Adrian Gall - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Adrian Gall

The Journal of Wildlife Management

PLOS ONE, Apr 7, 2022

We used data collected during a variety of research cruises in the northeastern Chukchi Sea and c... more We used data collected during a variety of research cruises in the northeastern Chukchi Sea and contributed to the Distributed Biological Observatory to explore the influence of the seasonal change in water masses on the development of the seabird community during the summer. Surveys that included seabird observations and hydrographic sampling were conducted from Alaska's northwestern coast to~220 km offshore during 2008-2018. Species composition varied geographically, shifting from a nearshore community that included shorttailed shearwaters, loons, and seaducks to an offshore community dominated by crested auklets. Crested auklets were remarkably consistent in their occupation of Hanna Shoal among years and remained in the area throughout the summer. Short-tailed shearwaters exhibited the greatest seasonal and interannual variation in abundance and distribution of the 35 species recorded. They were concentrated south of 71˚N and within 50 km of shore in August and tended to spread throughout the region in September. Surface-feeding species like gulls, fulmars, and phalaropes were 1-2 orders of magnitude less abundant and had wider distributions than birds that feed by diving. Including information about hydrography improved the fit of models of seabird density. Seabirds, especially those that breed in the Bering Sea, generally were more abundant in areas dominated by moderate-salinity Bering Sea Water than nearshore in low-salinity Alaska Coastal Water. The distribution of seabirds across the northeastern Chukchi Sea reflected the heterogeneity of oceanic habitats and prey availability over the shallow shelf. Our results will inform efforts to develop ecosystem models that incorporate oceanographic conditions to predict ongoing consequences of climate change.

Acta Oecologica-international Journal of Ecology, 2017

Predation, habitat, hunting, and environmental conditions have all been implicated as regulatory ... more Predation, habitat, hunting, and environmental conditions have all been implicated as regulatory mechanisms in ungulate populations. The low-density equilibrium hypothesis predicts that in low-density populations, predators regulate their prey and that the population will not escape unless predation pressure is eased. We evaluated survival of adult and juvenile moose (Alces alces) in north-central Alaska to determine whether or not the population supported the hypothesis. We instrumented adult male and female moose with radiocollars and used aerial observations to track parturition and subsequent survival of juvenile moose. Generalized linear mixed-effects models were used to assess survival. Adult annual survival rates were high (∼89%), but may be negatively influenced by winter conditions. Migratory status did not affect moose survivorship or productivity. Approximately 60% of the calf crop died before 5 months of age. Productivity was significantly lower in the northern section o...

The Chukchi Sea is losing seasonal ice cover as global temperatures rise, facilitating human acce... more The Chukchi Sea is losing seasonal ice cover as global temperatures rise, facilitating human access to the region for activities such as oil and gas exploration, shipping, and tourism. Processes and responses to environmental change by marine ecosystems are often challenging to quantify because they are hidden under water. Seabirds, however, offer visible evidence of the health and status of marine ecosystems. I studied the community structure, variability in abundance and distribution, and habitat associations of seabirds in the eastern Chukchi Sea. My results provide insights into the influence of climate change on seabirds and a benchmark against which to evaluate possible impacts of anthropogenic activity. Repeated sampling of systematic transects in the northeastern Chukchi Sea during the ice-free seasons of 2008-2012 showed that the community consisted of ~40 species and was dominated numerically by planktivorous seabirds, particularly Crested Auklets (Aethia cristatella) and ...

Progress in Oceanography, 2015

Marine Ecology Progress Series, 2006

Continental Shelf Research, 2013

Continental Shelf Research, 2013

Canadian Journal of Zoology, 2006

Least Auklets ( Aethia pusilla (Pallas, 1811)) are the most abundant species of seabird in the Be... more Least Auklets ( Aethia pusilla (Pallas, 1811)) are the most abundant species of seabird in the Bering Sea and offer a relatively efficient means of monitoring secondary productivity in the marine environment. Counting auklets on surface plots is the primary method used to track changes in numbers of these crevice-nesters, but counts can be highly variable and may not be representative of the number of nesting individuals. We compared average maximum counts of Least Auklets on surface plots with density estimates based on mark–resight data at a colony on St. Lawrence Island, Alaska, during 2001–2004. Estimates of breeding auklet abundance from mark–resight averaged 8 times greater than those from maximum surface counts. Our results also indicate that average maximum surface counts are poor indicators of breeding auklet abundance and do not vary consistently with auklet nesting density across the breeding colony. Estimates of Least Auklet abundance from mark–resight were sufficiently ...

A warming trend since the early 1990s is changing the Bering Sea ecosystem, causing increased sea... more A warming trend since the early 1990s is changing the Bering Sea ecosystem, causing increased sea surface temperatures and reduced sea ice cover. Models suggest that these changes may alter the availability of prey to a diverse array of upper trophic level consumers, including seabirds. To better understand how seabird productivity would be affected by potential changes in prey availability and ocean conditions in the Bering Sea, we studied the two most abundant species of planktivorous seabirds in the region, Least Auklets Aethia pusilla and Crested Auklets A. cristatella nesting on St Lawrence Island. We investigated the relationships between chick survival, taxonomic composition of chick diets, timing of sea ice retreat, winter sea ice cover, and flow through the Bering Strait during 2000–2004. Interannual variation in diet explained the largest percentage of variation in chick survival. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that Least Auklet chick survival is negatively...

