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Stable Isotopes Confirm a Coastal Diet for Critically Endangered Mediterranean Monk Seals
Isotopes in Environmental and Health Studies
  • Alexandros A. Karamanlidis, MOm/Hellenic Society for the Study and Protection of the Monk Seal - Athens, Greece
  • P. Jeff Curtis, University of British Columbia - Canada
  • Amy Hirons, Nova Southeastern University
  • Marianna Psaradellis, MOm/Hellenic Society for the Study and Protection of the Monk Seal - Athens, Greece
  • Panagiotis Dendrinos, MOm/Hellenic Society for the Study and Protection of the Monk Seal - Athens, Greece
  • John B. Hopkins III, University of California Santa Cruz; University of Alberta - Canada; Peking Uiversity - China
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2014
Keywords
  • Carbon-13,
  • Diet,
  • Endangered species,
  • Food web,
  • Foraging,
  • Greece,
  • Isotope ecology,
  • Monachus monachus,
  • Nitrogen-15,
  • Seals
Abstract

Understanding the ecology and behaviour of endangered species is essential for developing effective management and conservation strategies.We used stable isotope analysis to investigate the foraging behaviour of critically endangered Mediterranean monk seals (Monachus monachus) in Greece.We measured carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios (expressed as δ13C and δ15N values, respectively) derived from the hair of deceased adult and juvenile seals and the muscle of their known prey to quantify their diets.We tested the hypothesis that monk seals primarily foraged for prey that occupy coastal habitats in Greece.We compared isotope values from seal hair to their coastal and pelagic prey (after correcting all prey for isotopic discrimination) and used these isotopic data and a stable isotope mixing model to estimate the proportion of coastal and pelagic resources consumed by seals. As predicted, we found that seals had similar δ13C values as many coastal prey species and higher δ13C values than pelagic species; these results, in conjunction with mean dietary estimates (coastal = 61 % vs. pelagic = 39 %), suggest that seals have a diverse diet comprising prey from multiple trophic levels that primarily occupy the coast. Marine resource managers should consider using the results from this study to inform the future management of coastal habitats in Greece to protect Mediterranean monk seals.

DOI
10.1080/10256016.2014.931845
Comments

©2014 Taylor & Francis

Citation Information
Alexandros A. Karamanlidis, P. Jeff Curtis, Amy Hirons, Marianna Psaradellis, et al.. "Stable Isotopes Confirm a Coastal Diet for Critically Endangered Mediterranean Monk Seals" Isotopes in Environmental and Health Studies Vol. 50 Iss. 3 (2014) p. 332 - 342 ISSN: 1025-6016
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/amy-hirons/41/