Climate-driven range expansion of a critically endangered top predator in northeast Atlantic waters

Wynn, R.B., Josey, S.A., Martin, A.P., Johns, D.G. and Yesou, P. (2007) Climate-driven range expansion of a critically endangered top predator in northeast Atlantic waters. Biology Letters, 3 (5), 529-532. (doi:10.1098/rsbl.2007.0162).

Abstract

Global climate change is driving rapid distribution shifts in marine ecosystems; these are well established for lower trophic levels, but are harder to quantify for migratory top predators. By analysing a 25-year sightings-based dataset, we found evidence for rapid northwards range expansion of the critically endangered Balearic shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus in northeast Atlantic waters. A 0.6°C sea surface temperature increase in the mid-1990s is interpreted as an underlying controlling factor, while simultaneous northward shifts of plankton and prey fish species suggests a strong bottom-up control. Our results have important conservation implications and provide new evidence for climate-driven regime shift in Atlantic ecosystems.

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