Langley Liam P, Bearhop Stuart, Burton Niall H K, Banks Alex N, Frayling Tim, Thaxter Chris B, Clewley Gary D, Scragg Emily, Votier Stephen C
Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, TR10 9EZ, UK.
British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, IP24 2PU, UK.
Mov Ecol. 2021 Nov 12;9(1):56. doi: 10.1186/s40462-021-00278-2.
Landfills are a major subsidy for some animals, with implications for their life history and demography. Gulls feed extensively on food from landfills and closures are expected to have ecological consequences, but how this influences movement ecology is virtually unknown.
We used GPS-tracking to quantify foraging behaviour and habitat choice of lesser black-backed gulls (Larus fuscus) breeding at two colonies before and after closure of two nearby landfills.
Following closure, gulls from both colonies travelled further and for longer to forage. Gulls also changed habitat selection, although this differed by colony - birds from one colony shifted to agricultural habitats, while at the other, increased their use of urban areas. These behavioural responses had no effect on adult body condition but hint at potential direct effects of higher foraging costs and indirect impacts by shifting to new habitats.
Our results demonstrate how landfill availability influences gull foraging movements and habitat selection. We also emphasize the value of biologging to detect rapid behavioural responses in contrast to more conventional demographic approaches, which is especially important for animals that spend the majority of their lives away from direct observation.
垃圾填埋场是一些动物的主要食物来源，对它们的生活史和种群统计学有影响。鸥类大量以垃圾填埋场的食物为食，预计垃圾填埋场关闭会产生生态后果，但这对其运动生态学有何影响实际上尚不清楚。
我们使用GPS追踪技术，对附近两个垃圾填埋场关闭前后，在两个繁殖地繁殖的小黑背鸥（Larus fuscus）的觅食行为和栖息地选择进行量化。
垃圾填埋场关闭后，两个繁殖地的鸥类觅食时飞行的距离更远、时间更长。鸥类的栖息地选择也发生了变化，不过不同繁殖地有所不同——一个繁殖地的鸥类转移到农业栖息地，而另一个繁殖地的鸥类则增加了对城市区域的利用。这些行为反应对成年鸥的身体状况没有影响，但暗示了觅食成本增加的潜在直接影响以及转移到新栖息地的间接影响。
我们的研究结果表明了垃圾填埋场的可利用性如何影响鸥类的觅食活动和栖息地选择。我们还强调了生物记录技术在检测快速行为反应方面的价值，与更传统的种群统计学方法相比，这对于大多数时间远离直接观察的动物尤为重要。
