Demographic, ecological, and physiological responses of ringed seals to an abrupt decline in sea ice availability
To assess whether demographic declines of Arctic species at the southern limit of their range will be gradual or punctuated, we compared large-scale environmental patterns including sea ice dynamics to ringed seal (Pusa hispida) reproduction, body condition, recruitment, and stress in Hudson Bay fro...
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| Format: | Article |
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PeerJ Inc.
2017-02-01
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| Series: | PeerJ |
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| Online Access: | https://peerj.com/articles/2957.pdf |
| _version_ | 1797417761822998528 |
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| author | Steven H. Ferguson Brent G. Young David J. Yurkowski Randi Anderson Cornelia Willing Ole Nielsen |
| author_facet | Steven H. Ferguson Brent G. Young David J. Yurkowski Randi Anderson Cornelia Willing Ole Nielsen |
| author_sort | Steven H. Ferguson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | To assess whether demographic declines of Arctic species at the southern limit of their range will be gradual or punctuated, we compared large-scale environmental patterns including sea ice dynamics to ringed seal (Pusa hispida) reproduction, body condition, recruitment, and stress in Hudson Bay from 2003 to 2013. Aerial surveys suggested a gradual decline in seal density from 1995 to 2013, with the lowest density occurring in 2013. Body condition decreased and stress (cortisol) increased over time in relation to longer open water periods. The 2010 open water period in Hudson Bay coincided with extremes in large-scale atmospheric patterns (North Atlantic Oscillation, Arctic Oscillation, El Nino-Southern Oscillation) resulting in the earliest spring breakup and the latest ice formation on record. The warming event was coincident with high stress level, low ovulation rate, low pregnancy rate, few pups in the Inuit harvest, and observations of sick seals. Results provide evidence of changes in the condition of Arctic marine mammals in relation to climate mediated sea ice dynamics. We conclude that although negative demographic responses of Hudson Bay seals are occurring gradually with diminishing sea ice, a recent episodic environmental event played a significant role in a punctuated population decline. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T06:23:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f0964727f0b14161b6d8b0f50186b412 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2167-8359 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T06:23:19Z |
| publishDate | 2017-02-01 |
| publisher | PeerJ Inc. |
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| spelling | doaj.art-f0964727f0b14161b6d8b0f50186b4122023-12-03T11:33:48ZengPeerJ Inc.PeerJ2167-83592017-02-015e295710.7717/peerj.2957Demographic, ecological, and physiological responses of ringed seals to an abrupt decline in sea ice availabilitySteven H. Ferguson0Brent G. Young1David J. Yurkowski2Randi Anderson3Cornelia Willing4Ole Nielsen5Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, MB, CanadaFisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, MB, CanadaFisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, MB, CanadaDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, CanadaDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, CanadaFisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, MB, CanadaTo assess whether demographic declines of Arctic species at the southern limit of their range will be gradual or punctuated, we compared large-scale environmental patterns including sea ice dynamics to ringed seal (Pusa hispida) reproduction, body condition, recruitment, and stress in Hudson Bay from 2003 to 2013. Aerial surveys suggested a gradual decline in seal density from 1995 to 2013, with the lowest density occurring in 2013. Body condition decreased and stress (cortisol) increased over time in relation to longer open water periods. The 2010 open water period in Hudson Bay coincided with extremes in large-scale atmospheric patterns (North Atlantic Oscillation, Arctic Oscillation, El Nino-Southern Oscillation) resulting in the earliest spring breakup and the latest ice formation on record. The warming event was coincident with high stress level, low ovulation rate, low pregnancy rate, few pups in the Inuit harvest, and observations of sick seals. Results provide evidence of changes in the condition of Arctic marine mammals in relation to climate mediated sea ice dynamics. We conclude that although negative demographic responses of Hudson Bay seals are occurring gradually with diminishing sea ice, a recent episodic environmental event played a significant role in a punctuated population decline.https://peerj.com/articles/2957.pdfAbundanceBody conditionDiseaseHudson BayPusa hispidaSea ice |
| spellingShingle | Steven H. Ferguson Brent G. Young David J. Yurkowski Randi Anderson Cornelia Willing Ole Nielsen Demographic, ecological, and physiological responses of ringed seals to an abrupt decline in sea ice availability PeerJ Abundance Body condition Disease Hudson Bay Pusa hispida Sea ice |
| title | Demographic, ecological, and physiological responses of ringed seals to an abrupt decline in sea ice availability |
| title_full | Demographic, ecological, and physiological responses of ringed seals to an abrupt decline in sea ice availability |
| title_fullStr | Demographic, ecological, and physiological responses of ringed seals to an abrupt decline in sea ice availability |
| title_full_unstemmed | Demographic, ecological, and physiological responses of ringed seals to an abrupt decline in sea ice availability |
| title_short | Demographic, ecological, and physiological responses of ringed seals to an abrupt decline in sea ice availability |
| title_sort | demographic ecological and physiological responses of ringed seals to an abrupt decline in sea ice availability |
| topic | Abundance Body condition Disease Hudson Bay Pusa hispida Sea ice |
| url | https://peerj.com/articles/2957.pdf |
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