The winter movements of Weddell seals in the sea ice zone of eastern Antarctica ...

• Main Author: Andrews-Goff, VL
• Format: Thesis
• Language: unknown
• Published: University Of Tasmania 2023
• Subjects: Antarctic; Dumont d'Urville; Dumont-d'Urville; The Antarctic; Vestfold; Vestfold Hills; Weddell; Antarc*; Antarctica; Sea ice; Weddell Seal; Weddell Seals
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.25959/23235164.v1; https://figshare.utas.edu.au/articles/thesis/The_winter_movements_of_Weddell_seals_in_the_sea_ice_zone_of_eastern_Antarctica/23235164/1

Winter sea ice plays a major role in the Antarctic ecosystem due to its influence on the abundance and recruitment of keystone species and the secondary production associated with the ice edge on which many Antarctic predators rely. For one of these predators, the Weddell seal, long term data sets indicate that the population dynamics of this species is closely tied up with the winter ice environment. However, very little information exists on the winter movements of Weddell seals or their interactions with the winter ice environment. Over 3 years, adult female Weddell seals were equipped with satellite relay data loggers at Dumont d'Urville and the Vestfold Hills to determine winter behaviour and the role of the local environment, including ice concentration and weather, on this behaviour. Satellite relay data loggers transmit information via the Argos satellite system on seal location and behaviour. However, the ability to answer spatial questions of this data and the role of the environment in animal ...