Movements of southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) from Davis Base, Antarctica: combining population genetics and tracking data

Chua, Michelle; Ho, Simon Y. W.; McMahon, Clive R.; Jonsen, Ian D.; Bruyn, Mark de

doi:10.1007/s00300-022-03058-9

Cited by 5 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 70 publications

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“…Our estimates of nucleotide and haplotype diversity for leopard seals were comparable to findings in other phocid species. Haplotype diversity (0.96) aligned with reports for southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina, Hd= 0.96, N= 203) [60] and Weddell seals (Hd = 0.98, N = 181) [58], but was lower than a previous assessment for leopard seals based on a much smaller number of samples (Hd = 0.99; N = 13) [26]. Haplotype diversity was moderate compared to hooded seals (Cystophora cristata; Hd ≈ 1.0, N = 123) [61] but very high compared to species that experienced strong bottlenecks such as northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris; Hd = 0.41; N =185) [62].…”

Section: Genetic Diversitysupporting

confidence: 67%

Genetic diversity and demographic history of the leopard seal: a Southern Ocean top predator

Bender

Krause

Goebel

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) are top predators that can exert substantial top-down control of their Antarctic prey species. However, population trends and genetic diversity of leopard seals remain understudied, limiting our understanding of their ecological role. We investigated the genetic diversity, effective population size and demographic history of leopard seals to provide fundamental data that contextualizes their predatory influence on Antarctic ecosystems. Ninety leopard seals were sampled in the northern Antarctic Peninsula, during the austral summers of 2008–2019 and a 405bp region of the mitochondrial control region was sequenced for each individual. We uncovered moderate levels of nucleotide (π = 0.013) and haplotype (Hd = 0.96) diversity, and the effective population size was estimated at around 24,000 individuals (NE = 24,376; range 16,876 – 33,126). Consistent with findings from other ice-breeding pinnipeds, Bayesian skyline analysis also revealed evidence for population expansion during the last glacial maximum, suggesting that historical population growth may have been boosted by an increase in the abundance of sea ice. Although leopard seals can be found in warmer, sub-Antarctic locations, the species' core habitat is centered around the Antarctic, making it inherently vulnerable to the loss of sea ice habitat due to climate change. Therefore, detailed assessments of past and present leopard seal population trends are needed to inform policies for Antarctic ecosystems.

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Section: Genetic Diversitysupporting

confidence: 67%

Genetic diversity and demographic history of the leopard seal: a Southern Ocean top predator

Bender

Krause

Goebel

et al. 2023

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Our estimates of nucleotide and haplotype diversity for leopard seals were comparable to findings in other phocid species. Haplotype diversity (0.96) aligned with reports for southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina, Hd = 0.96, N = 203) [74] and Weddell seals (Hd = 0.98, N = 181) [72], but was lower than a previous assessment for leopard seals based on a much smaller number of samples (Hd = 0.99; N = 13) [43]. Haplotype diversity was moderate compared to hooded seals (Cystophora cristata; Hd � 1.0, N = 123) [75] but high compared to species that experienced strong bottlenecks such as northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris; Hd = 0.41; N = 185) [76].…”

Section: Genetic Diversitysupporting

confidence: 67%

Genetic diversity and demographic history of the leopard seal: A Southern Ocean top predator

et al. 2023

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) are top predators that can exert substantial top-down control of their Antarctic prey species. However, population trends and genetic diversity of leopard seals remain understudied, limiting our understanding of their ecological role. We investigated the genetic diversity, effective population size and demographic history of leopard seals to provide fundamental data that contextualizes their predatory influence on Antarctic ecosystems. Ninety leopard seals were sampled from the northern Antarctic Peninsula during the austral summers of 2008–2019 and a 405bp segment of the mitochondrial control region was sequenced for each individual. We uncovered moderate levels of nucleotide (π = 0.013) and haplotype (Hd = 0.96) diversity, and the effective population size was estimated at around 24,000 individuals (NE = 24,376; 95% CI: 16,876–33,126). Consistent with findings from other ice-breeding pinnipeds, Bayesian skyline analysis also revealed evidence for population expansion during the last glacial maximum, suggesting that historical population growth may have been boosted by an increase in the abundance of sea ice. Although leopard seals can be found in warmer, sub-Antarctic locations, the species’ core habitat is centered on the Antarctic, making it inherently vulnerable to the loss of sea ice habitat due to climate change. Therefore, detailed assessments of past and present leopard seal population trends are needed to inform policies for Antarctic ecosystems.

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Diminishing numbers of male southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina Pinnipedia: Phocidae, Linnaeus, 1758) at the Vestfold Hills, East Antarctica (1957–2022)

van den Hoff

2024

Antarctic Science

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A proportion of the southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) population that breeds in the Kerguelen Plateau region seasonally migrates between their natal sub-Antarctic islands and moult haul-out locations on the Antarctic coastline. Analyses of survey data collated for one moult location at the Vestfold Hills, East Antarctica, showed that there had been no appreciable change in the timing (phenology) of maximum seal arrivals between 1974 and 2022; however, the maximum number of seals moulting at that site had declined by ~90% over the same time interval. Spatial analyses showed rates of population change were survey area dependent, as seal numbers decreased most rapidly at haul-out areas closest to the permanently occupied Davis Station, suggesting that a relationship exists between seal numbers and human activities. The range of potential factors that contribute to population change for southern elephant seals moulting at the Vestfold Hills includes changes in status at primary source populations, one of which has not been surveyed since the 1990s, and species relocation. Should numbers of southern elephant seals in the Vestfold Hills continue to decrease at the current average rate of change (-7.78 seals/year) the species could vanish from the area by c. 2040.

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Movements of southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) from Davis Base, Antarctica: combining population genetics and tracking data

Cited by 5 publications

References 70 publications

Genetic diversity and demographic history of the leopard seal: a Southern Ocean top predator

Genetic diversity and demographic history of the leopard seal: a Southern Ocean top predator

Genetic diversity and demographic history of the leopard seal: A Southern Ocean top predator

Diminishing numbers of male southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina Pinnipedia: Phocidae, Linnaeus, 1758) at the Vestfold Hills, East Antarctica (1957–2022)

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