Variability in sea ice cover and climate elicit sex specific responses in an Antarctic predator

Contrasting regional changes in Southern Ocean sea ice have occurred over the last 30 years with distinct regional effects on ecosystem structure and function. Quantifying how Antarctic predators respond to such changes provides the context for predicting how climate variability/change will affect t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scientific Reports
Main Authors: Labrousse, Sara, Sallee, Jean-Baptiste, Fraser, Alexander D., Massom, Rob A., Reid, Phillip, Hobbs, William, Guinet, Christophe, Harcourt, Robert, McMahon, Clive, Authier, Matthieu, Bailleul, Frederic, Hindell, Mark A., Charrassin, Jean Benoit
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2017
Subjects:
SOUTHERN ELEPHANT SEALS
DEEP DIVING PREDATOR
PACK-ICE
ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION
EAST ANTARCTICA
WEDDELL SEA
KRILL
ECOSYSTEM
BEHAVIOR
TRENDS
Antarctic
East Antarctica
Southern Ocean
Weddell
Weddell Sea
Antarc*
Antarctica
Elephant Seal
Elephant Seals
Sea ice
Southern Elephant Seal
Southern Elephant Seals
Online Access:https://researchers.mq.edu.au/en/publications/7d6ced03-9e30-4d65-b4a5-e7cd3e2db14b
https://doi.org/10.1038/srep43236
https://research-management.mq.edu.au/ws/files/62193059/Publisher%20version%20(open%20access).pdf
http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85013783868&partnerID=8YFLogxK
Description
Summary:Contrasting regional changes in Southern Ocean sea ice have occurred over the last 30 years with distinct regional effects on ecosystem structure and function. Quantifying how Antarctic predators respond to such changes provides the context for predicting how climate variability/change will affect these assemblages into the future. Over an 11-year time-series, we examine how inter-annual variability in sea ice concentration and advance affect the foraging behaviour of a top Antarctic predator, the southern elephant seal. Females foraged longer in pack ice in years with greatest sea ice concentration and earliest sea ice advance, while males foraged longer in polynyas in years of lowest sea ice concentration. There was a positive relationship between near-surface meridional wind anomalies and female foraging effort, but not for males. This study reveals the complexities of foraging responses to climate forcing by a poleward migratory predator through varying sea ice property and dynamic anomalies.

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