Mass and energy transfer to seabirds in the southeastern Bering Sea
It has been hypothesized that differentiation in food web structure occurs across the Bering Sea continental shelf as a result of seasonal differentiation of water masses. We tested this idea using an apex predator, pelagic birds. Seasonal abundance of birds in central Bristol Bay was estimated from...
Published in: | Continental Shelf Research |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | unknown |
Published: |
eScholarship, University of California
1986
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5c85z24h https://escholarship.org/content/qt5c85z24h/qt5c85z24h.pdf https://doi.org/10.1016/0278-4343(86)90017-8 |
id |
ftcdlib:oai:escholarship.org:ark:/13030/qt5c85z24h |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftcdlib:oai:escholarship.org:ark:/13030/qt5c85z24h 2024-09-15T17:59:35+00:00 Mass and energy transfer to seabirds in the southeastern Bering Sea Schneider, David C Hunt, George L Harrison, Nancy M 241 - 257 1986-01-01 application/pdf https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5c85z24h https://escholarship.org/content/qt5c85z24h/qt5c85z24h.pdf https://doi.org/10.1016/0278-4343(86)90017-8 unknown eScholarship, University of California qt5c85z24h https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5c85z24h https://escholarship.org/content/qt5c85z24h/qt5c85z24h.pdf doi:10.1016/0278-4343(86)90017-8 CC-BY Continental Shelf Research, vol 5, iss 1-2 Affordable and Clean Energy Earth Sciences Biological Sciences Oceanography article 1986 ftcdlib https://doi.org/10.1016/0278-4343(86)90017-8 2024-06-28T06:28:19Z It has been hypothesized that differentiation in food web structure occurs across the Bering Sea continental shelf as a result of seasonal differentiation of water masses. We tested this idea using an apex predator, pelagic birds. Seasonal abundance of birds in central Bristol Bay was estimated from counts made while underway between hydrographic stations. Prey and body mass were determined from birds collected at sea. Daily intake was estimated as an allometric function of body mass. Annual occupancy was estimated as the integral of a normal curve fit to seasonal data. Estimated carbon flux to seabirds in the middle domain was 0.12 gC m-2 y-1 in 1980, 0.18 gC m-2 y-1 in 1981. Carbon flux to seabirds in the adjacent waters of the outer shelf domain was 1.8 times higher than in the middle domain in 1980, 1.6 times higher in 1981. Carbon flux to seabirds in the inner domain was 1.2 times higher than in the middle domain in 1980, and 3.3 times higher in 1981. Carbon flux to seabirds in the outer domain was due primarily to non-diving species, principally northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) during the summer and autumn, and Larus gulls in the autumn and winter. Flux to seabirds in the inner domain was due to diving birds, principally murres (Uria sp.) in the spring and shearwaters (Puffinus sp.) during the summer. The euphausiid Thysanoessa raschii was the primary food source of shearwaters in shallow waters of the inner shelf domain. A more diverse set of prey, including squid, jellyfish, hyperiids, and fish, was taken by shearwaters and fulmars in the deeper waters of the outer and middle shelf domains. This result suggests that prey diversity is higher in seasonally stratified waters of outer Bristol Bay than in mixed waters of inner Bristol Bay. Greater energy flux to diving species in shallow water, and greater energy flux to non-divers in deep water may be a function of topographic control of prey patchiness. © 1985. Article in Journal/Newspaper Bering Sea Fulmarus glacialis Thysanoessa raschii uria University of California: eScholarship Continental Shelf Research 5 1-2 241 257 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of California: eScholarship |
op_collection_id |
ftcdlib |
language |
unknown |
topic |
Affordable and Clean Energy Earth Sciences Biological Sciences Oceanography |
spellingShingle |
Affordable and Clean Energy Earth Sciences Biological Sciences Oceanography Schneider, David C Hunt, George L Harrison, Nancy M Mass and energy transfer to seabirds in the southeastern Bering Sea |
topic_facet |
Affordable and Clean Energy Earth Sciences Biological Sciences Oceanography |
description |
It has been hypothesized that differentiation in food web structure occurs across the Bering Sea continental shelf as a result of seasonal differentiation of water masses. We tested this idea using an apex predator, pelagic birds. Seasonal abundance of birds in central Bristol Bay was estimated from counts made while underway between hydrographic stations. Prey and body mass were determined from birds collected at sea. Daily intake was estimated as an allometric function of body mass. Annual occupancy was estimated as the integral of a normal curve fit to seasonal data. Estimated carbon flux to seabirds in the middle domain was 0.12 gC m-2 y-1 in 1980, 0.18 gC m-2 y-1 in 1981. Carbon flux to seabirds in the adjacent waters of the outer shelf domain was 1.8 times higher than in the middle domain in 1980, 1.6 times higher in 1981. Carbon flux to seabirds in the inner domain was 1.2 times higher than in the middle domain in 1980, and 3.3 times higher in 1981. Carbon flux to seabirds in the outer domain was due primarily to non-diving species, principally northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) during the summer and autumn, and Larus gulls in the autumn and winter. Flux to seabirds in the inner domain was due to diving birds, principally murres (Uria sp.) in the spring and shearwaters (Puffinus sp.) during the summer. The euphausiid Thysanoessa raschii was the primary food source of shearwaters in shallow waters of the inner shelf domain. A more diverse set of prey, including squid, jellyfish, hyperiids, and fish, was taken by shearwaters and fulmars in the deeper waters of the outer and middle shelf domains. This result suggests that prey diversity is higher in seasonally stratified waters of outer Bristol Bay than in mixed waters of inner Bristol Bay. Greater energy flux to diving species in shallow water, and greater energy flux to non-divers in deep water may be a function of topographic control of prey patchiness. © 1985. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Schneider, David C Hunt, George L Harrison, Nancy M |
author_facet |
Schneider, David C Hunt, George L Harrison, Nancy M |
author_sort |
Schneider, David C |
title |
Mass and energy transfer to seabirds in the southeastern Bering Sea |
title_short |
Mass and energy transfer to seabirds in the southeastern Bering Sea |
title_full |
Mass and energy transfer to seabirds in the southeastern Bering Sea |
title_fullStr |
Mass and energy transfer to seabirds in the southeastern Bering Sea |
title_full_unstemmed |
Mass and energy transfer to seabirds in the southeastern Bering Sea |
title_sort |
mass and energy transfer to seabirds in the southeastern bering sea |
publisher |
eScholarship, University of California |
publishDate |
1986 |
url |
https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5c85z24h https://escholarship.org/content/qt5c85z24h/qt5c85z24h.pdf https://doi.org/10.1016/0278-4343(86)90017-8 |
op_coverage |
241 - 257 |
genre |
Bering Sea Fulmarus glacialis Thysanoessa raschii uria |
genre_facet |
Bering Sea Fulmarus glacialis Thysanoessa raschii uria |
op_source |
Continental Shelf Research, vol 5, iss 1-2 |
op_relation |
qt5c85z24h https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5c85z24h https://escholarship.org/content/qt5c85z24h/qt5c85z24h.pdf doi:10.1016/0278-4343(86)90017-8 |
op_rights |
CC-BY |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/0278-4343(86)90017-8 |
container_title |
Continental Shelf Research |
container_volume |
5 |
container_issue |
1-2 |
container_start_page |
241 |
op_container_end_page |
257 |
_version_ |
1810436692908179456 |