Beneath the Antarctic sea‐ice: Fine‐scale analysis of Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) behavior and predator–prey interactions, using micro‐sonar data in Terre Adélie
Abstract Lactation is the most energy‐demanding event in mammals' reproduction. In pinnipeds, females are the only food providers to the young and have developed numerous behavioral and physiological lactation strategies, from capital‐breeding to income‐breeding. Lactating females' fine‐sc...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Evolution |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10796 |
| _version_ | 1797373161389424640 |
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| author | Adélie Antoine Sara Labrousse Pauline Goulet Mathilde Chevallay Joris Laborie Baptiste Picard Christophe Guinet David Nerini Jean‐Benoît Charrassin Karine Heerah |
| author_facet | Adélie Antoine Sara Labrousse Pauline Goulet Mathilde Chevallay Joris Laborie Baptiste Picard Christophe Guinet David Nerini Jean‐Benoît Charrassin Karine Heerah |
| author_sort | Adélie Antoine |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Lactation is the most energy‐demanding event in mammals' reproduction. In pinnipeds, females are the only food providers to the young and have developed numerous behavioral and physiological lactation strategies, from capital‐breeding to income‐breeding. Lactating females' fine‐scale foraging strategy, and precise understanding of how females supplement their pup's needs as well as their own are important to understand the species' ecology and energetic balance. Polar pinnipeds, inhabiting extreme environments, are sensitive to climate change and variability, understanding their constraints and foraging strategy during lactation is therefore important. In 2019, three sonar tags were deployed on lactating Weddell seals in Terre Adélie (East Antarctica) for 7 days, to study fine‐scale predator–prey interactions. Feeding activity was mostly benthic, reduced, central‐placed, and spatially limited. Females spent most of their time hauled‐out. A total of 331 prey capture attempts (PrCAs) were recorded using triaxial acceleration data, with 125 prey identified on echograms (5 cm, acoustic size). All PrCAs occurred on the seafloor, shallower than usual records (mean depth of 88 m, vs 280 m after their molt). We also found that they only fed in three of the five identified dive shapes, during the ascent or throughout the dive. Half of the prey were reactive to the seal's approach, either leaving the seafloor, or escaping just above the seafloor, suggesting that the seals hunt by chasing them from the seabed. Seals continuously scanned the area during the approach phase, evoking opportunistic foraging. Our results provide additional evidence that Weddell seal forage during lactation, displaying a mix of capital‐breeding and income‐breeding strategies during this period of physiological stress. This work sheds light on previously unexplored aspects of their foraging behavior, such as shallow water environments, targeting benthic prey, generally focusing on single prey rather than schools, and evidence of visual scanning through observed head movements. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T18:45:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bdbe61bfb5ae454e8cf26c5c3bb2d962 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-7758 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T18:45:20Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-bdbe61bfb5ae454e8cf26c5c3bb2d9622023-12-29T00:26:15ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582023-12-011312n/an/a10.1002/ece3.10796Beneath the Antarctic sea‐ice: Fine‐scale analysis of Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) behavior and predator–prey interactions, using micro‐sonar data in Terre AdélieAdélie Antoine0Sara Labrousse1Pauline Goulet2Mathilde Chevallay3Joris Laborie4Baptiste Picard5Christophe Guinet6David Nerini7Jean‐Benoît Charrassin8Karine Heerah9Laboratoire d'Océanographie et du Climat: Expérimentations et approches numériques (LOCEAN), UMR 7159 Sorbonne‐Université, CNRS, MNHN, IRD, IPSL Paris FranceLaboratoire d'Océanographie et du Climat: Expérimentations et approches numériques (LOCEAN), UMR 7159 Sorbonne‐Université, CNRS, MNHN, IRD, IPSL Paris FranceCentre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS‐La Rochelle Université, UMR 7372 Villiers‐en‐Bois FranceCentre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS‐La Rochelle Université, UMR 7372 Villiers‐en‐Bois FranceDepartment of Biology Aarhus University Aarhus