SENERGY Using energy landscapes to explain habitat-use of seabirds

Citation from PI: The concepts underlying SENERGY require a detailed description of pelagic-fish distribution in horizontal, vertical, and temporal dimensions. They also require information on the size and age-classes of these fish. This information cannot be obtained without access to a research vessel. The ideas within SENERGY are also relatively novel, meaning that a ‘proof-of-concept’ is ideally needed. Time on research vessel is expensive, placing us in the challenging situation of needed substantial funding to get the information needed to submit competitive applications for substantial funding. The EUROFLEETS scheme provided the ideal opportunity to collect these data, and develop our ideas.

Abstract & Main objectives: The distribution of seabirds is likely driven by prey, with individuals found in areas and times when prey can be captured. However, most studies focus on identifying the physical properties of feeding habitats, rather than prey behaviour in these areas. Of those that have, the outcomes suggest complex interactions between seabirds and their prey. Sometimes the largest numbers of seabirds are found in areas with the largest number of fish, but this is not always the case. It has been suggested that the behaviour of prey is more important than the number of prey. For example, small shoals of fish at shallow depths will be preferred over large shoals of fish at deep depths, because the former are easier to capture. This project will investigate these ideas further, measuring the number, size and behaviour of prey in western Iceland. Afterwards, theoretically optimal habitats for foraging seabirds will be identified, and compared to the actual foraging habitats of seabirds recorded whilst at-sea. These comparisons will provide insights into whether it is prey availability or biomass that drives the distribution of seabirds in this area, and whether we can predict areas on habitat alone.

Further information: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rsbl.2018.0348