New publication on European Storm Petrel foraging areas!

 Bolumar Roda, S., Rotger, A., santangeli A., Tavecchia, G., Sola, A., [...] and Sanz-Aguilar, A., 2024. Coping with ocean dynamics: Foraging strategy and implications for conservation of a small petrel. Biological Conservation, 302: 110913 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2024.110913  

 In a shell: The study used GPS tracking and oceanographic data to model foraging habitats of European Storm-petrels in the Western Mediterranean, identifying key regions influenced by dynamic oceanographic features that largely fall outside Marine Protected Areas, highlighting the need for conservation measures.

Abstract: Seabirds' distribution is generally influenced by the ecological dynamics of marine environments. Understanding how oceanographic features shape seabird foraging behaviour remains a challenge. We combined GPS tracking locations (n = 2883) of 39 European Storm-petrels (Hydrobates pelagicus) breeding in four West Mediterranean colonies during incubation over multiple years (2019–2021) with near-real-time remotely sensed oceanographic drivers. We model habitat selection using GPS tracking data from one colony, Benidorm Island, and use data from other three colonies for validation.

Photo: V. Paris

We show that suitable foraging areas are strongly characterized by low sea surface temperature, high chlorophyll concentration and eddy kinetic energy. Based on this model, we predict habitat suitability maps for 2018–2022. Cross-validation using data from the other three colonies highlights that the identified suitable areas are universally applicable across other Storm-petrel colonies in the Western Mediterranean. We identified the Alboran Sea, the North African coast, the Gulf of Lion and the Ebro River Delta as the most suitable regions. These areas are characterized by high mesoscale variability, suggesting the importance of dynamic oceanographic features in determining foraging habitat. Identified main foraging areas are largely outside of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), thus vulnerable to anthropogenic threats such as overfishing and energy infrastructure development. The critical foraging areas identified for this species underscore the need to expand the MPA network and/or adopt sustainable resource extraction in unprotected marine areas.

SEAGHOSTS on the air!

Dr A Sanz Aguilar illustrates the SEAGHOSTS projects. Its aims and partners. Meanwhile she tells us about the ecology and behaviour of this extraordinary petrel. In Spanish: here

SEAGHOSTS project on Storm Petrels!

Photo: V. Paris

The EU-project SEAGHOSTS is on the starting blocks. The project, led by the University of Barcelona, joins 16 groups of research from 10 different countries to study the movement and the ecology of the Storm Petrels. A. Sanz Aguilar, from the GEDAi, will be responsible for the demographic part. More information here (catalan) and here (spanish).

New publication on plastic and Storm Petrels!

Clark, B.L., Carneiro, A.P.B., [...] Sanz-Aguilar, A.,[...] Rotger, A., et al. Global assessment of marine plastic exposure risk for oceanic birds. Nat Commun 14, 3665 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-38900-z

 In a shell: Unevenly distributed plastic pollution in the ocean can impact on vulnerable marine organisms, particularly petrel seabirds. High exposed zones were found in the Mediterranean, Black Seas, Pacific oceans, South Atlantic, and Indian Ocean. We emphasize the need for international collaboration to mitigate these risks.

Photo: Y.Muzika - eBird

Abstract: Plastic pollution is distributed patchily around the world’s oceans. Likewise, marine organisms that are vulnerable to plastic ingestion or entanglement have uneven distributions. Understanding where wildlife encounters plastic is crucial for targeting research and mitigation. Oceanic seabirds, particularly petrels, frequently ingest plastic, are highly threatened, and cover vast distances during foraging and migration. However, the spatial overlap between petrels and plastics is poorly understood. Here we combine marine plastic density estimates with individual movement data for 7137 birds of 77 petrel species to estimate relative exposure risk. We identify high exposure risk areas in the Mediterranean and Black seas, and the northeast Pacific, northwest Pacific, South Atlantic and southwest Indian oceans. Plastic exposure risk varies greatly among species and populations, and between breeding and non-breeding seasons. Exposure risk is disproportionately high for Threatened species.  Outside the Mediterranean and Black seas, exposure risk is highest in the high seas and Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of the USA, Japan, and the UK. Birds generally had higher plastic exposure risk outside the EEZ of the country where they breed. We identify conservation and research priorities, and highlight that international collaboration is key to addressing the impacts of marine plastic on wide-ranging species.

 

 

 

Ten years of Storm Petrel monitoring in Ibiza!

A. Sanz Aguilar and A. Rotger illustrated 10 years of monitoring of the Storm Petrel colony in Ibiza. A nice example of a successful collaboration between the GEDA, the Sant Josep city council and the Natural Park of  "Es Vedrá, es Vedranell i els Illots de Ponent".