Effects of seagulls on ecosystem respiration, soil nitrogen and vegetation cover on a pristine volcanic island, Surtsey, Iceland

Seagull colonization on Surtsey, Iceland, dramatically enhances ecosystem respiration and vegetation development. The study found that gull nests significantly increase soil nitrogen—primarily deposited by the birds—which boosts ecosystem activity to levels comparable to drained wetlands or agricultural fields in Iceland. Within the gull colony, ecosystem respiration was 59 times higher than outside it, with a temperature sensitivity (Q10 value) of 5.3. These effects were linked to increased soil carbon and nitrogen, reduced pH, and cooler soil temperatures. The research highlights how animal-mediated resource transfer can accelerate ecosystem formation on volcanic islands.

Sigurdsson, B. D., & Magnusson, B. (2010). Effects of seagulls on ecosystem respiration, soil nitrogen and vegetation cover on a pristine volcanic island, Surtsey, Iceland. Biogeosciences, 7(3), 883–891. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-7-883-2010