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Douce P, Mermillod-Blondin F, Simon L, Dolédec S, Eymar-Dauphin P, Renault D, Sulmon C, Vallier F, Bittebiere AK. Biotic and abiotic drivers of aquatic plant communities in shallow pools and wallows on the sub-Antarctic Iles Kerguelen. Polar Biol 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-023-03122-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
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2
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Green C, Green DB, Ratcliffe N, Thompson D, Lea M, Baylis AMM, Bond AL, Bost C, Crofts S, Cuthbert RJ, González‐Solís J, Morrison KW, Poisbleau M, Pütz K, Rey AR, Ryan PG, Sagar PM, Steinfurth A, Thiebot J, Tierney M, Whitehead TO, Wotherspoon S, Hindell MA. Potential for redistribution of post-moult habitat for Eudyptes penguins in the Southern Ocean under future climate conditions. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:648-667. [PMID: 36278894 PMCID: PMC10099906 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic climate change is resulting in spatial redistributions of many species. We assessed the potential effects of climate change on an abundant and widely distributed group of diving birds, Eudyptes penguins, which are the main avian consumers in the Southern Ocean in terms of biomass consumption. Despite their abundance, several of these species have undergone population declines over the past century, potentially due to changing oceanography and prey availability over the important winter months. We used light-based geolocation tracking data for 485 individuals deployed between 2006 and 2020 across 10 of the major breeding locations for five taxa of Eudyptes penguins. We used boosted regression tree modelling to quantify post-moult habitat preference for southern rockhopper (E. chrysocome), eastern rockhopper (E. filholi), northern rockhopper (E. moseleyi) and macaroni/royal (E. chrysolophus and E. schlegeli) penguins. We then modelled their redistribution under two climate change scenarios, representative concentration pathways RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 (for the end of the century, 2071-2100). As climate forcings differ regionally, we quantified redistribution in the Atlantic, Central Indian, East Indian, West Pacific and East Pacific regions. We found sea surface temperature and sea surface height to be the most important predictors of current habitat for these penguins; physical features that are changing rapidly in the Southern Ocean. Our results indicated that the less severe RCP4.5 would lead to less habitat loss than the more severe RCP8.5. The five taxa of penguin may experience a general poleward redistribution of their preferred habitat, but with contrasting effects in the (i) change in total area of preferred habitat under climate change (ii) according to geographic region and (iii) the species (macaroni/royal vs. rockhopper populations). Our results provide further understanding on the regional impacts and vulnerability of species to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara‐Paige Green
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic StudiesUniversity of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
| | - David B. Green
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic StudiesUniversity of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
- ARC Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic ScienceInstitute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
| | | | - David Thompson
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd.HataitaiWellingtonNew Zealand
| | - Mary‐Anne Lea
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic StudiesUniversity of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
- ARC Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic ScienceInstitute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
| | - Alastair M. M. Baylis
- South Atlantic Environmental Research InstituteStanleyFalkland Islands
- Macquarie UniversitySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Alexander L. Bond
- RSPB Centre for Conservation ScienceRoyal Society for the Protection of BirdsThe LodgeSandyUK
- Bird GroupNatural History MuseumTingUK
| | - Charles‐André Bost
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de ChizéUMR7372 CNRS‐La Rochelle UniversitéVilliers en BoisFrance
| | | | - Richard J. Cuthbert
- Royal Society for the Protection of BirdsCentre for Conservation ScienceCambridgeUK
- World Land TrustBlyth HouseHalesworthUK
| | - Jacob González‐Solís
- Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio) and Departament de Biologia EvolutivaEcologia i Ciències AmbientalsUniversitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Kyle W. Morrison
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd.HataitaiWellingtonNew Zealand
| | - Maud Poisbleau
- Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology GroupDepartment of BiologyUniversity of AntwerpWilrijkBelgium
| | | | | | - Peter G. Ryan
- FitzPatrick Institute of African OrnithologyDST‐NRF Centre of ExcellenceUniversity of Cape TownRondeboschSouth Africa
| | - Paul M. Sagar
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd.HataitaiWellingtonNew Zealand
| | - Antje Steinfurth
- Royal Society for the Protection of BirdsCentre for Conservation ScienceCambridgeUK
| | - Jean‐Baptiste Thiebot
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd.ChristchurchNew Zealand
- Graduate School of Fisheries SciencesHokkaido UniversityHakodateJapan
| | - Megan Tierney
- South Atlantic Environmental Research InstituteStanleyFalkland Islands
- Joint Nature Conservation CommitteePeterboroughUK
| | - Thomas Otto Whitehead
- FitzPatrick Institute of African OrnithologyDST‐NRF Centre of ExcellenceUniversity of Cape TownRondeboschSouth Africa
| | - Simon Wotherspoon
- Australian Antarctic DivisionDepartment of Agriculture, Water and the EnvironmentAustralian Antarctic DivisionKingstonTasmaniaAustralia
| | - Mark A. Hindell
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic StudiesUniversity of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
- ARC Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic ScienceInstitute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
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3
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Movements of southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) from Davis Base, Antarctica: combining population genetics and tracking data. Polar Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-022-03058-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
AbstractMarine animals such as the southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) rely on a productive marine environment and are vulnerable to oceanic changes that can affect their reproduction and survival rates. Davis Base, Antarctica, acts as a moulting site for southern elephant seals that forage in Prydz Bay, but the mitochondrial haplotype diversity and natal source populations of these seals have not been characterized. In this study, we combined genetic and animal tracking data on these moulting seals to identify levels of mitochondrial haplotype diversity, natal source population, and movement behaviours during foraging and haul-out periods. Using partial sequences of the mitochondrial control region, we identified two major breeding mitochondrial lineages of seals at Davis Base. We found that the majority of the seals originated from breeding stocks within the South Atlantic Ocean and South Indian Ocean. One seal was grouped with the Macquarie Island breeding stock (South Pacific Ocean). The Macquarie Island population, unlike the other two stocks, is decreasing in size. Tracking data revealed long-distance foraging activity of the Macquarie Island seal around Crozet Islands. We speculate that changes to the Antarctic marine environment can result in a shift in foraging and movement strategies, which subsequently affects seal population growth rates.
