Synchrony in Population Parameters Among Antarctic Seals

目前存在一些问题，即南极海洋生态系统的生物资源是被划分成可单独管理的种群，还是组成一个受大范围地理区域共同事件影响的单一群落。为了解决这个问题，需要在很长一段时间内从不同地区收集同一物种种群的可比数据。研究人员一直在南极洲的几个地点监测韦德尔海豹的繁殖率，但还没有人试图比较不同的数据集。Testa建议分析和比较来自美国麦克默多站的韦德尔海豹年繁殖率的现有数据。与戴维斯(澳大利亚)和西格尼岛(英国)站的研究人员合作，确定大规模因素是否会影响地理位置相距遥远的不同人口的生殖成功。这项工作将与英国南极调查局和澳大利亚国家南极研究考察队的成员合作进行。在这些地点也有关于韦德尔海豹食物习性的数据，并将用于解释数据集。这些成果将为更好地管理南极海洋生物资源奠定基础，并为国际合作和传播信息提供机会。研究结果还将进一步加深我们对大型哺乳动物的生活史、进化和种群生态的理解。

There is currently some question as to whether the biological resources of the Antarctic marine ecosystem are divided into stocks that can be managed separately or constitute a single community which is influenced by common events over a large geographic area. In order to address this question, comparable data for populations of the same species collected from different regions over a large time span are needed. Researchers have been monitoring reproductive rates of Weddell seals at several locations in Antarctica, but none has yet attempted to compare the various data sets. Testa proposes to analyze and compare existing data on the annual reproductive rates of Weddell seals from McMurdo Station (U.S.) with those from Davis (Australia) and Signy Island (British) Stations to determine whether large-scale factors influence reproductive success in distinct populations from widely separated geographic locations. The work will be conducted in collaboration with members of the British Antarctic Survey and the Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition. Data also exists on food habits of Weddell seals at these locations, and will be utilized for interpretation of data sets. Results will provide a foundation for better management of Antarctic marine biological resources, as well as an opportunity for international collaboration and dissemination of information. Results should also further our understanding of life-history evolution and population ecology of large mammals.