Important marine sectors for the top predator community around Kerguelen Archipelago

International audience The French Kerguelen Archipelago represents an important breeding place for many species of marine top predators within the Southern Ocean, making the plateau hosting the archipelago and surrounding waters (CCAMLR area 58.5) a crucial area to design conservation measures. In t...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Published in:Polar Biology
Main Authors: Thiers, Laurie, Delord, Karine, Bost, Charles-André, Guinet, Christophe, Weimerskirch, Henri
Other Authors: Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé - UMR 7372 (CEBC), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-La Rochelle Université (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: HAL CCSD 2017
Subjects:
Habitat modelling
Distribution
Seabirds
Marine mammals
Tracking
[SDE]Environmental Sciences
Antarctic
Southern Ocean
Kerguelen
Heard
McDonald Islands
Antarc*
Antarctic Fur Seal
Polar Biology
Wandering Albatross
Online Access:https://hal.science/hal-01328023
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-016-1964-4
Description
Summary:International audience The French Kerguelen Archipelago represents an important breeding place for many species of marine top predators within the Southern Ocean, making the plateau hosting the archipelago and surrounding waters (CCAMLR area 58.5) a crucial area to design conservation measures. In this study, available tracking data from nine species of seabirds and marine mammals breeding at Kerguelen were analysed to define potential boundaries for a Marine Protected Area. Maps of time spent per square of each species were first used to describe high-use areas within the Kerguelen Plateau. Habitat models were then developed for four species (Black-browed albatross, Wandering albatross, King penguin and Antarctic fur seal) chosen on the basis of their contrasted foraging ecology and diet to represent the top predator community. Predictive models were then applied to the main colonies of the four species for which no tracking data were available to illustrate the most important feeding areas at the scale of the entire study zone. An area delineated by the central part of the plateau and its slopes appeared to be of great importance for the top predators’ community and would appropriately complete the limits of the existing Australian marine reserve of Heard and McDonald Islands.

Similar Items