Contrasting Population Trends at Two Razorbill Colonies in Atlantic Canada: Additive Effects of Fox Predation and Hunting Mortality?
We developed a stochastic, stage-based, matrix-projection population model to assess population viability and estimate the impact of mortality caused by hunting, illegal and incidental to the murre (Uria sp.) hunt, and fox (Alopex lagopus) predation on Razorbill (Alca torda) populations breeding on...
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Resilience Alliance
2009
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.5751/ACE-00322-040203 https://doaj.org/article/1ba928d0bc8b4e74978722491a85b1e5 |
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:1ba928d0bc8b4e74978722491a85b1e5 2023-05-15T13:12:14+02:00 Contrasting Population Trends at Two Razorbill Colonies in Atlantic Canada: Additive Effects of Fox Predation and Hunting Mortality? Jennifer L. Lavers Ian L. Jones Gregory J. Robertson Antony W. Diamond 2009-12-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5751/ACE-00322-040203 https://doaj.org/article/1ba928d0bc8b4e74978722491a85b1e5 EN eng Resilience Alliance http://www.ace-eco.org/vol4/iss2/art3/ https://doaj.org/toc/1712-6568 1712-6568 doi:10.5751/ACE-00322-040203 https://doaj.org/article/1ba928d0bc8b4e74978722491a85b1e5 Avian Conservation and Ecology, Vol 4, Iss 2, p 3 (2009) Alca torda anthropogenic mortality fox predation hunting population dynamics Razorbill Plant culture SB1-1110 Environmental sciences GE1-350 Plant ecology QK900-989 article 2009 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5751/ACE-00322-040203 2022-12-31T05:03:05Z We developed a stochastic, stage-based, matrix-projection population model to assess population viability and estimate the impact of mortality caused by hunting, illegal and incidental to the murre (Uria sp.) hunt, and fox (Alopex lagopus) predation on Razorbill (Alca torda) populations breeding on the Gannet Islands, Labrador, the "affected" population, and Machias Seal Island, New Brunswick, the "unaffected" population. We estimated the potential population growth rate in the absence of anthropogenic mortality sources by using juvenile survival estimates from the relatively unaffected Machias Seal Island Razorbill population. We used data collected on fox predation on the Gannet Islands from 1978-2009 to estimate the change in productivity as a result of fox presence. The intrinsic growth rate (λ) of the stochastic matrix based on vital rates from the Gannet Islands was 0.957±0.008 and 1.058±0.005 for Machias Seal Island. Hunting mortality reduced the predicted Gannet Islands population growth rate by 0.033, while fox predation reduced population growth rate by 0.017. These sources combined reduced the baseline population growth rate by 0.050. According to our model, the Razorbill population on Machias Seal Island appears to be growing rapidly. In contrast, the Gannet Islands population may decline, likely because of hunting. However, oceanographic differences between the two areas and uncertainty regarding dispersal behavior in this species may also contribute to the disparity between populations. Based on our findings, we make several recommendations for the conservation and management of Razorbills in Atlantic Canada. Article in Journal/Newspaper Alca torda Alopex lagopus Razorbill Seal Island uria Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Canada Gannet Islands ENVELOPE(-56.536,-56.536,53.941,53.941) Avian Conservation and Ecology 4 2 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Alca torda anthropogenic mortality fox predation hunting population dynamics Razorbill Plant culture SB1-1110 Environmental sciences GE1-350 Plant ecology QK900-989 |
spellingShingle |
Alca torda anthropogenic mortality fox predation hunting population dynamics Razorbill Plant culture SB1-1110 Environmental sciences GE1-350 Plant ecology QK900-989 Jennifer L. Lavers Ian L. Jones Gregory J. Robertson Antony W. Diamond Contrasting Population Trends at Two Razorbill Colonies in Atlantic Canada: Additive Effects of Fox Predation and Hunting Mortality? |
topic_facet |
Alca torda anthropogenic mortality fox predation hunting population dynamics Razorbill Plant culture SB1-1110 Environmental sciences GE1-350 Plant ecology QK900-989 |
description |
We developed a stochastic, stage-based, matrix-projection population model to assess population viability and estimate the impact of mortality caused by hunting, illegal and incidental to the murre (Uria sp.) hunt, and fox (Alopex lagopus) predation on Razorbill (Alca torda) populations breeding on the Gannet Islands, Labrador, the "affected" population, and Machias Seal Island, New Brunswick, the "unaffected" population. We estimated the potential population growth rate in the absence of anthropogenic mortality sources by using juvenile survival estimates from the relatively unaffected Machias Seal Island Razorbill population. We used data collected on fox predation on the Gannet Islands from 1978-2009 to estimate the change in productivity as a result of fox presence. The intrinsic growth rate (λ) of the stochastic matrix based on vital rates from the Gannet Islands was 0.957±0.008 and 1.058±0.005 for Machias Seal Island. Hunting mortality reduced the predicted Gannet Islands population growth rate by 0.033, while fox predation reduced population growth rate by 0.017. These sources combined reduced the baseline population growth rate by 0.050. According to our model, the Razorbill population on Machias Seal Island appears to be growing rapidly. In contrast, the Gannet Islands population may decline, likely because of hunting. However, oceanographic differences between the two areas and uncertainty regarding dispersal behavior in this species may also contribute to the disparity between populations. Based on our findings, we make several recommendations for the conservation and management of Razorbills in Atlantic Canada. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Jennifer L. Lavers Ian L. Jones Gregory J. Robertson Antony W. Diamond |
author_facet |
Jennifer L. Lavers Ian L. Jones Gregory J. Robertson Antony W. Diamond |
author_sort |
Jennifer L. Lavers |
title |
Contrasting Population Trends at Two Razorbill Colonies in Atlantic Canada: Additive Effects of Fox Predation and Hunting Mortality? |
title_short |
Contrasting Population Trends at Two Razorbill Colonies in Atlantic Canada: Additive Effects of Fox Predation and Hunting Mortality? |
title_full |
Contrasting Population Trends at Two Razorbill Colonies in Atlantic Canada: Additive Effects of Fox Predation and Hunting Mortality? |
title_fullStr |
Contrasting Population Trends at Two Razorbill Colonies in Atlantic Canada: Additive Effects of Fox Predation and Hunting Mortality? |
title_full_unstemmed |
Contrasting Population Trends at Two Razorbill Colonies in Atlantic Canada: Additive Effects of Fox Predation and Hunting Mortality? |
title_sort |
contrasting population trends at two razorbill colonies in atlantic canada: additive effects of fox predation and hunting mortality? |
publisher |
Resilience Alliance |
publishDate |
2009 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5751/ACE-00322-040203 https://doaj.org/article/1ba928d0bc8b4e74978722491a85b1e5 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-56.536,-56.536,53.941,53.941) |
geographic |
Canada Gannet Islands |
geographic_facet |
Canada Gannet Islands |
genre |
Alca torda Alopex lagopus Razorbill Seal Island uria |
genre_facet |
Alca torda Alopex lagopus Razorbill Seal Island uria |
op_source |
Avian Conservation and Ecology, Vol 4, Iss 2, p 3 (2009) |
op_relation |
http://www.ace-eco.org/vol4/iss2/art3/ https://doaj.org/toc/1712-6568 1712-6568 doi:10.5751/ACE-00322-040203 https://doaj.org/article/1ba928d0bc8b4e74978722491a85b1e5 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5751/ACE-00322-040203 |
container_title |
Avian Conservation and Ecology |
container_volume |
4 |
container_issue |
2 |
_version_ |
1766250910412963840 |