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Summary

Short Citation
Southwest Fisheries Science Center, 2024: Rapid Population Collapse of a Key Marine Predator in the Northern Antarctic Peninsula - Antarctic Fur Seal Population Dynamics, https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/66326.
Full Citation Examples

DOI: 10.3389/fmars.2021.796488

Abstract

Antarctic fur seals (AFS) are an ecologically important predator and a focal indicator species for ecosystem-based Antarctic fisheries management. This species suffered intensive anthropogenic exploitation until the early 1900s, but recolonized most of its former distribution, including the southern-most colony at Cape Shirreff, South Shetland Islands (SSI). The IUCN describes a single, global AFS population of least concern; however, extensive genetic analyses clearly identify four distinct breeding stocks, including one in the SSI. To update the population status of SSI AFS, we analyzed 20 years of field-based data including population counts, body size and condition, natality, recruitment, foraging behaviors, return rates, and pup mortality at the largest SSI colony. Our findings show a precipitous decline in AFS abundance (86% decrease since 2007), likely driven by leopard seal predation (increasing since 2001, p << 0.001) and potentially worsening summer foraging conditions. We estimated that leopard seals consumed an average of 69.3% (range: 50.3–80.9%) of all AFS pups born each year since 2010. AFS foraging-trip durations, an index of their foraging habitat quality, were consistent with decreasing krill and fish availability. Significant improvement in the age-specific over-winter body condition of AFS indicates that observed population declines are driven by processes local to the northern Antarctic Peninsula. The loss of SSI AFS would substantially reduce the genetic diversity of the species, and decrease its resilience to climate change. There is an urgent need to reevaluate the conservation status of Antarctic fur seals, particularly for the rapidly declining SSI population.

Contact Information

Point of Contact
Douglas Krause
douglas.krause@noaa.gov

Metadata Contact
Douglas Krause
douglas.krause@noaa.gov

Extents

Geographic Area 1

-64° W, -43° E, -58° N, -65° S

Time Frame 1
2001 - 2020

Item Identification

Title: Rapid Population Collapse of a Key Marine Predator in the Northern Antarctic Peninsula - Antarctic Fur Seal Population Dynamics
Status: Completed
Creation Date: 2022-01-04
Revision Date: 2022-01-04
Publication Date: 2022-01-03
Abstract:

Antarctic fur seals (AFS) are an ecologically important predator and a focal indicator species for ecosystem-based Antarctic fisheries management. This species suffered intensive anthropogenic exploitation until the early 1900s, but recolonized most of its former distribution, including the southern-most colony at Cape Shirreff, South Shetland Islands (SSI). The IUCN describes a single, global AFS population of least concern; however, extensive genetic analyses clearly identify four distinct breeding stocks, including one in the SSI. To update the population status of SSI AFS, we analyzed 20 years of field-based data including population counts, body size and condition, natality, recruitment, foraging behaviors, return rates, and pup mortality at the largest SSI colony. Our findings show a precipitous decline in AFS abundance (86% decrease since 2007), likely driven by leopard seal predation (increasing since 2001, p << 0.001) and potentially worsening summer foraging conditions. We estimated that leopard seals consumed an average of 69.3% (range: 50.3–80.9%) of all AFS pups born each year since 2010. AFS foraging-trip durations, an index of their foraging habitat quality, were consistent with decreasing krill and fish availability. Significant improvement in the age-specific over-winter body condition of AFS indicates that observed population declines are driven by processes local to the northern Antarctic Peninsula. The loss of SSI AFS would substantially reduce the genetic diversity of the species, and decrease its resilience to climate change. There is an urgent need to reevaluate the conservation status of Antarctic fur seals, particularly for the rapidly declining SSI population.

Purpose:

To provide empirical data documenting the rapid decline of Antarctic Fur Seals at Cape Shirreff, as well as the important genetic diversity of this population.

Notes:

Supplementary Data from Krause DJ, Bonin CA, Goebel ME, Reiss CS and Watters GM (2022) The Rapid Population Collapse of a Key Marine Predator in the Northern Antarctic Peninsula Endangers Genetic Diversity and Resilience to Climate Change. Front. Mar. Sci. 8:796488. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2021.796488

Other Citation Details:

Krause DJ, Bonin CA, Goebel ME, Reiss CS and Watters GM (2022) The Rapid Population Collapse of a Key Marine Predator in the Northern Antarctic Peninsula Endangers Genetic Diversity and Resilience to Climate Change. Front. Mar. Sci. 8:796488. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2021.796488

DOI (Digital Object Identifier): 10.3389/fmars.2021.796488
DOI Registration Authority: DOI Registration Authority
DOI Issue Date: 2022-01-03

Keywords

Theme Keywords

Thesaurus Keyword
UNCONTROLLED
None Antarctic fur seal
None Arctocephalus gazella
None conservation status
None edge population
None population dynamics (ecology)
None Top-down and bottom-up control

Spatial Keywords

Thesaurus Keyword
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords
CONTINENT > ANTARCTICA > ANTARCTIC PENINSULA
UNCONTROLLED
None Cape Shirreff
None Livingston Island
None San Telmo Islets
None South Shetland Islands

Physical Location

Organization: Southwest Fisheries Science Center
City: La Jolla
State/Province: CA
Country: USA

Data Set Information

Data Set Scope Code: Data Set
Data Set Type: flat files
Maintenance Frequency: None Planned
Data Presentation Form: Table (digital)
Distribution Liability:

Any conclusions drawn from the analysis of this information are not the responsibility of NOAA, the National Marine Fisheries Service, US AMLR or its partners.

Data Set Credit: US Antarctic Marine Living Resources Program and collaborators

Support Roles

Data Steward

CC ID: 1120007
Date Effective From: 2022
Date Effective To:
Contact (Person): Woodman, Sam
Address: 8901 La Jolla Shores Dr
La Jolla, CA 92037
USA
Email Address: sam.woodman@noaa.gov
Phone: 858-546-7138

Distributor

CC ID: 1120008
Date Effective From: 2022
Date Effective To:
Contact (Organization): Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC)
Address: 8901 La Jolla Shores Dr.
La Jolla, CA 92037
USA
Phone: (858)546-7000
URL: http://swfsc.noaa.gov/
Business Hours: 8:00-16:30

Metadata Contact

CC ID: 1120009
Date Effective From: 2022
Date Effective To:
Contact (Person): Krause, Douglas
Email Address: douglas.krause@noaa.gov

Point of Contact

CC ID: 1120010
Date Effective From: 2022
Date Effective To:
Contact (Person): Krause, Douglas
Email Address: douglas.krause@noaa.gov

Extents

Extent Group 1

Extent Description:

FAO Area 48.1, CCAMLR Area 48.1, Antarctic Peninsula, South Shetland Islands, South Orkney Islands

Extent Group 1 / Geographic Area 1

CC ID: 1120012
W° Bound: -64
E° Bound: -43
N° Bound: -58
S° Bound: -65

Extent Group 1 / Time Frame 1

CC ID: 1120013
Time Frame Type: Range
Start: 2001
End: 2020

Access Information

Security Class: Unclassified
Data Access Policy:

Available online at https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.796488/full#supplementary-material

Data Access Procedure:

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.796488/full#supplementary-material

Data Access Constraints:

None

Data Use Constraints:

None

Metadata Access Constraints:

None

Metadata Use Constraints:

None

Distribution Information

Distribution 1

CC ID: 1120015
Download URL: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.796488/full#supplementary-material
Distributor: Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) (2022 - Present)
File Name: 5773724.zip
File Type (Deprecated): Zip
Compression: Zip

URLs

URL 1

CC ID: 1120016
URL: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/about/antarctic-ecosystem-research-division-southwest-fisheries-science-center
Name: U.S. Antarctic Marine Living Resources (US-AMLR) Program
URL Type:
Online Resource
Description:

NOAA, NMFS, SWFSC, Antarctic Ecosystem Research Division

Data Quality

Conceptual Consistency:

Data were collected using agreed, standard field protocols.

Data Management

Have Resources for Management of these Data Been Identified?: No
Approximate Percentage of Budget for these Data Devoted to Data Management: Unknown
Do these Data Comply with the Data Access Directive?: Yes
Is Access to the Data Limited Based on an Approved Waiver?: No
Approximate Delay Between Data Collection and Dissemination: Two years
Actual or Planned Long-Term Data Archive Location: NCEI-CO
Approximate Delay Between Data Collection and Archiving: Two years
How Will the Data Be Protected from Accidental or Malicious Modification or Deletion Prior to Receipt by the Archive?:

Data are stored on a server at the Southwest Fisheries Science Center which has all appropriate access controls.

Lineage

Lineage Statement:

Raw data are collected by researchers at land based stations, entered into data files, reviewed for QA/QC and later on shore-based servers.

Acquisition Information

Instruments

Instrument Unavailable Reason: Not Applicable

Platforms

Platform Unavailable Reason: Not Applicable

Catalog Details

Catalog Item ID: 66326
GUID: gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:66326
Metadata Record Created By: Sam Woodman
Metadata Record Created: 2022-01-04 23:19+0000
Metadata Record Last Modified By: SysAdmin InPortAdmin
Metadata Record Last Modified: 2023-08-15 17:09+0000
Metadata Record Published: 2022-01-04
Owner Org: SWFSC
Metadata Publication Status: Published Externally
Do Not Publish?: N
Metadata Last Review Date: 2022-01-04
Metadata Review Frequency: 1 Year
Metadata Next Review Date: 2023-01-04