Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 27 views

    Marine Mammal Course Lecture On Diets

    Uploaded by

    Matthew English
    This document summarizes various methods used to analyze the diets of seals in the Northwest Atlantic, including hard part analysis of stomach and intestinal contents, polymerase chain reaction analysis of prey DNA, fatty acid analysis, and stable isotope analysis of muscle tissue. It describes the six main seal species in the region and details such as their populations, sizes, distributions and diving behaviors. Hard part analysis and polymerase chain reaction analysis are discussed in more detail, including their advantages and limitations compared to each other.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Marine Mammal Course Lecture On Diets

    Uploaded by

    Matthew English
    27 views36 pages
    This document summarizes various methods used to analyze the diets of seals in the Northwest Atlantic, including hard part analysis of stomach and intestinal contents, polymerase chain reaction analysis of prey DNA, fatty acid analysis, and stable isotope analysis of muscle tissue. It describes the six main seal species in the region and details such as their populations, sizes, distributions and diving behaviors. Hard part analysis and polymerase chain reaction analysis are discussed in more detail, including their advantages and limitations compared to each other.

    Original Title

    Marine Mammal Course Lecture on Diets

    Copyright

    © Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)

    Available Formats

    PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    This document summarizes various methods used to analyze the diets of seals in the Northwest Atlantic, including hard part analysis of stomach and intestinal contents, polymerase chain reaction analysis of prey DNA, fatty acid analysis, and stable isotope analysis of muscle tissue. It describes the six main seal species in the region and details such as their populations, sizes, distributions and diving behaviors. Hard part analysis and polymerase chain reaction analysis are discussed in more detail, including their advantages and limitations compared to each other.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    27 views36 pages

    Marine Mammal Course Lecture On Diets

    Uploaded by

    Matthew English
    This document summarizes various methods used to analyze the diets of seals in the Northwest Atlantic, including hard part analysis of stomach and intestinal contents, polymerase chain reaction analysis of prey DNA, fatty acid analysis, and stable isotope analysis of muscle tissue. It describes the six main seal species in the region and details such as their populations, sizes, distributions and diving behaviors. Hard part analysis and polymerase chain reaction analysis are discussed in more detail, including their advantages and limitations compared to each other.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    of 36

    Whats On the Menu?

    DIET ANALYSIS OF SEALS IN THE NORTHWEST ATLANTIC

    Presented By M.Sc candidate Jessica Flight

    Complex Interactions

    Seals of the NW Atlantic

    Harbour Seal

    Ringed Seal

    Grey Seal

    Bearded Seal

    Hooded Seal

    Harp Seal

    OUTLINE

    Harp Seal Biology (Pagophilus groenlandicus)


    Population 1970s the harp seal population was about 2 million animals and is now estimated at 9 million

    Weight

    130 kg.

    Lifespan ~30 years

    Background

    Harp Seal Biology


    Migration:

    Diet
    62 different prey items (6 main)
    Feed primarily on Forage species: Capelin, sandlance, Arctic cod, Atlantic herring Also feed upon commercial species: Atlantic cod, redfish
    (HAMMILL and STENSON 2000)

    Grey Seal (Halichoerus grypus)


    Population in NW Atlantic 15,000 in 1960 to 350,000 today

    (DFO 2011)

    Labrador Newfoundlan d Gulf of St Lawrence

    Weight
    188-250 kg
    (HAMMILL and STENSON 2000)
    Boston

    Life span
    30-40 years

    Distribution:
    Northeastern US to N. Labrador (Primary:

    Grey Seal Biology


    Diet
    Many prey species, 46 (DFO 2011) Main prey items Including:

    Primarily

    sandlance, Atlantic Herring

    feed on forage species: Capelin,

    Also feed on commercial species: Atlantic cod, White hake, redfish

    Bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus)


    Weight: 300 kg 400 kg

    Population : at least 190,000 animals ( no recent

    population estimates )

    Distribution Circumpolar

    Bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus)


    Diving : mostly shallow, most less then 100m

    Diet: Benthic: Arctic cod, sculpins, flatfish, shrimp, clams, crabs & octopus

    Ringed seal

    (Phoca hispida)
    Population: no recent Assessments

    Weight: 50-68 kg Distribution : Arctic basin, Hudson Bay and

    Strait, Bering and Baltic seas

    Ringed seal (Phoca hispida)


    Diet pelagic, and benthic invertebrates and fishes Amphipod mysid Arctic cod sculpins

    Diving : depth of at least 340m and can remain

    submerged for 20 min+

    Harbour seal (Phoca vitulina)


    Weight: 90-100 kg

    Distribution along the entire length of Canada's east and west coasts and is widely distributed in the eastern Canadian Arctic and Subarctic

    Population in Canada has

    not been estimated

    Harbour seal (Phoca vitulina)


    Diet
    Little is known of the Arctic marine diet of the

    harbour seal, but elsewhere it preys upon a wide variety of inshore fishes ( e.g. herring, flatfish), squids, and crustaceans

    Diving: can dive to ~ 200m but most dives are

    shallower than that ( prey found in shallower water)

    Hooded seal (Cystophora cristata)

    Population ~ 600,000

    Distribution (highly

    migratory )

    Weight: MALE 408 kg (900 lbs.) FEMALE 317 kg (700 lbs.)

