Ecological relationships between two sympatric congeneric species, Common Murres and Thick-billed Murres, Uria aalge and U. lomvia, breeding in the Barents Sea

1997 ◽  
Vol 75 (4) ◽  
pp. 618-631 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. T. Barrett ◽  
M. Asheim ◽  
V. Bakken
Keyword(s):  
Barents Sea ◽  
Dive Depth ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Clupea Harengus ◽  
Breeding Ecology ◽  
Uria Aalge ◽  
Common Murre ◽  
The Barents Sea ◽  
Common Murres ◽  
Capelin Mallotus Villosus

Concurrent studies of the breeding ecology of Common Murres and Thick-billed Murres, Uria aalge and U. lomvia, on Hornøya, a colony in northern Norway, showed significant differences between the species in the timing of egg laying but no consistent differences in food choice, feeding frequency and rhythm, dive depth, or chick growth. Both species fed their chicks on capelin, Mallotus villosus, sand lance Ammodytes sp., and herring Clupea harengus. However, on Bear Island in the Barents Sea, the diet differed significantly, with Common Murre chicks being fed nearly exclusively capelin while Thick-billed Murre chicks received capelin, squid Gonatus fabricii, Arctic cod, Boreogadus saida, sculpins (Cottidae), shannies Lumpenus sp., and eelpouts (Zoarcidae). The lack of dietary segregation on Hornøya was in strong contrast with the results of earlier studies of sympatrically breeding murres and was probaby due to a near superabundance of food around the colony.

Effects of predation from juvenile herring (Clupea harengus) on mortality rates of capelin (Mallotus villosus) larvae

2009 ◽  
Vol 66 (10) ◽  
pp. 1693-1706 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elvar H. Hallfredsson ◽  
Torstein Pedersen
Keyword(s):  
Barents Sea ◽  
Fish Larvae ◽  
Mortality Rates ◽  
Clupea Harengus ◽  
Mallotus Villosus ◽  
Rate Estimate ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
The Barents Sea ◽  
Capelin Mallotus Villosus ◽  
Larvae Density

Predation has been suggested as a cause of substantial mortality of fish larvae to the degree that it might influence recruitment. This field-based study concludes that juvenile herring ( Clupea harengus ) as small pelagic predator can significantly affect mortality rates of the planktonic larvae of capelin ( Mallotus villosus ) in the Barents Sea. Surveys were carried out in the summers of 2001 and 2003. In 2001, juvenile herring were widely distributed and overlapped with capelin larvae over a wide area, whereas in 2003, the herring were more aggregated. The study focused on predation in the areas of predator–prey overlap. Capelin larvae were observed in the herring stomachs at 11 of 24 stations and at 8 of 16 stations where herring were caught in 2001 and 2003, respectively. At those stations, an estimated 7.3% and 9.9% of the capelin larvae were eaten by herring per day in 2001 and 2003, respectively. Statistical models revealed that density of capelin larvae and copepods and occurrence of euphausiids in the stomachs affected the number of capelin larvae per predator stomach. A simplified model with only capelin larvae density as predictor was converted to a functional response relationship using an experimentally derived digestion rate estimate for capelin larvae in herring stomachs.

Ecological relationships between Common Murres, Uria aalge, and Thick-billed Murres, Uria lomvia, at the Gannet Islands, Labrador. III. Feeding ecology of the young

1987 ◽  
Vol 65 (7) ◽  
pp. 1638-1649 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. R. Birkhead ◽  
D. N. Nettleship
Keyword(s):  
Caloric Intake ◽  
Interspecific Difference ◽  
Uria Aalge ◽  
Uria Lomvia ◽  
Ice Breakup ◽  
Common Murre ◽  
Interspecific Differences ◽  
Daubed Shanny ◽  
Common Murres ◽  
Capelin Mallotus Villosus

A simultaneous comparison of the foods of Common Murre, Uria aalge, and Thick-billed Murre, Uria lomvia, chicks at the same location showed that the species composition of fish fed to chicks of the two murre species differed significantly. In both years of the study, Common Murre chicks were fed predominantly capelin, Mallotus villosus (78–80% by weight), whereas Thick-billed Murre chicks were fed mainly daubed shanny, Lumpenus maculatus (61–70% by weight). Thick-billed Murres tended to feed their chicks more frequently than Common Murres, probably because in both years the mean caloric value of their prey was lower than that of the Common Murre's. No other statistically significant interspecific differences were consistent between years. Prey lengths and weights overlapped considerably between the murre species, and the caloric intake of chicks showed no consistent interspecific difference. Marked interyear differences in feeding rate, prey size, and caloric intake occurred in both species. In 1982 ice breakup was late, and the murres' breeding seasons were delayed; this appeared to result in poor synchronization between the temporal pattern of food availability and the timing of each species' chick-rearing period, and the caloric intakes of chicks of both species were lower in that year than in 1983.

