Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

An important late summer aggregation of fin whales Balaenoptera physalus, little auks Alle alle and Brünnich’s guillemots Uria lomvia in the eastern Greenland Sea and Fram Strait: influence of hydrographic structures

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Polar Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The distribution at sea of upper trophic levels—seabirds and marine mammals—is depending on their food availability: high concentrations reflect high prey abundance and thus high biological production. Polar marine ecosystems are characterized by low biodiversity and high biological patchiness. The distribution of predators, as a consequence, shows a similar patchiness. During two expeditions of icebreaking RV Polarstern in June–July 2011, biodiversity in the arctic marine zone north of 70°N was very low, with low numbers of species: 20 seabirds, eight cetaceans, five pinnipeds and polar bear. Moreover, a few species accounted for the majority in numbers: four bird species for 95 % of the total of 23,000 seabirds recorded during 700 transect counts: fulmar Fulmarus glacialis, kittiwake Rissa tridactyla, Brünnich’s guillemot Uria lomvia and little auk Alle alle. Among the marine mammals, 250 fin whales Balaenoptera physalus accounted for 80 % of the identified large cetaceans, 270 white-beaked dolphin Lagenorhynchus albirostris for 100 % of the small cetaceans and 180 harp seals Pagophilus groenlandica for 80 % of the identified pinnipeds. Their quantitative distribution was depending on water masses and oceanic fronts, large cetaceans—mainly fin whales—showing an important aggregation on the shelf slope off western Spitsbergen, as well as little auks and Brünnich’s guillemots. So that this zone, shelf slope and front of mixed Arctic/Atlantic Waters, showed unusually high seabird and cetacean concentrations. Seasonal factors possibly influencing their distribution are addressed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ainley DG, O’Connor EF, Boekelheide RJ (1984) The marine ecology of birds in the Ross Sea, Antarctica. Ornithol Monogr 32:97

    Google Scholar 

  • Ainley DG, Jacobs SS, Ribic CA, Gaffney I (1998) Seabird distribution and oceanic features of the Amundsen and southern Bellingshausen seas. Antarct Sci 10:111–123

    Google Scholar 

  • Ainley DG, Dugger KM, Toniolo V, Gaffney I (2007) Cetacean occurrence patterns in the Amundsen and Southern Bellingshausen Sea sector, Southern Ocean. Mar Mamm Sci 23:287–305

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ainley DG, Jongsomijt D, Ballard G, Thiele D, Fraser WR, Tynan T (2012) Modelling the relationship of Antarctic minke whale to major ocean boundaries. Polar Biol 35:281–290. doi:10.1007/s00300-011-1075-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ballard G, Jongsomijt D, Veloz SD, Ainley DG (2011) Coexistence of mesopredators in an intact ocean ecosystem: the basis for defining a Ross Sea marine protected area. Biol Conserv. doi:10.1016/j.bioncon.2011.11.017

    Google Scholar 

  • Bates D, Maechler M, Bolker B (2013) lme4.0: Linear mixed-effects models using S4 classes. R package version 0.99999-4. http://lme4.r-forge.r-project.org

  • Birkhead TR, Nettleship ND (1981) Plumage variation in young razorbills and murres. J Field Ornithol 56:246–250

    Google Scholar 

  • Bost CA, le Maho Y (1993) Seabirds as bio-indicators of changing marine ecosystems: new perspectives. Acta Oecol 14:463–470

    Google Scholar 

  • Bost CA, Cotté C, Bailleul F, Cherel Y, Charassin JB, Guinet C, Ainley DG, Weimerskirch H (2009) The importance of oceanographic fronts to marine birds and mammals in the southern oceans. J Mar Syst 78:363–376

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Branch TA (2011) Humpback abundance south of 60°S from three complete circumpolar sets of survey. J Cetacean Res Manag 3:53–69

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown RGB (1976) The foraging range of breeding dovekies Alle alle. Can Field Nat 90:166–168

    Google Scholar 

  • Elphick C, Hunt GL Jr (1993) Variations in the distributions of marine birds with water mass in the Northern Bering Sea. Condor 95:33–44

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Friedlaender AS, Halpin PN, Qian SS, Lawson GL, Wiebe PH, Thiele D, Read AJ (2006) Whale distribution in relation to prey abundance and oceanographic processes in shelf waters of the Western Antarctic. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 317:297–310

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Friedlaender AS, Lawson GL, Halpin PN (2009) Evidence of resource partitioning between humpback and minke whales around the western Antarctic Peninsula. Mar Mamm Sci 25:402–415

