Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Seabird Energetics pp 285–317Cite as

Impact of Seabirds on Marine Resources, Especially Krill, of South Georgia Waters

  • Chapter

Abstract

Quantitative assessments of the energy and food requirements of seabird communities are few and mainly recent (Wiens and Scott, 1975; Furness, 1978; Croxall and Prince, 1982a; Ford et al., 1982; Schneider and Hunt, 1982; Sanger, 1972, 1983). Most have concerned northern hemisphere sites, particularly those of northwest Alaska. Such communities, and also that of the South African Benguela system (Furness and Cooper, 1982), are mainly dominated by species that feed inshore (usually within 50–100 km of, and often much closer to, their breeding colony), such as auks Alcidae, gulls Larus, kittiwakes Rissa and shags Phalacrocorax. This situation confers some useful advantages. First, inshore feeding birds can easily be observed and their distribution and density at sea often realistically assessed. Second, most species feed mainly diurnally and feeding ranges may be determined by direct observation from land or sea, and it may even be possible to estimate general activity budgets. Third, there is extensive information available on the biology, ecology and sometimes breeding numbers and demography of many species. Disadvantages stem principally from, first, inaccessibility because of cliff nesting habits, making handling (for collecting food samples, growth data, bioenergetic research) difficult; second, offspring of some species are precocial, departing to sea in the early stages of growth; and third, many species have broods of more than one chick, complicating studies of chick energy budgets, meal size and feeding frequency.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Adams, N.J., and Brown, C.R., 1984, Metabolic rates of sub-Antarctic Procellariiformes: a comparative study, Comp. Biochem. Physiol., 77A: 169.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ainley, D.G., 1977, Feeding methods of seabirds: a comparison of polar and tropical communities, pp 669–685, in “Adaptations within Antarctic Ecosystems”, G.A. Llano, ed., Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ainley, D.G., and Sanger, G.A., 1979, Trophic relations of seabirds in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea, pp 95–122, in “Conservation of Marine Birds of Northern North America”, J.C. Bartonek and D.N. Nettleship, eds, U.S. Dept. Interior, Wildlife Res. Report 11, Washington D.C.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baudinette, R.V., and Schmidt-Nielsen, K., 1974, Energy cost of gliding in Herring Gulls, Nature (Lond.), 248: 83.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beck, J.R., 1969, Food, moult and age of first breeding in the Cape Pigeon Daption capensis Linnaeus. Bull. Br. Antarct. Surv., 21: 33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beck, J.R., 1970, Breeding seasons and moult in some smaller Antarctic petrels, pp. 542–550, in “Antarctic Ecology”, Vol. 1, M.W. Holdgate, ed., Academic Press, New York and London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beck, J.R., and Brown, D.W., 1971, The breeding biology of the Black-bellied Storm Petrel Fregetta tropica, Ibis, 113: 73.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beck, J.R., and Brown, D.W., 1972, The biology of Wilson’s Storm Petrel, Oceanites oceanicus (Kuhl), at Signy Island, South Orkney Islands. Sci. Rep. Br. Antarct. Surv., 69: 54 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bernstein, N.P., 1982, Activity patterns, energetics and parental investment of the Antarctic Blue-eyed Shag (Phalacrocorax atriceps bransfieldensis), PhD thesis, Univ. of Minnesota.

    Google Scholar 

  • BIOMASS, 1982, Post-Fibex data interpretation workshop, Biomass Rep. Ser., 20: 38 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brooke, M. de L., 1978, Weights and measurements of the Manx Shearwater, Puffinus puffinus, J. Zool., Lond., 186: 359.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burchett, M.S., and Ricketts, C., 1984, The population dynamics of Notothenia rossii Fischer (1885) from South Georgia (Antarctica), Polar Biol., 3: 35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clark, B.D., and Bemis, W., 1979, Kinematics of swimming of penguins at the Detroit Zoo, J. Zool. Lond., 188: 411.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, A., in press, Lipid content and composition of Antarctic Krill Euphausia superba Dana, J. Crustacean Biol.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, A., and Prince, P.A., 1980, Chemical composition and calorific value of food fed to mollymawk chicks at Bird Island, South Georgia, Ibis, 122: 488.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, M.R., 1977, Beaks, nets and numbers. Symp. Zool. Soc. Lond., 38: 89.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, M.R., 1983, Cephalopod biomass - estimtion from predation, Mem. Nat. Mus. Vict., 44: 95.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, M.R., and Prince, P.A., 1981, Cephalopod remains in regurgitations of Black-browed Albatross Diomedea melanophris and Grey-headed Albatross D. chrysostoma at South Georgia, Bull. Br. Antarct. Surv., 54: 1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, M.R., Croxall, J.P., and Prince, P.A., 1981, Cephalopod remains in regurgitations of the Wandering Albatross at South Georgia, Bull. Br. Antarct. Surv., 54: 9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Croxall, J.P., 1979, Distribution and population changes in the Wandering Albatross Diomedea exulans L. at South Georgia, Ardea, 67: 15.