Ecological relationships between Common Murres, Uria aalge, and Thick-billed Murres, Uria lomvia, at the Gannet Islands, Labrador. I. Morphometrics and timing of breeding

1987 ◽  
Vol 65 (7) ◽  
pp. 1621-1629 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. R. Birkhead ◽  
D. N. Nettleship
Keyword(s):  
Egg Laying ◽  
Laying Date ◽  
Uria Aalge ◽  
Uria Lomvia ◽  
Ecological Relationships ◽  
Ice Breakup ◽  
Common Murre ◽  
Common Murres ◽  
Adult Body Weight ◽  
One Year

Several aspects of the breeding biology of Common Murres (Uria aalge) and Thick-billed Murres (Uria lomvia) in 1981–1983, at the Gannet Islands, Labrador, are described. At this colony there were ca. 60 000 pairs of Common Murres, and 1400 pairs of Thick-billed Murres. Common Murres were slightly heavier and had significantly shorter wings, and longer, narrower bills than Thick-billed Murres. The timing of egg laying varied between years (late breeding in one year was associated with late ice breakup), but the median laying date of Common Murres was consistently earlier (by up to 10 days) than that of Thick-billed Murres. For both species median laying dates fell between mid and late June each year. Common Murre eggs were larger and relatively longer than Thick-billed Murre eggs, but in both species fresh egg weight was about 11% of adult body weight. Incubation periods were similar in each species (33 days), but chick-rearing periods were longer in Common Murres (24 days) than in Thick-billed Murres (21 days) in all years. Seasonal patterns of colony attendance were broadly similar in the two species each year, except that Common Murres showed a consistent increase in numbers between laying and chick departure, and tended to remain at the colony for less time after chicks had departed compared with Thick-billed Murres. All birds of both species left the colony by mid-September each year.

scholarly journals Trophic interactions affecting a key ecosystem component: a multistage analysis of the recruitment of the Barents Sea capelin (Mallotus villosus)

2010 ◽  
Vol 67 (9) ◽  
pp. 1363-1375 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dag Øystein Hjermann ◽  
Bjarte Bogstad ◽  
Gjert Endre Dingsør ◽  
Harald Gjøsæter ◽  
Geir Ottersen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Trophic Interactions ◽  
Gadus Morhua ◽  
Barents Sea ◽  
Clupea Harengus ◽  
Mallotus Villosus ◽  
The Barents Sea ◽  
Key Species ◽  
Capelin Mallotus Villosus ◽  
Ecosystem Component ◽  
Recruitment Stages

The Barents Sea stock of capelin ( Mallotus villosus ) has suffered three major collapses (>90% reduction) since 1985 due to recruitment failures. As capelin is a key species in the area, these population collapses have had major ecosystem consequences. By analysing data on spawner biomass and three recruitment stages (larvae, 0-group, and 1-year-olds), we suggest that much of the recruitment failures are caused by predation from herring ( Clupea harengus ) and 0-group and adult Northeast Arctic cod ( Gadus morhua ). Recruitment is furthermore positively correlated with sea temperatures in winter and spring. Harvesting of maturing capelin on their way to the spawning grounds reduced the abundance of larvae significantly, but this reduction to a large extent is compensated for later in life, as mortality is strongly density-dependent between the larval stage and age 1. Altogether, our study indicates a very high importance of trophic interactions, consistent with similar findings in other high-latitude marine ecosystems.

The diets of common and Brünnich's guillemots Uria aalge and U. lomvia in the Barents Sea region

1997 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 73-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert T. Barrett ◽  
Vidar Bakken ◽  
Juri V. Krasnov
Keyword(s):  
Barents Sea ◽  
Uria Aalge ◽  
The Barents Sea

scholarly journals Ecological interactions and habitat modification in nesting Common Murres, Uria aalge

1996 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 261-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia K. Parrish ◽  
Robert T. Paine
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Output ◽  
Habitat Modification ◽  
Haliaeetus Leucocephalus ◽  
Uria Aalge ◽  
Ecological Interactions ◽  
Bald Eagles ◽  
Predator Removal ◽  
Common Murre ◽  
Corvus Caurinus ◽  
Common Murres

SummarySeabird populations suffer from a variety of natural and human-induced sources of mortality and loss of lifetime reproductive output. On the outer coast of Washington State, Common Murre Uria aalge populations have been in decline for approximately the last decade and are currently reproductively active only at Tatoosh Island. These murres nest in two basic habitat types: crevices (25% of the population) and larger cliff-top subcolonies (75%). Murres in cliff-top subcolonies have suffered dramatic reductions in reproductive success in recent years relative to conspecifics nesting in the crevices, primarily due to egg predation by Glaucous-winged Gulls Larus glaucescens and Northwestern Crows Corvus caurinus, facilitated by the presence of Bald Eagles Haliaeetus leucocephalus. Because predator removal is not feasible and creation of additional crevice habitat is difficult, expensive and potentially ineffective, we have designed a temporary habitat modification (the “silk forest”) which replaces the natural vegetation cover and modifies the interaction between murres and eagles. Within the test subcolony, murres nesting under and immediately adjacent to the silk forest produced nearly twice as many eggs per square metre as their conspecifics nesting in adjacent exposed-ground areas.

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