Novel terrestrial haul-out behaviour by ringed seals (Pusa hispida) in Svalbard, in association with harbour seals (Phoca vitulina)

Polar research

Guttorm N. Christensen¹  Christian Lydersen²  Jade Vaquie-Garcia³  Kit M. Kovacs³  Espen Lydersen⁴ 

[1] Akvaplan-Niva, Tromsø, NorwayView further author information;Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø, NorwayCorrespondence;Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø, NorwayView further author information;University College of Southeast Norway, Campus Bø, NorwayView further author information

关键词: Arctic;    behavioural plasticity;    climate change;    glacier fronts;    lagoons;    sea ice;   

DOI  :  10.1080/17518369.2017.1374124

学科分类：自然科学（综合）

来源: Co-Action Publishing

【 摘 要 】

ABSTRACTRinged seals (Pusa hispida) are the most ice-associated of all Arctic pinnipeds. In the Svalbard area, this species has always given birth, moulted and rested on sea ice. In addition, much of their food has been comprised of ice-associated prey. Recently, ringed seals have been reported to be using terrestrial substrates as a haul-out platform in some fjords on the west coast of Spitsbergen. In many cases the seals involved are harbour seals (Phoca vitulina), which are extending their distribution into new areas within the Svalbard Archipelago and which are being misclassified as ringed seals. However, this study reports that terrestrial haul-out by ringed seals is also now taking place on rocks exposed at low tide as well as on the coastline. Recent intrusions of warm Atlantic Water (with associated prey) have extended deep into the fjords of western Spitsbergen, resulting in deteriorated ice conditions for ringed seals and expanded habitat for harbour seals. Over the last decade, ringed seals ha...

【 授权许可】

CC BY-NC