Summer at-sea distribution of seabirds and marine mammals in polar ecosystems: a comparison between the European Arctic seas and the Weddell Sea, Antarctica
Joiris, C.R. (2000). Summer at-sea distribution of seabirds and marine mammals in polar ecosystems: a comparison between the European Arctic seas and the Weddell Sea, Antarctica. J. Mar. Syst. 27(1-3): 267-276. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0924-7963(00)00072-5 In: Journal of Marine Systems. Elsevier: Tokyo; Oxford; New York; Amsterdam. ISSN 0924-7963; e-ISSN 1879-1573, more Also appears in:Goffart, A.; Hecq, J.H. (Ed.) (2000). Hydrodynamical and ecosystem processes in ice-covered seas of the southern and northern hemispheres. Journal of Marine Systems, 27(1-3). Elsevier: Liège. 276 pp., more |  |
| Keywords | | | Author keywords | seabirds; cetaceans; pinnipeds; European Arctic; Antarctica |
| Abstract | The summer at-sea distribution of seabirds and marine mammals was quantitatively established both in Antarctica (Weddell Sea) and in the European Arctic: Greenland, Norwegian and Barents seas. Data can directly be compared, since the same transect counts were applied by the same team from the same icebreaking ship in both regions. The main conclusion is that densities of seabirds and marine mammals are similar in open water and at the ice edge from both polar regions, while the presence of Adélie penguins, minke whales and crabeater seals in densities more than one order of magnitude higher in Antarctic pack-ice must reflect a major ecological difference between both polar systems. The ecological implications of these observations are discussed, especially concerning important primary and secondary (krill) productions under the Weddell Sea pack-ice. |
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