Flexibility of little auks foraging in various oceanographic features in a changing Arctic.

ABSTRACT: Using GPS-tracked individuals, we compared foraging ecology and reproductive output of a High-Arctic zooplanktivorous seabird, the little auk Alle alle, between three years differing in environmental conditions (sea surface temperature). Despite contrasting environmental conditions, average foraging fights distance and duration were generally similar in all studied years. Also, in all years foraging locations visited by the little auk parents during short trips (ST, for chick provisioning) were significantly closer to the colony compared to those visited during long trips (LTs, mainly for adults' self-maintenance). Nevertheless, we also found some differences in the little auk foraging behaviour: duration of LTs was the longest in the coldest year suggesting more time for resting for adult

SUBMITTER: Jakubas D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7237489 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature