title: Differences in foraging ecology align with genetically divergent ecotypes of a highly mobile marine top predator.
abstract: Foraging differentiation within a species can contribute to restricted gene flow between ecologically different groups, promoting ecological speciation. Galapagos sea lions (Zalophus wollebaeki) show genetic and morphological divergence between the western and central archipelago, possibly as a result of an ecologically mediated contrast in the marine habitat. We use global positioning system (GPS) data, time-depth recordings (TDR), stable isotope and scat data to compare foraging habitat characteristics, diving behaviour and diet composition of Galapagos sea lions from a western and a central colony. We consider both juvenile and adult life stages to assess the potential role of ontogenetic shifts that can be crucial in shaping foraging behaviour and habitat choice for life. We found differences in foraging habitat use, foraging style and diet composition that aligned with genetic differentiation. These differences were consistent between juvenile and adult sea lions from the same colony, overriding age-specific behavioural differences. Our study contributes to an understanding of the complex interaction of ecological condition, plastic behavioural response and genetic make-up of interconnected populations.
authors: Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK. Jana.Jeglinski@glasgow.ac.uk.|Animal Behaviour, University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany. Jana.Jeglinski@glasgow.ac.uk.
authors: Jana W E
authors: JW
authors: Jeglinski
authors: Department of Evolutionary Biology, University of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors: Jochen B W
authors: JB
authors: Wolf
authors: Department of Agroecosystem Research, BAYCEER, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany.|Department of Ecosystem Physiology, University Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.
authors: Christiane
authors: C
authors: Werner
authors: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.
authors: Daniel P
authors: DP
authors: Costa
authors: Animal Behaviour, University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany.
authors: Fritz
authors: F
authors: Trillmich
mesh_terms: D000064:Acclimatization; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D005075:Biological Evolution; D004032:Diet; D004463:Ecology; D017753:Ecosystem; D060146:Ecotype; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D051456:Gene Flow; D040961:Genetic Drift; D010641:Phenotype; D011235:Predatory Behavior; D046070:Sea Lions / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Biologging; Early learning; Genetic differentiation; Ontogeny; Zalophus wollebaeki