The Trophic Ecology of Marine Birds and their Influence on Carbon Flow in the North Water Polynya

该项目是国际科学家小组的一个组成部分，该小组已被召集调查北水冰间湖（NOW）生态系统。 拟议的研究将测试的假设，即空间异质性的海鸟繁殖在附近的NOW生态系统的物种组成是由空间异质性的物理机制，结构NOW。 这项拟议中的研究旨在确定海鸟对这个高北极冰间湖颗粒碳命运的影响。 三个问题将被解决：（1）什么是空间异质性的觅食海鸟物种和猎物的使用内的polynya的distribtuion和这种变异性有关的水团或其他水文特征？(2)鸟类的碳通量是多少？鸟类所依赖的营养途径（食物网）是什么？(3)鸟类的营养作用是否有季节性变化？这些变化是否是所用食物网变化的结果，或者是可获得的猎物的大小类别和种类？ 为了回答这些问题，物种组成，丰度，分布和海洋鸟类觅食的饮食在现在将被量化。 这些数据将与已公布的能量消耗模型结合使用，作为身体质量的函数，以计算海洋鸟类在NOW中的每日和每年的能量、猎物和碳消耗。 其他参与科学家将提供更多关于水文地理和猎物区的数据，这些数据将有助于解决NOW中物理和生物过程的空间组织问题。

This project is a component of the international team of scientists that have been assembled to investigate the North Water polynya (NOW) ecosystem. The proposed study will test the hypothesis that spatial heterogeneity in the species composition of seabirds breeding in the vicinity of the NOW ecosystem is determined by spatial heterogeneity in physical mechanisms that structure NOW. The proposed research is designed to determine the influence of marine birds on the fate of particulate carbon in this High Arctic polynya. Three questions will be addressed: (1) What is the spatial heterogeneity in the distribtuion of foraging seabird species and prey use within the polynya and is this variability related to water masses or other hydrographic features? (2) What is the carbon flux to birds and what are the trophic pathways (food webs) on which the birds depend? (3) Is there seasonal variation in the trophic role of birds and are these the result of changes in the food webs used, or the size classes and species of prey available? To answer these questions, the species composition, abundance, distribution, and diets of marine birds foraging in the NOW will be quantified. These data will be used in conjunction with published models of energy consumption as function of body mas to calculate the daily and annual consumption of energy, prey, and carbon by marine birds in the NOW. Additional data on hydrography and prey fields, which will aid in addressing questions concerning the spatial organization of physical and biological processes in the NOW, will be available from other participating scientists.