Decadal decline in maternal body condition of a Southern Ocean capital breeder
Abstract The changing physical properties of the Southern Ocean are known to impact the recruitment and survival of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba). For oceanic krill predators, the resulting reduced energy intake may lead to population-level effects likely preceded by an alteration in the anima...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:fca13866e4dd4a63a09e544586e69e21 2023-05-15T13:32:53+02:00 Decadal decline in maternal body condition of a Southern Ocean capital breeder Els Vermeulen Terriann Thavar Maria Glarou Andre Ganswindt Fredrik Christiansen 2023-02-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-30238-2 https://doaj.org/article/fca13866e4dd4a63a09e544586e69e21 EN eng Nature Portfolio https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-30238-2 https://doaj.org/toc/2045-2322 doi:10.1038/s41598-023-30238-2 2045-2322 https://doaj.org/article/fca13866e4dd4a63a09e544586e69e21 Scientific Reports, Vol 13, Iss 1, Pp 1-10 (2023) Medicine R Science Q article 2023 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-30238-2 2023-03-26T01:33:31Z Abstract The changing physical properties of the Southern Ocean are known to impact the recruitment and survival of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba). For oceanic krill predators, the resulting reduced energy intake may lead to population-level effects likely preceded by an alteration in the animals’ body condition. This is especially true for capital breeders that rely on stored energy for successful reproduction. One such Southern Ocean capital breeder, the southern right whale (Eubalaena australis), has been monitored over the past 43 years in their South African wintering ground. Changes in the population have been documented in the past decade, including a decreased reproductive rate and a shift in foraging strategy. To evaluate if a reduced foraging success is an underlying factor, we assessed the temporal variation in morphological body condition through aerial photogrammetry. Results showed a 23% reduction in maternal body condition, potentially contributing to the decreased reproductive rate of the population. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to quantify a decadal reduction in the body condition of a capital breeder dependent on Southern Ocean productivity. Understanding the bioenergetic consequences of environmental change is vital to predicting species’ resilience to climate change. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Krill Euphausia superba Southern Ocean Southern Right Whale Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Antarctic Southern Ocean Scientific Reports 13 1 |
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Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
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English |
topic |
Medicine R Science Q |
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Medicine R Science Q Els Vermeulen Terriann Thavar Maria Glarou Andre Ganswindt Fredrik Christiansen Decadal decline in maternal body condition of a Southern Ocean capital breeder |
topic_facet |
Medicine R Science Q |
description |
Abstract The changing physical properties of the Southern Ocean are known to impact the recruitment and survival of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba). For oceanic krill predators, the resulting reduced energy intake may lead to population-level effects likely preceded by an alteration in the animals’ body condition. This is especially true for capital breeders that rely on stored energy for successful reproduction. One such Southern Ocean capital breeder, the southern right whale (Eubalaena australis), has been monitored over the past 43 years in their South African wintering ground. Changes in the population have been documented in the past decade, including a decreased reproductive rate and a shift in foraging strategy. To evaluate if a reduced foraging success is an underlying factor, we assessed the temporal variation in morphological body condition through aerial photogrammetry. Results showed a 23% reduction in maternal body condition, potentially contributing to the decreased reproductive rate of the population. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to quantify a decadal reduction in the body condition of a capital breeder dependent on Southern Ocean productivity. Understanding the bioenergetic consequences of environmental change is vital to predicting species’ resilience to climate change. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Els Vermeulen Terriann Thavar Maria Glarou Andre Ganswindt Fredrik Christiansen |
author_facet |
Els Vermeulen Terriann Thavar Maria Glarou Andre Ganswindt Fredrik Christiansen |
author_sort |
Els Vermeulen |
title |
Decadal decline in maternal body condition of a Southern Ocean capital breeder |
title_short |
Decadal decline in maternal body condition of a Southern Ocean capital breeder |
title_full |
Decadal decline in maternal body condition of a Southern Ocean capital breeder |
title_fullStr |
Decadal decline in maternal body condition of a Southern Ocean capital breeder |
title_full_unstemmed |
Decadal decline in maternal body condition of a Southern Ocean capital breeder |
title_sort |
decadal decline in maternal body condition of a southern ocean capital breeder |
publisher |
Nature Portfolio |
publishDate |
2023 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-30238-2 https://doaj.org/article/fca13866e4dd4a63a09e544586e69e21 |
geographic |
Antarctic Southern Ocean |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Southern Ocean |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Krill Euphausia superba Southern Ocean Southern Right Whale |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Krill Euphausia superba Southern Ocean Southern Right Whale |
op_source |
Scientific Reports, Vol 13, Iss 1, Pp 1-10 (2023) |
op_relation |
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-30238-2 https://doaj.org/toc/2045-2322 doi:10.1038/s41598-023-30238-2 2045-2322 https://doaj.org/article/fca13866e4dd4a63a09e544586e69e21 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-30238-2 |
container_title |
Scientific Reports |
container_volume |
13 |
container_issue |
1 |
_version_ |
1766036794681327616 |