Ann Marie Aglionby Harding

EDUCATION

1999-2001 Department of Biological Sciences, University of Durham. M.Sc.

Thesis title: Reproductive Biology and Feeding Ecology of Horned Puffins. Supervised by Dr. Keith Hamer.

1995-1999 University of Sheffield, B.Sc. (Hons.) Zoology. First Class Degree classification.

Project: A manipulative experiment investigating parent-chick provisioning feedback in Horned Puffins, Chisik Island, Alaska. Supervised by Professor Tim Birkhead.
Dissertation: "Do constraints on independent breeding explain delayed dispersal in cooperative breeding birds?" Supervised by Dr. Ben Hatchwell.

RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE

Little Auk Research 2004-2007:

Co-Principal Investigator on National Science Foundation (NSF) proposal awarded $288K to determine the response of Little Auks to contrasting oceanographic conditions in the Greenland Sea (see project description below). Proposal written with Nina Karnovsky (Pomona College, USA).

Co-author on proposal entitled "Responses of Arctic marine birds to environmental constraints in the context of climate change" successfully funded by the IPEV (French Polar Institute) with David Grémillet (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; CNRS) as principal investigator. Work with Geir Gabrielsen (Norwegian Polar Institute, Norway) and Nina Karnovsky (Pomona College, USA) in establishing a four-year (2005-2008) international collaborative project comparing Little Auk populations breeding in contrasting oceanographic conditions. Responsible for science coordination among colonies and collaborators, and for leading the 2005, 2006 and 2007 field work in East Greenland. Responsible for Greenland camp logistics, safety, scientific planning, data collection, management of 7-person team, and the writing of manuscripts stemming from this study. Field work encompasses: (1) A ship survey to characterize local zooplankton communities and oceanographic conditions; (2) study of Little Auk chick-diet, parental energy expenditure (using the Doubly Labeled Water technique), adult survival, chick growth and reproductive success, and (3) collection of blood samples from captured birds, with on-site processing for later genetic, hormone (corticosterone), and stable isotope analyses.

East Greenland Expedition 2004:

Researcher, July-August 2004. Scoresbysund, East Greenland. Collaborative field work with the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources and CNRS. Conducted Common Murre population counts. Investigated potential of Little Auk colony-study in East Greenland, and collected data on Little Auk chick-diet, diving behavior (using time-depth-recorder devices), chick growth, and parental energetics (using the Doubly Labeled Water technique).

Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, US Fish and Wildlife Service:

Researcher, October 2003. St George, Pribilof Islands, Alaska. Established a plot of Least Auklet nest boxes to assess potential of nest-box use and enable study of reproductive success in future years. Researcher. June-July 2003. St George, Pribilof Islands. Established banded population of Least Auklets for monitoring adult survival. Used GPS, in collaboration with NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), to map extent of Least Auklet colony.

Little Auk Expedition 2002:

Expedition Leader. January-September 2002. Leader of self-funded Little Auk research expedition to Hornsund, Spitzbergen, with cooperation from Polish Academy of Science (logistic and scientific support and collaboration) and Norwegian Polar Institute (scientific collaboration). Wrote grant applications worth $11,700. Responsible for scientific planning and logistic coordination during all phases of proposed work; main aims were to (1) continue long-term study of Little Auk feeding and breeding ecology in relation to local oceanography, (2) using stable isotope techniques, extend feeding ecology study to include seasonal changes in diet, sex differences in diet, and differences between adult and chick diets, and (3) investigate the behavioral ecology of Little Auks, with particular emphasis on the fledging strategy and on sex differences in adult provisioning and parental care.

Alaska Pacific University, Alaska:

Research Assistant. October 2002-2006. Cooperative agreement between Alaska Pacific University and U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Centre. Lead author of proposal entitled "Techniques for monitoring populations of Horned Puffins and Parakeet Auklets", successfully funded under the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Species at Risk program for $72K over two years. Project leader of a multi-colony study examining the diurnal, seasonal and annual variability in Horned Puffin and Parakeet Auklet colony attendance. Project aims were to identify the optimum census time and effort needed to give a reliable index of true population size, and develop a standardized monitoring protocol for use throughout Alaska. Responsible for field method planning, coordination among colonies and collaborators, data analysis, and writing the final report and publication. Time Included continued work on publications stemming from the 5-yr Cook Inlet research project (see below), assisting in organisation of an international symposium on "Seabirds as Indicators of the Marine Environment" in Alaska, 2006, assistance in writing the resulting seabird monitoring strategy funded by the North Pacific Research Board (NPRB), and leading the Little Auk research conducted in Greenland.

