Arctic | Seabirds
Seabird Tissue Archival and Monitoring Project (STAMP) Collection at the NIST Biorepository Presenter: Jennifer Hoguet , jennifer.hoguet@nist.gov, NIST
Rebecca Pugh , rebecca.pugh@nist.gov, NIST Amanda Moors , amanda.moors@nist.gov, NIST Debra Ellisor , debra.ellisor@nist.gov, NIST Jennifer Ness , jennifer.ness@nist.gov, NIST
Seabirds play an important role in the monitoring of environmental pollutants. Specifically, eggs from alcid seabirds (e.g., murres, puffins, etc.) have been identified as key tissues for monitoring persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the circumpolar arctic (Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) (1998)). In 1999, the 100-year-long Seabird Tissue Archival and Monitoring Project (STAMP) was initiated as a collaboration between the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the US Geological Survey Biological Resources Division (USGS-BRD), the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and other partners. This long-term project was designed as a means to systematically identify and track pollutants in Alaskan seabird eggs while simultaneously archiving homogenous subsamples for retrospective analysis. The standardized protocols for collecting, processing, and archiving eggs were designed to 1) provide sufficient material for multiple analyses, 2) ensure sample integrity by minimizing potential contamination, 3) protect long-term sample stability by enlisting cryogenic techniques and archival, and 4) keep and maintain records of sample history. Over these last 20 years, STAMP has amassed approximately 1850 individual eggs from 5 Alaskan seabird species (i.e., common murre ( Uria aalge ), thick-billed murre ( U. lomvia ), black-legged kittiwake ( Rissa tridactyla ), glaucous gull ( Larus glaucescens ), and glaucous-winged gulls ( L. hyperboreus ) spanning 45 colonies. Following significant collection and processing efforts by collaborating partners, eggs have been cryogenically archived at the NIST Biorepository at the Hollings Marine Laboratory in Charleston, SC. Through their use in many research endeavors, the STAMP collection has proven an invaluable resource and will remain so for years to come. Use of these samples is highly encouraged and can be requested through a STAMP online tissue access policy.
Alaska Marine Science Symposium 2023 229
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