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Linking isotopic and migratory patterns in a pelagic seabird

  • Ecosystem Ecology - Original Paper
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Abstract

The value of stable isotope analysis in tracking animal migrations in marine environments is poorly understood, mainly due to insufficient knowledge of isotopic integration into animal tissues within distinct water masses. We investigated isotopic and moult patterns in Cory’s shearwaters to assess the integration of different stable isotopes into feathers in relation to the birds’ transoceanic movements. Specimens of Mediterranean Cory’s shearwater Calonectris diomedea diomedea caught accidentally by Catalan longliners were collected and the signatures of stable isotopes of C (δ13C), N (δ15N) and S (δ34S) were analysed in 11 wing and two tail feathers from 20 birds, and in some breast feathers. Based on isotopic signatures and moult patterns, the feathers segregated into two groups (breeding and wintering), corresponding to those grown in the Mediterranean or Atlantic regions, respectively. In addition, feathers grown during winter, i.e. moulted in Atlantic waters, were grouped into two isotopically distinct profiles, presumably corresponding to the two main wintering areas previously identified for Mediterranean Cory’s shearwater in tracking studies. N signatures mainly indicated the Mediterranean-to-Atlantic migration, whereas C and S signatures differed according to the Atlantic wintering area. Our results indicate that isotopic signatures from distant oceanic regions can integrate the feathers of a given bird and can indicate the region in which each feather was grown. This study thus underscores how stable isotope analysis can link marine animals to specific breeding and wintering areas, and thereby shed new light on studies involving assignment, migratory connectivity and carry-over effects in the marine environment.

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Acknowledgments

We dedicate this article to the memory of Xavier Ruiz, who unexpectedly died on 27 April 2008 while the manuscript was in review. We would like to thank our colleagues J. Navarro and A. Bicknell, and C. Martínez del Rio, R. Inger and one anonymous referee for reviewing and providing many constructive comments on earlier drafts of this manuscript as well as E. Gómez-Díaz and L. Jover for helping with the neighbour-joining and statistical analyses. We are grateful to all of the longliners and individuals who provided us with bycatch specimens: J. L. Roscales, V. Pedrocchi, M. Diaz, N. Zaragoza, S. Garcia, and La Maca III, Hnos Galindo, Cona, Som i Serem, Palandriu, La Palandria, El Alcalde I, Dolores and Pare Joan. We would also like to thank Albert Cama for allowing us to use the picture he provided (Fig. 1). R. Ramos was supported by a FPU grant from the Spanish Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (MEyC); J. González-Solís was supported by a grant under the Ramón y Cajal Program funded by the MEyC and Fondos FEDER. Financial support was provided by grants 2001SGR00091 and 2005SGR00744 from the Generalitat de Catalunya and CGL 2006-01315/BOS from the MEyC.

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  1. Departament de Biologia Animal (Vertebrats), Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 645, 08028, Barcelona, Spain

    Raül Ramos, Jacob González-Solís & Xavier Ruiz

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  1. Raül Ramos
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  2. Jacob González-Solís
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  3. Xavier Ruiz
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Correspondence to Raül Ramos.

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Communicated by Carlos Martinez del Rio.

Xavier Ruiz deceased 27 April 2008.

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Ramos, R., González-Solís, J. & Ruiz, X. Linking isotopic and migratory patterns in a pelagic seabird. Oecologia 160, 97–105 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-008-1273-x

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