Does food availability affect energy expenditure rates of nesting seabirds? A supplemental-feeding experiment with Black-legged Kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla)

We used a supplemental-feeding experiment, the doubly labeled water technique, and a model-selection approach based upon the Akaike Information Criterion to examine effects of food availability on energy expenditure rates of Black-legged Kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) raising young. Energy expenditur...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Canadian Journal of Zoology
Main Authors: Jodice, PGR, Roby, DD, Hatch, SA, Gill, VA, Lanctot, RB, Visser, GH
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2002
Subjects:
DOUBLY-LABELED WATER
FLYCATCHER FICEDULA-HYPOLEUCA
PIED FLYCATCHER
BROOD SIZE
BODY-MASS
COSTS
ENERGETICS
KESTREL
STRESS
REPRODUCTION
rissa tridactyla
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/11370/00680180-4118-409a-b13b-4a4d8846058e
https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/does-food-availability-affect-energy-expenditure-rates-of-nesting-seabirds-a-supplementalfeeding-experiment-with-blacklegged-kittiwakes-rissa-tridactyla(00680180-4118-409a-b13b-4a4d8846058e).html
https://doi.org/10.1139/Z01-221
Description
Summary:We used a supplemental-feeding experiment, the doubly labeled water technique, and a model-selection approach based upon the Akaike Information Criterion to examine effects of food availability on energy expenditure rates of Black-legged Kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) raising young. Energy expenditure rates of supplementally fed females (n = 14) and males (n = 16) were 34 and 20% lower than those of control females (n = 14) and males (n = 18), respectively. Energy expenditure rates of females were more responsive to fluctuations in food availability than those of males. Fed males likely expended more energy while off the nest than fed females, possibly because of nest defense. Energy expenditure rates of fed kittiwakes were similar to values reported for kittiwakes that were either not raising young or not foraging. Parent kittiwakes, therefore, adjusted parental effort in response to variation in breeding conditions due to changes in food availability. Adjustments in reproductive effort in response to variable foraging conditions may have significant effects on the survival and productivity of individuals, and thus provide substantial fitness benefits for long-lived seabirds such as Black-legged Kittiwakes.

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