PhD on seabird migration patterns based on SEATRACK data

Formidable dataset

Benjamin Merkel was employed as PhD student within the SEATRACK project in spring 2015. As tracking data started pouring in from the various colonies covered by the project, Merkel could start his research and decided to focus his work on Brünnich’s and common guillemots. His dataset consisted of 1740 series (from one breeding season to the next) of position data from 887 individual birds breeding in 16 colonies in the Northeast Atlantic over a decade.

Developed his own method of analysis

Merkel’s thesis consists of four scientific articles – three of which deal with various features of and drivers behind migration patterns and behaviour in the two guillemot species in the North Atlantic. In the fourth article, Merkel presents a method for processing light logger data that he developed himself. This method will, among other things, make it possible to correct biased position estimates and thereby utilize larger amounts of position data from each logger.

Read the thesis:

• Migration in seabirds: seasonal structure in space and environment across species, populations and individuals

Bright future

Merkel was honoured for his work by his supervisors and opponents after the PhD defence, and his efficiency, descriptive power and excellent analytical skills were emphasized. In his speech to the new doctor, first opponent Tim Guilford from the University of Oxford said that the future is looking bright for modern seabird research with young “recruits” like Benjamin. In addition to Guilford, Stephen Votier from the University of Exeter in the UK was invited to be second opponent. Merkel’s supervisors were Sébastien Descamps and Hallvard Strøm from the Norwegian Polar Institute and Nigel Yoccoz from UiT, The Arctic University of Norway.

Contact person: Hallvard Strøm, Norwegian Polar Institute