38 results on '"Mallory, Mark"'
Search Results
2. What triggers an examination of seabird bycatch levels in Canada?
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Mallory, Mark L., Johnston, Victoria, and Provencher, Jennifer F.
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- 2025
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3. Using genomic tools to inform management of the Atlantic northern fulmar
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Colston-Nepali, Lila, Provencher, Jennifer F., Mallory, Mark L., Franckowiak, Ryan P., Sun, Zhengxin, Robertson, Gregory J., and Friesen, Vicki L.
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- 2020
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4. Inter-individual variation in the migratory behaviour of a generalist seabird, the herring gull (Larus smithsoniansus), from the Canadian Arctic
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Baak Julia E., Mallory Mark L., Anderson Christine M., Auger-Méthé Marie, Macdonald Christie A., Janssen Michael H., Gilchrist H. Grant, Provencher Jennifer F., and Gutowsky Sarah E.
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climate change ,Ecology ,QH301-705.5 ,geolocator ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Biology (General) ,migration ,animal movement ,seabirds ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics - Abstract
The Arctic is warming three times faster than the rest of the globe, causing rapid transformational changes in Arctic ecosystems. As these changes increase, understanding seabird movements will be important for predicting how they respond to climate change, and thus how we plan for conservation. Moreover, as most Arctic-breeding seabirds only spend the breeding season in the Arctic, climate change may also affect them through habitat changes in their non-breeding range. We used Global Location Sensors (GLS) to provide new insights on the movement of Arctic-breeding herring gulls (Larus smithsoniansus) in North America. We tracked gulls that wintered in the Gulf of Mexico (n = 7) or the Great Lakes (n = 1), and found that migratory routes and stopover sites varied between individuals, and between southbound and northbound migration. This inter-individual variation suggests that herring gulls, as a generalist species, can make use of an array of regions during migration, but may be more susceptible to climate change impacts in their overwintering locations than during migration. However, due to our limited sample size, future, multi-year studies are recommended to better understand the impacts of climate change on this Arctic-breeding seabird. more...
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- 2021
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5. Seabird-Driven Shifts in Arctic Pond Ecosystems
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Michelutti, Neal, Keatley, Bronwyn E., Brimble, Samantha, Blais, Jules M., Liu, Huijun, Douglas, Marianne S. V., Mallory, Mark L., Macdonald, Robie W., and Smol, John P.
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- 2009
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6. Contrasting the effects of climatic, nutrient, and oxygen dynamics on subfossil chironomid assemblages: a paleolimnological experiment from eutrophic High Arctic ponds
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Stewart, Emily M., Michelutti, Neal, Blais, Jules M., Mallory, Mark L., Douglas, Marianne S. V., and Smol, John P.
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- 2013
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7. Populations and trends of Canadian Arctic seabirds
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Gaston, Anthony J., Mallory, Mark L., and Gilchrist, H. Grant
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- 2012
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8. Chironomid assemblages from seabird-affected High Arctic ponds
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Michelutti, Neal, Mallory, Mark L., Blais, Jules M., Douglas, Marianne S. V., and Smol, John P.
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- 2011
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9. Impacts of seabird-derived nutrients on water quality and diatom assemblages from Cape Vera, Devon Island, Canadian High Arctic
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Keatley, Bronwyn E., Douglas, Marianne S. V., Blais, Jules M., Mallory, Mark L., and Smol, John P.
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- 2009
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10. Vessel risks to marine wildlife in the Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area and the eastern entrance to the Northwest Passage.
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Halliday, William D., Dawson, Jackie, Yurkowski, David J., Doniol-Valcroze, Thomas, Ferguson, Steven H., Gjerdrum, Carina, Hussey, Nigel E., Kochanowicz, Zuzanna, Mallory, Mark L., Marcoux, Marianne, Watt, Cortney A., and Wong, Sarah N.P. more...
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MARINE parks & reserves ,NORTHWEST Passage ,SEA birds ,CETACEA ,UNDERWATER noise ,MARINE mammals ,MARINE habitats - Abstract
The Arctic is changing rapidly due to climate change, which is allowing unprecedented levels of vessel traffic to transit the region. Vessel traffic can negatively affect marine wildlife in a number of ways, particularly in areas where vessels overlap with high concentrations of ecologically important species, and the significance of these impacts are of increased concern when the wildlife are also culturally important. Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area, located in Lancaster Sound, Nunavut, Canada, at the eastern entrance to the Northwest Passage, is experiencing the greatest levels of vessel traffic in the Canadian Arctic, and is important habitat for marine wildlife, including marine mammals and seabirds. Here, we examined the overlap between vessel traffic, including modeled underwater noise levels, and the distribution of two cetacean species, beluga and narwhal, and three seabird species, thick-billed murre, northern fulmar, and black-legged kittiwake. Narwhal had the highest vessel risk in Eclipse Sound and Milne Inlet, all three seabirds had high vessel risk at the eastern entrance to Eclipse Sound, with additional areas for northern fulmar at southern Devon Island and for black-legged kittiwake at Prince Leopold Island, and belugas had the highest vessel risk along southern and eastern Devon Island. Our results provide crucial information for implementing monitoring, conservation, and management initiatives for species inhabiting this protected area, and allow for a better understanding of the potential cultural implications of vessel-based marine wildlife impacts that will affect traditional subsistence hunting and local livelihoods. • Vessel traffic is increasing in the Arctic, and with it, risk to marine wildlife. • We examined risk from vessels to marine wildlife in Tallurutiup Imanga, Nunavut. • Narwhal and seabirds had highest vessel risk in Eclipse Sound and Milne Inlet. • Belugas had highest vessel risk along southern and eastern Devon Island. • Continued monitoring is needed to track risk to wildlife as vessel traffic increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...
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- 2022
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11. Sympatrically breeding congeneric seabirds (Stercorarius spp.) from Arctic Canada migrate to four oceans.
