Hooked up or flying free? Foraging behaviour of Icelandic northern fulmars in relation to fisheries activities and habitat characteristics: individual specialisation and personality

Ecosystems around the globe are heavily affected by anthropogenic influences, threatening especially long-lived organisms like seabirds. Besides climate-change-induced shifts in the marine food web, many seabirds get killed as bycatch in fisheries, but fishery discards are also valuable food. Previous research has shown that even in dietary generalists individual birds can be specialised on food sources. This can be linked to personality (e.g. whether birds are bold or shy), age or sex, potentially making fishing vessels more attractive for some individuals than others. In this proposal, I aim to 1) explore among-individual differences in foraging behaviour, diet and interactions with fishing vessels in northern fulmars (NF; Fulmarus glacialis), and whether these are related to the birds' personality, age and sex as well as offspring growth, physiology and survival, thereby comparing NF from the North and South of Iceland as these populations experience different oceanographic conditions and population trends; 2) as an additional step compare the foraging behaviour of Icelandic NF with that of their southern counterparts, making use of existing data from southern fulmars (F. glacialoides), which breed at a similar latitude as Iceland, yet experience different ecological conditions (lower temperatures, sea ice, no fisheries). This project will deliver fundamental information about individual specialisation in long-lived seabirds and is highly relevant for species conservation.

Keywords:EXPERIMENTAL STUDY

Disciplines:Animal biology

Project type:Collaboration project