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Measurement of Chemical Emissions in Crested Auklets (Aethia cristatella)

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Abstract

This report presents the first quantitative estimates of emission rates for chemical signals in a bird—the crested auklet (Aethia cristatella). Volatile emissions from live birds were captured in a purified airstream onto polymer traps. Traps were eluted with methanol and analyzed with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The volatile collection chamber was field-calibrated with an in-line bubbler and synthetic octanal, the dominant constituent of the crested auklet’s citruslike odor. The result is an index of volatile chemical emissions within a small population of wild crested auklets at Big Koniuji Island, AK, USA. The average emission rate for octanal was 5.7 μl/50 min. Males and females did not differ in their emission rates (t (0.05)two-tailed = 0.44, P = 0.66). There was a sevenfold difference between minimum and maximum emission rates. Prevalence of tick infection (2%) was low despite the high abundance of ticks in the colony. The crested auklet with the lowest chemical emission rate was heavily parasitized by ticks.

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Acknowledgments

Laboratory analyses were made possible by the support of the Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks. Professors R. Stolzberg and T. Clausen offered suggestions and assistance. Research was supported with grants from the Eppley Foundation for Research, Inc., and the Angus Gavin Memorial Bird Research Fund, Univ. of Alaska Foundation. Logistical support was also provided in part by a grant from the Center for Global Change and Arctic System Research sponsored by the Alaska Sea Grant College Program. A. Springer helped support this research. A. Kelly and A. Maccormack assisted with fieldwork. J. Galvin and the Rita B F/V provided logistical support. The Alaska Maritime Natl. Wild. Refuge and the Aleut Corp. granted research permits. T. Jones, W. Conner, and W. Simpson offered suggestions on design of the volatile collection system. Ø. Tøien checked the calibration of flowmeters.

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  1. Hector D. Douglas III

    Present address: Biology Department, Kuskokwim Campus-CRCD, University of Alaska Fairbanks, P.O. Box 368, Bethel, AK, 99559, USA

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  1. Institute of Marine Science, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, 9970, USA

    Hector D. Douglas III

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Correspondence to Hector D. Douglas III.

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Douglas, H.D. Measurement of Chemical Emissions in Crested Auklets (Aethia cristatella). J Chem Ecol 32, 2559–2567 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-006-9164-2

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