Seasonal variation in the metabolic rate and body composition of female grey seals: fat conservation prior to high-cost reproduction in a capital breeder?
Many animals rely on stored energy through periods of high energy demand or low energy availability or both. A variety of mechanisms may be employed to attain and conserve energy for such periods. Wild grey seals demonstrate seasonal patterns of energy storage and foraging behaviour that appear to m...
Published in: | Journal of Comparative Physiology B |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
2006
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://risweb.st-andrews.ac.uk/portal/en/researchoutput/seasonal-variation-in-the-metabolic-rate-and-body-composition-of-female-grey-seals-fat-conservation-prior-to-highcost-reproduction-in-a-capital-breeder(92262847-51ee-41e5-b609-acbf207c1488).html https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-006-0072-0 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33745946475&partnerID=8YFLogxK |
id |
ftunstandrewcris:oai:risweb.st-andrews.ac.uk:publications/92262847-51ee-41e5-b609-acbf207c1488 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftunstandrewcris:oai:risweb.st-andrews.ac.uk:publications/92262847-51ee-41e5-b609-acbf207c1488 2023-05-15T16:05:43+02:00 Seasonal variation in the metabolic rate and body composition of female grey seals: fat conservation prior to high-cost reproduction in a capital breeder? Sparling, Carol Elizabeth Speakman, John R. Fedak, Michael Andre 2006-08 https://risweb.st-andrews.ac.uk/portal/en/researchoutput/seasonal-variation-in-the-metabolic-rate-and-body-composition-of-female-grey-seals-fat-conservation-prior-to-highcost-reproduction-in-a-capital-breeder(92262847-51ee-41e5-b609-acbf207c1488).html https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-006-0072-0 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33745946475&partnerID=8YFLogxK eng eng info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess Sparling , C E , Speakman , J R & Fedak , M A 2006 , ' Seasonal variation in the metabolic rate and body composition of female grey seals: fat conservation prior to high-cost reproduction in a capital breeder? ' , Journal of Comparative Physiology B: Biochemical, Systems, and Environmental Physiology , vol. 176 , pp. 505-512 . https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-006-0072-0 resting metabolic rate seasonal grey seal body composition SOUTHERN ELEPHANT SEALS HALICHOERUS-GRYPUS GRAY SEALS HARP SEALS PHOCA-GROENLANDICA DIVING BEHAVIOR SEX-DIFFERENCES MATERNAL SIZE HARBOR SEALS BROWN BATS article 2006 ftunstandrewcris https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-006-0072-0 2021-12-26T14:13:52Z Many animals rely on stored energy through periods of high energy demand or low energy availability or both. A variety of mechanisms may be employed to attain and conserve energy for such periods. Wild grey seals demonstrate seasonal patterns of energy storage and foraging behaviour that appear to maximize the allocation of energy to reproduction-a period characterized by both high energy demand and low food availability. We examined seasonal patterns in resting rates of oxygen consumption as a proxy for metabolic rate (RMR) and body composition in female grey seals (four adults and six juveniles), testing the hypothesis that adults would show seasonal changes in RMR related to the reproductive cycle but that juveniles would not. There was significant seasonal variation in rates of resting oxygen consumption of adult females, with rates being highest in the spring and declining through the summer months into autumn. This variation was not related to changes in water temperature. Adults increased in total body mass and in fat content during the same spring to autumn period that RMR declined. RMR of juveniles showed no clear seasonal patterns, but did increase with increasing mass. These data support the hypothesis that seasonal variation in RMR in female grey seals is related to the high costs of breeding. Article in Journal/Newspaper Elephant Seals Phoca groenlandica Southern Elephant Seals University of St Andrews: Research Portal Journal of Comparative Physiology B 176 6 505 512 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of St Andrews: Research Portal |
op_collection_id |
ftunstandrewcris |
language |
English |
topic |
resting metabolic rate seasonal grey seal body composition SOUTHERN ELEPHANT SEALS HALICHOERUS-GRYPUS GRAY SEALS HARP SEALS PHOCA-GROENLANDICA DIVING BEHAVIOR SEX-DIFFERENCES MATERNAL SIZE HARBOR SEALS BROWN BATS |
