Parental efforts of an Arctic seabird, the little auk<i>Alle alle</i>, under variable foraging conditions

Kidawa, Dorota; Jakubas, Dariusz; Wojczulanis‐Jakubas, Katarzyna; Stempniewicz, Lech; Trudnowska, Emilia; Boehnke, Rafał; Keslinka-Nawrot, Liliana; Błachowiak‐Samołyk, Katarzyna

doi:10.1080/17451000.2014.940974

Cited by 35 publications

(49 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…Further, the elevated corticosterone levels in parent birds might reduce chick provisioning and even trigger brood desertion (Landys et al 2006;Angelier et al 2009). Our results correspond with those of previous studies on Little Auks, which showed that in poor foraging habitat conditions, chick feeding frequency and chick body mass substantially decreased Kidawa et al 2015). A lower body mass has been previously documented in chicks with parents that had their feathers clipped or carried data loggers Kidawa et al 2012).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

“…Parent birds might be flexible and adjust their provisioning efforts to variable trophic conditions. Some studies have suggested that Little Auks can compensate for a lower quality of food by increasing the number of feedings (Jakubas et al 2007;Kwasniewski et al 2010), whereas others documented a decreased provisioning rate under deteriorated foraging conditions Kidawa et al 2015). The inconsistency of these results is difficult to explain in natural conditions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 69%

“…Nonetheless, in the experiment with corticosterone-implanted parents, we observed no significant increase in the feeding rate of the untreated partner. However, the delivery rate by the partners was one of the highest observed in the studied colony and other Little Auk colonies to date (Stempniewicz and Jezierski 1987;Jakubas et al 2007;Welcker et al 2009;Karnovsky et al 2010;Kwasniewski et al 2010;Grémillet et al 2012;Kidawa et al 2012;Hovinen et al 2014;Kidawa et al 2015). It is likely that these birds provisioned chicks at near their maximal rates.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Parent-offspring interactions in a long-lived seabird, the Little Auk (Alle alle): begging and provisioning under simulated stress

2016

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Long-lived seabirds are good models to study the mechanisms that mediate the parent-offspring interactions. Contrary to studies under natural conditions, experimental manipulations allow us to assess the birds' reactions in a short time period. We used the stress hormone corticosterone as an independent experimental factor to simulate the stress reaction, to examine changes in the behaviour of Little Auk chicks and parent birds. In the first experiment, we hypothesised that after enhancement of the corticosterone level Little Auk (Alle alle) chicks intensify their begging performance and attain a higher pre-fledging body mass than the control chicks. In the second experiment, we hypothesized that parent Little Auks with an increased corticosterone level feed their chicks less frequently and spend less time at the colony than their untreated partners and the control birds. We also expected that chicks with one parent implanted with corticosterone fledge later and with a lower body mass than chicks of two untreated parents. The obtained results supported the above hypotheses. We demonstrated that modification of begging performance in Little Auks constitutes an adaptive mechanism that guards against the decrease in the chicks' body condition during stressful periods. Even though the provisioning rate in Little Auks can be regulated according to the chick's needs (expressed by the intensity of the begging display), it appears that adult birds regulate their provisioning strategy primarily according to their body state. The results suggest that parent Little Auks under stressful conditions will decrease their parental effort and redirect the available energy towards self-maintenance. The study provides novel insights into the behaviour of long-lived alcids using an experimental approach on free-living birds.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 69%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Parent-offspring interactions in a long-lived seabird, the Little Auk (Alle alle): begging and provisioning under simulated stress

2016

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“…data). Such an opportunity for emergency feeding close to the colony when weather conditions beyond the fjord are bad may increase the breeding success of birds (Jakubas et al , 2014Kidawa et al 2015;Hilde et al 2016) and buffer the adverse consequences of climatic and oceanographic changes (Grémillet et al , 2015.…”