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Furness RW, Camphuysen CJK (1997) Seabirds as monitors of the marine environment. ICES J Mar Sci 54:726–737

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gaston AJ, Nettleship DN (1975) The thick-billed murres of Prince Leopold island. Can Serv monogr Ser 6:350

    Google Scholar 

  • Gilg O, Boertman D, Merkel F, Aebischer A, Sabard B (2009) Status of the endangered ivory gull, Pagophila eburnea, in Greenland. Polar Biol 32:1275–1286

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grant PJ (1986) Gulls: a guide to identification. Second edition. T&AD Poyser, Calton

  • Heinemann D, Hunt G, Everson I (1989) Relationship between the distribution of marine avian predators and their prey, Euphausia superba in Bransfield Strait and southern Drake Passage, Antarctica. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 58:3–16

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hewitt RP, Kimm S, Naganobou M et al (2004) Variation in the biomass and demography of Antarctic krill in the vicinity of the South Shetland Islands during the 1999/2000 austral summer. Deep Sea Res 51:1411–1419

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hunt GL Jr (1990) The pelagic distribution of marine birds in a heterogeneous environment. Polar Res 8:43–54

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Isaksen KI, Gavrilo M (2000) Little auk Alle alle. In: Anker-Nilsen T et al. (ed) The status of marine birds breeding in the Barents Sea region. Norsk Polarinst NO-9296 Tromso, pp 131–136

  • Jacobs S (1991) On the nature and significance of the Antarctic slope Front. Mar Chem 35:9–24

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jakubas D, Iliszko L, Wojczulanis-Jakubas K, Stempniewicz L (2012) Foraging by little auks in the distant marginal sea ice zone during the chick-rearing period. Polar Biol 35:73–81. doi:10.1007/s00300-011-1034-x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Joiris C (1979) Seabirds recorded in the northern North Sea in July: the ecological implications of their distribution. Gerfaut 68:419–440

    Google Scholar 

  • Joiris CR (1991) Spring distribution and ecological role of seabirds and marine mammals in the Weddell Sea, Antarctica. Polar Biol 11:415–424. doi:10.1007/BF80233076

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Joiris CR (1992) At sea distribution and ecological role of seabirds and marine mammals in the Norwegian and Greenland seas (June 1988). J Mar Syst 3:73–89

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Joiris CR (2007) At-sea distribution of seabirds and marine mammals in the Greenland and Norwegian seas: impact of extremely low ice coverage. In Symposium European Research on Polar Environment and Climate, Brussels, 5–6 Mar 2007 http://ec.europaeu/research/environment/newsanddoc/agenda0307_en.htm

  • Joiris CR (2011a) A major feeding ground for cetaceans and seabirds in the south-western Greenland Sea. Polar Biol 34:1597–1607. doi:10.1007/s00300-011-1022-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Joiris CR (2011b) Possible impact of decreasing Arctic pack ice on the higher trophic levels: seabirds and marine mammals. Adv Environ Res 23:207–221

    Google Scholar 

  • Joiris CR, Dochy O (2013) A major autumn feeding ground for fin whales, southern fulmars and grey-headed albatrosses around the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. Polar Biol 36:1649–1658. doi:10.1007/s00300-013-1383-8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Joiris CR, Falck E (2010) Summer at-sea distribution of little auks Alle alle and harp seals Pagophilus (Phoca) groenlandica in the Greenland Sea: impact of small-scale hydrological events. Polar Biol 34:541–548. doi:10.1007/s00300-010-0910-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Joiris CR, Tahon J (1992) Distribution and food intake of seabirds and marine mammals in the Norwegian and Greenland seas (July 1988). R Acad Overseas Sci (Brussels) 113–133

  • Kinder TH, Hunt GL Jr, Schneider D, Schumacher JD (1983) Correlations between seabirds and oceanic fronts around the Pribilof Islands, Alaska. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 16:309–319

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kraft A, Knüpel N, Bathmann U, Nöthig E-M (2012) 5. Arctic pelagic amphipoda (APA). In: Beszczynska-Möller A (ed) The expedition of the research vessel “Polarstern” to the Arctic in 2011 (ARK-XXVI/1). Rep Polar Mar Res 647:31–33. hdi:10013/epic.39692

  • Malling Olsen K, Larsson H (2003) Gulls of Europe, Asia and North America. In: Helm C (ed) London

