Decline in an Atlantic Puffin Population: Evaluation of Magnitude and Mechanisms.

ABSTRACT: Determining which demographic and ecological parameters contribute to variation in population growth rate is crucial to understanding the dynamics of declining populations. This study aimed to evaluate the magnitude and mechanisms of an apparent major decline in an Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica population. This was achieved using a 27-year dataset to estimate changes in population size and in two key demographic rates: adult survival and breeding success. Estimated demographic variation was then related to two ecological factors hypothesised to be key drivers of demographic change, namely the abundance of the main predator at the study site, the Great Skua Stercorarius skua, and Atlantic Puffin chick food supply, over the same 27-year period. Using a population model, we assessed whet

SUBMITTER: Miles WT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4503501 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature