Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, N-9296, Tromsø, Norway.
Sci Rep. 2018 Nov 19;8(1):16988. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-35306-6.
Bearded seals are one of the least studied Arctic marine mammals, despite their circumpolar distribution and importance as a resource to Inuit communities. In this study, adult bearded seals (Erignathus barbatus) were equipped with GPS-Argos-CTD-SRDLs in Svalbard, Norway (2011-2012, n = 7) to document their diving, activity and movement patterns in a region where their habitat is changing rapidly. Five seals transmitted for > 8 months, sending 21,738 GPS-positions and 17,866 dives between July and April. The seals spent little time hauled out (≤ 5%). Diving, which occupied 74 ± 3% of their time, was generally shallow (24 ± 7 m, max: 391 m) and of short duration (6.6 ± 1.5 min, max: 24 min) with deeper, longer dives in winter/spring compared to summer. All seals occupied shallow, coastal areas and relatively small 50% home ranges (10-32 km). However, individuals exhibited high degrees of specialization in their habitat use and diving behaviour, differing markedly with respect to proportions of benthic vs pelagic dives (range: 51-95% benthic dives), distance to glacier fronts (range: 3-22 km) and in the time spent at the bottom of dives (range: 43-77%). Having specialized strategies within a generalist population may help bearded seals adapt in a rapidly changing Arctic ecosystem.
髯海豹是最不被了解的北极海洋哺乳动物之一，尽管它们在环极分布，并对因纽特社区来说是一种重要的资源。在这项研究中，成年髯海豹（Erignathus barbatus）在挪威的斯瓦尔巴群岛（2011-2012 年，n=7）配备了 GPS-Argos-CTD-SRDL，以记录它们在其栖息地快速变化的地区的潜水、活动和移动模式。有 5 只海豹的传输时间超过 8 个月，在 7 月至 4 月期间发送了 21738 个 GPS 位置和 17866 次潜水。海豹很少在水面上停留（≤5%）。它们的潜水时间占总时间的 74±3%，通常较浅（24±7m，最大深度 391m）且持续时间较短（6.6±1.5min，最大 24min），与夏季相比，冬季/春季的潜水深度更深、持续时间更长。所有海豹都栖息在浅海沿岸地区和相对较小的 50%家域（10-32km）。然而，个体在其栖息地利用和潜水行为方面表现出高度的专业化，在底栖与上层水层潜水的比例（范围：51-95%底栖潜水）、与冰川前缘的距离（范围：3-22km）以及潜水底部停留时间（范围：43-77%）方面存在显著差异。在一个普遍的种群中具有专门化的策略可能有助于髯海豹在快速变化的北极生态系统中适应。
