What are the physiological costs of behavioural plasticity in response to climate change in Arctic seabirds
1) Purpose
The purpose of this project is to investigate what factors influence and constrain the level of plasticity black-legged kittiwakes (hereafter kittiwakes) display in their behaviour. Demonstrating plasticity in behaviour, varying behavioural responses to environmental stimuli, helps maintain resource acquisition and is therefore seen as a key strategy in adapting to the rapidly changing environmental conditions in the Arctic. We will achieve this by:
• Investigating whether individuals differ in the level of plasticity they exhibit in foraging behaviour
• Identifying the environmental factors that drive the plasticity in foraging behaviour
• Exploring what internal factors (sex/personality) influence plasticity in foraging behaviour
• Quantifying the potential costs of phenotypic plasticity by measuring changes in physiological condition (reduction in telomere lengths/increased oxidative stress)
2) Distress
The methods used to collect these data are likely to cause mild distress to the birds. 60 adult birds will be caught per year (30 in Isfjorden and 30 in Kongsfjorden) and be tagged with GPS devices. 70 adult birds will be caught per year (40 in Isfjorden and 30 in Kongsfjorden) and tagged with GLS devices. The birds will carry the GPS or GLS tags for 3-5 days and 1 year respectively whereby they will then be re-caught and the tag removed. During capture, individuals will be cloacal, buccal and blood sampled. All birds will also undergo a novel object test to measure personality which does not involve capture.
3) Expected Benefit
Quantifying the costs of plasticity is vital for understanding the potential ability of individuals/species to adapt to climate change. This is especially important for long-lived seabirds, such as kittiwakes, which will experience drastic environmental changes within their lifetime and hence cannot adapt to new environments through other mechanisms (i.e evolution). Quantifying plasticity across both the breeding (GPS tagging) and wintering periods (GLS tagging) will be crucial in understanding variability among individuals across the whole life-cycle. Understanding these differences will help identify when individuals will be most vulnerable to environmental change.
4) Number of animals and what kind
In total, 130 black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) per year will be caught and tagged and the experiment will last two years.
5) How to adhere to 3R
Replacement is not achievable (a field experiment is essential), however the number of animals has been reduced to a minimum. 130 adults per year for GPS/GLS tagging, blood/buccal/cloacal sampling and personality assaying is the smallest sample size, accounting for tag loss and malfunction, that would allow plasticity in foraging behaviour to be quantified across both breeding and wintering periods. For refinement, tag size has been reduced to a minimum and lighter tags will be prioritised where available. Capture time will be brief (~15 minutes per bird) and individuals will be monitored post-capture to monitor any detrimental changes in behaviour (i.e nest desertion). Although blood sampling is needed to quantify the physiological condition of individuals, buccal sampling is being trialled to replace blood sampling for molecular sexing so that less blood needs to be taken from each individual.
The purpose of this project is to investigate what factors influence and constrain the level of plasticity black-legged kittiwakes (hereafter kittiwakes) display in their behaviour. Demonstrating plasticity in behaviour, varying behavioural responses to environmental stimuli, helps maintain resource acquisition and is therefore seen as a key strategy in adapting to the rapidly changing environmental conditions in the Arctic. We will achieve this by:
• Investigating whether individuals differ in the level of plasticity they exhibit in foraging behaviour
• Identifying the environmental factors that drive the plasticity in foraging behaviour
• Exploring what internal factors (sex/personality) influence plasticity in foraging behaviour
• Quantifying the potential costs of phenotypic plasticity by measuring changes in physiological condition (reduction in telomere lengths/increased oxidative stress)
2) Distress
The methods used to collect these data are likely to cause mild distress to the birds. 60 adult birds will be caught per year (30 in Isfjorden and 30 in Kongsfjorden) and be tagged with GPS devices. 70 adult birds will be caught per year (40 in Isfjorden and 30 in Kongsfjorden) and tagged with GLS devices. The birds will carry the GPS or GLS tags for 3-5 days and 1 year respectively whereby they will then be re-caught and the tag removed. During capture, individuals will be cloacal, buccal and blood sampled. All birds will also undergo a novel object test to measure personality which does not involve capture.
3) Expected Benefit
Quantifying the costs of plasticity is vital for understanding the potential ability of individuals/species to adapt to climate change. This is especially important for long-lived seabirds, such as kittiwakes, which will experience drastic environmental changes within their lifetime and hence cannot adapt to new environments through other mechanisms (i.e evolution). Quantifying plasticity across both the breeding (GPS tagging) and wintering periods (GLS tagging) will be crucial in understanding variability among individuals across the whole life-cycle. Understanding these differences will help identify when individuals will be most vulnerable to environmental change.
4) Number of animals and what kind
In total, 130 black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) per year will be caught and tagged and the experiment will last two years.
5) How to adhere to 3R
Replacement is not achievable (a field experiment is essential), however the number of animals has been reduced to a minimum. 130 adults per year for GPS/GLS tagging, blood/buccal/cloacal sampling and personality assaying is the smallest sample size, accounting for tag loss and malfunction, that would allow plasticity in foraging behaviour to be quantified across both breeding and wintering periods. For refinement, tag size has been reduced to a minimum and lighter tags will be prioritised where available. Capture time will be brief (~15 minutes per bird) and individuals will be monitored post-capture to monitor any detrimental changes in behaviour (i.e nest desertion). Although blood sampling is needed to quantify the physiological condition of individuals, buccal sampling is being trialled to replace blood sampling for molecular sexing so that less blood needs to be taken from each individual.