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Variations in behavior and condition of a Southern Ocean top predator in relation to in situ oceanographic conditions
Citation
Biuw, M and Boehme, L and Guinet, C and Hindell, MA and Costa, D and Charrassin, JB and Roquet, F and Bailleul, F and Meredith, M and Thorpe, S and Tremblay, Y and McDonald, B and Park, YH and Rintoul, SR and Bindoff, N and Goebel, M and Crocker, D and Lovell, P and Nicholson, J and Monks, F and Fedak, MA, Variations in behavior and condition of a Southern Ocean top predator in relation to in situ oceanographic conditions, Proceedings National Academy of Sciences, 104, (34) pp. 13705-13710. ISSN 0027-8424 (2007) [Refereed Article]
DOI: doi:10.1073/pnas.0701121104
Abstract
Responses by marine top predators to environmental variability have previously been almost impossible to observe directly. By using animal-mounted instruments simultaneously recording movements, diving behavior, and in situ oceanographic properties, we studied the behavioral and physiological responses of southern elephant seals to spatial environmental variability throughout their circumpolar range. Improved body condition of seals in the Atlantic sector was associated with Circumpolar Deep Water upwelling regions within the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, whereas High-Salinity Shelf Waters or temperature/salinity gradients under winter pack ice were important in the Indian and Pacific sectors. Energetic consequences of these variations could help explain recently observed population trends, showing the usefulness of this approach in examining the sensitivity of top predators to global and regional-scale climate variability. © 2007 by The National Academy of Sciences of the USA.
Item Details
| Item Type: | Refereed Article |
|---|---|
| Research Division: | Environmental Sciences |
| Research Group: | Environmental Science and Management |
| Research Field: | Wildlife and Habitat Management |
| Objective Division: | Environment |
| Objective Group: | Ecosystem Assessment and Management |
| Objective Field: | Ecosystem Assessment and Management of Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic Environments |
| UTAS Author: | Hindell, MA (Professor Mark Hindell) |
| ID Code: | 50731 |
| Year Published: | 2007 |
| Web of Science® Times Cited: | 229 |
| Deposited By: | Zoology |
| Deposited On: | 2007-08-01 |
| Last Modified: | 2008-04-02 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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