Studies and Biometric Gut Content Analyses of Common Scoter Melanitta nigra nigra Killed During the Sea Empress Oil Spill

Carmarthen Bay is the most important wintering site for Common Scoters in the UK. It is estimated that the Sea Empress oil spill in February 1996 resulted in the deaths of at least 4,500 Common Scoter. This dataset contains the results of a study to describe the population structure, body condition, level of oiling, biometrics, moult, diet and cause of death of Common Scoters killed by the Sea Empress oil spill, and to investigate factors affecting body condition, diet and cause of death. Data captured in order to describe the biometrics and moult of Common Scoters killed in the Sea Empress oil spill, to determine the age structure of killed birds, and to determine the diet of birds through gut contents analysis.

All data is held within the reports.

Identifier: NRW_DS110126

Metadata Language: English

Lineage: After retrieval of Common Scoters killed during the Sea Empress oil spill were stored at the National Museum of Wales and catalogued in terms of date and location of recovery, rehabilitation status (i.e. whether or not birds had been supplied from bird hospitals), and condition of corpse (Howlett 1996).

Birds transported to WWT Slimbridge where every specimen was further categorised in terms of the degree of oiling suffered, physical condition, sex and age. The level of oiling was scored from 0 to 4. The amount of fat reserves present was ascertained by dissection and scored from 0 to 4. During the biometrics and moult study, the oesophagus, proventriculus and gizzard of each bird were removed and immediately frozen at -20 degrees C. Gut contents were extracted for analysis at a later date. As the proportion of Common Scoters with food in the oesophagus or proventriculus was very low ( less than 1% in the preliminary sample), gut contents analysis was restricted to gizzard analyses. Gizzard contents consisted mainly of shell fragments; therefore it was not possible to collect quantitative information on the biomass and relative proportions of different food items. Consequently, each food item was simply identified to species level and the proportion of birds feeding on each food item (% occurrence) calculated.

Additional Information: Hughes, B., Stewart, B., Brown, M., Hearn, R. 1997. Studies of Common scoter Melanitta nigra nigra killed during the Sea Empress oil Spill. Final Report to SEEEC, CCW Sea Empress Science Report 233.

Hughes, B., Stewart, B., Brown, M., Hearn, R. 1996. Biometric and Gut Contents Analysis of Common Scoter Melanitta Nigra Nigra. Preliminary Report to SEEEC, CCW Sea Empress Science Report 233a.

Dataset Reference Date (Publication): 1997-11-30

Temporal Extent

Begin date: 1996-02-24

End date: 1996-03-02

Topic category

Biota

Owner

Natural Resources Wales (NRW)

Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales

http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en

Originator

Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT). WWT Wetlands Advisory Service.

c/o Wildlife and Wetlands Trust, Slimbridge, Gloucestershire

http://www.wwt.org.uk/

Extent

Geographic Extent: SIR GAERFYRDDIN - CARMARTHENSHIRE

Geographic Extent: Wales (WLS)

Map representing the geographic extent of the dataset

Vertical Extent

Medin Extent Keyword: water column boundary layer

Format Type and Description

Documents ( )

Specification

[A] The reports are held in the following formats (MS Word, PDF format, WPD) [B] Application (LHA.EXE and SEEECSCO.EXE unknown application files)

Data quality

Quality Scope: Dataset

Conformity: Commission Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 of 23 November 2010 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of spatial data sets and services
Explanation: This dataset has not been assessed for conformance to the referenced INSPIRE regulation.
Degree: false

Lineage: After retrieval of Common Scoters killed during the Sea Empress oil spill were stored at the National Museum of Wales and catalogued in terms of date and location of recovery, rehabilitation status (i.e. whether or not birds had been supplied from bird hospitals), and condition of corpse (Howlett 1996).

Birds transported to WWT Slimbridge where every specimen was further categorised in terms of the degree of oiling suffered, physical condition, sex and age. The level of oiling was scored from 0 to 4. The amount of fat reserves present was ascertained by dissection and scored from 0 to 4. During the biometrics and moult study, the oesophagus, proventriculus and gizzard of each bird were removed and immediately frozen at -20 degrees C. Gut contents were extracted for analysis at a later date. As the proportion of Common Scoters with food in the oesophagus or proventriculus was very low ( less than 1% in the preliminary sample), gut contents analysis was restricted to gizzard analyses. Gizzard contents consisted mainly of shell fragments; therefore it was not possible to collect quantitative information on the biomass and relative proportions of different food items. Consequently, each food item was simply identified to species level and the proportion of birds feeding on each food item (% occurrence) calculated.

Keywords

GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0

Species distribution

Type: Theme

Citation

Date (Publication): 2008-06-01

Code: geonetwork.thesaurus.external.theme.httpinspireeceuropaeutheme-theme

Keywords

NRW Thesaurus

Milford Haven
melanitta nigra
body condition
Carmarthen Bay
muscle wastage
Sea Empress
fat reserves
gut content analysis
population structure
common scoter (black scoter)
moult
diets
marine and freshwater inventory
biometrics (biometry)
starvation
wintering site
oiled birds

Type: Theme

Citation

Date (Publication): 2024-06-19

Code: geonetwork.thesaurus.local.theme.converted_nrw-keywords

Keywords

SeaDataNet Parameter Discovery Vocabulary

Bird taxonomy-related abundance per unit area of surface

Type: Theme

Citation

Date (Publication): 2024-06-19

Code: geonetwork.thesaurus.external.theme.rdf+xml

Keywords

IPSV Subjects List

Oil spillage

Type: Theme

Citation

Date (Publication): 2020-11-18

Code: geonetwork.thesaurus.external.theme.subjects

Code: British National Grid (EPSG::27700)

Content Information

NRW Profile

Custom Elements

NRW Related Title: Biometric and gut contents analyses of common scoter melanitta nigra nigra : preliminary report

NRW Related Title: Studies of common scoter Melanitta nigra nigra killed during the Sea Empress oil spill

Constraints

Limitations on Public Access and Use

Restriction type: Other restrictions

Access Constraints Directive

Limitations: no limitations

Access Constraints Text

Other constraints: There are no access restrictions to this data. NRW may release, publish or disseminate it freely.

Use Constraints

Use constraints type: Other restrictions

Other constraints: © CNC/NRW Data may be re-used under the terms of the Open Government Licence providing it is done so, acknowledging both the source and NRW's copyright. It is the recipient's responsibility to ensure the data is fit for the intended purpose.

Attribution Statement

Metadata

File Identifier: 4f4c4942-4343-5764-6473-313130313236 XML

Metadata Language: English

Resource type: Dataset

Metadata Date: 2025-02-04T10:38:25.352Z

Metadata Standard Name: NRW

Metadata Standard Version: 1.0

pointOfContact

Natural Resources Wales (NRW)

Maes-y-Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DW, Wales

http://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en

Publishing Body

Access the portal

Full access to the portal and metadata.

Studies and Biometric Gut Content Analyses of Common Scoter Melanitta nigra nigra Killed During the Sea Empress Oil Spill

Identification

Temporal Extent

Extent

Extent

Vertical Extent

Distribution

Quality

Data quality

Keywords

Keywords

Citation

Keywords

Citation

Keywords

Citation

Keywords

Citation

Spatial Reference System

Content

Content Information

NRW Profile

Custom Elements

Constraints

Constraints

Limitations on Public Access and Use

Access Constraints Directive

Access Constraints Text

Use Constraints

Attribution Statement

Metadata

Metadata

Publishing Body