Using carbon and nitrogen isotopic values of body feathers to infer inter- and intra-individual variations of seabird feeding ecology during moult
To determine whether stable isotope measurements of body feathers can be used to investigate the isotopic niche of moulting (inter-nesting) adult seabirds, we examined the stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotopic composition of body feathers of breeding wandering albatrosses (Diomedea exula...
Published in: | Marine Biology |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Springer
2009
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/53729/ https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/53729/1/4302.pdf https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-009-1165-6 |
id |
ftoceanrep:oai:oceanrep.geomar.de:53729 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftoceanrep:oai:oceanrep.geomar.de:53729 2023-05-15T15:59:33+02:00 Using carbon and nitrogen isotopic values of body feathers to infer inter- and intra-individual variations of seabird feeding ecology during moult Jaeger, Audrey Blanchard, Pierrick Richard, Pierre Cherel, Yves 2009 text https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/53729/ https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/53729/1/4302.pdf https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-009-1165-6 en eng Springer https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/53729/1/4302.pdf Jaeger, A., Blanchard, P., Richard, P. and Cherel, Y. (2009) Using carbon and nitrogen isotopic values of body feathers to infer inter- and intra-individual variations of seabird feeding ecology during moult. Marine Biology, 156 (6). pp. 1233-1240. DOI 10.1007/s00227-009-1165-6 <https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-009-1165-6>. doi:10.1007/s00227-009-1165-6 info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess Article PeerReviewed 2009 ftoceanrep https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-009-1165-6 2023-04-07T15:58:14Z To determine whether stable isotope measurements of body feathers can be used to investigate the isotopic niche of moulting (inter-nesting) adult seabirds, we examined the stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotopic composition of body feathers of breeding wandering albatrosses (Diomedea exulans) from Crozet Islands, southern Indian Ocean. First we showed that the isotopic composition of body feathers was not significantly different from that of wing feathers, being thus a safe alternative to flight feathers whose collection impairs the birds’ flying ability. Second, we looked at the variances in δ13C and δ15N values resulting from the isotopic measurement of a single feather, four different feathers, and a pool of four feathers per bird, to delineate the best isotopic analytical procedure. A two-step protocol is proposed that allows investigating both the intra- and inter-individual components of the niche width of the species. In a first step, isotopic measurements on a single feather per bird are used to define isotopic specialist from isotopic generalist populations. In a second step and for generalist populations only, measurements on additional (three) feathers per bird are used to delineate type A from type B isotopic generalists (Bearhop et al. in J Anim Ecol 73:1007–1012, 2004). Third, from a biological point of view, our data showed different moulting isotopic niches for adult males and females, and also within female wandering albatrosses. Since the isotopic composition of body feathers in this species reflects that of wing feathers, our results suggest that, after validation, body feathers have the potential for investigating the foraging ecology of other Procellariiforms and seabirds during the poorly known inter-nesting period. Article in Journal/Newspaper Crozet Islands Diomedea exulans OceanRep (GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre für Ocean Research Kiel) Indian Marine Biology 156 6 1233 1240 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
OceanRep (GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre für Ocean Research Kiel) |
op_collection_id |
ftoceanrep |
language |
English |
description |
To determine whether stable isotope measurements of body feathers can be used to investigate the isotopic niche of moulting (inter-nesting) adult seabirds, we examined the stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotopic composition of body feathers of breeding wandering albatrosses (Diomedea exulans) from Crozet Islands, southern Indian Ocean. First we showed that the isotopic composition of body feathers was not significantly different from that of wing feathers, being thus a safe alternative to flight feathers whose collection impairs the birds’ flying ability. Second, we looked at the variances in δ13C and δ15N values resulting from the isotopic measurement of a single feather, four different feathers, and a pool of four feathers per bird, to delineate the best isotopic analytical procedure. A two-step protocol is proposed that allows investigating both the intra- and inter-individual components of the niche width of the species. In a first step, isotopic measurements on a single feather per bird are used to define isotopic specialist from isotopic generalist populations. In a second step and for generalist populations only, measurements on additional (three) feathers per bird are used to delineate type A from type B isotopic generalists (Bearhop et al. in J Anim Ecol 73:1007–1012, 2004). Third, from a biological point of view, our data showed different moulting isotopic niches for adult males and females, and also within female wandering albatrosses. Since the isotopic composition of body feathers in this species reflects that of wing feathers, our results suggest that, after validation, body feathers have the potential for investigating the foraging ecology of other Procellariiforms and seabirds during the poorly known inter-nesting period. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Jaeger, Audrey Blanchard, Pierrick Richard, Pierre Cherel, Yves |
spellingShingle |
Jaeger, Audrey Blanchard, Pierrick Richard, Pierre Cherel, Yves Using carbon and nitrogen isotopic values of body feathers to infer inter- and intra-individual variations of seabird feeding ecology during moult |
author_facet |
Jaeger, Audrey Blanchard, Pierrick Richard, Pierre Cherel, Yves |
author_sort |
Jaeger, Audrey |
title |
Using carbon and nitrogen isotopic values of body feathers to infer inter- and intra-individual variations of seabird feeding ecology during moult |
title_short |
Using carbon and nitrogen isotopic values of body feathers to infer inter- and intra-individual variations of seabird feeding ecology during moult |
title_full |
Using carbon and nitrogen isotopic values of body feathers to infer inter- and intra-individual variations of seabird feeding ecology during moult |
title_fullStr |
Using carbon and nitrogen isotopic values of body feathers to infer inter- and intra-individual variations of seabird feeding ecology during moult |
title_full_unstemmed |
Using carbon and nitrogen isotopic values of body feathers to infer inter- and intra-individual variations of seabird feeding ecology during moult |
title_sort |
using carbon and nitrogen isotopic values of body feathers to infer inter- and intra-individual variations of seabird feeding ecology during moult |
publisher |
Springer |
publishDate |
2009 |
url |
https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/53729/ https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/53729/1/4302.pdf https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-009-1165-6 |
geographic |
Indian |
geographic_facet |
Indian |
genre |
Crozet Islands Diomedea exulans |
genre_facet |
Crozet Islands Diomedea exulans |
op_relation |
https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/53729/1/4302.pdf Jaeger, A., Blanchard, P., Richard, P. and Cherel, Y. (2009) Using carbon and nitrogen isotopic values of body feathers to infer inter- and intra-individual variations of seabird feeding ecology during moult. Marine Biology, 156 (6). pp. 1233-1240. DOI 10.1007/s00227-009-1165-6 <https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-009-1165-6>. doi:10.1007/s00227-009-1165-6 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-009-1165-6 |
container_title |
Marine Biology |
container_volume |
156 |
container_issue |
6 |
container_start_page |
1233 |
op_container_end_page |
1240 |
_version_ |
1766395497185017856 |