THE DIET OF HIGH-ARCTIC SEABIRDS IN COASTAL AND ICE-COVERED, PELAGIC AREAS NEAR THE SVALBARD ARCHIPELAGO

Food samples from six high-arctic seabird species were collected durin g spring and summer seasons between 1982 and 1990 in the Svalbard regi on. The material came from coastal localities on the island of Spitsbe rgen and the marginal ice zone in eastern Svalbard waters. Polar cod B oreogadus saida was the most frequently occurring prey in the ice-cove red areas. Analysis of otoliths showed that most polar cod were one- o r two-year olds. These year classes are known to associate with sea ic e. Other ice-associated (sympagic) organisms, such as gammarid amphipo ds, were not found to be of high importance as prey for seabirds in th e study area. However, the sea ice occurring in the area was mainly on e year old. Such ice contains a less developed sympagic fauna than mul ti-year ice. The pelagic amphipod Parathemisto libellula, which is not sympagic but occurs in the water column, was also found to be an impo rtant prey in the marginal ice zone, especially for the Brunnich's gui llemot Uria lomvia. The smallest of the seabird species studied, the l ittle auk Alle alle, differed from the other five species in its diet, preying mainly upon smaller items such as copepods and young stages o f amphipods, euphausiids and decapods. The diet of the various seabird species was in general more diverse in the coastal areas than in the marginal ice zone.