Validating the use of intrinsic markers in body feathers to identify inter-individual differences in non-breeding areas of northern fulmars
Many wildlife studies use chemical analyses to explore spatio-temporal variation in diet, migratory patterns and contaminant exposure. Intrinsic markers are particularly valuable for studying non-breeding marine predators, when direct methods of investigation are rarely feasible. However, any infere...
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Online Access: | https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/validating-the-use-of-intrinsic-markers-in-body-feathers-to-ident https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-016-2822-1 |
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ftunivwagenin:oai:library.wur.nl:wurpubs/498705 2024-01-14T10:09:23+01:00 Validating the use of intrinsic markers in body feathers to identify inter-individual differences in non-breeding areas of northern fulmars Quinn, Lucy R. Meharg, Andrew A. van Franeker, Jan A. Graham, Isla M. Thompson, Paul M. 2016 application/pdf https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/validating-the-use-of-intrinsic-markers-in-body-feathers-to-ident https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-016-2822-1 en eng https://edepot.wur.nl/375771 https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/validating-the-use-of-intrinsic-markers-in-body-feathers-to-ident doi:10.1007/s00227-016-2822-1 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Wageningen University & Research Marine Biology 163 (2016) ISSN: 0025-3162 Life Science info:eu-repo/semantics/article Article/Letter to editor info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion 2016 ftunivwagenin https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-016-2822-1 2023-12-20T23:17:38Z Many wildlife studies use chemical analyses to explore spatio-temporal variation in diet, migratory patterns and contaminant exposure. Intrinsic markers are particularly valuable for studying non-breeding marine predators, when direct methods of investigation are rarely feasible. However, any inferences regarding foraging ecology are dependent upon the time scale over which tissues such as feathers are formed. In this study, we validate the use of body feathers for studying non-breeding foraging patterns in a pelagic seabird, the northern fulmar. Analysis of carcasses of successfully breeding adult fulmars indicated that body feathers moulted between September and March, whereas analyses of carcasses and activity patterns suggested that wing feather and tail feather moult occurred during more restricted periods (September to October and September to January, respectively). By randomly sampling relevant body feathers, average values for individual birds were shown to be consistent. We also integrated chemical analyses of body feather with geolocation tracking data to demonstrate that analyses of δ13C and δ15N values successfully assigned 88 % of birds to one of two broad wintering regions used by breeding adult fulmars from a Scottish study colony. These data provide strong support for the use of body feathers as a tool for exploring non-breeding foraging patterns and diet in wide-ranging, pelagic seabirds. Article in Journal/Newspaper Northern Fulmar Wageningen UR (University & Research Centre): Digital Library Fulmar ENVELOPE(-46.016,-46.016,-60.616,-60.616) Marine Biology 163 3 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Wageningen UR (University & Research Centre): Digital Library |
op_collection_id |
ftunivwagenin |
language |
English |
topic |
Life Science |
spellingShingle |
Life Science Quinn, Lucy R. Meharg, Andrew A. van Franeker, Jan A. Graham, Isla M. Thompson, Paul M. Validating the use of intrinsic markers in body feathers to identify inter-individual differences in non-breeding areas of northern fulmars |
topic_facet |
Life Science |
description |
Many wildlife studies use chemical analyses to explore spatio-temporal variation in diet, migratory patterns and contaminant exposure. Intrinsic markers are particularly valuable for studying non-breeding marine predators, when direct methods of investigation are rarely feasible. However, any inferences regarding foraging ecology are dependent upon the time scale over which tissues such as feathers are formed. In this study, we validate the use of body feathers for studying non-breeding foraging patterns in a pelagic seabird, the northern fulmar. Analysis of carcasses of successfully breeding adult fulmars indicated that body feathers moulted between September and March, whereas analyses of carcasses and activity patterns suggested that wing feather and tail feather moult occurred during more restricted periods (September to October and September to January, respectively). By randomly sampling relevant body feathers, average values for individual birds were shown to be consistent. We also integrated chemical analyses of body feather with geolocation tracking data to demonstrate that analyses of δ13C and δ15N values successfully assigned 88 % of birds to one of two broad wintering regions used by breeding adult fulmars from a Scottish study colony. These data provide strong support for the use of body feathers as a tool for exploring non-breeding foraging patterns and diet in wide-ranging, pelagic seabirds. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Quinn, Lucy R. Meharg, Andrew A. van Franeker, Jan A. Graham, Isla M. Thompson, Paul M. |
author_facet |
Quinn, Lucy R. Meharg, Andrew A. van Franeker, Jan A. Graham, Isla M. Thompson, Paul M. |
author_sort |
Quinn, Lucy R. |
title |
Validating the use of intrinsic markers in body feathers to identify inter-individual differences in non-breeding areas of northern fulmars |
title_short |
Validating the use of intrinsic markers in body feathers to identify inter-individual differences in non-breeding areas of northern fulmars |
title_full |
Validating the use of intrinsic markers in body feathers to identify inter-individual differences in non-breeding areas of northern fulmars |
title_fullStr |
Validating the use of intrinsic markers in body feathers to identify inter-individual differences in non-breeding areas of northern fulmars |
title_full_unstemmed |
Validating the use of intrinsic markers in body feathers to identify inter-individual differences in non-breeding areas of northern fulmars |
title_sort |
validating the use of intrinsic markers in body feathers to identify inter-individual differences in non-breeding areas of northern fulmars |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/validating-the-use-of-intrinsic-markers-in-body-feathers-to-ident https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-016-2822-1 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-46.016,-46.016,-60.616,-60.616) |
geographic |
Fulmar |
geographic_facet |
Fulmar |
genre |
Northern Fulmar |
genre_facet |
Northern Fulmar |
op_source |
Marine Biology 163 (2016) ISSN: 0025-3162 |
op_relation |
https://edepot.wur.nl/375771 https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/validating-the-use-of-intrinsic-markers-in-body-feathers-to-ident doi:10.1007/s00227-016-2822-1 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Wageningen University & Research |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-016-2822-1 |
container_title |
Marine Biology |
container_volume |
163 |
container_issue |
3 |
_version_ |
1788063907085025280 |