1
|
MacAulay KM, Spilker EG, Berg JE, Hebblewhite M, Merrill EH. Beyond the encounter: Predicting multi‐predator risk to elk (
Cervus canadensis
) in summer using predator scats. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8589. [PMID: 35222962 PMCID: PMC8843817 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kara M. MacAulay
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta Canada
| | - Eric G. Spilker
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta Canada
| | - Jodi E. Berg
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta Canada
| | - Mark Hebblewhite
- Wildlife Biology Program Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences W. A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation University of Montana Missoula Montana USA
| | - Evelyn H. Merrill
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta Canada
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Dufault MN, Olson ZH, Mellone DM, Flanders KR, Ono KA. Flatfish may be underestimated in the diet of gray seals ( Halichoerus grypus). CAN J ZOOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2020-0145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The United States east coast population of the gray seal (Halichoerus grypus (Fabricius, 1791)) was once hunted to near extirpation, but the population has since rebounded due to protection by the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972. Although this population growth is seen as a success by conservationists, others are concerned about the economic and ecological impact of gray seals on New England fisheries. The study objective was to quantify flatfish presence in the diet of gray seals using an analysis of prey DNA in seal scat (molecular scatology). This may reduce a potential bias in other diet analysis methods since flatfish may not be swallowed whole, and therefore, their identifying otoliths may not be present. Scats were collected from Muskeget and Monomoy islands off Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA, in 2016, 2017, and 2018 and analyzed for flatfish presence using species-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays and a hard parts analysis using otoliths. Frequency of occurrence for flatfish species from DNA was higher than estimated in previous literature on gray seal diet and a concurrent otolith analysis of the same samples, suggesting that previous analyses may have potentially underestimated the importance of flatfish in the diet.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michelle N. Dufault
- University of New England, School of Marine Programs, 11 Hills Beach Road, Biddeford, ME 04005, USA
| | - Zachary H. Olson
- University of New England, Department of Psychology, Animal Behavior Program, 11 Hills Beach Road, Biddeford, ME 04005, USA
| | - Dominique M. Mellone
- University of New England, School of Marine Programs, 11 Hills Beach Road, Biddeford, ME 04005, USA
| | - Kelly R. Flanders
- University of New England, School of Marine Programs, 11 Hills Beach Road, Biddeford, ME 04005, USA
| | - Kathryn A. Ono
- University of New England, School of Marine Programs, 11 Hills Beach Road, Biddeford, ME 04005, USA
| |
Collapse
|