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When Surtsey rose from the North Atlantic Ocean south of Iceland in 1963, it became a unique natural labora- tory on how organisms colonize volcanic islands and form ecosystems with contrasting structures and functions. In July, 2004, ecosystem respiration rate (Re), soil properties and surface cover of vascular plants were measured in 21 per- manent research plots distributed among the juvenile com- munities of the island. The plots were divided into two main groups, inside and outside a seagull (Larus spp.) colony es- tablished on the island. Vegetation cover of the plots was strongly related to the density of gull nests. Occurrence of nests and increased vegetation cover also coincided with sig- nificant increases in Re, soil carbon, nitrogen and C:N ratio, and with significant reductions in soil pH and soil temper- atures. Temperature sensitivity (Q10 value) of Re was de- termined as 5.3. When compared at constant temperature the Re was found to be 59 times higher within the seagull colony, similar to the highest fluxes measured in drained wetlands or agricultural fields in Iceland. The amount of soil nitrogen, mainly brought onto the island by the seagulls, was the criti- cal factor that most influenced ecosystem fluxes and vegeta- tion development on Surtsey. The present study shows how ecosystem activity can be enhanced by colonization of ani- mals that transfer resources from a nearby ecosystem.

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