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4
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Negrete J, Juáres M, Mennucci JA, Daneri G. Population status of southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) at Peninsula Potter breeding colony, Antarctica. Polar Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-022-03044-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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5
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Orgeret F, Thiebault A, Kovacs KM, Lydersen C, Hindell MA, Thompson SA, Sydeman WJ, Pistorius PA. Climate change impacts on seabirds and marine mammals: The importance of study duration, thermal tolerance and generation time. Ecol Lett 2021; 25:218-239. [PMID: 34761516 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Understanding climate change impacts on top predators is fundamental to marine biodiversity conservation, due to their increasingly threatened populations and their importance in marine ecosystems. We conducted a systematic review of the effects of climate change (prolonged, directional change) and climate variability on seabirds and marine mammals. We extracted data from 484 studies (4808 published studies were reviewed), comprising 2215 observations on demography, phenology, distribution, diet, behaviour, body condition and physiology. The likelihood of concluding that climate change had an impact increased with study duration. However, the temporal thresholds for the effects of climate change to be discernibly varied from 10 to 29 years depending on the species, the biological response and the oceanic study region. Species with narrow thermal ranges and relatively long generation times were more often reported to be affected by climate change. This provides an important framework for future assessments, with guidance on response- and region-specific temporal dimensions that need to be considered when reporting effects of climate change. Finally, we found that tropical regions and non-breeding life stages were poorly covered in the literature, a concern that should be addressed to enable a better understanding of the vulnerability of marine predators to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Orgeret
- Marine Apex Predator Research Unit (MAPRU), Department of Zoology, Institute for Coastal and Marine Research, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
| | - Andréa Thiebault
- Marine Apex Predator Research Unit (MAPRU), Department of Zoology, Institute for Coastal and Marine Research, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
| | - Kit M Kovacs
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, Tromsø, Norway
| | | | - Mark A Hindell
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | | | | | - Pierre A Pistorius
- Marine Apex Predator Research Unit (MAPRU), Department of Zoology, Institute for Coastal and Marine Research, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa.,DST-NRF Centre of Excellence at the FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
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6
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Holser RR, Crocker DE, Robinson PW, Condit R, Costa DP. Density-dependent effects on reproductive output in a capital breeding carnivore, the northern elephant seal ( Mirounga angustirostris). Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20211258. [PMID: 34641731 PMCID: PMC8511744 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.1258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
All organisms face resource limitations that will ultimately restrict population growth, but the controlling mechanisms vary across ecosystems, taxa, and reproductive strategies. Using four decades of data, we examine how variation in the environment and population density affect reproductive outcomes in a capital-breeding carnivore, the northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris). This species provides a unique opportunity to examine the relative importance of resource acquisition and density-dependence on breeding success. Capital breeders accrue resources over large temporal and spatial scales for use during an abbreviated reproductive period. This strategy may have evolved, in part, to confer resilience to short-term environmental variability. We observed density-dependent effects on weaning mass, and maternal age (experience) was more important than oceanographic conditions or maternal mass in determining offspring weaning mass. Together these findings show that the mechanisms controlling reproductive output are conserved across terrestrial and marine systems and vary with population dynamics, an important consideration when assessing the effect of extrinsic changes, such as climate change, on a population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel R. Holser
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, 130 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| | - Daniel E. Crocker
- Department of Biology, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA 94928, USA
| | - Patrick W. Robinson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, 130 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| | - Richard Condit
- Field Museum of Natural History, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605, USA
- Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois Route 53, Lisle, IL 60532, USA
| | - Daniel P. Costa
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, 130 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
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7
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Volzke S, McMahon CR, Hindell MA, Burton HR, Wotherspoon SJ. Climate influences on female survival in a declining population of southern elephant seals ( Mirounga leonina). Ecol Evol 2021; 11:11333-11344. [PMID: 34429922 PMCID: PMC8366891 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The Southern Ocean has been disproportionately affected by climate change and is therefore an ideal place to study the influence of changing environmental conditions on ecosystems. Changes in the demography of predator populations are indicators of broader shifts in food web structure, but long-term data are required to study these effects. Southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) from Macquarie Island have consistently decreased in population size while all other major populations across the Southern Ocean have recently stabilized or are increasing. Two long-term mark-recapture studies (1956-1967 and 1993-2009) have monitored this population, which provides an opportunity to investigate demographic performance over a range of climatic conditions. Using a 9-state matrix population model, we estimated climate influences on female survival by incorporating two major climatic indices into our model: The Southern Annular Mode (SAM) and the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI). Our best model included a 1 year lagged effect of SAM and an unlagged SOI as covariates. A positive relationship with SAM1 (lagged) related the previous year's SAM with juvenile survival, potentially due to changes in local prey availability surrounding Macquarie Island. The unlagged SOI had a negative effect on both juvenile and adult seals, indicating that sea ice dynamics and access to foraging grounds on the East Antarctic continental shelf could explain the different contributions of ENSO events on the survival of females in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia Volzke
- Institute for Marine & Antarctic StudiesUniversity of TasmaniaHobartTas.Australia
| | - Clive R. McMahon
- Institute for Marine & Antarctic StudiesUniversity of TasmaniaHobartTas.Australia
- IMOS Animal TaggingSydney Institute of Marine ScienceMosmanNSWAustralia
| | - Mark A. Hindell
- Institute for Marine & Antarctic StudiesUniversity of TasmaniaHobartTas.Australia
- Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research CentreUniversity of TasmaniaHobartTas.Australia
| | - Harry R. Burton
- Australian Antarctic DivisionDepartment of Agriculture, Water and the EnvironmentKingstonTas.Australia
| | - Simon J. Wotherspoon
- Institute for Marine & Antarctic StudiesUniversity of TasmaniaHobartTas.Australia
- Australian Antarctic DivisionDepartment of Agriculture, Water and the EnvironmentKingstonTas.Australia
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8
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Nelms SE, Alfaro-Shigueto J, Arnould JPY, Avila IC, Bengtson Nash S, Campbell E, Carter MID, Collins T, Currey RJC, Domit C, Franco-Trecu V, Fuentes MMPB, Gilman E, Harcourt RG, Hines EM, Hoelzel AR, Hooker SK, Johnston DW, Kelkar N, Kiszka JJ, Laidre KL, Mangel JC, Marsh H, Maxwell SM, Onoufriou AB, Palacios DM, Pierce GJ, Ponnampalam LS, Porter LJ, Russell DJF, Stockin KA, Sutaria D, Wambiji N, Weir CR, Wilson B, Godley BJ. Marine mammal conservation: over the horizon. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2021. [DOI: 10.3354/esr01115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Marine mammals can play important ecological roles in aquatic ecosystems, and their presence can be key to community structure and function. Consequently, marine mammals are often considered indicators of ecosystem health and flagship species. Yet, historical population declines caused by exploitation, and additional current threats, such as climate change, fisheries bycatch, pollution and maritime development, continue to impact many marine mammal species, and at least 25% are classified as threatened (Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable) on the IUCN Red List. Conversely, some species have experienced population increases/recoveries in recent decades, reflecting management interventions, and are heralded as conservation successes. To continue these successes and reverse the downward trajectories of at-risk species, it is necessary to evaluate the threats faced by marine mammals and the conservation mechanisms available to address them. Additionally, there is a need to identify evidence-based priorities of both research and conservation needs across a range of settings and taxa. To that effect we: (1) outline the key threats to marine mammals and their impacts, identify the associated knowledge gaps and recommend actions needed; (2) discuss the merits and downfalls of established and emerging conservation mechanisms; (3) outline the application of research and monitoring techniques; and (4) highlight particular taxa/populations that are in urgent need of focus.
