Research priorities for seabirds: improving conservation and management in the 21st century

• Published in: Endangered Species Research
• Main Authors: Lewison, R., Oro, D., Godley, B. J., Underhill, L., Bearhop, S., Wilson, R. P., Ainley, D., Arcos, J. M., Boersma, P. Dee, Garcia Borboroglu, Jorge Pablo, Boulinier, T., Frederiksen, M., Genovart, M., González Solís, J., Green, J. A., Grémillet, D., Hamer, K. C., Hilton, G. M., Hyrenbach, K. D., Martínez Abraín, A., Montevecchi, W. A., Phillips, R. A., Ryan, P. G., Sagar, P., Sydeman, W. J., Wanless, S., Watanuki, Y., Weimerskirch, H., Yorio, Pablo Martin
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Inter-Research
• Subjects: SEABIRDS CONSERVATION; RESEARCH PRIORITIES; POPULATION DYNAMICS; THREATS; FISHERIES INTERACTION; TROPHO-DYNAMICS; CLIMATE CHANGE; SPATIAL ECOLOGY; Bioquímica y Biología Molecular; Ciencias Biológicas; CIENCIAS NATURALES Y EXACTAS; Antarctic; Pacific; Argentina; Martínez; Dee; Pablo; Hilton; Solís; Antarc*; British Antarctic Survey; University of Newfoundland
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11336/27093

Seabirds, a diverse group of bird species associated with the ocean during a significant part of their lives, are facing a growing number of threats in both their terrestrial and marine habitats, and many populations have experienced dramatic changes over the past decades. Seabirds are among the best-studied of marine vertebrates; years of research have played a central role in improving our understanding of seabird populations and have informed a broader understanding of marine ecological processes. In an effort to encourage future research and guide science directed at improving seabird population and habitat management and conservation, we identify 20 key areas where continued, robust and comprehensive inter-disciplinary science is most needed. Twenty-seven seabird researchers from 9 nations identified the 20 highest priority research questions, which were organized into six general categories: (i) population dynamics, (ii) spatial ecology, (iii) tropho-dynamics, (iv) fisheries interactions, (v) response to global change, and (vi) management of anthropogenic impacts (focusing on invasive species, contaminants and protected areas). While this is not an exhaustive list of all research needed to address the myriad conservation challenges seabirds face, the results of this effort represent an important synthesis of current expert opinion across sub-disciplines within seabird ecology. As this synthesis highlights, research, in conjunction with direct management, education, and community engagement, can play an important role in facilitating the conservation and management of seabird populations and of the ocean ecosystems on which they and we depend. Fil: Lewison, R. San Diego State University; Estados Unidos Fil: Oro, D. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; España. Universidad de las Islas Baleares; España Fil: Godley, B. J. University of Exeter; Reino Unido Fil: Underhill, L. University of Cape Town; Sudáfrica Fil: Bearhop, S. University of Exeter; Reino Unido Fil: Wilson, R. P. Swansea University; Reino Unido Fil: Ainley, D. HT Harvey & Associates; Estados Unidos Fil: Arcos, J. M. SEO BirdLife; España Fil: Boersma, P. Dee. University of Washington; Estados Unidos Fil: Garcia Borboroglu, Jorge Pablo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagónico; Argentina Fil: Boulinier, T. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Francia Fil: Frederiksen, M. University Aarhus; Dinamarca Fil: Genovart, M. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas. Instituto Mediterraneo de Estudios Avanzados; España Fil: González Solís, J. Universidad de Barcelona; España Fil: Green, J. A. University of Liverpool; Reino Unido Fil: Grémillet, D. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Francia Fil: Hamer, K. C. University of Leeds; Reino Unido Fil: Hilton, G. M. Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust; Reino Unido Fil: Hyrenbach, K. D. Hawaii Pacific University; Estados Unidos Fil: Martínez Abraín, A. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas. Instituto Mediterraneo de Estudios Avanzados; España Fil: Montevecchi, W. A. Memorial University Of Newfoundland; Canadá Fil: Phillips, R. A. British Antarctic Survey; Reino Unido Fil: Ryan, P. G. University of Cape Town; Sudáfrica Fil: Sagar, P. National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research; Nueva Zelanda Fil: Sydeman, W. J. Farallon Institute for Advanced Ecosystem Research; Estados Unidos Fil: Wanless, S. Centre for Ecology & Hydrology; Reino Unido Fil: Watanuki, Y. Hokkaido University; Japón Fil: Weimerskirch, H. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Francia Fil: Yorio, Pablo Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagónico; Argentina