Population Ecology and Conservation of a Threatened Group of Long-lived Aquatic Birds

信天翁在鸟类中是独一无二的，因为它们复杂的生命周期，因为它们与海洋环境有着最大的联系。它们也是最受威胁的物种群体之一，最大的威胁来自延绳钓渔业的附带死亡。该项目的目标是分析关于南格鲁吉亚鸟岛上流浪信天翁（Diomedea exulans）、黑眉信天翁（Thalassarche melanophrys）和灰头信天翁（Thalassarche chrysostoma）种群的长期数据，这些数据是英国南极调查局自1968年以来收集的。将根据这些数据建立种群模型，用于描述种群的短期和长期动态、扰动的结果以及环境因素和人为死亡率的影响。模型参数将估计使用新开发的统计程序适应信天翁的生物学。本课程将使用确定性方法分析模型，为日后的随机模型研究做准备。本研究在社会福利和教育领域具有广泛的影响。其结果将对信天翁保护具有重要意义。一系列研讨会将汇集一个研究其他信天翁种群的国际科学家小组，进行比较分析，并将结果应用于种群管理。讲习班将包括参与国际保护工作的人员，并保证研究成果的“广泛传播”。 研究方法和结果也将纳入WHOI/MIT海洋学联合计划的研究生课程。

Albatrosses are unique among birds because of their complex life cycles and because they are linked to the oceanic environment at the largest scales. They are also one of the most threatened groups of species, the greatest threat coming from incidental mortality in longline fisheries. The goal of this project is to analyze long-term data on populations of the Wandering Albatross (Diomedea exulans), Black-browed Albatross (Thalassarche melanophrys), and Grey-headed Albatross (Thalassarche chrysostoma) on Bird Island, South Georgia, where data have been collected since 1968 by the British Antarctic Survey. Population models will be developed from these data and used to characterize the short- and long-term dynamics of the population, the results of perturbations, and the effects of environmental factors and human-induced mortality. Model parameters will be estimated using newly developed statistical procedures adapted to the biology of albatrosses. Models will be analyzed using deterministic methods in preparation for later studies of stochastic models.The research has broader impacts in the areas of societal benefits and education. Its results will have important implications for albatross conservation. A series of workshops will bring together an international group of scientists working on other albatross populations, carry out comparative analyses, and apply the results to population management. The workshops will include participants involved in international conservation efforts, and guarantee the ``broad dissemination'' of research results. Research methods and results will also be incorporated into graduate coursework in the WHOI/MIT Joint Program in Oceanography.