Grey seal maternal attendance patterns are affected by water availability on North Rona, Scotland
Previous studies on grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) have shown that pools of water influence female distribution within inland breeding colonies. This study reveals that the availability of pools also affects maternal attendance patterns and may have implications for breeding success. An atypical dr...
Published in: | Canadian Journal of Zoology |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , |
Other Authors: | , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
2015
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10023/7346 https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-79-6-1073 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0034873395&partnerID=8YFLogxK |
id |
ftstandrewserep:oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/7346 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftstandrewserep:oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/7346 2023-07-02T03:32:08+02:00 Grey seal maternal attendance patterns are affected by water availability on North Rona, Scotland Redman, P Pomeroy, Patrick Twiss, SD University of St Andrews. School of Biology University of St Andrews. Scottish Oceans Institute 2015-08-28T12:40:01Z application/pdf http://hdl.handle.net/10023/7346 https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-79-6-1073 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0034873395&partnerID=8YFLogxK eng eng Canadian Journal of Zoology Redman , P , Pomeroy , P & Twiss , SD 2001 , ' Grey seal maternal attendance patterns are affected by water availability on North Rona, Scotland ' , Canadian Journal of Zoology , vol. 79 , no. 6 , pp. 1073-1079 . https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-79-6-1073 0008-4301 PURE: 307119 PURE UUID: f52065d4-52a7-4378-987e-b56b681b84dd WOS: 000169776500018 Scopus: 0034873395 ORCID: /0000-0003-1603-5630/work/46569107 http://hdl.handle.net/10023/7346 https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-79-6-1073 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0034873395&partnerID=8YFLogxK © 2001 NRC Canada Halichoerus-grypus Breeding-behavior Elephant seal Site fidelity Lactation QH301 Biology QH301 Journal article 2015 ftstandrewserep https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-79-6-1073 2023-06-13T18:30:46Z Previous studies on grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) have shown that pools of water influence female distribution within inland breeding colonies. This study reveals that the availability of pools also affects maternal attendance patterns and may have implications for breeding success. An atypical dry period at the start of the 1998 breeding season on North Rona, Scotland, followed by a normal wet period, provided a natural experiment that allowed us to examine female behaviour in relation to the availability of pools. During the dry period, lactating grey seals (i) travelled long distances to gain access to water; (ii) had significantly greater rates of locomotion towards water and resulting from interactions between conspecifics; and (iii) spent significantly less time close to their pups. Long-distance locomotion and a reduction in time spent with the pup often lead to permanent mother-pup separation, resulting in starvation of the pup. However, the immediate need to gain access to water for thermoregulation or maintenance of a positive water balance outweighed the potential costs of reproductive failure, emphasising the importance of water for lactating grey seals even during the relatively cold and damp breeding season in the U.K. Postprint Peer reviewed Article in Journal/Newspaper Elephant Seal University of St Andrews: Digital Research Repository Rona ENVELOPE(13.943,13.943,66.985,66.985) Canadian Journal of Zoology 79 6 1073 1079 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of St Andrews: Digital Research Repository |
op_collection_id |
ftstandrewserep |
language |
English |
topic |
Halichoerus-grypus Breeding-behavior Elephant seal Site fidelity Lactation QH301 Biology QH301 |
spellingShingle |
Halichoerus-grypus Breeding-behavior Elephant seal Site fidelity Lactation QH301 Biology QH301 Redman, P Pomeroy, Patrick Twiss, SD Grey seal maternal attendance patterns are affected by water availability on North Rona, Scotland |
topic_facet |
Halichoerus-grypus Breeding-behavior Elephant seal Site fidelity Lactation QH301 Biology QH301 |
description |
Previous studies on grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) have shown that pools of water influence female distribution within inland breeding colonies. This study reveals that the availability of pools also affects maternal attendance patterns and may have implications for breeding success. An atypical dry period at the start of the 1998 breeding season on North Rona, Scotland, followed by a normal wet period, provided a natural experiment that allowed us to examine female behaviour in relation to the availability of pools. During the dry period, lactating grey seals (i) travelled long distances to gain access to water; (ii) had significantly greater rates of locomotion towards water and resulting from interactions between conspecifics; and (iii) spent significantly less time close to their pups. Long-distance locomotion and a reduction in time spent with the pup often lead to permanent mother-pup separation, resulting in starvation of the pup. However, the immediate need to gain access to water for thermoregulation or maintenance of a positive water balance outweighed the potential costs of reproductive failure, emphasising the importance of water for lactating grey seals even during the relatively cold and damp breeding season in the U.K. Postprint Peer reviewed |
author2 |
University of St Andrews. School of Biology University of St Andrews. Scottish Oceans Institute |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Redman, P Pomeroy, Patrick Twiss, SD |
author_facet |
Redman, P Pomeroy, Patrick Twiss, SD |
author_sort |
Redman, P |
title |
Grey seal maternal attendance patterns are affected by water availability on North Rona, Scotland |
title_short |
Grey seal maternal attendance patterns are affected by water availability on North Rona, Scotland |
title_full |
Grey seal maternal attendance patterns are affected by water availability on North Rona, Scotland |
title_fullStr |
Grey seal maternal attendance patterns are affected by water availability on North Rona, Scotland |
title_full_unstemmed |
Grey seal maternal attendance patterns are affected by water availability on North Rona, Scotland |
title_sort |
grey seal maternal attendance patterns are affected by water availability on north rona, scotland |
publishDate |
2015 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/7346 https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-79-6-1073 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0034873395&partnerID=8YFLogxK |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(13.943,13.943,66.985,66.985) |
geographic |
Rona |
geographic_facet |
Rona |
genre |
Elephant Seal |
genre_facet |
Elephant Seal |
op_relation |
Canadian Journal of Zoology Redman , P , Pomeroy , P & Twiss , SD 2001 , ' Grey seal maternal attendance patterns are affected by water availability on North Rona, Scotland ' , Canadian Journal of Zoology , vol. 79 , no. 6 , pp. 1073-1079 . https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-79-6-1073 0008-4301 PURE: 307119 PURE UUID: f52065d4-52a7-4378-987e-b56b681b84dd WOS: 000169776500018 Scopus: 0034873395 ORCID: /0000-0003-1603-5630/work/46569107 http://hdl.handle.net/10023/7346 https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-79-6-1073 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0034873395&partnerID=8YFLogxK |
op_rights |
© 2001 NRC Canada |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-79-6-1073 |
container_title |
Canadian Journal of Zoology |
container_volume |
79 |
container_issue |
6 |
container_start_page |
1073 |
op_container_end_page |
1079 |
_version_ |
1770271627357978624 |