Section: Foraging Community Structure and Habitat Preferencesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Marine birds and mammals foraging in the rapidly deglaciating Arctic fjord - numbers, distribution and habitat preferences

et al. 2016

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Climate-induced glacier retreat is considered in the context of its reducing the seaice contact zone used by marine birds and mammals as important foraging grounds and may cause declines in their numbers. To test this hypothesis, a survey was conducted in diversified habitats of a rapidly deglaciating Arctic fjord in Svalbard. Of the fifteen seabird and four mammal species found, coastal surface-feeders prevailed over benthic-feeders and pelagic pursuit-divers. Deep tidewater glacier bays were used by the most numerous but least heterogeneous foraging community, in contrast to the shallow lagoons of coastlineterminating glaciers and deglaciated shorelines. After the 15 years of glaciers retreat documented in Hornsund, the sea-ice contact zone used by birds and mammals has not declined. On the contrary, the increasing freshwater supply from underwater glacial rivers raising zooplankton up to the surface, thus making it available to seabirds, enhances the attractiveness of tidewater glacier bays. Along with the stage of retreat, the importance of glacier bays as feeding grounds changes. Foraging conditions deteriorate when the glacier terminus reaches the coastline and the glacier bay becomes shallower. However, glacier retreat enlarges the area of littoral habitats accessible to benthophages. Glacier-related habitats situated close to colony are used as alternative/emergency feeding grounds by seabirds that normally forage outside the fjord. This is especially important during the chick-rearing period and also during bad weather conditions in the open sea. Our study demonstrates that, so far, the abundance and species diversity of seabirds foraging in the rapidly deglaciating Hornsund are both high, suggesting that they benefit from the current intensive glacier melt. However, with further climate change an apparent biodiversity paradox may occur. Here, overall biodiversity will increase but local diversity of pagophilic species will decline. Such nonlinear responses complicate the prediction of future polar ecosystem dynamics.

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“…Increased pelagic grazing and recycling in the water column may lead to a decrease in the biomass of benthic species, including intermediate hosts of helminths. The change in the species composition of zooplankton (which is already being observed), the penetration of boreal fish species into the Arctic waters and their growing abundance may shift (are, in fact, shifting -see Kidawa et al, 2015) priorities in the food choice by seabirds. The consequences for the transmission of helminths are difficult to predict.…”

Section: Helminth Abundance and Host Colonizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Patterns and processes influencing helminth parasites of Arctic coastal communities during climate change

Галактионов

2017

J. Helminthol.

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This review analyses the scarce available data on biodiversity and transmission of helminths in Arctic coastal ecosystems and the potential impact of climate changes on them. The focus is on the helminths of seabirds, dominant parasites in coastal ecosystems. Their fauna in the Arctic is depauperate because of the lack of suitable intermediate hosts and unfavourable conditions for species with freeliving larvae. An increasing proportion of crustaceans in the diet of Arctic seabirds would result in a higher infection intensity of cestodes and acanthocephalans, and may also promote the infection of seabirds with non-specific helminths. In this way, the latter may find favourable conditions for colonization of new hosts. Climate changes may alter the composition of the helminth fauna, their infection levels in hosts and ways of transmission in coastal communities. Immigration of boreal invertebrates and fish into Arctic seas may allow the circulation of helminths using them as intermediate hosts. Changing migratory routes of animals would alter the distribution of their parasites, facilitating, in particular, their trans-Arctic transfer. Prolongation of the seasonal 'transmission window' may increase the parasitic load on host populations. Changes in Arctic marine food webs would have an overriding influence on the helminths' circulation. This process may be influenced by the predicted decreased of salinity in Arctic seas, increased storm activity, coastal erosion, ocean acidification, decline of Arctic ice, etc. Greater parasitological research efforts are needed to assess the influence of factors related to Arctic climate change on the transmission of helminths.

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Parental efforts of an Arctic seabird, the little aukAlle alle, under variable foraging conditions

Cited by 35 publications

References 55 publications

Parent-offspring interactions in a long-lived seabird, the Little Auk (Alle alle): begging and provisioning under simulated stress

Parent-offspring interactions in a long-lived seabird, the Little Auk (Alle alle): begging and provisioning under simulated stress

Marine birds and mammals foraging in the rapidly deglaciating Arctic fjord - numbers, distribution and habitat preferences

Patterns and processes influencing helminth parasites of Arctic coastal communities during climate change

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