Antarctic Legacy Archive

Population ecology of pinnipeds at the Prince Edward Islands

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dc.contributor.author en_ZA
dc.contributor.author Bester, M.N.
dc.contributor.author Pistorius, P.A.
dc.contributor.author Hofmeyr, G.J.G.
dc.contributor.author McMahon, C.R.
dc.contributor.author Kirkman, S.P.
dc.contributor.author Makhado, A.B.
dc.contributor.author Burton, H.R.
dc.coverage.spatial en_ZA
dc.coverage.spatial Prince Edwards Islands
dc.coverage.spatial Marion Island
dc.date.accessioned 2021-02-23T19:05:09Z
dc.date.available 2021-02-23T19:05:09Z
dc.date.created 2007/10/09
dc.date.issued 2007/10/09
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/27858
dc.description.abstract The Southern Ocean plays a critical role in global climate and the demography and population abundances of apex predators are directly influenced by the availability of prey. To elucidate effects of climate change on sub-Antarctic ecosystems we investigated the population dynamics1 2 and foraging ecology3 5 of Antarctic and Subantarctic fur seals and southern elephant seals at the Prince Edward Islands, in comparison with other island ecosystems6. The declining southern elephant seal population stabilised in the mid-1990s concomitant with an increase in pup weaning mass which suggests improved food availability to their mothers6. As a result age at first reproduction decreased and age specific fecundity and adult female survival increased1. Both the fur seal populations increased exponentially, the Subantarctic fur seal population approaching carrying capacity2, and they feed almost exclusively on the same species of myctophid fish in similar proportions, with little annual variation in pup growth rates, feeding trip durations and onshore attendance patterns of their mothers4 5. Satellite tracked immature southern elephant seals spend most of their time upstream of Marion Island during winter. Post-moulting adult females range some 2122-3133 km to the APF, to inter-frontal zones south of it and to the Antarctic Continental Shelf. Post-breeding adult females remain within about 1500 km from Marion Island at the outer edge of their feeding range, largely within inter-frontal zones south of the APF, and between the STC and the SAF. Post-breeding adult males behave similarly but during the post-moulting period males travel far and wide within a latitudinal belt of approximately 15° (40°S- 55°S) primarily westward. Adults occasionally dive to depths in excess of 1900 m and primarily execute foraging dives between 300-600 m presumably following vertically migrating prey. Future work should continue tracking the demography and condition of the southern elephant seal population and their killer whale predators7 through direct counts, mark-recapture and photogrammetry; monitoring the population growth, attendance patterns, pup growth rates and diet of the fur seal populations; satellite track both elephant seals and fur seals at sea to reconcile their foraging areas with oceanographic and bathymetric characteristics in a changing environment, and in the context of conservation 8. en_ZA
dc.description.sponsorship Sponsored by the Department of Science and Innovation(DSI) through the National Research Foundation (South Africa) en_ZA
dc.description.statementofresponsibility Antarctic Legacy of South Africa en_ZA
dc.format PDF en_ZA
dc.format PDF en_ZA
dc.language English en_ZA
dc.language.iso en_ZA en_ZA
dc.publisher en_ZA
dc.publisher South African National Antarctic Programme (SANAP) en_ZA
dc.relation en_ZA
dc.relation SANAP Symposium 2007 en_ZA
dc.relation.ispartof en_ZA
dc.relation.ispartof ARESSA THEME III: Biodiversity: Responses to Earth System Variability (Oral Presentations) en_ZA
dc.rights Copyright. en_ZA
dc.rights Copyright en_ZA
dc.subject SANAP Symposium 2007 en_ZA
dc.subject Prince Edwards Islands en_ZA
dc.subject Marion Island en_ZA
dc.subject Living Systems en_ZA
dc.subject Terrestrial Science en_ZA
dc.subject Research en_ZA
dc.subject Zoology en_ZA
dc.subject Fauna en_ZA
dc.subject Mammalogy en_ZA
dc.subject Mammals en_ZA
dc.subject Seals en_ZA
dc.subject Elephant Seals en_ZA
dc.title Population ecology of pinnipeds at the Prince Edward Islands en_ZA
dc.type Abstracts en_ZA
dc.rights.holder Bester, M.N. en_ZA
dc.rights.holder Pistorius, P.A. en_ZA
dc.rights.holder Hofmeyr, G.J.G. en_ZA
dc.rights.holder McMahon, C.R. en_ZA
dc.rights.holder Kirkman, S.P. en_ZA
dc.rights.holder Makhado, A.B. en_ZA
dc.rights.holder Burton, H.R. en_ZA
iso19115.mdconstraints.uselimitation This item and the content of this website are subject to copyright protection. Reproduction of the content, or any part of it, other than for research, academic or non-commercial use is prohibited without prior consent from the copyright holder. en_ZA
iso19115.mddistributor.distributorcontact South African National Antarctic Programme (SANAP) en_ZA
iso19115.mdformat.name PDF en_ZA
iso19115.mdidentification.deliverypoint Antarctic Legacy of South Africa, Faculty of Science, Private Bag X1, Matieland. Stellenbosch. South Africa. en_ZA
iso19115.mdidentification.electronicmailaddress [email protected] en_ZA
iso19115.mdidentification.organizationname en_ZA
iso19115.mdidentification.organizationname University of Pretoria en_ZA
iso19115.mdidentification.organizationname Australian Antarctic Division en_ZA


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