Elephant seals use a suite of physiological and behavioural mechanisms to maximise the time they can be submerged. Of these hypo-metabolism is one of the most important, so this study quantified maximum O2 consumptions relative to dove depth and swim speed. From the abstract of the referenced paper: Heart rate, swimming speed, and diving behaviour were recorded simultaneously for an adult female southern elephant seal during her postbreeding period at sea with a Wildlife Computers heart-rate time depth recorder and a velocity time depth recorder. The errors associated with data storage versus real-time data collection of these data were analysed and indicated that for events of short duration (i.e., less than 10 min or 20 sampling intervals) serious biases occur. A simple model for estimating oxygen consumption based on the estimated oxygen stores of the seal and the assumption that most, if not all, dives were aerobic produced a mean diving metabolic rate of 3.64 mL O2 kg-1, which is only 47% of the field metabolic rate estimated from allometric models. Mechanisms for reducing oxygen consumption while diving include cardiac adjustments, indicated by reductions in heart rate on all dives, and the maintenance of swimming speed at near the minimum cost of transport for most of the submerged time. Heart rate during diving was below the resting heart rate while ashore in all dives, and there was a negative relationship between the duration of a dive and the mean heart rate during that dive for dives longer than 13 min. Mean heart rates declined from 40 beats min-1 for dives of 13 min to 14 beats min-1 for dives of 37 min. Mean swimming speed per dive was 2.1 m s-1, but this also varied with dive duration. There were slight but significant increases in mean swimming speeds with increasing dive depth and duration. Both ascent and descent speeds were also higher on longer dives. Data were collected on Time Depth Recorders (TDRs), and stored in hexadecimal format. Hexadecimal files can be read using 'Instrument Helper', a free download from Wildlife Computers (see the provided URL). Data for this project is the same data that was collected for ASAC projects 769 and 589 (ASAC_769 and ASAC_589).

Southern elephant seals are among the deepest diving of all marine mammals. This study examined physiological and behavioural mechanisms used by the seals to conserve energy while diving and estimated metabolic rate. Data were collected on Time Depth Recorders (TDRs), and stored in hexadecimal format. Hexadecimal files can be read using 'Instrument Helper', a free download from Wildlife Computers (see the provided URL).

The factors that control the number of animals in a population are often difficult to understand. However, this basic understanding is central to managing those populations and assessing how they might respond to human induced pressures. For animals living in the Antarctic, like penguins, the marine environment that they depend on for food can vary due to natural events such as El Nino, and potentially due to human induced changes such as global warming. This study uses modern computer technology to track Royal penguins at sea and to monitor their time on land. By relating where the birds go to feed, what they feed on, and how successfully they catch their food to the survival rates of their chicks, this study will describe how fluctuations in a major Antarctic oceanographic feature (the Antarctic Polar Front) can influence the size of the Royal penguin population at Macquarie Island. Information on breeding success, diet and foraging success were collected each year between 1997-2001. Diving behaviour and at-sea movements were also quantified between 1997 and 1999. These data will also be available in the ARGOS satellite tracking database. Attached to this metadata record are ARGOS tracking data collected by Cindy Hull between 1994 and 2000. The tracking data have been collected from 19 different royal penguins. The download file contains a csv file with tracking data.

