Effects of a chemical weapons incineration plant on red-tailed tropicbirds

From 1990 to 2000, the Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System (JACAD S) incinerated part of the U.S. stockpile of chemical weapons on Johnston A toll, central Pacific Ocean, which also is a National Wildlife Refuge and h ome to approximately a half-million breeding seabirds. The effect on wildli fe of incineration of these weapons is unknown. Using a multi-strata mark-r ecapture analysis, we investigated the effects of JACADS on reproductive su ccess, survival, and movement probabilities of red-tailed tropicbirds (Phae thon rubricauda) nesting both downwind and upwind of the incineration site. We found no effect of chemical incineration on these tropicbird demographi c parameters over the 8 years of our study. An additional 3 years of monito ring tropicbird demography will take place, post-incineration.