Examining Patterns in Nocturnal Seabird Activity and Recovery Across the Western Aleutian Islands, Alaska, using Automated Acoustic Recording
Populations of nocturnal burrow-nesting seabirds are notoriously difficult to measure because of their cryptic behavior at remote breeding sites. However, there is an urgent need to identify factors that influence recovery of these populations, because of the increasing number of introduced-predator...
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ftbioone:10.1525/auk.2013.12134 2024-05-12T08:09:27+00:00 Examining Patterns in Nocturnal Seabird Activity and Recovery Across the Western Aleutian Islands, Alaska, using Automated Acoustic Recording Rachel T. Buxton Heather L. Major Ian L. Jones Jeffrey C. Williams Rachel T. Buxton Heather L. Major Ian L. Jones Jeffrey C. Williams world 2013-04-01 text/HTML https://doi.org/10.1525/auk.2013.12134 en eng American Ornithological Society doi:10.1525/auk.2013.12134 All rights reserved. https://doi.org/10.1525/auk.2013.12134 Text 2013 ftbioone https://doi.org/10.1525/auk.2013.12134 2024-04-16T02:13:36Z Populations of nocturnal burrow-nesting seabirds are notoriously difficult to measure because of their cryptic behavior at remote breeding sites. However, there is an urgent need to identify factors that influence recovery of these populations, because of the increasing number of introduced-predator eradication projects whose ultimate goal is to facilitate seabird and, thus, ecosystem recovery. We asked whether the relative status of nocturnal burrow-nesting seabirds across the Aleutian Islands, Alaskainferred from levels of vocal activity collected with automated acoustic recording devices-can be explained in terms of ecological factors such as time since eradication, island size, and distance to source population. We deployed a total of 19 acoustic recorders on six islands during 2008–2010. Overall nocturnal call activity (mean number of calls night-1 ± SE) was high (493 ±287) where predators were never introduced, low (0.3 ± 0.1) where introduced rats were present, and intermediate (29 ± 18) where introduced predators have been eradicated. Using an information-theoretic approach, we found support for multiple factors as an explanation for the call activity of Leach's Storm-Petrels (Oceanodroma leucorhoa), Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels (O. furcata), and Ancient Murrelets (Synthliboramphus antiquus). Specifically, we conclude that although recovery of nocturnal burrow-nesting seabird populations in the Aleutians is not straightforward, the presence of nearby “predator refugia” may maximize the probability of seabird recovery and can be used when prioritizing islands for eradication programs. Text Oceanodroma leucorhoa Alaska Aleutian Islands BioOne Online Journals The Auk 130 2 331 341 |
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ftbioone |
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English |
description |
Populations of nocturnal burrow-nesting seabirds are notoriously difficult to measure because of their cryptic behavior at remote breeding sites. However, there is an urgent need to identify factors that influence recovery of these populations, because of the increasing number of introduced-predator eradication projects whose ultimate goal is to facilitate seabird and, thus, ecosystem recovery. We asked whether the relative status of nocturnal burrow-nesting seabirds across the Aleutian Islands, Alaskainferred from levels of vocal activity collected with automated acoustic recording devices-can be explained in terms of ecological factors such as time since eradication, island size, and distance to source population. We deployed a total of 19 acoustic recorders on six islands during 2008–2010. Overall nocturnal call activity (mean number of calls night-1 ± SE) was high (493 ±287) where predators were never introduced, low (0.3 ± 0.1) where introduced rats were present, and intermediate (29 ± 18) where introduced predators have been eradicated. Using an information-theoretic approach, we found support for multiple factors as an explanation for the call activity of Leach's Storm-Petrels (Oceanodroma leucorhoa), Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels (O. furcata), and Ancient Murrelets (Synthliboramphus antiquus). Specifically, we conclude that although recovery of nocturnal burrow-nesting seabird populations in the Aleutians is not straightforward, the presence of nearby “predator refugia” may maximize the probability of seabird recovery and can be used when prioritizing islands for eradication programs. |
author2 |
Rachel T. Buxton Heather L. Major Ian L. Jones Jeffrey C. Williams |
format |
Text |
author |
Rachel T. Buxton Heather L. Major Ian L. Jones Jeffrey C. Williams |
spellingShingle |
Rachel T. Buxton Heather L. Major Ian L. Jones Jeffrey C. Williams Examining Patterns in Nocturnal Seabird Activity and Recovery Across the Western Aleutian Islands, Alaska, using Automated Acoustic Recording |
author_facet |
Rachel T. Buxton Heather L. Major Ian L. Jones Jeffrey C. Williams |
author_sort |
Rachel T. Buxton |
title |
Examining Patterns in Nocturnal Seabird Activity and Recovery Across the Western Aleutian Islands, Alaska, using Automated Acoustic Recording |
title_short |
Examining Patterns in Nocturnal Seabird Activity and Recovery Across the Western Aleutian Islands, Alaska, using Automated Acoustic Recording |
title_full |
Examining Patterns in Nocturnal Seabird Activity and Recovery Across the Western Aleutian Islands, Alaska, using Automated Acoustic Recording |
title_fullStr |
Examining Patterns in Nocturnal Seabird Activity and Recovery Across the Western Aleutian Islands, Alaska, using Automated Acoustic Recording |
title_full_unstemmed |
Examining Patterns in Nocturnal Seabird Activity and Recovery Across the Western Aleutian Islands, Alaska, using Automated Acoustic Recording |
title_sort |
examining patterns in nocturnal seabird activity and recovery across the western aleutian islands, alaska, using automated acoustic recording |
publisher |
American Ornithological Society |
publishDate |
2013 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1525/auk.2013.12134 |
op_coverage |
world |
genre |
Oceanodroma leucorhoa Alaska Aleutian Islands |
genre_facet |
Oceanodroma leucorhoa Alaska Aleutian Islands |
op_source |
https://doi.org/10.1525/auk.2013.12134 |
op_relation |
doi:10.1525/auk.2013.12134 |
op_rights |
All rights reserved. |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1525/auk.2013.12134 |
container_title |
The Auk |
container_volume |
130 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
331 |
op_container_end_page |
341 |
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1798852706766422016 |