- Future breeding and foraging sites of a the black guillemot
Although the black guillemot has a circumpolar distribution and is classified as "Least Concern" on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species, the population in the Baltic Sea is currently endangered. Climate change is predicted to have additional negative effects on the species especially because it is a cold-climate specialist. As part of Project Black Guillemot we evaluated the future vulnerability of this population by predicting the impact of climate change on its geographic distribution, not only regionally in the Baltic Sea region but also globally. We also assessed how climate change may affect the availability of prey, by using sea productivity as a proxy. We used species distribution modelling to predict the future location of breeding grounds and of foraging sites based on where the species is currently present and accounting for changing climatic conditions in future. The results show the breeding grounds of the black guillemot are likely to decrease in future on a global level and regionally in the Baltic sea region. However, the sea productivity, which is thought to be related to the availability of prey may increase in the southern parts of the Baltic Sea. unfortunately, these areas will no longer be suitable as breeding grounds in future because the climate is predicted to change in these regions. This spatial mismatch may be especially negative for the sub-species of the black guillemot that breeds in the south of the Baltic Sea. The results of this project are published in Bird Study (Buchadas ARC, Hof AR. 2017. Future breeding and foraging sites of a southern edge population of the locally endangered black guillemot (Cepphus grylle). Bird Study 64:306-316.). Main people involved: Ana Buchadas and Anouschka Hof
- Ecology and reproductive behaviour of the black guillemot population in the Baltic Sea region
The black guillemot is a seabird species with a circumpolar distribution. One of the southernmost populations occurs in the Baltic Sea and is currently listed as vulnerable on the HELCOM red list, the red list of Baltic Sea species, and as near threatened on the Swedish Red List. Additional knowledge with regard to the ecology of this population is needed to aid nature conservationists in identifying actions and regions that need conservation priority.
In 2014 we started monitoring two small colonies of black guillemots on islands in the northern part of the Baltic sea, near the town Obbola. in addition to counting the number of nest and eggs, we colour-ring the adults and all juveniles we can find to monitor their survival. During some seasons we are able to use remote camera traps to monitor the breeding behaviour of black guillemots to assess the breeding ecology and breeding behaviour. We now have accumulated several seasons of data which is being analysed at the moment. A first publication has appeard in Bird Study (Hof AR, Crombag J, Allen AM. 2018. The ecology of Black Guillemot Cepphus grylle grylle chicks in the Baltic Sea region: insights into their diet, survival, nest predation and moment of fledging. Bird Study. DOI: 10.1080/00063657.2018.1520192) Do check out the pictures and videos pages for some exciting material! Main people involved: Anouschka Hof and Andrew Allen.
In 2014 we started monitoring two small colonies of black guillemots on islands in the northern part of the Baltic sea, near the town Obbola. in addition to counting the number of nest and eggs, we colour-ring the adults and all juveniles we can find to monitor their survival. During some seasons we are able to use remote camera traps to monitor the breeding behaviour of black guillemots to assess the breeding ecology and breeding behaviour. We now have accumulated several seasons of data which is being analysed at the moment. A first publication has appeard in Bird Study (Hof AR, Crombag J, Allen AM. 2018. The ecology of Black Guillemot Cepphus grylle grylle chicks in the Baltic Sea region: insights into their diet, survival, nest predation and moment of fledging. Bird Study. DOI: 10.1080/00063657.2018.1520192) Do check out the pictures and videos pages for some exciting material! Main people involved: Anouschka Hof and Andrew Allen.