The influence of seabirds on their breeding, roosting, and nesting grounds: a systematic review and meta-analysis

1. Seabird species worldwide are integral to both marine and terrestrial environments, connecting the two systems by transporting vast quantities of marine-derived nutrients and pollutants to terrestrial breeding, roosting, and nesting grounds via the deposition of guano and other allochthonous inputs (e.g., eggs, feathers).

2. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis and provide insight into what types of nutrients and pollutants seabirds are transporting, the influence these subsidies are having on recipient environments, with a particular focus on soil, and what may happen if seabird populations decline.

3. The addition of guano to colony soils substantially increased nutrient levels compared to control soils for all seabirds studied, with cascading positive effects observed across a range of habitats. Deposited guano sometimes led to negative impacts, such a guanotrophication, or guano-induced eutrophication, which was often observed where there was an excess of guano or in areas with high seabird densities.

4. While the literature describing nutrients transported by seabirds is extensive, literature regarding pollutant transfer is comparatively limited, with a focus on toxic and bioaccumulative metals. Research on persistent organic pollutants and plastics transported by seabirds is likely to increase in coming years.

5. Studies were limited geographically, with hotspots of research activity in a few locations, but data were lacking from large regions around the world. Studies were also limited to seabird species generally listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. As seabird populations are impacted by multiple threats and steep declines have been observed for many species worldwide, gaps in the literature are particularly concerning. The loss of seabirds will impact nutrient cycling at localised levels and potentially on a global scale as well, yet it is unknown what may truly happen to areas that rely on seabirds if these populations disappear.

The information in this record includes three spreadsheets and R code. Descriptions are included below:

- The spreadsheets contain all information extracted from the publications that were critically reviewed (n = 181). The first spreadsheet contains information regarding each publication (1 publication per row), such as study location, sampling methods. The second spreadsheet contains information about the seabird species studied in each publication (1 row per seabird species per publication). The third spreadsheet contains data for the meta-analysis (1 row per publication, except if the publication studied multiple species, then it would be 1 row per species per publication).

- The R code is for the meta-analyses that were undertaken. Comments are included within the code plus detailed information can be found in the Methods section of the paper.

Identification info

Date (Creation): 2022-03-27

Citation identifier

doi:10.25959/ENWE-GB98

Title: Information and documentation - Digital object identifier system

Date (Publication): 2022-03-29

Citation identifier: ISO 26324:2012

Citation identifier: https://doi.org/10.25959/ENWE-GB98

Point of contact

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania - Lavers, Jennifer

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania

20 Castray Esplanade

Hobart

Tasmania

7004

Australia

ORCID ID >

Point of contact

The Natural History Museum - Bond, Alexander

Akeman Street

Tring

Hertfordshire

HP23 6AP

United Kingdom

ORCID ID >

Principal investigator

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania - Grant, Megan

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania

School Road

Newnham

Tasmania

7248

Australia

ORCID ID >

Status: complete

Principal investigator

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania - Grant, Megan

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania

School Road

Newnham

Tasmania

7248

Australia

ORCID ID >

Topic category

Biota

Extent

Temporal extent

Time period: 1968-01-01 2021-12-31

Maintenance and update frequency: none-planned

Resource format

Date

Keywords (Theme)

Seabirds
systematic literature review
meta-analysis

Keywords (Taxon)

Charadriiformes
Phaethontiformes
Sphenisciformes
Procellariiformes
Suliformes

NASA/GCMD Keywords, Version 8.5

Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC): Fields of Research

Resource constraints

Classification: Unclassified

Resource constraints

Linkage: http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by/4.0/88x31.png
License Graphic

Title: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

Website: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
License Text

Other constraints: Cite data as: Grant, M., Lavers, J., & Bond, A. (2022). The influence of seabirds on their breeding, roosting, and nesting grounds: a systematic review and meta-analysis [Data set]. Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), University of Tasmania (UTAS). https://doi.org/10.25959/ENWE-GB98

Other constraints: Please contact the principle researcher (Megan Grant) prior to using the data.

