Atlantic Ocean

Bird counts; Bird taxonomy-related abundance per unit area of surface; Bird behaviour

This dataset comprises visual line and point transect surveys, stable isotope, sex determination and genetic studies, geolocation tracking, time-depth and morphometrics of specific seabird species in the Atlantic Ocean along the Charlie Gibbs Fracture Zone (CGFZ). Data collection was onboard RRS Discovery Cruise DY080 from 06 June 2017 to 02 July 2017 in the North Atlantic Ocean to complete visual line and point transect surveys of seabirds. Seabirds (Fulmarus glacialis, Ardenna gravis, Oceanodroma leucorhoa) were caught and sampled using non-lethal methods, then released unharmed. Feathers, blood, faeces, stomach contents were sampled and morphometrics and moult scores recorded. Seabirds (Ardenna gravis, Calonectris borealis) were captured and released at breeding colonies to allow tracking of their locations and collection of associated tissue samples at Gough Island (November 2016), Kidney Island (January 2017) and Corvo Island (July 2017) in the South Atlantic Ocean. Birds were fitted with a Migrate Technology F100 geolocator. In addition, to record dive behaviour, a subset of birds were fitted with a Cefas G5 Time Depth Recorder. These loggers were recovered and downloaded after 12 or 24 months. Blood and feather samples were collected from the birds at logger deployment and recovery and morphometrics were also recorded for all of the birds. This is a Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) funded grant, reference no. NE/M017990/1 led by Dr Ewan Wakefield, University of Glasgow (Principal Investigator). Grant funded from 04 January 2016 to 03 January 2021. The core aim of the project was to determine how petrels have been affected by recent changes in the climate, how they affect phytoplankton growth and carbon dioxide levels, and how they may respond to future climate change. BODC are the designated repository for long term storage of datasets. BODC currently hold DY080 visual line transect survey data of seabirds, which are available to users on request.

British Oceanographic Data Centre
Joseph Proudman Building 6 Brownlow Street
Liverpool
Merseyside
L3 5DA
United Kingdom