Ecological Dynamics of Forest-Nesting Seabirds

Forest-nesting seabirds epitomise the intricate interplay between marine and terrestrial ecosystems, requiring mature forests for breeding and productive coastal waters for foraging. Species such as the marbled murrelet undertake nocturnal inland flights to nest on moss-covered branches of old-growth trees, while daily forays at sea target schooling fish and zooplankton. Their dual-habitat dependence renders populations sensitive to both logging-driven forest loss and oceanographic shifts linked to climate variability. Research has revealed that nesting success correlates with canopy structure and proximity to marine feeding grounds, while adult survival reflects prey availability, water temperature anomalies and localised predation pressure by corvids. Landscape fragmentation alters nesting site availability and microclimate, forcing seabirds to occupy suboptimal patches and reducing reproductive output. At sea, changes in upwelling regimes and prey distribution not only impact foraging efficiency but also drive broad-scale movements that connect distant breeding colonies. Conservation of forest-nesting seabirds thus demands integrated management across terrestrial and marine realms, combining protected old-growth reserves, sustainable forestry practices and the safeguarding of key marine foraging zones to maintain demographic stability and ensure long-term viability.

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Ecological Dynamics of Forest-Nesting Seabirds publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in ecological dynamics of forest-nesting seabirds across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Habitat fragmentation: The process by which large, continuous habitats are broken into smaller, isolated patches, often reducing habitat quality and connectivity.

Occupancy modelling: A statistical approach to estimate the probability that a species uses a site, accounting for imperfect detection during surveys.

Species distribution model (SDM): A predictive tool that relates species occurrence data to environmental variables to map potential habitat suitability.

Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM): A non-invasive method using audio recorders to detect and monitor vocal species over large temporal and spatial scales.

References

1. Passive acoustic monitoring and convolutional neural networks facilitate high-resolution and broadscale monitoring of a threatened species. Ecological Indicators (2024).
2. Fragmentation effects on an endangered species across a gradient from the interior to edge of its range. Conservation Biology (2023).
3. Squeezed by a habitat split: Warm ocean conditions and old‐forest loss interact to reduce long‐term occupancy of a threatened seabird. Conservation Letters (2020).
4. Presence-absence surveys yield spatially imprecise information about nesting sites of an endangered, forest-nesting seabird. PLOS ONE (2024).