DenmarkCentre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS‐La Rochelle Université, UMR 7372 Villiers‐en‐Bois FranceCentre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS‐La Rochelle Université, UMR 7372 Villiers‐en‐Bois FranceMediterranean Institute of Oceanography, Pytheas Institute, UMR 7294 Marseille FranceLaboratoire d'Océanographie et du Climat: Expérimentations et approches numériques (LOCEAN), UMR 7159 Sorbonne‐Université, CNRS, MNHN, IRD, IPSL Paris FranceDepartment of Biology Aarhus University Aarhus DenmarkAbstract Lactation is the most energy‐demanding event in mammals' reproduction. In pinnipeds, females are the only food providers to the young and have developed numerous behavioral and physiological lactation strategies, from capital‐breeding to income‐breeding. Lactating females' fine‐scale foraging strategy, and precise understanding of how females supplement their pup's needs as well as their own are important to understand the species' ecology and energetic balance. Polar pinnipeds, inhabiting extreme environments, are sensitive to climate change and variability, understanding their constraints and foraging strategy during lactation is therefore important. In 2019, three sonar tags were deployed on lactating Weddell seals in Terre Adélie (East Antarctica) for 7 days, to study fine‐scale predator–prey interactions. Feeding activity was mostly benthic, reduced, central‐placed, and spatially limited. Females spent most of their time hauled‐out. A total of 331 prey capture attempts (PrCAs) were recorded using triaxial acceleration data, with 125 prey identified on echograms (5 cm, acoustic size). All PrCAs occurred on the seafloor, shallower than usual records (mean depth of 88 m, vs 280 m after their molt). We also found that they only fed in three of the five identified dive shapes, during the ascent or throughout the dive. Half of the prey were reactive to the seal's approach, either leaving the seafloor, or escaping just above the seafloor, suggesting that the seals hunt by chasing them from the seabed. Seals continuously scanned the area during the approach phase, evoking opportunistic foraging. Our results provide additional evidence that Weddell seal forage during lactation, displaying a mix of capital‐breeding and income‐breeding strategies during this period of physiological stress. This work sheds light on previously unexplored aspects of their foraging behavior, such as shallow water environments, targeting benthic prey, generally focusing on single prey rather than schools, and evidence of visual scanning through observed head movements.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10796bio‐loggingdivingforaging behaviorpredator–prey interactionsonar tagsWeddell seal |
| spellingShingle | Adélie Antoine Sara Labrousse Pauline Goulet Mathilde Chevallay Joris Laborie Baptiste Picard Christophe Guinet David Nerini Jean‐Benoît Charrassin Karine Heerah Beneath the Antarctic sea‐ice: Fine‐scale analysis of Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) behavior and predator–prey interactions, using micro‐sonar data in Terre Adélie Ecology and Evolution bio‐logging diving foraging behavior predator–prey interaction sonar tags Weddell seal |
| title | Beneath the Antarctic sea‐ice: Fine‐scale analysis of Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) behavior and predator–prey interactions, using micro‐sonar data in Terre Adélie |
| title_full | Beneath the Antarctic sea‐ice: Fine‐scale analysis of Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) behavior and predator–prey interactions, using micro‐sonar data in Terre Adélie |
| title_fullStr | Beneath the Antarctic sea‐ice: Fine‐scale analysis of Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) behavior and predator–prey interactions, using micro‐sonar data in Terre Adélie |
| title_full_unstemmed | Beneath the Antarctic sea‐ice: Fine‐scale analysis of Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) behavior and predator–prey interactions, using micro‐sonar data in Terre Adélie |
| title_short | Beneath the Antarctic sea‐ice: Fine‐scale analysis of Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) behavior and predator–prey interactions, using micro‐sonar data in Terre Adélie |
| title_sort | beneath the antarctic sea ice fine scale analysis of weddell seal leptonychotes weddellii behavior and predator prey interactions using micro sonar data in terre adelie |
| topic | bio‐logging diving foraging behavior predator–prey interaction sonar tags Weddell seal |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10796 |
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