scholarly journals The importance of Southern Ocean frontal systems for the improvement of body condition in southern elephant seals

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (S1) ◽  
pp. 283-304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha A. Gordine ◽  
Michael A. Fedak ◽  
Lars Boehme
Keyword(s):  
Southern Ocean ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Elephant Seals ◽  
Southern Elephant Seals ◽  
Frontal Systems

Movements of southern elephant seals

1996 ◽  
Vol 74 (8) ◽  
pp. 1485-1496 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. J. McConnell ◽  
M. A. Fedak
Keyword(s):  
Southern Ocean ◽  
Continental Shelf ◽  
Antarctic Peninsula ◽  
Average Rate ◽  
Stationary Phases ◽  
Mirounga Leonina ◽  
Elephant Seals ◽  
South Georgia ◽  
Southern Elephant Seals ◽  
The Antarctic

Twelve southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) were tracked for an average of 119 days as they left their breeding or moulting beaches on the island of South Georgia between 1990 and 1994. Females travelled either eastward up to 3000 km away to the open Southern Ocean or to the continental shelf on or near the Antarctic Peninsula. Males either stayed close to South Georgia or used South Georgia as a base for shorter trips. The females all left South Georgia in a directed manner at an average rate of 79.4 km/day over at least the first 15 days. Thereafter travel was interrupted by bouts of slower travel or stationary phases. The latter were localized at sites on the continental shelf or along its edge. Three seals that were tracked over more than one season repeated their outward direction of travel and used some of the same sites in subsequent years. The magnitude of the movements makes most of the Southern Ocean potentially available to elephant seals.

scholarly journals Successful foraging zones of southern elephant seals from the Kerguelen Islands in relation to oceanographic conditions

2007 ◽  
Vol 362 (1487) ◽  
pp. 2169-2181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frédéric Bailleul ◽  
Jean-Benoît Charrassin ◽  
Pascal Monestiez ◽  
Fabien Roquet ◽  
Martin Biuw ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Foraging Activity ◽  
Mirounga Leonina ◽  
Elephant Seals ◽  
Kerguelen Islands ◽  
Southern Elephant Seals ◽  
Antarctic Continent ◽  
The Antarctic ◽  
Oceanographic Conditions

Southern elephant seals, Mirounga leonina , undertake large-scale oceanic movements to access favourable foraging areas. Successful foraging areas of elephant seals from the Kerguelen Islands are investigated here in relation to oceanographic parameters. Movements and diving activity of the seals as well as oceanographic data were collected through a new generation of satellite relayed devices measuring and transmitting locations, pressure, temperature and salinity. For the first time, we have associated foraging behaviour, determined by high increased sinuosity in tracks, and dive density (i.e. number of dives performed per kilometre covered), and changes in body condition, determined by variations in drift rate obtained from drift dives, to identify the oceanographic conditions of successful foraging zones for this species. Two main sectors, one close to the Antarctic continent and the other along the Polar Front (PF), where both foraging activity and body condition increase, seem to be of particular interest for the seals. Within these regions, some seals tended to focus their foraging activity on zones with particular temperature signatures. Along the Antarctic continent, some seals targeted colder waters on the sea bottom during benthic dives, while at the PF the favourable zones tended to be warmer. The possible negative effect of colder waters in Antarctic on the swimming performances of potential fish or squid prey could explain the behaviour of elephant seals in these zones, while warmer waters within the PF could correspond to the optimal conditions for potential myctophid prey of elephant seals.

scholarly journals Local weather and body condition influence habitat use and movements on land of molting female southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina )

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 6081-6090 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laureline L. Chaise ◽  
Iris Prinet ◽  
Camille Toscani ◽  
Susan L. Gallon ◽  
William Paterson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Mirounga Leonina ◽  
Elephant Seals ◽  
Southern Elephant Seals ◽  
Local Weather

A comparison of techniques used to estimate body condition of southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina)

2001 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 581 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan Tierney ◽  
Mark Hindell ◽  
Mary-Anne Lea ◽  
Dominic Tollit
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Tritiated Water ◽  
Bioelectrical Impedance ◽  
Impedance Analysis ◽  
Mirounga Leonina ◽  
Elephant Seals ◽  
Southern Elephant Seals ◽  
Comparison Of Techniques ◽  
Total Body ◽  
Condition Indices

The total body water (TBW) and body condition of 86 female southern elephant seals was estimated from tritiated water (HTO) dilution space analysis. HTO blood samples were analysed using two distillation methods (direct serum counts and evaporative freeze capture) that yielded significantly different estimates. Evaporative freeze capture is recommended for use because it is faster, cheaper, and provides a more precise TBW estimate of dilution space. Estimates of TBW were then compared with those derived from bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and morphometric models. There were significant, positive relationships between TBW and BIA variables, but the level of accuracy was inadequate for BIA to be more useful than the other methods trialled. Morphometric models accurately estimated TBW (kg). Models developed from surface area (SA) (TBW = [SA * 82.58] – 86.94) and from a combination of mass (M), length (L), and girth (G) (TBW = [(M * 0.72) + (L * 5.49) + (G * 134.94) + 164.36)] provided the most accurate TBW estimates. In contrast, condition indices did not give accurate or reliable estimates of relative body condition.

