Movement on the high seas: Consequences of range expansion for a pelagic top consumer, the Laysan Albatross

The range expansions of vertebrates into previously unoccupied habitats on land are relatively commonplace and their impacts on foraging ecology are well documented.  In contrast, similar examples for pelagic marine species are rare.  We examine the consequences of a 4000 km breeding range expansion by the Laysan albatross from the pelagic waters of the Hawaiian Islands to Guadalupe Island, MX, in the California Current System off western North America.  We combine electronic tracking tools with remotely censed patterns of physical and biological features to quantify differences in foraging ecology and movement patterns in this marine top consumer.  Range expansion has significantly altered albatross area utilization distributions, including near complete spatial segregation of new eastern from their central Pacific source populations.  Individuals from the new colony show unique differences in foraging movements and migration patterns, and use distinctly different ocean habitat features (SST, Primary Productivity) compared to source colonies.  We found that the range expansion had significant consequences on albatross movement patterns and habitat utilization.