Blubber fatty acid profiles indicate dietary resource partitioning between adult and juvenile southern elephant seals
When resources are limited or patchy, a species may develop some degree of resource partitioning to reduce intra-specific competition. Development of intra-specific resource partitioning is more pronounced in species with clear phenotypic variation among individuals (e.g. age or sex). Southern eleph...
Published in: | Marine Ecology Progress Series |
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ftmacquarieunicr:oai:https://researchers.mq.edu.au:publications/adbac11f-11e2-4f07-8a29-05c67cbda71d 2024-09-15T18:04:40+00:00 Blubber fatty acid profiles indicate dietary resource partitioning between adult and juvenile southern elephant seals Newland, China Field, Iain C. Nichols, Peter D. Bradshaw, Corey J A Hindell, Mark A. 2009 https://researchers.mq.edu.au/en/publications/adbac11f-11e2-4f07-8a29-05c67cbda71d https://doi.org/10.3354/meps08010 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=67651093775&partnerID=8YFLogxK eng eng info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess Newland , C , Field , I C , Nichols , P D , Bradshaw , C J A & Hindell , M A 2009 , ' Blubber fatty acid profiles indicate dietary resource partitioning between adult and juvenile southern elephant seals ' , Marine Ecology Progress Series , vol. 384 , pp. 303-312 . https://doi.org/10.3354/meps08010 Diet Fatty acid signature analysis Resource partitioning Southern elephant seal article 2009 ftmacquarieunicr https://doi.org/10.3354/meps08010 2024-07-17T23:41:14Z When resources are limited or patchy, a species may develop some degree of resource partitioning to reduce intra-specific competition. Development of intra-specific resource partitioning is more pronounced in species with clear phenotypic variation among individuals (e.g. age or sex). Southern elephant seals Mirounga leonina have pronounced sexual dimorphism and range widely in size and foraging range between juvenile and adult stages. However, hypothesized diet-based resource partitioning has been less clear due to difficulties in sampling diet while seals are away from breeding islands. We analysed fatty acids (FAs) from blubber of 122 juvenile seals and compared them to FA profiles from blubber of 52 adult females, and to FA profiles from 51 prey species (grouped as fish and squid) to examine evidence for diet-based resource partitioning in the seals. FA signature analysis revealed physiological and dietary differences between ages. Principle components of the 21 FAs from seal blubber and prey parts distinguished prey from seals, and clearly separated prey species into fish and squid classes. FA profiles from adult females differed to those from juveniles, with the former more 'squid-like' and the latter more 'fish-like'. Variation in FA profiles of seals was also apparent between sexes and during different seasons. Differences in diet between juveniles and adult females suggest resource partitioning occurs in response to large metabolic and physiological differences with age that limit juvenile dispersal and diving abilities. By consuming a different suite of prey species relative to adult females, juvenile southern elephant seals may reduce intra-specific competition. Article in Journal/Newspaper Elephant Seal Elephant Seals Mirounga leonina Southern Elephant Seal Southern Elephant Seals Macquarie University Research Portal Marine Ecology Progress Series 384 303 312 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Macquarie University Research Portal |
op_collection_id |
ftmacquarieunicr |
language |
English |
topic |
Diet Fatty acid signature analysis Resource partitioning Southern elephant seal |
spellingShingle |
Diet Fatty acid signature analysis Resource partitioning Southern elephant seal Newland, China Field, Iain C. Nichols, Peter D. Bradshaw, Corey J A Hindell, Mark A. Blubber fatty acid profiles indicate dietary resource partitioning between adult and juvenile southern elephant seals |
topic_facet |
Diet Fatty acid signature analysis Resource partitioning Southern elephant seal |
description |
When resources are limited or patchy, a species may develop some degree of resource partitioning to reduce intra-specific competition. Development of intra-specific resource partitioning is more pronounced in species with clear phenotypic variation among individuals (e.g. age or sex). Southern elephant seals Mirounga leonina have pronounced sexual dimorphism and range widely in size and foraging range between juvenile and adult stages. However, hypothesized diet-based resource partitioning has been less clear due to difficulties in sampling diet while seals are away from breeding islands. We analysed fatty acids (FAs) from blubber of 122 juvenile seals and compared them to FA profiles from blubber of 52 adult females, and to FA profiles from 51 prey species (grouped as fish and squid) to examine evidence for diet-based resource partitioning in the seals. FA signature analysis revealed physiological and dietary differences between ages. Principle components of the 21 FAs from seal blubber and prey parts distinguished prey from seals, and clearly separated prey species into fish and squid classes. FA profiles from adult females differed to those from juveniles, with the former more 'squid-like' and the latter more 'fish-like'. Variation in FA profiles of seals was also apparent between sexes and during different seasons. Differences in diet between juveniles and adult females suggest resource partitioning occurs in response to large metabolic and physiological differences with age that limit juvenile dispersal and diving abilities. By consuming a different suite of prey species relative to adult females, juvenile southern elephant seals may reduce intra-specific competition. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Newland, China Field, Iain C. Nichols, Peter D. Bradshaw, Corey J A Hindell, Mark A. |
author_facet |
Newland, China Field, Iain C. Nichols, Peter D. Bradshaw, Corey J A Hindell, Mark A. |
author_sort |
Newland, China |
title |
Blubber fatty acid profiles indicate dietary resource partitioning between adult and juvenile southern elephant seals |
title_short |
Blubber fatty acid profiles indicate dietary resource partitioning between adult and juvenile southern elephant seals |
title_full |
Blubber fatty acid profiles indicate dietary resource partitioning between adult and juvenile southern elephant seals |
title_fullStr |
Blubber fatty acid profiles indicate dietary resource partitioning between adult and juvenile southern elephant seals |
title_full_unstemmed |
Blubber fatty acid profiles indicate dietary resource partitioning between adult and juvenile southern elephant seals |
title_sort |
blubber fatty acid profiles indicate dietary resource partitioning between adult and juvenile southern elephant seals |
publishDate |
2009 |
url |
https://researchers.mq.edu.au/en/publications/adbac11f-11e2-4f07-8a29-05c67cbda71d https://doi.org/10.3354/meps08010 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=67651093775&partnerID=8YFLogxK |
genre |
Elephant Seal Elephant Seals Mirounga leonina Southern Elephant Seal Southern Elephant Seals |
genre_facet |
Elephant Seal Elephant Seals Mirounga leonina Southern Elephant Seal Southern Elephant Seals |
op_source |
Newland , C , Field , I C , Nichols , P D , Bradshaw , C J A & Hindell , M A 2009 , ' Blubber fatty acid profiles indicate dietary resource partitioning between adult and juvenile southern elephant seals ' , Marine Ecology Progress Series , vol. 384 , pp. 303-312 . https://doi.org/10.3354/meps08010 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3354/meps08010 |
container_title |
Marine Ecology Progress Series |
container_volume |
384 |
container_start_page |
303 |
op_container_end_page |
312 |
_version_ |
1810442276725325824 |