Variation in body size of ringed seals (Pusa hispida hispida) across the circumpolar arctic:Evidence of morphs, ecotypes or simply extreme plasticity?
The ringed seal is a small phocid seal that has a northern circumpolar distribu-tion. It has long been recognized that body size is variable in ringed seals, and it has been suggested that ecotypes that differ in size exist. This study explores patterns of body size (length and girth) and age-at-mat...
Published in: | Polar Research |
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Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
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2021
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Online Access: | https://pure.au.dk/portal/da/publications/variation-in-body-size-of-ringed-seals-pusa-hispida-hispida-across-the-circumpolar-arctic(071a323d-a73a-498e-b888-3ca33f7c3314).html https://doi.org/10.33265/polar.v40.5753 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85117460707&partnerID=8YFLogxK |
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ftuniaarhuspubl:oai:pure.atira.dk:publications/071a323d-a73a-498e-b888-3ca33f7c3314 2023-12-24T10:12:08+01:00 Variation in body size of ringed seals (Pusa hispida hispida) across the circumpolar arctic:Evidence of morphs, ecotypes or simply extreme plasticity? Kovacs, Kit M. Citta, John Brown, Tanya Dietz, Rune Ferguson, Steve Harwood, Lois Houde, Magali Lea, Ellen V. Quakenbush, Lori Riget, Frank Rosing-Asvid, Aqqalu Smith, Tom G. Svetochev, Vladimir Svetocheva, Olga Lydersen, Christian 2021 https://pure.au.dk/portal/da/publications/variation-in-body-size-of-ringed-seals-pusa-hispida-hispida-across-the-circumpolar-arctic(071a323d-a73a-498e-b888-3ca33f7c3314).html https://doi.org/10.33265/polar.v40.5753 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85117460707&partnerID=8YFLogxK eng eng https://pure.au.dk/portal/da/publications/variation-in-body-size-of-ringed-seals-pusa-hispida-hispida-across-the-circumpolar-arctic(071a323d-a73a-498e-b888-3ca33f7c3314).html info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Kovacs , K M , Citta , J , Brown , T , Dietz , R , Ferguson , S , Harwood , L , Houde , M , Lea , E V , Quakenbush , L , Riget , F , Rosing-Asvid , A , Smith , T G , Svetochev , V , Svetocheva , O & Lydersen , C 2021 , ' Variation in body size of ringed seals (Pusa hispida hispida) across the circumpolar arctic : Evidence of morphs, ecotypes or simply extreme plasticity? ' , Polar Research , vol. 40 , 5753 . https://doi.org/10.33265/polar.v40.5753 Density-dependence Ecology Food availability Morphometry Phocid seal Pinniped article 2021 ftuniaarhuspubl https://doi.org/10.33265/polar.v40.5753 2023-11-30T00:00:59Z The ringed seal is a small phocid seal that has a northern circumpolar distribu-tion. It has long been recognized that body size is variable in ringed seals, and it has been suggested that ecotypes that differ in size exist. This study explores patterns of body size (length and girth) and age-at-maturity across most of the Arctic subspecies’ range using morphometric data from 35 sites. Asymptotic lengths varied from 113 to 151 cm, with sites falling into five distinct size clus-ters (for each sex). Age-at-maturity ranged from 3.1 to 7.4 years, with sites that had early ages of sexual maturity generally having small length-at-maturity and small final body length. The sexes differed in length at some sites, but not in a consistent pattern of dimorphism. The largest ringed seals occurred in western Greenland and eastern Canada, and the smallest occurred in Alaska and the White Sea. Latitudinal trends occurred only within sites in the eastern Canadian Arctic. Girth (with length and season accounted for) was also highly variable but showed no notable spatial pattern; males tended to be more rotund than females. Genetic studies are needed, starting with the “giants” at Kangia (Greenland) and in northern Canada to determine whether they are genetically distinct ecotypes. Additional research is also needed to understand the ecological linkages that drive the significant regional size differences in ringed seals that were confirmed in this study, and also to understand their implications with respect to potential adaptation to climate change. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Arctic Climate change Greenland Kangia Polar Research Pusa hispida ringed seal White Sea Alaska Aarhus University: Research Arctic Canada Greenland White Sea Polar Research 40 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Aarhus University: Research |
op_collection_id |
ftuniaarhuspubl |
language |
English |
topic |
Density-dependence Ecology Food availability Morphometry Phocid seal Pinniped |
spellingShingle |
Density-dependence Ecology Food availability Morphometry Phocid seal Pinniped Kovacs, Kit M. Citta, John Brown, Tanya Dietz, Rune Ferguson, Steve Harwood, Lois Houde, Magali Lea, Ellen V. Quakenbush, Lori Riget, Frank Rosing-Asvid, Aqqalu Smith, Tom G. Svetochev, Vladimir Svetocheva, Olga Lydersen, Christian Variation in body size of ringed seals (Pusa hispida hispida) across the circumpolar arctic:Evidence of morphs, ecotypes or simply extreme plasticity? |
