{"id":15019,"date":"2025-12-11T11:57:02","date_gmt":"2025-12-11T10:57:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/seapop.no\/?p=15019"},"modified":"2025-12-11T11:57:02","modified_gmt":"2025-12-11T10:57:02","slug":"ocean-warming-threatens-seabirds-in-the-north-atlantic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/seapop.no\/en\/2025\/12\/ocean-warming-threatens-seabirds-in-the-north-atlantic\/","title":{"rendered":"Ocean warming threatens seabirds in the North Atlantic"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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A warmer North Atlantic Ocean increases the pressure on seabird populations, of which many are already in decline. A large-scale study of 26 populations of five species reveals that increasing temperatures \u2013 especially outside of the breeding season \u2013 affects survival, breeding success and future population growth.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

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Large-scale study<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Climate change is causing ocean warming, acidification and loss of sea ice. This, in turn, is leading to shifting biogeographic distribution and in some cases species extinction. The result is disrupted marine food webs, from the primary producers to top predators. However, the rates of ocean warming vary between regions because of global ocean circulation patterns. To identify the wide consequences of ocean warming on migrating species such as seabirds, it is therefore essential to compare multiple populations with a range of breeding and nonbreeding habitats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Combination of monitoring data<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Three types of data were integrated in this study: (1) long-term demographic monitoring (reproduction and adult survival) data from the 26 populations, (2) year-round tracking data \u2013 that is, the seasonal distribution of birds across the oceans \u2013 and (3) observations of sea surface temperatures (SST) in the areas used by the birds. By combining year-round distribution with temperature data, the researchers could analyse how ocean warming at different times of the year correlated with negative effects on survival and population sizes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sensitivity to warming in autumn and winter<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The results revealed that negative effects of ocean warming were largely related to warm periods in the autumn or winter, particularly in the Barents and East Greenland Seas. Effects of warming in the breeding season were, in general, less profound. Populations with dual responses to warming in both the breeding and nonbreeding seasons had the lowest projected population growth rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

– Seabirds live in a fine-tuned interaction with the marine environment. When ocean temperature increases faster than the species are able to adapt, their reproduction and survival capacity are directly affected<\/em><\/em>, says researcher and first author behind the study, Kate Layton-Matthews.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Management needs to focus on multiple factors<\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The study underlines the need for management strategies that take migration routes, seasonal habitat use and regional climate change into account \u2013 factors that may decide the fate of the North Atlantic seabirds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

– If we are to secure these populations in the future, we must improve our year-round monitoring and consider how climate changes affect the different parts of birds\u2019 life cycle<\/em><\/em><\/em>, Layton-Matthews states.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read the article:<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n