Dive depth profile and immobilisation data of adult male and female Weddell seals at Drescher Inlet from expedition DRE1998 ...

• Main Authors: Plötz, Joachim, Bornemann, Horst, Knust, Rainer, Schröder, Alexander, Bester, Marthán Nieuwoudt
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: PANGAEA 2001
• Subjects: Marine endotherm; DRE1998; Drescher Camp; Marine Mammal Tracking MMT; Ice Shelf; Larsen Ice Shelf; Riiser Larsen Ice Shelf; Riiser-Larsen Ice Shelf; Weddell Sea; Weddell Seals
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.1594/pangaea.603344; https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.603344

Adult male and female Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) were fitted with Time-depth recorders (TDR) at Drescher Inlet (Riiser Larsen Ice Shelf), eastern Weddell Sea coast, in February 1998. Eight of 15 data sets were selected for analyses to investigate the seals' foraging behaviour (doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.511465, doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.511454, doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.511456, doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.511457, doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.511459, doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.511462, doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.511466, doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.511467). These data sets provided simultaneous dive records of eight seals over eight days. The seals primarily foraged within two depth layers, these being from the sea surface to 160 m where temperature and salinity varied considerably, and from 340 to 450 m near the bottom where temperature was lowest and salinity highest, with little variation. While pelagic and benthic diving occurred during daylight, the seals foraged almost exclusively in the upper water column at night. Trawling during daytime confirmed ... : Supplement to: Plötz, Joachim; Bornemann, Horst; Knust, Rainer; Schröder, Alexander; Bester, Marthán Nieuwoudt (2001): Foraging behaviour of Weddell seals, and its ecological implications. Polar Biology, 24(12), 901-909 ...