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The Salas y Gomez and Nazca Ridges EBSA support a highly functional diversity of seabirds
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Scientists studying a remote stretch of the Pacific Ocean found that its diverse seabirds each play unique, irreplaceable roles in the ecosystem—meaning if even a few species disappear, those jobs (like cycling nutrients between ocean and land) may not get done by other birds. This matters because this area is largely unprotected international waters facing threats from fishing, plastic pollution, and mining, and healthy seabird populations help keep ocean food webs—and the seafood we eat—functioning properly.
The Salas y Gómez and Nazca Ridges (SGNRs) in the Southeast Pacific, recognized as an Ecologically or Biologically Significant Area (EBSA), host unique marine ecosystems with one of the highest rates of endemism on the planet. This study provides the first comprehensive trait-based assessment of seabird functional diversity in this globally significant region, focusing on their ecological contributions as top predators. Using at-sea abundance data from 11 oceanographic surveys (2014-2017) across 3,500 km of transects, we recorded 36 seabird species (8,179 individuals). We analysed functional diversity through ten foraging-related traits, including diet, foraging strata, and morphology. Multidimensional trait analyses revealed a seabird assemblage characterised by low functional richness (FRic = 0.0587), moderate-to-low evenness (FEve = 0.3649), and high divergence (FDiv = 0.6609), with non-random patterns confirmed by null models. Nesting (17 species) and non-nesting (19 species) groups showed distinct functional structures, with nesting seabirds exhibiting higher functional divergence and non-nesting seabirds greater functional evenness, though with 61% trait-space overlap. Low functional redundancy suggests that the loss of seabird species would likely translate into the loss of unique functional roles, potentially compromising ecosystem processes such as cross-system nutrient subsidies. With 73% of the SGNRs beyond national jurisdiction, seabirds face threats from unregulated fishing, plastic pollution, and seabed mining. These findings underscore the urgent need for conservation strategies under the High Seas Treaty (BBNJ treaty) to protect not only species richness but also functional roles, ensuring ecosystem resilience in this biodiversity hotspot of over 110 seamounts.
More Papers Like This
The Salas y Gomez and Nazca Ridges EBSA support a highly functional diversity of seabirds
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists studying a remote stretch of the Southeast Pacific Ocean found that its seabirds each play unique, non-interchangeable roles in keeping the ecosystem healthy—like recycling nutrients between the ocean and land. Because so few species overlap in their jobs, losing even one bird species to threats like overfishing, plastic pollution, or deep-sea mining could disrupt the whole food web, not just reduce the number of species. This matters for everyone because healthy ocean ecosystems support the fish populations and marine food chains that millions of people rely on for food.
Plastic ingestion and body condition of Wedge-tailed Shearwaters in Vanuatu
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Scientists checked seabird chicks in a remote part of Vanuatu for signs of plastic pollution and found almost none of them had eaten plastic, and the birds were healthy and well-fed. This is good news because seabirds act like early-warning signals for ocean plastic pollution—when they're clean and healthy, it suggests that particular stretch of ocean isn't yet heavily contaminated, which matters since plastic that harms marine life can also work its way up the food chain toward the seafood we eat.
Seabirds from the poles: microplastics pollution sentinels
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Scientists reviewed 40 years of research and found that seabirds in the Arctic and Antarctica are eating tiny plastic pieces, with birds containing an average of 7-35 plastic fragments each. This matters because these remote polar regions were once considered pristine, but plastic pollution has now reached even these far-off places. Since seabirds are early warning signs of environmental problems, their plastic contamination suggests that microplastics are spreading everywhere in our oceans and food webs.
Biological oceanography, biogeochemical cycles, and pelagic ecosystem functioning of the east central South Pacific Gyre: focus on Easter Island and Salas y Gomez Island
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This oceanographic review covers the biology and biogeochemistry of the South Pacific Subtropical Gyre, one of the most nutrient-poor ocean regions on Earth, which also accumulates floating plastic debris. The paper provides ecological baseline data for this remote but increasingly studied region.
Seabirds from the poles: microplastics pollution sentinels
AI summary Read the abstract
Scientists reviewed studies showing that seabirds in the Arctic and Antarctica are eating tiny plastic pieces called microplastics, with birds containing an average of 7-35 plastic fragments per sample. This matters because these remote polar regions were once considered pristine, but plastic pollution has now reached even these far-off places through ocean currents and wind. Since seabirds are early warning signs of environmental health, their contamination suggests that plastic pollution is spreading everywhere in our oceans and food webs.
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