The effects of trophic interactions and climate change on the space use of an Arctic marine mesopredator ...

• Main Author: Florko, Katie R.N.
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: University of British Columbia 2024
• Subjects: Arctic; Climate change; Hudson Bay; Pusa hispida
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0438415; https://doi.library.ubc.ca/10.14288/1.0438415

Habitats are heterogeneous landscapes that vary in resource type, abundance, and availability. Animals are expected to select habitat that maximizes energy acquisition to, in turn, increase fitness. As such, food availability influences animal distribution, and the movement of an animal may reveal information on their foraging patterns and food availability. Additionally, predator avoidance affects animal movement, distribution, and behavior. Understanding these dynamics is increasingly important for species that face anthropogenic-caused ecosystem change. I used satellite-telemetered ringed seals (Pusa hispida) in Hudson Bay as a study species to assess the relative influence of bottom-up and top-down pressures. First, I reviewed common statistical methods for using movement data to understand an animal’s relationship with its habitat and created a practical guide for ecologists. Next, using a dynamic bioclimate envelope model, I modeled the changes in the prey base of ringed seals from 1950 to 2100 and ...