Characteristics of the grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) diet in the Vistula River mouth (Mewia Łacha Nature Reserve, southern Baltic Sea), based on the osteological and molecular studies of scat samples

Summary: The study analyses for the first time the diet composition of grey seals inhabiting the Polish Baltic Sea coast. Samples of seal scat were collected in the Mewia Łacha Nature Reserve at the mouth of the Vistula River. Using genetic and osteological methods, the remains of organisms included...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Published in:Oceanologia
Main Authors: Sławomir Keszka, Remigiusz Panicz, Katarzyna Stepanowska, Marcin Biernaczyk, Konrad Wrzecionkowski, Mikołaj Zybała
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2020
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceano.2020.04.005
https://doaj.org/article/bbbaeb00354641d7a4853d658564a360
id ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:bbbaeb00354641d7a4853d658564a360
record_format openpolar
spelling ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:bbbaeb00354641d7a4853d658564a360 2023-05-15T15:27:45+02:00 Characteristics of the grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) diet in the Vistula River mouth (Mewia Łacha Nature Reserve, southern Baltic Sea), based on the osteological and molecular studies of scat samples Sławomir Keszka Remigiusz Panicz Katarzyna Stepanowska Marcin Biernaczyk Konrad Wrzecionkowski Mikołaj Zybała 2020-07-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceano.2020.04.005 https://doaj.org/article/bbbaeb00354641d7a4853d658564a360 EN eng Elsevier http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0078323420300361 https://doaj.org/toc/0078-3234 0078-3234 doi:10.1016/j.oceano.2020.04.005 https://doaj.org/article/bbbaeb00354641d7a4853d658564a360 Oceanologia, Vol 62, Iss 3, Pp 387-394 (2020) Diet of marine mammals DNA barcoding Fish species identification Lampetra fluviatilis Grey seal (Halichoreus grypus) Oceanography GC1-1581 article 2020 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceano.2020.04.005 2022-12-31T07:07:47Z Summary: The study analyses for the first time the diet composition of grey seals inhabiting the Polish Baltic Sea coast. Samples of seal scat were collected in the Mewia Łacha Nature Reserve at the mouth of the Vistula River. Using genetic and osteological methods, the remains of organisms included in the grey seals diet were analysed for their taxonomy (families and species). Based on the analysis of 49 scat samples from grey seals, 761 hard parts that could be identified by taxon were isolated. The predominant species in the samples were perch, Perca fluviatilis (almost 78% of samples); pikeperch, Sander lucioperca (67%); lamprey, Lampetra fluviatilis (almost 35% of samples); Baltic cod, Gadus morhua callarias (almost 31% of samples) and sea trout, Salmo trutta trutta (26.5%). Genetic analysis confirmed the presence of Atlantic cod DNA in 69% and sea trout in 63% of samples. The genetic material of the Atlantic herring, Clupea harengus has not been identified in the analysed scat samples. Information on grey seals feeding on river lampreys seems to be valuable in the context of lack of knowledge on the occurrence of lampreys in the Vistula River. The methodology used showed that seals fed on species that were the most abundant in the area which is directly associated with the migration cycle of fish. The results of our study allowed the conclusion that the grey seal is an opportunistic predator and its diet reflects and exploits the variations in its habitat. Article in Journal/Newspaper atlantic cod Gadus morhua Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Oceanologia 62 3 387 394
institution Open Polar
collection Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles
op_collection_id ftdoajarticles
language English
topic Diet of marine mammals
DNA barcoding
Fish species identification
Lampetra fluviatilis
Grey seal (Halichoreus grypus)
Oceanography
GC1-1581
spellingShingle Diet of marine mammals
DNA barcoding
Fish species identification
Lampetra fluviatilis
Grey seal (Halichoreus grypus)
Oceanography
GC1-1581
Sławomir Keszka
Remigiusz Panicz
Katarzyna Stepanowska
Marcin Biernaczyk
Konrad Wrzecionkowski
Mikołaj Zybała
