Activity of predators in seabird colonies decreases during the darkest compared to the brightest phase of the diel cycle below, but not above, the Arctic Circle
Predator activity can structure communities temporally and influence the spatial distribution of prey. Yet, despite the influence this may have on prey species’ activity or geographic persistence, our understanding of whether diel predator activity changes geographically remains limited. Here, we co...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/15230430.2024.2367262 |
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| author | Nicholas P. Huffeldt Floris M. van Beest Haley L. Kenyon Jóhannis Danielsen Tim Guilford |
| author_facet | Nicholas P. Huffeldt Floris M. van Beest Haley L. Kenyon Jóhannis Danielsen Tim Guilford |
| author_sort | Nicholas P. Huffeldt |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Predator activity can structure communities temporally and influence the spatial distribution of prey. Yet, despite the influence this may have on prey species’ activity or geographic persistence, our understanding of whether diel predator activity changes geographically remains limited. Here, we conduct a case study to test whether predator activity during the darkest phase of the diel cycle increases with the duration of daylight (i.e. photoperiod) at high latitudes during summer, aligning with the photoperiod constraint hypothesis. Using both observations and experiments at one seabird colony above and one below the northern polar (Arctic) circle, we compared predator activity between the brightest and darkest phases of the diel cycle. Avian predator counts were greater and nest predation events were more common during the brightest phase of the diel cycle below the Arctic Circle (i.e. where the sun goes below the horizon) but similar across phases during polar summer (i.e. above the Arctic Circle when the sun does not set). Our results highlight the potential influence of light on activity of predator communities and suggest a possible latitudinal limit to the advantage gained by dark-active strategies for avoidance of visually hunting predators. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-06743a0b064c480995e5f3c561809ace |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1523-0430 1938-4246 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-06743a0b064c480995e5f3c561809ace2025-01-13T14:40:40ZengTaylor & Francis GroupArctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research1523-04301938-42462024-12-0156110.1080/15230430.2024.2367262Activity of predators in seabird colonies decreases during the darkest compared to the brightest phase of the diel cycle below, but not above, the Arctic CircleNicholas P. Huffeldt0Floris M. van Beest1Haley L. Kenyon2Jóhannis Danielsen3Tim Guilford4Department of Birds and Mammals, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk, GreenlandArctic Ecosystem Ecology, Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Roskilde, DenmarkEcology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USASeabird Ecology Department, Faroe Marine Research Institute, Tórshavn, Faroe IslandsDepartment of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UKPredator activity can structure communities temporally and influence the spatial distribution of prey. Yet, despite the influence this may have on prey species’ activity or geographic persistence, our understanding of whether diel predator activity changes geographically remains limited. Here, we conduct a case study to test whether predator activity during the darkest phase of the diel cycle increases with the duration of daylight (i.e. photoperiod) at high latitudes during summer, aligning with the photoperiod constraint hypothesis. Using both observations and experiments at one seabird colony above and one below the northern polar (Arctic) circle, we compared predator activity between the brightest and darkest phases of the diel cycle. Avian predator counts were greater and nest predation events were more common during the brightest phase of the diel cycle below the Arctic Circle (i.e. where the sun goes below the horizon) but similar across phases during polar summer (i.e. above the Arctic Circle when the sun does not set). Our results highlight the potential influence of light on activity of predator communities and suggest a possible latitudinal limit to the advantage gained by dark-active strategies for avoidance of visually hunting predators.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/15230430.2024.2367262Chronoecologydiel activitylight–dark cyclephotoperiod constraint hypothesispolar latitudepredator activity |
| spellingShingle | Nicholas P. Huffeldt Floris M. van Beest Haley L. Kenyon Jóhannis Danielsen Tim Guilford Activity of predators in seabird colonies decreases during the darkest compared to the brightest phase of the diel cycle below, but not above, the Arctic Circle Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research Chronoecology diel activity light–dark cycle photoperiod constraint hypothesis polar latitude predator activity |
| title | Activity of predators in seabird colonies decreases during the darkest compared to the brightest phase of the diel cycle below, but not above, the Arctic Circle |
| title_full | Activity of predators in seabird colonies decreases during the darkest compared to the brightest phase of the diel cycle below, but not above, the Arctic Circle |
| title_fullStr | Activity of predators in seabird colonies decreases during the darkest compared to the brightest phase of the diel cycle below, but not above, the Arctic Circle |
| title_full_unstemmed | Activity of predators in seabird colonies decreases during the darkest compared to the brightest phase of the diel cycle below, but not above, the Arctic Circle |
| title_short | Activity of predators in seabird colonies decreases during the darkest compared to the brightest phase of the diel cycle below, but not above, the Arctic Circle |
| title_sort | activity of predators in seabird colonies decreases during the darkest compared to the brightest phase of the diel cycle below but not above the arctic circle |
| topic | Chronoecology diel activity light–dark cycle photoperiod constraint hypothesis polar latitude predator activity |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/15230430.2024.2367262 |
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