Tracking long-distance migration to assess marine pollution impact

• Published in: Biology letters (2005) Vol. 8; no. 2; pp. 218 - 221
• Main Authors: Montevecchi, William, Fifield, David, Burke, Chantelle, Garthe, Stefan, Hedd, April, Rail, Jean-François, Robertson, Gregory
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England The Royal Society 23.04.2012
• Subjects: Animal Migration; Animals; Birds - physiology; Canada; Conservation Biology; Deepwater Horizon; Gulf of Mexico; Long-Distance Migrant; Marine; Mortality; Morus bassanus; Petroleum Pollution - adverse effects; Pollution Impact; Remote Sensing Technology; Risk Assessment; Satellite Communications; Seabird Mortality; Tracking; United States; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity; Canada; United States; Gulf of Mexico; ANW, Canada; ASW, Mexico Gulf
• ISSN: 1744-9561; 1744-957X
• DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2011.0880

Animal tracking provides new means to assess far-reaching environmental impacts. In the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon explosion in the Gulf of Mexico, a long-distance migrant, the northern gannet (Morus bassanus) suffered the highest oiling among beach-wrecked birds recovered. Analysis of bird-borne tracking data indicated that 25 per cent of their North American population from multiple colonies in eastern Canada migrated to the pollution zone. Findings contrasted sharply with available mark-recapture (band recovery) data. The timing of movement into and out of the Gulf indicates that immature birds would have absorbed most oil-induced mortality. Consequently, one of two outcomes is likely: either a lagged (likely difficult to assess) population decrease, or an undetectable population response buffered by age-related life-history adaptations. Tracking research is especially useful when little information on animal distributions in pollution zones is available, as is the case in the Gulf of Mexico. Ongoing research highlights current risks and conservation concerns.