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Harrison, Autumn‐Lynn, Woodard, Paul F., Mallory, Mark L., and Rausch, Jennie
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SEA birds ,BIRD nests ,MIGRATORY birds ,SEA ice ,SAMPLE size (Statistics) ,TELEMETRY ,OCEAN - Abstract
Polar systems of avian migration remain unpredictable. For seabirds nesting in the Nearctic, it is often difficult to predict which of the world's oceans birds will migrate to after breeding. Here, we report on three related seabird species that migrated across four oceans following sympatric breeding at a central Canadian high Arctic nesting location. Using telemetry, we tracked pomarine jaeger (Stercorarius pomarinus, n = 1) across the Arctic Ocean to the western Pacific Ocean; parasitic jaeger (S. parasiticus, n = 4) to the western Atlantic Ocean, and long‐tailed jaeger (S. longicaudus, n = 2) to the eastern Atlantic Ocean and western Indian Ocean. We also report on extensive nomadic movements over ocean during the postbreeding period (19,002 km) and over land and ocean during the prebreeding period (5578 km) by pomarine jaeger, an irruptive species whose full migrations and nomadic behavior have been a mystery. While the small sample sizes in our study limit the ability to make generalizable inferences, our results provide a key input to the knowledge of jaeger migrations. Understanding the routes and migratory divides of birds nesting in the Arctic region has implications for understanding both the glacial refugia of the past and the Anthropocene‐driven changes in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...
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- 2022
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12. The influence of multiple industries on the behaviour of breeding gulls from four colonies across the eastern Gulf of Maine, Canada.
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Gutowsky, Sarah E., Studholme, Katharine R., Ronconi, Robert A., Allard, Karel A., Shlepr, Katherine, Diamond, Anthony W., McIntyre, Jessie, Craik, Shawn R., and Mallory, Mark L.
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LARUS argentatus ,GULLS ,COLONIES ,SEA birds ,GPS receivers ,HUMAN settlements - Abstract
Opportunist gulls use anthropogenic food subsidies, which can bolster populations, but negatively influence sensitive local ecosystems and areas of human settlement. In the eastern Gulf of Maine, Canada, breeding herring gulls Larus argentatus have access to resources from aquaculture, fisheries and mink farms, but the relative influence of industry on local gull populations is unknown. Our objectives were to 1) assess use of natural and anthropogenic habitats by herring gulls from multiple colonies, 2) evaluate variation among colonies in use of distinct resource types within these habitats and 3) highlight areas of high gull:industry interaction. Using GPS devices on 39 gulls from four colonies, we identified visitation behaviour (slow, localized movements) and assigned visits to nine resource types. To evaluate the spatial distribution of visits, we created a use intensity index, reflecting both fidelity (i.e. repeated visits) and time spent in specific areas. All four anthropogenic resource types were heavily used (56 ± 11% of visiting time across colonies), notably, fish plants and mink farms. Despite large distances among three colonies, birds overlapped at particular distant, inland mink farms. In contrast, birds from close colonies overlapped in visitation to specific nearby resources (e.g. fish plants and human settlement), and otherwise diverged in distribution and use of offshore and coastal areas. Birds from three colonies also made frequent, long visits to uninhabited islands. Industry is clearly influencing the behaviour of breeding gulls in the eastern Gulf of Maine, Canada, where birds are travelling great distances or spending large proportions of time interacting with anthropogenic resources, while otherwise paying lengthy visits to nearby coastal islands. Studies have shown that concentrations of gulls can have harmful direct and indirect ecological and societal impacts. Our findings have implications for the management and regulation of industry to mitigate detrimental effects on local ecosystems and humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...
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- 2021
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13. Variable sea‐ice conditions influence trophic dynamics in an Arctic community of marine top predators.
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Pratte, Isabeau, Braune, Birgit M., Hobson, Keith A., and Mallory, Mark L.
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TOP predators ,SEA ice ,STABLE isotopes ,FOOD chains ,COMMUNITIES ,TROPHIC cascades ,PREY availability - Abstract
Sea‐ice coverage is a key abiotic driver of annual environmental conditions in Arctic marine ecosystems and could be a major factor affecting seabird trophic dynamics. Using stable isotope ratios of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) in eggs of thick‐billed murres (Uria lomvia), northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis), glaucous gulls (Larus hyperboreus), and black‐legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla), we investigated the trophic ecology of prebreeding seabirds nesting at Prince Leopold Island, Nunavut, and its relationship with sea‐ice conditions. The seabird community of Prince Leopold Island had a broader isotopic niche during lower sea‐ice conditions, thus having a more divergent diet, while the opposite was observed during years with more extensive sea‐ice conditions. Species' trophic position was influenced by sea ice; in years of lower sea‐ice concentration, gulls and kittiwakes foraged at higher trophic levels while the opposite was observed for murres and fulmars. For murres and fulmars over a longer time series, there was no evidence of the effect of sea‐ice concentration on species' isotopic niche. Results suggest a high degree of adaptation in populations of high Arctic species that cope with harsh and unpredictable conditions. Such different responses of the community isotopic niche also show that the effect of variable sea‐ice conditions, despite being subtle at the species level, might have larger implications when considering the trophic ecology of the larger seabird community. Species‐specific responses in foraging patterns, in particular trophic position in relation to sea ice, are critical to understanding effects of ecosystem change predicted for a changing climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...
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- 2019
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14. Multicentury perspective assessing the sustainability of the historical harvest of seaducks.
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Hargan, Kathryn E., Gilchrist, H. Grant, Clyde, Nikolas M. T., Iverson, Samuel A., Forbes, Mark R., Kimpe, Linda E., Mallory, Mark L., Michelutti, Neal, Smol, John P., and Blais, Jules M.
