Migration Patterns of Tundra Birds: Tracking Radar Observations along the Northeast Passage

Bird migration was recorded by tracking radar and visual observations at 15 study sites, situated between 50°E and 170°E along the Northeast Passage, during a ship-based expedition in July and August 1994. A total of 1087 radar tracks (average duration 220 s) of bird flocks on postbreeding migration were recorded. Migration was dominated by waders and to a certain degree also skuas (especially pomarine skua Stercorarius pomarinus). Terns, gulls, ducks, and geese were also among the migrants tracked by radar. The radar data revealed a major migratory divide at about 100°E (Taymyr Peninsula), with mainly eastbound migration to the east of this divide, and mainly westbound migration to the west of it. The main stream of eastbound migration was directed toward the sector 90-120° and that of westbound migration toward the sector 240-270°; these directions are broadly in parallel with the coasts of the Arctic Ocean east and west of the Taymyr Peninsula, respectively. There was also important ENE migration, which provided strong indications of long-distance flights along orthodrome-like routes directly between Siberia and North America, across vast expanses of the Arctic Ocean pack ice. Analysis of flight directions in relation to wind indicated complete compensation for wind drift. Mean flight altitude was 1.3 km, and the birds regularly travelled at high altitudes above 3 km (9% of the tracks) up to a maximum height of 4.8 km. They preferred to migrate on occasions and at altitudes with following winds; such conditions provided an average gain in speed of 4.6 m/s. There were also recurrent cases of birds migrating in tailwinds of gale force, between 18 and 24 m/s. The birds' airspeed varied between 8 and 22 m/s, with a mean of 14 m/s. Airspeed was significantly correlated with altitude, wind, and vertical speed and seemed to be intermediate between the speeds for minimum power and maximum range predicted by aerodynamic theory.Durant une expédition ayant pour base un navire, réalisée en juillet et août 1994, on a enregistré la migration des oiseaux à l'aide d'un radar de poursuite et d'observations visuelles dans 15 zones d'étude situées entre 50 et 170° de longit. E., le long du passage du Nord-Ouest. On a enregistré un total de 1087 poursuites radar (d'une durée moyenne de 220 s) de volées d'oiseaux en migration après la nidification. La migration était dominée par les échassiers et, à un certain degré également, par les labbes (en particulier le labbe pomarin Stercorarius pomarinus). Les sternes, goélands, canards et oies étaient aussi au nombre des migrants suivis au radar. Les données de radar révèlent une scission migratoire majeure à environ 100° de longit. E. (presqu'île de Taïmyr), avec surtout une migration vers l'est, à l'est de cette division, et une migration vers l'ouest, à l'ouest de cette division. Le courant principal de la migration en direction de l'est était dirigé vers le secteur allant de 90 à 120° et celui de la migration en direction de l'ouest, vers le secteur allant de 240 à 270°; ces directions sont en gros parallèles aux rivages de l'océan Arctique à l'est et à l'ouest de la presqu'île de Taïmyr respectivement. Il y avait aussi une importante migration E.-N.-E., qui offrait une indication assez précise de vols de longue distance suivant un tracé ressemblant à la ligne orthodromique directe entre la Sibérie et l'Amérique du Nord, au travers de vastes étendues de la banquise de l'océan Arctique. L'analyse des directions de vol par rapport aux vents révèle une compensation totale pour la dérive due au vent. L'altitude moyenne de vol était de 1,3 km, et les oiseaux voyageaient régulièrement à altitude élevée, allant de 3 km (pour 9 p. cent des poursuites) à une hauteur maximale de 4,8 km. Les oiseaux préféraient parfois effectuer leur migration à haute altitude avec des vents arrière, de telles conditions offrant un gain de vitesse moyen de 4,6 m/s. On a observé des cas répétés d'oiseaux qui migraient avec un vent arrière soufflant en tempête, entre 18 et 24 m/s. La vitesse relative des oiseaux variait entre 8 et 22 m/s, avec une moyenne de 14 m/s. Cette vitesse relative était corrélée fortement avec l'altitude, le vent et la vitesse verticale, et semblait être intermédiaire entre les vitesses prédites par la théorie aérodynamique pour la puissance minimale et la portée maximale

Rapid changes in the size of different functional organ and muscle groups during refueling in a long-distance migrating shorebird