Characteristics of the grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) diet in the Vistula River mouth (Mewia Łacha Nature Reserve, southern Baltic Sea), based on the osteological and molecular studies of scat samples
topic_facet Diet of marine mammals
DNA barcoding
Fish species identification
Lampetra fluviatilis
Grey seal (Halichoreus grypus)
Oceanography
GC1-1581
description Summary: The study analyses for the first time the diet composition of grey seals inhabiting the Polish Baltic Sea coast. Samples of seal scat were collected in the Mewia Łacha Nature Reserve at the mouth of the Vistula River. Using genetic and osteological methods, the remains of organisms included in the grey seals diet were analysed for their taxonomy (families and species). Based on the analysis of 49 scat samples from grey seals, 761 hard parts that could be identified by taxon were isolated. The predominant species in the samples were perch, Perca fluviatilis (almost 78% of samples); pikeperch, Sander lucioperca (67%); lamprey, Lampetra fluviatilis (almost 35% of samples); Baltic cod, Gadus morhua callarias (almost 31% of samples) and sea trout, Salmo trutta trutta (26.5%). Genetic analysis confirmed the presence of Atlantic cod DNA in 69% and sea trout in 63% of samples. The genetic material of the Atlantic herring, Clupea harengus has not been identified in the analysed scat samples. Information on grey seals feeding on river lampreys seems to be valuable in the context of lack of knowledge on the occurrence of lampreys in the Vistula River. The methodology used showed that seals fed on species that were the most abundant in the area which is directly associated with the migration cycle of fish. The results of our study allowed the conclusion that the grey seal is an opportunistic predator and its diet reflects and exploits the variations in its habitat.
format Article in Journal/Newspaper
author Sławomir Keszka
Remigiusz Panicz
Katarzyna Stepanowska
Marcin Biernaczyk
Konrad Wrzecionkowski
Mikołaj Zybała
author_facet Sławomir Keszka
Remigiusz Panicz
Katarzyna Stepanowska
Marcin Biernaczyk
Konrad Wrzecionkowski
Mikołaj Zybała
author_sort Sławomir Keszka
title Characteristics of the grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) diet in the Vistula River mouth (Mewia Łacha Nature Reserve, southern Baltic Sea), based on the osteological and molecular studies of scat samples
title_short Characteristics of the grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) diet in the Vistula River mouth (Mewia Łacha Nature Reserve, southern Baltic Sea), based on the osteological and molecular studies of scat samples
title_full Characteristics of the grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) diet in the Vistula River mouth (Mewia Łacha Nature Reserve, southern Baltic Sea), based on the osteological and molecular studies of scat samples
title_fullStr Characteristics of the grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) diet in the Vistula River mouth (Mewia Łacha Nature Reserve, southern Baltic Sea), based on the osteological and molecular studies of scat samples
title_full_unstemmed Characteristics of the grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) diet in the Vistula River mouth (Mewia Łacha Nature Reserve, southern Baltic Sea), based on the osteological and molecular studies of scat samples
title_sort characteristics of the grey seal (halichoerus grypus) diet in the vistula river mouth (mewia łacha nature reserve, southern baltic sea), based on the osteological and molecular studies of scat samples
publisher Elsevier
publishDate 2020
url https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceano.2020.04.005
https://doaj.org/article/bbbaeb00354641d7a4853d658564a360
genre atlantic cod
Gadus morhua
genre_facet atlantic cod
Gadus morhua
op_source Oceanologia, Vol 62, Iss 3, Pp 387-394 (2020)
op_relation http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0078323420300361
https://doaj.org/toc/0078-3234
0078-3234
doi:10.1016/j.oceano.2020.04.005
https://doaj.org/article/bbbaeb00354641d7a4853d658564a360
op_doi https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oceano.2020.04.005
container_title Oceanologia
container_volume 62
container_issue 3
container_start_page 387
op_container_end_page 394
_version_ 1766358169850740736