Long-term evaluation of pup growth and preweaning survival rates in subantarctic fur seals, Arctocephalus tropicalis , on Amsterdam Island
This study is the first to investigate pup preweaning growth and survival rates over seven consecutive breeding seasons in subantarctic fur seals, Arctocephalus tropicalis, on Amsterdam Island, southern Indian Ocean. Growth and survival were studied in relation to year and pup sex, birth date, birth...
Published in: | Canadian Journal of Zoology |
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z03-114 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z03-114 |
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crcansciencepubl:10.1139/z03-114 2024-04-07T07:46:07+00:00 Long-term evaluation of pup growth and preweaning survival rates in subantarctic fur seals, Arctocephalus tropicalis , on Amsterdam Island Chambellant, Magaly Beauplet, Gwénaël Guinet, Christophe Georges, Jean-Yves 2003 http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z03-114 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z03-114 en eng Canadian Science Publishing http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 81, issue 7, page 1222-1232 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics journal-article 2003 crcansciencepubl https://doi.org/10.1139/z03-114 2024-03-08T00:37:42Z This study is the first to investigate pup preweaning growth and survival rates over seven consecutive breeding seasons in subantarctic fur seals, Arctocephalus tropicalis, on Amsterdam Island, southern Indian Ocean. Growth and survival were studied in relation to year and pup sex, birth date, birth mass, and growth rate at 60 days of age. The pup growth rate decreased over the 7-year study period and was the lowest ever found in otariids, which suggests that lactating females experience constant low food availability. Male and female pups grew and survived at similar rates. Pups that were heavier at birth grew faster and exhibited better early survival (i.e., the first 2 months of life) than pups that were lighter at birth. However, no such relationship was detected for late survival (i.e., from 2 months to weaning) in this long-lactating species. No relationship was found between pup growth rate, pup survival rate, and sea-surface temperature (SST) gradient during the study period, especially during the later years of good trophic conditions (i.e., a high SST gradient). Such dissociations suggest that variation in food availability may not be the only factor influencing pup performance until weaning. We therefore propose that the subantarctic fur seal population is reaching its carrying capacity and that a density-dependent effect is occurring on Amsterdam Island. Article in Journal/Newspaper Amsterdam Island Canadian Science Publishing Indian Canadian Journal of Zoology 81 7 1222 1232 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Canadian Science Publishing |
op_collection_id |
crcansciencepubl |
language |
English |
topic |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
spellingShingle |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Chambellant, Magaly Beauplet, Gwénaël Guinet, Christophe Georges, Jean-Yves Long-term evaluation of pup growth and preweaning survival rates in subantarctic fur seals, Arctocephalus tropicalis , on Amsterdam Island |
topic_facet |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
description |
This study is the first to investigate pup preweaning growth and survival rates over seven consecutive breeding seasons in subantarctic fur seals, Arctocephalus tropicalis, on Amsterdam Island, southern Indian Ocean. Growth and survival were studied in relation to year and pup sex, birth date, birth mass, and growth rate at 60 days of age. The pup growth rate decreased over the 7-year study period and was the lowest ever found in otariids, which suggests that lactating females experience constant low food availability. Male and female pups grew and survived at similar rates. Pups that were heavier at birth grew faster and exhibited better early survival (i.e., the first 2 months of life) than pups that were lighter at birth. However, no such relationship was detected for late survival (i.e., from 2 months to weaning) in this long-lactating species. No relationship was found between pup growth rate, pup survival rate, and sea-surface temperature (SST) gradient during the study period, especially during the later years of good trophic conditions (i.e., a high SST gradient). Such dissociations suggest that variation in food availability may not be the only factor influencing pup performance until weaning. We therefore propose that the subantarctic fur seal population is reaching its carrying capacity and that a density-dependent effect is occurring on Amsterdam Island. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Chambellant, Magaly Beauplet, Gwénaël Guinet, Christophe Georges, Jean-Yves |
author_facet |
Chambellant, Magaly Beauplet, Gwénaël Guinet, Christophe Georges, Jean-Yves |
author_sort |
Chambellant, Magaly |
title |
Long-term evaluation of pup growth and preweaning survival rates in subantarctic fur seals, Arctocephalus tropicalis , on Amsterdam Island |
title_short |
Long-term evaluation of pup growth and preweaning survival rates in subantarctic fur seals, Arctocephalus tropicalis , on Amsterdam Island |
title_full |
Long-term evaluation of pup growth and preweaning survival rates in subantarctic fur seals, Arctocephalus tropicalis , on Amsterdam Island |
title_fullStr |
Long-term evaluation of pup growth and preweaning survival rates in subantarctic fur seals, Arctocephalus tropicalis , on Amsterdam Island |
title_full_unstemmed |
Long-term evaluation of pup growth and preweaning survival rates in subantarctic fur seals, Arctocephalus tropicalis , on Amsterdam Island |
title_sort |
long-term evaluation of pup growth and preweaning survival rates in subantarctic fur seals, arctocephalus tropicalis , on amsterdam island |
publisher |
Canadian Science Publishing |
publishDate |
2003 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z03-114 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z03-114 |
geographic |
Indian |
geographic_facet |
Indian |
genre |
Amsterdam Island |
genre_facet |
Amsterdam Island |
op_source |
Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 81, issue 7, page 1222-1232 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 |
op_rights |
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1139/z03-114 |
container_title |
Canadian Journal of Zoology |
container_volume |
81 |
container_issue |
7 |
container_start_page |
1222 |
op_container_end_page |
1232 |
_version_ |
1795662734666235904 |