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SEA ducks ,EIDER ,DEMOGRAPHIC change ,SUSTAINABILITY ,NITROGEN isotopes - Abstract
Where available, census data on seabirds often do not extend beyond a few years or decades, challenging our ability to identify drivers of population change and to develop conservation policies. Here, we reconstruct long-term population dynamics of northern common eiders (Somateria mollissima borealis). We analyzed sterols together with stable nitrogen isotopes in dated pond sediment cores to show that eiders underwent broadscale population declines over the 20th century at Canadian subarctic breeding sites. Likely, a rapidly growing Greenland population, combined with relocation of Inuit to larger Arctic communities and associated increases in the availability of firearms and motors during the early to mid-20th century, generated more efficient hunting practices, which in turn reduced the number of adult eiders breeding at Canadian nesting islands. Our paleolimnological approach highlights that current and local monitoring windows for many sensitive seabird species may be inadequate for making key conservation decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...
- Published
- 2019
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15. Seasonal vessel activity risk to seabirds in waters off Baffin Island, Canada.
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Wong, Sarah N.P., Mallory, Mark L., Gjerdrum, Carina, and Gilchrist, H. Grant
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SEA birds ,WILDLIFE conservation ,ANTHROPOGENIC effects on nature ,MARINE pollution - Abstract
Abstract Millions of seabirds use the waters off Baffin Island. Considering current and future vessel activity in this region, it is important to understand where vulnerability to anthropogenic threats is highest to enable sound wildlife management and regulatory decisions. Using kernel density analysis on at-sea survey data spanning 1970 to 1983 and 2007 to 2016, we identified marine areas of high density for five of the most abundant species sighted: Dovekie Alle alle, Thick-billed Murre Uria lomvia , Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla , Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis and Black Guillemot Cepphus grylle , in summer (June–August) and fall (September–November). We quantified the level of vessel activity from vessel traffic data spanning 2011 to 2015. Overlapping these data layers, we identified regions where high vessel activity posed the highest risk to these species. Navy Board Inlet, Eclipse Sound, Frobisher Bay, Hudson Strait and the northern Labrador Shelf were consistently identified as areas of highest risk to multiple species of seabirds in summer and autumn. These waters not only encompass important summer foraging areas near colonies and post-breeding/migratory habitat but are also frequently navigated by vessels servicing busy communities. The level of vessel activity we found for the study area is relatively low compared to waters where many Arctic species overwinter (e.g., Thick-billed Murres off Newfoundland and Labrador). However, identifying current high-risk areas in Arctic waters is important for the conservation and management of Arctic seabirds as industrial and commercial development in this region expands and leads to higher levels of vessel activity. Highlights • Marine areas of high seabird density in the Arctic identified. • Identified where seabirds at most risk to high levels of vessel activity in Arctic. • As vessel activity increases, need to understand where current risks exists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...
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- 2018
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16. Foraging areas, offshore habitat use, and colony overlap by incubating Leach’s storm-petrels Oceanodroma leucorhoa in the Northwest Atlantic.
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Hedd, April, Pollet, Ingrid L., Mauck, Robert A., Burke, Chantelle M., Mallory, Mark L., McFarlane Tranquilla, Laura A., Montevecchi, William A., Robertson, Gregory J., Ronconi, Robert A., Shutler, Dave, Wilhelm, Sabina I., and Burgess, Neil M. more...
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LEECHES ,STORM petrels ,BIRD habitats ,FORAGING behavior ,SPATIAL ecology - Abstract
Despite their importance in marine food webs, much has yet to be learned about the spatial ecology of small seabirds. This includes the Leach’s storm-petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa, a species that is declining throughout its Northwest Atlantic breeding range. In 2013 and 2014, we used global location sensors to track foraging movements of incubating storm-petrels from 7 eastern Canadian breeding colonies. We determined and compared the foraging trip and at-sea habitat characteristics, analysed spatial overlap among colonies, and determined whether colony foraging ranges intersected with offshore oil and gas operations. Individuals tracked during the incubation period made 4.0 ± 1.4 day foraging trips, travelling to highly pelagic waters over and beyond continental slopes which ranged, on average, 400 to 830 km from colonies. Cumulative travel distances ranged from ~900 to 2,100 km among colonies. While colony size did not influence foraging trip characteristics or the size of areas used at sea, foraging distances tended to be shorter for individuals breeding at the southern end of the range. Core areas did not overlap considerably among colonies, and individuals from all sites except Kent Island in the Bay of Fundy foraged over waters with median depths > 1,950 m and average chlorophyll a concentrations ≤ 0.6 mg/m
3 . Sea surface temperatures within colony core areas varied considerably (11–23°C), coincident with the birds’ use of cold waters of the Labrador Current or warmer waters of the Gulf Stream Current. Offshore oil and gas operations intersected with the foraging ranges of 5 of 7 colonies. Three of these, including Baccalieu Island, Newfoundland, which supports the species’ largest population, have experienced substantial declines in the last few decades. Future work should prioritize modelling efforts to incorporate information on relative predation risk at colonies, spatially explicit risks at-sea on the breeding and wintering grounds, effects of climate and marine ecosystem change, as well as lethal and sub-lethal effects of environmental contaminants, to better understand drivers of Leach’s storm-petrel populations trends in Atlantic Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...- Published
- 2018
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17. Migratory Connectivity at High Latitudes: Sabine’s Gulls (Xema sabini) from a Colony in the Canadian High Arctic Migrate to Different Oceans.
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Davis, Shanti E., Maftei, Mark, and Mallory, Mark L.
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MIGRATORY birds ,SABINE'S gull ,GENETIC speciation ,BIRD breeding ,COLONIZATION (Ecology) - Abstract
The world's Arctic latitudes are some of the most recently colonized by birds, and an understanding of the migratory connectivity of circumpolar species offers insights into the mechanisms of range expansion and speciation. Migratory divides exist for many birds, however for many taxa it is unclear where such boundaries lie, and to what extent these affect the connectivity of species breeding across their ranges. Sabine’s gulls (Xema sabini) have a patchy, circumpolar breeding distribution and overwinter in two ecologically similar areas in different ocean basins: the Humboldt Current off the coast of Peru in the Pacific, and the Benguela Current off the coasts of South Africa and Namibia in the Atlantic. We used geolocators to track Sabine’s gulls breeding at a colony in the Canadian High Arctic to determine their migratory pathways and wintering sites. Our study provides evidence that birds from this breeding site disperse to both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans during the non-breeding season, which suggests that a migratory divide for this species exists in the Nearctic. Remarkably, members of one mated pair wintered in opposite oceans. Our results ultimately suggest that colonization of favorable breeding habitat may be one of the strongest drivers of range expansion in the High Arctic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...
