Transfer of fatty acids from female seal blubber via milk to pup blubber

Grahl‐Nielsen, Otto; Hammill, Michael O.; Lydersen, Christian; Wahlstrom, Svea K.

doi:10.1007/s003600000099

Cited by 27 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…The remaining seals were identified as having a mixed diet of fish and squid. This methodology assumes that there is little modification of the FA concentrations from prey to predator (Grahl-Nielsen & Mjaavatten 1991; Iverson 1993; Grahl-Nielsen et al 2000). The summary of these classifications is presented relative to season and geographical foraging region in table 3.…”

Section: Icichthys Australis Gymnoscopelus Bolini G Fraseri G Nimentioning

confidence: 99%

You are what you eat: describing the foraging ecology of southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) using blubber fatty acids

Bradshaw

Hindell

Best

et al. 2003

Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B

153

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Understanding the trophodynamics of marine ecosystems requires data on the temporal and spatial variation in predator diet but, particularly for wide-ranging species, these data are often unavailable. The southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) consumes large quantities of fish and squid prey in the Southern Ocean relative to other marine mammals; however, how diet varies relative to seasonal and spatial foraging behaviour is unknown. We used fatty acid (FA) signature analysis of 63 blubber cores from adult female M. leonina over three seasons (winter 1999, summer 2000 and winter 2001) to determine diet structure. We detected significant differences between seasons and between the main foraging regions (Antarctic continental shelf versus pelagic). We used the FA profiles from 53 fish, squid and krill species to construct a discriminant function that would classify each seal, from its blubber sample as having a fish-or squid-FA profile. We determined that a higher proportion of M. leonina had fish-dominated diets during the winter and when foraging around the Antarctic continental shelf, and the majority had more squiddominated diets during the summer when foraging pelagically. Thus, we were able to measure the coarsescale diet structure of a major marine predator using FA profiles, and estimate its associated seasonal and temporal variation.

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Section: Icichthys Australis Gymnoscopelus Bolini G Fraseri G Nimentioning

confidence: 99%

You are what you eat: describing the foraging ecology of southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) using blubber fatty acids

Bradshaw

Hindell

Best

et al. 2003

Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B

153

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“…This may be due to the females' blubber stores being dramatically depleted during the nursing period from mid-June to mid-July. During the short, intense lactation period in phocid seals, lipid metabolism is intensified and the FA composition of the blubber changes as a consequence of a selective utilization of particular depot FAs (Iverson et al 1995;Grahl-Nielsen et al 2000). Depot fats of adult males would not be as dramatically affected by the reproductive period as those of females.…”

Section: Adult Malesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…John and Lund 1996;Iverson et al 1997aIverson et al , 2004. Although the presence of some FAs is directly traceable to a specific source, the universality of the use of FAs as dietary tracers is a point of some contention in the recent scientific literature (e.g., Viga and Grahl-Nielsen 1990;Grahl-Nielsen and Mjaavatten 1991;Hove and Grahl-Nielsen 1991;Smith et al 1997Smith et al , 1999Grahl-Nielsen 1999;Grahl-Nielsen et al 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Autumn diet of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) at Prins Karls Forland, Svalbard, assessed via scat and fatty-acid analyses

Andersen¹,

Lydersen²,

Grahl‐Nielsen³

et al. 2004

Can. J. Zool.