    Google Scholar 

  • Croxall, J.P., 1982, Energy costs of incubation and moult in petrels and penguins, J. Anim. Ecol., 51: 177.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Croxall, J.P., 1984, Seabirds, pp. 533–619, in “Antarctic Ecology”, Vol. 2, R.M. Laws, ed., Academic Press, London and New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Croxall, J.P., and Hunter, I., 1982, The distribution and abundance of burrowing seabirds (Procellariiformes) at Bird Island, South Georgia. II. South Georgia Diving Petrel Pelecanoides georgicus, Bull. Br. Antarct. Surv., 56: 69.

    Google Scholar 

  • Croxall, J.P., and Pilcher, M.N., 1984, Characteristics of krill Euphausia superba eaten by Antarctic Fur Seals Arctocephalus gazella at South Georgia, Bull. Br. Antarct. Surv., 63: 117.

    Google Scholar 

  • Croxall, J.P., and Prince, P.A., 1979, Antarctic seabird and seal monitoring studies, Polar Rec., 19: 573.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Croxall, J.P., and Prince, P.A., 1980a, Food, feeding ecology and ecological segregation of seabirds at South Georgia, Biol. J. Linn. Soc., 14: 103.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Croxall, J.P., and Prince, P.A., 1980b, The food of Gentoo Penguins Pygoscelis papua and Macaroni Penguins Eudyptes chrysolophus at South Georgia, Ibis, 122: 245.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Croxall, J.P., and Prince, P.A., 1982a, A preliminary assessment of the impact of seabirds on marine resources at South Georgia, Com. Nat. Fr. Recherch. Antarct., 51: 501.

    Google Scholar 

  • Croxall, J.P., and Prince, P.A., 1982b, Calorific contents of squid (Mollusca: Cephalopoda), Bull. Br. Antarct. Surv., 55: 27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Croxall, J.P., and Ricketts, C., 1983, Energy costs of incubation in the Wandering Albatross Diomedea exulans, Ibis, 125: 33.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Croxall, J.P., Prince, P.A., Hunter, I., McInnes, S., and Copestake, P.G., in press a, The seabirds of the Antarctic Peninsula, islands of the Scotia Sea and Antarctic Continent between 803W and 20W: their status and conseravation, in “The Status and Conservation of Seabirds”, J.P. Croxall, P.G.H. Evans and R.W. Schreiber, eds, ICBP, Cambridge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Croxall, J.P., Prince, P.A., and Ricketts, C., in press b, Relationships between prey life-cycles and the timing nature and extent of seal and seabird predation in the Scotia Sea, in “Nutrient Cycling and Food Webs in the Antarctic: the Proceedings of the Fourth SCAR Symposium on Antarctic Biology”, W.R. Siegfried, P. Condy and R.M. Laws, eds., Springer-Verlag, Berlin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Croxall, J.P., Everson, I., Kooyman, G.L., Ricketts, C., and Davis, R.W. in press c, Fur seal diving behaviour in relation to vertical distribution of krill, Polar Biol.

