Differential resource allocation strategies in juvenile elephant seals in the highly seasonal Southern Ocean
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...
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3354/meps331281 http://ecite.utas.edu.au/50729 |
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ftunivtasecite:oai:ecite.utas.edu.au:50729 2023-05-15T16:05:35+02:00 Differential resource allocation strategies in juvenile elephant seals in the highly seasonal Southern Ocean Field, IC Bradshaw, CJA Burton, HR Hindell, MA 2007 https://doi.org/10.3354/meps331281 http://ecite.utas.edu.au/50729 en eng Inter-Research http://dx.doi.org/10.3354/meps331281 Field, IC and Bradshaw, CJA and Burton, HR and Hindell, MA, Differential resource allocation strategies in juvenile elephant seals in the highly seasonal Southern Ocean, Marine Ecology - Progress Series, 331, (February) pp. 281-290. ISSN 0171-8630 (2007) [Refereed Article] http://ecite.utas.edu.au/50729 Environmental Sciences Environmental Science and Management Wildlife and Habitat Management Refereed Article PeerReviewed 2007 ftunivtasecite https://doi.org/10.3354/meps331281 2019-12-13T21:24:56Z 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. Inter-Research 2007. Article in Journal/Newspaper Elephant Seals Southern Elephant Seals Southern Ocean eCite UTAS (University of Tasmania) Southern Ocean Marine Ecology Progress Series 331 281 290 |
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Open Polar |
collection |
eCite UTAS (University of Tasmania) |
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ftunivtasecite |
language |
English |
topic |
Environmental Sciences Environmental Science and Management Wildlife and Habitat Management |
spellingShingle |
Environmental Sciences Environmental Science and Management Wildlife and Habitat Management Field, IC Bradshaw, CJA Burton, HR Hindell, MA Differential resource allocation strategies in juvenile elephant seals in the highly seasonal Southern Ocean |
topic_facet |
Environmental Sciences Environmental Science and Management Wildlife and Habitat Management |
description |
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. Inter-Research 2007. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Field, IC Bradshaw, CJA Burton, HR Hindell, MA |
author_facet |
Field, IC Bradshaw, CJA Burton, HR Hindell, MA |
author_sort |
Field, IC |
title |
Differential resource allocation strategies in juvenile elephant seals in the highly seasonal Southern Ocean |
title_short |
Differential resource allocation strategies in juvenile elephant seals in the highly seasonal Southern Ocean |
title_full |
Differential resource allocation strategies in juvenile elephant seals in the highly seasonal Southern Ocean |
title_fullStr |
Differential resource allocation strategies in juvenile elephant seals in the highly seasonal Southern Ocean |
title_full_unstemmed |
Differential resource allocation strategies in juvenile elephant seals in the highly seasonal Southern Ocean |
title_sort |
differential resource allocation strategies in juvenile elephant seals in the highly seasonal southern ocean |
publisher |
Inter-Research |
publishDate |
2007 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3354/meps331281 http://ecite.utas.edu.au/50729 |
geographic |
Southern Ocean |
geographic_facet |
Southern Ocean |
genre |
Elephant Seals Southern Elephant Seals Southern Ocean |
genre_facet |
Elephant Seals Southern Elephant Seals Southern Ocean |
op_relation |
http://dx.doi.org/10.3354/meps331281 Field, IC and Bradshaw, CJA and Burton, HR and Hindell, MA, Differential resource allocation strategies in juvenile elephant seals in the highly seasonal Southern Ocean, Marine Ecology - Progress Series, 331, (February) pp. 281-290. ISSN 0171-8630 (2007) [Refereed Article] http://ecite.utas.edu.au/50729 |
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_ |
1766401489566171136 |