- PEER-REVIEWED JOURNAL ARTICLES -
Volzke, S; Cleeland, JB; Hindell, MA; Corney, SP; Wotherspoon, SJ & McMahon, CR. 2023. Extreme polygyny results in intersex differences in age-dependent survival of a highly dimorphic marine mammal. Royal Society Open Science, 10:3, 10221635. doi: 10.1098/rsos.221635
Royal Society Open Science - 2023 Vol. 10, Issue 3
This study investigated the influence of sex and age on survival rates of southern elephant seals using long-term capture-mark-recapture records. The results showed clear differences in age-dependent survival rates between female and male seals. Male survival estimates were lower than females in the same age classes until 8 years of age, after which male survival decreased rapidly while female estimates remained constant. The study suggests that sex-specific adult survival is a result of ecological interactions and evolutionary specialization associated with being a highly polygynous marine predator. Maximizing growth is especially advantageous for males, with size being a major determinant of breeding probability.
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Volzke, S., McMahon, C. R., Hindell, M. A., Burton, H. R., Wotherspoon, S. J. (2021). Climate influences on female survival in a declining population of southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina). Ecology & Evolution, 11 (16), 11333-11344. doi:10.1002/ece3.7919
Ecology & Evolution - Volume 11, Issue 16
This research investigated the influence of large-scale climate modes (SAM and SOI) on female southern elephant seal survival (φ) by creating demographic models from historic capture-mark-recapture data. Map of the Southern Ocean from Tasmania (top) to East Antarctica and the Ross Sea (bottom) with Macquarie Island location marked by a small circle. Surrounding Antarctica, the Polar Front (blue line), 60th parallel south, (gray circle) and winter sea ice extent (white) are overlaid. Top right: Vegetation map of Macquarie Island (adapted from the Australian Antarctic Data Centre map no. 13106) and stylized illustration of a female southern elephant seal, Mirounga leonina (artwork by: Sophia Volzke).
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