| Title | Age-specific survival, abundance, and immigration rates of a Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) population in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica |
| Author | Cameron, M.F.; Siniff, D.B. |
| Source | Canadian Journal of Zoology = Journal Canadien de Zoologie, 82(4), p.601-615, . Publisher: National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada. ISSN: 0008- 4301 |
| Publication Date | 2004 |
| Notes | In English GeoRef Acc. No: 288159 |
| Index Terms | Southern Ocean--McMurdo Sound; Antarctica--Ross Dependency; Antarctica--Ross Island; Antarctica; Carnivora; Chordata; communities; ecology; Erebus Cove; Eutheria; Leptonychotes weddellii; Mammalia; McMurdo Sound; Phocidae; Pinnipedia; population dynamics; Ross Dependency; Ross Island; Ross Sea; Southern Ocean; Tetrapoda; Theria; Vertebrata |
| Abstract | Analysis of mark-recapture data and model selection trials for pupping colony of Weddell seals in Erebus Cove indicate that sex, cohort and year affect juvenile survival, but are less important factors for adult survival. Average annual survival is higher among adults than juveniles, there is little evidence for senescence to at least age 17, oldest known-aged female and male respectively were 27 and 24 years old respectively. Data suggests relatively stable abundance of resident population, despite annual fluctuation in abundance estimates for entire population which are probably result of temporary immigration during times of reduced fast ice of animals born outside study area. Findings contradict previous studies reporting lower survival and higher immigration. |
| Publication Type | journal article |
| Record ID | 85065 |