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- 2016
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18. Temporal trends of mercury in eggs of five sympatrically breeding seabird species in the Canadian Arctic.
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Braune, Birgit M., Gaston, Anthony J., and Mallory, Mark L.
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MERCURY content of fish ,THICK-billed murre ,BLACK guillemot ,GLAUCOUS gull ,FISH eggs - Abstract
We compared temporal trends of total mercury (Hg) in eggs of five seabird species breeding at Prince Leopold Island in the Canadian high Arctic. As changes in trophic position over time have the potential to influence contaminant temporal trends, Hg concentrations were adjusted for trophic position (measured as δ 15 N). Adjusted Hg concentrations in eggs of thick-billed murres ( Uria lomvia ) and northern fulmars ( Fulmarus glacialis ) increased from 1975 to the 1990s, followed by a plateauing of levels from the 1990s to 2014. Trends of adjusted Hg concentrations in eggs of murres, fulmars, black guillemots ( Cepphus grylle ) and black-legged kittiwakes ( Rissa tridactyla ) had negative slopes between 1993 and 2013. Adjusted Hg concentrations in glaucous gull ( Larus hyperboreus ) eggs decreased by 50% from 1993 to 2003 before starting to increase again. Glaucous gull eggs had the highest Hg concentrations followed by black guillemot eggs, and black-legged kittiwake eggs had the lowest concentrations consistently in the five years compared between 1993 and 2013. Based on published toxicological thresholds for Hg in eggs, there is little concern for adverse reproductive effects due to Hg exposure in these birds, although the levels in glaucous gull eggs warrant future scrutiny given the increase in Hg concentrations observed in recent years. There is evidence that the Hg trends observed reflect changing anthropogenic Hg emissions. It remains unclear, however, to what extent exposure to Hg on the overwintering grounds influences the Hg trends observed in the seabird eggs at Prince Leopold Island. Future research should focus on determining the extent to which Hg exposure on the breeding grounds versus the overwintering areas contribute to the trends observed in the eggs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...
- Published
- 2016
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19. Changes in trophic position affect rates of contaminant decline at two seabird colonies in the Canadian Arctic.
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Braune, Birgit M., Gaston, Anthony J., Hobson, Keith A., Grant Gilchrist, H., and Mallory, Mark L.
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COLONIAL birds ,FOOD chains ,CLIMATE change ,POLLUTANTS - Abstract
Some Arctic food web structures are being affected by climate change with potential consequences for long-term trends of environmental contaminants. We examined the effects of changes in trophic position of an Arctic-breeding seabird, the thick-billed murre ( Uria lomvia ), on declining rates of six major organochlorines (hexachlorobenzene, heptachlor epoxide, oxychlordane, dieldrin, p,p ′-DDE and Σ 69 PCB) at two breeding colonies in the Canadian Arctic, one in northern Hudson Bay and one in the high Arctic. As a result of a change in diet, murres breeding in Hudson Bay lowered their trophic position during 1993–2013. After adjusting for the change in trophic position using egg δ 15 N values, the rates of decline in concentrations of all six organochlorines were reduced in the Hudson Bay murre eggs. In contrast, the murres at the high Arctic colony experienced an increase in trophic position which resulted in an increase in the rates of decline for all adjusted concentrations, except for p,p ′-DDE and Σ 69 PCB which remained relatively unchanged. This suggests that the dramatic reduction in emissions of these compounds during the 1970s/1980s had a greater influence on the time trends than changes in diet at the high Arctic colony. Linkages between climate change and food web processes are complex, and may have serious consequences for our understanding of contaminant temporal trends. Valid trends can be deduced only when these factors have been taken into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...
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- 2015
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20. Marine birds and plastic debris in Canada: a national synthesis and a way forward.
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Provencher, Jennifer F., Bond, Alexander L., and Mallory, Mark L.
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BIRDS ,PLASTIC scrap ,WASTE products ,VERTEBRATES - Abstract
Copyright of Environmental Reviews is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) more...
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- 2015
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21. Mercury levels in North Atlantic seabirds: A synthesis.
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Pollet, Ingrid L., Provencher, Jennifer F., McFarlane Tranquilla, Laura, Burgess, Neil M., and Mallory, Mark L.
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MERCURY ,TOP predators ,CORMORANTS - Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is globally-distributed, with severe toxic effects on wildlife. Methylmercury biomagnifies within food webs, so long-lived, top predators such as seabirds are prone to high mercury concentrations. We synthesized historical and contemporary data on mercury concentrations in seabirds from the North Atlantic. We collected 614 values determined from 39 species and 115 locations, ranging from 1895 to 1940 and from 1970 to 2020. Highest blood-equivalent Hg values were in Phalacrocoracidae. For the same species/tissue/collection site, blood-equivalent values were lower during pre-1940 than post-1970 period. In almost 5 % of post-1970 values, mean blood-equivalent Hg concentrations were above those considered to pose severe risks of adverse effects, and 21 % were above the high-risk effect. We found an imbalance in sample effort and did not find Hg values for many species. We argue that stronger, trans-Atlantic Hg monitoring schemes are required to coordinate research and better compare trends across a wide scale. • Mercury has toxic effects on seabirds. • We analysed mercury values in seabirds breeding in the North Atlantic. • Mercury values differed among species, prey type and feeding locations. • Historical (pre-1940) mercury values were lower than contemporary (post-1970) ones. • Information on mercury burden is lacking for some tropical seabird species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...
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- 2022
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22. Assessing regional populations of ground-nesting marine birds in the Canadian High Arctic.
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Maftei, Mark, Davis, Shanti E., and Mallory, Mark L.
