citizen science to describe variation in puffin diet Ellie Owen, - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

RSPB CENTRE FOR CONSERVATION SCIENCE Using digital photography and citizen science to describe variation in puffin diet Ellie Owen, Sian Haddon, Chris Cachia- Zammit, Georgia Longmoor, Oliver Prince, Fritha West, Robert Hughes. ellie.owen@rspb.org.uk @ellingbry @RSPBScience

Atlantic Puffin Vulnerable to global extinction Declines often linked to food availability

Photo: Georgia Longmoor

96% of images were useable

6 Interns 1350 Puffins 12,182 Prey identified 39 Colonies 3 Colonies 200+ pictures 0 Pictures - some inaccessible colonies 100,000 £s

Prey Composition Sandeel Size Unpublished material removed Unpublished material removed

Describing variation in puffin chick diet Compared AICs across 23 GLMs Proportion of prey that is sandeel Response variables: Unpublished material removed Unpublished material removed - Proportion of 4 prey groups - Proportion of larval sandeels - Total fish length Candidate variables: - Colony - OSPAR region plus Latitude - Cook and Robinson regions - Julian date Colony * Julian date

Isle of May Proportion of prey that is sandeel Unpublished material removed 1 st May 8 th August Julian day

“Without wider societal support, little will change” Jane Smart Global Director of IUCN's Biodiversity Conservation Group and Director of IUCN's Global Species Programme Aristotle’s Pillars of Persuasion Ethos – the speaker has experience and authority Logos – supporting statements with the right data Pathos – eliciting an emotional response within an audience

Thank you The Puffarazzi volunteers The Puffineers (interns) Oliver Prince and Ben Andrews for use of their photos