FEAST · Fine scalE forAging Strategies of grey seals in relation to their biotic and abiotic environmenT
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2019-02-01 → 2021-01-31
- EU contribution
- €200,195
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF-EF-ST
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Results in brief
Fine scalE forAging Strategies of grey seals in relation to their biotic and abiotic environmenT
Apex marine predators, such as pinnipeds, play a key role in top-down processes and are considered bio-indicators of the health of marine ecosystem. In addition, understanding the way marine predators sense and use their environment to find and maximize resource acquisition is crucial because it determines their survival and reproductive success. However, gathering concurrent information on the movements of marine predators, their prey and in situ environment at appropriate spatio-temporal scales is crucial but challenging. The limiting factors of existing methods include coarse time-space resolution, complicated logistics, invasive techniques and the lack of validations of inferences made on predator-prey interactions. Via the very recent advent of the smallest yet developed acoustic logger, it was now for the first time possible to harness the immense potential in studying the foraging ecology of pinnipeds with high rate on-board logging of acceleration and acoustics. Accelerometers have proven to be efficient in detecting prey capture attempts in pinnipeds and penguins as well as quantifying the energetics expenses associated with diving and foraging activity. Further, the development of acoustic recording tags has allowed biologists to get on-animal perspective of their auditory scene and, in combination with movement sensors (i.e. accelerometer, magnetometer and GPS), to relate sounds to the activities of the tagged animal. For instance, breathing sounds have been used to estimate foraging costs while combined active and passive acoustics allow for estimation of prey size and prey field densities encountered by the animal. In addition, their use in studying the effects of habitat disturbances on marine mammals have significantly informed conservation efforts. Finally, echoes received from active acoustic would allow to acquire fine-scale information on the environment used by animals instead of using coarse satellite and/or database products, i.e. sea-ice, seafloor.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
Pinnipeds play a top predators key role in top-down processes and are considered bio-indicators of the health of marine ecosystem. Therefore, quantifying their foraging activity and energy expenditure in relation to rapidly changing marine environments is crucial for assessing these roles. However, gathering concurrent information on the movements, prey acquisition and environment of these cryptic species is a real challenge. In FEAST, I will, for the first time, combine the use of acceleration and acoustic data to quantify the links between pinnipeds foraging decisions and energetics with 3-D prey distribution, environmental features and anthropogenic activities using grey seals as model species. FEAST will (I) validate the use of acoustic and movement recording tags (D-Tags) on grey seals to detect feeding events, (II) quantify grey seals’ fine scale foraging activity and energy budgets to investigate how they optimize resource acquisition, (III) assess the influence of the abiotic & biotic environments as well as anthropogenic activities on their foraging activity, (IV) estimate prey type and field densities using active acoustic D-Tags as onboard echosounders. Thus, I will use, for the first time on pinnipeds, DTAGs which are central to the Host lab at Aarhus University and are the most advanced tagging technology in the field of marine mammal research. The originality and innovative aspects of FEAST lies at the intersection of bioacoustics, cutting edge engineering tools, signal processing, ecology and physiology to determine foraging optimization in free-ranging, wild marine animals. In accomplishing FEAST objectives, I will provide an unprecedented understanding of the sensory ecology of a large marine predator in habitats facing increased human encroachment, which will also be directly relevant to the European Commission’s Marine Strategy Framework Directive by assessing animal responses to human impacts.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- AARHUS UNIVERSITET · Aarhus CCoordinatorDenmark
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union