GAP Personnel:

Brook Gamble
M.S. Student
Institute of Marine Science
Email: ftjbg@uaf.edu

Expanding upon aspects of the GAP project, in May 2002 I began my M.S. research investigating the reproductive ecology and physiology of glaucous-winged gulls in Kodiak. The objective of my research is to investigate the ecological and physiological variables that influence the reproductive success of the glaucous-winged gull in Chiniak Bay. Food abundance and availability just prior to, and during their breeding season are the major limiting factors in glaucous-winged gull reproductive success. Because of the significant dietary and spatial overlap between glaucous-winged gulls and other apex predators in the Gulf of Alaska, the reproductive biology of this species may be used as an indicator of local marine foraging conditions that impact other top-level consumers. Moreover, food limitation in seabirds elicits elevated levels of stress hormones as well as modulation of normal levels of plasma lipids and metabolites. Therefore, through this research I hope to develop methodologies that utilize hematological measures of various parameters that alone can serve as a proxy for breeding success and local foraging conditions.

I look forward to graduating with an M.S. in Wildlife Biology by Fall 2004. I can be reached at ftjbg@uaf.edu.