scholarly journals Correlating tropical climate with survival of an Arctic-breeding, trans-equatorial migrant seabird

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 656-668 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danielle T. Fife ◽  
Shanti E. Davis ◽  
Gregory J. Robertson ◽  
H. Grant Gilchrist ◽  
Iain J. Stenhouse ◽  
...  

Extreme climate can negatively affect survival through increased physiological demands or by reducing prey availability. This can have significant population-level consequences for organisms with low reproductive rates, such as seabirds. As an Arctic-breeding trans-equatorial migrant, Sabine’s gull (Xema sabini) is exposed to a profound variety of climate regimes during the year. Therefore, its annual survival may be affected by broad-scale teleconnection patterns that influence regional climate variability. We used Program MARK to estimate apparent survival and resighting probabilities from 2007 to 2013 for adult Sabine’s gulls breeding at a High Arctic colony. We then combined capture–mark–recapture data for the High Arctic colony with those previously published from a Low Arctic colony (1998–2002) to examine influences of climate variability on survival. Mean ± standard error apparent survival estimated for the High Arctic colony was 0.90 ± 0.03, similar to that previously reported for the Low Arctic colony. We found a negative relationship between survival and the Tropical/Northern Hemisphere pattern, an atmospheric mode that is associated with the Pacific jet stream. Our study suggests that although Sabine’s gull survival was generally high and relatively constant over time, adult mortality may increase during years of extreme climate events in regions far beyond their Arctic breeding grounds.

Author(s):  
Elena García‐Bustamante ◽  
J. Fidel Fidel González‐Rouco ◽  
Elena García‐Lozano ◽  
Fernando Martinez‐Peña ◽  
Jorge Navarro

2008 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 133-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maris Klavins ◽  
Valery Rodinov

The study of changes in river discharge is important for regional climate variability characterization and for development of an efficient water resource management system. The hydrological regime of rivers and their long-term changes in Latvia were investigated. Four major types of river hydrological regimes, which depend on climatic and physicogeographic factors, were characterized. These factors are linked to the changes observed in river discharge. Periodic oscillations of discharge, and low- and high-water flow years are common for the major rivers in Latvia. A main frequency of river discharge regime changes of about 20 and 13 years was estimated for the studied rivers. A significant impact of climate variability on the river discharge regime has been found.


1978 ◽  
Vol 129 ◽  
pp. 1-66
Author(s):  
S Funder

The Holocene stratigraphy in Scoresby Sund is based on climatic change as reflected by fluctuations in fjord and valley glaciers, immigration and extinction of marine molluscs, and the vegetation history recorded in pollen diagrams from five lakes. The histories are dated by C-14, and indirectly by emergence curves showing the patterns of isostatic uplift. From c. 10100-10400 to 9400 yr BP the major fjord glaciers showed oscillatory retreat with abundant moraine formation, the period of the Milne Land Moraines. The vegetation in the ice-free areas was a sparse type of fell field vegetation but with thermophilous elements indicating temperatures similar to the present. From 9400 yr BP the fjord glaciers retreated rapidly in the narrow fjords, the few moraines formed are referred to the Rødefjord stages and indicate topographically conditioned stillstands. At 8000 yr BP the low arctic Betula nana immigrated into the area, and in the period until 5000 yr BP dense dwarf shrub heath grew in areas where it is now absent. In the fjords the subarctic Mytilus edulis and Pecten islandica lived, suggesting a climate warmer than the present. From c. 5000 yr BP the dense dwarf shrub heath began to disappear in the coastal areas, and a 'poor' heath dominated by the high arctic Salix Arctica and Cassiope tetragona expanded. These two species, which are now extremely common, apparently did not grow in the area until c. 6000 yr BP. In lakes in the coastal area minerogenic sedimentation at c. 2800 yr BP, reflecting the general climatic deterioration.


Ardea ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 98 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karel A. Allard ◽  
H. Grant Gilchrist ◽  
André R. Breton ◽  
Cynthia D. Gilbert ◽  
Mark L. Mallory

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristin Bianchini ◽  
Mark L. Mallory ◽  
Birgit Braune ◽  
Derek C.G. Muir ◽  
Jennifer F. Provencher

Contaminant levels and trends have been monitored in eggs of seabirds from the Canadian Arctic since 1975. Nearly 50 years of monitoring have provided key information regarding the temporal and spatial variation of various contaminant classes in different seabird species. However, previous work has primarily assessed individual or related contaminant classes in isolation. There is therefore a need to collectively consider all of the contaminants monitored in seabird eggs to determine where monitoring has been successful, to find areas for improvement, and to identify opportunities for future research. In this review, we evaluated monitoring data for the major legacy and emerging contaminants of concern in five seabird species from three High Arctic and three Low Arctic colonies in Canada. We review the history of Canada’s Arctic seabird egg monitoring program and discuss how monitoring efforts have changed over time; we summarize temporal, spatial, and interspecies variations in Arctic seabird egg contamination and identify important knowledge gaps; and we discuss future directions for ecotoxicology research using seabird eggs in Arctic Canada. Ultimately, this paper provides a high-level overview of the egg contaminant monitoring program and underscores the importance of long-term and continued seabird contaminant monitoring in Arctic Canada.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document