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Drone-based monitoring and geomorphology of southern giant petrel nests near Palmer Station, western Antarctic Peninsula

Publication ,  Journal Article
Larsen, GD; Varga, HF; Patterson-Fraser, DL; Johnston, DW; Cimino, MA
Published in: Polar Biology
May 1, 2024

Human activities and climate change threaten seabirds globally, and many species are declining from already small breeding populations. Monitoring of breeding colonies can identify population trends and important conservation concerns, but it is a persistent challenge to achieve adequate coverage of remote and sensitive breeding sites. Southern giant petrels (Macronectes giganteus) exemplify this challenge: as polar, pelagic marine predators they are subject to a variety of anthropogenic threats, but they often breed in remote colonies that are highly sensitive to disturbance. Aerial remote sensing can overcome some of these difficulties to census breeding sites and explore how local environmental factors influence important characteristics such as nest-site selection and chick survival. To this end, we used drone photography to map giant petrel nests, repeatedly evaluate chick survival and quantify-associated physical and biological characteristics of the landscape at two neighboring breeding sites on Humble Island and Elephant Rocks, along the western Antarctic Peninsula in January–March 2020. Nest sites occurred in areas with relatively high elevations, gentle slopes, and high wind exposure, and statistical models predicted suitable nest-site locations based on local spatial characteristics, explaining 72.8% of deviance at these sites. These findings demonstrate the efficacy of drones as a tool to identify, map, and monitor seabird nests, and to quantify important habitat associations that may constitute species preferences or sensitivities. These may, in turn, contextualize some of the diverse population trajectories observed for this species throughout the changing Antarctic environment.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Polar Biology

DOI

EISSN

1432-2056

ISSN

0722-4060

Publication Date

May 1, 2024

Volume

47

Issue

5

Start / End Page

459 / 474

Related Subject Headings

  • Marine Biology & Hydrobiology
  • 31 Biological sciences
  • 06 Biological Sciences
 

Citation

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MLA
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Larsen, G. D., Varga, H. F., Patterson-Fraser, D. L., Johnston, D. W., & Cimino, M. A. (2024). Drone-based monitoring and geomorphology of southern giant petrel nests near Palmer Station, western Antarctic Peninsula. Polar Biology, 47(5), 459–474. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-024-03243-y
Larsen, G. D., H. F. Varga, D. L. Patterson-Fraser, D. W. Johnston, and M. A. Cimino. “Drone-based monitoring and geomorphology of southern giant petrel nests near Palmer Station, western Antarctic Peninsula.” Polar Biology 47, no. 5 (May 1, 2024): 459–74. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-024-03243-y.
Larsen GD, Varga HF, Patterson-Fraser DL, Johnston DW, Cimino MA. Drone-based monitoring and geomorphology of southern giant petrel nests near Palmer Station, western Antarctic Peninsula. Polar Biology. 2024 May 1;47(5):459–74.
Larsen, G. D., et al. “Drone-based monitoring and geomorphology of southern giant petrel nests near Palmer Station, western Antarctic Peninsula.” Polar Biology, vol. 47, no. 5, May 2024, pp. 459–74. Scopus, doi:10.1007/s00300-024-03243-y.
Larsen GD, Varga HF, Patterson-Fraser DL, Johnston DW, Cimino MA. Drone-based monitoring and geomorphology of southern giant petrel nests near Palmer Station, western Antarctic Peninsula. Polar Biology. 2024 May 1;47(5):459–474.
Journal cover image

Published In

Polar Biology

DOI

EISSN

1432-2056

ISSN

0722-4060

Publication Date

May 1, 2024

Volume

47

Issue

5

Start / End Page

459 / 474

Related Subject Headings

  • Marine Biology & Hydrobiology
  • 31 Biological sciences
  • 06 Biological Sciences