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Affiliation(s)
- SE Nelms
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall, TR10 9EZ, UK
| | - J Alfaro-Shigueto
- ProDelphinus, Jose Galvez 780e, Miraflores, Perú
- Facultad de Biologia Marina, Universidad Cientifica del Sur, Lima, Perú
| | - JPY Arnould
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia
| | - IC Avila
- Grupo de Ecología Animal, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia
| | - S Bengtson Nash
- Environmental Futures Research Institute (EFRI), Griffith University, Nathan Campus, 170 Kessels Road, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - E Campbell
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall, TR10 9EZ, UK
- ProDelphinus, Jose Galvez 780e, Miraflores, Perú
| | - MID Carter
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, Fife, KY16 8LB, UK
| | - T Collins
- Wildlife Conservation Society, 2300 Southern Blvd., Bronx, NY 10460, USA
| | - RJC Currey
- Marine Stewardship Council, 1 Snow Hill, London, EC1A 2DH, UK
| | - C Domit
- Laboratory of Ecology and Conservation, Marine Study Center, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Brazil
| | - V Franco-Trecu
- Departamento de Ecología y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Uruguay
| | - MMPB Fuentes
- Marine Turtle Research, Ecology and Conservation Group, Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
| | - E Gilman
- Pelagic Ecosystems Research Group, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | - RG Harcourt
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - EM Hines
- Estuary & Ocean Science Center, San Francisco State University, 3150 Paradise Dr. Tiburon, CA 94920, USA
| | - AR Hoelzel
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
| | - SK Hooker
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, Fife, KY16 8LB, UK
| | - DW Johnston
- Duke Marine Lab, 135 Duke Marine Lab Road, Beaufort, NC 28516, USA
| | - N Kelkar
- Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), Royal Enclave, Srirampura, Jakkur PO, Bangalore 560064, Karnataka, India
| | - JJ Kiszka
- Department of Biological Sciences, Coastlines and Oceans Division, Institute of Environment, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA
| | - KL Laidre
- Polar Science Center, APL, University of Washington, 1013 NE 40th Street, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - JC Mangel
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall, TR10 9EZ, UK
- ProDelphinus, Jose Galvez 780e, Miraflores, Perú
| | - H Marsh
- James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 48111, Australia
| | - SM Maxwell
- School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, University of Washington Bothell, Bothell WA 98011, USA
| | - AB Onoufriou
- School of Biology, University of St Andrews, Fife, KY16 8LB, UK
- Universidad de La Laguna, San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
| | - DM Palacios
- Marine Mammal Institute, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon State University, Newport, OR, 97365, USA
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97330, USA
| | - GJ Pierce
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall, TR10 9EZ, UK
- Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Eduardo Cabello 6, 36208 Vigo, Pontevedra, Spain
| | - LS Ponnampalam
- The MareCet Research Organization, 40460 Shah Alam, Malaysia
| | - LJ Porter
- SMRU Hong Kong, University of St. Andrews, Hong Kong
| | - DJF Russell
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, Fife, KY16 8LB, UK
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 8LB, UK
| | - KA Stockin
- Animal Welfare Science and Bioethics Centre, School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - D Sutaria
- School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, University of Washington Bothell, Bothell WA 98011, USA
| | - N Wambiji
- Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, P.O. Box 81651, Mombasa-80100, Kenya
| | - CR Weir
- Ketos Ecology, 4 Compton Road, Kingsbridge, Devon, TQ7 2BP, UK
| | - B Wilson
- Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban, Argyll, PA37 1QA, UK
| | - BJ Godley
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall, TR10 9EZ, UK
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Hindell MA, McMahon CR, Jonsen I, Harcourt R, Arce F, Guinet C. Inter- and intrasex habitat partitioning in the highly dimorphic southern elephant seal. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:1620-1633. [PMID: 33613994 PMCID: PMC7882946 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Partitioning resources is a key mechanism for avoiding intraspecific competition and maximizing individual energy gain. However, in sexually dimorphic species it is difficult to discern if partitioning is due to competition or the different resource needs of morphologically distinct individuals. In the highly dimorphic southern elephant seal, there are intersexual differences in habitat use; at Iles Kerguelen, males predominantly use shelf waters, while females use deeper oceanic waters. There are equally marked intrasexual differences, with some males using the nearby Kerguelen Plateau, and others using the much more distant Antarctic continental shelf (~2,000 km away). We used this combination of inter and intrasexual behavior to test two hypotheses regarding habitat partitioning in highly dimorphic species. (a) that intersexual differences in habitat use will not appear until the seals diverge in body size and (b) that some habitats have higher rates of energy return than others. In particular, that the Antarctic shelf would provide higher energy returns than the Kerguelen Shelf, to offset the greater cost of travel. We quantified the habitat use of 187 southern elephant seals (102 adult females and 85 subadult males). The seals in the two groups were the same size (~2.4 m) removing the confounding effect of body size. We found that the intersexual differences in habitat use existed before the divergence in body size. Also, we found that the amount of energy gained was the same in all of the major habitats. This suggests that the use of shelf habitats by males is innate, and a trade-off between the need to access the large benthic prey available on shelf waters, against the higher risk of predation there. Intrasexual differences in habitat use are another trade-off; although there are fewer predators on the Antarctic shelf, it is subject to considerable interannual fluctuations in sea-ice extent. In contrast, the Kerguelen Plateau presents more consistent foraging opportunities, but contains higher levels of predation. Habitat partitioning in this highly dimorphic species is therefore the result of complex interplay of life history strategies, environmental conditions and predation pressure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A. Hindell
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic StudiesUniversity of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
| | - Clive R. McMahon
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic StudiesUniversity of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
- IMOS Animal Tagging, Sydney Institute of Marine ScienceMosmanNew South WalesAustralia
- Department of Biological SciencesMacquarie UniversityNorth Ryde, SydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Ian Jonsen
- Department of Biological SciencesMacquarie UniversityNorth Ryde, SydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Robert Harcourt
- IMOS Animal Tagging, Sydney Institute of Marine ScienceMosmanNew South WalesAustralia
- Department of Biological SciencesMacquarie UniversityNorth Ryde, SydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Fernando Arce
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic StudiesUniversity of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
| | - Christophe Guinet
- Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC)UMR 7372Université de la Rochelle‐CNRSVilliers en BoisFrance
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10