Language: English

Character encoding: UTF8

Supplemental Information: Grant, M.L., Bond, A.L., Lavers, J.L., 2022. The influence of seabirds on their breeding, roosting, and nesting grounds: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Animal Ecology (accepted with minor revisions)

Content Information

Content type: Physical measurement

Name: Paper identification number

Name: Paper #

Name: number

Name: First author's last name

Name: 1st Author

Name: name

Name: Publication title

Name: Title

Name: title

Name: Publication year

Name: Year

Name: Year

Name: Journal title

Name: Journal

Name: -

Name: First author's country of affiliation

Name: Author country

Name: -

Name: Ecosystem

Name: Ecosystem

Name: -

Name: Region

Name: Region

Name: -

Name: Subregion/habitat types

Name: Subregion/habitat

Name: -

Name: IUCN habitat type, level 1

Name: IUCN Habitat Type. LVL1

Name: -

Name: IUCN habitat type, level 2

Name: IUCN Habitat Type. LVL2

Name: -

Name: Overall effect of seabirds

Name: Overall effect

Name: -

Name: Main overarching aim/s of the study

Name: Focus of Study?

Name: -

Name: Sampling country

Name: Sampling country

Name: country

Name: 3 letter country code

Name: Country Code

Name: Alpha-3

Name: Sampling region/location

Name: Sampling Region

Name: -

Name: Island or mainland location?

Name: Island?

Name: y/n

Name: Number of study sites

Name: # of sites

Name: number

Name: Control site?

Name: Control site?

Name: Y/N

Name: Latitude

Name: Latitude

Name: decimal degrees

Name: Longitude

Name: Longitude

Name: decimal degrees

Name: Start year

Name: Start

Name: year

Name: Finish year

Name: Finish

Name: year

Name: Multi-year study?

Name: Multi-year

Name: Y/N

Name: Study length

Name: Length (years)

Name: number

Name: Was guano sampled?

Name: Guano?

Name: Y/N

Name: Measure of Guano?

Name: Measure of Guano?

Name: -

Name: Presence/Absence

Name: P/A

Name: Y/N

Name: Feathers?

Name: Feathers?

Name: Y/N

Name: Eggs or Eggshells?

Name: Eggshells?

Name: Y/N

Name: Regurgitate or bolus?

Name: Bolus?

Name: Y/N

Name: Carcass or carrion?

Name: Carcass/carrion?

Name: Y/N

Name: Nutrients

Name: Nutrients

Name: Y/N

Name: Nitrogen?

Name: N

Name: -

Name: Phosphorous

Name: P

Name: y/n

Name: Other nutrients?

Name: Other

Name: -

Name: Organic pollutants?

Name: Organic

Name: y/n

Name: Organic pollutant types

Name: Organic Types

Name: -

Name: Inorganic pollutants?

Name: Inorganic

Name: Y/N

Name: Inorganic pollutant types

Name: Inorganic Types

Name: -

Name: Physical pollutants

Name: Physical

Name: Y/N

Name: Physcial pollutant types

Name: Physical Types

Name: -

Name: Was soil sampled?

Name: Soil

Name: Y/N

Name: Was water sampled?

Name: Water

Name: Y/N

Name: Was terrestrial vegetation sampled?

Name: Terrestrial vegetation

Name: Y/N

Name: Was detritus/leaf litter sampled?

Name: Detritus/litter

Name: Y/N

Name: Were vertebrates sampled?

Name: Vertebrates

Name: Y/N

Name: Were invertebrates sampled?

Name: Invertebrates

Name: Y/N

Name: Was sediment sampled?

Name: Sediment

Name: Y/N

Name: Was benthic vegetation sampled?

Name: Benthic vegetation

Name: Y/N

Name: Were intertidal organisms sampled?

Name: Intertidal organisms

Name: Y/N

Name: Was phyto/zooplankton sampled?

Name: Phyto/zooplankton

Name: Y/N

Name: Was anything else sampled?

Name: Other

Name: -

Name: How many species?

Name: Species?

