Diving behavior of the Atlantic walrus in high Arctic Greenland and Canada

TY - JOUR

T1 - Diving behavior of the Atlantic walrus in high Arctic Greenland and Canada

AU - Garde, Eva

AU - Jung-Madsen, Signe

AU - Ditlevsen, Susanne

AU - Hansen, Rikke G.

AU - Zinglersen, Karl B.

AU - Heide-Jørgensen, Mads Peter

PY - 2018/3/1

Y1 - 2018/3/1

N2 - Investigations of diving behavior of the Atlantic walrus (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) in the high Arctic Greenland and Canada are important for understanding behavioral adaptations and area utilization of this Arctic benthic feeder. Furthermore, such information along with estimations of annual consumption and carrying capacity of walruses are needed in management decisions of this utilized species. Satellite-linked transmitters deployed on 27 walruses from 2010 to 2013 provided data for investigations of diving behavior in three predefined main areas: NW Greenland, Smith Sound and NE Canada. Sub-areas within each main area were also compared. Depth of dives, dive rates, time at depth of dives, haul-out periods and vertical speeds were estimated. Majority of dives targeted depths from 10 to 100 m, which corresponds to the distribution of walrus preferred food items. Four dives to depths > 500 m occurred and are the deepest ever documented for a walrus. Dive rates and time at depth of dives were significantly different between sub-areas (p < 0.0001), whereas haul-out periods were not (p = 0.072). Mean vertical speeds to destination depths ranged from 1.0 m s− 1 (95% CI: 0.8–1.2) to 1.8 m s− 1 (95% CI: 1.0–2.6). Based on dive rates, time at depth, haul-out and percentage of feeding dives Alexandra Fjord and Princess Mary Bay in NE Canada and Carey Island in NW Greenland were identified as the most important areas for walrus feeding during summer. Walrus predation on the standing bivalve biomass in NW Greenland (within 5–100 m of depth) was estimated to 3.2% annually based on assessments of mean biomass of walrus preferred prey items. From a simple relationship between available shallow water habitat, current population size (n = 2544) and walrus pre-exploitation population sizes it is furthermore proposed that the carrying capacity in the Smith Sound region does not exceed 5000 walruses.

AB - Investigations of diving behavior of the Atlantic walrus (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) in the high Arctic Greenland and Canada are important for understanding behavioral adaptations and area utilization of this Arctic benthic feeder. Furthermore, such information along with estimations of annual consumption and carrying capacity of walruses are needed in management decisions of this utilized species. Satellite-linked transmitters deployed on 27 walruses from 2010 to 2013 provided data for investigations of diving behavior in three predefined main areas: NW Greenland, Smith Sound and NE Canada. Sub-areas within each main area were also compared. Depth of dives, dive rates, time at depth of dives, haul-out periods and vertical speeds were estimated. Majority of dives targeted depths from 10 to 100 m, which corresponds to the distribution of walrus preferred food items. Four dives to depths > 500 m occurred and are the deepest ever documented for a walrus. Dive rates and time at depth of dives were significantly different between sub-areas (p < 0.0001), whereas haul-out periods were not (p = 0.072). Mean vertical speeds to destination depths ranged from 1.0 m s− 1 (95% CI: 0.8–1.2) to 1.8 m s− 1 (95% CI: 1.0–2.6). Based on dive rates, time at depth, haul-out and percentage of feeding dives Alexandra Fjord and Princess Mary Bay in NE Canada and Carey Island in NW Greenland were identified as the most important areas for walrus feeding during summer. Walrus predation on the standing bivalve biomass in NW Greenland (within 5–100 m of depth) was estimated to 3.2% annually based on assessments of mean biomass of walrus preferred prey items. From a simple relationship between available shallow water habitat, current population size (n = 2544) and walrus pre-exploitation population sizes it is furthermore proposed that the carrying capacity in the Smith Sound region does not exceed 5000 walruses.

KW - Diving behavior, benthic feeding

KW - Marine mammals

KW - Odobenus r. rosmarus

KW - Satellite telemetry

KW - Smith Sound

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85038962427&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.jembe.2017.12.009

DO - 10.1016/j.jembe.2017.12.009

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85038962427

SN - 0022-0981

VL - 500

SP - 89

EP - 99

JO - Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology

JF - Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology

ER -