scholarly journals Calibration procedures and first data set of Southern Ocean chlorophyll <i>a</i> profiles collected by elephant seal equipped with a newly developed CTD-fluorescence tags

2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 853-891 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Guinet ◽  
X. Xing ◽  
E. Walker ◽  
P. Monestiez ◽  
S. Marchand ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Southern Ocean ◽  
Elephant Seal ◽  
In Situ Observation ◽  
Mirounga Leonina ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Elephant Seals ◽  
Phytoplankton Concentration ◽  
Southern Elephant Seals ◽  
Indian Sector

Abstract. In-situ observation of the marine environment has traditionally relied on ship-based platforms. The obvious consequence is that physical and biogeochemical properties have been dramatically undersampled, especially in the remote Southern Ocean (SO). The difficulty in obtaining in situ data represents the major limitations to our understanding, and interpretation of the coupling between physical forcing and the biogeochemical response. Southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) equipped with a new generation of oceanographic sensors can measure ocean structure in regions and seasons rarely observed with traditional oceanographic platforms. Over the last few years, seals have allowed for a considerable increase in temperature and salinity profiles from the SO. However we were still lacking information on the spatio-temporal variation of phytoplankton concentration. This information is critical to assess how the biological productivity of the SO, with direct consequences on the amount of CO2 "fixed" by the biological pump, will respond to global warming. In this research program, we use an innovative sampling fluorescence approach to quantify phytoplankton concentration at sea. For the first time, a low energy consumption fluorometer was added to Argos CTD-SRDL tags, and these novel instruments were deployed on 27 southern elephant seals between 25 December 2007 and the 4 February 2011. As many as 3388 fluorescence profiles associated with temperature and salinity measurements were thereby collected from a vast sector of the Southern Indian Ocean. This paper address the calibration issue of the fluorometer before being deployed on elephant seals and present the first results obtained for the Indian Sector of the Southern Ocean. This in situ system is implemented in synergy with satellite ocean colour radiometry. Satellite-derived data is limited to the surface layer and is restricted over the SO by extensive cloud cover. However, with the addition of these new tags, we're able to assess the 3 dimension distribution of phytoplankton concentration by foraging southern elephant seals. This approach reveals that for the Indian sector of the SO, the surface chlorophyll a (chl a) concentrations provided by MODIS were underestimated by a factor of the order of 2–3 compared to in situ measurements. The scientific outcomes of this program include an improved understanding of both the present state and variability in ocean biology, and the accompanying biogeochemistry, as well as the delivery of real-time and open-access data to scientists (doi:10.7491/MEMO.1x).

scholarly journals Variation in body condition during the post-moult foraging trip of southern elephant seals and its consequences on diving behaviour

2014 ◽  
Vol 217 (14) ◽  
pp. 2609-2619 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Richard ◽  
J. Vacquie-Garcia ◽  
J. Jouma'a ◽  
B. Picard ◽  
A. Genin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Diving Behaviour ◽  
Elephant Seals ◽  
Southern Elephant Seals

scholarly journals Calibration procedures and first dataset of Southern Ocean chlorophyll <i>a</i> profiles collected by elephant seals equipped with a newly developed CTD-fluorescence tags

2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Guinet ◽  
X. Xing ◽  
E. Walker ◽  
P. Monestiez ◽  
S. Marchand ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Southern Ocean ◽  
In Situ Observation ◽  
Mirounga Leonina ◽  
Elephant Seals ◽  
Chl A ◽  
Phytoplankton Concentration ◽  
Fluorescence Measurements ◽  
Southern Elephant Seals ◽  
Indian Sector