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Bestley S, Ropert-Coudert Y, Bengtson Nash S, Brooks CM, Cotté C, Dewar M, Friedlaender AS, Jackson JA, Labrousse S, Lowther AD, McMahon CR, Phillips RA, Pistorius P, Puskic PS, Reis AODA, Reisinger RR, Santos M, Tarszisz E, Tixier P, Trathan PN, Wege M, Wienecke B. Marine Ecosystem Assessment for the Southern Ocean: Birds and Marine Mammals in a Changing Climate. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.566936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
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11
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Henderson AF, McMahon CR, Harcourt R, Guinet C, Picard B, Wotherspoon S, Hindell MA. Inferring Variation in Southern Elephant Seal At-Sea Mortality by Modelling Tag Failure. FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE 2020; 7. [PMID: 0 DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2020.517901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
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12
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Mestre J, Authier M, Cherel Y, Harcourt R, McMahon CR, Hindell MA, Charrassin JB, Guinet C. Decadal changes in blood δ 13C values, at-sea distribution, and weaning mass of southern elephant seals from Kerguelen Islands. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20201544. [PMID: 32811318 PMCID: PMC7482287 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.1544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Changes in the foraging environment and at-sea distribution of southern elephant seals from Kerguelen Islands were investigated over a decade (2004-2018) using tracking, weaning mass, and blood δ13C values. Females showed either a sub-Antarctic or an Antarctic foraging strategy, and no significant shift in their at-sea distribution was detected between 2004 and 2017. The proportion of females foraging in sub-Antarctic versus Antarctic habitats did not change over the 2006-2018 period. Pup weaning mass varied according to the foraging habitat of their mothers. The weaning mass of sub-Antarctic foraging mothers' pups decreased by 11.7 kg over the study period, but they were on average 5.8 kg heavier than pups from Antarctic foraging mothers. Pup blood δ13C values decreased by 1.1‰ over the study period regardless of their sex and the presumed foraging habitat of their mothers. Together, these results suggest an ecological change is occurring within the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean with possible consequences on the foraging performance of southern elephant seals. We hypothesize that this shift in δ13C is related to a change in primary production and/or in the composition of phytoplankton communities, but this requires further multidisciplinary investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Mestre
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 du CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
- Sorbonne Université, Collège Doctoral, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Matthieu Authier
- Observatoire PELAGIS, UMS 3462 La Rochelle Université and CNRS, La Rochelle, France
- ADERA, Pessac Cedex, France
| | - Yves Cherel
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 du CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Rob Harcourt
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, Australia
| | - Clive R. McMahon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, Australia
- IMOS Animal Tagging, Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
| | - Mark A. Hindell
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
| | | | - Christophe Guinet
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 du CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
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13
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Hindell MA, Reisinger RR, Ropert-Coudert Y, Hückstädt LA, Trathan PN, Bornemann H, Charrassin JB, Chown SL, Costa DP, Danis B, Lea MA, Thompson D, Torres LG, Van de Putte AP, Alderman R, Andrews-Goff V, Arthur B, Ballard G, Bengtson J, Bester MN, Blix AS, Boehme L, Bost CA, Boveng P, Cleeland J, Constantine R, Corney S, Crawford RJM, Dalla Rosa L, de Bruyn PJN, Delord K, Descamps S, Double M, Emmerson L, Fedak M, Friedlaender A, Gales N, Goebel ME, Goetz KT, Guinet C, Goldsworthy SD, Harcourt R, Hinke JT, Jerosch K, Kato A, Kerry KR, Kirkwood R, Kooyman GL, Kovacs KM, Lawton K, Lowther AD, Lydersen C, Lyver PO, Makhado AB, Márquez MEI, McDonald BI, McMahon CR, Muelbert M, Nachtsheim D, Nicholls KW, Nordøy ES, Olmastroni S, Phillips RA, Pistorius P, Plötz J, Pütz K, Ratcliffe N, Ryan PG, Santos M, Southwell C, Staniland I, Takahashi A, Tarroux A, Trivelpiece W, Wakefield E, Weimerskirch H, Wienecke B, Xavier JC, Wotherspoon S, Jonsen ID, Raymond B. Tracking of marine predators to protect Southern Ocean ecosystems. Nature 2020; 580:87-92. [PMID: 32238927 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2126-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Southern Ocean ecosystems are under pressure from resource exploitation and climate change1,2. Mitigation requires the identification and protection of Areas of Ecological Significance (AESs), which have so far not been determined at the ocean-basin scale. Here, using assemblage-level tracking of marine predators, we identify AESs for this globally important region and assess current threats and protection levels. Integration of more than 4,000 tracks from 17 bird and mammal species reveals AESs around sub-Antarctic islands in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans and over the Antarctic continental shelf. Fishing pressure is disproportionately concentrated inside AESs, and climate change over the next century is predicted to impose pressure on these areas, particularly around the Antarctic continent. At present, 7.1% of the ocean south of 40°S is under formal protection, including 29% of the total AESs. The establishment and regular revision of networks of protection that encompass AESs are needed to provide long-term mitigation of growing pressures on Southern Ocean ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Hindell
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. .,Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
| | - Ryan R Reisinger
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, Station d'Écologie de Chizé-La Rochelle Université, CNRS UMR7372, Villiers-en-Bois, France.,CESAB-FRB, Institut Bouisson Bertrand, Montpellier, France.,LOCEAN/IPSL, Sorbonne Université-CNRS-IRD-MNHN, UMR7159, Paris, France
| | - Yan Ropert-Coudert
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, Station d'Écologie de Chizé-La Rochelle Université, CNRS UMR7372, Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Luis A Hückstädt
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Philip N Trathan
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, Cambridge, UK
| | - Horst Bornemann
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | | | - Steven L Chown
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Daniel P Costa
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Bruno Danis
- Marine Biology Laboratory, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Mary-Anne Lea
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.,Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - David Thompson
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Leigh G Torres
- Marine Mammal Institute, Oregon State University, Newport, OR, USA
| | - Anton P Van de Putte
- BEDIC, OD Nature, Royal Belgian Institute for Natural Sciences, Brussels, Belgium.,Laboratory of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Genomics, Department of Biology, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Rachael Alderman
- Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Virginia Andrews-Goff
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.,Australian Antarctic Division, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Kingston, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Ben Arthur
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | | | - John Bengtson
- Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Marthán N Bester
