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Environmental influences on the at-sea behaviour of a major consumer, Mirounga leonina, in a rapidly changing environment

Environmental influences on the at-sea behaviour of a major consumer, Mirounga leonina, in a rapidly changing environment
Environmental influences on the at-sea behaviour of a major consumer, Mirounga leonina, in a rapidly changing environment
Understanding the distribution and foraging ecology of major consumers within pelagic systems, specifically in relation to physical parameters, can be important for the management of bentho-pelagic systems undergoing rapid change associated with global climate change and other anthropogenic disturbances such as fishing (i.e., the Antarctic Peninsula and Scotia Sea). We tracked 11 adult male southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina), during their five-month post-moult foraging migrations from King George Island (Isla 25 de Mayo), northern Antarctic Peninsula, using tags capable of recording and transmitting behavioural data and in situ temperature and salinity data. Seals foraged mostly within the Weddell–Scotia Confluence, while a few foraged along the western Antarctic Peninsula shelf of the Bellingshausen Sea. Mixed model outputs suggest that the at-sea behaviour of seals was associated with a number of environmental parameters, especially seafloor depth, sea-ice concentrations and the temperature structure of the water column. Seals increased dive bottom times and travelled at slower speeds in shallower areas and areas with increased sea-ice concentrations. Changes in dive depth and durations, as well as relative amount of time spent during the bottom phases of dives, were observed in relation to differences in overall temperature gradient, likely as a response to vertical changes in prey distribution associated with temperature stratification in the water column. Our results illustrate the likely complex influences of bathymetry, hydrography and sea ice on the behaviour of male southern elephant seals in a changing environment and highlight the need for region-specific approaches to studying environmental influences on behaviour.
0800-0395
McIntyre, T.
f4301e4d-773c-4a95-bb10-477cf2443e99
Bornemann, H.
e307bef5-4704-4ea3-bc88-0b1893cb3584
Nico de Bruyn, P.J.
90bf3f93-34ab-40aa-98be-e5a5ada56565
Reisinger, R.R.
4eaf9440-48e5-41fa-853f-d46457e5444e
Steinhage, D.
9f609364-d991-44ed-a18c-0517f66b4879
Márquez, M.E.I.
bda3631b-1343-40c0-8623-3cd3f3e02e9a
Bester, M.N.
78fd1ce5-47c8-4bc4-ac97-bd67d973052e
Plötz, J.
611cb3e1-c67b-485c-8bb8-5f4c44a9f529
McIntyre, T.
f4301e4d-773c-4a95-bb10-477cf2443e99
Bornemann, H.
e307bef5-4704-4ea3-bc88-0b1893cb3584
Nico de Bruyn, P.J.
90bf3f93-34ab-40aa-98be-e5a5ada56565
Reisinger, R.R.
4eaf9440-48e5-41fa-853f-d46457e5444e
Steinhage, D.
9f609364-d991-44ed-a18c-0517f66b4879
Márquez, M.E.I.
bda3631b-1343-40c0-8623-3cd3f3e02e9a
Bester, M.N.
78fd1ce5-47c8-4bc4-ac97-bd67d973052e
Plötz, J.
611cb3e1-c67b-485c-8bb8-5f4c44a9f529

McIntyre, T., Bornemann, H., Nico de Bruyn, P.J., Reisinger, R.R., Steinhage, D., Márquez, M.E.I., Bester, M.N. and Plötz, J. (2014) Environmental influences on the at-sea behaviour of a major consumer, Mirounga leonina, in a rapidly changing environment. Polar Research, 33 (2014), [23808]. (doi:10.3402/polar.v33.23808).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Understanding the distribution and foraging ecology of major consumers within pelagic systems, specifically in relation to physical parameters, can be important for the management of bentho-pelagic systems undergoing rapid change associated with global climate change and other anthropogenic disturbances such as fishing (i.e., the Antarctic Peninsula and Scotia Sea). We tracked 11 adult male southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina), during their five-month post-moult foraging migrations from King George Island (Isla 25 de Mayo), northern Antarctic Peninsula, using tags capable of recording and transmitting behavioural data and in situ temperature and salinity data. Seals foraged mostly within the Weddell–Scotia Confluence, while a few foraged along the western Antarctic Peninsula shelf of the Bellingshausen Sea. Mixed model outputs suggest that the at-sea behaviour of seals was associated with a number of environmental parameters, especially seafloor depth, sea-ice concentrations and the temperature structure of the water column. Seals increased dive bottom times and travelled at slower speeds in shallower areas and areas with increased sea-ice concentrations. Changes in dive depth and durations, as well as relative amount of time spent during the bottom phases of dives, were observed in relation to differences in overall temperature gradient, likely as a response to vertical changes in prey distribution associated with temperature stratification in the water column. Our results illustrate the likely complex influences of bathymetry, hydrography and sea ice on the behaviour of male southern elephant seals in a changing environment and highlight the need for region-specific approaches to studying environmental influences on behaviour.

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Published date: 26 November 2014

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Local EPrints ID: 455022
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/455022
ISSN: 0800-0395
PURE UUID: b1163d2f-ae49-4de4-a93c-f65fc55c09c1
ORCID for R.R. Reisinger: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-8933-6875

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Date deposited: 03 Mar 2022 17:53
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 04:08

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Contributors

Author: T. McIntyre
Author: H. Bornemann
Author: P.J. Nico de Bruyn
Author: R.R. Reisinger ORCID iD
Author: D. Steinhage
Author: M.E.I. Márquez
Author: M.N. Bester
Author: J. Plötz

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