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This study used hard-part analyses from scats (n = 117) and stomachs (n = 3) to investigate the diet of high Arctic harbour seals (Phoca vitulina L., 1758) living on Prins Karls Forland, Svalbard, in early autumn. Additionally, it compared the results of fatty-acid analyses of the seals' blubber versus that of potential prey with the findings of the more traditional diet assessment method. Svalbard harbour seals appear to be opportunistic, polyphagous feeders similar to the situation in other parts of their range. Members of the cod-family, and secondarily the sculpin-family, dominated the diet of harbour seals on Svalbard. Small fish comprised most of the diet of the harbour seals; invertebrates appeared to be insignificant. Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua L., 1758) was the most important species in the diet in terms of biomass, whereas polar cod (Boreogadus saida (Lepechin, 1774)) was the most frequently consumed prey. Our comparison between hard-part diet analyses and fatty acids is far from definitive, but it indicates a general influence of the diet on the fatty-acid composition of the inner blubber layer. However, it also suggests systematic selective processes in the incorporation of fatty acids into the blubber. Observed differences between the fatty-acid composition of the different blubber layers and possible differences between sex and age classes warrant further investigation.Résumé : Nous avons analysé les structures dures dans les fèces (n = 117) et les estomacs (n = 3) afin d'étudier le ré-gime alimentaire de phoques veaux marins (Phoca vitulina L., 1758) du haut-arctique vivant à Prins Karls Forland, à Svalbard, au début de l'automne. De plus, nous avons comparé les résultats d'analyses d'acides gras du lard des phoques et de leurs proies potentielles avec les résultats des méthodes plus traditionnelles d'évaluation du régime alimentaire. Les phoques veaux marins de Svalbard semblent être des polyphages opportunistes, comme ailleurs dans leur aire de répartition. Le régime alimentaire des phoques veaux marins de Svalbard est dominé par les poissons de la famille de la morue et secondairement de la famille du chabot. Le régime des phoques comprend surtout des poissons de petite taille; l'importance des invertébrés est insignifiante. La morue franche (Gadus morhua L., 1758) est l'espèce la plus importante en ce qui a trait à la biomasse, alors que le saïda franc (Boreogadus saida (Lepechin, 1774)) est la proie la plus fréquemment consommée. Notre comparaison de l'analyse des structures dures et de l'analyse des acides gras est loin d'être définitive, mais elle montre une influence générale du régime alimentaire sur la composition en acides gras de la couche interne de lard. Elle indique aussi, cependant, l'existence de processus sélectifs systématiques dans l'incorporation des acides gras dans le lard. Les différences observées dans la composition en acides gras des différen-tes couches de lard et les différences possibles entre les sexes et les différentes classeâge requièrent des études supp...

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“…In a study conducted on nurs-ing hooded seals Cystophora cristata, it was found that the blubber of pups attained an FA composition almost identical to that of the milk (Iverson et al 1995a). However, in a study conducted on nursing grey seals Halichoerus grypus, it was found that the blubber of pups had a closer resemblance to the mother's blubber than to the milk (Grahl-Nielsen et al 2000). In another study, the relative amounts of FAs in the blubber of nursing grey seal pups were found to be between one-third and one and a half times that of the relative amounts of the FA in the milk (Iverson et al 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Transfer of fatty acids from mothers to their calves during lactation in white whales Delphinapterus leucas

Birkeland¹,

Kovacs²,

Lydersen³

et al. 2005

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Blubber biopsies, through the entire blubber layer, were collected from the members of 4 mother-calf pairs of white whales Delphinapterus leucas from Storfjorden, Svalbard, Norway. In addition, milk samples were collected from all 4 adult females. The calves ranged in age/size from newborn (with the umbilical cord still attached; 140 cm in length) up to a 1 yr old (body length of 255 cm). Since white whale calves consume only milk during their first year of life, free-living mother-calf pairs provide an interesting opportunity to study the deposition of lipids (calf blubber) when the diet (i.e. milk) is known precisely. The blubber of the newborn calves had fatty-acid (FA) compositions that differed significantly from the FA compositions of both the milk and the blubber of their respective mothers. The FA composition of the blubber of calves changed gradually with age, coming to resemble the FA composition of the blubber of their mothers more closely, rather than shifting towards the FA composition of the milk, i.e. their diet. The largest calf in the study had a blubber FA composition similar to that of the adult whales. Analyses also showed that the FA composition of the milk was significantly different from the FA composition of the maternal blubber.KEY WORDS: White whales · Fatty-acid composition · Lactation · Blubber · Milk Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisher

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Transfer of fatty acids from female seal blubber via milk to pup blubber

Cited by 27 publications

References 16 publications

You are what you eat: describing the foraging ecology of southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) using blubber fatty acids

You are what you eat: describing the foraging ecology of southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) using blubber fatty acids

Autumn diet of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) at Prins Karls Forland, Svalbard, assessed via scat and fatty-acid analyses

Transfer of fatty acids from mothers to their calves during lactation in white whales Delphinapterus leucas

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