Whisker isotopic signature depicts migration patterns and multi-year intra- and inter-individual foraging strategies in fur seals
The movement and dietary history of individuals can be studied using stable isotope records in archival keratinous tissues. Here, we present a chronology of temporally fine-scale data on the trophic niche of otariid seals by measuring the isotopic signature of serially sampled whiskers. Whiskers of...
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Online Access: | http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2828010 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19793740 https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2009.0552 |
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ftpubmed:oai:pubmedcentral.nih.gov:2828010 2023-05-15T14:04:06+02:00 Whisker isotopic signature depicts migration patterns and multi-year intra- and inter-individual foraging strategies in fur seals Cherel, Y. Kernaléguen, L. Richard, P. Guinet, C. 2009-12-23 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2828010 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19793740 https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2009.0552 en eng The Royal Society http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2828010 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19793740 http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2009.0552 © 2009 The Royal Society Marine Biology Text 2009 ftpubmed https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2009.0552 2013-09-02T21:52:47Z The movement and dietary history of individuals can be studied using stable isotope records in archival keratinous tissues. Here, we present a chronology of temporally fine-scale data on the trophic niche of otariid seals by measuring the isotopic signature of serially sampled whiskers. Whiskers of male Antarctic fur seals breeding at the Crozet Islands showed synchronous and regular oscillations in both their δ13C and δ15N values that are likely to represent their annual migrations over the long term (mean 4.8 years). At the population level, male Antarctic fur seals showed substantial variation in both δ13C and δ15N values, occupying nearly all the ‘isotopic space’ created by the diversity of potential oceanic habitats (from high Antarctica to the subtropics) and prey (from Antarctic krill to subantarctic and subtropical mesopelagic fishes). At the individual level, whisker isotopic signatures depict a large diversity of foraging strategies. Some seals remained in either subantarctic or Antarctic waters, while the migratory cycle of most animals encompassed a wide latitudinal gradient where they fed on different prey. The isotopic signature of whiskers, therefore, revealed new multi-year foraging strategies of male Antarctic fur seals and is a powerful tool for investigating the ecological niche during cryptic stages of mammals' life. Text Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Fur Seals Antarctic Krill Antarctica Crozet Islands PubMed Central (PMC) Antarctic Biology Letters 5 6 830 832 |
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English |
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Marine Biology |
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Marine Biology Cherel, Y. Kernaléguen, L. Richard, P. Guinet, C. Whisker isotopic signature depicts migration patterns and multi-year intra- and inter-individual foraging strategies in fur seals |
topic_facet |
Marine Biology |
description |
The movement and dietary history of individuals can be studied using stable isotope records in archival keratinous tissues. Here, we present a chronology of temporally fine-scale data on the trophic niche of otariid seals by measuring the isotopic signature of serially sampled whiskers. Whiskers of male Antarctic fur seals breeding at the Crozet Islands showed synchronous and regular oscillations in both their δ13C and δ15N values that are likely to represent their annual migrations over the long term (mean 4.8 years). At the population level, male Antarctic fur seals showed substantial variation in both δ13C and δ15N values, occupying nearly all the ‘isotopic space’ created by the diversity of potential oceanic habitats (from high Antarctica to the subtropics) and prey (from Antarctic krill to subantarctic and subtropical mesopelagic fishes). At the individual level, whisker isotopic signatures depict a large diversity of foraging strategies. Some seals remained in either subantarctic or Antarctic waters, while the migratory cycle of most animals encompassed a wide latitudinal gradient where they fed on different prey. The isotopic signature of whiskers, therefore, revealed new multi-year foraging strategies of male Antarctic fur seals and is a powerful tool for investigating the ecological niche during cryptic stages of mammals' life. |
format |
Text |
author |
Cherel, Y. Kernaléguen, L. Richard, P. Guinet, C. |
author_facet |
Cherel, Y. Kernaléguen, L. Richard, P. Guinet, C. |
author_sort |
Cherel, Y. |
title |
Whisker isotopic signature depicts migration patterns and multi-year intra- and inter-individual foraging strategies in fur seals |
title_short |
Whisker isotopic signature depicts migration patterns and multi-year intra- and inter-individual foraging strategies in fur seals |
title_full |
Whisker isotopic signature depicts migration patterns and multi-year intra- and inter-individual foraging strategies in fur seals |
title_fullStr |
Whisker isotopic signature depicts migration patterns and multi-year intra- and inter-individual foraging strategies in fur seals |
title_full_unstemmed |
Whisker isotopic signature depicts migration patterns and multi-year intra- and inter-individual foraging strategies in fur seals |
title_sort |
whisker isotopic signature depicts migration patterns and multi-year intra- and inter-individual foraging strategies in fur seals |
publisher |
The Royal Society |
publishDate |
2009 |
url |
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2828010 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19793740 https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2009.0552 |
geographic |
Antarctic |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Fur Seals Antarctic Krill Antarctica Crozet Islands |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Fur Seals Antarctic Krill Antarctica Crozet Islands |
op_relation |
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2828010 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19793740 http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2009.0552 |
op_rights |
© 2009 The Royal Society |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2009.0552 |
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Biology Letters |
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5 |
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6 |
container_start_page |
830 |
op_container_end_page |
832 |
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1766275095890755584 |