The adaptive value of size changes in different organ and muscle groups was studied in red knots (Calidris canutus islandica) in relation to their migration. Birds were sampled on five occasions: at arrival in Iceland in May 1994, two times during subsequent refueling, at departure toward, and on return from, the high arctic breeding grounds. During their 24-d stopover in May, body mass increased from 144.3 to 214.5 g. Mass gains were lowest over the first week (0.85 g/d, only fat-free tissue deposited). Over the subsequent 10 d, average mass increased by 5.0 g/d (fat contributing 78%), and over the last week before takeoff, it increased by 2.0 g/d (fat contributing over 100% because of loss of lean components). There were no sex differences in body and fat mass gains. Over the first interval, lean masses of heart, stomach, and liver increased. During the middle 10 d, sizes of leg muscle, intestine, liver, and kidneys increased. Stomach mass decreased over the same interval. In the last interval before takeoff, the stomach atrophied further and the intestine, leg muscles, and liver became smaller too, but pectoral muscles and heart increased in size. Sizes of "exercise organs" such as pectoral muscle and heart were best correlated with body mass, whereas sizes of organs used during foraging (leg muscles) and nutrient extraction (intestine, liver) were best correlated with rate of mass gain. Kidneys changed little before takeoff, which suggests that they are needed as much during flight as during refueling

Aspects of pre-migratory feeding ecology of sanderling (Calidris alba pallas) at Teesmouth, NE England

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Ross's Gulls in the Central Arctic Ocean

The central Arctic Ocean is difficult to access, the result, the bird fauna of the area, with its potential input from all around the circumpolar perimeter, is still only little known. The present paper contributes observations on the distsribution of Ross's gull (Rhodosethia rosea) made during the Arctic Ocean 96 expedition from mid-July to mid-September 1996, from the Swedish icebreaker Oden. Ross's gull was the most common bird in the central parts of the Arctic Ocean, with a grand total at least 131 individuals seen up to 87 30 N. Its absence further north was judged as due to an early freeze-up. A marked concentration was noted at the shelf-break north of Franz Josef Land in late July. Most Ross's gulls were observed as single birds or two together, but some small flocks were seen, the largest consisting of 10 birds. Most birds were adults, the proportion of immature (second-year) birds being no more than 10-15%.Vu qu'il est difficile d'accéder à la partie centrale de l'océan Arctique, la faune aviaire de la région ainsi que l'apport à celle-ci venant de tout le périmètre circumpolaire sont relativement peu connus. Cet article présente des observations sur la distribution de la mouette rosée (Rhodostethia rosea) faites de la mi-juillet à la mi-septembre 1996 dans le cadre de l'expédition Océan Arctique 96 réalisée par le brise-glace suédois Oden. La mouette rosée était l'oiseau le plus répandu dans les régions centrales de l'océan Arctique, avec un total global d'au moins 131 individus observés jusqu'à 87° 30' de latit. N. On a interprété son absence plus au nord comme étant la conséquence d'un engel précoce. On a remarqué une forte concentration à la rupture de pente au nord de l'archipel François-Joseph à la fin juillet. La plupart des mouettes rosées ont été observées en solitaires ou en paires, mais on a aussi vu quelques petites volées dont la plus importante comptait 10 oiseaux. La plupart des mouettes étaient des adultes, la proportion des oiseaux immatures (dans leur deuxième année) ne représentant pas plus de 10 à 15 p. cent

Migration Along Orthodromic Sun Compass Routes by Arctic Birds

Flight directions of birds migrating at high geographic and magnetic latitudes can be used to test bird orientation by celestial or geomagnetic compass systems under polar conditions. Migration patterns of arctic shorebirds, revealed by tracking radar studies during an icebreaker expedition along the Northwest Passage in 1999, support predicted sun compass trajectories but cannot be reconciled with orientation along either geographic or magnetic loxodromes (rhumb lines). Sun compass routes are similar to orthodromes (great circle routes) at high latitudes, showing changing geographic courses as the birds traverse longitudes and their internal clock gets out of phase with local time. These routes bring the shorebirds from high arctic Canada to the east coast of North America, from which they make transoceanic flights to South America. The observations are also consistent with a migration link between Siberia and the Beaufort Sea region by way of sun compass routes across the Arctic Ocean

Benthos

Currently, > 4,000 Arctic macro- and megabenthic species are known, representing the majority of Arctic marine faunal diversity. This estimate is expected to increase. • Benthic invertebrates are food to shes, marine mammals, seabirds and humans, and are commercially harvested. • Traditional Knowledge (TK) emphasizes the link between the benthic species and their predators, such as walrus, and their signi cance to culture. • Decadal changes in benthos biodiversity are observed in some well-studied regions, such as the Barents Sea and Chukchi Sea. • Drivers related to climate-change such as warming, ice decline and acidification are affecting the benthic community on a pan-Arctic scale, while drivers such as trawling, river/glacier discharge and invasive species have signficant impact on regional or local scales. • Increasing numbers of species are moving into, or shifting, their distributions in Arctic waters. These species will outcompete, prey on or offer less nutritious value as prey for Arctic species. • Current monitoring efforts have focused on macro- and megabenthic species, but have been confined to the Chukchi Sea and the Barents Sea. Efforts are increasing in waters of Greenland, Iceland, the Canadian Arctic, and in the Norwegian Sea. All other Arctic Marine Areas are lacking long-term benthic monitoring. • As a first step towards an international collaborative monitoring framework, we recommend to develop a time- and cost-effective, long-term and standardized monitoring of megabenthic communities in all Arctic regions with regular annual groundfish assessment surveys. Expanding monitoring on micro-, meio- and macrobenthic groups is encouraged

