Impact of El Nino on the foraging behavior of female northern elephant seals
Our aim was to examine the foraging behavior of northern elephant seals Mirounga angustirostris during the 1997-98 El Nino and compare it to foraging in others years. Given their deep diving and spatial distribution, their immediate response to a severe El Nino was expected to give insight into the...
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ftcdlib:qt3p31382x 2023-05-15T16:05:40+02:00 Impact of El Nino on the foraging behavior of female northern elephant seals Crocker, D E Costa, Daniel P Le Boeuf, B J Webb, P M Houser, D S 1 - 10 2006-01-01 application/pdf http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/3p31382x english eng eScholarship, University of California qt3p31382x http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/3p31382x public Crocker, D E; Costa, Daniel P; Le Boeuf, B J; Webb, P M; & Houser, D S. (2006). Impact of El Nino on the foraging behavior of female northern elephant seals. Marine Ecology-Progress Series, 309, 1 - 10. UC Santa Cruz: Retrieved from: http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/3p31382x El Nino foraging seals water temperature prey patches article 2006 ftcdlib 2016-04-02T18:34:26Z Our aim was to examine the foraging behavior of northern elephant seals Mirounga angustirostris during the 1997-98 El Nino and compare it to foraging in others years. Given their deep diving and spatial distribution, their immediate response to a severe El Nino was expected to give insight into the timing, scale and magnitude of El Nino Southern Oscillation impacts on a large marine predator. Time-depth records and Argos-linked satellite tracks were obtained from adult females departing on post-breeding foraging migrations from 1990 to 1999, including females foraging during the 1998 El Nino. Rates of mass gain and trip duration were recorded for females from 1983 to 1999. Movement tracks of females in 1998 were similar to those observed in non-El Nino years. Rate of mass gain at sea was 0.29 +/- 0.36 kg d(-1) in 1998, the lowest measured since 1983. Marked declines in the mass gain rate of females were noted in severe El Nino years, but not in moderate El Nino years. Females increase spring foraging trip duration to compensate for decreases in foraging success. In 1998, the frequency distribution and temporal pattern of dive shapes suggested reduced residence time in prey patches and increased travel time between patches and these parameters showed a strong relationship with rates of mass gain. Our data confirm that the immediate ecological impact of the 1997-98 El Nino was not limited to the near-shore coastal margin, but extended far out into the North Pacific Ocean. Article in Journal/Newspaper Elephant Seals University of California: eScholarship Pacific |
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Open Polar |
collection |
University of California: eScholarship |
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ftcdlib |
language |
English |
topic |
El Nino foraging seals water temperature prey patches |
spellingShingle |
El Nino foraging seals water temperature prey patches Crocker, D E Costa, Daniel P Le Boeuf, B J Webb, P M Houser, D S Impact of El Nino on the foraging behavior of female northern elephant seals |
topic_facet |
El Nino foraging seals water temperature prey patches |
description |
Our aim was to examine the foraging behavior of northern elephant seals Mirounga angustirostris during the 1997-98 El Nino and compare it to foraging in others years. Given their deep diving and spatial distribution, their immediate response to a severe El Nino was expected to give insight into the timing, scale and magnitude of El Nino Southern Oscillation impacts on a large marine predator. Time-depth records and Argos-linked satellite tracks were obtained from adult females departing on post-breeding foraging migrations from 1990 to 1999, including females foraging during the 1998 El Nino. Rates of mass gain and trip duration were recorded for females from 1983 to 1999. Movement tracks of females in 1998 were similar to those observed in non-El Nino years. Rate of mass gain at sea was 0.29 +/- 0.36 kg d(-1) in 1998, the lowest measured since 1983. Marked declines in the mass gain rate of females were noted in severe El Nino years, but not in moderate El Nino years. Females increase spring foraging trip duration to compensate for decreases in foraging success. In 1998, the frequency distribution and temporal pattern of dive shapes suggested reduced residence time in prey patches and increased travel time between patches and these parameters showed a strong relationship with rates of mass gain. Our data confirm that the immediate ecological impact of the 1997-98 El Nino was not limited to the near-shore coastal margin, but extended far out into the North Pacific Ocean. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Crocker, D E Costa, Daniel P Le Boeuf, B J Webb, P M Houser, D S |
author_facet |
Crocker, D E Costa, Daniel P Le Boeuf, B J Webb, P M Houser, D S |
author_sort |
Crocker, D E |
title |
Impact of El Nino on the foraging behavior of female northern elephant seals |
title_short |
Impact of El Nino on the foraging behavior of female northern elephant seals |
title_full |
Impact of El Nino on the foraging behavior of female northern elephant seals |
title_fullStr |
Impact of El Nino on the foraging behavior of female northern elephant seals |
title_full_unstemmed |
Impact of El Nino on the foraging behavior of female northern elephant seals |
title_sort |
impact of el nino on the foraging behavior of female northern elephant seals |
publisher |
eScholarship, University of California |
publishDate |
2006 |
url |
http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/3p31382x |
op_coverage |
1 - 10 |
geographic |
Pacific |
geographic_facet |
Pacific |
genre |
Elephant Seals |
genre_facet |
Elephant Seals |
op_source |
Crocker, D E; Costa, Daniel P; Le Boeuf, B J; Webb, P M; & Houser, D S. (2006). Impact of El Nino on the foraging behavior of female northern elephant seals. Marine Ecology-Progress Series, 309, 1 - 10. UC Santa Cruz: Retrieved from: http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/3p31382x |
op_relation |
qt3p31382x http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/3p31382x |
op_rights |
public |
_version_ |
1766401562812350464 |