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SEA birds ,POLYNYAS ,AERIAL surveys ,TERNS ,DATABASES ,BIRD populations - Abstract
The Queens Channel region of Nunavut is an ecologically distinct area within the Canadian High Arctic consisting of an extensive archipelago of small, low-lying gravel islands throughout which form several localized but highly productive polynyas. We used aerial survey and colony-monitoring data to assess regional- and colony-level fluctuations in the number of birds in this region between 2002 and 2013. Regional and colony-specific monitoring suggested that common eider (Somateria mollissima) numbers are increasing, while numbers of Arctic terns (Sterna paradisaea) may be in decline. Based on these data, we suggest that even infrequent comprehensive surveys are more useful than annual monitoring at specific sites in generating an accurate assessment of ground-nesting seabird populations at the regional level, and that dramatic fluctuations at individual colonies probably belie the overall stability of regional populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...
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- 2015
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23. Contaminants in magnificent frigatebird eggs from Barbuda, West Indies.
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Trefry, Sarah A., Diamond, Antony W., Spencer, Nora C., and Mallory, Mark L.
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FRIGATE-birds ,BIRD eggs ,POLLUTANTS ,ORGANOCHLORINE compounds & the environment ,TRACE elements in water ,POLYCHLORINATED biphenyls & the environment - Abstract
Highlights: [•] Magnificent frigatebird eggs from Barbuda, West Indies were analyzed for contaminants. [•] Low levels of organochlorines and non-essential trace elements were found. [•] PCBs had relatively high proportions of hepta- and octachlorobiphenyls. [Copyright &y& Elsevier] more...
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- 2013
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24. Contamination of an arctic terrestrial food web with marine-derived persistent organic pollutants transported by breeding seabirds.
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Choy, Emily S., Kimpe, Linda E., Mallory, Mark L., Smol, John P., and Blais, Jules M.
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SEA birds ,BREEDING ,FULMARS ,SNOW bunting ,FOOD chains ,PERSISTENT pollutants ,COASTAL ecology ,POLYCHLORINATED biphenyls & the environment ,BEHAVIOR - Abstract
At Cape Vera, Devon Island (Nunavut, Canada), a colony of northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) concentrates and releases contaminants through their guano to the environment. We determined whether persistent organic pollutants (POPs) from seabirds were transferred to coastal food webs. Snow buntings (Plectrophenax nivalis) were the most contaminated species, with ∑PCB and ∑DDT (mean: 168, 106 ng/g ww) concentrations surpassing environmental guidelines for protecting wildlife. When examined collectively, PCB congeners and DDT in jewel lichen (Xanthoria elegans) were lower in samples taken farther from the seabird colony, and increased with increasing δ
15 N values. However, only concentrations of p’p-DDE:∑DDT and PCB-95 were significantly correlated inversely with distance from the seabird cliffs. Linkages between marine-derived POPs and their concentrations in terrestrial mammals were less clear. Our study provides novel contaminant data for these species and supports biovector transport as a source of organic contaminants to certain components of the terrestrial food web. [Copyright &y& Elsevier] more...- Published
- 2010
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25. Ingested plastic in a diving seabird, the thick-billed murre (Uria lomvia), in the eastern Canadian Arctic.
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Provencher, Jennifer F., Gaston, Anthony J., Mallory, Mark L., O’hara, Patrick D., and Gilchrist, H. Grant
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PLASTIC marine debris ,MARINE pollution ,DIVERS (Birds) ,ALCIDAE ,THICK-billed murre ,BIRDS ,GASTROINTESTINAL contents ,ANIMAL health - Abstract
Abstract: Plastic debris has become ubiquitous in the marine environment and seabirds may ingest debris which can have deleterious effects on their health. In the North Atlantic Ocean, surface feeding seabirds typically ingest high levels of plastic, while the diving auks which feed in the water column typically have much lower levels. We examined 186 thick-billed murres from five colonies in the eastern Canadian Arctic for ingested plastic debris. Approximately 11% of the birds had at least one piece of plastic debris in their gastrointestinal tracts, with debris dominated by user plastics. This is the first report of ingested plastics in an auk species in Canada’s Arctic, and the highest incidence of plastic ingestion to date for thick-billed murres (Uria lomvia). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...
- Published
- 2010
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26. Accelerated delivery of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in recent sediments near a large seabird colony in Arctic Canada
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Michelutti, Neal, Liu, Huijun, Smol, John P., Kimpe, Lynda E., Keatley, Bronwyn E., Mallory, Mark, Macdonald, Robie W., Douglas, Marianne S.V., and Blais, Jules M.
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POLYCHLORINATED biphenyls & the environment ,SEDIMENTS ,SEA birds ,BIRD populations ,BIOINDICATORS ,CHLOROPHYLL ,CADMIUM & the environment ,PHYSIOLOGICAL effects of cadmium - Abstract
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured in sediment cores from ponds located near a large seabird colony at Cape Vera, Devon Island, Arctic Canada. Surface sediment PCB concentrations were ∼5× greater in seabird-affected sites relative to a nearby control pond and were correlated with independent indicators of seabird activity including, sedimentary δ
15 N and lakewater chlorophyll a and cadmium concentrations. PCB fluxes were amongst the highest recorded from the High Arctic, ranging from 290 to 2400 ng m−2 yr−1 . Despite a widespread ban of PCBs in the mid-1970s, PCB accumulation rates in our cores increased, with the highest values recorded in the most recent sediments. Possible mechanisms for the recent PCB increases include a vertical flux step driven by seabird-delivered nutrients and/or delayed loading of PCBs from the catchment into the ponds. The high PCB levels recorded in the seabird-affected sites suggest that seabird colonies are exposing coastal ecosystems to elevated levels of contaminants. [Copyright &y& Elsevier] more...- Published
- 2009
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27. Changes in Canadian seabird populations and ecology since 1970 in relation to changes in oceanography and food webs.
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Gaston, Anthony J., Bertram, Douglas F., Boyne, Andrew W., Chardine, John W., Davoren, Gail, Diamond, Antony W., Hedd, April, Montevecchi, William A., Hipfner, J. Mark, Lemon, Moira J. F., Mallory, Mark L., Rail, Jean-François, and Robertson, Gregory J. more...
