Novel terrestrial haul-out behaviour by ringed seals (Pusa hispida) in Svalbard, in association with harbour seals (Phoca vitulina)
Ringed seals (Pusa hispida) are the most ice-associated of all Arctic pinnipeds. In the Svalbard area, this species has always given birth, moulted and rested on sea ice. In addition, much of their food has been comprised of ice-associated prey. Recently, ringed seals have been reported to be using...
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Norwegian Polar Institute
2017
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:bd5e6827ce7a47178c6661bafcd37d6d 2023-05-15T14:55:42+02:00 Novel terrestrial haul-out behaviour by ringed seals (Pusa hispida) in Svalbard, in association with harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) Christian Lydersen Jade Vaquie-Garcia Espen Lydersen Guttorm N. Christensen Kit M. Kovacs 2017-01-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1080/17518369.2017.1374124 https://doaj.org/article/bd5e6827ce7a47178c6661bafcd37d6d EN eng Norwegian Polar Institute http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17518369.2017.1374124 https://doaj.org/toc/1751-8369 1751-8369 doi:10.1080/17518369.2017.1374124 https://doaj.org/article/bd5e6827ce7a47178c6661bafcd37d6d Polar Research, Vol 36, Iss 1 (2017) Arctic behavioural plasticity climate change glacier fronts lagoons sea ice Environmental sciences GE1-350 Oceanography GC1-1581 article 2017 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1080/17518369.2017.1374124 2022-12-31T08:49:56Z Ringed seals (Pusa hispida) are the most ice-associated of all Arctic pinnipeds. In the Svalbard area, this species has always given birth, moulted and rested on sea ice. In addition, much of their food has been comprised of ice-associated prey. Recently, ringed seals have been reported to be using terrestrial substrates as a haul-out platform in some fjords on the west coast of Spitsbergen. In many cases the seals involved are harbour seals (Phoca vitulina), which are extending their distribution into new areas within the Svalbard Archipelago and which are being misclassified as ringed seals. However, this study reports that terrestrial haul-out by ringed seals is also now taking place on rocks exposed at low tide as well as on the coastline. Recent intrusions of warm Atlantic Water (with associated prey) have extended deep into the fjords of western Spitsbergen, resulting in deteriorated ice conditions for ringed seals and expanded habitat for harbour seals. Over the last decade, ringed seals have become more and more confined in coastal areas to narrow bands in front of tidal glacier fronts where Arctic conditions still prevail. In one lagoon area, ringed seals are hauling out on intertidal mud flats in close association with harbour seals. Land can likely replace sea-ice for many of the ringed seals haul-out needs. However, for the small dry-cold adapted ringed seal pups that are normally born in snow lairs on the sea ice, terrestrial haul-out is unlikely to be a viable solution because of predation and thermoregulatory stress. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Climate change glacier Phoca vitulina Polar Research Pusa hispida ringed seal Sea ice Svalbard Spitsbergen Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Svalbard Svalbard Archipelago Polar Research 36 1 1374124 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Arctic behavioural plasticity climate change glacier fronts lagoons sea ice Environmental sciences GE1-350 Oceanography GC1-1581 |
spellingShingle |
Arctic behavioural plasticity climate change glacier fronts lagoons sea ice Environmental sciences GE1-350 Oceanography GC1-1581 Christian Lydersen Jade Vaquie-Garcia Espen Lydersen Guttorm N. Christensen Kit M. Kovacs Novel terrestrial haul-out behaviour by ringed seals (Pusa hispida) in Svalbard, in association with harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) |
topic_facet |
Arctic behavioural plasticity climate change glacier fronts lagoons sea ice Environmental sciences GE1-350 Oceanography GC1-1581 |
description |
Ringed seals (Pusa hispida) are the most ice-associated of all Arctic pinnipeds. In the Svalbard area, this species has always given birth, moulted and rested on sea ice. In addition, much of their food has been comprised of ice-associated prey. Recently, ringed seals have been reported to be using terrestrial substrates as a haul-out platform in some fjords on the west coast of Spitsbergen. In many cases the seals involved are harbour seals (Phoca vitulina), which are extending their distribution into new areas within the Svalbard Archipelago and which are being misclassified as ringed seals. However, this study reports that terrestrial haul-out by ringed seals is also now taking place on rocks exposed at low tide as well as on the coastline. Recent intrusions of warm Atlantic Water (with associated prey) have extended deep into the fjords of western Spitsbergen, resulting in deteriorated ice conditions for ringed seals and expanded habitat for harbour seals. Over the last decade, ringed seals have become more and more confined in coastal areas to narrow bands in front of tidal glacier fronts where Arctic conditions still prevail. In one lagoon area, ringed seals are hauling out on intertidal mud flats in close association with harbour seals. Land can likely replace sea-ice for many of the ringed seals haul-out needs. However, for the small dry-cold adapted ringed seal pups that are normally born in snow lairs on the sea ice, terrestrial haul-out is unlikely to be a viable solution because of predation and thermoregulatory stress. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Christian Lydersen Jade Vaquie-Garcia Espen Lydersen Guttorm N. Christensen Kit M. Kovacs |
author_facet |
Christian Lydersen Jade Vaquie-Garcia Espen Lydersen Guttorm N. Christensen Kit M. Kovacs |
author_sort |
Christian Lydersen |
title |
Novel terrestrial haul-out behaviour by ringed seals (Pusa hispida) in Svalbard, in association with harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) |
title_short |
Novel terrestrial haul-out behaviour by ringed seals (Pusa hispida) in Svalbard, in association with harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) |
title_full |
Novel terrestrial haul-out behaviour by ringed seals (Pusa hispida) in Svalbard, in association with harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) |
title_fullStr |
Novel terrestrial haul-out behaviour by ringed seals (Pusa hispida) in Svalbard, in association with harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) |
title_full_unstemmed |
Novel terrestrial haul-out behaviour by ringed seals (Pusa hispida) in Svalbard, in association with harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) |
title_sort |
novel terrestrial haul-out behaviour by ringed seals (pusa hispida) in svalbard, in association with harbour seals (phoca vitulina) |
publisher |
Norwegian Polar Institute |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1080/17518369.2017.1374124 https://doaj.org/article/bd5e6827ce7a47178c6661bafcd37d6d |
geographic |
Arctic Svalbard Svalbard Archipelago |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Svalbard Svalbard Archipelago |
genre |
Arctic Climate change glacier Phoca vitulina Polar Research Pusa hispida ringed seal Sea ice Svalbard Spitsbergen |
genre_facet |
Arctic Climate change glacier Phoca vitulina Polar Research Pusa hispida ringed seal Sea ice Svalbard Spitsbergen |
op_source |
Polar Research, Vol 36, Iss 1 (2017) |
op_relation |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17518369.2017.1374124 https://doaj.org/toc/1751-8369 1751-8369 doi:10.1080/17518369.2017.1374124 https://doaj.org/article/bd5e6827ce7a47178c6661bafcd37d6d |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1080/17518369.2017.1374124 |
container_title |
Polar Research |
container_volume |
36 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
1374124 |
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1766327724946751488 |