Dear colleagues,
The following article was recently published on-line in Marine Ecology Progress
Series:
Baylis, A.M.M and Nichols, P.D (2009) Milk fatty acids predict the foraging
locations of the New Zealand fur seal: continental shelf versus oceanic waters.
Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 380: 271 - 286
A PDF copy is available through: http://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v380/
or upon request: [email protected]
Kindest regards
Al Baylis
ABSTRACT: Lactating New Zealand fur seals Arctocephalus forsteri utilise 2
ecological regions: continental shelf habitats and oceanic habitats associated
with the Subtropical Front. Using milk fatty acids (FA) obtained from 29
satellite-tracked fur seals, we characterised the FA composition of seals that
foraged on the continental shelf, and those that foraged in oceanic waters.
Seals that foraged within oceanic waters were characterised by milk being
comparatively high in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA; 47.4 ± 4.4%, mean ±
SD), and lower in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA; 23.8 ± 4.0%) when compared
to seals that foraged in continental shelf waters (MUFA 36.7 ± 5.4 and PUFA
31.4 ± 5.5%). Based on FA compositions, we predicted the likelihood that milk
samples collected at random (n = 131) represented individual seals having
foraged either on the continental shelf or in distant oceanic waters. Results
indicated that 74% (n = 97) of seals were
likely to have foraged in oceanic waters, with 26% (n = 34) likely to have
foraged within continental shelf waters. These results were supported by the
small sub-sample of 29 satellite-tracked seals, which indicated that 62% of
seals had foraged in oceanic waters. FA analysis and satellite-tracking results
contrasted with scat analyses, from which only 7% of scats contained prey
remains from oceanic waters. The results suggest scats were biased toward
females foraging on the continental shelf. To further understand the diet of
New Zealand fur seals, additional information on potential prey species that
inhabit waters associated with the Subtropical Front south of Australia is
required, as well as the continued development and application of alternative
dietary techniques.
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