An apparent population decrease, or change in distribution, of Weddell seals along the Victoria Land coast
Abstract Ground counts during 1959–1968 compared with counts using high resolution (0.6 m 2 ) satellite imagery during 2008–2012 indicated many fewer Weddell seals ( Leptonychotes weddellii ) at two major molting areas in the western Ross Sea: Edisto Inlet‐Moubray Bay, northern Victoria Land, and Mc...
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crwiley:10.1111/mms.12220 2024-09-30T14:38:24+00:00 An apparent population decrease, or change in distribution, of Weddell seals along the Victoria Land coast Ainley, David G. Larue, Michelle A. Stirling, Ian Stammerjohn, Sharon Siniff, Donald B. National Science Foundation University of Canterbury 2015 http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/mms.12220 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fmms.12220 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/mms.12220 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1111/mms.12220 en eng Wiley http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor Marine Mammal Science volume 31, issue 4, page 1338-1361 ISSN 0824-0469 1748-7692 journal-article 2015 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12220 2024-09-17T04:51:29Z Abstract Ground counts during 1959–1968 compared with counts using high resolution (0.6 m 2 ) satellite imagery during 2008–2012 indicated many fewer Weddell seals ( Leptonychotes weddellii ) at two major molting areas in the western Ross Sea: Edisto Inlet‐Moubray Bay, northern Victoria Land, and McMurdo Sound, southern Victoria Land. Breeding seals have largely disappeared from Edisto‐Moubray, though the breeding population in McMurdo Sound appears to have recovered from harvest in the 1960s. The timing of decline, or perhaps spreading (lower numbers of seals in more places), is unknown but appears unrelated to changes in sea ice conditions. We analyzed both historic and satellite‐derived ice data confirming a large expansion of pack ice mostly offshore of the Ross Sea, and not over the continental shelf (main Weddell seal habitat), and a thinning of fast ice along Victoria Land (conceivably beneficial to seals). Timing of fast ice presence and extent in coves and bays along Victoria Land, remains the same. The reduction in numbers is consistent with an altered food web, the reasons for which are complex. In the context of a recent industrial fishery targeting a seal prey species, a large‐scale seal monitoring program is required to increase understanding of seal population changes. Article in Journal/Newspaper McMurdo Sound Ross Sea Sea ice Victoria Land Weddell Seal Weddell Seals Wiley Online Library Edisto ENVELOPE(-67.133,-67.133,-68.217,-68.217) Edisto Inlet ENVELOPE(170.083,170.083,-72.333,-72.333) McMurdo Sound Moubray Bay ENVELOPE(170.250,170.250,-72.183,-72.183) Ross Sea Victoria Land Weddell Marine Mammal Science 31 4 1338 1361 |
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Wiley Online Library |
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crwiley |
language |
English |
description |
Abstract Ground counts during 1959–1968 compared with counts using high resolution (0.6 m 2 ) satellite imagery during 2008–2012 indicated many fewer Weddell seals ( Leptonychotes weddellii ) at two major molting areas in the western Ross Sea: Edisto Inlet‐Moubray Bay, northern Victoria Land, and McMurdo Sound, southern Victoria Land. Breeding seals have largely disappeared from Edisto‐Moubray, though the breeding population in McMurdo Sound appears to have recovered from harvest in the 1960s. The timing of decline, or perhaps spreading (lower numbers of seals in more places), is unknown but appears unrelated to changes in sea ice conditions. We analyzed both historic and satellite‐derived ice data confirming a large expansion of pack ice mostly offshore of the Ross Sea, and not over the continental shelf (main Weddell seal habitat), and a thinning of fast ice along Victoria Land (conceivably beneficial to seals). Timing of fast ice presence and extent in coves and bays along Victoria Land, remains the same. The reduction in numbers is consistent with an altered food web, the reasons for which are complex. In the context of a recent industrial fishery targeting a seal prey species, a large‐scale seal monitoring program is required to increase understanding of seal population changes. |
author2 |
National Science Foundation University of Canterbury |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Ainley, David G. Larue, Michelle A. Stirling, Ian Stammerjohn, Sharon Siniff, Donald B. |
spellingShingle |
Ainley, David G. Larue, Michelle A. Stirling, Ian Stammerjohn, Sharon Siniff, Donald B. An apparent population decrease, or change in distribution, of Weddell seals along the Victoria Land coast |
author_facet |
Ainley, David G. Larue, Michelle A. Stirling, Ian Stammerjohn, Sharon Siniff, Donald B. |
author_sort |
Ainley, David G. |
title |
An apparent population decrease, or change in distribution, of Weddell seals along the Victoria Land coast |
title_short |
An apparent population decrease, or change in distribution, of Weddell seals along the Victoria Land coast |
title_full |
An apparent population decrease, or change in distribution, of Weddell seals along the Victoria Land coast |
title_fullStr |
An apparent population decrease, or change in distribution, of Weddell seals along the Victoria Land coast |
title_full_unstemmed |
An apparent population decrease, or change in distribution, of Weddell seals along the Victoria Land coast |
title_sort |
apparent population decrease, or change in distribution, of weddell seals along the victoria land coast |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2015 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/mms.12220 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fmms.12220 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/mms.12220 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1111/mms.12220 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-67.133,-67.133,-68.217,-68.217) ENVELOPE(170.083,170.083,-72.333,-72.333) ENVELOPE(170.250,170.250,-72.183,-72.183) |
geographic |
Edisto Edisto Inlet McMurdo Sound Moubray Bay Ross Sea Victoria Land Weddell |
geographic_facet |
Edisto Edisto Inlet McMurdo Sound Moubray Bay Ross Sea Victoria Land Weddell |
genre |
McMurdo Sound Ross Sea Sea ice Victoria Land Weddell Seal Weddell Seals |
genre_facet |
McMurdo Sound Ross Sea Sea ice Victoria Land Weddell Seal Weddell Seals |
op_source |
Marine Mammal Science volume 31, issue 4, page 1338-1361 ISSN 0824-0469 1748-7692 |
op_rights |
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12220 |
container_title |
Marine Mammal Science |
container_volume |
31 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
1338 |
op_container_end_page |
1361 |
_version_ |
1811641055794167808 |