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis, R.W., Kooyman, G.L., and Croxall, J.P., 1983, Water flux and estimated metabolism of free-ranging Gentoo and Macaroni Penguins at South Georgia, Polar Biol., 2: 41.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Doidge, D.W., Croxall, J.P., and Ricketts, C., 1984, Growth rates of Antarctic Fur Seal pups at South Georgia, J. Zool. Lond.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ettershank, G., in press, A new approach to the problem of longevity in the Antarctic Krill Euphausia superba Dana (Euphausiacea: Crustacea), Aust. J. Mar. Freshwater Biol.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ford, R.G., Wiens, J.A., Heinemann, D., and Hunt, G.L., 1982, Modelling the sensitivity of colonially breeding marine birds to oil spills: guillemot and kittiwake populations on the Pribilof Islands, Bering Sea, J. Appl. Ecol., 19: 1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Furness, R.W., 1978, Energy requirements of seabird communities: a bioenergetics model, J. Anim. Ecol., 47: 39.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Furness, R.W., and Cooper J.C., 1982, Interactions between breeding seabird and pelagic fish populations in the Southern Benguela region, Mar. Ecol. Progr. Ser., 8: 243.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hunt, G.L., Burgeson, B., and Sanger, G.A., 1981, Feeding ecology of seabirds of the eastern Bering Sea, pp 629–247 in “The Eastern Bering Sea Shelf: Oceanography and Resources, Vol 2”, D.W. Hood and J.A. Calder, eds, Univ. Washington Press, Seattle.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hunter, S., 1983, The food and feeding ecology of the giant petrels Macronectes halli and M. giganteus at South Georgia, J. Zool. Lond., 200: 521.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hunter, S., 1984, Breeding biology and population dynamics of giant petrels Macronectes spp. at South Georgia, J. Zool. Lond.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hunter, I., Croxall, J.P., and Prince, P.A., 1982, The distribution and abundance of burrowing seabirds (Procellariiformes) at Bird Island, South Georgia. I. Introduction and methods, Bull. Br. Antarct. Surv., 56: 49.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jazdzewski, K., Dzik, J., Porebski, J., Rakusa-Suszczewski, S., Witek, Z, and Wolnomiejski, N., 1978, Biological and population studies on krill near South Shetland Islands, Scotia Sea and South Georgia in the summer 1976, Pol. Arch. Hydrobiol., 25: 607.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kendeigh, S.C., Dol’nik, V.R., and Gavrilov, V.M., 1977, Avian energetics, pp. 127–204, in “Granivorous Birds in Ecosystems”, J. Pinowski and S.C. Kendeigh, eds, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kooyman, G.L., 1975, The physiology of diving in penguins, pp. 115–137, in “The Biology of Penguins”, B. Stonehouse, ed., Macmillan, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kooyman, G.L., Davis, R.W., Croxall, J.P., and Costa, D.P., 1982, Diving depths and energy requirements of King Penguins, Science, 217: 726.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kooyman, G.L., Davis, R.W., and Croxall, J.P., in press, Diving behaviour of the Antarctic Fur Seal Arctocephalus gazella, in “Fur Seals: Maternal Strategies on Land and at Sea”, R.L. Gentry and G.L. Kooyman, eds, Princeton University Press, Princeton.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lishman, G.S., in press a, The food and feeding ecology of Adelie and Chinstrap Penguins at Signy Island, South Orkney Islands, J. Zool. Lond.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lishman, G.S., in press b, The comparative breeding biology of Adelie and Chinstrap Penguins at Signy Island, South Orkney Islands, Ibis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lishman, G.S., and Croxall, J.P., 1983, Diving depths of the Chinstrap Penguin Pygoscelis antarctica, Bull. Br. Antarct. Surv., 61: 21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marr, J.W.S., 1962, The natural history and geography of the Antarctic Krill (Euphausia superba Dana), Discovery Rep., 32: 33.

