Collaborative Research: Hunting Behavior and Energetics of Free-Ranging Weddell Seals

合作研究：自由活动的威德尔海豹的狩猎行为和能量

• 批准号: 9909422
• 负责人: Randall Davis
• 金额: $ 15.94万
• 依托单位: Texas A&M Research Foundation
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2000
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2000-07-15 至 2003-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9909422&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Hunting; Behavior; Energetics

The focus of this collaborative research project is on the behavioral and energetic adaptations enable Weddell seals to forage in the cold, dark, Antarctic fast-ice environment. To answer this question, hypotheses related to general foraging strategy, foraging location, searching mode, prey detection, locomotor performance, the cost of diving and foraging efficiency of free-ranging Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) will be tested. In addition, locomotor performance and behavior during diving to estimate the costs associated with hunting and the benefits gained from hunting (type and frequency of prey captures) will be examined. This study will provide unique insight into marine mammal foraging tactics and will contribute to fields of physiology (diving and energetics) and ecology (foraging theory and behavioral ecology). The proposed study builds on research on Weddell seals in McMurdo Sound using an animal-borne video system/data logger to record the behavior, physiology and locomotor performance of marine mammals at depth. This provided first observations of Weddell seal hunting strategies, predator-prey interactions and corresponding estimates of diving metabolism. The isolated-ice-hole protocol used in the study allows seals to choose the depth and duration of a dive, but they must return to a single place to breathe, which limits their range of movement. In addition, they are unable to haul out of the water or interact with other seals and may be exposed to lower prey densities than when foraging naturally. The new focus is the behavior and energetics of completely free-ranging seals, for which all significant constraints have been removed. Although the current study has demonstrated important new principles in Weddell seal foraging and has increased understanding of diving behavior and swimming performance, it is now essential to determine whether those principles apply to unconstrained animals. The study will continue to employ a multidisciplinary team of scientists with highly skilled technical support. The results will advance the understanding of the foraging ecology of Weddell seals and create a basis for similar research on other species of marine mammals that are more difficult to study in the open ocean. Finally, by extending the study from an isolated ice hole to completely free-ranging conditions, this research will provide new insight into the role of Weddell seals as apex predators in the Antarctic marine ecosystem.

该协作研究项目的重点是行为和充满活力的适应性，使Weddell Seals能够在寒冷，黑暗，南极快速冰环境中觅食。 为了回答这个问题，将测试与一般觅食策略，觅食位置，搜索模式，猎物检测，运动性能，潜水成本和自由放置Weddell密封件（LeptonyChotes Weddellii）的觅食效率有关的假设。 此外，将检查潜水过程中的运动性能和行为，以估算与狩猎相关的成本以及狩猎所获得的收益（猎物捕获的类型和频率）。 这项研究将为海洋哺乳动物觅食策略提供独特的见解，并将有助于生理学（潜水和能量学）和生态学（觅食理论和行为生态学）。 拟议的研究基于对McMurdo Sound的Weddell Seals的研究，使用动物传播视频系统/数据记录仪，以记录海洋哺乳动物深度的行为，生理和运动表现。 这提供了对Weddell密封狩猎策略，捕食者 - 捕获相互作用以及潜水代谢的相应估计的首次观察。 研究中使用的隔离冰孔方案使密封可以选择潜水的深度和持续时间，但必须返回到一个呼吸的地方，这限制了其运动范围。 此外，他们无法从水中拖出或与其他密封件相互作用，并且可能会与自然觅食时暴露于较低的猎物密度。 新的重点是完全自由放置密封的行为和能量学，为此，所有重要的约束都被删除了。 尽管当前的研究表明，Weddell密封觅食中的重要新原则，并增加了对潜水行为和游泳表现的了解，但现在必须确定这些原理是否适用于无约束的动物。 该研究将继续雇用具有高技能技术支持的科学家团队。 结果将提高人们对Weddell密封的觅食生态的理解，并为其他在开阔的海洋中更难研究的其他海洋哺乳动物的类似研究创造基础。 最后，通过将研究从孤立的冰洞扩展到完全自由放大的条件，这项研究将为Weddell Seals作为南极海洋生态系统中的顶点捕食者的作用提供新的见解。