Seabird Breeding Colonies in East and North Greenland: A Baseline

This paper presents the results of a number of aircraft- and boat-based surveys for seabird breeding colonies in East and North Greenland carried out in the period 2003 to 2018 and gives the first comprehensive overview of the distribution and size of the seabird breeding colonies in this remote and mainly uninhabited region. Seventeen seabird species breed in approximately 800 sites distributed very unevenly along the coasts, with high concentrations at the polynyas and long stretches with very few breeding seabirds. Climate changes are in full progress in East and North Greenland, especially affecting the sea ice regime, and seabirds are expected to respond to these changes in different ways. For example, since the 1980s, Common Eiders (Somateria mollissima) have extended their breeding range more than two latitudinal degrees towards the north, now reaching the northernmost land on Earth. Lesser Black-backed Gulls (Larus fuscus) and Great Cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo) have immigrated, and Sabine’s Gulls (Xema sabini) have increased and extended their range. Besides presenting survey results, this report may also serve as a baseline for future studies of the abundance of breeding seabirds in East and North Greenland.Cet article présente les résultats de comptages de colonies d’oiseaux marins nicheurs menés en bateau et en avion dans l’est et le nord du Groenland entre 2003 et 2018. Il s’agit de la première synthèse globale consacrée à la distribution et à la taille des colonies de reproduction d’oiseaux marins pour cette région reculée et principalement inhabitée. Dix-sept espèces d’oiseaux marins se reproduisent sur environ 800 sites répartis de façon très irrégulière le long des côtes, avec de fortes concentrations aux alentours des polynies, mais aussi de grandes régions avec très peu d’oiseaux marins nicheurs. Les changements climatiques sont déjà très perceptibles dans l’est et le nord du Groenland. Ils y impactent fortement le régime de la banquise et on s’attend à ce que les oiseaux marins y répondent de différentes façons. L’eider à duvet (Somateria mollissima) a par exemple étendu son aire de distribution de plus de deux degrés de latitude vers le nord depuis les années 1980, atteignant les terres les plus septentrionales au monde. Le goéland brun (Larus fuscus) et le grand cormoran (Phalacrocorax carbo) se sont installés alors que la mouette de Sabine (Xema sabini) a étendu son aire de distribution et a vu ses effectifs augmenter. En plus de présenter des résultats de comptages, cette étude pourra également servir d’état initial pour évaluer à l’avenir les changements d’abondance et de distribution des oiseaux marins nicheurs dans l’est et le nord du Groenland

Spatio-temporal patterns in arctic fox (Vulpes alopex) diets revealed by molecular analysis of scats from Northeast Greenland

The arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) is endemic to the Arctic where it holds a central position in the trophic interactions. The diet of the species has previously been described as being highly flexible, but whether this flexibility is a constant trait through time, or merely reflects fast temporal changes in abundance among prey taxa, has so far been poorly resolved. Using molecular analyses of arctic fox scats from Northeast Greenland, we first examined the temporal dynamics of arctic fox diets during the short snow-free season, and then examined whether local food availability at different sites affected arctic fox dependence on lemmings. Arctic fox diets included most terrestrial vertebrate species found in the region, and exhibited substantial temporal changes, generally reflecting the dynamic changes in prey availability from late winter through autumn. This dietary flexibility was also reflected geographically, with arctic foxes consuming a variety of local prey (mainly waterfowl and lemmings) in summer. Moreover, the dietary response of arctic foxes to changes in lemming abundance depended on access to non-lemming prey. Based on these findings, we discuss whether varying degrees of lemming-dependency, combined with geographical differences in winter food availability, may explain previously published differences in arctic fox breeding patterns in high arctic Greenland.Peer reviewe

Gastrointestinal Parasites of Two Populations of Arctic Foxes (<em>Vulpes lagopus</em>) from Northeast Greenland

Parasitological examination of 275 faecal samples from Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) collected at Zackenberg Valley and Karupelv Valley in north-east Greenland from 2006 to 2008 was conducted using sieving and microscopy. Overall, 125 (45.5%) samples contained parasite eggs of Taenia crassiceps, Taenia serialis, Toxascaris leonina, Eucoleus boehmi, Physalopteridae and Ancylostomatidae, and Strongyloides-like larvae. As long-term ecological studies are conducted at both sampling locations, the present findings constitute a baseline data set for further parasitological monitoring

