SUMMER DISTRIBUTION OF SEABIRDS IN THE NORTHEAST WATER POLYNYA, GREENLAND

The distribution at sea of seabirds was studied in the North-East Wate r (NEW) polynya, Greenland, during transect counts in the summers of 1 991, 1992 and 1993 on board the ice-breaking RVs Polarstern and Polar Sea. Data collected within the polynya 'box' (78-82 degrees N; 5-18 de grees W) concern observations of 8000 birds counted during 1350 half-h our counts. Distribution is presented as density (N/km(2)) and calcula ted daily food intake. Five bird species were selected for discussion, representing more than 95% of the total numbers encountered: Fulmar ( Fulmarus glacialis), Ivory Gull (Pagophila eburnea), Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla), Glaucous Gulf (Larus hyperboreus) and Ross's Gulf (Rhodos tethia rosea). For these species, densities are comparable in the NE G reenland polynya and in other European Arctic seas. The main differenc e is the absence in NEW of the species playing the main role in Arctic seas: Brunnich's Guillemot (Uria lomvia) and Little Auk (Alle alle). In the absence of fish-eating birds and of birds consuming zooplankton in the water column, the NEW polynya ecosystem is thus dominated by s urface feeders and, closer to the coast, by benthic feeders like elder s, Somateria mollissima and S. spectabilis, and walrus, Odobenus rosma rus. The density and daily food intake for all seabirds are one order of magnitude lower in the polynya than in the Arctic seas. The distrib ution and abundance of seabirds in the NEW polynya seems to reflect a very low density of pelagic fish and zooplankton in the water column, while zooplankton must be present at 'normal' concentrations in the up per layer. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.