Heat‑related massive chick mortality in an Imperial Cormorant Leucocarbo atriceps colony from Patagonia, Argentina

Climate change has exacerbated the frequency and severity of heat waves, which on occasion lead to mass mortalities. Here, we report a massive mortality event in Imperial Cormorant Leucocarbo atriceps chicks that took place during December 2016 at Punta León, one of the two largest colonies (> 6000...

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Main Authors: Quintana, Flavio, Uhart, Marcela M., Gallo, Luciana, Mattera, María Belén, Rimondi, Agustina, Gómez‑Laich, Agustina
Format: Artículo
Language:Inglés
Published: Springer 2022
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/11830
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00300-021-02982-6
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-021-02982-6
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author Quintana, Flavio
Uhart, Marcela M.
Gallo, Luciana
Mattera, María Belén
Rimondi, Agustina
Gómez‑Laich, Agustina
author_browse Gallo, Luciana
Gómez‑Laich, Agustina
Mattera, María Belén
Quintana, Flavio
Rimondi, Agustina
Uhart, Marcela M.
author_facet Quintana, Flavio
Uhart, Marcela M.
Gallo, Luciana
Mattera, María Belén
Rimondi, Agustina
Gómez‑Laich, Agustina
author_sort Quintana, Flavio
collection INTA Digital
description Climate change has exacerbated the frequency and severity of heat waves, which on occasion lead to mass mortalities. Here, we report a massive mortality event in Imperial Cormorant Leucocarbo atriceps chicks that took place during December 2016 at Punta León, one of the two largest colonies (> 6000 pairs) and the northernmost colony for the species in coastal Patagonia, Argentina. During a 2-day period, we estimate that approximately 86.5% of the chicks died. Our results suggest that the mortality event was heat-related, as consequence of an intense heat wave during the brooding period. During two consecutive days, chicks between 12 and 19 days old were exposed to air temperatures above the historical mean of maxima for a total of 25 h. On one of these days, the air temperature reached a maximum of 38.1 °C with records above 35 °C sustained during four consecutive hours. Chicks were found dead throughout the colony, mostly in the nests with no evidence of external injuries other than occasional scavenging by seagulls. Acute mortality from disease was ruled out based on clinical presentation and negative results for avian influenza virus, saxitoxins, and domoic acid (two common marine toxins). Our work underscores the importance of long-term studies in understanding heat associated breeding failure of one of the largest Imperial Cormorant colonies along its breeding range in coastal Patagonia.
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spelling INTA118302022-05-06T16:10:07Z Heat‑related massive chick mortality in an Imperial Cormorant Leucocarbo atriceps colony from Patagonia, Argentina Quintana, Flavio Uhart, Marcela M. Gallo, Luciana Mattera, María Belén Rimondi, Agustina Gómez‑Laich, Agustina Climate Change Thermoregulation Mortality Cormorants Cambio Climático Termorregulación Mortalidad Argentina Cormorán Heat Wave Ola de Calor Leucocarbo atriceps Región Patagónica Climate change has exacerbated the frequency and severity of heat waves, which on occasion lead to mass mortalities. Here, we report a massive mortality event in Imperial Cormorant Leucocarbo atriceps chicks that took place during December 2016 at Punta León, one of the two largest colonies (> 6000 pairs) and the northernmost colony for the species in coastal Patagonia, Argentina. During a 2-day period, we estimate that approximately 86.5% of the chicks died. Our results suggest that the mortality event was heat-related, as consequence of an intense heat wave during the brooding period. During two consecutive days, chicks between 12 and 19 days old were exposed to air temperatures above the historical mean of maxima for a total of 25 h. On one of these days, the air temperature reached a maximum of 38.1 °C with records above 35 °C sustained during four consecutive hours. Chicks were found dead throughout the colony, mostly in the nests with no evidence of external injuries other than occasional scavenging by seagulls. Acute mortality from disease was ruled out based on clinical presentation and negative results for avian influenza virus, saxitoxins, and domoic acid (two common marine toxins). Our work underscores the importance of long-term studies in understanding heat associated breeding failure of one of the largest Imperial Cormorant colonies along its breeding range in coastal Patagonia. Instituto de Virología Fil: Quintana, Flavio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científcas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos; Argentina Fil: Uhart, Marcela M. University of California Davis. School of Veterinary Medicine. One Health Institute; Estados Unidos Fil: Gallo, Luciana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científcas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología de Organismos Marinos; Argentina Fil: Mattera, María Belén. Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero; Argentina Fil: Rimondi, Agustina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Virología; Argentina Fil: Gómez‑Laich, Agustina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución. Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución; Argentina 2022-05-06T16:04:06Z 2022-05-06T16:04:06Z 2022-02 info:ar-repo/semantics/artículo info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/11830 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00300-021-02982-6 1432-2056 0722-4060 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-021-02982-6 eng info:eu-repograntAgreement/INTA/PNSA-1115052/AR./Epidemiología y desarrollo de estrategias para la prevención y control de enfermedades que afectan la salud pública, enfermedades exóticas y limitantes del comercio internacional. info:eu-repograntAgreement/INTA/PNSA-1115056/AR./Enfermedades infecciosas de las aves. info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess application/pdf Springer Polar Biology 45 (2) : 275-284 (Febrero 2022)
spellingShingle Climate Change
Thermoregulation
Mortality
Cormorants
Cambio Climático
Termorregulación
Mortalidad
Argentina
Cormorán
Heat Wave
Ola de Calor
Leucocarbo atriceps
Región Patagónica
Quintana, Flavio
Uhart, Marcela M.
Gallo, Luciana
Mattera, María Belén
Rimondi, Agustina
Gómez‑Laich, Agustina
Heat‑related massive chick mortality in an Imperial Cormorant Leucocarbo atriceps colony from Patagonia, Argentina
title Heat‑related massive chick mortality in an Imperial Cormorant Leucocarbo atriceps colony from Patagonia, Argentina
title_full Heat‑related massive chick mortality in an Imperial Cormorant Leucocarbo atriceps colony from Patagonia, Argentina
title_fullStr Heat‑related massive chick mortality in an Imperial Cormorant Leucocarbo atriceps colony from Patagonia, Argentina
title_full_unstemmed Heat‑related massive chick mortality in an Imperial Cormorant Leucocarbo atriceps colony from Patagonia, Argentina
title_short Heat‑related massive chick mortality in an Imperial Cormorant Leucocarbo atriceps colony from Patagonia, Argentina
title_sort heat related massive chick mortality in an imperial cormorant leucocarbo atriceps colony from patagonia argentina
topic Climate Change
Thermoregulation
Mortality
Cormorants
Cambio Climático
Termorregulación
Mortalidad
Argentina
Cormorán
Heat Wave
Ola de Calor
Leucocarbo atriceps
Región Patagónica
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/11830
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00300-021-02982-6
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-021-02982-6
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