European storm-petrel occurrence 2005-2019 Atlantic Iberian arc

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are widely used tools for conservation and management. Their correct delimitation is challenging, especially when the target species are small, elusive, and inconspicuous, as little data is generally available to adequately assess their distribution at sea. Therefore, currently designated MPAs may not effectively cover key areas for small seabirds, particularly during migration and wintering seasons.
We used Ensemble Species Distribution Models (ESDMs) on a 15-year time-series dataset of at-sea census along the Atlantic Iberian arc to predict the potential distribution of the smallest European seabird, the European storm-petrel (Hydrobates pelagicus), and compare it with official marine Special Protection Areas (SPAs).
Occurrence of European storm-petrel was related to shifts in sea surface temperature, and to small distances from the coast over the continental shelf.
Most relevant area for the species in the Atlantic Iberian arc was west-central Portugal t..., , ,