Abstract:
The ORNITHO-ENDOCRINO project is proposed to study the endocrine mechanisms involved in the phenology (timing of breeding) of an Arctic breeding seabird, the black-legged kittiwake Rissa tridactyla in Kongsfjorden, Svalbard. We want to test the influence of environmental stress on the strong inter-annual variations in laying date and reproductive success observed in this species in Svalbard.
... Specifically, we will focus on corticosterone, the stress hormone, because of its role in mediating interactions between environment, reproductive physiology (hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis) and behaviour.
Data used:
Breeding phenology (hatch dates) of black kittiwakes: 1970-2009 (
Breeding success of black-legged kittiwakes: 1970-2009
Capture ringing recapture (survival): 1997-2009
Body mass of black-legged kittiwakes: 1997-2009
Stress hormones levels of black-legged kittiwakes: 2000-2009
Diet of black-legged kittiwakes: 1997-2009
Foraging area by mean of miniaturized GPS: 2008-2009
Wintering areas of Black-legged kittiwakes by mean of GLS: 2008-2009
Data collected in collaboration with:
Norsk Polar Institute (Tromso)
Norwegian University of Science and Technology (Trondheim) 
