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THE WILSON JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY • Vol. 124. No. 1. March 2012 
monthly samples. 5 ,3 C analysis of the single sample 
with substantially elevated C0 2 placed the ratio of 
l3 C/ l2 C in the range of other Aleutian volcanoes, 
and higher than biogenic carbon isotope ratios in 
C0 2 (Ceding et al. 1991. Symonds et al. 2003). Of 
the 1.358** C0 2 . 0.052% originated in air/soil, and 
1.306% (or 96% of all C0 2 ) was magmatic in 
origin. It was apparently sufficiently strong to 
produce concentrations lethal to birds at certain 
times (i.c.. calm winds), even if only for a few days 
each year. We conclude that, while these gaseous 
emissions do not present an immediate threat to the 
large auklet population, birds could be particularly 
susceptible in some years, and especially if future 
volcanic eruptions occur at this site. 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 
We thank A. U. Igamberdiev for assistance with Russian 
translation. C. A. Neal of the Alaska Volcano Observatory 
(USGS, Anchorage, AK. USA), for proposing the gas 
sampling and analysis, and C. P Brake, E. E. Penney, 
D. W. Pirie-Hay, and G. VI. Samson for assistance in the 
field. Michelle Willc provided valuable discussions on 
avian pathology. The Natural Sciences and Engineering 
Research Council of Canada. Alaska Maritime National 
Wildlilc Refuge, and Northern Scientific Training Program 
of the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern 
Development of Canada supported our work in the 
Aleutians financially, and the captain and crew of the M/ 
V Tiglax. and J. C. Williams and G. V. Byrd provided 
logistical support. This manuscript was improved by 
comments from C. E. Braun, and two anonymous 
reviewers. Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for 
descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement 
by the U.S. Government. 
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