Variability in sea ice cover and climate elicit sex specific responses in an Antarctic predator
Year: 2017
Type: article
Abstract: Contrasting regional changes in Southern Ocean sea ice have occurred over the last 30 years with distinct regional effects on ecosystem structure and function. Quantifying how Antarctic predators respond to such changes provides the context for predicting how climate variability/change will affect these assemblages into the future. Over an 11-year time-series, we examine how inter-annual variability in sea ice concentration and advance affect the foraging behaviour of a top Antarctic predator, the southern elephant seal. Females foraged longer in pack ice in years with greatest sea ice concentration and earliest sea ice advance, while males foraged longer in polynyas in years of lowest sea ice concentration. There was a positive relationship between near-surface meridional wind anomalies and female foraging effort, but not for males. This study reveals the complexities of foraging responses to climate forcing by a poleward migratory predator through varying sea ice property and dynamic anomalies.
Source: Scientific Reports
DOI: 10.1038/srep43236
Institutions: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, University of Tasmania, Laboratoire d'Océanographie et du Climat : Expérimentations et Approches Numériques, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, Université Pierre-et-Marie-Curie, British Antarctic Survey, Hokkaido University, Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre, Australian Antarctic Division, Bureau of Meteorology, Australian Research Council, ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate System Science, Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, La Rochelle Université, Macquarie University, Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Observatoire pour la Conservation de la Mégafaune Marine, South Australian Research and Development Institute
Language: English
Subfield: Ecology
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,407
OpenAlex ID: W2589957161