Information related to diet and energy flow is fundamental to a diverse range of Antarctic and Southern Ocean biological and ecosystem studies. This metadata record describes a database of such information being collated by the SCAR Expert Groups on Antarctic Biodiversity Informatics (EG-ABI) and Birds and Marine Mammals (EG-BAMM) to assist the scientific community in this work. It includes data related to diet and energy flow from conventional (e.g. gut content) and modern (e.g. molecular) studies, stable isotopes, fatty acids, and energetic content. It is a product of the SCAR community and open for all to participate in and use. Data have been drawn from published literature, existing trophic data collections, and unpublished data. The database comprises five principal tables, relating to (i) direct sampling methods of dietary assessment (e.g. gut, scat, and bolus content analyses, stomach flushing, and observed predation), (ii) stable isotopes, (iii) lipids, (iv) DNA-based diet assessment, and (v) energetics values. The schemas of these tables are described below, and a list of the sources used to populate the tables is provided with the data. A range of manual and automated checks were used to ensure that the entered data were as accurate as possible. These included visual checking of transcribed values, checking of row or column sums against known totals, and checking for values outside of allowed ranges. Suspicious entries were re-checked against original source. Notes on names: Names have been validated against the World Register of Marine Species (http://www.marinespecies.org/). For uncertain taxa, the most specific taxonomic name has been used (e.g. prey reported in a study as "Pachyptila sp." will appear here as "Pachyptila"; "Cephalopods" will appear as "Cephalopoda"). Uncertain species identifications (e.g. "Notothenia rossii?" or "Gymnoscopelus cf. piabilis") have been assigned the genus name (e.g. "Notothenia", "Gymnoscopelus"). Original names have been retained in a separate column to allow future cross-checking. WoRMS identifiers (APHIA_ID numbers) are given where possible. Grouped prey data in the diet sample table need to be handled with a bit of care. Papers commonly report prey statistics aggregated over groups of prey - e.g. one might give the diet composition by individual cephalopod prey species, and then an overall record for all cephalopod prey. The PREY_IS_AGGREGATE column identifies such records. This allows us to differentiate grouped data like this from unidentified prey items from a certain prey group - for example, an unidentifiable cephalopod record would be entered as Cephalopoda (the scientific name), with "N" in the PREY_IS_AGGREGATE column. A record that groups together a number of cephalopod records, possibly including some unidentifiable cephalopods, would also be entered as Cephalopoda, but with "Y" in the PREY_IS_AGGREGATE column. See the notes on PREY_IS_AGGREGATE, below. There are two related R packages that provide data access and functionality for working with these data. See the package home pages for more information: https://github.com/SCAR/sohungry and https://github.com/SCAR/solong. Data table schemas Sources data table - SOURCE_ID: The unique identifier of this source - DETAILS: The bibliographic details for this source (e.g. "Hindell M (1988) The diet of the royal penguin Eudyptes schlegeli at Macquarie Island. Emu 88:219–226") - NOTES: Relevant notes about this source – if it’s a published paper, this is probably the abstract - DOI: The DOI of the source (paper or dataset), in the form "10.xxxx/yyyy" Diet data table - RECORD_ID: The unique identifier of this record - SOURCE_ID: The identifier of the source study from which this record was obtained (see corresponding entry in the sources data table) - SOURCE_DETAILS, SOURCE_DOI: The details and DOI of the source, copied from the sources data table for convenience - ORIGINAL_RECORD_ID: The identifier of this data record in its original source, if it had one - LOCATION: The name of the location at which the data was collected - WEST: The westernmost longitude of the sampling region, in decimal degrees (negative values for western hemisphere longitudes) - EAST: The easternmost longitude of the sampling region, in decimal degrees (negative values for western hemisphere longitudes) - SOUTH: The southernmost latitude of the sampling region, in decimal degrees (negative values for southern hemisphere latitudes) - NORTH: The northernmost latitude of the sampling region, in decimal degrees (negative values for southern hemisphere latitudes) - ALTITUDE_MIN: The minimum altitude of the sampling region, in metres - ALTITUDE_MAX: The maximum altitude of the sampling region, in metres - DEPTH_MIN: The shallowest depth of the sampling, in metres - DEPTH_MAX: The deepest depth of the sampling, in metres - OBSERVATION_DATE_START: The start of the sampling period - OBSERVATION_DATE_END: The end of the sampling period. If sampling was carried out over multiple seasons (e.g. during January of 2002 and January of 2003), this