66329
Table_1_The Rapid Population Collapse of a Key Marine Predator in the Northern Antarctic Peninsula Endangers Genetic Diversity and Resilience to Clima.docx
Entity
Published / External
66326
Rapid Population Collapse of a Key Marine Predator in the Northern Antarctic Peninsula - Antarctic Fur Seal Population Dynamics
Data Set
Completed
2022-01-04
2022-01-04
2022-01-03
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: 50.3â80.9%) 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.
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.
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
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
10.3389/fmars.2021.796488
DOI Registration Authority
2022-01-03
Spatial
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Location Keywords
CONTINENT > ANTARCTICA > ANTARCTIC PENINSULA
Theme
Antarctic fur seal
Theme
Arctocephalus gazella
Theme
Top-down and bottom-up control
Theme
conservation status
Theme
edge population
Theme
population dynamics (ecology)
Spatial
Cape Shirreff
Spatial
Livingston Island
Spatial
San Telmo Islets
Spatial
South Shetland Islands
Southwest Fisheries Science Center
La Jolla
CA
USA
Spreadsheet
Yes
Table S1. Total synoptic pup counts (live and dead) from the South Shetland Archipelago (SSI), and from the subset breeding colonies at Cape Shirreff (CS, reported with standard deviation (±SD) where available) and the San Telmo Islets (STI) during the 1959 â 2020 austral summers. All summers are referred to by the year the season ended. Data collected by the U.S. AMLR Program (this study) unless otherwise indicated.
CS
integer
No
No
Active
total synoptic pup counts (live and dead, with standard deviation where appropriate) from the subset breeding colonies at Cape Shirreff
Season
integer
No
No
Active
year the season ended
STI
integer
No
No
Active
total synoptic pup counts (live and dead, with standard deviation where appropriate) from the San Telmo Islets
SSI
integer
No
No
Active
total synoptic pup counts (live and dead, with standard deviation where appropriate) from the South Shetland Archipelago
Data Steward
2022
Person
Woodman, Sam
sam.woodman@noaa.gov
8901 La Jolla Shores Dr
La Jolla
CA
92037
USA
858-546-7138
Distributor
2022
Organization
Southwest Fisheries Science Center
SWFSC
8901 La Jolla Shores Dr.
La Jolla
CA
92037
USA
(858)546-7000
http://swfsc.noaa.gov/
8:00-16:30
Metadata Contact
2022
Person
Krause, Douglas
douglas.krause@noaa.gov
Point of Contact
2022
Person
Krause, Douglas
douglas.krause@noaa.gov
FAO Area 48.1, CCAMLR Area 48.1, Antarctic Peninsula, South Shetland Islands, South Orkney Islands
-64
-43
-58
-65
Range
2001
2020
Unclassified
Available online at https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.796488/full#supplementary-material
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.796488/full#supplementary-material
None
None
None
None
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.796488/full#supplementary-material
2022
Organization
Southwest Fisheries Science Center
5773724.zip
Zip
Zip
gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:66329
Sam Woodman
2022-01-04T23:49:04
SysAdmin InPortAdmin
2023-08-15T17:09:58
2022-01-04
Southwest Fisheries Science Center
SWFSC
8901 La Jolla Shores Dr.
La Jolla
CA
92037
USA
(858)546-7000
http://swfsc.noaa.gov/
8:00-16:30
1001
Public
No
2022-01-04
1 Year
2023-01-04