The diet of Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) in Terra Nova Bay using stable isotope analysis
Stable isotope analyses were used to investigate the diet of Weddell seals in Terra Nova Bay (Ross Sea) and the potential variation of their foraging behaviour with age, sex and body mass. For this purpose, skin samples were collected from adult breeding seals and pups, together with muscle samples...
Published in: | The European Zoological Journal |
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Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/2108/281147 https://doi.org/10.1080/24750263.2020.1720832 |
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ftunivromatorver:oai:art.torvergata.it:2108/281147 2024-02-27T08:33:46+00:00 The diet of Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) in Terra Nova Bay using stable isotope analysis Rumolo P. Zappes I. A. Fabiani A. Barra M. Rakaj A. Palozzi R. Allegrucci G. Rumolo, P Zappes, Ia Fabiani, A Barra, M Rakaj, A Palozzi, R Allegrucci, G 2020 http://hdl.handle.net/2108/281147 https://doi.org/10.1080/24750263.2020.1720832 eng eng Taylor and Francis Ltd. info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/WOS:000514429200001 volume:87 issue:1 firstpage:94 lastpage:104 numberofpages:11 journal:THE EUROPEAN ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL http://hdl.handle.net/2108/281147 doi:10.1080/24750263.2020.1720832 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/scopus/2-s2.0-85079387997 Antarctica Leptonychotes weddellii stable isotopes Terra Nova Bay Weddell seal diet Settore BIO/05 - ZOOLOGIA info:eu-repo/semantics/article 2020 ftunivromatorver https://doi.org/10.1080/24750263.2020.1720832 2024-01-31T00:18:46Z Stable isotope analyses were used to investigate the diet of Weddell seals in Terra Nova Bay (Ross Sea) and the potential variation of their foraging behaviour with age, sex and body mass. For this purpose, skin samples were collected from adult breeding seals and pups, together with muscle samples of their potential prey. Our results showed variation in foraging behavior between age classes, with pups reporting lower δ13C values than adults, while no significant differences in δ15N were recorded. In addition, contrary to expectations, a mixing model analysis showed that adult seals foraged mainly on shallow benthic prey, such as Trematomus spp. (34.1%) and Dissostichus mawsoni (21.1%), rather than on pelagic fish, such as Pleuragramma antarcticum (9.8%). Overall, with this paper we provide novel diet information on a seal colony not previously sampled, adding new insight into the feeding ecology of a top Antarctic predator. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Ross Sea Weddell Seal Weddell Seals Universitá degli Studi di Roma "Tor Vergata": ART - Archivio Istituzionale della Ricerca Antarctic Ross Sea Terra Nova Bay Weddell The European Zoological Journal 87 1 94 104 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Universitá degli Studi di Roma "Tor Vergata": ART - Archivio Istituzionale della Ricerca |
op_collection_id |
ftunivromatorver |
language |
English |
topic |
Antarctica Leptonychotes weddellii stable isotopes Terra Nova Bay Weddell seal diet Settore BIO/05 - ZOOLOGIA |
spellingShingle |
Antarctica Leptonychotes weddellii stable isotopes Terra Nova Bay Weddell seal diet Settore BIO/05 - ZOOLOGIA Rumolo P. Zappes I. A. Fabiani A. Barra M. Rakaj A. Palozzi R. Allegrucci G. The diet of Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) in Terra Nova Bay using stable isotope analysis |
topic_facet |
Antarctica Leptonychotes weddellii stable isotopes Terra Nova Bay Weddell seal diet Settore BIO/05 - ZOOLOGIA |
description |
Stable isotope analyses were used to investigate the diet of Weddell seals in Terra Nova Bay (Ross Sea) and the potential variation of their foraging behaviour with age, sex and body mass. For this purpose, skin samples were collected from adult breeding seals and pups, together with muscle samples of their potential prey. Our results showed variation in foraging behavior between age classes, with pups reporting lower δ13C values than adults, while no significant differences in δ15N were recorded. In addition, contrary to expectations, a mixing model analysis showed that adult seals foraged mainly on shallow benthic prey, such as Trematomus spp. (34.1%) and Dissostichus mawsoni (21.1%), rather than on pelagic fish, such as Pleuragramma antarcticum (9.8%). Overall, with this paper we provide novel diet information on a seal colony not previously sampled, adding new insight into the feeding ecology of a top Antarctic predator. |
author2 |
Rumolo, P Zappes, Ia Fabiani, A Barra, M Rakaj, A Palozzi, R Allegrucci, G |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Rumolo P. Zappes I. A. Fabiani A. Barra M. Rakaj A. Palozzi R. Allegrucci G. |
author_facet |
Rumolo P. Zappes I. A. Fabiani A. Barra M. Rakaj A. Palozzi R. Allegrucci G. |
author_sort |
Rumolo P. |
title |
The diet of Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) in Terra Nova Bay using stable isotope analysis |
title_short |
The diet of Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) in Terra Nova Bay using stable isotope analysis |
title_full |
The diet of Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) in Terra Nova Bay using stable isotope analysis |
title_fullStr |
The diet of Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) in Terra Nova Bay using stable isotope analysis |
title_full_unstemmed |
The diet of Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) in Terra Nova Bay using stable isotope analysis |
title_sort |
diet of weddell seals (leptonychotes weddellii) in terra nova bay using stable isotope analysis |
publisher |
Taylor and Francis Ltd. |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/2108/281147 https://doi.org/10.1080/24750263.2020.1720832 |
geographic |
Antarctic Ross Sea Terra Nova Bay Weddell |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Ross Sea Terra Nova Bay Weddell |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Ross Sea Weddell Seal Weddell Seals |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Ross Sea Weddell Seal Weddell Seals |
op_relation |
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/WOS:000514429200001 volume:87 issue:1 firstpage:94 lastpage:104 numberofpages:11 journal:THE EUROPEAN ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL http://hdl.handle.net/2108/281147 doi:10.1080/24750263.2020.1720832 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/scopus/2-s2.0-85079387997 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1080/24750263.2020.1720832 |
container_title |
The European Zoological Journal |
container_volume |
87 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
94 |
op_container_end_page |
104 |
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1792047712734019584 |