Sentinels of the Hauraki Gulf? : Feeding and foraging of Tākapu (Australasian gannets)

Abstract

Gannets, like many seabirds are top predators in marine ecosystems. Persistence of seabirds in marine ecosystems is dependent, in part, sufficient energy in the form of food being available to these animals. This flow of energy or carbon, is funnelled through biological communities are described by food webs which highlight important feeding interactions within and between different levels of these food webs.

A range of natural (El Nino) and anthropogenic (climate change, pollution, overfishing) factors may change the abundance or distribution of component elements of these food webs including the potential prey to seabirds. Accordingly, we expect these changes to ripple through to seabirds and be detected by changes in a range of in various measurable biological parameters of seabirds over time. Not least of which would be the diet and the effort required to meet those energy needs