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Diving costs and benefits during post-breeding movements of the Mediterranean shag in the North Adriatic Sea

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Abstract

From the 1980s, Mediterranean shags Phalacrocorax aristotelis desmarestii have become regular summer visitors in the Gulf of Trieste (N-E Italy), as post-breeding movements from Croatian breeding colonies. To characterize such a recent habit and to explore diving optimality models, we investigate foraging strategies and diving patterns at different depths, during breeding and post-breeding seasons. Behavioural data were cross-checked with the species’ diet. Shags foraged on and close to the sea bed, with a prevalent anticipatory breathing strategy. In the Gulf of Trieste, the shallow depths and low mobility of prey allowed shags to use just the oxygen of the respiratory tract, reducing the physiological stress for diving. In Croatia, dive costs increased with depth and prey mobility, resulting in a higher oxygen expenditure that involved also respiratory stores. Such ecological and physiological aspects characterize the Gulf of Trieste as an optimal area for feeding and restoring from the costs of breeding season incurred in Croatia and could be the basis of these post-breeding movements.

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Acknowledgments

We thank C. Trani and A. Floreani for help in video recording and N. Privileggi for performing pellet analysis. P. Utmar, F. Roppa, N. Ventolini, M. Tofful, R. Kriscjak, C. Trani for the support in catching and ringing activity, carried out in collaboration with the Institute of Ornithology of Zagreb (Croatia): a particular thank to J. Kralj and M. Kulieri’c. Thanks also to L. Serra for statistical support. Ringing license and specific authorization were granted by the Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (Italian Law no. 157/1992), while we obtained permissions to catch and ring shags in Croatia from the Croatian Ministry of Culture, Department for Protection of Nature. At Veli Lošinj (Croatia), we thank Blue World staff, in particular N. Rako and P. Makelworth, and Karlo for bringing us to and from Oruda island. At Brijuni archipelago (Croatia), we thank the local authority of the Brijuni National Park. Finally, we are grateful to K. Kravos and S. Candotto of the Natural Reserve “Foce dell’Isonzo” (Gorizia, Italy) for the rings read. PhD scholarship was granted to B. Cimador by the University of Trieste. Finally, we would like to thank the two anonymous referees and the Associate Editor for valuable criticism.

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  1. Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, via Giorgieri 9, 34127, Trieste, Italy

    Stefano Sponza, Barbara Cimador, Mauro Cosolo & Enrico A. Ferrero

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  1. Stefano Sponza
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  2. Barbara Cimador
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  3. Mauro Cosolo
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  4. Enrico A. Ferrero
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Correspondence to Stefano Sponza.

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Communicated by M. E. Hauber.

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Sponza, S., Cimador, B., Cosolo, M. et al. Diving costs and benefits during post-breeding movements of the Mediterranean shag in the North Adriatic Sea. Mar Biol 157, 1203–1213 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-010-1400-1

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