Regional differences in the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of oceanographic habitat used by Steller sea lions
Over the past three decades, the decline and altered spatial distribution of the western stock of Steller sea lions ( Eumetopias jubatus ) in Alaska have been attributed to changes in the distribution or abundance of their prey due to the cumulative effects of fisheries and environmental perturbatio...
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crwiley:10.1890/08-0159.1 2023-12-03T10:31:46+01:00 Regional differences in the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of oceanographic habitat used by Steller sea lions Lander, Michelle E. Loughlin, Thomas R. Logsdon, Miles G. VanBlaricom, Glenn R. Fadely, Brian S. Fritz, Lowell W. 2009 http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/08-0159.1 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1890%2F08-0159.1 https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1890/08-0159.1 en eng Wiley http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor Ecological Applications volume 19, issue 6, page 1645-1659 ISSN 1051-0761 1939-5582 Ecology journal-article 2009 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1890/08-0159.1 2023-11-09T14:29:17Z Over the past three decades, the decline and altered spatial distribution of the western stock of Steller sea lions ( Eumetopias jubatus ) in Alaska have been attributed to changes in the distribution or abundance of their prey due to the cumulative effects of fisheries and environmental perturbations. During this period, dietary prey occurrence and diet diversity were related to population decline within metapopulation regions of the western stock of Steller sea lions, suggesting that environmental conditions may be variable among regions. The objective of this study, therefore, was to examine regional differences in the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of oceanographic habitat used by Steller sea lions within the context of recent measures of diet diversity and population trajectories. Habitat use was assessed by deploying satellite‐depth recorders and satellite relay data loggers on juvenile Steller sea lions ( n = 45) over a five‐year period (2000–2004) within four regions of the western stock, including the western, central, and eastern Aleutian Islands, and central Gulf of Alaska. Areas used by sea lions during summer months (June, July, and August) were demarcated using satellite telemetry data and characterized by environmental variables (sea surface temperature [SST] and chlorophyll α [chl α]), which possibly serve as proxies for environmental processes or prey. Spatial patterns of SST diversity and Steller sea lion population trends among regions were fairly consistent with trends reported for diet studies, possibly indicating a link between environmental diversity, prey diversity, and distribution or abundance of Steller sea lions. Overall, maximum spatial heterogeneity coupled with minimal temporal variability of SST appeared to be beneficial for Steller sea lions. In contrast, these patterns were not consistent for chl α, and there appeared to be an ecological threshold. Understanding how Steller sea lions respond to measures of environmental heterogeneity will ultimately be useful for ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Alaska Aleutian Islands Wiley Online Library (via Crossref) Gulf of Alaska Ecological Applications 19 6 1645 1659 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Wiley Online Library (via Crossref) |
op_collection_id |
crwiley |
language |
English |
topic |
Ecology |
spellingShingle |
Ecology Lander, Michelle E. Loughlin, Thomas R. Logsdon, Miles G. VanBlaricom, Glenn R. Fadely, Brian S. Fritz, Lowell W. Regional differences in the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of oceanographic habitat used by Steller sea lions |
topic_facet |
Ecology |
description |
Over the past three decades, the decline and altered spatial distribution of the western stock of Steller sea lions ( Eumetopias jubatus ) in Alaska have been attributed to changes in the distribution or abundance of their prey due to the cumulative effects of fisheries and environmental perturbations. During this period, dietary prey occurrence and diet diversity were related to population decline within metapopulation regions of the western stock of Steller sea lions, suggesting that environmental conditions may be variable among regions. The objective of this study, therefore, was to examine regional differences in the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of oceanographic habitat used by Steller sea lions within the context of recent measures of diet diversity and population trajectories. Habitat use was assessed by deploying satellite‐depth recorders and satellite relay data loggers on juvenile Steller sea lions ( n = 45) over a five‐year period (2000–2004) within four regions of the western stock, including the western, central, and eastern Aleutian Islands, and central Gulf of Alaska. Areas used by sea lions during summer months (June, July, and August) were demarcated using satellite telemetry data and characterized by environmental variables (sea surface temperature [SST] and chlorophyll α [chl α]), which possibly serve as proxies for environmental processes or prey. Spatial patterns of SST diversity and Steller sea lion population trends among regions were fairly consistent with trends reported for diet studies, possibly indicating a link between environmental diversity, prey diversity, and distribution or abundance of Steller sea lions. Overall, maximum spatial heterogeneity coupled with minimal temporal variability of SST appeared to be beneficial for Steller sea lions. In contrast, these patterns were not consistent for chl α, and there appeared to be an ecological threshold. Understanding how Steller sea lions respond to measures of environmental heterogeneity will ultimately be useful for ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Lander, Michelle E. Loughlin, Thomas R. Logsdon, Miles G. VanBlaricom, Glenn R. Fadely, Brian S. Fritz, Lowell W. |
author_facet |
Lander, Michelle E. Loughlin, Thomas R. Logsdon, Miles G. VanBlaricom, Glenn R. Fadely, Brian S. Fritz, Lowell W. |
author_sort |
Lander, Michelle E. |
title |
Regional differences in the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of oceanographic habitat used by Steller sea lions |
title_short |
Regional differences in the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of oceanographic habitat used by Steller sea lions |
title_full |
Regional differences in the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of oceanographic habitat used by Steller sea lions |
title_fullStr |
Regional differences in the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of oceanographic habitat used by Steller sea lions |
title_full_unstemmed |
Regional differences in the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of oceanographic habitat used by Steller sea lions |
title_sort |
regional differences in the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of oceanographic habitat used by steller sea lions |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2009 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/08-0159.1 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1890%2F08-0159.1 https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1890/08-0159.1 |
geographic |
Gulf of Alaska |
geographic_facet |
Gulf of Alaska |
genre |
Alaska Aleutian Islands |
genre_facet |
Alaska Aleutian Islands |
op_source |
Ecological Applications volume 19, issue 6, page 1645-1659 ISSN 1051-0761 1939-5582 |
op_rights |
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1890/08-0159.1 |
container_title |
Ecological Applications |
container_volume |
19 |
container_issue |
6 |
container_start_page |
1645 |
op_container_end_page |
1659 |
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1784258258183127040 |