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Mar 377 > Foraging Ecology > Flashcards

Foraging Ecology Flashcards

1
Q

Foraging

A

The process of finding wild food resources

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2
Q

What does foraging entail?

A

Decision making regarding how, when, and where to find food

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3
Q

What are some life history constraints on foraging?

A

Seabirds feed at sea but raise their young onshore

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4
Q

Stomach Oil

A
  • Found in the proventriculus of procellariiformes
  • Composed of dietary lipids
  • Made up of waxes, esters, and triglycerides
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5
Q

What is the significance of stomach oil?

A
  • Light
  • High caloric density
  • Replenishes water reserves
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6
Q

Describe the optimal foraging theory

A

Maximize energy gain to enhance fitness

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7
Q

Describe the two foraging strategies of breeding albatrosses

A
  1. Short trips
  2. Long trips
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8
Q

What is the significance of short foraging trips?

A
  • Energetically beneficial to the chicks
  • Energetically costly for adults
  • Close to breeding colony
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9
Q

What is the significance of long breeding trips?

A
  • Maintain parental body mass
  • Lower food delivery rates for chicks
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10
Q

Intraspecific competition

A

Competition for limiting resources during nesting season

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11
Q

Interspecific competition

A

Competition for limiting resources year round (cooperative feeding)

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12
Q

How does sexual segregation affect seabird prey and foraging habitat (use Northern Giant Petrals as an example)?

A
  • Females are smaller than males
  • Females eat fish, krill
  • Males = scavengers ( eat carcasses)
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13
Q

Resource partitioning

A

Different organisms within one ecosystem forage on different prey types in different areas so that there is limited competition for resources

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14
Q

What are examples of resource partitioning?

A
  • Crested auklets (upstream), parakeet auklets (middle), least auklets (downstream) forage in different areas of the ocean
  • Sexual segregation
  • Habitat partitioning
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15
Q

Internal constraints to foraging

A

Physiological limitations such as:
-Flight costs
- Diving costs (ADL)

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16
Q

External constraints to foraging

A

Factors affecting prey:
- Prey size
- Caloric density
- Predictability
- Accessibility
- Aggregation of prey

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17
Q

What oceanographic features can affect foraging movement?

A
  • Fronts
  • Eddies
  • Upwellings
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18
Q

How can oceanographic features affect foraging movement?

A

Oceanographic features –> Aggregate prey –> Attract foraging predators

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19
Q

Fronts

A

Regions with enhanced gradients of hydrographic properties (temperature, salinity, nutrients)

20
Q

Oceanographic Hotspots

A
  • Upwelling
  • Sea mounts (rise in elevation of the sea floor)
  • Convergence zones
  • Shelf / coastal areas
21
Q

Convergence zones

A

Different water masses come together resulting in downwelling which causes prey items to float and aggregate in surface waters

22
Q

How are oceanographic hotspots related to productivity?

A

Productivity generally increases near an oceanographic hotspot

23
Q

Coastal upwelling

A
  • Surface water = being forced offshore by prevailing winds (Coriolis effect: water moves perpendicular to direction of wind)
  • Brings cold, nutrient rich water to the surface (photic zone: where photosynthesis occurs)
  • Productivity = increased
24
Q

Describe the general conditions of coastal upwelling systems

A
  • Low temperatures
  • High O2 content
  • High nutrient contents
25
Q

Cyclonic eddies

A
  • Counter clockwise
  • Cold core eddies
  • Northern hemisphere
  • Cold water is upwelled
  • Prey is aggregated
26
Q

Anticyclonic eddies

A
  • Clockwise
  • Warm core eddies
  • Cold water is downwelled
27
Q

What meso-scale oceanographic features can be measured from space?

A
  • Satellite altimetry
  • Current measurements
  • Chlorophyll measurements
28
Q

Satellite altimetry

A

Measures height of sea surface

29
Q

Current measurements

A

Determines how rings of eddies are rotating

30
Q

Chlorophyll measurements

A

Measurement of biological productivity (more chlorophyl = higher productivity)

31
Q

Describe how Great Frigate birds utilize eddies

A

Target the edge of eddies where prey aggregated at the surface
Frigate birds cannot land on the water

32
Q

Gulf Stream Rings

A
  • As Gulf Stream moves offshore meanders form
  • Meanders drive formation of eddies (below Gulf Stream)
  • Eddies = cold core (cyclonic)
  • Results in upwelling
33
Q

Describe a fine scale oceanographic feature in Phalaropes

A
  • Surface feeders
  • Spinning behavior
  • Generates upwelling of prey which is aggregated at the bottom
    Only effective in shallow waters
34
Q

Copepods

A
  • Phalarope prey
  • Lots of lipids
  • Located at depth of 50 to 150 m in the Bay of Fundy
    Why is this a problem
35
Q

Bay of Fundy

A
  • Largest tidal currents in the world
  • Tidal currents hit ledges creating vertical mixing
  • Creates upwelling and fast current speeds (above ledges)
  • Low surface temperatures (due to upwelling)
  • Aggregates copepods in surface water
36
Q

How do oceanographic features affect diving birds (ex King Penguins)?

A
  • Associated with fronts
  • Feed on prey aggregated in frontal regions
37
Q

How are foraging skills learned in seabirds?

A
  • Acquired gradually
  • Long period after fledging
  • Breeding is not attempted until foraging is successfully learned
  • Must learn to recognize physical biotic features of ocean as indicators of food
38
Q

How does age affect foraging proficiency?

A
  • Adult birds = more proficient foragers than juveniles
  • Maturation = delayed until foraging skills = acquired
  • Foraging proficiency = gradually increased with age
39
Q

El Niño

A
  • Trade winds (east to west) weaken
  • Warm water is pushed East
  • Pacific Jet stream moves south
  • Results in little to no upwelling of nutrient rich cold water
40
Q

La Niña

A
  • Trade winds are stronger than usual
  • Warm water is pushed West
  • Pacific Jet Stream moves North
  • Results in increased upwelling but warmer temperatures
41
Q

Transition zone chlorophyl front (TZCF)

A
  • Cold more productive waters in North
  • Warmer less productive water in South
  • Important foraging area for albatrosses
42
Q

How does the TZCF affect albatross breeding seasons?

A
  • Location is further South during breeding season (closer to foraging area = shorter distance to travel)
  • North = longer distance to travel
43
Q

How does El Niño affect oceanographic features?

A
  • Temperatures cool
  • North Pacific Gyre contracts
  • TZCF = further South (less distance for albatrosses to travel while foraging)
  • High reproductive success
44
Q

How does La Niña affect oceanographic features?

A
  • Temperatures warm
  • North Pacific Gyre expands
  • TZCF = further North (larger distance for albatrosses to travel while foraging)
  • Low reproductive success
45
Q

How is albatross reproduction affected by La Niña?

A
  • Reproduction decreases
  • TZCF = far North
  • Less food goes to chicks (longer foraging trips)
  • High sea surface temperatures (poor foraging conditions)

Mar 377 (16 decks)

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