Environmental influences on the at-sea behaviour of a major consumer, Mirounga leonina, in a rapidly changing environment

Polar research

Horst Bornemann¹  Maria E.I. Márquez²  P.J. Nico de Bruyn²  Trevor McIntyre²  Marthán N. Bester³  Daniel Steinhage⁴  Ryan R. Reisinger⁴  Joachim Plötz⁴ 

[1] Mammal Research InstituteDepartment of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield, 0028, South AfricaCorrespondence;Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar-und MeeresforschungPostfach 120161, DE-27515, Bremerhaven, Germany;Instituto Antártico ArgentinoDepartamento Biologia de Predadores Tope, Balcarce 290 (C1064AAF), Buenos Aires, Argentina;Mammal Research InstituteDepartment of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield, 0028, South Africa

关键词: Southern elephant seals;    foraging ecology;    satellite-relay data loggers;    King George Island;    Isla 25 de Mayo;    at-sea behaviour;   

DOI  :  10.3402/polar.v33.23808

学科分类：自然科学（综合）

来源: Co-Action Publishing

【 摘 要 】

Understanding the distribution and foraging ecology of major consumers within pelagic systems, specifically in relation to physical parameters, can be important for the management of bentho-pelagic systems undergoing rapid change associated with global climate change and other anthropogenic disturbances such as fishing (i.e., the Antarctic Peninsula and Scotia Sea). We tracked 11 adult male southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina), during their five-month post-moult foraging migrations from King George Island (Isla 25 de Mayo), northern Antarctic Peninsula, using tags capable of recording and transmitting behavioural data and in situ temperature and salinity data. Seals foraged mostly within the Weddell–Scotia Confluence, while a few foraged along the western Antarctic Peninsula shelf of the Bellingshausen Sea. Mixed model outputs suggest that the at-sea behaviour of seals was associated with a number of environmental parameters, especially seafloor depth, sea-ice concentrations and the temperature stru...

【 授权许可】

CC BY-NC