Differential resource allocation strategies for juvenile elephant seals in the highly seasonal Southern Ocean
Copyright © 2007 Inter-Research. Environmental conditions experienced in early life affect growth and influence life history strategies, especially in seasonal environments. We studied the seasonal and sexual variation in resource allocation in juvenile southern elephant seals to investigate whether...
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Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/2440/48209 https://doi.org/10.3354/meps331281 |
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ftunivadelaidedl:oai:digital.library.adelaide.edu.au:2440/48209 2023-05-15T16:05:34+02:00 Differential resource allocation strategies for juvenile elephant seals in the highly seasonal Southern Ocean Field, I. Bradshaw, C. Burton, H. Hindell, M. 2007 application/pdf http://hdl.handle.net/2440/48209 https://doi.org/10.3354/meps331281 en eng Inter-research Marine Ecology: Progress Series, 2007; 331:281-290 0171-8630 1616-1599 http://hdl.handle.net/2440/48209 doi:10.3354/meps331281 Bradshaw, C. [0000-0002-5328-7741] http://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v331/p281-290/ Southern elephant seals Resource allocation Growth Sexual dimorphism Seasonal environment Journal article 2007 ftunivadelaidedl https://doi.org/10.3354/meps331281 2023-02-06T07:10:01Z Copyright © 2007 Inter-Research. Environmental conditions experienced in early life affect growth and influence life history strategies, especially in seasonal environments. We studied the seasonal and sexual variation in resource allocation in juvenile southern elephant seals to investigate whether they show a seasonal decline in growth. We also examined whether sexual differences in growth may lead to separate growth strategies that suit each sex in maximizing fitness. We examined the variation in length (as a measure of somatic growth), body mass and condition of 470 individual 1- to 4-yr-old elephant seals relative to their different growth strategies. Applying a novel growth function, we observed increased somatic growth in summer compared to winter. Males were larger, had higher proportions of lean tissue and grew faster than females, demonstrating the evolution of a male growth strategy of attaining maximum size quickly, and a female strategy of achieving primiparity at an early age. This evidence supports the idea that seasonal patterns reflect seasonal variation in prey availability and quality, and differential growth strategies promote optimal resource allocation and increase an individual’s probability of survival and future breeding success in the highly dynamic and seasonal Southern Ocean. Iain C. Field, Corey J. A. Bradshaw, Harry R. Burton, Mark A. Hindell Article in Journal/Newspaper Elephant Seals Southern Elephant Seals Southern Ocean The University of Adelaide: Digital Library Bradshaw ENVELOPE(163.867,163.867,-71.467,-71.467) Burton ENVELOPE(166.733,166.733,-72.550,-72.550) Corey ENVELOPE(-145.133,-145.133,-76.667,-76.667) Southern Ocean Marine Ecology Progress Series 331 281 290 |
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Open Polar |
collection |
The University of Adelaide: Digital Library |
op_collection_id |
ftunivadelaidedl |
language |
English |
topic |
Southern elephant seals Resource allocation Growth Sexual dimorphism Seasonal environment |
spellingShingle |
Southern elephant seals Resource allocation Growth Sexual dimorphism Seasonal environment Field, I. Bradshaw, C. Burton, H. Hindell, M. Differential resource allocation strategies for juvenile elephant seals in the highly seasonal Southern Ocean |
topic_facet |
Southern elephant seals Resource allocation Growth Sexual dimorphism Seasonal environment |
description |
Copyright © 2007 Inter-Research. Environmental conditions experienced in early life affect growth and influence life history strategies, especially in seasonal environments. We studied the seasonal and sexual variation in resource allocation in juvenile southern elephant seals to investigate whether they show a seasonal decline in growth. We also examined whether sexual differences in growth may lead to separate growth strategies that suit each sex in maximizing fitness. We examined the variation in length (as a measure of somatic growth), body mass and condition of 470 individual 1- to 4-yr-old elephant seals relative to their different growth strategies. Applying a novel growth function, we observed increased somatic growth in summer compared to winter. Males were larger, had higher proportions of lean tissue and grew faster than females, demonstrating the evolution of a male growth strategy of attaining maximum size quickly, and a female strategy of achieving primiparity at an early age. This evidence supports the idea that seasonal patterns reflect seasonal variation in prey availability and quality, and differential growth strategies promote optimal resource allocation and increase an individual’s probability of survival and future breeding success in the highly dynamic and seasonal Southern Ocean. Iain C. Field, Corey J. A. Bradshaw, Harry R. Burton, Mark A. Hindell |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Field, I. Bradshaw, C. Burton, H. Hindell, M. |
author_facet |
Field, I. Bradshaw, C. Burton, H. Hindell, M. |
author_sort |
Field, I. |
title |
Differential resource allocation strategies for juvenile elephant seals in the highly seasonal Southern Ocean |
title_short |
Differential resource allocation strategies for juvenile elephant seals in the highly seasonal Southern Ocean |
title_full |
Differential resource allocation strategies for juvenile elephant seals in the highly seasonal Southern Ocean |
title_fullStr |
Differential resource allocation strategies for juvenile elephant seals in the highly seasonal Southern Ocean |
title_full_unstemmed |
Differential resource allocation strategies for juvenile elephant seals in the highly seasonal Southern Ocean |
title_sort |
differential resource allocation strategies for juvenile elephant seals in the highly seasonal southern ocean |
publisher |
Inter-research |
publishDate |
2007 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/2440/48209 https://doi.org/10.3354/meps331281 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(163.867,163.867,-71.467,-71.467) ENVELOPE(166.733,166.733,-72.550,-72.550) ENVELOPE(-145.133,-145.133,-76.667,-76.667) |
geographic |
Bradshaw Burton Corey Southern Ocean |
geographic_facet |
Bradshaw Burton Corey Southern Ocean |
genre |
Elephant Seals Southern Elephant Seals Southern Ocean |
genre_facet |
Elephant Seals Southern Elephant Seals Southern Ocean |
op_source |
http://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v331/p281-290/ |
op_relation |
Marine Ecology: Progress Series, 2007; 331:281-290 0171-8630 1616-1599 http://hdl.handle.net/2440/48209 doi:10.3354/meps331281 Bradshaw, C. [0000-0002-5328-7741] |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3354/meps331281 |
container_title |
Marine Ecology Progress Series |
container_volume |
331 |
container_start_page |
281 |
op_container_end_page |
290 |
_version_ |
1766401467273445376 |