Event Title
Streaming Media
Presentation Abstract
Pigeon Guillemots (Cepphus columba) are one of four seabird species designated by the Puget Sound Partnership as an indicator species in the Salish Sea. Community science programs like the Salish Sea Guillemot Network can provide long-term data that inform regional population status trends and nesting success that reflect overall ecosystem health. The goals of this project are to provide a baseline for detecting changes and trends in local Pigeon Guillemot populations by compiling a multi-year dataset. Educating and training community scientists helps them develop a sense of place and stewardship through observation of processes in the nearshore environment and appreciation of the beauty of nature. Since initial survey efforts on Whidbey Island in 2002, ongoing efforts have expanded research to seven regions throughout the Puget Sound. During the summer breeding season (June-September), volunteers spent an hour each week contributing to a community science program by counting the number of pigeon guillemots, identifying active burrows, determining chick diet composition, and documenting breeding disturbances. Results from this study indicated that population abundance at both the regional and state level has been stable. This research supports regional decision-making related to habitat protection and seabird conservation by providing measurements vital to understanding population changes. Resilience and stability of this species will allow it to continue weathering environmental and anthropogenic stressors for future generations. This study highlights the importance of community science as an effective tool for monitoring ecosystem health.
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-456
Start Date
27-4-2022 4:30 PM
End Date
27-4-2022 5:00 PM
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
Salish Sea Pigeon Guillemot Breeding Surveys
Pigeon Guillemots (Cepphus columba) are one of four seabird species designated by the Puget Sound Partnership as an indicator species in the Salish Sea. Community science programs like the Salish Sea Guillemot Network can provide long-term data that inform regional population status trends and nesting success that reflect overall ecosystem health. The goals of this project are to provide a baseline for detecting changes and trends in local Pigeon Guillemot populations by compiling a multi-year dataset. Educating and training community scientists helps them develop a sense of place and stewardship through observation of processes in the nearshore environment and appreciation of the beauty of nature. Since initial survey efforts on Whidbey Island in 2002, ongoing efforts have expanded research to seven regions throughout the Puget Sound. During the summer breeding season (June-September), volunteers spent an hour each week contributing to a community science program by counting the number of pigeon guillemots, identifying active burrows, determining chick diet composition, and documenting breeding disturbances. Results from this study indicated that population abundance at both the regional and state level has been stable. This research supports regional decision-making related to habitat protection and seabird conservation by providing measurements vital to understanding population changes. Resilience and stability of this species will allow it to continue weathering environmental and anthropogenic stressors for future generations. This study highlights the importance of community science as an effective tool for monitoring ecosystem health.
