Comparison of harbour seal diets in two inshore habitats of Atlantic Canada
We studied the composition of harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) diets in two areas, the lower Bay of Fundy and along the northeastern coast of Nova Scotia, that differ in prey species diversity, bottom type, and physical oceanography. Prey remains were found in 250 of 470 harbour seal stomachs collected...
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Canadian Science Publishing
1996
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z96-017 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z96-017 |
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crcansciencepubl:10.1139/z96-017 2024-05-19T07:37:04+00:00 Comparison of harbour seal diets in two inshore habitats of Atlantic Canada Bowen, W. D. Harrison, G. D. 1996 http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z96-017 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z96-017 en eng Canadian Science Publishing http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 74, issue 1, page 125-135 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 journal-article 1996 crcansciencepubl https://doi.org/10.1139/z96-017 2024-05-02T06:51:27Z We studied the composition of harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) diets in two areas, the lower Bay of Fundy and along the northeastern coast of Nova Scotia, that differ in prey species diversity, bottom type, and physical oceanography. Prey remains were found in 250 of 470 harbour seal stomachs collected mainly from May to September between 1988 and 1992. Although 23 taxa were identified, four species, Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus), Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), pollock (Pollachius virens), and short-finned squid (Illex illecebrosus), accounted for 84% of the estimated biomass of prey consumed in the two areas combined. Species, such as herring and squid, that dominated the diets in both habitats, also tended to be abundant in both habitats during the summer. Atlantic cod was the principal gadoid in the Bay of Fundy, whereas pollock was most important along the Atlantic coast. Differences in prey distribution and abundance appeared to account for differences in the contribution of the alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus), winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus), hake (Urophycis spp.), and capelin (Mallotus villosus) in the diet. Pronounced interannual variation in the species composition of diets was evident in both habitats. This variation was associated with broad-scale changes in prey abundance in some cases (e.g., squid and capelin) but not in others (e.g., Atlantic cod and pollock). Article in Journal/Newspaper atlantic cod Gadus morhua harbour seal Phoca vitulina Canadian Science Publishing Canadian Journal of Zoology 74 1 125 135 |
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Canadian Science Publishing |
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crcansciencepubl |
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English |
description |
We studied the composition of harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) diets in two areas, the lower Bay of Fundy and along the northeastern coast of Nova Scotia, that differ in prey species diversity, bottom type, and physical oceanography. Prey remains were found in 250 of 470 harbour seal stomachs collected mainly from May to September between 1988 and 1992. Although 23 taxa were identified, four species, Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus), Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), pollock (Pollachius virens), and short-finned squid (Illex illecebrosus), accounted for 84% of the estimated biomass of prey consumed in the two areas combined. Species, such as herring and squid, that dominated the diets in both habitats, also tended to be abundant in both habitats during the summer. Atlantic cod was the principal gadoid in the Bay of Fundy, whereas pollock was most important along the Atlantic coast. Differences in prey distribution and abundance appeared to account for differences in the contribution of the alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus), winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus), hake (Urophycis spp.), and capelin (Mallotus villosus) in the diet. Pronounced interannual variation in the species composition of diets was evident in both habitats. This variation was associated with broad-scale changes in prey abundance in some cases (e.g., squid and capelin) but not in others (e.g., Atlantic cod and pollock). |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Bowen, W. D. Harrison, G. D. |
spellingShingle |
Bowen, W. D. Harrison, G. D. Comparison of harbour seal diets in two inshore habitats of Atlantic Canada |
author_facet |
Bowen, W. D. Harrison, G. D. |
author_sort |
Bowen, W. D. |
title |
Comparison of harbour seal diets in two inshore habitats of Atlantic Canada |
title_short |
Comparison of harbour seal diets in two inshore habitats of Atlantic Canada |
title_full |
Comparison of harbour seal diets in two inshore habitats of Atlantic Canada |
title_fullStr |
Comparison of harbour seal diets in two inshore habitats of Atlantic Canada |
title_full_unstemmed |
Comparison of harbour seal diets in two inshore habitats of Atlantic Canada |
title_sort |
comparison of harbour seal diets in two inshore habitats of atlantic canada |
publisher |
Canadian Science Publishing |
publishDate |
1996 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z96-017 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z96-017 |
genre |
atlantic cod Gadus morhua harbour seal Phoca vitulina |
genre_facet |
atlantic cod Gadus morhua harbour seal Phoca vitulina |
op_source |
Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 74, issue 1, page 125-135 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 |
op_rights |
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1139/z96-017 |
container_title |
Canadian Journal of Zoology |
container_volume |
74 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
125 |
op_container_end_page |
135 |
_version_ |
1799476312284332032 |