Scientists from the University of Sheffield, England, have announced that oil spills and climate change are the two main causes of increased mortality rates among seabird species in the UK.
Research conducted by Professor Tim Biskhead from the Department of Animal and Plant Sciences has shown for the first time that oil spills are the primary cause of a doubling in the mortality rate of adult Common Guillemots (Uria aalge), despite oil pollution occurring hundreds of kilometers away from their breeding grounds.
The researchers also found a direct correlation between Arctic warming and higher mortality rates in the UK population of U. aalge.
Biskhead’s study of U. aalge was conducted on Skomer Island, Wales, starting in 1972.
‘Previously, our investigations into the U. aalge population on Skomer Island made it very challenging to quantify the impact of oil pollution on seabird mortality in a specific area,’ Biskhead stated. ‘However, by monitoring marked individuals, we were able to establish a direct correlation between oil spill incidents and the doubling of mortality rates in U. aalge.’
(Science & Nature)
