Change in occupancy and density of nesting Atlantic puffins and razorbills on Machias Seal Island between 2011 and 2019

dc.contributor.advisorH. Major
dc.contributor.authorElisseou, Meredyth
dc.date.accessioned2023-03-02T23:42:52Z
dc.date.available2023-03-02T23:42:52Z
dc.date.issued2020
dc.description.abstractAt Machias Seal Island (MSI), populations of nesting Atlantic Puffins (Fratercula arctica) and Razorbills (Alca torda) are stable and increasing (respectively). The purpose of my study was to determine whether the increasing Razorbill population has caused a change in the spatial distribution of nesting puffins on the island. I hypothesized that the larger, more competitive Razorbills outcompete puffins for nesting space, resulting in the movement of puffins to alternative regions of the island. Using data from Alcid surveys that occurred in 2011, 2015, 2016, and 2019, I assessed occupancy and density of puffins and Razorbills in each of 1,753 surveyed quadrats. Using generalized linear models in an information theoretic approach, I found no changes in occupancy or density of either species. However, I note the short timespan (eight years) covered in my study and suggest that continued monitoring and analysis of changes in puffin and Razorbill occupancy and density.
dc.description.copyrightThis work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.
dc.formattext/xml
dc.format.extentxi, 24 pages
dc.format.mediumelectronic
dc.identifier.urihttps://unbscholar.lib.unb.ca/handle/1882/22335
dc.language.isoen_CA
dc.publisherUniversity of New Brunswick
dc.rightshttp://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2
dc.subject.disciplineBiology
dc.titleChange in occupancy and density of nesting Atlantic puffins and razorbills on Machias Seal Island between 2011 and 2019
dc.typebachelor thesis
thesis.degree.disciplineBiology
thesis.degree.fullnameBachelor of Science with Honours in Biology
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of New Brunswick
thesis.degree.levelundergraduate
thesis.degree.nameB.Sc.

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