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SEA birds ,ECOLOGY ,BIOINDICATORS ,BIOLOGICAL monitoring ,OCEANOGRAPHY ,FOOD chains - Abstract
Copyright of Environmental Reviews is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) more...
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- 2009
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28. An isotopic investigation of mercury accumulation in terrestrial food webs adjacent to an Arctic seabird colony
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Choy, Emily S., Gauthier, Martine, Mallory, Mark L., Smol, John P., Douglas, Marianne S.V., Lean, David, and Blais, Jules M.
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MERCURY & the environment , *FOOD chains , *FULMARUS glacialis , *SEA birds , *MICRONUTRIENT fertilizers , *HABITATS , *ZOOPLANKTON - Abstract
Abstract: At Cape Vera (Devon Island, Nunavut, Canada), a seabird colony of northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) congregates and releases nutrients through the deposition of guano to the coastal terrestrial environment, thus creating nutrient-fertilized habitats important to insects, birds, and mammals. Here we determined whether mercury was similarly enriched in various terrestrial food web components in this High Arctic coastal ecosystem due to seabird inputs. Stable isotopes (δ 15N, δ 13C) were used to identify trophic linkages and possible routes of contaminant transfer in the food web. Values of δ 15N were significantly higher in lichens and certain plants collected closer to the bird colony, demonstrating a gradient of seabird influence, and were higher at Cape Vera than our reference site at Cape Herschel, on eastern Ellesmere Island, an area relatively unaffected by seabirds. In contrast, δ 13C showed little variation among terrestrial species, suggesting minimal influence by seabirds. Concentrations of total mercury (THg) in primary producers and phyto/zooplankton were not significantly correlated with distance from the seabird colony or δ 15N values, and were similar to other taxa from the High Arctic. Our results provide novel data on THg in several Arctic taxa where concentrations have not been reported previously. Moreover, the analyses indicate that δ 15N is significantly enriched in the adjacent environment by guano fertilization, but our study was unable to show an enrichment of THg and δ 13C in the terrestrial food web near the seabird colony. [Copyright &y& Elsevier] more...
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- 2010
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29. Modelling demographic impacts of a growing Arctic fishery on a seabird population in Canada and Greenland.
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Anderson, Christine M., Iverson, Samuel A., Black, Amie, Mallory, Mark L., Hedd, April, Merkel, Flemming, and Provencher, Jennifer F.
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FISHERIES , *FULMARUS glacialis , *GREENLAND halibut , *FULMARS - Abstract
Abstract In Baffin Bay and Davis Strait, reports indicate that Northern Fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) are vulnerable to bycatch in the fisheries for Greenland Halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides). We modeled the potential current and future impacts the expanding halibut fishery may have on fulmar populations in the region using population viability analysis. By varying age-specific bycatch vulnerability, detectability, and the size of the at-risk population, we tested how different scenarios may influence population trajectories. From 2011 to 2015, the bycatch rate of fulmars was approximately 212 (SD ± 111) individuals per year. This could cause declines (−12%) over three generations (66 years) at the three colonies closest to the fishing grounds. However, declines could be as high as −33% over this same period if unobservable bycatch is considered, and as low as −0.4% if bycatch is distributed among a larger population. Several uncertainties we modeled could be reduced by improving how bycatch data are recorded by at-sea observer programs. Highlights • Approx. 212 Northern Fulmars/year are bycaught in the Baffin Bay-Davis Strait Halibut Fishery. • Demographic effects could range from −0.4% to −33% declines over 3 generations. • Colony location of bycaught birds is one of the biggest sources of uncertainty. • Demographic impacts likely to increase as sea ice decreases and this fishery grows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...
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- 2018
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30. Factors influencing mercury levels in Leach's storm-petrels at northwest Atlantic colonies.
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Pollet, Ingrid L., McFarlane-Tranquilla, Laura, Burgess, Neil M., Diamond, Antony W., Gjerdrum, Carina, Hedd, April, Hoeg, Rielle, Jones, Patricia L., Mauck, Robert A., Montevecchi, William A., Pratte, Isabeau, Ronconi, Robert A., Shutler, Dave, Wilhelm, Sabina I., and Mallory, Mark L. more...
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- 2023
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31. A geographical comparison of chlorinated, brominated and fluorinated compounds in seabirds breeding in the eastern Canadian Arctic.
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Braune, Birgit M., Gaston, Anthony J., Letcher, Robert J., Grant Gilchrist, H., Mallory, Mark L., and Provencher, Jennifer F.
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SEA birds , *THICK-billed murre , *BROMINATED hydrocarbons , *FLUORINATION , *PHYSIOLOGICAL effects of organochlorine compounds , *PHYSIOLOGY - Abstract
A suite of chlorinated, brominated and fluorinated organic contaminants were measured in livers of adult thick-billed murres ( Uria lomvia ) and northern fulmars ( Fulmarus glacialis ) from several locations in the eastern Canadian Arctic during 2007–2008. Thick-billed murres were collected from five colonies (Coats Island, Digges Island, Akpatok Island, Prince Leopold Island, Minarets) and northern fulmars from two colonies (Prince Leopold Island, Minarets). Legacy organochlorines (e.g. PCBs, DDT, chlorobenzenes, chlordanes) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) dominated the compositional profiles of the measured halogenated compounds in the livers of both species at all colonies. Among the murre colonies sampled, Prince Leopold Island birds generally had the highest mean concentrations of organochlorines, whereas the highest mean concentration of sum (Σ) polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) was found at the Minarets and the lowest at Prince Leopold Island. PBDEs were detected in only a few fulmar livers from the Minarets and in none of the fulmar livers from Prince Leopold Island. Mean PFOS concentrations were highest in both murre and fulmar livers at Prince Leopold Island. PFOS was approximately two orders of magnitude higher than the mean sum (Σ) perfluorinated carboxylate (PFCA) concentration in both species and at all colonies. The reasons for inter-colony and inter-species differences in contaminant liver levels are probably variable and complex, and likely reflect differences in contaminant transport and exposure pathways, as well as differences among colonies in their diets and overwintering areas. To our knowledge, this is the first spatial assessment of PBDEs, PFCAs and PFOS in seabirds from the Canadian Arctic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...
