Marine bird mass mortality events as an indicator of the impacts of ocean warming

Jones, T; Parrish, JK; Lindsey, J; Wright, C; Burgess, HK; Dolliver, J; Divine, L; Kaler, R; Bradley, D; Sorenson, G; Torrenta, R; Backensto, S; Coletti, H; Harvey, JT; Nevins, HM; Donnelly-Greenan, E; Sherer, DL; Roletto, J; Lindquist, K

doi:10.3354/meps14330

i

Marine bird mass mortality events as an indicator of the impacts of ocean warming

2023
By Jones, T ; Parrish, JK ; Lindsey, J ; ...

Details

Journal Title:

Marine Ecology Progress Series
Personal Author:

Jones, T ; Parrish, JK ; Lindsey, J ; Wright, C ; Burgess, HK ; Dolliver, J ; Divine, L ; Kaler, R ; Bradley, D ; Sorenson, G ; Torrenta, R ; Backensto, S ; Coletti, H ; Harvey, JT ; Nevins, HM ; Donnelly-Greenan, E ; Sherer, DL ; Roletto, J ; Lindquist, K
NOAA Program & Office:

NOS (National Ocean Service) ; ONMS (Office of National Marine Sanctuaries)
Description:

The frequency and severity of marine heatwaves (MHWs), an emergent property of global warming, has led to large-scale disruptions to marine ecosystems. As upper trophic species, marine birds reflect shifts in trophic structure and stability; therefore, a sharp increase in marine bird mortality is a clear signal of ecosystem impact. In this study, we analyzed 29 yr (1993-2021) of beached bird monitoring data (~90000 surveys) to identify marine bird mortality events throughout the Northeast Pacific and Alaska, USA, and examined linkages to ocean-climate variability. Mortality events were documented throughout the study period, but massive events (>500 km in extent, >10 carcasses km^-1) occurred infrequently (n = 5), with an unprecedented sequence from 2014-2019. Event characteristics, including encounter rate (carcasses km^-1), duration, and spatial extent, were positively related to prior-year averaged sea surface temperature anomaly, with event magnitude (product of encounter rate, extent, and duration) displaying a step-like transition, increasing 5-fold between +0°C and +1°C above baseline (1981-2010) temperatures. Mortality events occurred more frequently following MHWs, and a common sequence of mortality events (at 1-6 and 10-16 mo after heatwave onset) was observed in the California Current large marine ecosystem following 3 prolonged MHW events. Following the second wave of mortality at 10-16 mo after MHW onset, a consistent 16 mo period of depressed carcass encounter rates ensued. Given continued global warming, our results point to more frequent large-scale mortality events and the potential for a new lower carrying capacity for marine birds in the Northeast Pacific.
Keywords:

Aquatic Science Ecology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior And Systematics Ecology, Evolution, Behavior And Systematics Ecology, Evolution, Behavior And Systematics
Source:

Marine Ecology Progress Series, HEAT
DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3354/meps14330
ISSN:

0171-8630 ; 1616-1599
Format:

PDF
Publisher:

Inter-Research Science Center
Document Type:

Journal Article
License:

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Rights Information:

CC BY
Compliance:

Submitted
Main Document Checksum:

urn:sha-512:a676baccac8a9af38b04ec1631c42c8fc289c402f3ea246f0313017e10c6ce8c92e270d3c2592db007f370259708ed5e7a3e6779a6ccdff50560e6611fa4ec5d
Download URL:

https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/51166/noaa_51166_DS1.pdf
File Type:

[PDF - 3.22 MB ]

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