The Little Auk Alle alle: an ecological indicator of a changing Arctic and a model organism

Abstract

The Little Auk Alle alle is a small planktivorous auk breeding colonially in the High Arctic. Owing to its large population size and bi-environmental lifestyle, resulting in the large-scale transport of matter from sea to land, the Little Auk is one of the most important components of the marine and terrestrial ecosystems in the Arctic. As a result of globalization, which facilitates access to remote areas of the Earth, a growing number of studies is being dedicated to this endemic Arctic seabird. Research has focussed primarily on the importance of the Little Auk as an ecological indicator reacting to the climatic and oceanological changes that are particularly evident in the Arctic as a result of Arctic amplification (warming is more rapid in the Arctic than in any other region on Earth). Importantly, the species is also used as a model to investigate matter and energy flow through the ecosystem, mate choice, parental care and biological rhythms. Here, we review the natural history of the Little Auk, highlighting studies with the potential to provide answers to universal questions regarding the response of seabirds to climate variability and avian reproductive behaviour, e.g. threshold of foraging flexibility in response to environmental variability, carry-over effects between the breeding and non-breeding periods, the reasons for the transition from bi- to uni-parental care, parental coordination mechanisms.

Consequences of Atlantification on a Zooplanktivorous Arctic Seabird

“…The little auk Alle alle is the most abundant seabird in the North Atlantic (Barrett et al, 2006) breeding almost exclusively at high latitudes Wojczulanis-Jakubas et al, 2021). It has a strong influence on both marine and terrestrial ecosystem functioning and acts as an ecosystem engineer by consuming large amounts of zooplankton and by transporting vast amounts of nutrients from sea to land (Barrett et al, 2006;Zwolicki et al, 2016;Gonzaĺez-Bergonzoni et al, 2017).…”

Mercury Contamination Challenges the Behavioral Response of a Keystone Species to Arctic Climate Change

“…The East Greenland current transports Arctic waters southward past Ukaleqarteq, promoting favorable foraging conditions for little auks, but SST and SIC vary interannually, and climate change is increasingly elevating SST and reducing SIC. , Little auks nest under rocks, often in accessible locations. The sexes are of similar size and contribute equally to parental care. , Thus, we did not distinguish between the sexes.…”

“…The sexes are of similar size and contribute equally to parental care. 38,39 Thus, we did not distinguish between the sexes.…”

Use of geolocators for investigating breeding ecology of a rock crevice‐nesting seabird: Method validation and impact assessment

“…In this study, we developed a methodological workflow to examine key breeding behavior based on GLS data (light levels and conductivity data) in a small Arctic, rock crevice‐nesting seabird, the Little Auk, Alle alle . This species is considered a good model for many ecological and evolutionary questions (Stempniewicz, 2001; Wojczulanis‐Jakubas et al, 2021), including birds' responses to ongoing climate changes and anthropogenic pressure (Renedo et al, 2020; Wojczulanis‐Jakubas et al, 2021) as well as coordination of parental care (Grissot, Araya‐Salas, et al, 2019; Wojczulanis‐Jakubas et al, 2018). To understand the breeding biology of the Little Auk is therefore very important not only on its own as a model species but also for understanding various ecological processes in this and other species in analogical ecological contexts.…”