Leopard seal diets in a rapidly warming polar region vary by year, season, sex, and body size

• Published in: BMC Ecology
• Main Authors: Douglas J. Krause, Michael E. Goebel, Carolyn M. Kurle
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2020
• Subjects: Stable isotope mixing model; Apex predator; Top down; Prey shift; Hydrurga leptonyx; Climate change; Ecology; QH540-549.5; Antarctic; The Antarctic; Antarctic Peninsula; Austral; Livingston Island; Hydrurga; Shirreff; Cape Shirreff; Antarc*; Antarctic Fur Seal; Antarctic Krill; Leopard Seal; Leopard Seals
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12898-020-00300-y; https://doaj.org/article/89350cdc2b864ba7ace881df920af664

Abstract Background Resolving the preferred prey items and dietary proportions of leopard seals is central to understanding food-web dynamics in the rapidly-warming Antarctic Peninsula region. Previous studies have identified a wide range of prey items; however, due to anecdotal or otherwise limited...