Marine ornithology, 2009

1USGS–Oregon Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, O... more 1USGS–Oregon Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331, USA (Sheffield.Lisa@gmail.com) 2Current address: 11539 Corliss Avenue N, Seattle, Washington, 98133, USA 3Current address: ABR, Inc., PO Box 80410, Fairbanks, Alaska, 99708, USA 4Migratory Bird Management, US Fish and Wildlife Service, 1011 East Tudor Road, Anchorage, Alaska, 99503, USA

Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography

Continental Shelf Research, 2013

We conducted an interdisciplinary ecological study in and near 3 nearby proposed exploratory oil ... more We conducted an interdisciplinary ecological study in and near 3 nearby proposed exploratory oil and gas prospects in the offshore northeastern Chukchi Sea during the open-water seasons of 2008-2010. This region exhibits a classical pelagic-benthic dichotomy of food-web structure in ecological function. The Klondike study area borders the eastern edge of the Central Channel and functions as a pelagicdominated ecosystem, whereas the Burger study area lies south of Hanna Shoal and functions as a benthic-dominated ecosystem. The Statoil study area, which is located north of Klondike and northwest of Burger, has both pelagic and benthic attributes, although it is more like Burger than like Klondike. Klondike has lower benthic density and biomass, a higher biomass of oceanic zooplankton, and more fishes and planktivorous seabirds than does Burger, which has benthic communities with high density and biomass, primarily neritic zooplankton, and higher densities of benthic-feeding marine mammals than Klondike; Statoil has characteristics of both ecosystems. Patterns of sea-ice retreat vary interannually; in some years, much of the northeastern Chukchi is ice-free by mid-May, leading to pelagic and ice-edge phytoplankton blooms, whereas heavy ice cover in other years leads to substantial within-ice production. The characteristics of this region during the open-water season are not consistent among years, in that Bering Sea Water impinges onto all study areas only in some years, resulting in interannual variation in the distribution and abundance of zooplankton, planktivorous seabirds, and pelagic-feeding seals. These interannual variations alter several aspects of this pelagic-benthic dichotomy, and some aspects of this region suggest unusual structure (e.g., replacement of benthic-feeding fishes in some areas by predatory invertebrates, a lack of benthic-feeding seaducks).

Progress in Oceanography, 2015

ABSTRACT

The Journal of Wildlife Management

PLOS ONE, Apr 7, 2022

We used data collected during a variety of research cruises in the northeastern Chukchi Sea and c... more We used data collected during a variety of research cruises in the northeastern Chukchi Sea and contributed to the Distributed Biological Observatory to explore the influence of the seasonal change in water masses on the development of the seabird community during the summer. Surveys that included seabird observations and hydrographic sampling were conducted from Alaska's northwestern coast to~220 km offshore during 2008-2018. Species composition varied geographically, shifting from a nearshore community that included shorttailed shearwaters, loons, and seaducks to an offshore community dominated by crested auklets. Crested auklets were remarkably consistent in their occupation of Hanna Shoal among years and remained in the area throughout the summer. Short-tailed shearwaters exhibited the greatest seasonal and interannual variation in abundance and distribution of the 35 species recorded. They were concentrated south of 71˚N and within 50 km of shore in August and tended to spread throughout the region in September. Surface-feeding species like gulls, fulmars, and phalaropes were 1-2 orders of magnitude less abundant and had wider distributions than birds that feed by diving. Including information about hydrography improved the fit of models of seabird density. Seabirds, especially those that breed in the Bering Sea, generally were more abundant in areas dominated by moderate-salinity Bering Sea Water than nearshore in low-salinity Alaska Coastal Water. The distribution of seabirds across the northeastern Chukchi Sea reflected the heterogeneity of oceanic habitats and prey availability over the shallow shelf. Our results will inform efforts to develop ecosystem models that incorporate oceanographic conditions to predict ongoing consequences of climate change.

Acta Oecologica-international Journal of Ecology, 2017

Predation, habitat, hunting, and environmental conditions have all been implicated as regulatory ... more Predation, habitat, hunting, and environmental conditions have all been implicated as regulatory mechanisms in ungulate populations. The low-density equilibrium hypothesis predicts that in low-density populations, predators regulate their prey and that the population will not escape unless predation pressure is eased. We evaluated survival of adult and juvenile moose (Alces alces) in north-central Alaska to determine whether or not the population supported the hypothesis. We instrumented adult male and female moose with radiocollars and used aerial observations to track parturition and subsequent survival of juvenile moose. Generalized linear mixed-effects models were used to assess survival. Adult annual survival rates were high (∼89%), but may be negatively influenced by winter conditions. Migratory status did not affect moose survivorship or productivity. Approximately 60% of the calf crop died before 5 months of age. Productivity was significantly lower in the northern section o...

The Chukchi Sea is losing seasonal ice cover as global temperatures rise, facilitating human acce... more The Chukchi Sea is losing seasonal ice cover as global temperatures rise, facilitating human access to the region for activities such as oil and gas exploration, shipping, and tourism. Processes and responses to environmental change by marine ecosystems are often challenging to quantify because they are hidden under water. Seabirds, however, offer visible evidence of the health and status of marine ecosystems. I studied the community structure, variability in abundance and distribution, and habitat associations of seabirds in the eastern Chukchi Sea. My results provide insights into the influence of climate change on seabirds and a benchmark against which to evaluate possible impacts of anthropogenic activity. Repeated sampling of systematic transects in the northeastern Chukchi Sea during the ice-free seasons of 2008-2012 showed that the community consisted of ~40 species and was dominated numerically by planktivorous seabirds, particularly Crested Auklets (Aethia cristatella) and ...

Progress in Oceanography, 2015

Marine Ecology Progress Series, 2006

Continental Shelf Research, 2013

Continental Shelf Research, 2013

Canadian Journal of Zoology, 2006

Least Auklets ( Aethia pusilla (Pallas, 1811)) are the most abundant species of seabird in the Be... more Least Auklets ( Aethia pusilla (Pallas, 1811)) are the most abundant species of seabird in the Bering Sea and offer a relatively efficient means of monitoring secondary productivity in the marine environment. Counting auklets on surface plots is the primary method used to track changes in numbers of these crevice-nesters, but counts can be highly variable and may not be representative of the number of nesting individuals. We compared average maximum counts of Least Auklets on surface plots with density estimates based on mark–resight data at a colony on St. Lawrence Island, Alaska, during 2001–2004. Estimates of breeding auklet abundance from mark–resight averaged 8 times greater than those from maximum surface counts. Our results also indicate that average maximum surface counts are poor indicators of breeding auklet abundance and do not vary consistently with auklet nesting density across the breeding colony. Estimates of Least Auklet abundance from mark–resight were sufficiently ...

A warming trend since the early 1990s is changing the Bering Sea ecosystem, causing increased sea... more A warming trend since the early 1990s is changing the Bering Sea ecosystem, causing increased sea surface temperatures and reduced sea ice cover. Models suggest that these changes may alter the availability of prey to a diverse array of upper trophic level consumers, including seabirds. To better understand how seabird productivity would be affected by potential changes in prey availability and ocean conditions in the Bering Sea, we studied the two most abundant species of planktivorous seabirds in the region, Least Auklets Aethia pusilla and Crested Auklets A. cristatella nesting on St Lawrence Island. We investigated the relationships between chick survival, taxonomic composition of chick diets, timing of sea ice retreat, winter sea ice cover, and flow through the Bering Strait during 2000–2004. Interannual variation in diet explained the largest percentage of variation in chick survival. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that Least Auklet chick survival is negatively...

Marine ornithology, 2009

1USGS–Oregon Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, O... more 1USGS–Oregon Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, 97331, USA (Sheffield.Lisa@gmail.com) 2Current address: 11539 Corliss Avenue N, Seattle, Washington, 98133, USA 3Current address: ABR, Inc., PO Box 80410, Fairbanks, Alaska, 99708, USA 4Migratory Bird Management, US Fish and Wildlife Service, 1011 East Tudor Road, Anchorage, Alaska, 99503, USA

Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography

Continental Shelf Research, 2013

We conducted an interdisciplinary ecological study in and near 3 nearby proposed exploratory oil ... more We conducted an interdisciplinary ecological study in and near 3 nearby proposed exploratory oil and gas prospects in the offshore northeastern Chukchi Sea during the open-water seasons of 2008-2010. This region exhibits a classical pelagic-benthic dichotomy of food-web structure in ecological function. The Klondike study area borders the eastern edge of the Central Channel and functions as a pelagicdominated ecosystem, whereas the Burger study area lies south of Hanna Shoal and functions as a benthic-dominated ecosystem. The Statoil study area, which is located north of Klondike and northwest of Burger, has both pelagic and benthic attributes, although it is more like Burger than like Klondike. Klondike has lower benthic density and biomass, a higher biomass of oceanic zooplankton, and more fishes and planktivorous seabirds than does Burger, which has benthic communities with high density and biomass, primarily neritic zooplankton, and higher densities of benthic-feeding marine mammals than Klondike; Statoil has characteristics of both ecosystems. Patterns of sea-ice retreat vary interannually; in some years, much of the northeastern Chukchi is ice-free by mid-May, leading to pelagic and ice-edge phytoplankton blooms, whereas heavy ice cover in other years leads to substantial within-ice production. The characteristics of this region during the open-water season are not consistent among years, in that Bering Sea Water impinges onto all study areas only in some years, resulting in interannual variation in the distribution and abundance of zooplankton, planktivorous seabirds, and pelagic-feeding seals. These interannual variations alter several aspects of this pelagic-benthic dichotomy, and some aspects of this region suggest unusual structure (e.g., replacement of benthic-feeding fishes in some areas by predatory invertebrates, a lack of benthic-feeding seaducks).

Progress in Oceanography, 2015

ABSTRACT