Meeting Abstract

P2.116  Tuesday, Jan. 5  Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology: Tales from a feather as told by the White Tern YEUNG, Norine W; University of Hawaii nyeung@hawaii.edu

Feathers are currently being used to examine ecological and evolutionary patterns of bird populations and a single feather can provide a source of stable isotopes and DNA for feeding ecology and genetic studies. Stable isotopes can inform a broad range of ecological studies by elucidating patterns in trophic food webs (e.g. feeding, migration and element cycling). Molecular markers can be used to understand evolutionary processes by examining dispersal patterns and population connectivity of a wide variety of species. These non-traditional methods have been particularly useful for studies where they can supplement or replace more intrusive methods such as banding, collection of regurgitates and blood samples, stomach flushing, and collection of birds. Tissue samples from molted feathers, freshly dead and museum specimens were used to assess the genetic and ecological variation of the Pacific White Tern (Gygis alba). Carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope ratios were examined and findings show no difference between the tip and base of feathers and among feather types. This suggests that any type of feather could be used as an indicator of the status of the individual and that diet is constant during individual feather growth. Additionally, carbon and nitrogen values were similar to those of juvenile yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) within the Hawaiian Archipelago. Mitochondrial DNA results suggest that there are no phylogenetically distinct species or subspecies within the Pacific Ocean. Furthermore, the recently established population of White Terns on Oahu shares haplotypes with all examined subspecies, suggesting multiple source populations across the Pacific.