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: 9909863
• 负责人: Lee Fuiman
• 金额: $ 13.45万
• 依托单位: University of Texas at Austin
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2000
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2000-07-15 至 2005-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9909863&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.

这个合作研究项目的重点是行为和能量适应，使威德尔海豹能够在寒冷、黑暗的南极固冰环境中觅食。 为了回答这个问题，我们将测试与自由放养的威德尔海豹（Leptonychotes weddellii）的一般觅食策略、觅食位置、搜索模式、猎物检测、运动性能、潜水成本和觅食效率相关的假设。 此外，还将检查潜水期间的运动性能和行为，以估计与狩猎相关的成本以及从狩猎中获得的收益（捕获猎物的类型和频率）。 这项研究将为海洋哺乳动物觅食策略提供独特的见解，并将为生理学（潜水和能量学）和生态学（觅食理论和行为生态学）领域做出贡献。 拟议的研究建立在对麦克默多湾威德尔海豹的研究基础上，使用动物传播的视频系统/数据记录器来记录海洋哺乳动物在深处的行为、生理和运动表现。 这提供了对威德尔海豹狩猎策略、捕食者与猎物相互作用以及潜水新陈代谢的相应估计的首次观察。 研究中使用的孤立冰洞协议允许海豹选择潜水的深度和持续时间，但它们必须返回一个地方呼吸，这限制了它们的运动范围。 此外，它们无法从水中拖出或与其他海豹互动，并且可能面临比自然觅食时更低的猎物密度。 新的焦点是完全自由活动的海豹的行为和能量学，所有重要的限制都已被消除。 尽管目前的研究已经证明了威德尔海豹觅食的重要新原理，并增加了对潜水行为和游泳表现的了解，但现在有必要确定这些原理是否适用于不受约束的动物。 该研究将继续聘请多学科科学家团队，并提供高技能的技术支持。 这些结果将增进对威德尔海豹觅食生态的了解，并为在公海中更难以研究的其他海洋哺乳动物物种的类似研究奠定基础。 最后，通过将研究从孤立的冰洞扩展到完全自由活动的条件，这项研究将为威德尔海豹作为南极海洋生态系统中顶级掠食者的作用提供新的见解。