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- 2014
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32. A geographical comparison of mercury in seabirds in the eastern Canadian Arctic.
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Braune, Birgit M., Gaston, Anthony J., Grant Gilchrist, H., Mallory, Mark L., and Provencher, Jennifer F.
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SEA birds , *MERCURY , *METAL toxicology , *THICK-billed murre , *FULMARUS glacialis , *COMPARATIVE studies - Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is a potentially toxic metal ubiquitous in arctic biota. Livers of adult thick-billed murres (Uria lomvia) and northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) sampled from several locations in the eastern Canadian Arctic during 2007–2008 were analyzed for total Hg in order to assess geographical patterns. Thick-billed murres were collected from five colonies (Coats Island, Digges Island, Akpatok Island, Prince Leopold Island, Minarets) and northern fulmars from two colonies (Prince Leopold Island, Minarets). Murres at the two high Arctic colonies of Prince Leopold Island and the Minarets had significantly higher (two-fold) Hg concentrations (4.13±019μgg−1 dw and 4.41±0.33μgg−1 dw, respectively) than at the three low Arctic colonies (colony means of 1.62, 1.99 and 2.15μgg−1 dw). The differences in Hg concentrations observed between high and low Arctic murre colonies may reflect a combination of different source regions for Hg, as well as a recent dietary shift among low Arctic murres. Fulmars from Prince Leopold Island had significantly higher Hg levels (6.99±1.13μgg−1 dw) than those from the Minarets (3.42±0.53μgg−1 dw) which may reflect different Hg deposition and methylation patterns on both summer and winter feeding areas. Although there is no evidence linking Hg to adverse population effects in either murres or fulmars at the colonies sampled, levels in some Canadian Arctic marine birds have increased over recent decades and, therefore, continued monitoring, particularly of the high Arctic colonies, is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...
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- 2014
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33. Modeling foraging range for breeding colonies of thick-billed murres Uria lomvia in the Eastern Canadian Arctic and potential overlap with industrial development.
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Gaston, Anthony J., Elliott, Kyle H., Ropert-Coudert, Yan, Kato, Akiko, Macdonald, Christie A., Mallory, Mark L., and Gilchrist, H. Grant
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FORAGING behavior , *BREEDING , *THICK-billed murre , *INDUSTRIALIZATION , *COLONIZATION - Abstract
Highlights: [•] Increased shipping is predicted for Canada’s Arctic and may influence marine birds. [•] Using Central Place Foraging theory (CPF), we modeled range and colony size for thick-billed murres. [•] We compared predictions with measured foraging trip distances for two Arctic breeding colonies. [•] The predictions of CPF were supported, allowing us to model foraging areas for other Arctic colonies. [•] Results suggest broad overlap of murre foraging with current and future Arctic shipping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...
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- 2013
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34. Metabolomic profiles in relation to benchmark polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) and trace elements in two seabird species from Arctic Canada.
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Sarma, Sailendra Nath, Thomas, Philippe J., Naz, Shama, Pauli, Bruce, Crump, Doug, Zahaby, Yasmeen, O'Brien, Jason M., Mallory, Mark L., Franckowiak, Ryan P., Gendron, Michel, and Provencher, Jennifer F. more...
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HYDROPHILIC interaction liquid chromatography , *POLYCYCLIC aromatic compounds , *METABOLITES , *HYDROPHILIC interactions , *TRACE elements , *METABOLOMICS , *POLLUTANTS , *SEA birds - Abstract
While exposure of birds to oil-related contaminants has been documented, the related adverse effects this exposure has on Arctic marine birds remain unexplored. Metabolomics can play an important role to explore biologically relevant metabolite biomarkers in relation to different stressors, even at benchmark levels of contamination. The aim of this study was to characterize the metabolomics profiles in relation to polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) and trace elements in the liver of two seabird species in the Canadian Arctic. In July 2018, black guillemots (Cepphus grylle) and thick-billed murres (Uria lomvia) were collected by hunters from a region where natural oil seeps occur in the seabed near Qikiqtarjuaq, Nunavut, Canada. A total of 121 metabolites were identified in liver tissue samples using reversed phase and hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry platforms to detect non-polar and polar metabolites, respectively. Sixty-nine metabolites showed excellent repeatability and linearity and were used to examine possible effects of oil-related contaminants exposure (PACs and trace elements). Metabolites including 3-hydroxy anthranilic acid, adenine, adenosine, adenosine mono-phosphate, ascorbic acid, butyrylcarnitine, cholic acid, guanosine, guanosine mono-phosphate, inosine, norepinephrine and threonine showed significant differences (more than two fold) between the two species. Elevated adenine and adenosine, along with decreased reduced/oxidized glutathione ratio, highlighted the potential for oxidative stress in murres. Lipid peroxidation and superoxide dismutase activity assays also confirmed these metabolomic findings. These results will help to characterize the baseline metabolomic profiles of Arctic seabird species with different foraging behaviour and trace element burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...
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- 2022
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35. Microplastics around an Arctic seabird colony: Particle community composition varies across environmental matrices.
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Hamilton, Bonnie M., Bourdages, Madelaine P.T., Geoffroy, Catherine, Vermaire, Jesse C., Mallory, Mark L., Rochman, Chelsea M., and Provencher, Jennifer F.
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- 2021
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36. Polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) and trace elements in four marine bird species from northern Canada in a region of natural marine oil and gas seeps.
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Provencher, Jennifer F., Thomas, Philippe J., Pauli, Bruce, Braune, Birgit M., Franckowiak, Ryan P., Gendron, Michel, Savard, Guy, Sarma, Sailendra Nath, Crump, Doug, Zahaby, Yasmeen, O'Brien, Jason, and Mallory, Mark L. more...