  • Mosbech A, Johansen KL, Bech NI, Lyngs P, Harding AMA, Egevang C, Phillips RA, Fort J (2012) Inter-breeding movements of little auks Alle alle reveal key post-breeding staging area in the Greenland Sea. Polar Biol 35:305–311

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nicol S (2006) Krill, currents and sea ice: Euphausia superba and its changing environmental features. Deep Sea Res II 56:111–120

    Google Scholar 

  • Pocklington R (1979) An oceanographic interpretation of seabird distribution in the Indian Ocean. Mar Biol 51:9–21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • R Development Core Team (2013) R: a language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria. http://www.R-project.org/

  • Reid K, Brierley AS, Nevitt GA (2000) An initial examination of relationships between the distribution of whales and Antarctic krill Euphausia superba at South Georgia. J Cetacean Res Manag 2:143–149

    Google Scholar 

  • Ribic CA, Ainley DG, Fraser WR (1991) Habitat selection by marine mammals in the marginal ice zone. Antarct Sci 3:181–186

    Google Scholar 

  • Ribic CA, Ainley DG, Ford RG, Fraser WR, Tynan CT, Woehler E (2011) Water masses, ocean fronts, and the structure of Antarctic seabird communities: putting the eastern Bellingshausen Sea in perspective. Deep Sea Res II 58:1695–1709

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosing-Asvid A, Hedeholm R, Arendt KE, Fort J, Robertson GJ (2013) Winter diet of the little auk (Alle alle) in the Northwest Atlantic. Polar Biol 36:1601–1608

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ryan PG, Cooper J (1989) The distribution and abundance of aerial seabirds in relation to Antarctic krill in the Prydz Bay region, Antarctica during late summer. Polar Biol 10:199–209

    Google Scholar 

  • Salomonsen F (1950) The birds of Greenland. In: Munksgaard E (ed) Copenhagen

  • Salomonsen F (1981) The seabirds of Greenland (translation: Brown RGB). Can Wildl Serv Rep 100:133

  • Santora JA, Force MP, Ampela K, Van Cise AM (2009) Distribution abundance and behavior of seabirds and marine mammals. In: Van Cise AM (ed) Antarctic marine resources program. 2008–2009 field station rep, Chapter 8

  • Santora JA, Reiss CS, Loeb VJ, Veit RR (2010) Spatial association between hotspots of baleen whales and demographic patterns of Antarctic krill Euphausia superba suggests size-dependent predation. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 405:255–269

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Swift JH (1986) The Arctic waters. In: Hurdle BG (ed) The Nordic seas. Springer, New York, pp 129–153

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • van Franeker JA (1992) Top predators as indicators for ecosystem events in the Confluence zone and marginal ice zone of the Weddell and Scotia seas, Antarctica, November 1988 to January 1989 (EPOS leg 2). Polar Biol 12:93–103

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wynne-Edwards VC (1935) On the habits and distribution of birds of the North Atlantic. Proc Boston Soc Nat Hist 40:233–346

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Invitation on board RV Polarstern (AWI, Bremerhaven, Germany) by late coordinator E. Fahrbach and chief scientists A. Beszczynska-Möller and M. Klages is greatly appreciated; both kindly allowed to adapt the route and to follow the shelf slope when possible. Observers were as follows: CJ, G. Driessens, G. Nijs, D. Verbelen and D. Monticelli (partim) in ARK-XXVI/1, R.M. Lafontaine and R. Beudels in ARK-XXVI/2. Travel costs to the ship and back were partially supported by the King Leopold II Fund, Brussels, Belgium (leg 1).

Conflict of interest

None.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory for Polar Ecology (PolE), 26130, Saint-Restitut, France

    Claude R. Joiris, Diederik D’Hert & Simon Jungblut

  2. University Center in Svalbard (UNIS), Longyearbyen, Norway

    Eva Falck

  3. Bremen Marine Ecology (BreMarE), University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany

    Simon Jungblut & Karin Boos

  4. Center for Marine Environmental Sciences (MARUM), Bremen, Germany

    Karin Boos

Authors
  1. Claude R. Joiris
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Eva Falck
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Diederik D’Hert
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Simon Jungblut
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Karin Boos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Claude R. Joiris.

Electronic supplementary material

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Joiris, C.R., Falck, E., D’Hert, D. et al. An important late summer aggregation of fin whales Balaenoptera physalus, little auks Alle alle and Brünnich’s guillemots Uria lomvia in the eastern Greenland Sea and Fram Strait: influence of hydrographic structures. Polar Biol 37, 1645–1657 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-014-1551-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-014-1551-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation