Collaborative Research: Exploring the Vulnerability of Southern Ocean Pinnipeds to Climate Change - An Integrated Approach

在美国国家科学基金会之前资助的研究的基础上，利用在干燥山谷和维多利亚陆地海岸发现的象海豹木乃伊的古生物学和古遗传学数据，这些地区今天太冷，不能支持海豹群(Mirougina leonina；南部象海豹；SES)，支持这些海豹以前在该地区的存在。这些SES殖民地的出现和随后的消失与公元前1000年全新世气候向寒冷得多的条件的重大转变相一致。对其他三种丰富的鳍脚类动物的保存遗骸进行进一步分析？将对螃蟹(Lobodon Carciophagus)、韦德尔(Leptonychotes Wedelli)和豹(Hydrura Leptonyx)进行研究，以跟踪它们的种群数量(通过DNA分析揭示)和它们的饮食(通过稳定同位素分析进行研究)的变化。结合这些物种在生活史、偏好的冰川栖息地和生态系统敏感性方面的已知差异，这一古气候替代数据将被用来评估它们在过去1-2000年间对罗斯海地区气候变化的暴露和敏感性

Building on previously funded NSF research, the use of paleobiological and paleogenetic data from mummified elephant seal carcasses found along the Dry Valleys and Victoria Land Coast in areas that today are too cold to support seal colonies (Mirougina leonina; southern elephant seals; SES) supports the former existence of these seals in this region. The occurrence and then subsequent disappearance of these SES colonies is consistent with major shifts in the Holocene climate to much colder conditions at the last ~1000 years BCE). Further analysis of the preserved remains of three other abundant pinnipeds ? crabeater (Lobodon carciophagus), Weddell (Leptonychotes weddelli) and leopard (Hydrurga leptonyx) will be studied to track changes in their population size (revealed by DNA analysis) and their diet (studied via stable isotope analysis). Combined with known differences in life history, preferred ice habitat and ecosystem sensitivity among these species, this paleoclimate proxy data will be used to assess their exposure and sensitivity to climate change in the Ross Sea region during the past ~1-2,000 years