Global seabird responses to forage fish depletion - One-third for the birds
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Abstract
Determining the form of key predator-prey relationships is critical for understanding marine ecosystem dynamics. Using a comprehensive global database, we quantified the effect of fluctuations in food abundance on seabird breeding success. We identified a threshold in prey (fish and krill, termed “forage fish”) abundance below which seabirds experience consistently reduced and more variable productivity. This response was common to all seven ecosystems and 14 bird species examined within the Atlantic, Pacific, and Southern Oceans. The threshold approximated one-third of the maximum prey biomass observed in long-term studies. This provides an indicator of the minimal forage fish biomass needed to sustain seabird productivity over the long term.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Global seabird responses to forage fish depletion - One-third for the birds |
| Series title | Science |
| DOI | 10.1126/science.1212928 |
| Volume | 334 |
| Issue | 6063 |
| Year Published | 2011 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | American Association for the Advancement of Science |
| Publisher location | New York, NY |
| Contributing office(s) | Alaska Science Center Biology MFEB |
| Description | 4 p. |
| First page | 1703 |
| Last page | 1706 |
| Online Only (Y/N) | N |
| Additional Online Files (Y/N) | N |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |