Trapletti-Lanti Yada, Expósito-Granados Mónica, López-Martínez Sergio, Torres Miguel, Rivas Marga L
Department of Biology, Institute of Marine Science INMAR University of Cadiz Cadiz Spain.
Department of Biology and Geology University of Almería Almería Spain.
Ecol Evol. 2024 Sep 11;14(9):e70161. doi: 10.1002/ece3.70161. eCollection 2024 Sep.
Annual mass migrations of seabirds between their breeding and wintering grounds are critical for ensuring their survival and reproductive success. It is essential to comprehend their physical condition in order to identify the causes of death and to facilitate conservation efforts. This study focuses on evaluating the age, body condition index, and metabolites in liver and muscle (triglycerides, glycerol, glycogen, cholesterol, lactate, and glucose) of stranded Razorbills ( = 84) and Atlantic puffins ( = 11). The study was conducted along the Andalusian coast of Spain during the winter season of 2022-2023. The study examined the body condition of stranded individuals and their metabolic state to determine potential factors that may have caused their deaths. The study found that the majority of stranded individuals were juveniles. Both species exhibited low levels of carbohydrate (glucose and glycogen) in their tissues and high levels of lactate in their muscles. These findings could suggest that the individuals had undergone prolonged, strenuous exercise, demanding energy on anaerobic pathways, which may have been associated with migration. The study highlights the significance of adhering to standardized protocols when assessing the body condition of stranded seabirds. Doing so can help to identify causes of death and facilitate conservation efforts. A proposed index for body condition, which incorporates biometric measurements and individual physical condition, provides a comprehensive means of understanding the health of these unique species. This study underscores the importance of further research into the conservation measures and recommendations for protecting seabird populations. It is critical to comprehend the contributing factors of mass mortality incidents to work towards safeguarding these species and preserving their vital migration patterns.
海鸟每年在繁殖地和越冬地之间的大规模迁徙对于确保它们的生存和繁殖成功至关重要。了解它们的身体状况对于确定死亡原因和促进保护工作至关重要。本研究重点评估了搁浅的刀嘴海雀（n = 84）和大西洋海鹦（n = 11）的年龄、身体状况指数以及肝脏和肌肉中的代谢物（甘油三酯、甘油、糖原、胆固醇、乳酸和葡萄糖）。该研究于2022 - 2023年冬季在西班牙安达卢西亚海岸进行。该研究检查了搁浅个体的身体状况及其代谢状态，以确定可能导致其死亡的潜在因素。研究发现，大多数搁浅个体为 juveniles。两个物种的组织中碳水化合物（葡萄糖和糖原）水平较低，肌肉中乳酸水平较高。这些发现可能表明这些个体经历了长时间的剧烈运动，在无氧途径上消耗能量，这可能与迁徙有关。该研究强调了在评估搁浅海鸟身体状况时遵循标准化方案的重要性。这样做有助于确定死亡原因并促进保护工作。一个提议的身体状况指数，结合了生物特征测量和个体身体状况，提供了一种全面了解这些独特物种健康状况的方法。本研究强调了进一步研究保护措施和保护海鸟种群建议的重要性。了解大规模死亡事件的促成因素对于努力保护这些物种并维护它们至关重要的迁徙模式至关重要。