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, South Africa
| | | | | | - Charles-André Bost
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, Station d'Écologie de Chizé-La Rochelle Université, CNRS UMR7372, Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Peter Boveng
- Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jaimie Cleeland
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | | | - Stuart Corney
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Robert J M Crawford
- Oceans and Coasts, Department of Environment, Agriculture and Fisheries, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Luciano Dalla Rosa
- Instituto de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Rio Grande, Brazil
| | - P J Nico de Bruyn
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, South Africa
| | - Karine Delord
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, Station d'Écologie de Chizé-La Rochelle Université, CNRS UMR7372, Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | | | - Mike Double
- Australian Antarctic Division, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Kingston, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Louise Emmerson
- Australian Antarctic Division, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Kingston, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Mike Fedak
- Scottish Oceans Institute, St Andrews, UK
| | - Ari Friedlaender
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.,Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Nick Gales
- Australian Antarctic Division, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Kingston, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Michael E Goebel
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Kimberly T Goetz
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Christophe Guinet
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, Station d'Écologie de Chizé-La Rochelle Université, CNRS UMR7372, Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Simon D Goldsworthy
- South Australian Research and Development Institute, West Beach, South Australia, Australia
| | - Rob Harcourt
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jefferson T Hinke
- Antarctic Ecosystems Research Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Kerstin Jerosch
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Akiko Kato
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, Station d'Écologie de Chizé-La Rochelle Université, CNRS UMR7372, Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Knowles R Kerry
- Australian Antarctic Division, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Kingston, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Roger Kirkwood
- Australian Antarctic Division, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Kingston, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Gerald L Kooyman
- Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Kit M Kovacs
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Kieran Lawton
- Australian Antarctic Division, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Kingston, Tasmania, Australia
| | | | | | | | - Azwianewi B Makhado
- Oceans and Coasts, Department of Environment, Agriculture and Fisheries, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | - Birgitte I McDonald
- Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, San José State University, Moss Landing, CA, USA
| | - Clive R McMahon
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.,Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Mosman, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Monica Muelbert
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.,Instituto de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Rio Grande, Brazil
| | - Dominik Nachtsheim
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, Germany.,Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Büsum, Germany
| | - Keith W Nicholls
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Silvia Olmastroni
- Dipartimento di Scienze Fisiche, della Terra e dell'Ambiente, Università di Siena, Siena, Italy.,Museo Nazionale dell'Antartide, Siena, Italy
| | - Richard A Phillips
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, Cambridge, UK
| | - Pierre Pistorius
- DST-NRF Centre of Excellence at the FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
| | - Joachim Plötz
- Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | | | - Norman Ratcliffe
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, Cambridge, UK
| | - Peter G Ryan
- DST-NRF Centre of Excellence at the FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | | | - Colin Southwell
- Australian Antarctic Division, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Kingston, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Iain Staniland
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Arnaud Tarroux
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, Tromsø, Norway.,Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Fram Centre, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Wayne Trivelpiece
- Antarctic Ecosystems Research Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Ewan Wakefield
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Henri Weimerskirch
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, Station d'Écologie de Chizé-La Rochelle Université, CNRS UMR7372, Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Barbara Wienecke
- Australian Antarctic Division, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Kingston, Tasmania, Australia
| | - José C Xavier
- British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, Cambridge, UK.,Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Simon Wotherspoon
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.,Australian Antarctic Division, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Kingston, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Ian D Jonsen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ben Raymond
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.,Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.,Australian Antarctic Division, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Kingston, Tasmania, Australia
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14
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Abstract
Mesopelagic fish and squid occupy ocean depths extending below the photic zone and their vertical migrations represent a massive pathway moving energy and carbon through the water column. Their spatio-temporal distribution is however, difficult to map across remote regions particularly the vast Southern Ocean. This represents a key gap in understanding biogeochemical processes, marine ecosystem structure, and how changing ocean conditions will affect marine predators, which depend upon mesopelagic prey. We infer mesopelagic prey vertical distribution and relative abundance in the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean (20° to 130°E) with a novel approach using predator-derived indices. Fourteen years of southern elephant seal tracking and dive data, from the open ocean between the Antarctic Polar Front and the southern Antarctic Circumpolar Current front, clearly show that the vertical distribution of mesopelagic prey is influenced by the physical hydrographic processes that structure their habitat. Mesopelagic prey have a more restricted vertical migration and higher relative abundance closer to the surface where Circumpolar Deep Water rises to shallower depths. Combining these observations with a future projection of Southern Ocean conditions we show that changes in the coupling of surface and deep waters will potentially redistribute mesopelagic prey. These changes are small overall, but show important spatial variability: prey will increase in relative abundance to the east of the Kerguelen Plateau but decrease to the west. The consequences for deep-diving specialists such as elephant seals and whales over this time scale will likely be minor, but the changes in mesoscale vertical energy flow have implications for predators that forage within the mesopelagic zone as well as the broader pelagic ecosystem.
