Effects of Atlantic butterfish ( Peprilus triacanthus ) in diets of Common Terns ( Sterna hirundo ): a case study of climate change effects in the Gulf of Maine
Climate change and associated shifts in marine prey communities can alter food availability for foraging seabirds. This issue is illustrated in the Gulf of Maine by the northward shift of Atlantic butterfish ( Peprilus triacanthus hereafter butterfish) and their subsequent increase in seabird diets....
Published in: | Avian Conservation and Ecology |
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Resilience Alliance
2023
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.5751/ACE-02440-180201 https://doaj.org/article/964b98fe1f3f4ba4975fb4822a9ce638 |
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:964b98fe1f3f4ba4975fb4822a9ce638 2024-01-28T10:05:13+01:00 Effects of Atlantic butterfish ( Peprilus triacanthus ) in diets of Common Terns ( Sterna hirundo ): a case study of climate change effects in the Gulf of Maine Olivia A Smith Elizabeth C Craig 2023-12-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5751/ACE-02440-180201 https://doaj.org/article/964b98fe1f3f4ba4975fb4822a9ce638 EN eng Resilience Alliance https://www.ace-eco.org/vol18/iss2/art1 https://doaj.org/toc/1712-6568 1712-6568 doi:10.5751/ACE-02440-180201 https://doaj.org/article/964b98fe1f3f4ba4975fb4822a9ce638 Avian Conservation and Ecology, Vol 18, Iss 2, p 1 (2023) atlantic butterfish climate change common tern diet forage fish growth rate ocean warming range shift Ecology QH540-549.5 article 2023 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5751/ACE-02440-180201 2023-12-31T01:38:52Z Climate change and associated shifts in marine prey communities can alter food availability for foraging seabirds. This issue is illustrated in the Gulf of Maine by the northward shift of Atlantic butterfish ( Peprilus triacanthus hereafter butterfish) and their subsequent increase in seabird diets. Here, we examine effects of butterfish in diets of the Common Tern ( Sterna hirundo ), a threatened species in this region. Our objectives were to evaluate butterfish suitability for tern chick diet through observing handling time and feeding success, to examine effects of butterfish on tern chick growth, and to explore signs of adaptive foraging in adults. The diet and growth of Common Tern chicks were studied for three breeding seasons on Seavey Island, New Hampshire, USA in the Gulf of Maine. Prey items were identified during feedings and were grouped into five prey categories: butterfish, herring, hake, other fish, and invertebrates. Chicks were weighed to calculate growth rate, which was examined as a response to diet. Across prey categories, butterfish were handled by chicks for the greatest amount of time (P < 0.001) but were swallowed the least (P < 0.001). Furthermore, chick growth rates were negatively associated with proportion of butterfish in the diet (P < 0.001). There was significant variation in chick diet across different nests in two of the three years studied (P < 0.05 in 2018 and 2019), and some breeding pairs were never observed provisioning butterfish to their young. Although the mechanism underlying individual specialization is not known, chicks that are fed fewer butterfish are at an advantage. The provisioning (or not) of unsuitable prey is particularly important because seawater warming in the Gulf of Maine is expected to increase, and butterfish are likely to become even more prevalent in seabird diets. Article in Journal/Newspaper Common tern Sterna hirundo Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Hake ENVELOPE(15.612,15.612,66.797,66.797) Avian Conservation and Ecology 18 2 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
atlantic butterfish climate change common tern diet forage fish growth rate ocean warming range shift Ecology QH540-549.5 |
spellingShingle |
atlantic butterfish climate change common tern diet forage fish growth rate ocean warming range shift Ecology QH540-549.5 Olivia A Smith Elizabeth C Craig Effects of Atlantic butterfish ( Peprilus triacanthus ) in diets of Common Terns ( Sterna hirundo ): a case study of climate change effects in the Gulf of Maine |
topic_facet |
atlantic butterfish climate change common tern diet forage fish growth rate ocean warming range shift Ecology QH540-549.5 |
description |
Climate change and associated shifts in marine prey communities can alter food availability for foraging seabirds. This issue is illustrated in the Gulf of Maine by the northward shift of Atlantic butterfish ( Peprilus triacanthus hereafter butterfish) and their subsequent increase in seabird diets. Here, we examine effects of butterfish in diets of the Common Tern ( Sterna hirundo ), a threatened species in this region. Our objectives were to evaluate butterfish suitability for tern chick diet through observing handling time and feeding success, to examine effects of butterfish on tern chick growth, and to explore signs of adaptive foraging in adults. The diet and growth of Common Tern chicks were studied for three breeding seasons on Seavey Island, New Hampshire, USA in the Gulf of Maine. Prey items were identified during feedings and were grouped into five prey categories: butterfish, herring, hake, other fish, and invertebrates. Chicks were weighed to calculate growth rate, which was examined as a response to diet. Across prey categories, butterfish were handled by chicks for the greatest amount of time (P < 0.001) but were swallowed the least (P < 0.001). Furthermore, chick growth rates were negatively associated with proportion of butterfish in the diet (P < 0.001). There was significant variation in chick diet across different nests in two of the three years studied (P < 0.05 in 2018 and 2019), and some breeding pairs were never observed provisioning butterfish to their young. Although the mechanism underlying individual specialization is not known, chicks that are fed fewer butterfish are at an advantage. The provisioning (or not) of unsuitable prey is particularly important because seawater warming in the Gulf of Maine is expected to increase, and butterfish are likely to become even more prevalent in seabird diets. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Olivia A Smith Elizabeth C Craig |
author_facet |
Olivia A Smith Elizabeth C Craig |
author_sort |
Olivia A Smith |
title |
Effects of Atlantic butterfish ( Peprilus triacanthus ) in diets of Common Terns ( Sterna hirundo ): a case study of climate change effects in the Gulf of Maine |
title_short |
Effects of Atlantic butterfish ( Peprilus triacanthus ) in diets of Common Terns ( Sterna hirundo ): a case study of climate change effects in the Gulf of Maine |
title_full |
Effects of Atlantic butterfish ( Peprilus triacanthus ) in diets of Common Terns ( Sterna hirundo ): a case study of climate change effects in the Gulf of Maine |
title_fullStr |
Effects of Atlantic butterfish ( Peprilus triacanthus ) in diets of Common Terns ( Sterna hirundo ): a case study of climate change effects in the Gulf of Maine |
title_full_unstemmed |
Effects of Atlantic butterfish ( Peprilus triacanthus ) in diets of Common Terns ( Sterna hirundo ): a case study of climate change effects in the Gulf of Maine |
title_sort |
effects of atlantic butterfish ( peprilus triacanthus ) in diets of common terns ( sterna hirundo ): a case study of climate change effects in the gulf of maine |
publisher |
Resilience Alliance |
publishDate |
2023 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5751/ACE-02440-180201 https://doaj.org/article/964b98fe1f3f4ba4975fb4822a9ce638 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(15.612,15.612,66.797,66.797) |
geographic |
Hake |
geographic_facet |
Hake |
genre |
Common tern Sterna hirundo |
genre_facet |
Common tern Sterna hirundo |
op_source |
Avian Conservation and Ecology, Vol 18, Iss 2, p 1 (2023) |
op_relation |
https://www.ace-eco.org/vol18/iss2/art1 https://doaj.org/toc/1712-6568 1712-6568 doi:10.5751/ACE-02440-180201 https://doaj.org/article/964b98fe1f3f4ba4975fb4822a9ce638 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5751/ACE-02440-180201 |
container_title |
Avian Conservation and Ecology |
container_volume |
18 |
container_issue |
2 |
_version_ |
1789331411226853376 |