Ice-dependent southern fulmar
Résumé
The Southern Fulmar, Fulmarus glacialoides, is an ice-dependent
seabird, and individuals forage near the ice edge. During an extreme
unfavorable sea ice year (ESIC), foraging trips were greater in distance
and duration, adults brought less food to their chicks, which fledged
in the poorest body condition. During such ESICs, breeding success
was extremely low; hence the population growth rate was greatly
reduced. Some individuals coped better with ESICs, which tend to
exacerbate individual differences in intrinsic quality. Finally, changes in
the frequency of ESIC have a strong impact on the persistence of
Southern Fulmar populations.