    Google Scholar 

  • North, A.W., Croxall, J.P., and Doidge, D.W., 1983, Fish prey of the Antarctic Fur Seal Arctocephalus gazella at South Georgia: methods and results of otolith examination, Bull. Br. Antarct. Surv., 61: 27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Payne, M.R., and Prince, P.A., 1979, Identification and breeding biology of the diving petrels Pelecanoides georgicus and P. urinatrix exsul at South Georgia, N.Z. J. Zool., 6: 299.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pennycuick, C.J., 1982, The flight of petrels and albatrosses (Procellariiformes), observed in South Georgia and its vicinity, Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. B., 300: 75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pennycuick, C.J., Croxall, J.P., and Prince, P.A., 1984, Scaling of foraging radius and growth rate in petrels and albatrosses, Ornis Scand.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pinder, R., 1966, The Cape Pigeon Daption capensis Linnaeus at Signy Island, South Orkney Islands, Bull. Br. Antarct. Surv., 8: 19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prince, P.A., 1980a, The food and feeding ecology of Grey-headed Albatross Diomedea chrysostoma and Black-browed Albatross D. melanophris, Ibis, 122: 476.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prince, P.A., 1980b, The food and feeding ecology of Blue Petrel Halobaena caerulea and Dove Prion Pachyptila desolata, J. Zool. Lond., 190: 59.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prince, P.A., in press, Population and energetic aspects of the relationships between Black-browed and Grey-headed Albatrosses and the Southern Ocean marine environment, in “Nutrient Cycling and Food Webs in the Antarctic, the Proceedings of the Fourth SCAR Symposium on Antarctic Biology”, W.R. Siegfried, P. Condy and R.M. Laws, eds, Springer-Verlag, Berlin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prince, P.A., and Croxall, J.P., 1983, Birds of South Georgia: new records and re-evaluations of status, BÙll. Br. Antarct. Surv., 61: 27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prince, P.A., and Francis, M.R., in press, Activity budgets of foraging Grey-headed Albatrosses, Condor.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prince, P.A., and Payne, M.R., 1979, Current status of birds at South Georgia, Bull. Br. Antarct. Surv., 48: 103.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prince, P.A., and Ricketts, C., 1981, Relationships between food supply and growth in albatrosses: an interspecies fostering experiment, Ornis Scand. 12: 207.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prince, P.A., Ricketts, C. and Thomas, G., 1981, Weight loss in incubating albatrosses and its implications for their energy and food requirements, Condor, 83: 238.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roby, D.D., and Ricklefs, R.E., 1983, Some aspects of the breeding biology of the diving petrels Pelecanoides georgicus and P. urinatrix exsul at Bird Island, South Georgia. Bull. Br. Antarct. Surv., 59: 29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sanger, G.A., 1972, Preliminary standing stock and biomass estimates of seabirds in the subarctic Pacific Region, pp. 589–611, in “Biological Oceanography of the northern North Pacific”, A.Y. Takenouti, ed., Idemitsu Shoten, Tokyo.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sanger, G.A., 1983, Diets and food web relationships of seabirds in the Gulf of Alaska and adjacent marine regions. Final Report to Outer Continental Shelf Environmental Assessment Programme, 91 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schaefer, M.B., 1970, Birds and anchovies in the Peru current - dynamic interactions, Trans. Am. Fish. Soc., 99: 461.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schneider, D., and Hunt, G.L., 1982, Carbon flux to seabirds in waters with different mixing regimes in the southeastern Bering Sea, Mar. Biol., 67: 337.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shaw, P., 1984, Factors affecting the breeding performance of the Antarctic Blue-eyed Shag Phalacrocorax atriceps bransfieldensis, PhD thesis, Univ. of Durham.

    Google Scholar 

  • Straty, R.R., and Haight, R.E., 1979, Interactions among marine birds and commercial fisheries in the eastern Bering Sea, pp. 201–219, in “Conservation of Marine Birds of Northern North America”, J.C. Bartonek and D.N. Nettleship, eds, U.S. Dept. Interior, Wildlife Res. Report 11, Washington DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, G., 1982, The food and feeding ecology of the Light-mantled Sooty Albatross at South Georgia, Emu, 82: 92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, G., Croxall, J.P., and Prince, P.A., 1983, Breeding biology of the Light-mantled Sooty Albatross at South Georgia, J. Zool. Lond., 199: 123.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tickell, W.L.N., 1967, Movements of Black-browed and Grey-headed Albatrosses in the South Atlantic, Emu, 66: 357.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wiens, J.A., and Scott, J.M., 1975, Model estimation of energy flow in Oregon coastal seabird populations, Condor, 77: 439.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 OET, UK

    John P. Croxall, Christopher Ricketts & Peter A. Prince

Authors
  1. John P. Croxall
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Christopher Ricketts
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Peter A. Prince
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, John A. Burns Schools of Medicine, and P.B.R.C. Kewalo Marine Laboratory, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

    G. Causey Whittow

  2. Department of Physiology, Schools of Medicine and Dentistry, State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA

    Hermann Rahn

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1984 Plenum Press, New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Croxall, J.P., Ricketts, C., Prince, P.A. (1984). Impact of Seabirds on Marine Resources, Especially Krill, of South Georgia Waters. In: Whittow, G.C., Rahn, H. (eds) Seabird Energetics. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-4859-7_14

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-4859-7_14

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-4861-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-4859-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation