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Multispecies tracking reveals a major seabird hotspot in the North Atlantic

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DOI

  • Tammy E. Davies, BirdLife International
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  • Ana P.B. Carneiro, BirdLife International
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  • Marguerite Tarzia, BirdLife International
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  • Ewan Wakefield, University of Glasgow
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  • Janos C. Hennicke, German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation
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  • Morten Frederiksen
  • Erpur Snær Hansen, South Iceland Nature Research Centre
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  • Bruna Campos, EuroNatur Foundation, Stichting BirdLife Europe
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  • Carolina Hazin, BirdLife International
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  • Ben Lascelles, BirdLife International
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  • Tycho Anker-Nilssen, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research
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  • Hólmfríður Arnardóttir, Fuglavernd / BirdLife in Iceland
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  • Robert T. Barrett, UiT The Arctic University of Norway
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  • Manuel Biscoito, Funchal Natural History Museum
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  • Loïc Bollache, Universite de Bourgogne, Groupe de Recherche en Ecologie Arctique
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  • Thierry Boulinier, Universite de Montpellier
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  • Paulo Catry, Institute of Applied Psychology
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  • Filipe R. Ceia, University of Coimbra
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  • Olivier Chastel, Universite de La Rochelle
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  • Signe Christensen-Dalsgaard, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research
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  • Marta Cruz-Flores, University of Barcelona
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  • Jóhannis Danielsen, Faroe Marine Research Institute
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  • Francis Daunt, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
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  • Euan Dunn, RSPB
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  • Carsten Egevang, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources
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  • Ana Isabel Fagundes, Portuguese Society for the Study of Birds (SPEA)
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  • Annette L. Fayet, University of Oxford
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  • Jérôme Fort, Universite de La Rochelle
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  • Robert W. Furness, University of Glasgow
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  • Olivier Gilg, Universite de Bourgogne, Groupe de Recherche en Ecologie Arctique
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  • Jacob González-Solís, University of Barcelona
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  • José Pedro Granadeiro, University of Lisbon
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  • David Grémillet, Universite de La Rochelle, UCT
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  • Tim Guilford, University of Oxford
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  • Sveinn Are Hanssen, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research
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  • Michael P. Harris, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
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  • April Hedd, Environment Canada
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  • Nicholas Per Huffeldt
  • Mark Jessopp, University College Cork
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  • Yann Kolbeinsson, Northeast Iceland Nature Research Centre
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  • Johannes Krietsch, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology
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  • Johannes Lang, Groupe de Recherche en Ecologie Arctique, Justus Liebig University Giessen
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  • Jannie Fries Linnebjerg
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  • Svein Håkon Lorentsen, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research
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  • Jeremy Madeiros, Government of Bermuda
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  • Ellen Magnusdottir, University of Iceland
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  • Mark L. Mallory, Acadia University
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  • Laura McFarlane Tranquilla, Bird Studies Canada
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  • Flemming R. Merkel
  • Teresa Militão, University of Barcelona
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  • Børge Moe, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research
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  • William A. Montevecchi, Memorial University of Newfoundland
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  • Virginia Morera-Pujol, University of Barcelona
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  • Anders Mosbech
  • Verónica Neves, University of Coimbra
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  • Mark A. Newell, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
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  • Bergur Olsen, Faroe Marine Research Institute
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  • Vitor H. Paiva, University of Coimbra
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  • Hans Ulrich Peter, Friedrich Schiller University Jena
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  • Aevar Petersen, Independent Researcher
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  • Richard A. Phillips, British Antarctic Survey
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  • Iván Ramírez, BirdLife International
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  • Jaime A. Ramos, University of Coimbra
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  • Raül Ramos, University of Barcelona
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  • Robert A. Ronconi, Environment Canada
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  • Peter G. Ryan, UCT
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  • Niels Martin Schmidt
  • Ingvar A. Sigurðsson, Icelandic Institute of Natural History
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  • Benoît Sittler, Groupe de Recherche en Ecologie Arctique, University of Freiburg
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  • Harald Steen, Norwegian Polar Institute
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  • Iain J. Stenhouse, BioDiversity Research Institute
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  • Hallvard Strøm, Norwegian Polar Institute
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  • Geir H.R. Systad, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research
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  • Paul Thompson, University of Aberdeen
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  • Thorkell L. Thórarinsson, Northeast Iceland Nature Research Centre, Icelandic Institute of Natural History
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  • Rob S.A. van Bemmelen, Bureau Waardenburg
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  • Sarah Wanless, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
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  • Francis Zino, Freira Conservation Project
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  • Maria P. Dias, BirdLife International, Institute of Applied Psychology

The conservation of migratory marine species, including pelagic seabirds, is challenging because their movements span vast distances frequently beyond national jurisdictions. Here, we aim to identify important aggregations of seabirds in the North Atlantic to inform ongoing regional conservation efforts. Using tracking, phenology, and population data, we mapped the abundance and diversity of 21 seabird species. This revealed a major hotspot associated with a discrete area of the subpolar frontal zone, used annually by 2.9–5 million seabirds from ≥56 colonies in the Atlantic: the first time this magnitude of seabird concentrations has been documented in the high seas. The hotspot is temporally stable and amenable to site-based conservation and is under consideration as a marine protected area by the OSPAR Commission. Protection could help mitigate current and future threats facing species in the area. Overall, our approach provides an exemplar data-driven pathway for future conservation efforts on the high seas.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere12824
JournalConservation Letters
Volume14
Issue5
Number of pages14
ISSN1755-263X
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2021

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Authors. Conservation Letters published by Wiley Periodicals LLC

    Research areas

  • area beyond national jurisdiction, Atlantic, biologging, conservation, high seas, marine protected area, regional seas convention, MIGRATION, PELAGIC SEABIRD, MOVEMENTS, SHEARWATERS, MARINE PROTECTED AREA, CONSERVATION, FEEDING ECOLOGY, HABITAT, OVERLAP, STOPOVER

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