Legacy or colonization? Posteruption establishment of peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus) on a volcanically active subarctic island.

Ecology and Evolution
By: , and 

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Abstract

How populations and communities reassemble following disturbances are affected by a number of factors, with the arrival order of founding populations often having a profound influence on later populations and community structure. Kasatochi Island is a small volcano located in the central Aleutian archipelago that erupted violently August 8, 2008, sterilizing the island of avian biodiversity. Prior to the eruption, Kasatochi was the center of abundance for breeding seabirds in the central Aleutian Islands and supported several breeding pairs of peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus). We examined the reestablishment of peregrine falcons on Kasatochi by evaluating the genetic relatedness among legacy samples collected in 2006 to those collected posteruption and to other falcons breeding along the archipelago. No genotypes found in posteruption samples were identical to genotypes collected from pre-eruption samples. However, genetic analyses suggest that individuals closely related to peregrine falcons occupying pre-eruption Kasatochi returned following the eruption and successfully fledged young; thus, a genetic legacy of pre-eruption falcons was present on posteruption Kasatochi Island. We hypothesize that the rapid reestablishment of peregrine falcons on Kasatochi was likely facilitated by behavioral characteristics of peregrine falcons breeding in the Aleutian Islands, such as year-round residency and breeding site fidelity, the presence of an abundant food source (seabirds), and limited vegetation requirements by seabirds and falcons.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Legacy or colonization? Posteruption establishment of peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus) on a volcanically active subarctic island.
Series title Ecology and Evolution
DOI 10.1002/ece3.2631
Volume 7
Issue 1
Year Published 2017
Contributing office(s) Alaska Science Center, Alaska Science Center Biology WTEB
Description 8 p.
First page 107
Last page 114
Country United States
State Alaska
Other Geospatial Kasatochi Island
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