Behavioural flexibility in an Arctic seabird using two distinct marine habitats to survive the energetic constraints of winter
Abstract Background Homeothermic marine animals in Polar Regions face an energetic bottleneck in winter. The challenges of short days and cold temperatures are exacerbated for flying seabirds with small body size and limited fat stores. We use biologging approaches to examine how habitat, weather, a...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:76ab8d27ac714765af1c4b838e21db81 2023-05-15T15:12:17+02:00 Behavioural flexibility in an Arctic seabird using two distinct marine habitats to survive the energetic constraints of winter Allison Patterson H. Grant Gilchrist Gregory J. Robertson April Hedd David A. Fifield Kyle H. Elliott 2022-11-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-022-00344-3 https://doaj.org/article/76ab8d27ac714765af1c4b838e21db81 EN eng BMC https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-022-00344-3 https://doaj.org/toc/2051-3933 doi:10.1186/s40462-022-00344-3 2051-3933 https://doaj.org/article/76ab8d27ac714765af1c4b838e21db81 Movement Ecology, Vol 10, Iss 1, Pp 1-16 (2022) Non-breeding Nocturnal foraging Uria lomvia Labrador Sea Daily activity rate Biologging Biology (General) QH301-705.5 article 2022 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-022-00344-3 2022-12-30T19:39:40Z Abstract Background Homeothermic marine animals in Polar Regions face an energetic bottleneck in winter. The challenges of short days and cold temperatures are exacerbated for flying seabirds with small body size and limited fat stores. We use biologging approaches to examine how habitat, weather, and moon illumination influence behaviour and energetics of a marine bird species, thick-billed murres (Uria lomvia). Methods We used temperature-depth-light recorders to examine strategies murres use to survive winter in the Northwest Atlantic, where contrasting currents create two distinct marine habitats: cold (−0.1 ± 1.2 °C), shallower water along the Labrador Shelf and warmer (3.1 ± 0.3 °C), deep water in the Labrador Basin. Results In the cold shelf water, murres used a high-energy strategy, with more flying and less diving each day, resulting in high daily energy expenditure and also high apparent energy intake; this strategy was most evident in early winter when day lengths were shortest. By contrast, murres in warmer basin water employed a low-energy strategy, with less time flying and more time diving under low light conditions (nautical twilight and night). In warmer basin water, murres increased diving at night when the moon was more illuminated, likely taking advantage of diel vertically migrating prey. In warmer basin water, murres dove more at night and foraging efficiency increased under negative North Atlantic Oscillation (calmer ocean conditions). Conclusions The proximity of two distinct marine habitats in this region allows individuals from a single species to use dual (low-energy/high-energy) strategies to overcome winter energy bottlenecks. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Labrador Sea North Atlantic North Atlantic oscillation Northwest Atlantic Uria lomvia uria Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Labrador Shelf ENVELOPE(-58.000,-58.000,56.000,56.000) Movement Ecology 10 1 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Non-breeding Nocturnal foraging Uria lomvia Labrador Sea Daily activity rate Biologging Biology (General) QH301-705.5 |
spellingShingle |
Non-breeding Nocturnal foraging Uria lomvia Labrador Sea Daily activity rate Biologging Biology (General) QH301-705.5 Allison Patterson H. Grant Gilchrist Gregory J. Robertson April Hedd David A. Fifield Kyle H. Elliott Behavioural flexibility in an Arctic seabird using two distinct marine habitats to survive the energetic constraints of winter |
topic_facet |
Non-breeding Nocturnal foraging Uria lomvia Labrador Sea Daily activity rate Biologging Biology (General) QH301-705.5 |
description |
Abstract Background Homeothermic marine animals in Polar Regions face an energetic bottleneck in winter. The challenges of short days and cold temperatures are exacerbated for flying seabirds with small body size and limited fat stores. We use biologging approaches to examine how habitat, weather, and moon illumination influence behaviour and energetics of a marine bird species, thick-billed murres (Uria lomvia). Methods We used temperature-depth-light recorders to examine strategies murres use to survive winter in the Northwest Atlantic, where contrasting currents create two distinct marine habitats: cold (−0.1 ± 1.2 °C), shallower water along the Labrador Shelf and warmer (3.1 ± 0.3 °C), deep water in the Labrador Basin. Results In the cold shelf water, murres used a high-energy strategy, with more flying and less diving each day, resulting in high daily energy expenditure and also high apparent energy intake; this strategy was most evident in early winter when day lengths were shortest. By contrast, murres in warmer basin water employed a low-energy strategy, with less time flying and more time diving under low light conditions (nautical twilight and night). In warmer basin water, murres increased diving at night when the moon was more illuminated, likely taking advantage of diel vertically migrating prey. In warmer basin water, murres dove more at night and foraging efficiency increased under negative North Atlantic Oscillation (calmer ocean conditions). Conclusions The proximity of two distinct marine habitats in this region allows individuals from a single species to use dual (low-energy/high-energy) strategies to overcome winter energy bottlenecks. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Allison Patterson H. Grant Gilchrist Gregory J. Robertson April Hedd David A. Fifield Kyle H. Elliott |
author_facet |
Allison Patterson H. Grant Gilchrist Gregory J. Robertson April Hedd David A. Fifield Kyle H. Elliott |
author_sort |
Allison Patterson |
title |
Behavioural flexibility in an Arctic seabird using two distinct marine habitats to survive the energetic constraints of winter |
title_short |
Behavioural flexibility in an Arctic seabird using two distinct marine habitats to survive the energetic constraints of winter |
title_full |
Behavioural flexibility in an Arctic seabird using two distinct marine habitats to survive the energetic constraints of winter |
title_fullStr |
Behavioural flexibility in an Arctic seabird using two distinct marine habitats to survive the energetic constraints of winter |
title_full_unstemmed |
Behavioural flexibility in an Arctic seabird using two distinct marine habitats to survive the energetic constraints of winter |
title_sort |
behavioural flexibility in an arctic seabird using two distinct marine habitats to survive the energetic constraints of winter |
publisher |
BMC |
publishDate |
2022 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-022-00344-3 https://doaj.org/article/76ab8d27ac714765af1c4b838e21db81 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-58.000,-58.000,56.000,56.000) |
geographic |
Arctic Labrador Shelf |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Labrador Shelf |
genre |
Arctic Labrador Sea North Atlantic North Atlantic oscillation Northwest Atlantic Uria lomvia uria |
genre_facet |
Arctic Labrador Sea North Atlantic North Atlantic oscillation Northwest Atlantic Uria lomvia uria |
op_source |
Movement Ecology, Vol 10, Iss 1, Pp 1-16 (2022) |
op_relation |
https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-022-00344-3 https://doaj.org/toc/2051-3933 doi:10.1186/s40462-022-00344-3 2051-3933 https://doaj.org/article/76ab8d27ac714765af1c4b838e21db81 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-022-00344-3 |
container_title |
Movement Ecology |
container_volume |
10 |
container_issue |
1 |
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1766342993830215680 |