首页 | 本学科首页   官方微博 | 高级检索  
   检索      


Effects of research disturbance on the behavior and abundance of Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) at two rookeries in Alaska
Authors:Lowell Fritz  Kathryn Chumbley  Devin Johnson
Institution:National Marine Mammal Laboratory,
Alaska Fisheries Science Center,
NOAA Fisheries,
7600 Sand Point Way NE,
Seattle, Washington 98115, U.S.A.
E‐mail: kcr13@duke.edu
Abstract:We examined the effects of research disturbance on the behavior and abundance of Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) at rookeries on Marmot and Ugamak Islands in Alaska. During 3 of 6 yr, researchers intentionally drove all adult and juvenile sea lions off at least part of the beach in order to permanently mark and measure sea lion pups. The research disturbance occurred after the majority of females had bred and when most pups were 1 mo old. We used generalized linear models to determine the relationship between research disturbance and sea lion behavior or abundance. Research disturbance was related to changes in the proportion of sea lions exhibiting two to three of nine behavior metrics: agonistic and resting females and active males at Marmot, and active and resting males and females at Ugamak. Model results indicated that changes lasted between 3 and 20 d depending on the sex, behavior, and rookery. Inclusion of research disturbance into Marmot abundance models did not improve the fit to the data, if variability between years was permitted. Optimally timed, low‐frequency research disturbance did not appear to have long‐term effects on sea lion behavior or abundance and was largely associated with changes that were similar to natural variation.
Keywords:Steller sea lion  Eumetopias jubatus  research  disturbance  branding  behavior  abundance  rookery
设为首页 | 免责声明 | 关于勤云 | 加入收藏

Copyright©北京勤云科技发展有限公司  京ICP备09084417号