Blubber and buoyancy: Monitoring the body condition of free-ranging seals using simple dive characteristics
Elephant seals regularly perform dives during which they spend a large proportion of time drifting passively through the water column. The rate of vertical change in depth during these 'drift' dives is largely a result of the proportion of lipid tissue in the body, with fatter seals having...
Published in: | Journal of Experimental Biology |
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Language: | English |
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2003
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Online Access: | https://research-portal.st-andrews.ac.uk/en/researchoutput/blubber-and-buoyancy-monitoring-the-body-condition-of-freeranging-seals-using-simple-dive-characteristics(7ad25d78-a2d5-451d-8b0c-ed8960accd8e).html https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.00583 |
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ftunstandrewcris:oai:research-portal.st-andrews.ac.uk:publications/7ad25d78-a2d5-451d-8b0c-ed8960accd8e 2024-09-09T19:04:00+00:00 Blubber and buoyancy: Monitoring the body condition of free-ranging seals using simple dive characteristics Biuw, Martin McConnell, Bernie J Bradshaw, CJA Burton, H Fedak, Michael Andre 2003-10 https://research-portal.st-andrews.ac.uk/en/researchoutput/blubber-and-buoyancy-monitoring-the-body-condition-of-freeranging-seals-using-simple-dive-characteristics(7ad25d78-a2d5-451d-8b0c-ed8960accd8e).html https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.00583 eng eng https://research-portal.st-andrews.ac.uk/en/researchoutput/blubber-and-buoyancy-monitoring-the-body-condition-of-freeranging-seals-using-simple-dive-characteristics(7ad25d78-a2d5-451d-8b0c-ed8960accd8e).html info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess Biuw , M , McConnell , B J , Bradshaw , CJA , Burton , H & Fedak , M A 2003 , ' Blubber and buoyancy: Monitoring the body condition of free-ranging seals using simple dive characteristics ' , Journal of Experimental Biology , vol. 206 , no. 19 , pp. 3405-3423 . https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.00583 buoyancy marine mammal elephant seal body composition foraging ecology satellite telemetry SOUTHERN ELEPHANT SEALS PENGUINS APTENODYTES-PATAGONICUS ANTARCTIC FUR SEALS MIROUNGA-LEONINA STOMACH TEMPERATURE DIVING BEHAVIOR KING PENGUINS PHOCA-VITULINA FORAGING IMPLICATIONS FEEDING-BEHAVIOR article 2003 ftunstandrewcris https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.00583 2024-06-26T23:33:42Z Elephant seals regularly perform dives during which they spend a large proportion of time drifting passively through the water column. The rate of vertical change in depth during these 'drift' dives is largely a result of the proportion of lipid tissue in the body, with fatter seals having higher (more positive or less negative) drift rates compared with leaner seals. We examined the temporal changes in drift rates of 24 newly weaned southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) pups during their first trip to sea to determine if this easily recorded dive characteristic can be used to continuously monitor changes in body composition of seals throughout their foraging trips. All seals demonstrated a similar trend over time: drift rates were initially positive but decreased steadily over the first 30-50 days after departure (Phase 1), corresponding to seals becoming gradually less buoyant. Over the following similar to100 days (Phase 2), drift rates again increased gradually, while during the last similar to20-45 days (Phase 3) drift rates either remained constant or decreased slightly. The daily rate of change in drift rate was negatively related to the daily rate of horizontal displacement (daily travel rate), and daily travel rates of more than similar to80 km were almost exclusively associated with negative changes in drift rate. We developed a mechanistic model based on body compositions and morphometrics measured in the field, published values for the density of seawater and various body components, and values of drag coefficients for objects of different shapes. We used this model to examine the theoretical relationships between drift rate and body composition and carried out a sensitivity analysis to quantify errors and biases caused by varying model parameters. While variations in seawater density and uncertainties in estimated body surface area and volume are unlikely to result in errors in estimated lipid content of more than +/-2.5%, variations in drag coefficient can lead to errors of greater than or ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Fur Seals Elephant Seal Elephant Seals King Penguins Mirounga leonina Phoca vitulina Southern Elephant Seal Southern Elephant Seals University of St Andrews: Research Portal Antarctic Journal of Experimental Biology 206 19 3405 3423 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of St Andrews: Research Portal |
op_collection_id |
ftunstandrewcris |
language |
English |
topic |
buoyancy marine mammal elephant seal body composition foraging ecology satellite telemetry SOUTHERN ELEPHANT SEALS PENGUINS APTENODYTES-PATAGONICUS ANTARCTIC FUR SEALS MIROUNGA-LEONINA STOMACH TEMPERATURE DIVING BEHAVIOR KING PENGUINS PHOCA-VITULINA FORAGING IMPLICATIONS FEEDING-BEHAVIOR |
spellingShingle |
