The life of a seabird includes two major phases: their life at sea, and the times when they return to land to breed. Through these cycles, seabirds bring ocean-derived nutrients to their colonies on land, initiating a transfer of nutrients that land ecosystems would otherwise not have.
These sea nutrients enrich soil and support biodiversity, from plant communities to insects, birds, and reptiles. The benefits of sea nutrients from seabirds are not limited to land, though. These nutrients often find their way back to marine ecosystems when they are washed back into the ocean.
“Compared to islands without seabirds, marine environments near islands with seabirds have ‘coral reefs recovering faster after bleaching events, fish growing faster, higher fish biomass, and increased macroalgae,’ Holly Jones, lead author of the study and an ecologist at Northern Illinois University, U.S., told Mongabay in an email.”
From puffins to pelicans, these sea-and-land-dwellers have inspired a new term to describe their roles in their respective ecosystems: the circular seabird economy.
Posted: November 28, 2025