topic_facet |
Density-dependence Ecology Food availability Morphometry Phocid seal Pinniped |
description |
The ringed seal is a small phocid seal that has a northern circumpolar distribu-tion. It has long been recognized that body size is variable in ringed seals, and it has been suggested that ecotypes that differ in size exist. This study explores patterns of body size (length and girth) and age-at-maturity across most of the Arctic subspecies’ range using morphometric data from 35 sites. Asymptotic lengths varied from 113 to 151 cm, with sites falling into five distinct size clus-ters (for each sex). Age-at-maturity ranged from 3.1 to 7.4 years, with sites that had early ages of sexual maturity generally having small length-at-maturity and small final body length. The sexes differed in length at some sites, but not in a consistent pattern of dimorphism. The largest ringed seals occurred in western Greenland and eastern Canada, and the smallest occurred in Alaska and the White Sea. Latitudinal trends occurred only within sites in the eastern Canadian Arctic. Girth (with length and season accounted for) was also highly variable but showed no notable spatial pattern; males tended to be more rotund than females. Genetic studies are needed, starting with the “giants” at Kangia (Greenland) and in northern Canada to determine whether they are genetically distinct ecotypes. Additional research is also needed to understand the ecological linkages that drive the significant regional size differences in ringed seals that were confirmed in this study, and also to understand their implications with respect to potential adaptation to climate change. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Kovacs, Kit M. Citta, John Brown, Tanya Dietz, Rune Ferguson, Steve Harwood, Lois Houde, Magali Lea, Ellen V. Quakenbush, Lori Riget, Frank Rosing-Asvid, Aqqalu Smith, Tom G. Svetochev, Vladimir Svetocheva, Olga Lydersen, Christian |
author_facet |
Kovacs, Kit M. Citta, John Brown, Tanya Dietz, Rune Ferguson, Steve Harwood, Lois Houde, Magali Lea, Ellen V. Quakenbush, Lori Riget, Frank Rosing-Asvid, Aqqalu Smith, Tom G. Svetochev, Vladimir Svetocheva, Olga Lydersen, Christian |
author_sort |
Kovacs, Kit M. |
title |
Variation in body size of ringed seals (Pusa hispida hispida) across the circumpolar arctic:Evidence of morphs, ecotypes or simply extreme plasticity? |
title_short |
Variation in body size of ringed seals (Pusa hispida hispida) across the circumpolar arctic:Evidence of morphs, ecotypes or simply extreme plasticity? |
title_full |
Variation in body size of ringed seals (Pusa hispida hispida) across the circumpolar arctic:Evidence of morphs, ecotypes or simply extreme plasticity? |
title_fullStr |
Variation in body size of ringed seals (Pusa hispida hispida) across the circumpolar arctic:Evidence of morphs, ecotypes or simply extreme plasticity? |
title_full_unstemmed |
Variation in body size of ringed seals (Pusa hispida hispida) across the circumpolar arctic:Evidence of morphs, ecotypes or simply extreme plasticity? |
title_sort |
variation in body size of ringed seals (pusa hispida hispida) across the circumpolar arctic:evidence of morphs, ecotypes or simply extreme plasticity? |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://pure.au.dk/portal/da/publications/variation-in-body-size-of-ringed-seals-pusa-hispida-hispida-across-the-circumpolar-arctic(071a323d-a73a-498e-b888-3ca33f7c3314).html https://doi.org/10.33265/polar.v40.5753 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85117460707&partnerID=8YFLogxK |
geographic |
Arctic Canada Greenland White Sea |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Canada Greenland White Sea |
genre |
Arctic Arctic Climate change Greenland Kangia Polar Research Pusa hispida ringed seal White Sea Alaska |
genre_facet |
Arctic Arctic Climate change Greenland Kangia Polar Research Pusa hispida ringed seal White Sea Alaska |
op_source |
Kovacs , K M , Citta , J , Brown , T , Dietz , R , Ferguson , S , Harwood , L , Houde , M , Lea , E V , Quakenbush , L , Riget , F , Rosing-Asvid , A , Smith , T G , Svetochev , V , Svetocheva , O & Lydersen , C 2021 , ' Variation in body size of ringed seals (Pusa hispida hispida) across the circumpolar arctic : Evidence of morphs, ecotypes or simply extreme plasticity? ' , Polar Research , vol. 40 , 5753 . https://doi.org/10.33265/polar.v40.5753 |
op_relation |
https://pure.au.dk/portal/da/publications/variation-in-body-size-of-ringed-seals-pusa-hispida-hispida-across-the-circumpolar-arctic(071a323d-a73a-498e-b888-3ca33f7c3314).html |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.33265/polar.v40.5753 |
container_title |
Polar Research |
container_volume |
40 |
_version_ |
1786172810966597632 |