Three-dimensional space use during the bottom phase of southern elephant seal dives
Abstract Background In marine pelagic ecosystems, the spatial distribution of biomass is heterogeneous and dynamic. At large scales, physical processes are the main driving forces of biomass distribution. At fine scales, both biotic and abiotic parameters are likely to be key determinants in the hor...
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-017-0108-y https://doaj.org/article/6c08792ca7824b029cc8d82f669a1ef7 |
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:6c08792ca7824b029cc8d82f669a1ef7 2023-05-15T16:05:10+02:00 Three-dimensional space use during the bottom phase of southern elephant seal dives Yves Le Bras Joffrey Jouma’a Christophe Guinet 2017-08-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-017-0108-y https://doaj.org/article/6c08792ca7824b029cc8d82f669a1ef7 EN eng BMC http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40462-017-0108-y https://doaj.org/toc/2051-3933 doi:10.1186/s40462-017-0108-y 2051-3933 https://doaj.org/article/6c08792ca7824b029cc8d82f669a1ef7 Movement Ecology, Vol 5, Iss 1, Pp 1-15 (2017) Diving behaviour Three-dimensional path reconstruction Prey density Prey distribution Prey patch Biology (General) QH301-705.5 article 2017 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-017-0108-y 2022-12-31T01:00:13Z Abstract Background In marine pelagic ecosystems, the spatial distribution of biomass is heterogeneous and dynamic. At large scales, physical processes are the main driving forces of biomass distribution. At fine scales, both biotic and abiotic parameters are likely to be key determinants in the horizontal and vertical distribution of biomass, with direct consequences on the foraging behaviour of diving predators. However, fine scale three-dimensional (3D) spatial interactions between diving predators and their prey are still poorly known. Results We reconstructed and examined the patterns of southern elephant seals 3D path during the bottom phase of their dives, and related them to estimated prey encounter density. We found that southern elephant seal tracks at bottom are strongly dominated by a single horizontal direction. In high prey density areas, seals travelled shorter distances but their track remained strongly orientated according to a main linear direction. Horizontal, and more importantly, vertical deviations from this main direction, were related negatively to the estimated prey density. We found that prey encounter density decreased with diving depth but tended to be more predictable. Conclusion Southern elephant seal behaviour during the bottom phase of their dives suggest that the prey are dispersed and distributed into layers in which their density relates to the vertical spread of the layer. The linear trajectories performed by the elephant seals would allow to explore the largest volume of water, maximizing the opportunities of prey encounter, while travelling great horizontal distances. Article in Journal/Newspaper Elephant Seal Elephant Seals Southern Elephant Seal Southern Elephant Seals Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Movement Ecology 5 1 |
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Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Diving behaviour Three-dimensional path reconstruction Prey density Prey distribution Prey patch Biology (General) QH301-705.5 |
spellingShingle |
Diving behaviour Three-dimensional path reconstruction Prey density Prey distribution Prey patch Biology (General) QH301-705.5 Yves Le Bras Joffrey Jouma’a Christophe Guinet Three-dimensional space use during the bottom phase of southern elephant seal dives |
topic_facet |
Diving behaviour Three-dimensional path reconstruction Prey density Prey distribution Prey patch Biology (General) QH301-705.5 |
description |
Abstract Background In marine pelagic ecosystems, the spatial distribution of biomass is heterogeneous and dynamic. At large scales, physical processes are the main driving forces of biomass distribution. At fine scales, both biotic and abiotic parameters are likely to be key determinants in the horizontal and vertical distribution of biomass, with direct consequences on the foraging behaviour of diving predators. However, fine scale three-dimensional (3D) spatial interactions between diving predators and their prey are still poorly known. Results We reconstructed and examined the patterns of southern elephant seals 3D path during the bottom phase of their dives, and related them to estimated prey encounter density. We found that southern elephant seal tracks at bottom are strongly dominated by a single horizontal direction. In high prey density areas, seals travelled shorter distances but their track remained strongly orientated according to a main linear direction. Horizontal, and more importantly, vertical deviations from this main direction, were related negatively to the estimated prey density. We found that prey encounter density decreased with diving depth but tended to be more predictable. Conclusion Southern elephant seal behaviour during the bottom phase of their dives suggest that the prey are dispersed and distributed into layers in which their density relates to the vertical spread of the layer. The linear trajectories performed by the elephant seals would allow to explore the largest volume of water, maximizing the opportunities of prey encounter, while travelling great horizontal distances. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Yves Le Bras Joffrey Jouma’a Christophe Guinet |
author_facet |
Yves Le Bras Joffrey Jouma’a Christophe Guinet |
author_sort |
Yves Le Bras |
title |
Three-dimensional space use during the bottom phase of southern elephant seal dives |
title_short |
Three-dimensional space use during the bottom phase of southern elephant seal dives |
title_full |
Three-dimensional space use during the bottom phase of southern elephant seal dives |
title_fullStr |
Three-dimensional space use during the bottom phase of southern elephant seal dives |
title_full_unstemmed |
Three-dimensional space use during the bottom phase of southern elephant seal dives |
title_sort |
three-dimensional space use during the bottom phase of southern elephant seal dives |
publisher |
BMC |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-017-0108-y https://doaj.org/article/6c08792ca7824b029cc8d82f669a1ef7 |
genre |
Elephant Seal Elephant Seals Southern Elephant Seal Southern Elephant Seals |
genre_facet |
Elephant Seal Elephant Seals Southern Elephant Seal Southern Elephant Seals |
op_source |
Movement Ecology, Vol 5, Iss 1, Pp 1-15 (2017) |
op_relation |
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40462-017-0108-y https://doaj.org/toc/2051-3933 doi:10.1186/s40462-017-0108-y 2051-3933 https://doaj.org/article/6c08792ca7824b029cc8d82f669a1ef7 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-017-0108-y |
container_title |
Movement Ecology |
container_volume |
5 |
container_issue |
1 |
_version_ |
1766400961018855424 |