ABSTRACT: Predicting habitat suitability and understanding habitat utilization are important to inform and orient conservation and management decisions for the recovery of endangered species. In North America, the roseate tern Sterna dougallii is listed as endangered in both the northeastern USA and Canada, where little is known about the foraging spatial ecology of the species. We equipped breeding roseate terns with miniature GPS tracking devices during incubation at North Brother Island, the main Canadian colony. Our aim was to characterize the spatial foraging ecology of the species, identify marine zones of importance, and develop a habitat suitability model around the colony. Our results provide novel, high resolution information on individual foraging trips, notably showing that individuals restricted their range around the colony (15.4 km) while performing multiple foraging trips: up to 11 daytime trips and a maximum total of 152.9 km travelled per day. Roseate terns concentrated their foraging effort around the colony and further south along the coast to the Cockerwit Passage. Using distance from colony, sea surface temperature, distance from land, bathymetry, and subtidal substrate type as covariates in a habitat suitability model, a high proportion of the deviance was explained (72.4%); the model also predicted high occurrence of foraging near the colony, in Cockerwit Passage, and at additional sites to which the birds were not tracked. Along with the description of important marine areas for roseate terns nesting on North Brother Island, this habitat suitability model provides a relevant and essential context for understanding roseate tern habitat use in a broad sense, but with a focus on habitat requirements during incubation.

中文翻译：

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濒危的玫瑰燕鸥的空间生态学和北大西洋西部一个殖民地附近觅食栖息地的适宜性

摘要：预测栖息地的适宜性和了解栖息地的利用情况对于为濒危物种的恢复提供信息和指导保护和管理决策至关重要。在北美，玫瑰燕鸥Sterna dougallii被列为濒临灭绝的美国东北部和加拿大，那里对该物种的觅食空间生态知之甚少。在加拿大主要殖民地北兄弟岛（North Brother Island）的孵化过程中，我们为繁殖的玫瑰燕鸥配备了微型GPS跟踪设备。我们的目标是表征该物种的空间觅食生态学，确定重要的海洋区域，并在殖民地周围建立栖息地适宜性模型。我们的结果提供了关于个体觅食旅行的新颖，高分辨率的信息，特别是表明个体在执行多次觅食旅行时限制了他们在殖民地周围的范围（15.4公里）：最多11天的白天旅行，每天总共旅行了152.9公里。玫瑰燕鸥将其觅食工作集中在殖民地附近，并沿海岸向南延伸到科克威特通道。在栖息地适应性模型中，使用与殖民地的距离，海面温度，与陆地的距离，测深法和潮汐底物类型作为协变量，解释了很大一部分偏差（72.4％）；该模型还预测了在科克维特通道附近以及未追踪鸟类的其他地点觅食的可能性很高。除了描述在北兄弟岛筑巢的重要栖息海域以外，该栖息地适应性模型还提供了一个相关的重要背景，以广泛地理解粉红燕鸥的栖息地用途，但重点在于孵化过程中对栖息地的要求。解释了很大比例的偏差（72.4％）；该模型还预测了在科克威特通道附近以及未追踪鸟类的其他地点附近觅食的高发生率。除了描述在北兄弟岛上筑巢的重要海域，该栖息地适应性模型还提供了一个相关且必不可少的背景，可以从广义上理解粉红燕鸥的栖息地使用，但重点在于孵化过程中对栖息地的要求。解释了很大比例的偏差（72.4％）；该模型还预测了在科克威特通道附近以及未追踪鸟类的其他地点附近觅食的高发生率。除了描述在北兄弟岛上筑巢的重要海域，该栖息地适应性模型还提供了一个相关且必不可少的背景，可以从广义上理解粉红燕鸥的栖息地使用，但重点在于孵化过程中对栖息地的要求。