Phenology-based adjustments improve population estimates of Antarctic breeding seabirds: the case of Cape petrels in East Antarctica.

ABSTRACT: To monitor and conserve a species, it is crucial to understand the size and distribution of populations. For seabirds, population surveys are usually conducted at peak breeding attendance. One of the largest populations of Cape petrels in East Antarctica is at the Vestfold Islands, where environmental and logistical constraints often prevent access to breeding sites at the optimal time for population surveys. In this study, we aim to quantify the contemporary and historical breeding population size of these Cape petrels by adjusting nest counts for variation in breeding phenology using photographs from remote cameras. We also compare spatial distribution between 1970s and 2017/2018. Our results show ground counts occurred outside peak breeding attendance, and adjusting for phenology change

SUBMITTER: Kliska K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9006014 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature