We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
What to expect from alternative management strategies to conserve seabirds? Hints from a dynamic modelling framework applied to an endangered population
Summary
This modeling study developed a population dynamics framework to predict how seabirds respond to different management interventions, applied to an endangered population. It is not related to microplastics or chemical pollution.
Abstract The worldwide decline of seabird populations due to the combined effects of global and regional changes is creating immense challenges for managers and conservationists. Predicting population responses to proposed management strategies could provide the most effective tools to prevent, halt and reverse ongoing declines. System dynamic modelling frameworks are considered particularly relevant to interrelate biological, ecological and environmental characteristics and to predict population trends. A system dynamics model was designed, compiling diverse information concerning a relict population of the European Shag located in western Iberia, to outline the most effective management options for its conservation. The simulations demonstrate that mortality caused by invasive animals and bycatch mortality were the main reasons for the current population decline. Without management interventions, a decrease of 8% was projected for the next decade, which could be mitigated by specific conservation actions. The results show the usefulness of dynamic modelling frameworks to understand local cause‐effect relationships and species responses to ecosystem management under changing environmental conditions. We highlight that the framework proposed, after specific parameterization, could be easily adaptable to other species within similar socio‐ecological systems.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Foraging in a dynamic environment: Response of four sympatric sub‐Antarctic albatross species to interannual environmental variability
This study examined how four sub-Antarctic albatross species adjust their foraging strategies in response to year-to-year environmental variability, finding that behavioral flexibility helps them manage food availability while breeding. This ecology paper is not directly related to microplastic research, though seabirds like albatrosses are frequently documented ingesting plastic debris at sea.
Assessing the risks of marine debris ingestion to Procellariiform seabirds
This study assessed the risks of marine debris ingestion for Procellariiform seabirds — one of the world's most threatened bird groups — finding that plastic ingestion poses significant risks to health and survival. The analysis highlights how plastic pollution interacts with other stressors affecting globally threatened seabird species.
The hidden cost of following currents: Microplastic ingestion in a planktivorous seabird
Researchers documented microplastic ingestion in Mediterranean storm petrels, finding that these planktivorous seabirds ingest microplastics while foraging in pelagic areas where plastic debris accumulates alongside their planktonic prey in ocean currents.
Assessing Important Conservation Areas for Colonial Species From Individual Tracking Data: An Evaluation of the Effects of Colony Structure and Temporal Heterogeneity in Movement Patterns
Researchers evaluated methods for identifying marine protected areas for colonial seabirds using individual GPS tracking data, finding that kernel density estimation and dynamic Brownian bridge approaches performed best for delineating foraging hotspots relevant to conservation planning.
Métodos para avaliação da exposição a poluentes plásticos em procellariiformes
This paper reviews methods for assessing plastic exposure in Procellariiformes seabirds — including albatrosses and petrels — focusing on how to measure plastic ingestion in both live and beached birds. Standardized methods are needed to monitor how plastic pollution affects these ocean-going birds over time.