The influence of climate variability on polar bear ( Ursus maritimus ) and ringed seal ( Pusa hispida ) population dynamics
Unusually high polar bear (Ursus maritimus Phipps, 1774) predation on ringed seal (Pusa hispida (Schreber, 1775)) pups and increased survival of polar bear cubs during mild springs is documented in published articles. Strong predation on newborn ringed seal pups in early spring, however, is likely t...
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z06-001 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z06-001 |
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crcansciencepubl:10.1139/z06-001 2023-12-17T10:29:33+01:00 The influence of climate variability on polar bear ( Ursus maritimus ) and ringed seal ( Pusa hispida ) population dynamics Rosing-Asvid, A 2006 http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z06-001 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z06-001 en eng Canadian Science Publishing http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 84, issue 3, page 357-364 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics journal-article 2006 crcansciencepubl https://doi.org/10.1139/z06-001 2023-11-19T13:38:58Z Unusually high polar bear (Ursus maritimus Phipps, 1774) predation on ringed seal (Pusa hispida (Schreber, 1775)) pups and increased survival of polar bear cubs during mild springs is documented in published articles. Strong predation on newborn ringed seal pups in early spring, however, is likely to lower the overall energy intake of polar bears if ringed seal pups are their main food, because the energetic value of ringed seal pups increases 7–8 times during the 6 week lactation period. So although hunting success in early spring increases cub survival during the period after den emergence,when they are most vulnerable, it is likely to increase the number of starving bears later in the season. This negative-feedback effect of strong spring predation will not occur in areas where other seal species are abundant during summer, and polar bears in such areas are likely to exhibit population growth during periods with milder springs, at least until the ringed seal population has been depleted. Long time series of population estimates that can be used to test this hypothesis do not exist, but it is strongly supported by catch statistics for polar bears and ringed seals from east Greenland. Article in Journal/Newspaper East Greenland Greenland polar bear Pusa hispida ringed seal Ursus maritimus Canadian Science Publishing (via Crossref) Greenland Canadian Journal of Zoology 84 3 357 364 |
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Open Polar |
collection |
Canadian Science Publishing (via Crossref) |
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 Rosing-Asvid, A The influence of climate variability on polar bear ( Ursus maritimus ) and ringed seal ( Pusa hispida ) population dynamics |
topic_facet |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
description |
Unusually high polar bear (Ursus maritimus Phipps, 1774) predation on ringed seal (Pusa hispida (Schreber, 1775)) pups and increased survival of polar bear cubs during mild springs is documented in published articles. Strong predation on newborn ringed seal pups in early spring, however, is likely to lower the overall energy intake of polar bears if ringed seal pups are their main food, because the energetic value of ringed seal pups increases 7–8 times during the 6 week lactation period. So although hunting success in early spring increases cub survival during the period after den emergence,when they are most vulnerable, it is likely to increase the number of starving bears later in the season. This negative-feedback effect of strong spring predation will not occur in areas where other seal species are abundant during summer, and polar bears in such areas are likely to exhibit population growth during periods with milder springs, at least until the ringed seal population has been depleted. Long time series of population estimates that can be used to test this hypothesis do not exist, but it is strongly supported by catch statistics for polar bears and ringed seals from east Greenland. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Rosing-Asvid, A |
author_facet |
Rosing-Asvid, A |
author_sort |
Rosing-Asvid, A |
title |
The influence of climate variability on polar bear ( Ursus maritimus ) and ringed seal ( Pusa hispida ) population dynamics |
title_short |
The influence of climate variability on polar bear ( Ursus maritimus ) and ringed seal ( Pusa hispida ) population dynamics |
title_full |
The influence of climate variability on polar bear ( Ursus maritimus ) and ringed seal ( Pusa hispida ) population dynamics |
title_fullStr |
The influence of climate variability on polar bear ( Ursus maritimus ) and ringed seal ( Pusa hispida ) population dynamics |
title_full_unstemmed |
The influence of climate variability on polar bear ( Ursus maritimus ) and ringed seal ( Pusa hispida ) population dynamics |
title_sort |
influence of climate variability on polar bear ( ursus maritimus ) and ringed seal ( pusa hispida ) population dynamics |
publisher |
Canadian Science Publishing |
publishDate |
2006 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z06-001 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z06-001 |
geographic |
Greenland |
geographic_facet |
Greenland |
genre |
East Greenland Greenland polar bear Pusa hispida ringed seal Ursus maritimus |
genre_facet |
East Greenland Greenland polar bear Pusa hispida ringed seal Ursus maritimus |
op_source |
Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 84, issue 3, page 357-364 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 |
op_rights |
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1139/z06-001 |
container_title |
Canadian Journal of Zoology |
container_volume |
84 |
container_issue |
3 |
container_start_page |
357 |
op_container_end_page |
364 |
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1785581966685372416 |