    Diving 100m - 600 m. (75%) some very deep

    Hooded seal (Cystophora cristata)



    Diet
    Highly varied based on region

    Why look at Diets?


    Possible impact of seals on ecosystems and the

    recovery of depleted fish stocks

    Combine methods of diet analysis to create accurate picture of predator-prey interaction

    Background

    Diets?
    Prey consumption is estimated using a bioenergetics

    model that incorporates:

    estimates of numbers of individuals at different ages, energy requirements seasonal distribution diets (Hammill and Stenson, 2000).

    most difficult component of these models is an

    accurate estimate of diets. Types of diet analysis:

    direct observation hard part analysis (HPA) polymerase chain reaction (PCR), fatty acid analysis (FAA), stable isotope analysis (SIA).

    Hard Part Analysis

    (Parts retained for species identification)

    Squid beaks Bone Sagittal otoliths Scales Carapaces Prey lengths and weights were estimated from otolith measurements based upon regressions

    Hard Part Analysis


    Stomachs dissected Slurry samples taken randomly for PCR Contents rinsed through a series of sieves
    Sizes 4.75, 2.0, 1.0 mm

    Reconstruct ingested weight


    HPA of intestines
    Intestines were measured and

    then cut into: upper small intestine lower small intestine large intestine rinsed through sieve stomach HPA

    All sampled separately and

    Followed same protocol as

    Materials and Methods

    Regression equations used to calc prey size

    E.G.

    Atlantic cod (NFLD) Gadus morhua FL = 4.4986 + 0.1184 * (OL) + 0.1997 * (OL)^ 2 R^2=0.9613 FW = (10^ (-5.2106 + 3.0879 * LOG10 (FL))) * 1000 Healey 2000

    Atlantic mackerel Scomber scombrus: FL = (7.33*OL) + 0.37 FW = 1.094*(OL^4.039) Proust 1996

    Regressions

    Regressions

    HPA BIAS
    Bias
    Retention Digestion Absence

    time

    of hard

    parts Method (i.e. scat vs. stomach) Meal size Seal activity level

    Dealing with Biases? Numerical correction factors (NCF) Looking at method (intestine vs. stomach)

    Grey Seal Diets based on HPA


    Winter diet : Cabot straight

    Male

    Female

    Stenson et al. (2011

    PCR sample collection

    Slurry samples taken randomly for PCR

    DNA extracted (QIAamp)

    Species-specific primers to target prey sequence

    H e rri g p ri e r re su l a t n m ts 1 6 0 b p ( g e lP C R w i 1 p re y ) th

    Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)

    Herring primer results at 160bp (gel PCR with 1 prey)

    PCR Vs. HPA


    Retention of otoliths long after

    DNA/tissue is passed
    HPA Stom.

    Otolith ID

    Int. 27 21

    PCR 6

    G. morhua Gadus sp.

    12 4

    Stenson et al. (2011

    Fatty Acid Analysis

    Prey fatty acids stored in predator fat Prey have specific Fatty acid signatures

    that are incorporated into predator fat Identifies prey species

    Biases: Unusual fat deposits Differential breakdown time of different FAs

    (GRAHL-NIELSEN et al. 1999; IVERSON et al. 2004)

    S ta b l I to p e e so nal s ysi

    Muscle samples collected from the side of the spine, tenderloin. Analysis performed by an outside, professional lab Build up of Heavy C, N in the food chain Poor taxonomic resolution (Bias) Performed by observing the ratios of 15N and 13C
    15N

    is used determine prey trophic: 15N increases with trophic level (Davenport and Bax 2002; Sherwood and Rose 2005 :area prey was from: pelagic or benthic, inshore or offshore, (Dunshea 2009; Hobson et al. 1994; McCutchan et al. 2003)

    13C

    (GRAHL-NIELSEN et al. 1999; IVERSON et al. 2004)

    Comparative Diet Analysis


    Intestine Vs. Stomach Analysis
    Sinclair et al. (2011)
    HPA results may Vary Based on Location of GI tract Younger prey otoliths in the colon Small schooling fish pass quickly Larger prey items are retained and are more eroded

    PCR Vs. HPA


    Marshall et al. (2010)
    PCR + HPA = showed large robust otoliths maybe over represented, were as prey items with smaller, fragile otoliths may be under

    Jaws/teeth and Diet


    Harbour- teeth with 3-4 cusps, teeth on an angel Grey-large canines, with little cusps Harp- 3 cusps on teeth Hooded-large canines, rounded teeth with 3 cusps Ring similar to harp, difference at jaw joint, and 5 cusps Bearded- teeth small and often very eroded (almost

    What do my teeth tell you about my diet???

    Summary
    Studying food webs

    provides us with the knowledge to understand relationships among organisms in their environments, as well as the consequences of their associations.

    Questions ???

    http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/12/05/article-1092265-02B461C3000005DC-899_468x286_popup.jpg

    You might also like