Foraging habitats of top predators, and Areas of Ecological Significance, on the Kerguelen Plateau ...

• Main Authors: Hindell, Mark A., Lea, Mary-Anne, Bost, Charles-André, Charrassin, Jean-Benoît, Gales, Nick, Goldsworthy, Simon, Page, Brad, Robertson, Graham, Wienecke, Barbara, O’Toole, Malcolm, Guinet, Christophe
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: Cybium 2011
• Subjects: Ecological significance, Foraging, Marine predators, Telemetry; Antarctic; Heard Island; Kerguelen; Kerguelen Islands; Antarc*; Antarctic Fur Seals; Elephant Seals; King Penguins; Southern Elephant Seals
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.26028/cybium/2011-35sp-024; http://sfi-cybium.fr/fr/foraging-habitats-top-predators-and-areas-ecological-significance-kerguelen-plateau

Avian and mammalian predators play a key role in the Kerguelen Plateau ecosystem, both with respect to structuring the marine community and its response to anthropogenic influences, such as climate change and commercial fisheries. A powerful way to determine regions of particular ecological importance is to identify Areas of Ecological Significance (AES): regions that are utilized by multiple predator species. Such concentrations of foraging activity are indicative of enhanced primary and/or secondary productivity. These are regions that require specialised management efforts, and which are of considerable importance in the development of ecological models and climate monitoring systems. This study integrates tracking and diving data from a suite of predator species collected as part of both the French and Australian Antarctic programs at Kerguelen Islands and Heard Island respectively. Tracking and/or dive data for Macaroni and King penguins, southern Elephant seals, Antarctic fur seals and Black-browed ...