| dispersal and distribution of the tick ixodes uriae within and among seabird host populations: the need for a population genetic approach. | the aim of this study was to characterize the spatial distribution of the tick ixodes uriae within and among populations of its seabird hosts and to consider the potential insight that could be gained by a population genetic approach to the issue of dispersal of this tick. analyses of data collected around the avalon peninsula, newfoundland, indicated that both the prevalence and mean abundance of ticks varied significantly among sample locations. whereas ticks were found on all 4 host species e ... | 1999 | 10219295 |
| murres, capelin and ocean climate: inter-annual associations across a decadal shift. | to ensure energy demands for reproduction are met, it is essential that marine birds breed during periods of peak food availability. we examined associations of the breeding chronology of common murres (uria aalge) with the timing of the inshore arrival of their primary prey, capelin (mallotus villosus) from 1980 to 2006 across a period of pervasive change in the northwest atlantic ecosystem. we also assessed the influence of ocean temperature and the north atlantic oscillation (nao; an index of ... | 2009 | 18781391 |
| helminths of murres (alcidae: uria spp.): markers of ecological change in the marine environment. | seabirds are prominent components of the north atlantic marine environment, and their parasites offer an insight into seabird ecologic interactions. parasites also provide vital information on historic biogeography of host associations and thus may reveal broad changes in the marine ecosystem. helminths of common murres (uria aalge) and thick-billed murres (uria lomvia) in the northwest atlantic marine environment were assessed to determine parasite community composition and changes in their par ... | 2009 | 19617477 |
| evaluation of seabirds in newfoundland and labrador, canada, as hosts of influenza a viruses. | influenza a viruses infect a wide range of hosts, including many species of birds. avian influenza a virus (aiv) infection appears to be most common in anseriformes (ducks, geese, and swans) and some charadriiformes (shorebirds and gulls), but many other birds also serve as hosts of aiv. here, we evaluated the role of seabirds as hosts for aiv. we tested 3,160 swab samples from 13 seabird species between may 2008 and december 2011 in newfoundland and labrador, canada. we also tested 156 serum sa ... | 2014 | 24171570 |
| trace element concentrations in harvested auks from newfoundland: toxicological risk of a traditional hunt. | common (uria aalge) and thick-billed murres (uria lomvia) are apex predators in the north atlantic ocean, and are also subject to a traditional hunt in newfoundland and labrador during the winter months, along with small numbers of illegally harvested razorbills (alca torda). because of their high trophic position, auks are at risk from high contaminant burdens that bioaccumulate and biomagnify, and could therefore pose a toxicological risk to human consumers. we analysed trace element concentra ... | 2015 | 25666730 |
| effects of gill-net fishing on marine birds in a biological hotspot in the northwest atlantic. | marine biological hotspots, or areas where high abundances of species overlap in space and time, are ecologically important areas because energy flow through marine food webs, a key ecosystem process, is maximized in these areas. i investigated whether top predators aggregated at persistent spawning sites of a key forage fish species, capelin (mallotus villosus), on the ne coast of newfoundland during july and august 2000-2003. by examining the distributional patterns of top predators through sh ... | 2007 | 17650253 |
| ingestion of plastic marine debris by common and thick-billed murres in the northwestern atlantic from 1985 to 2012. | plastic ingestion by seabirds is a growing conservation issue, but there are few time series of plastic ingestion with large sample sizes for which one can assess temporal trends. common and thick-billed murres (uria aalge and u. lomvia) are pursuit-diving auks that are legally harvested in newfoundland and labrador, canada. here, we combined previously unpublished data on plastic ingestion (from the 1980s to the 1990s) with contemporary samples (2011-2012) to evaluate changes in murres' plastic ... | 2013 | 24269010 |