The diet of Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) in Terra Nova Bay using stable isotope analysis
Stable isotope analyses were used to investigate the diet of Weddell seals in Terra Nova Bay (Ross Sea) and the potential variation of their foraging behaviour with age, sex and body mass. For this purpose, skin samples were collected from adult breeding seals and pups, together with muscle samples...
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Taylor & Francis Group
2020
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1080/24750263.2020.1720832 https://doaj.org/article/b4290328edc1487fa7c90578eb85e68e |
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:b4290328edc1487fa7c90578eb85e68e 2023-05-15T13:46:37+02:00 The diet of Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) in Terra Nova Bay using stable isotope analysis P. Rumolo I. A. Zappes A. Fabiani M. Barra A. Rakaj R. Palozzi G. Allegrucci 2020-01-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1080/24750263.2020.1720832 https://doaj.org/article/b4290328edc1487fa7c90578eb85e68e EN eng Taylor & Francis Group http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/24750263.2020.1720832 https://doaj.org/toc/2475-0263 2475-0263 doi:10.1080/24750263.2020.1720832 https://doaj.org/article/b4290328edc1487fa7c90578eb85e68e The European Zoological Journal, Vol 87, Iss 1, Pp 94-104 (2020) weddell seal diet leptonychotes weddellii stable isotopes terra nova bay antarctica Zoology QL1-991 article 2020 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1080/24750263.2020.1720832 2022-12-31T15:48:38Z Stable isotope analyses were used to investigate the diet of Weddell seals in Terra Nova Bay (Ross Sea) and the potential variation of their foraging behaviour with age, sex and body mass. For this purpose, skin samples were collected from adult breeding seals and pups, together with muscle samples of their potential prey. Our results showed variation in foraging behavior between age classes, with pups reporting lower δ13C values than adults, while no significant differences in δ15N were recorded. In addition, contrary to expectations, a mixing model analysis showed that adult seals foraged mainly on shallow benthic prey, such as Trematomus spp. (34.1%) and Dissostichus mawsoni (21.1%), rather than on pelagic fish, such as Pleuragramma antarcticum (9.8%). Overall, with this paper we provide novel diet information on a seal colony not previously sampled, adding new insight into the feeding ecology of a top Antarctic predator. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Ross Sea Weddell Seal Weddell Seals Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Antarctic Ross Sea Terra Nova Bay Weddell The European Zoological Journal 87 1 94 104 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
weddell seal diet leptonychotes weddellii stable isotopes terra nova bay antarctica Zoology QL1-991 |
spellingShingle |
weddell seal diet leptonychotes weddellii stable isotopes terra nova bay antarctica Zoology QL1-991 P. Rumolo I. A. Zappes A. Fabiani M. Barra A. Rakaj R. Palozzi G. Allegrucci The diet of Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) in Terra Nova Bay using stable isotope analysis |
topic_facet |
weddell seal diet leptonychotes weddellii stable isotopes terra nova bay antarctica Zoology QL1-991 |
description |
Stable isotope analyses were used to investigate the diet of Weddell seals in Terra Nova Bay (Ross Sea) and the potential variation of their foraging behaviour with age, sex and body mass. For this purpose, skin samples were collected from adult breeding seals and pups, together with muscle samples of their potential prey. Our results showed variation in foraging behavior between age classes, with pups reporting lower δ13C values than adults, while no significant differences in δ15N were recorded. In addition, contrary to expectations, a mixing model analysis showed that adult seals foraged mainly on shallow benthic prey, such as Trematomus spp. (34.1%) and Dissostichus mawsoni (21.1%), rather than on pelagic fish, such as Pleuragramma antarcticum (9.8%). Overall, with this paper we provide novel diet information on a seal colony not previously sampled, adding new insight into the feeding ecology of a top Antarctic predator. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
P. Rumolo I. A. Zappes A. Fabiani M. Barra A. Rakaj R. Palozzi G. Allegrucci |
author_facet |
P. Rumolo I. A. Zappes A. Fabiani M. Barra A. Rakaj R. Palozzi G. Allegrucci |
author_sort |
P. Rumolo |
title |
The diet of Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) in Terra Nova Bay using stable isotope analysis |
title_short |
The diet of Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) in Terra Nova Bay using stable isotope analysis |
title_full |
The diet of Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) in Terra Nova Bay using stable isotope analysis |
title_fullStr |
The diet of Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) in Terra Nova Bay using stable isotope analysis |
title_full_unstemmed |
The diet of Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) in Terra Nova Bay using stable isotope analysis |
title_sort |
diet of weddell seals (leptonychotes weddellii) in terra nova bay using stable isotope analysis |
publisher |
Taylor & Francis Group |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1080/24750263.2020.1720832 https://doaj.org/article/b4290328edc1487fa7c90578eb85e68e |
geographic |
Antarctic Ross Sea Terra Nova Bay Weddell |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Ross Sea Terra Nova Bay Weddell |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Ross Sea Weddell Seal Weddell Seals |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Ross Sea Weddell Seal Weddell Seals |
op_source |
The European Zoological Journal, Vol 87, Iss 1, Pp 94-104 (2020) |
op_relation |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/24750263.2020.1720832 https://doaj.org/toc/2475-0263 2475-0263 doi:10.1080/24750263.2020.1720832 https://doaj.org/article/b4290328edc1487fa7c90578eb85e68e |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1080/24750263.2020.1720832 |
container_title |
The European Zoological Journal |
container_volume |
87 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
94 |
op_container_end_page |
104 |
_version_ |
1766244643858546688 |