Birds and Mammals of the Lena Delta Nature Reserve, Siberia

The Lena Delta is the largest arctic delta covered entirely by tundra. Protected since 1986, it is one of the richest areas in the Arctic north of 71° N for both species diversity and breeding densities. Between 6 June and 17 August 1997, 16 mammal species and 76 bird species were recorded in the Lena Delta Nature Reserve and the surrounding buffer zone. Several species are new to the region: far-eastern curlew, fieldfare, redwing, arctic warbler, red-breasted flycatcher, and common rat. New breeders are merlin and arctic warbler. These 1997 records, combined with those from earlier studies, give a total of 122 bird species for the region. Of these, 67 have been found breeding at least once. Densities ranging from 245 to 641 birds per km² were recorded in two restricted study areas. Such densities are unusually high north of 70° N for non-colonial breeding birds. Lapland longspur (100-300 individuals/km²), red phalarope (up to 200 ind./km²), and several Calidris species were the most common. Ruddy turnstone and dunlin had densities higher than those previously reported from the Lena Delta and other Siberian sites. Among the shorebirds, spotted redshank, pintail snipe, grey plover, dunlin, and curlew sandpiper may have extended their breeding range or increased in population during the last 15 years. But further evidence is still needed to confirm the westward extension of spectacled eider, long-billed dowitcher, and sharp-tailed sandpiper.Le delta de la Lena est le plus grand delta arctique totalement recouvert de toundra. Protégé depuis 1986, il est l'une des zones les plus riches de l'Arctique au nord du 71° de latitude N., tant par la richesse spécifique que par les densités d'oiseaux nicheurs. Seize espèces de mammifères et 76 espèces d'oiseaux ont été observées dans la Réserve naturelle du delta de la Lena et sa zone périphérique entre le 6 juin et le 17 août 1997. Plusieurs espèces sont nouvelles pour la région: courlis de Sibérie, grive litorne, grive mauvis, pouillot boréal, gobemouche nain et rat surmulot. Les nouvelles espèces nicheuses sont le faucon émerillon et le pouillot boréal. Combinés à ceux d'études plus anciennes, nos résultats portent à 122 le nombre total d'espèces d'oiseaux recensés dans cette région et à 67 celui des espèces s'y étant reproduit au moins une fois. Des densités comprises entre 245 et 641 individus au km² ont été trouvées sur deux zones d'étude restreintes, densités exceptionnelles au nord du 70° de latitude N. pour des espèces non coloniales. Les espèces les mieux représentées sont le bruant lapon (100-300 ind./km²), le phalarope à bec large (jusqu'à 200 ind./km²) et plusieurs espèces de Calidris. Le tournepierre à collier et le bécasseau variable avaient des densités plus fortes que celles précédemment rapportées pour le delta de la Lena et d'autres sites sibériens. Le chevalier arlequin, la bécassine à queue pointue, le pluvier argenté, le bécasseau variable et le bécasseau cocorli font partie des limicoles qui semblent avoir étendu leur aire de distribution ou augmenté leur population durant les 15 dernières années, mais d'autres travaux seront nécessaires avant de confirmer l'extension occidentale de l'eider à lunettes, du limnodrome à long bec et du bécasseau à queue pointue

Complete breeding failures in ivory gull following unusual rainy storms in North Greenland

Natural catastrophic events such as heavy rainfall and windstorms may induce drastic decreases in breeding success of animal populations. We report the impacts of summer rainfalls on the reproductive success of ivory gull (Pagophila eburnea) in north-east Greenland. On two occasions, at Amdrup Land in July 2009 and at Station Nord in July 2011, we observed massive ivory gull breeding failures following violent rainfall and windstorms that hit the colonies. In each colony, all of the breeding birds abandoned their eggs or chicks during the storm. Juvenile mortality was close to 100% at Amdrup Land in 2009 and 100% at Station Nord in 2011. Our results show that strong winds associated with heavy rain directly affected the reproductive success of some Arctic bird species. Such extreme weather events may become more common with climate change and represent a new potential factor affecting ivory gull breeding success in the High Arctic

Interaction webs in arctic ecosystem : Determinants of arctic change?

Peer reviewe

A Migratory Divide Among Red-Necked Phalaropes in the Western Palearctic Reveals Contrasting Migration and Wintering Movement Strategies

Non-breeding movement strategies of migratory birds may be expected to be flexibly adjusted to the distribution and quality of habitat, but only few studies compare movement strategies between populations using distinct migration routes and wintering areas. In thisour study, individual movement strategies of Rred-necked pPhalaropes Phalaropus lobatus, a long-distance migratory wader using saline waters in the non-breeding period, were studied using light-level geolocators. Results revealed the existence of two populations with distinct migration routes and wintering areas: one breeding in the north-eastern North Atlantic and migrating ca. 10,000 km oversea to the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean and the other breeding in Fennoscandia and Russia migrating ca. 6,000 km – largely over land – to the Arabian Sea (Indian Ocean). In line with our expectations, the transoceanic migration between the North Atlantic and the Pacific was associated with proportionately longer wings, a more even spread of stopovers in autumn and a higher migration speed in spring compared to the migration between Fennoscandian-Russian breeding grounds and the Arabian Sea. In the wintering period, birds wintering in the Pacific were stationaryresided in roughly a singlethe same area, whereas individuals wintering in the Arabian Sea showed individually consistent movementsd extensively between different areas, reflecting differences in spatio-temporal variation in primary productivity between the two wintering areas. Our study is unique in showing how habitat distribution shapes movement strategies over the entire non-breeding period within a species.Peer reviewe