Energy cost of vessel disturbance to Kittlitz's Murrelets Brachyramphus brevirostris
We evaluated the energy cost of vessel disturbance for individual Kittlitz’s Murrelets Brachyramphus brevirostris in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve in Alaska, USA. We used Monte Carlo simulations to model the daily energy expense associated with flight from vessels by both breeding and non-breeding birds and evaluated risk based on both the magnitude of costs incurred and the degree to which the costs may be chronic. We used two scenarios of vessel disturbance for average- and peak-vessel traffic. Because they are more likely to fly away from vessels, non-breeding birds had a greater increase in energy expenditure when disturbed (up to 30% increase under the average scenario and >50% increase under the peak scenario) than breeders (up to 10% and 30% increases under the average and peak scenarios, respectively). Likewise, non-breeding birds were more likely to experience chronic increases in energy expense (i.e. a greater percentage of days with an increase in energy expenditure) than breeding birds. Our modeling results indicated that breeding and non-breeding birds were both susceptible to fitness consequences (e.g. reduced reproductive success and survival) resulting from the energy cost.
Citation Information
Publication Year | 2013 |
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Title | Energy cost of vessel disturbance to Kittlitz's Murrelets Brachyramphus brevirostris |
Authors | Alison M. Agness, Kristin N. Marshall, John F. Piatt, James C. Ha, Glenn R. VanBlaricom |
Publication Type | Article |
Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
Series Title | Marine Ornithology: Journal of Seabird Research and Conservation |
Index ID | 70039319 |
Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
USGS Organization | Coop Res Unit Seattle |