Durham University, UK:

MSc. student enrolled at the Department of Biological Sciences, Durham University. September 1999 until June 2001. Work at the Alaska Biological Science Center and Durham University under a cooperative agreement between the University and U.S. Geological Survey. Focus on data archive, analysis, and writing of reports and publications stemming from the five-year Cook Inlet research project described below. Fieldwork: continuing the long-term study on Chisik Island; resighting Black-legged Kittiwakes for survival estimates.

Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA):

Field assistant. June 2001. Sula, Sø Trøndelag County, Norway. Experimental study investigating the effects of kelp trawling on fish populations and the feeding ecology of cormorants. Multiple parameters of cormorant feeding ecology were monitored electronically using nest-balances and radio telemetry.

Polish Polar Station; Polish Academy of Science:

Field assistant. July-August 2001. Hornsund, Spitsbergen. Little Auk Project. A collaborative international study examining how the foraging behaviour of Little Auks is influenced by the heterogeneous water masses surrounding their colonies. Involved in the colony measures of Little Auk foraging ecology and breeding biology: measuring egg size, reproductive success, attendance patterns, chick growth rates, foraging trip lengths, chick diet, and blood sampling for subsequent sex and extra-pair copulation analyses.

Iceland Institute of Natural History:

Researcher, July 2000. Skruður Island, Iceland. Established population plots for kittiwakes and Common Murres, and set up the population monitoring protocol for the island.

US Geological Survey, Alaska Biological Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska:

Camp Leader, June-September 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999. Chisik Island, Cook Inlet, Alaska. Responsible for initiation of the field camp, logistic planning, and development of scientific protocols in the first season; led all work in subsequent seasons. Part of a long-term research project to measure how seabirds respond to fluctuations in available prey density following damages from the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Work included: measuring reproductive parameters for Common Murres, Horned Puffins, Kittiwakes, Pelagic and Double-crested Cormorants, and Glaucous-winged Gulls; capture, ringing, and resighting of kittiwakes and murres; blood sampling from captured birds, with on-site processing for later genetic and hormone analyses; attaching radio transmitters to kittiwakes and murres for colony attendance monitoring; direct observations of attendance and activity; measuring chick growth rates; collecting chick meals; boat-based population counts; beach seining.

Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda:

Field assistant, February-May 1998. Worked on the Makere University-Dutch Zoos Lion Project, assessing lion population viability. Behavioral and ecological observations, with emphasis on predation events. Assisted with immobilisation of adult lions, for body measurement and biosampling. Concurrent work included bird ringing at the Queen Elizabeth National Park Bird Observatory. Developed and implemented a computer-based data-entry system for the ringing and recapture records.

US Fish and Wildlife Service, North-western Hawaiian Island National Wildlife Refuge:

Field assistant, January-April 1995, September-November 1994. Worked on Tern Island, French Frigate Shoals. Assisted in long-term studies of phenology, breeding success, survival rates, and population trends of breeding seabirds. Established and mapped monitoring subplots.

US National Biological Service, Alaska Science Center:

Field Assistant, June-August 1994. Project investigating puffins as samplers of forage fish distribution and abundance. Work on Suklik Island, (Semidi Islands, Alaska) studying the breeding and feeding biology of Horned and Tufted Puffins. Main emphasis on the collection of chick meals.

US National Biological Service, Alaska Science Center:

Full-time volunteer, September 1993- June 1994. Worked on data entry and management of large database generated by multi-year puffin fish sampling project described above. Work also included care and study of captive seabirds, and nest surveys for Kittlitz's Murrelets.

Edward Grey Institute, Skomer Island, Wales:

Field assistant, May-August 1993. Monitoring adult survival and breeding success of the island's seabirds.

Arctic Wilderness Experience, Spitzbergen, Svalbard:

Assistant guide for dog-sledding expedition business, September 1991- July 1992. Upkeep of 22 Greenland huskies. Gained high-arctic survival skills and experience essential for living in extreme and remote conditions.

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