Contrasting behavior between two populations of an ice-obligate predator in East Antarctica
The Austral autumnwinter is a critical period for capital breeders such as Weddell seals that must optimize resource acquisition and storage to provision breeding in the subsequent spring. However, how Weddell seals find food in the winter months remains poorly documented. We equipped adult Weddell...
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.2652 http://ecite.utas.edu.au/115542 |
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ftunivtasecite:oai:ecite.utas.edu.au:115542 2023-05-15T13:49:03+02:00 Contrasting behavior between two populations of an ice-obligate predator in East Antarctica Heerah, K Hindell, M Andrew-Goff, V Field, I McMahon, CR Charrassin, J-B 2017 application/pdf https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.2652 http://ecite.utas.edu.au/115542 en eng John Wiley & Sons Ltd. http://ecite.utas.edu.au/115542/1/Heerah-2017-Contrasting behavior between two p.pdf http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ece3.2652 http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP0342714 Heerah, K and Hindell, M and Andrew-Goff, V and Field, I and McMahon, CR and Charrassin, J-B, Contrasting behavior between two populations of an ice-obligate predator in East Antarctica, Ecology and Evolution, 7, (2) pp. 606-618. ISSN 2045-7758 (2017) [Refereed Article] http://ecite.utas.edu.au/115542 Biological Sciences Ecology Marine and Estuarine Ecology (incl. Marine Ichthyology) Refereed Article PeerReviewed 2017 ftunivtasecite https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.2652 2019-12-13T22:15:21Z The Austral autumnwinter is a critical period for capital breeders such as Weddell seals that must optimize resource acquisition and storage to provision breeding in the subsequent spring. However, how Weddell seals find food in the winter months remains poorly documented. We equipped adult Weddell seals after their annual molt with satellite-relayed data loggers at two sites in East Antarctica: Dumont D'Urville ( n =12, DDU) and Davis ( n =20). We used binomial generalized mixed-effect models to investigate Weddell seals behavioral response (i.e., hunting vs. transit) to physical aspects of their environment (e.g., ice concentration). Weddell seal foraging was concentrated to within 5km of a breathing hole, and they appear to move between holes as local food is depleted. There were regional differences in behavior so that seals at Davis traveled greater distances (three times more) and spent less time in hunting mode (half the time) than seals at DDU. Despite these differences, hunting dives at both locations were pelagic, concentrated in areas of high ice concentration, and over areas of complex bathymetry. There was also a seasonal change in diving behavior from transiting early in the season to more hunting during winter. Our observations suggest that Weddell seal foraging behavior is plastic and that they respond behaviorally to changes in their environment to maximize food acquisition and storage. Such plasticity is a hallmark of animals that live in very dynamic environments such as the high Antarctic where resources are unpredictable. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica East Antarctica Weddell Seal Weddell Seals eCite UTAS (University of Tasmania) Antarctic Austral Dumont d'Urville ENVELOPE(140.017,140.017,-66.667,-66.667) Dumont-d'Urville ENVELOPE(140.013,140.013,-66.667,-66.667) East Antarctica Weddell Ecology and Evolution 7 2 606 618 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
eCite UTAS (University of Tasmania) |
op_collection_id |
ftunivtasecite |
language |
English |
topic |
Biological Sciences Ecology Marine and Estuarine Ecology (incl. Marine Ichthyology) |
spellingShingle |
Biological Sciences Ecology Marine and Estuarine Ecology (incl. Marine Ichthyology) Heerah, K Hindell, M Andrew-Goff, V Field, I McMahon, CR Charrassin, J-B Contrasting behavior between two populations of an ice-obligate predator in East Antarctica |
topic_facet |
Biological Sciences Ecology Marine and Estuarine Ecology (incl. Marine Ichthyology) |
description |
The Austral autumnwinter is a critical period for capital breeders such as Weddell seals that must optimize resource acquisition and storage to provision breeding in the subsequent spring. However, how Weddell seals find food in the winter months remains poorly documented. We equipped adult Weddell seals after their annual molt with satellite-relayed data loggers at two sites in East Antarctica: Dumont D'Urville ( n =12, DDU) and Davis ( n =20). We used binomial generalized mixed-effect models to investigate Weddell seals behavioral response (i.e., hunting vs. transit) to physical aspects of their environment (e.g., ice concentration). Weddell seal foraging was concentrated to within 5km of a breathing hole, and they appear to move between holes as local food is depleted. There were regional differences in behavior so that seals at Davis traveled greater distances (three times more) and spent less time in hunting mode (half the time) than seals at DDU. Despite these differences, hunting dives at both locations were pelagic, concentrated in areas of high ice concentration, and over areas of complex bathymetry. There was also a seasonal change in diving behavior from transiting early in the season to more hunting during winter. Our observations suggest that Weddell seal foraging behavior is plastic and that they respond behaviorally to changes in their environment to maximize food acquisition and storage. Such plasticity is a hallmark of animals that live in very dynamic environments such as the high Antarctic where resources are unpredictable. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Heerah, K Hindell, M Andrew-Goff, V Field, I McMahon, CR Charrassin, J-B |
author_facet |
Heerah, K Hindell, M Andrew-Goff, V Field, I McMahon, CR Charrassin, J-B |
author_sort |
Heerah, K |
title |
Contrasting behavior between two populations of an ice-obligate predator in East Antarctica |
title_short |
Contrasting behavior between two populations of an ice-obligate predator in East Antarctica |
title_full |
Contrasting behavior between two populations of an ice-obligate predator in East Antarctica |
title_fullStr |
Contrasting behavior between two populations of an ice-obligate predator in East Antarctica |
title_full_unstemmed |
Contrasting behavior between two populations of an ice-obligate predator in East Antarctica |
title_sort |
contrasting behavior between two populations of an ice-obligate predator in east antarctica |
publisher |
John Wiley & Sons Ltd. |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.2652 http://ecite.utas.edu.au/115542 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(140.017,140.017,-66.667,-66.667) ENVELOPE(140.013,140.013,-66.667,-66.667) |
geographic |
Antarctic Austral Dumont d'Urville Dumont-d'Urville East Antarctica Weddell |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Austral Dumont d'Urville Dumont-d'Urville East Antarctica Weddell |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica East Antarctica Weddell Seal Weddell Seals |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica East Antarctica Weddell Seal Weddell Seals |
op_relation |
http://ecite.utas.edu.au/115542/1/Heerah-2017-Contrasting behavior between two p.pdf http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ece3.2652 http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP0342714 Heerah, K and Hindell, M and Andrew-Goff, V and Field, I and McMahon, CR and Charrassin, J-B, Contrasting behavior between two populations of an ice-obligate predator in East Antarctica, Ecology and Evolution, 7, (2) pp. 606-618. ISSN 2045-7758 (2017) [Refereed Article] http://ecite.utas.edu.au/115542 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.2652 |
container_title |
Ecology and Evolution |
container_volume |
7 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
606 |
op_container_end_page |
618 |
_version_ |
1766250698774675456 |