Black Guillemots as indicators of change in the near-shore Arctic marine ecosystem

• Main Author: Harter, B. Britten
• Other Authors: Davoren, Gail (Biological Science), Sealy, Spencer (Biological Science) Walker, David (Geography)
• Language: English
• Published: 2007
• Subjects: Arctic Cod; Black Guillemot; seabird; wind speed; wind direction; chick mass; foraging habitat; remote sensing ice; MODIS; provisioning; cepphus; Beaufort Sea; Arctic Ocean; Barrow; ambient temperature; chick growth; prey availability; Alcidae; Arctic; Barrier Island; Cooper Island; Arctic cod; Black guillemot; Boreogadus saida; Cepphus grylle
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1993/2826

This study attempted to explain an apparent inverse relationship between pack ice proximity and breeding success of Black Guillemots (Cepphus grylle) on Cooper Island, a barrier island in the western Beaufort Sea near Barrow, AK. I elucidated the first linear relationship between energy density and body size for the elusive Arctic Cod (Boreogadus saida). I discovered and ground-truthed the existence of previously unknown guillemot foraging habitat on small 50 m2 ice floes distant from the pack ice. I developed new daily metrics for quantifying the provisioning to linear (8 d – 18 d) and Post-Linear (19 d – fledge) chicks. I found daily consensus between Linear and Post-Linear chicks about the level of provisioning at the colony. Finally, I explained those daily changes with significant correlations with wind speed and direction.