Seabird observations (Oshoro-maru C056)

The marine ecosystems of the Bering Sea and adjacent Chukchi Sea are experiencing rapid changes due to reductions in sea ice. In the Bering Sea and Chukchi Sea shelf regions, seabirds, as homoeothermic top predators, play a significant role in the trophic energy flow. As mobile predators that can respond quickly to shifts in the distribution of prey (i.e., by switching foraging areas or prey species), changes in their distribution can potentially serve as indicators of fluctuations of trophic relationships. The main objective of this study is to reveal habitat associations of seabirds and their prey.受海冰面积缩减影响，白令海（Bering Sea）及其毗邻的楚科奇海（Chukchi Sea）的海洋生态系统正经历快速变化。在白令海与楚科奇海的陆架区域，海鸟作为恒温顶级捕食者，在营养级能流过程中扮演着关键角色。作为可快速响应猎物分布变动的移动捕食者（可通过切换觅食区域或猎物种类实现响应），海鸟的分布变化可潜在作为营养级关系波动的指示指标。本研究的核心目标是揭示海鸟与其猎物的栖息地关联特征。