Ocean climate prior to breeding affects the duration of the nestling period in the Atlantic puffin.
Time-series covering 23 years for a long-lived seabird, the Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica L.) at Røst, northern Norway, was used to explore any indirect effects of climatic variations on chick production. By fitting statistical models on the duration of the nestling period, we found that it may be estimated using the average sea temperature and salinity at 0-20 m depth in March (having a positive and a negative effect, respectively). We propose that when the phytoplankton bloom occurs in early spring, adverse oceanographic conditions, i.e. low temperature and high salinity in March, have a negative effect on puffin reproduction by degradation of the prey availability (mainly Clupea harengus) for chick-feeding adults three months later.
Durant
Joël M
JM
Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biology, University of Oslo, PO Box 1066, Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway.
Anker-Nilssen
Tycho
T
Stenseth
Nils Chr
NC
D000818:Animals; D046091:Charadriiformes / Q000502:physiology*; D002980:Climate; D008954:Models, Biological; D009425:Nesting Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D009664:Norway; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology*; D054712:Salinity; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors