The diet of a nocturnal pelagic predator, the Bulwer's petrel, across the lunar cycle

Detalhes bibliográficos
Autor(a) principal: Waap, S.
Data de Publicação: 2017
Outros Autores: Symondson, W. O. C., Granadeiro, J. P., Alonso, H., Serra-Gonçalves, C., Dias, M. P., Catry, P.
Tipo de documento: Artigo
Idioma: eng
Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10316/108384
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-01312-3
Resumo: The lunar cycle is believed to strongly influence the vertical distribution of many oceanic taxa, with implications for the foraging behaviour of nocturnal marine predators. Most studies to date testing lunar effects on foraging have focused on predator activity at-sea, with some birds and marine mammals demonstrating contrasting behavioural patterns, depending on the lunar-phase. However, to date no study has focused on how the lunar cycle might actually affect predator-prey interactions in the upper layers of the ocean. Here, we tested whether the diet of the predominantly nocturnal pelagic predator, the Bulwer's petrel (Bulweria bulwerii) would change throughout the lunar cycle, using molecular analysis to augment detection and taxonomic resolution of prey collected from stomach-contents. We found no evidence of dietary shifts in species composition or diversity, with Bulwer's petrel always consuming a wide range of mesopelagic species. Other co-variables potentially affecting light availability at-sea, such as percentage of cloud cover, did not confound our results. Moreover, many of the species found are thought not to reach the sea-surface. Our findings reveal that nocturnal predators are probably more specialized than previously assumed, irrespective of ambient-light, but also reveal deficiencies in our current understanding of species vertical distribution and predation-dynamics at-sea.
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spelling The diet of a nocturnal pelagic predator, the Bulwer's petrel, across the lunar cycleAnimalsOceans and SeasBirdsDietMoonPredatory BehaviorThe lunar cycle is believed to strongly influence the vertical distribution of many oceanic taxa, with implications for the foraging behaviour of nocturnal marine predators. Most studies to date testing lunar effects on foraging have focused on predator activity at-sea, with some birds and marine mammals demonstrating contrasting behavioural patterns, depending on the lunar-phase. However, to date no study has focused on how the lunar cycle might actually affect predator-prey interactions in the upper layers of the ocean. Here, we tested whether the diet of the predominantly nocturnal pelagic predator, the Bulwer's petrel (Bulweria bulwerii) would change throughout the lunar cycle, using molecular analysis to augment detection and taxonomic resolution of prey collected from stomach-contents. We found no evidence of dietary shifts in species composition or diversity, with Bulwer's petrel always consuming a wide range of mesopelagic species. Other co-variables potentially affecting light availability at-sea, such as percentage of cloud cover, did not confound our results. Moreover, many of the species found are thought not to reach the sea-surface. Our findings reveal that nocturnal predators are probably more specialized than previously assumed, irrespective of ambient-light, but also reveal deficiencies in our current understanding of species vertical distribution and predation-dynamics at-sea.Springer Nature2017-05-03info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/articlehttp://hdl.handle.net/10316/108384http://hdl.handle.net/10316/108384https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-01312-3eng2045-2322Waap, S.Symondson, W. O. C.Granadeiro, J. P.Alonso, H.Serra-Gonçalves, C.Dias, M. P.Catry, P.info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessreponame:Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)instname:Agência para a Sociedade do Conhecimento (UMIC) - FCT - Sociedade da Informaçãoinstacron:RCAAP2023-08-28T10:06:20Zoai:estudogeral.uc.pt:10316/108384Portal AgregadorONGhttps://www.rcaap.pt/oai/openaireopendoar:71602024-03-19T21:24:41.111615Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos) - Agência para a Sociedade do Conhecimento (UMIC) - FCT - Sociedade da Informaçãofalse
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv The diet of a nocturnal pelagic predator, the Bulwer's petrel, across the lunar cycle
title The diet of a nocturnal pelagic predator, the Bulwer's petrel, across the lunar cycle
spellingShingle The diet of a nocturnal pelagic predator, the Bulwer's petrel, across the lunar cycle
Waap, S.
Animals
Oceans and Seas
Birds
Diet
Moon
Predatory Behavior
title_short The diet of a nocturnal pelagic predator, the Bulwer's petrel, across the lunar cycle
title_full The diet of a nocturnal pelagic predator, the Bulwer's petrel, across the lunar cycle
title_fullStr The diet of a nocturnal pelagic predator, the Bulwer's petrel, across the lunar cycle
title_full_unstemmed The diet of a nocturnal pelagic predator, the Bulwer's petrel, across the lunar cycle
title_sort The diet of a nocturnal pelagic predator, the Bulwer's petrel, across the lunar cycle
author Waap, S.
author_facet Waap, S.
Symondson, W. O. C.
Granadeiro, J. P.
Alonso, H.
Serra-Gonçalves, C.
Dias, M. P.
Catry, P.
author_role author
author2 Symondson, W. O. C.
Granadeiro, J. P.
Alonso, H.
Serra-Gonçalves, C.
Dias, M. P.
Catry, P.
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author
dc.contributor.author.fl_str_mv Waap, S.
Symondson, W. O. C.
Granadeiro, J. P.
Alonso, H.
Serra-Gonçalves, C.
Dias, M. P.
Catry, P.
dc.subject.por.fl_str_mv Animals
Oceans and Seas
Birds
Diet
Moon
Predatory Behavior
topic Animals
Oceans and Seas
Birds
Diet
Moon
Predatory Behavior
description The lunar cycle is believed to strongly influence the vertical distribution of many oceanic taxa, with implications for the foraging behaviour of nocturnal marine predators. Most studies to date testing lunar effects on foraging have focused on predator activity at-sea, with some birds and marine mammals demonstrating contrasting behavioural patterns, depending on the lunar-phase. However, to date no study has focused on how the lunar cycle might actually affect predator-prey interactions in the upper layers of the ocean. Here, we tested whether the diet of the predominantly nocturnal pelagic predator, the Bulwer's petrel (Bulweria bulwerii) would change throughout the lunar cycle, using molecular analysis to augment detection and taxonomic resolution of prey collected from stomach-contents. We found no evidence of dietary shifts in species composition or diversity, with Bulwer's petrel always consuming a wide range of mesopelagic species. Other co-variables potentially affecting light availability at-sea, such as percentage of cloud cover, did not confound our results. Moreover, many of the species found are thought not to reach the sea-surface. Our findings reveal that nocturnal predators are probably more specialized than previously assumed, irrespective of ambient-light, but also reveal deficiencies in our current understanding of species vertical distribution and predation-dynamics at-sea.
publishDate 2017
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2017-05-03
dc.type.status.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
dc.type.driver.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.uri.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/10316/108384
http://hdl.handle.net/10316/108384
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-01312-3
url http://hdl.handle.net/10316/108384
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-01312-3
dc.language.iso.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv 2045-2322
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dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Springer Nature
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Springer Nature
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
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collection Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
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