Nordic LifeWatch cooperation, final report: A joint initiative from Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Norway and Sweden

The main goal of the present report is to outline the possibilities for an enhanced cooperation between the Nordic countries within eScience and biodiversity. LifeWatch is one of several ESFRI projects which aim to establish eInfrastructures and databases in the field of biodiversity and ecosystem research. Similarities between Nordic countries are extensive in relation to a number of biodiversity related issues. Most species in Nordic countries are common, and frequently the same challenges concerning biodiversity and ecosystem services are addressed in the different countries. The present report has been developed by establishing a Nordic LifeWatch network with delegates from each of the Nordic countries. The report has been written jointly by the delegates, and the work was organized by establishing working groups with the following themes: strategic issues, technical development, legal framework and communication. Written during two workshops, Skype meetings and emailing, the following main issues are discussed in the present report: * Scientific needs for improved access to biodiversity data and advanced eScience research infrastructure in the Nordic countries. * Future challenges and priorities facing the international biodiversity research community. * Scientific potential of openly accessible biodiversity and environmental data for individual researchers and institutions. * Spin-off effects of open access for the general public. * Internationally standardized Nordic metadata inventory. * Legal framework and challenges associated with environmental-, climate-, and biodiversity data sharing, communication, training and scientific needs. * Finally, some strategic steps towards realizing a Nordic LifeWatch construction and operational phase are discussed. Easy access to open data on biodiversity and the environment is crucial for many researchers and research institutions, as well as environmental administration. Easy access to data from different fields of science creates an environment for new scientific ideas to emerge. This potential of generating new, interdisciplinary approaches to pre-existing problems is one of the key features of open-access data platforms that unify diverse data sources. Interdisciplinary elements, access to data over larger gradients, compatible eSystems and eTools to handle large amounts of data are extremely important and, if further developed, represent significant steps towards analysis of biological effects of climate change, human impact and development of operational ecosystem service assessment techniques. It is concluded that significant benefits regarding both scientific potential, technical developments and financial investments can be obtained by constructing a common Nordic LifeWatch eInfrastructure. Several steps concerning organizing and funding of a future Nordic LifeWatch are discussed, and an action plan towards 2020 is suggested. To analyze the potential for future Nordic LifeWatch in detail, our main conclusion is to arrange a Nordic LifeWatch conference as soon as possible. This conference should involve Nordic research councils, scientists and relevant stakeholders. The national delegates from the participating countries in the Nordic LifeWatch project are prepared to present details from the report and developments so far as a basis for further development of Nordic LifeWatch. The present work is financed by NordForsk and in-kind contributions from participating institutions

Genetic correction of PSA values using sequence variants associated with PSA levels

To access publisher full text version of this article. Please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links fieldMeasuring serum levels of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is the most common screening method for prostate cancer. However, PSA levels are affected by a number of factors apart from neoplasia. Notably, around 40% of the variability of PSA levels in the general population is accounted for by inherited factors, suggesting that it may be possible to improve both sensitivity and specificity by adjusting test results for genetic effects. To search for sequence variants that associate with PSA levels, we performed a genome-wide association study and follow-up analysis using PSA information from 15,757 Icelandic and 454 British men not diagnosed with prostate cancer. Overall, we detected a genome-wide significant association between PSA levels and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at six loci: 5p15.33 (rs2736098), 10q11 (rs10993994), 10q26 (rs10788160), 12q24 (rs11067228), 17q12 (rs4430796), and 19q13.33 [rs17632542 (KLK3: I179T)], each with P(combined) <3 × 10(-10). Among 3834 men who underwent a biopsy of the prostate, the 10q26, 12q24, and 19q13.33 alleles that associate with high PSA levels are associated with higher probability of a negative biopsy (odds ratio between 1.15 and 1.27). Assessment of association between the six loci and prostate cancer risk in 5325 cases and 41,417 controls from Iceland, the Netherlands, Spain, Romania, and the United States showed that the SNPs at 10q26 and 12q24 were exclusively associated with PSA levels, whereas the other four loci also were associated with prostate cancer risk. We propose that a personalized PSA cutoff value, based on genotype, should be used when deciding to perform a prostate biopsy.info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/FP7/202059/ 218071 Urological Research Foundation P50 CA90386-05S2 Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center p30 CA60553 Health Technology Assessment Programme 96/20/06 96/20/99 Department of Health, England Cancer Research UK C522/A8649 Medical Research Council of England G0500966 ID 75466 National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI), UK Southwest National Health Service Research and Development NCRI National Institute for Health Resear