- Abstract
There is a growing understanding of how oil pollution can affect aquatic ecosystems, including physical and chemical effects. One of the biggest challenges with detecting the effects of oil-related contaminants on biota from resource development is understanding the background levels and potential effects of the exposure of biota to contaminants from various natural and anthropogenic sources prior to large scale oil and gas operations. Seabirds are effective indicators of pollution, and can be useful for tracking oil-related contaminants in the marine environment. We sampled four seabird species (black guillemot, Cepphus grylle ; thick-billed murre, Uria lomvia ; black-legged kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla ; and northern fulmar, Fulmarus glacialis) in the Baffin Bay-Davis Strait region of the Northwest Atlantic and Arctic oceans, an area where natural oil and gas seeps are present but lacking any large-scale oil and gas projects. We found detectable levels of PACs and several trace elements in all species examined. Alkylated PAC levels were higher than parent compounds in all four seabird species examined, with fulmars and murres having the highest levels detected; mean hepatic concentrations of ∑ 16 PAC were 99.05, 46.42, 12.78 and 9.57 ng/g lw, respectively, for guillemots, murres, fulmars and kittiwakes. Overall, PAC concentrations in the seabird species examined were similar to PAC concentrations measured in other bird species in regions with more industrialization. These findings provide data which can be used to assess the current oil-related contaminant exposure of biota in the region. As well, they provide background levels for the region at a time when shipping activity is relatively low, which can used for future comparisons following expected increases in shipping and oil and gas activities in the region. Unlabelled Image • Petrogenic and pyrogenic polycyclic aromatic compounds (PAC) were detected in 4 seabird species. • Natural oil and gas seeps offshore of Baffin Island contribute to seabird PAC concentrations. • Concentrations and composition of PACs and trace elements significantly differed between the species. • The species that fed most coastally had higher levels of pyrogenic PACs compared to offshore feeders. • Concentrations of PACs in the four species were similar to levels detected in other industrialized areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...
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- 2020
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37. What's the catch with lumpsuckers? A North Atlantic study of seabird bycatch in lumpsucker gillnet fisheries.
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Christensen-Dalsgaard, Signe, Anker-Nilssen, Tycho, Crawford, Rory, Bond, Alexander, Sigurðsson, Guðjón Már, Glemarec, Gildas, Hansen, Erpur Snær, Kadin, Martina, Kindt-Larsen, Lotte, Mallory, Mark, Merkel, Flemming Ravn, Petersen, Aevar, Provencher, Jennifer, and Bærum, Kim Magnus more...
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BYCATCHES , *FISHERIES , *FISH conservation , *GILLNETTING , *WILDLIFE monitoring , *CORMORANTS - Abstract
Worldwide, incidental bycatch in fisheries is a conservation threat to many seabird species. Although knowledge on bycatch of seabirds has increased in the last decade, most stems from longline fisheries and the impacts of coastal gillnet fisheries are poorly understood. Gillnet fishing for North Atlantic lumpsucker (Cyclopterus lumpus) is one such fishery. We collated and synthesized the available information on seabird bycatch in lumpsucker gillnet fisheries across the entire geographical range to estimate and infer the magnitude of their impact on the affected seabird populations. Most birds killed were diving ducks, cormorants and auks, and each year locally high numbers of seabirds were taken as bycatch. We found large differences in bycatch rates among countries. The estimated mean bycatch in Iceland was 2.43 birds/trip, while the estimates in Norway was 0.44 and 0.39 birds/trip, respectively. The large disparities between estimates might reflect large spatial differences in bycatch rates, but could partly also arise due to distinctions in data recorded by onboard inspectors (Iceland), self-administered registration (Norway) and direct observations by cameras (Denmark). We show that lumpsucker gillnet fisheries might pose a significant risk to some populations of diving seabirds. However, a distinct data deficiency on seabird bycatch in terms of spatio-temporal coverage and the age and origins of the birds killed, limited our abilities to fully assess the extent and population consequences of the bycatch. Our results highlight the need for a joint effort among countries to standardize monitoring methods to better document the impact of these fisheries on seabirds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...
- Published
- 2019
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38. Climate influence on mercury in Arctic seabirds.
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Foster, Karen L., Braune, Birgit M., Gaston, Anthony J., and Mallory, Mark L.
- Abstract
The historic influence of interannual weather and climate variability on total mercury concentrations (THg) in the eggs of two species of Arctic seabird in the Canadian High Arctic was investigated. Time series of THg in the eggs of northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) and thick-billed murres (Uria lomvia) from Prince Leopold Island span 40 years (1975–2014), making these among the longest time series available for contaminants in Arctic wildlife and uniquely suitable for evaluation of long-term climate and weather influence. We compiled a suite of weather and climate time series reflecting atmospheric (air temperature, wind speed, sea level pressure) and oceanic (sea surface temperature, sea ice cover) conditions, atmosphere-ocean transfer (snow and rain), as well as broad-scale teleconnection indices such as the Arctic Oscillation (AO) and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). We staggered these to the optimal time lag, then in a tiered approach of successive General Linear Models (GLMs), strategically added them to GLMs to identify possible key predictors and assess any main effects on THg concentrations. We investigated time lags of 0 to 10 years between weather/climate shifts and egg collections. For both fulmars and murres, after time lags of two to seven years, the most parsimonious models included NAO and temperature, and for murres, snowfall, while the fulmar model also included sea ice. Truncated versions of the datasets (2005–2014), reflective of typical time series length for THg in Arctic wildlife, were separately assessed and generally identified similar weather predictors and effects as the full time series, but not for NAO, indicating that longer time series are more effective at elucidating relationships with broad scale climate indices. Overall, the results suggest a significant and larger than expected effect of weather and climate on THg concentrations in Arctic seabirds. Unlabelled Image • Climate variability is affecting Hg fate and cycling in the Arctic. • Effects of climate variability on Hg trends in seabird eggs were evaluated. • Best models included North Atlantic Oscillation and temperature. • Additionally, snowfall and sea ice were included for different species. • Results suggest significant effect of weather/climate on Hg in Arctic seabirds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...
- Published
- 2019
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