Streaming Media
Presentation Abstract
Waterbirds are often used as indicators of ecosystem function across broad spatial and temporal scales. Resolving which species are declining and the ecological characteristics they have in common can offer insights into ecosystem changes and their underlying mechanisms. Using 20 years of citizen science data collected by the British Columbia Coastal Waterbird Survey, we examined trends in abundance of coastal waterbird species, both in the Salish Sea and along the outer Pacific Ocean coast, representing the core wintering coastal bird community of British Columbia, Canada. Results suggest that most populations are stable in both the Salish Sea and Pacific coast regions. However, a quarter of the species displayed significant decline trends in the Salish Sea, compared with only 8% along the Pacific coast. Guild-specific trends indicated that waterbirds occupying the Salish Sea are faring significantly worse than those residing along the outer coastal regions, almost irrespective of dietary specialization or migration distance. Our results provide evidence that differential environmental pressures between the inner and outer coastal regions may be causing overall loss of wintering waterbirds within, or abundance shifts away from, the Salish Sea. We outline potential mechanisms responsible for these observed patterns, including environmental (e.g., climate) and human-induced (e.g., nutrient and chemical pollution) pressures. We also present ongoing collaborative efforts in bird monitoring (e.g., with Indigenous communities) and research priorities to help understand these mechanisms.
Session Title
Poster Session 4: People Working Together to Protect the Salish Sea
Conference Track
SSE14: Posters
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2022 : Online)
Document Type
Event
SSEC Identifier
SSE-posters-415
Start Date
27-4-2022 4:30 PM
End Date
27-4-2022 5:00 PM
Type of Presentation
Poster
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events); posters
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Water birds--Effect of environment on--British Columbia--Pacific Coast; Water birds--Effect of environment on--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Water birds--Effect of human beings on--British Columbia--Pacific Coast; Water birds--Effect of human beings on--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Water birds--Climatic factors--British Columbia--Pacific Coast; Water birds--Climatic factors--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Science--British Columbia--Pacific Coast--Citizen participation; Science--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)--Citizen participation
Geographic Coverage
Pacific Coast (B.C.); Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Rights
Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author's written permission.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Included in
Fresh Water Studies Commons, Marine Biology Commons, Natural Resources and Conservation Commons
Citizen science and collaborative programs help reveal coastal waterbird trends and understand the mechanisms underlying those trends in the Salish Sea and Pacific coast
Waterbirds are often used as indicators of ecosystem function across broad spatial and temporal scales. Resolving which species are declining and the ecological characteristics they have in common can offer insights into ecosystem changes and their underlying mechanisms. Using 20 years of citizen science data collected by the British Columbia Coastal Waterbird Survey, we examined trends in abundance of coastal waterbird species, both in the Salish Sea and along the outer Pacific Ocean coast, representing the core wintering coastal bird community of British Columbia, Canada. Results suggest that most populations are stable in both the Salish Sea and Pacific coast regions. However, a quarter of the species displayed significant decline trends in the Salish Sea, compared with only 8% along the Pacific coast. Guild-specific trends indicated that waterbirds occupying the Salish Sea are faring significantly worse than those residing along the outer coastal regions, almost irrespective of dietary specialization or migration distance. Our results provide evidence that differential environmental pressures between the inner and outer coastal regions may be causing overall loss of wintering waterbirds within, or abundance shifts away from, the Salish Sea. We outline potential mechanisms responsible for these observed patterns, including environmental (e.g., climate) and human-induced (e.g., nutrient and chemical pollution) pressures. We also present ongoing collaborative efforts in bird monitoring (e.g., with Indigenous communities) and research priorities to help understand these mechanisms.