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15
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Jonsen ID, McMahon CR, Patterson TA, Auger‐Méthé M, Harcourt R, Hindell MA, Bestley S. Movement responses to environment: fast inference of variation among southern elephant seals with a mixed effects model. Ecology 2018; 100:e02566. [DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2018] [Revised: 10/24/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- I. D. Jonsen
- Department of Biological Sciences Macquarie University North Ryde, Sydney New South Wales 2109 Australia
| | - C. R. McMahon
- Sydney Institute of Marine Science Mosman New South Wales 2088 Australia
| | - T. A. Patterson
- CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research Hobart Tasmania 7004 Australia
| | - M. Auger‐Méthé
- Department of Statistics and Institute for the Oceans & Fisheries University of British Columbia Vancouver British Columbia V1V 1V7 Canada
| | - R. Harcourt
- Department of Biological Sciences Macquarie University North Ryde, Sydney New South Wales 2109 Australia
| | - M. A. Hindell
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies University of Tasmania Hobart Tasmania 7004 Australia
| | - S. Bestley
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies University of Tasmania Hobart Tasmania 7004 Australia
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16
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Shero MR, Goetz KT, Costa DP, Burns JM. Temporal changes in Weddell seal dive behavior over winter: Are females increasing foraging effort to support gestation? Ecol Evol 2018; 8:11857-11874. [PMID: 30598782 PMCID: PMC6303723 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2018] [Revised: 09/17/2018] [Accepted: 09/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
In capital-breeding marine mammals, prey acquisition during the foraging trip coinciding with gestation must provide energy to meet the immediate needs of the growing fetus and also a store to meet the subsequent demands of lactation. Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) that give birth following the gestational (winter) foraging period gain similar proportions of mass and lipid as compared to females that fail to give birth. Therefore, any changes in foraging behavior can be attributed to gestational costs. To investigate differences in foraging effort associated with successful reproduction, twenty-three satellite tags were deployed on post-molt female Weddell seals in the Ross Sea. Of the 20 females that returned to the area the following year, 12 females gave birth and eight did not. Females that gave birth the following year began the winter foraging period with significantly longer and deeper dives, as compared to non-reproductive seals. Mid- to late winter, reproductive females spent a significantly greater proportion of the day diving, and either depressed their diving metabolic rates (DMR), or exceeded their calculated aerobic dive limit (cADL) more frequently than females that returned without a pup. Moreover, non-reproductive females organized their dives into 2-3 short bouts per day on average (BOUTshort; 7.06 ± 1.29 hr; mean ± 95% CI), whereas reproductive females made 1-2 BOUTshort per day (10.9 ± 2.84 hr), comprising one long daily foraging bout without rest. The magnitude of the increase in dive activity budgets and depression in calculated DMR closely matched the estimated energetic requirements of supporting a fetus. This study is one of the first to identify increases in foraging effort that are associated with successful reproduction in a top predator and indicates that reproductive females must operate closer to their physiological limits to support gestational costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle R. Shero
- Biology DepartmentWoods Hole Oceanographic InstitutionWoods HoleMassachusetts
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Alaska AnchorageAnchorageAlaska
| | - Kimberly T. Goetz
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric ResearchWellingtonNew Zealand
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of California Santa CruzSanta CruzCalifornia
| | - Daniel P. Costa
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of California Santa CruzSanta CruzCalifornia
| | - Jennifer M. Burns
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Alaska AnchorageAnchorageAlaska
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17
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Humpback whale migrations to Antarctic summer foraging grounds through the southwest Pacific Ocean. Sci Rep 2018; 8:12333. [PMID: 30120303 PMCID: PMC6098068 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-30748-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) populations typically undertake seasonal migrations, spending winters in low latitude breeding grounds and summers foraging in high latitude feeding grounds. Until recently, a broad scale understanding of whale movement has been derived from whaling records, Discovery marks, photo identification and genetic analyses. However, with advances in satellite tagging technology and concurrent development of analytical methodologies we can now detail finer scale humpback whale movement, infer behavioural context and examine how these animals interact with their physical environment. Here we describe the temporal and spatial characteristics of migration along the east Australian seaboard and into the Southern Ocean by 30 humpback whales satellite tagged over three consecutive austral summers. We characterise the putative Antarctic feeding grounds and identify supplemental foraging within temperate, migratory corridors. We demonstrate that Antarctic foraging habitat is associated with the marginal ice zone, with key predictors of inferred foraging behaviour including distance from the ice edge, ice melt rate and variability in ice concentration two months prior to arrival. We discuss the highly variable ice season within the putative foraging habitat and the implications that this and other environmental factors may have on the continued strong recovery of this humpback whale population.
