Ellis 2005;Zmudczyńska et al 2008Zmudczyńska et al , 2009Zmudczyńska-Skarbek et al 2013), which in turn attracts populations of herbivores, predators, scavengers and decomposers (Croll et al 2005;Jakubas et al 2008;Zmudczyńska et al 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The influence of a seabird colony on abundance and species composition of water bears (Tardigrada) in Hornsund (Spitsbergen, Arctic)

et al. 2015

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Seabirds in the Arctic are known to link marine and terrestrial ecosystems. They feed in the sea and breed on land, where they deposit enormous amounts of guano. Soil in the vicinity of seabird colonies is much more enriched with nutrients as compared to areas beyond their impact, which positively affects primary and secondary production. Water bears (Tardigrada) are microinvertebrates which constitute a permanent and ubiquitous faunal component of polar regions. Here, we tested the influence of seabird guano on Tardigrada communities; we established two transects in Hornsund (SW Spitsbergen): (1) SEABIRD where little auks (Alle alle) nested, and (2) CONTROL, an area without a little auk colony. In total, we collected 160 moss, lichen and mixed (moss/lichen) samples from those areas. In total, we found 1990 specimens belonging to 32 taxa (25 identified to species level). The average density of water bears was higher in the SEABIRD transect (9.31 ind g -1 ), where mosses predominated over lichens, in comparison with the CONTROL transect (5.83 ind g -1 ), where more lichens occurred. Thus, ornithogenic enrichment of soil and locally facilitated development of mosses over lichens might be important factors responsible for the increase in invertebrate abundance. According to canonical correspondence analysis, the little auk colony effect explained 13.2 % of the tardigrade species composition, and this factor appeared to be more important than the vegetation type itself. Four taxa, i.e. Isohypsibius cf. reticulatus, Microhypsibius bertolanii, Minibiotus cf. formosus and Ramazzottius cf. rupeus, have been recorded in the Svalbard archipelago for the first time.

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Section: Discussion Tardigrada Abundance and Species Compositionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The influence of a seabird colony on abundance and species composition of water bears (Tardigrada) in Hornsund (Spitsbergen, Arctic)

et al. 2015

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“…Wainright et al 1998;Wait et al 2005;Zmudczyńska et al 2009;Mulder et al 2011;Smith et al 2011;Zwolicki et al 2013). Nonetheless, current knowledge and understanding of seabird impact on tundra productivity remains incomplete.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variability of polar scurvygrass Cochlearia groenlandica individual traits along a seabird influenced gradient across Spitsbergen tundra

et al. 2013

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In the resource-limited Arctic environment, vegetation developing near seabird colonies is exceptionally luxuriant. Nevertheless, there are very few detailed quantitative studies of any specific plant species responses to ornithogenic manuring. Therefore, we studied variability of polar scurvygrass Cochlearia groenlandica individual biomass and leaf width along a seabird influenced gradient determining environmental conditions for vegetation in south-west Spitsbergen. We found seabird colony effect being a paramount factor responsible for augmented growth of C. groenlandica. The species predominated close to the colony and reached the highest mean values of individual biomass (1.4 g) and leaf width (26.6 mm) 10 m below the colony. Its abundance and size declined towards the coast. Both C. groenlandica individual traits significantly decreased with distance from the colony, soil water and organic matter content and increased with guano deposition, soil d 15 N, conductivity, acidity and nitrate, phosphate and potassium ion content. Our study supports the hypothesis that seabirds have fundamental importance for vegetation growth in poor Arctic environment. Highly plastic species such as C. groenlandica may be a useful instrument in detecting habitat condition changes, for instance resulting from climate change.

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“…Birds that forage at sea and breed on land deposit large amounts of guano, eggshells, feathers, and carcasses near their colonies, thus initiating the formation of ornithogenic soils and thereby facilitating the development of associated tundra communities, with increased primary and secondary production and biodiversity (Mulder et al 2011;Ellis et al 2011). This large-scale transport of organic and inorganic matter from sea to land is crucial for many Arctic and Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems, which otherwise are characterized by chronic deficiency of certain nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and calcium (Ryan and Watkins 1989;Cocks et al 1998;Stempniewicz 2005;Bokhorst et al 2007;Smith and Froneman 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Guano deposition and nutrient enrichment in the vicinity of planktivorous and piscivorous seabird colonies in Spitsbergen

et al. 2012

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The crucial role of seabirds in the enrichment of nutrient-poor polar terrestrial ecosystem is well-known. However, no studies have examined the potentially different impacts associated with piscivorous and planktivorous bird colonies on the surrounding tundra soils. Therefore, we compared guano deposition and physical and chemical parameters of soil near two large seabird colonies, one of planktivorous little auks (Alle alle) and the other comprising piscivorous Brunnich's guillemots (Uria lomvia) and kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla). The two colonies generated similar levels of guano deposition, with the intensity of deposition decreasing away from the colony. Guano deposition adjacent to both colonies was considerably higher than that in control areas. The increased guano supply around colonies significantly enhanced soil conductivity, nitrogen (NO 3 -, NH 4 ? ), potassium (K ? ), and phosphate (PO 4 3-) ion concentrations and led to reduced pH values. Guano deposition explained 84 % (piscivorous colony) and 67 % (planktivorous colony) of the total variation in the tested soil parameters. Planktivore and piscivore colonies affected adjacent tundra in different ways. The phosphate content and pH value of soil influenced by piscivores were significantly higher than values measured in planktivore-influenced soil. The gradient of guano deposition and associated ion content in the soil decreased more rapidly with distance from the piscivore colony. Climate-induced changes in populations of planktivorous and piscivorous seabirds are expected in the study region and may therefore have substantial consequential effects on Arctic terrestrial ecosystems.

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Impacts of Seabirds on Plant and Soil Properties

Cited by 47 publications

References 0 publications

The influence of a seabird colony on abundance and species composition of water bears (Tardigrada) in Hornsund (Spitsbergen, Arctic)

The influence of a seabird colony on abundance and species composition of water bears (Tardigrada) in Hornsund (Spitsbergen, Arctic)

Variability of polar scurvygrass Cochlearia groenlandica individual traits along a seabird influenced gradient across Spitsbergen tundra

Guano deposition and nutrient enrichment in the vicinity of planktivorous and piscivorous seabird colonies in Spitsbergen

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