Estimation of carbon flux to dovekies (Alle alle) in the North Water

We modeled the energy demand of seabirds in the North Water, focusing on the planktivorous dovekie (Alle alle), the dominant species in the polynya. For the dovekie we provided an estimate of carbon flux that included aspects of spatial and temporal variability. We estimated the density, diet, and carbon consumption of dovekies throughout the polynya, from the time of their arrival in mid-May until they began to migrate south in September. Our model showed that this species is responsible for 92-96% of the energy demand and therefore carbon flux to seabirds. Dovekies consumed 73.7-147 x 10(3) rut C yr(-1) in the North Water. Average flux rates to dovekies in the polynya were 0.74 g C m(-2) yr(-1), with a maximum estimated rate of 24mg C m(-2) d(-1) in the eastern portion of the study area in May. However, when averaged over the entire polynya and period of occupancy, the proportion of pelagic primary production that went to dovekies was negligible (0.3-0.6%). Our observations of dovekie distribution, indicate that the major flux of carbon to seabirds occurred close inshore along the Greenland coast. There in May, carbon flux to dovekies was estimated to be 5-14% of the potential particulate export of phytoplankton. Our estimates of the spatial distribution of carbon flux to birds suggest the extraordinary importance of production along the west coast of Greenland. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.