Abstract. In situ observation of the marine environment has traditionally relied on ship-based platforms. The obvious consequence is that physical and biogeochemical properties have been dramatically undersampled, especially in the remote Southern Ocean (SO). The difficulty in obtaining in situ data represents the major limitations to our understanding, and interpretation of the coupling between physical forcing and the biogeochemical response. Southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) equipped with a new generation of oceanographic sensors can measure ocean structure in regions and seasons rarely observed with traditional oceanographic platforms. Over the last few years, seals have allowed for a considerable increase in temperature and salinity profiles from the SO, but we were still lacking information on the spatiotemporal variation of phytoplankton concentration. This information is critical to assess how the biological productivity of the SO, with direct consequences on the amount of CO2 "fixed'' by the biological pump, will respond to global warming. In this research programme, we use an innovative sampling fluorescence approach to quantify phytoplankton concentration at sea. For the first time, a low energy consumption fluorometer was added to Argos CTD-SRDL tags, and these novel instruments were deployed on 27 southern elephant seals between 25 December 2007 and the 4 February 2011. As many as 3388 fluorescence profiles associated with temperature and salinity measurements were thereby collected from a vast sector of the Southern Indian Ocean. This paper addresses the calibration issue of the fluorometer before being deployed on elephant seals and presents the first results obtained for the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean. This in situ system is implemented in synergy with satellite ocean colour radiometry. Satellite-derived data is limited to the surface layer and is restricted over the SO by extensive cloud cover. However, with the addition of these new tags, we are able to assess the 3-dimension distribution of phytoplankton concentration by foraging southern elephant seals. This approach reveals that for the Indian sector of the SO, the surface chlorophyll a (chl a) concentrations provided by MODIS were underestimated by a factor 2 compared to chl a concentrations estimated from HPLC corrected in situ fluorescence measurements. The scientific outcomes of this programme include an improved understanding of both the present state and variability in ocean biology, and the accompanying biogeochemistry, as well as the delivery of real-time and open-access data to scientists (doi:10.7491/MEMO.1).

Entanglement Of Pinnipeds At Marion Island, Southern Ocean: 1991-2001

2002 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 141 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Hofmeyr ◽  
Maine M De ◽  
Mr Beste ◽  
S Kirkman ◽  
P Pistorius ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Southern Ocean ◽  
Fishing Industry ◽  
Marion Island ◽  
Mirounga Leonina ◽  
Elephant Seals ◽  
Small Impact ◽  
Fur Seals ◽  
Southern Elephant Seals ◽  
Longline Fisheries

Some 101 fur seals Arctocephalus spp. and five southern elephant seals Mirounga leonina were recorded entangled in anthropogenic debris over ten years at Marion Island, Southern Ocean. Approximately 67% of materials causing entanglement originated in the fishing industry. Polypropylene packaging straps were the most common entangling material, followed by trawl netting. Longline hooks embedded in animals, fishing line and portions of plastic were only encountered after the inception in 1996 of longline fishing in the waters around Marion Island. The incidence of entanglement of Arctocephalus spp. during the 1996-2001 longline fisheries period increased by more than 50% over that of the 1991-1996 pre-longline fisheries period. An estimated 0.24% of the populations of fur seals were entangled. The numbers of entangled M. leonina are very low. Longline fishing has had a direct, albeit small, impact on the pinniped populations

scholarly journals Body condition influences ontogeny of foraging behavior in juvenile southern elephant seals

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 223-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian Orgeret ◽  
Sam L. Cox ◽  
Henri Weimerskirch ◽  
Christophe Guinet
Keyword(s):  
Foraging Behavior ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Elephant Seals ◽  
Southern Elephant Seals

Serological screening for Brucella spp. and Leptospira spp. antibodies in southern elephant seals Mirounga leonina from Elephant Island, Antarctica, in 2003 and 2004

2020 ◽  
Vol 142 ◽  
pp. 161-170
Author(s):  
AM Sánchez-Sarmiento ◽  
V Ruoppolo ◽  
MMC Muelbert ◽  
JS Ferreira Neto ◽  
JL Catão-Dias
Keyword(s):  
Austral Summer ◽  
Agglutination Test ◽  
South Shetland Islands ◽  
Climate Change Scenarios ◽  
Mirounga Leonina ◽  
Serological Screening ◽  
Elephant Seals ◽  
Southern Elephant Seals ◽  
Monitoring And Surveillance ◽  
Elephant Island

Brucella spp. and Leptospira spp. antibodies were surveyed in 35 southern elephant seals (SESs) Mirounga leonina at Elephant Island (South Shetland Islands), western Antarctic peninsula, in the Austral summer of 2003 and 2004. The rose Bengal test and a commercial competitive ELISA (c-ELISA) were used to detect Brucella spp. exposure, and the microscopic agglutination test (MAT) with 22 live serovars was used to determine anti-Leptospira spp. antibodies. We found evidence of Brucella spp. exposure in 3 of 35 (8.6%) SESs tested via the c-ELISA displaying high percentage inhibition (PI), similar to other studies in pinnipeds in which Brucella spp. antibodies have been determined. Two of the 3 positives were pups (PI = 70.4 and 86.6%), while the third was an adult female (PI = 48.8%). The 3 c-ELISA positive SESs were additionally tested via the serum agglutination test but were found to be negative. All individuals were negative for antibodies against 22 Leptospira spp. serovars by MAT. These results contribute to the knowledge and monitoring of zoonotic pathogens with epizootic potential in Southern Ocean pinnipeds. Given the potential impact that pathogens may have on the abundance of wild (sometimes threatened and endangered) populations, constant monitoring and surveillance are required to prevent pathogen spread, particularly under forecast climate change scenarios.

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