Wandering albatross new research

This video is called Nature of Wandering Albatross birds – David Attenborough – BBC wildlife.

From the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels:

Looking good? Female Wandering Albatrosses seem to age better than males

Deborah Pardo (British Antarctic Survey) and colleagues have published in the journal Oecologia on senescence in Wandering Albatrosses Diomedea exulans.

The paper’s abstract follows:

“Sex differences in lifespan and aging are widespread among animals. Since investment in current reproduction can have consequences on other life-history traits, the sex with the highest cost of breeding is expected to suffer from an earlier and/or stronger senescence. This has been demonstrated in polygynous species that are highly dimorphic. However in monogamous species where parental investment is similar between sexes, sex-specific differences in aging patterns of life-history traits are expected to be attenuated. Here, we examined sex and age influences on demographic traits in a very long-lived and sexually dimorphic monogamous species, the wandering albatross (Diomedea exulans).

We modelled within the same model framework sex-dependent variations in aging for an array of five life-history traits: adult survival, probability of returning to the breeding colony, probability of breeding and two measures of breeding success (hatching and fledging). We show that life-history traits presented contrasted aging patterns according to sex whereas traits were all similar at young ages. Both sexes exhibited actuarial and reproductive senescence, but, as the decrease in breeding success remained similar for males and females, the survival and breeding probabilities of males were significantly more affected than females.

We discuss our results in the light of the costs associated to reproduction, age-related pairing and a biased operational sex-ratio in the population leading to a pool of non-breeders of potentially lower quality and therefore more subject to death or breeding abstention. For a monogamous species with similar parental roles, the patterns observed were surprising and when placed in a gradient of observed age/sex-related variations in life history traits, wandering albatrosses were intermediate between highly dimorphic polygynous and most monogamous species.”

Black-browed albatrosses and aging: here.

Two Wandering Albatross Make A Difference in the World~ Excerpt Chapter one (laurelsobolart.wordpress.com)
The Nearly Effortless Flight of the Albatross (spectrum.ieee.org)
A century of albatross nesting at Taiaroa Head (doc.govt.nz)
Argentavis Magnificens – Largest Flying Bird Ever, Giant Teratorn Facts, Extinction, Wingspan, Etc (planetsave.com)

12 thoughts on “Wandering albatross new research”

From the USA:

Albatrosses and petrels spend years soaring over the open ocean, coming to land only to nest. But these magnificent birds are some of the most endangered birds on the planet and often die tragic deaths, becoming entangled in fishing lines and drowning.

To ensure long-term survival for these border-crossing birds, we need international cooperation. The United States is already a world leader in seabird conservation, but we must take one more critical step to protect these birds.

Tell Congress: Albatrosses and petrels need our help

This important legislation provides the framework for the United States to implement the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, an international treaty that more than a dozen countries have already signed. It would allow us to showcase United States leadership on this issue – the U.S. fishing fleet already uses the easy-to-implement, low-cost solutions that are 97% effective in reducing avian mortality from long-line fishing.

Passing this legislation is the first step in giving our negotiators the leverage they need to press other countries to implement these same common sense measures and help conserve these magnificent birds. It would require no new regulations and no expenditures from the budget. And this legislation enjoys bipartisan support – it was first proposed and introduced by the Bush administration and is included on the priority list of treaties supported by the Obama administration.

Tell Congress: Albatrosses and petrels need our help

http://www.democrats.com/albatrosses-and-petrels-need-our-help?cid=ZGVtczE0MDA2MmRlbXM%253D

Thanks for all you do!

Bob Fertik

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