title: Variations in behavior and condition of a Southern Ocean top predator in relation to in situ oceanographic conditions.
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.
authors: Natural Environment Research Council Sea Mammal Research Unit, Gatty Marine Laboratory, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Fife KY16 8LB, United Kingdom. martin.biuw@npolar.no
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Biuw
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Boehme
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Guinet
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Hindell
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Costa
authors: J-B
authors: JB
authors: Charrassin
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Roquet
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Bailleul
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Meredith
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Thorpe
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Tremblay
authors: B
authors: B
authors: McDonald
authors: Y-H
authors: YH
authors: Park
authors: S R
authors: SR
authors: Rintoul
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Bindoff
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Goebel
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Crocker
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Lovell
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Nicholson
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Monks
authors: M A
authors: MA
authors: Fedak
mesh_terms: D025041:Animal Migration; D000818:Animals; D010872:Caniformia / Q000502:physiology; D004463:Ecology; D009791:Oceanography; D011157:Population Dynamics; D011235:Predatory Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D012621:Seasons
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