{"id":1436,"date":"2021-01-06T11:14:41","date_gmt":"2021-01-06T11:14:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/seapop.no\/?post_type=bc_activity&p=1436"},"modified":"2021-02-23T08:22:05","modified_gmt":"2021-02-23T08:22:05","slug":"spitsbergen","status":"publish","type":"bc_activity","link":"https:\/\/seapop.no\/en\/activities\/key-sites\/spitsbergen\/","title":{"rendered":"Spitsbergen"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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Photo: S\u00e9bastien Descamps<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Location and description<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Spitsbergen is the largest island in the archipelago that forms Svalbard, and the name is derived from the Dutch words “spits” and “bergen” which translate to “pointed mountains”. The climate here is arctic, but the influence of the warm Atlantic current flowing along the west coast results in temperatures being higher than elsewhere at equivalent latitudes. The vegetation is sparse and consists mostly of moss, lichens and grass in addition to herbaceous plants near the bird colonies.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The landscape at Spitsbergen is wild and beautiful. Below the bird cliffs, grass and herbs have good growing conditions due to the natural fertilization.<\/strong>
Photo: S\u00e9bastien Descamps<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Access<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are daily flights from mainland Norway to Longyearbyen (Isfjorden), which is the largest settlement on Spitsbergen. Weekly departures with small aircraft between Longyearbyen and Ny-\u00c5lesund give easy access to Kongsfjorden. The seabird colonies in the two fjords are reached using a RIB or small boat. The exception is the little auk colony in Bj\u00f8rndalen, which is accessible by car from Longyearbyen. Helicopter is needed to access the Alkefjellet colony in Hinlopen (East Svalbard).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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One of SEAPOP’s field workers on his way to a bird colony in Kongsfjorden.<\/strong>
Photo: S\u00e9bastien Descamps<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Wildlife<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Twenty-eight species of seabirds are common breeders on Svalbard, and all nest on Spitsbergen. The most numerous species are little auk Alle alle,<\/em> fulmar Fulmarus glacialis<\/em>, Br\u00fcnnich\u2019s guillemot Uria lomvia <\/em>and kittiwake Rissa tridactyla<\/em>. The main predators of seabirds on Spitsbergen are the arctic fox Vulpes lagopus <\/em>and glaucous gull Larus hyperboreus<\/em>. Polar bears Ursus maritimus<\/em> may also take eggs from eiders Somateria mollissima <\/em>and geese.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/i> Mapping<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t<\/header>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
The SEAPOP programme maps seabird populations in coastal areas and on the open sea with focus on Norway, Svalbard and Jan Mayen, as well as sea areas under Norwegian juristiction. In addition, we document the area use and migrations of the seabird populations throughout the year.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t <\/div>\n
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<\/i> Populations along the coast<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t<\/header>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
The distribution of seabirds along the coast of Norway, including Svalbard and Jan Mayen, is mapped in three periods during the year: the breeding season, the moulting period for ducks and the winter season. The goal has been to cover the whole area under Norwegian responsibility in a 10-year cycle. That is to say, that a new mapping cycle is started after ten years. All species are registered, but the focus has been on SEAPOP\u2019s key species.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t <\/div>\n
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<\/i> Key sites<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t<\/header>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Seabird monitoring is the most resource-demanding task in SEAPOP and encompasses annual registrations of population size, adult survival, reproduction and diet for a selection of so-called \u201ckey species\u201d from a geographical selection of localities.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t <\/div>\n
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<\/i> Spitsbergen<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t<\/header>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Spitsbergen is an important site for its enormous numbers of arctic seabirds. Unfortunately, logistics make the island very difficult to work on. SEAPOP monitors seabirds in seven main colonies in three areas: Br\u00fcnnich\u2019s guillemots at Diabasodden (Isfjorden), Ossian Sarsfjellet (Kongsfjorden) and Alkefjellet (Hinlopen), kittiwakes at Grumantbyen (Isfjorden) and Alkefjellet (Hinlopen), little auks at Bj\u00f8rndalen (Isfjorden) and Feiringfjellet (Kongsfjorden), and glaucous gulls in Kongsfjorden. Spitsbergen was included as a key site in SEAPOP in 2005, but work with kittiwakes and glaucous gulls started in 2008 and 2011 respectively, and work in Hinlopen started in 2015.\r\n\r\nContact person: S\u00e9bastien Descamps<\/a>, Norwegian Polar Institute<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t <\/div>\n
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<\/i> Bj\u00f8rn\u00f8ya<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t<\/header>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Bj\u00f8rn\u00f8ya is located midway between mainland Norway and Spitsbergen. The island is the southernmost point of the Svalbard archipelago, and appears as a small and isolated island in the midst of a large sea area. Seabirds occur in huge numbers on Bj\u00f8rn\u00f8ya, and monitoring started here in 1986.\r\n\r\nContact person: Hallvard Str\u00f8m<\/a>, Norwegian Polar Institute<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t <\/div>\n
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<\/i> Horn\u00f8ya<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t<\/header>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Horn\u00f8ya is one of SEAPOP’s key locations associated with the southern Barents Sea. It is part of the Horn\u00f8ya and Rein\u00f8ya nature reserve that was established by the Royal Decree of 28 January 1983. Research and monitoring of seabirds have been conducted on Horn\u00f8ya for many years.\r\n\r\nContact person: Tone Kristin Reiertsen<\/a> and Kjell Einar Erikstad<\/a>, NINA<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t <\/div>\n
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<\/i> Hjelms\u00f8ya<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t<\/header>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Hjelms\u00f8ya is in the north of the country, where the coastline turns eastwards and the sea is to the north and not to the west. Here, the shelf break leaves the coast, and the shallow Barents Sea extends northwards towards Bj\u00f8rn\u00f8ya and eastwards towards Novaja Zemlja. Cod fry, herring and saithe drift past the island from the south and into the Barents Sea \u2013 a resource taken advantage of by the seabirds. The seabirds on Hjelms\u00f8ya have been monitored since 1984.\r\n\r\nContact person: Geir Helge Systad<\/a>, NINA<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t <\/div>\n
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<\/i> Monitoring<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t<\/header>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
The foundation for all nature monitoring is the collection of time series data for different variables, and this applies also to our work following the status of our seabird populations. A time series is constructed by regularly measuring a variable over time.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t <\/div>\n
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<\/i> Population sizes<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t<\/header>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Knowledge about the size of seabird populations is important, in part, in order to evaluate the conservation value and vulnerability of the populations. Species that occur in large numbers with a wide distribution are often more robust against negative influences than species that are few in number.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t <\/div>\n
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<\/i> Methods<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t<\/header>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
In SEAPOP, seabird colonies are mapped and monitored from land, air, and on the open sea. Below you will find general descriptions of the most important methods we use to obtain the knowledge that the programme focuses on and builds up. There is not enough space here to shed light on all the details and accompanying challenges, but those who are particularly interested will find a lot of additional information by searching in the most relevant publications. One can also approach the contact persons listed in the reviews of the different method descriptions, for further information.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t <\/div>\n
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<\/i> Species<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t<\/header>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Learn more about the seabird species SEAPOP monitors via species-specific descriptions, distribution maps and time series data!<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t <\/div>\n
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<\/i> Causal research<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t<\/header>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
SEAPOP\u2019s monitoring data are needed to analyse which environmental variables cause observed population trends, and to make reliable predictions for the further development of the seabird populations. To understand why populations change over time, more data than just the variations in numbers are needed.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t <\/div>\n
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<\/i> Arctic skua<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t<\/header>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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Description<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Distribution maps<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n