buoyancy marine mammal elephant seal body composition foraging ecology satellite telemetry SOUTHERN ELEPHANT SEALS PENGUINS APTENODYTES-PATAGONICUS ANTARCTIC FUR SEALS MIROUNGA-LEONINA STOMACH TEMPERATURE DIVING BEHAVIOR KING PENGUINS PHOCA-VITULINA FORAGING IMPLICATIONS FEEDING-BEHAVIOR Biuw, Martin McConnell, Bernie J Bradshaw, CJA Burton, H Fedak, Michael Andre Blubber and buoyancy: Monitoring the body condition of free-ranging seals using simple dive characteristics |
topic_facet |
buoyancy marine mammal elephant seal body composition foraging ecology satellite telemetry SOUTHERN ELEPHANT SEALS PENGUINS APTENODYTES-PATAGONICUS ANTARCTIC FUR SEALS MIROUNGA-LEONINA STOMACH TEMPERATURE DIVING BEHAVIOR KING PENGUINS PHOCA-VITULINA FORAGING IMPLICATIONS FEEDING-BEHAVIOR |
description |
Elephant seals regularly perform dives during which they spend a large proportion of time drifting passively through the water column. The rate of vertical change in depth during these 'drift' dives is largely a result of the proportion of lipid tissue in the body, with fatter seals having higher (more positive or less negative) drift rates compared with leaner seals. We examined the temporal changes in drift rates of 24 newly weaned southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) pups during their first trip to sea to determine if this easily recorded dive characteristic can be used to continuously monitor changes in body composition of seals throughout their foraging trips. All seals demonstrated a similar trend over time: drift rates were initially positive but decreased steadily over the first 30-50 days after departure (Phase 1), corresponding to seals becoming gradually less buoyant. Over the following similar to100 days (Phase 2), drift rates again increased gradually, while during the last similar to20-45 days (Phase 3) drift rates either remained constant or decreased slightly. The daily rate of change in drift rate was negatively related to the daily rate of horizontal displacement (daily travel rate), and daily travel rates of more than similar to80 km were almost exclusively associated with negative changes in drift rate. We developed a mechanistic model based on body compositions and morphometrics measured in the field, published values for the density of seawater and various body components, and values of drag coefficients for objects of different shapes. We used this model to examine the theoretical relationships between drift rate and body composition and carried out a sensitivity analysis to quantify errors and biases caused by varying model parameters. While variations in seawater density and uncertainties in estimated body surface area and volume are unlikely to result in errors in estimated lipid content of more than +/-2.5%, variations in drag coefficient can lead to errors of greater than or ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Biuw, Martin McConnell, Bernie J Bradshaw, CJA Burton, H Fedak, Michael Andre |
author_facet |
Biuw, Martin McConnell, Bernie J Bradshaw, CJA Burton, H Fedak, Michael Andre |
author_sort |
Biuw, Martin |
title |
Blubber and buoyancy: Monitoring the body condition of free-ranging seals using simple dive characteristics |
title_short |
Blubber and buoyancy: Monitoring the body condition of free-ranging seals using simple dive characteristics |
title_full |
Blubber and buoyancy: Monitoring the body condition of free-ranging seals using simple dive characteristics |
title_fullStr |
Blubber and buoyancy: Monitoring the body condition of free-ranging seals using simple dive characteristics |
title_full_unstemmed |
Blubber and buoyancy: Monitoring the body condition of free-ranging seals using simple dive characteristics |
title_sort |
blubber and buoyancy: monitoring the body condition of free-ranging seals using simple dive characteristics |
publishDate |
2003 |
url |
https://research-portal.st-andrews.ac.uk/en/researchoutput/blubber-and-buoyancy-monitoring-the-body-condition-of-freeranging-seals-using-simple-dive-characteristics(7ad25d78-a2d5-451d-8b0c-ed8960accd8e).html https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.00583 |
geographic |
Antarctic |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Fur Seals Elephant Seal Elephant Seals King Penguins Mirounga leonina Phoca vitulina Southern Elephant Seal Southern Elephant Seals |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Fur Seals Elephant Seal Elephant Seals King Penguins Mirounga leonina Phoca vitulina Southern Elephant Seal Southern Elephant Seals |
op_source |
Biuw , M , McConnell , B J , Bradshaw , CJA , Burton , H & Fedak , M A 2003 , ' Blubber and buoyancy: Monitoring the body condition of free-ranging seals using simple dive characteristics ' , Journal of Experimental Biology , vol. 206 , no. 19 , pp. 3405-3423 . https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.00583 |
op_relation |
https://research-portal.st-andrews.ac.uk/en/researchoutput/blubber-and-buoyancy-monitoring-the-body-condition-of-freeranging-seals-using-simple-dive-characteristics(7ad25d78-a2d5-451d-8b0c-ed8960accd8e).html |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.00583 |
container_title |
Journal of Experimental Biology |
container_volume |
206 |
container_issue |
19 |
container_start_page |
3405 |
op_container_end_page |
3423 |
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1809817994641014784 |