Marine birds and mammals can act as sentinels to shifts in ocean ecosystems, due to their (i) reliance on finding aggregated prey for efficient foraging, (ii) need to respond to biophysical signals in support of successful seasonal migrations, and (iii) capacity to reflect changes in marine food webs. Here we present an abbreviated review of recent published accounts of marine bird and mammal responses to biophysical features of the ocean ecosystem in and near sampling regions of the Distributed Biological Observatory (DBO). The review is meant to provide both context for seabird surveys and marine mammal watches conducted in conjunction with DBO sampling and support for the inclusion of marine bird and mammal research, either by direct sampling or collaboration, in the protocols of other ocean observatories. The review is framed by the ocean processes imbedded in the Arctic Marine Pulses conceptual model, with the overarching goal to promote the routine integration of data on marine birds and mammals during the development of marine ecosystem models for Arctic regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]