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18
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Corrigendum. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2018; 24:3276. [PMID: 29883068 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
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19
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Goedegebuure M, Melbourne-Thomas J, Corney SP, McMahon CR, Hindell MA. Modelling southern elephant seals Mirounga leonina using an individual-based model coupled with a dynamic energy budget. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0194950. [PMID: 29596456 PMCID: PMC5875804 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0194950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 03/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Higher trophic-level species are an integral component of any marine ecosystem. Despite their importance, methods for representing these species in end-to-end ecosystem models often have limited representation of life histories, energetics and behaviour. We built an individual-based model coupled with a dynamic energy budget for female southern elephant seals Mirounga leonina to demonstrate a method for detailed representation of marine mammals. We aimed to develop a model which could i) simulate energy use and life histories, as well as breeding traits of southern elephant seals in an emergent manner, ii) project a stable population over time, and iii) have realistic population dynamics and structure based on emergent life history features (such as age at first breeding, lifespan, fecundity and (yearling) survival). We evaluated the model's ability to represent a stable population over long time periods (>10 generations), including the sensitivity of the emergent properties to variations in key parameters. Analyses indicated that the model is sensitive to changes in resource availability and energy requirements for the transition from pup to juvenile, and juvenile to adult stage. This was particularly the case for breeding success and yearling survival. This model is suitable for use as a standalone tool for investigating the impacts of changes to behaviour and population responses of southern elephant seals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merel Goedegebuure
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 129, Hobart, Tasmania 7000 Australia
- Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 80, Hobart, Tasmania 7000 Australia
| | - Jessica Melbourne-Thomas
- Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 80, Hobart, Tasmania 7000 Australia
- Australian Antarctic Division, Channel Highway, Kingston Tasmania 7050 Australia
| | - Stuart P. Corney
- Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 80, Hobart, Tasmania 7000 Australia
| | - Clive R. McMahon
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 129, Hobart, Tasmania 7000 Australia
- Sydney Institute of Marine Science, 19 Chowder Bay Road, Mosman, New South Wales 2088, Australia
| | - Mark A. Hindell
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 129, Hobart, Tasmania 7000 Australia
- Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 80, Hobart, Tasmania 7000 Australia
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20
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Desprez M, Gimenez O, McMahon CR, Hindell MA, Harcourt RG. Optimizing lifetime reproductive output: Intermittent breeding as a tactic for females in a long-lived, multiparous mammal. J Anim Ecol 2017; 87:199-211. [PMID: 29063588 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2017] [Accepted: 10/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In iteroparous species, intermittent breeding is an important life-history tactic that can greatly affect animal population growth and viability. Despite its importance, few studies have quantified the consequences of breeding pauses on lifetime reproductive output, principally because calculating lifetime reproductive output requires knowledge of each individual's entire reproductive history. This information is extremely difficult to obtain in wild populations. We applied novel statistical approaches that account for uncertainty in state assessment and individual heterogeneity to an 18-year capture-recapture dataset of 6,631 female southern elephant seals from Macquarie Island. We estimated survival and breeding probabilities, and investigated the consequences of intermittent breeding on lifetime reproductive output. We found consistent differences in females' demographic performance between two heterogeneity classes. In particular, breeding imbued a high cost on survival in the females from the heterogeneity class 2, assumed to be females of lower quality. Individual quality also appeared to play a major role in a female's decision to skip reproduction with females of poorer quality more likely to skip breeding events than females of higher quality. Skipping some breeding events allowed females from both heterogeneity classes to increase lifetime reproductive output over females that bred annually. However, females of lower quality produced less offspring over their lifetime. Intermittent breeding seems to be used by female southern elephant seals as a tactic to offset reproductive costs on survival and enhance lifetime reproductive output but remains unavoidable and driven by individual-specific constraints in some other females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marine Desprez
- Marine Predator Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, Australia
| | - Olivier Gimenez
- CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS - Université de Montpellier - Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier - EPHE, Montpellier Cedex 5, France
| | | | - Mark A Hindell
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
| | - Robert G Harcourt
- Marine Predator Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, Australia
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