Name: Single/Multiple

Name: Number of species studied

Name: # species

Name: number

Name: Latin name

Name: Latin name

Name: -

Name: Seabird order

Name: Order

Name: -

Name: Seabird family

Name: Family

Name: -

Name: Seabird genus

Name: Genus

Name: -

Name: Common family name

Name: Common family name

Name: -

Name: Common seabird name

Name: Common name

Name: -

Name: Number of indiduals

Name: # of individuals

Name: number

Name: IUCN conservation status

Name: IUCN Status

Name: IUCN classification

Name: Elements analysed in guano

Name: Elements analysed in guano

Name: -

Name: number of samples

Name: n

Name: number

Name: Arsenic

Name: Ar

Name: ppm

Name: Cadmium

Name: Cd

Name: ppm

Name: Copper

Name: Cu

Name: ppm

Name: Manganese

Name: Mn

Name: ppm

Name: Nickel

Name: Ni

Name: ppm

Name: Lead

Name: Pb

Name: ppm

Name: Zinc

Name: Zn

Name: ppm

Name: Nutrients analysed in guano

Name: Nutrients analysed in guano

Name: -

Name: Percent Nitrogen

Name: %N

Name: Percentage

Name: Nitrate

Name: Nitrate

Name: ppm

Name: Ammonium

Name: Ammonium

Name: ppm

Name: Percent Phosphorous

Name: %P

Name: percentage

Name: Phosphate

Name: Phosphate

Name: ppm

Name: First Author last name

Name: Author

Name: name

Name: Paper title

Name: Title

Name: -

Name: Zone

Name: Zone

Name: -

Name: Island or mainland

Name: Island_Mainland

Name: -

Name: Sample size of the control for %N

Name: Control_sample_N

Name: number

Name: Mean concentration of N for the control

Name: Mean_control_N

Name: percentage

Name: Standard deviation of N for the control

Name: SD_control_N

Name: percentage

Name: Sample size of the treatment/seabird site for %N

Name: Seabird_sample_N

Name: number

Name: Mean concentration of N for the treatment/seabird site

Name: Mean_seabird_N

Name: percentage

Name: Standard deviation of N for the treatment/seabird site

Name: SD_seabird_N

Name: percentage

Name: Sample size of the control for nitrate

Name: Control_sample_NO3

Name: number

Name: Mean concentration of nitrate for the control

Name: Mean_control_NO3

Name: ppm

Name: Standard deviation of nitate for the control

Name: SD_control_NO3

Name: ppm

Name: Sample size of the treatment/seabird site for NO3

Name: Seabird_sample_NO3

Name: number

Name: Mean concentration of nitrate for the treatment/seabird site

Name: Mean_seabird_NO3

Name: ppm

Name: Standard deviation of nitrate for the treatment/seabird sites

Name: SD_seabird_NO3

Name: ppm

Name: Sample size of the control for ammonium

Name: Control_sample_NH4

Name: number

Name: Mean concentration of ammonium for the control

Name: Mean_control_NH4

Name: ppm

Name: standard deviation of ammonium for the control

Name: SD_control_NH4

Name: ppm

Name: Sample size of the treatment/seabird site for NH4

Name: Seabird_sample_NH4

Name: number

Name: Mean concentration of ammonium for the treatment/seabird site

Name: Mean_seabird_NH4

Name: ppm

Name: Standard deviation of ammonium for the treatment/seabird sites

Name: SD_seabird_NH4

Name: ppm

Name: Sample size of the control for %P

Name: Control_sample_P

Name: number

Name: Mean concentration of %P for the control

Name: Mean_control_P

Name: percentage

Name: Standard deviation of %P for the control

Name: SD_control_P

Name: percentage

Name: Sample size of the treatment/seabird size for %P

Name: Seabird_sample_P

Name: number

Name: Mean concentration of %P for the treatment/seabird site

Name: Mean_seabird_P

Name: percentage

Name: Standard deviation of %P for the treatment/control sites

Name: SD_seabird_P

Name: percentage

Distribution Information

Distribution format

Microsoft Excel, R Code

OnLine resource: DATA ACCESS - Literature review and meta-analysis [direct download]

OnLine resource: CODE - R code for meta-analysis [direct download]

OnLine resource: imas:MGrant_seabird_review
MAP - location of published seabird studies from literature review

OnLine resource: View study locations in the interactive IMAS Data Portal.

Resource lineage

Statement: We conducted a systematic review of the available literature on the online platform Web of Science and Scopus with the aim to capture literature on the topic of seabirds as vectors for nutrients and pollutants to terrestrial environments. These databases were searched on 26 October 2021. Literature went through a screening process for eligibility whereby the total number of relevant papers was reduced to 181. These papers then went through a data extraction process. A meta-analysis was also conducted on these 181 papers with the aim to determine the overall impact of guano addition to seabird colonies vs sites without seabirds, in the context of nutrients in soils.

Hierarchy level: Dataset

Metadata

Metadata identifier: 224fff3a-1e77-4af5-826d-ab3b1da6a238

Language: English

Character encoding: UTF8

Point of contact

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), University of Tasmania (UTAS) - IMAS Data Manager ()

Type of resource

Resource scope: Dataset

Metadata linkage: https://metadata.imas.utas.edu.au/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/224fff3a-1e77-4af5-826d-ab3b1da6a238
Point of truth URL of this metadata record

Date info (Creation): 2022-03-29

Date info (Revision): 2022-03-29

Metadata standard

Title: ISO 19115-3:2018

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