spellingShingle |
resting metabolic rate seasonal grey seal body composition SOUTHERN ELEPHANT SEALS HALICHOERUS-GRYPUS GRAY SEALS HARP SEALS PHOCA-GROENLANDICA DIVING BEHAVIOR SEX-DIFFERENCES MATERNAL SIZE HARBOR SEALS BROWN BATS Sparling, Carol Elizabeth Speakman, John R. Fedak, Michael Andre Seasonal variation in the metabolic rate and body composition of female grey seals: fat conservation prior to high-cost reproduction in a capital breeder? |
topic_facet |
resting metabolic rate seasonal grey seal body composition SOUTHERN ELEPHANT SEALS HALICHOERUS-GRYPUS GRAY SEALS HARP SEALS PHOCA-GROENLANDICA DIVING BEHAVIOR SEX-DIFFERENCES MATERNAL SIZE HARBOR SEALS BROWN BATS |
description |
Many animals rely on stored energy through periods of high energy demand or low energy availability or both. A variety of mechanisms may be employed to attain and conserve energy for such periods. Wild grey seals demonstrate seasonal patterns of energy storage and foraging behaviour that appear to maximize the allocation of energy to reproduction-a period characterized by both high energy demand and low food availability. We examined seasonal patterns in resting rates of oxygen consumption as a proxy for metabolic rate (RMR) and body composition in female grey seals (four adults and six juveniles), testing the hypothesis that adults would show seasonal changes in RMR related to the reproductive cycle but that juveniles would not. There was significant seasonal variation in rates of resting oxygen consumption of adult females, with rates being highest in the spring and declining through the summer months into autumn. This variation was not related to changes in water temperature. Adults increased in total body mass and in fat content during the same spring to autumn period that RMR declined. RMR of juveniles showed no clear seasonal patterns, but did increase with increasing mass. These data support the hypothesis that seasonal variation in RMR in female grey seals is related to the high costs of breeding. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Sparling, Carol Elizabeth Speakman, John R. Fedak, Michael Andre |
author_facet |
Sparling, Carol Elizabeth Speakman, John R. Fedak, Michael Andre |
author_sort |
Sparling, Carol Elizabeth |
title |
Seasonal variation in the metabolic rate and body composition of female grey seals: fat conservation prior to high-cost reproduction in a capital breeder? |
title_short |
Seasonal variation in the metabolic rate and body composition of female grey seals: fat conservation prior to high-cost reproduction in a capital breeder? |
title_full |
Seasonal variation in the metabolic rate and body composition of female grey seals: fat conservation prior to high-cost reproduction in a capital breeder? |
title_fullStr |
Seasonal variation in the metabolic rate and body composition of female grey seals: fat conservation prior to high-cost reproduction in a capital breeder? |
title_full_unstemmed |
Seasonal variation in the metabolic rate and body composition of female grey seals: fat conservation prior to high-cost reproduction in a capital breeder? |
title_sort |
seasonal variation in the metabolic rate and body composition of female grey seals: fat conservation prior to high-cost reproduction in a capital breeder? |
publishDate |
2006 |
url |
https://risweb.st-andrews.ac.uk/portal/en/researchoutput/seasonal-variation-in-the-metabolic-rate-and-body-composition-of-female-grey-seals-fat-conservation-prior-to-highcost-reproduction-in-a-capital-breeder(92262847-51ee-41e5-b609-acbf207c1488).html https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-006-0072-0 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33745946475&partnerID=8YFLogxK |
genre |
Elephant Seals Phoca groenlandica Southern Elephant Seals |
genre_facet |
Elephant Seals Phoca groenlandica Southern Elephant Seals |
op_source |
Sparling , C E , Speakman , J R & Fedak , M A 2006 , ' Seasonal variation in the metabolic rate and body composition of female grey seals: fat conservation prior to high-cost reproduction in a capital breeder? ' , Journal of Comparative Physiology B: Biochemical, Systems, and Environmental Physiology , vol. 176 , pp. 505-512 . https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-006-0072-0 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-006-0072-0 |
container_title |
Journal of Comparative Physiology B |
container_volume |
176 |
container_issue |
6 |
container_start_page |
505 |
op_container_end_page |
512 |
_version_ |
1766401625138659328 |