Are blue mussels Mytilus edulis important prey for Herring Gulls Larus argentatus after a 20 year decline in mussel stocks? Investigations on Spiekeroog = Zijn mosselen nog belangrijk als voedsel voor zilvermeeuwen na de afname in de afgelopen 20 jaren? Een onderzoek op Spiekeroog
Hilgerloh, G. (1998). Are blue mussels Mytilus edulis important prey for Herring Gulls Larus argentatus after a 20 year decline in mussel stocks? Investigations on Spiekeroog = Zijn mosselen nog belangrijk als voedsel voor zilvermeeuwen na de afname in de afgelopen 20 jaren? Een onderzoek op Spiekeroog. Sula 12(3): 81-88
In: Sula: tijdschrift van de Nederlandse Zeevogelgroep. Nederlandse Zeevogelgroep: Scheveningen; Oudeschild, Texel; Zeist. ISSN 0926-132X, meer
|   |
| Abstract |
This study investigates if Blue Mussels are an important prey after a decline in mussel stocks over the last 20 years. It is based on the analysis of pellets collected in July and August 1994 from the breeding colony of Herring Gulls Larus argentatus, located on the Ostplate of Spiekeroog. The pellets were analysed to determine the proportion of Blue Mussels Mytilus edulis in the food. In total, 47% of the food in the pellets consisted of Blue Mussels. In August, mussels provided significantly more of the food than in July. This may be related to the larger size of seed mussels in August and to the extremely high numbers present in 1994. |
|
