Salinity sensors on seals: using marine predators to carry CTD dataloggers.

Diving marine predators have been used to collect data on ocean temperature, but salinity measurements have not previously been incorporated into predator-borne data loggers. Here we present data on initial calibration and field trials of a new conductivity, temperature and depth (CTD) data logger u...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers
Main Authors: Hooker, Sascha Kate, Boyd, Ian Lamont
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2003
Subjects:
salinity
CTD
marine predators
oceanography
SOUTHERN-OCEAN
OCEANOGRAPHIC CONDITIONS
ARCTOCEPHALUS-GAZELLA
FORAGING ECOLOGY
ELEPHANT SEALS
PRODUCTIVITY
GEORGIA
MAMMALS
VARIABLES
FEATURES
Antarctic
Bird Island
Southern Ocean
Antarc*
Antarctic Fur Seals
Arctocephalus gazella
Elephant Seals
Online Access:https://risweb.st-andrews.ac.uk/portal/en/researchoutput/salinity-sensors-on-seals-using-marine-predators-to-carry-ctd-dataloggers(19f47e12-f02e-42ea-9552-cb392010bcca).html
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0967-0637(03)00055-4
http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0242339740&partnerID=8YFLogxK
Description
Summary:Diving marine predators have been used to collect data on ocean temperature, but salinity measurements have not previously been incorporated into predator-borne data loggers. Here we present data on initial calibration and field trials of a new conductivity, temperature and depth (CTD) data logger used alongside a satellite-positioning transmitter to provide three-dimensional oceanographic information. This provides CTD data analogous to that collected by a ship-deployed undulating oceanographic recorder. Calibration tests of these units showed a near-field effect caused by the proximity of material to the tag, but demonstrate that the resulting data offset can be removed by post hoc calibration. Field tests of the system were conducted on 16 female Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella) at Bird Island, South Georgia. These results matched those found by standard ship-based survey techniques, but suggest temporal variability in the structure and location of the two water masses found to the north of South Georgia. Overall, this initial proof-of-concept work is encouraging,: future refinement of this technique is likely to provide an additional data source for both oceanographers and biologists. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

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