will be the first and last dates (in this example, from 1-Jan-2002 to 31-Jan-2003) - PREDATOR_NAME: The name of the predator. This may differ from predator_name_original if, for example, taxonomy has changed since the original publication, if the original publication had spelling errors or used common (not scientific) names - PREDATOR_NAME_ORIGINAL: The name of the predator, as it appeared in the original source - PREDATOR_APHIA_ID: The numeric identifier of the predator in the WoRMS taxonomic register - PREDATOR_WORMS_RANK, PREDATOR_WORMS_KINGDOM, PREDATOR_WORMS_PHYLUM, PREDATOR_WORMS_CLASS, PREDATOR_WORMS_ORDER, PREDATOR_WORMS_FAMILY, PREDATOR_WORMS_GENUS: The taxonomic details of the predator, from the WoRMS taxonomic register - PREDATOR_GROUP_SOKI: A descriptive label of the group to which the predator belongs (currently used in the Southern Ocean Knowledge and Information wiki, http://soki.aq) - PREDATOR_LIFE_STAGE: Life stage of the predator, e.g. "adult", "chick", "larva", "juvenile". Note that if a food sample was taken from an adult animal, but that food was destined for a juvenile, then the life stage will be "juvenile" (this is common with seabirds feeding chicks) - PREDATOR_BREEDING_STAGE: Stage of the breeding season of the predator, if applicable, e.g. "brooding", "chick rearing", "nonbreeding", "posthatching" - PREDATOR_SEX: Sex of the predator: "male", "female", "both", or "unknown" - PREDATOR_SAMPLE_COUNT: The number of predators for which data are given. If (say) 50 predators were caught but only 20 analysed, this column will contain 20. For scat content studies, this will be the number of scats analysed - PREDATOR_SAMPLE_ID: The identifier of the predator(s). If predators are being reported at the individual level (i.e. PREDATOR_SAMPLE_COUNT = 1) then PREDATOR_SAMPLE_ID is the individual animal ID. Alternatively, if the data values being entered here are from a group of predators, then the PREDATOR_SAMPLE_ID identifies that group of predators. PREDATOR_SAMPLE_ID values are unique within a source (i.e. SOURCE_ID, PREDATOR_SAMPLE_ID pairs are globally unique). Rows with the same SOURCE_ID and PREDATOR_SAMPLE_ID values relate to the same predator individual or group of individuals, and so can be combined (e.g. for prey diversity analyses). Subsamples are indicated by a decimal number S.nnn, where S is the parent PREDATOR_SAMPLE_ID, and nnn (001-999) is the subsample number. Studies will sometimes report detailed prey information for a large sample, but then report prey information for various subsamples of that sample (e.g. broken down by predator sex, or sampling season). In the simplest case, the diet of each predator will be reported only once in the study, and in this scenario the PREDATOR_SAMPLE_ID values will simply be 1 to N (for N predators). - PREDATOR_SIZE_MIN, PREDATOR_SIZE_MAX, PREDATOR_SIZE_MEAN, PREDATOR_SIZE_SD: The minimum, maximum, mean, and standard deviation of the size of the predators in the sample - PREDATOR_SIZE_UNITS: The units of size (e.g. "mm") - PREDATOR_SIZE_NOTES: Notes on the predator size information, including a definition of what the size value represents (e.g. "total length", "standard length") - PREDATOR_MASS_MIN, PREDATOR_MASS_MAX, PREDATOR_MASS_MEAN, PREDATOR_MASS_SD: The minimum, maximum, mean, and standard deviation of the mass of the predators in the sample - PREDATOR_MASS_UNITS: The units of mass (e.g. "g", "kg") - PREDATOR_MASS_NOTES: Notes on the predator mass information, including a definition of what the mass value represents - PREY_NAME: The scientific name of the prey item (corrected, if necessary) - PREY_NAME_ORIGINAL: The name of the prey item, as it appeared in the original source PREY_APHIA_ID: The numeric identifier of the prey in the WoRMS taxonomic register - PREY_WORMS_RANK, PREY_WORMS_KINGDOM, PREY_WORMS_PHYLUM, PREY_WORMS_CLASS, PREY_WORMS_ORDER, PREY_WORMS_FAMILY, PREY_WORMS_GENUS: The taxonomic details of the prey, from the WoRMS taxonomic register - PREY_GROUP_SOKI: A descriptive label of the group to which the prey belongs (currently used in the Southern Ocean Knowledge and Information wiki, http://soki.aq) - PREY_IS_AGGREGATE: "Y" indicates that this row is an aggregation of other rows in this data source. For example, a study might give a number of individual squid species records, and then an overall squid record that encompasses the individual records. Use the PREY_IS_AGGREGATE information to avoid double-counting during analyses - PREY_LIFE_STAGE: Life stage of the prey (e.g. "adult", "chick", "larva") - PREY_SEX: The sex of the prey ("male", "female", "both", or "unknown"). Note that this is generally "unknown" - PREY_SAMPLE_COUNT: The number of prey individuals from which size and mass measurements were made (note: this is NOT the total number of individuals of this prey type, unless all individuals in the sample were measured) - PREY_SIZE_MIN, PREY_SIZE_MAX, PREY_SIZE_MEAN, PREY_SIZE_SD: The minimum, maximum, mean, and standard deviation of the size of the prey in the sample - PREY_SIZE_UNITS: The units of size (e.g. "mm", "cm", "m") - PREY_SIZE_NOTES: Notes on the prey size information, including a definition of what the size value represents (e.g. "total length", "standard length") - PREY_MASS_MIN, PREY_MASS_MAX, PREY_MASS_MEAN, PREY_MASS_SD: The minimum, maximum, mean, and standard deviation of the mass of the prey in the sample - PREY_MASS_UNITS: The units of mass (e.g. "mg", "g", "kg") - PREY_MASS_NOTES: Notes on the prey mass information, including a definition of what the mass value represents - FRACTION_DIET_BY_WEIGHT: The fraction by weight of the predator diet that this prey type made up (e.g. if Euphausia superba contributed 50% of the total mass of prey items, this value would be 0.5). Note: many papers represent very small dietary contributions as "trace" or sometimes "less than 0.1%". These have been entered as -999 - FRACTION_DIET_BY_PREY_ITEMS: The fraction (by number) of prey items that this prey type made up (e.g. if 1000 Euphausia superba were found out of a total of 2000 prey items, this value would be 0.5). Note: many papers represent very small dietary contributions as "trace" or sometimes "less than 0.1%". These have been entered as -999 - FRACTION_OCCURRENCE: The number of times this prey item occurred in a predator sample, as a fraction of the number of non-empty samples (e.g. if Euphausia superba occurred in half of the non-empty stomachs examined, this value would be 0.5). Empty stomachs are ignored for the purposes of calculating fraction of occurrence. - FRACTION_OCCURRENCE: The number of times this prey item occurred in a predator sample, as a fraction of the number of non-empty samples (e.g. if Euphausia superba occurred in half of the non-empty stomachs examined, this value would be 0.5). Empty stomachs are ignored for the purposes of calculating fraction of occurrence. For gut content analyses (and any other study types where "no prey" can occur in a sample), the fraction of empty stomachs may also be reported, using prey_name "None". Note: many papers represent very small dietary contributions as "trace" or sometimes "less than 0.1%". These have been entered as -999 - PREY_ITEMS_INCLUDED: Which prey items were examined? For example, if the data came from a stomach contents study and all stomach contents were counted, this will be "all". Conversely, if only upper squid beaks were counted, this will be "upper beaks" - ACCUMULATED_HARD_PARTS_TREATMENT: Only applicable to methods where hard diet remains can accumulate over time (e.g. stomach content of seabirds). How were accumulated hard parts dealt with? Some stomach content studies try to avoid over-estimation of hard parts by discarding anything other than fresh hard parts. Current values here are "included", "excluded", and "unknown" - QUALITATIVE_DIETARY_IMPORTANCE: A qualitative description of the dietary importance of this prey item (e.g. from comments about certain prey in the discussion text of an article), if numeric values have not been given. Current values are "none", "incidental", "minor", "major", "almost exclusive", "exclusive" - CONSUMPTION_RATE_MIN, CONSUMPTION_RATE_MAX, CONSUMPTION_RATE_MEAN, CONSUMPTION_RATE_SD: The minimum, maximum, mean, and standard deviation of the consumption rate of this prey item - CONSUMPTION_RATE_UNITS: The units of consumption rate (e.g. "kg/day") - CONSUMPTION_RATE_NOTES: Notes about the consumption rate estimates - IDENTIFICATION_METHOD: How this dietary information was gathered. A single study may have used multiple methods, in which case the IDENTIFICATION_METHOD may contain multiple values (separated by commas). Current values include "scat content" (contents of scats), "stomach flushing" (physical sampling of the stomach contents by flushing the contents out with water), "stomach content" (physical sampling of the stomach contents from a dead animal), "regurgitate content" (physical sampling of the contents of forced or spontaneous regurgitations), "observed predation", "bolus content" (physical sampling of the contents of boluses), "nest detritus", "gut pigment", "unknown" - QUALITY_FLAG: An indicator of the quality of this record. "Q" indicates that the data are known to be questionable for some reason. The reason should be in the notes column. "G" indicates good data - IS_SECONDARY_DATA: An indicator of whether this record was entered from its primary source, or from a secondary citation. "Y" here indicates that the data actually came from another paper and were being reported in this paper as secondary data. Secondary data records are likely to be removed at a later date and replaced with information from the original source - NOTES: Any other notes - LAST_MODIFIED: The date of last modification of this record Isotopes data table (Columns that are already described in the "Diet" schema above are not included here) - TAXON_*: As for "PREDATOR_*" in the diet data table - TAXON_SAMPLE_ID: The identifier of the animal(s). If animals are being reported at the individual level (i.e. TAXON_SAMPLE_COUNT = 1) then TAXON_SAMPLE_ID is the individual animal ID. Alternatively, if the data values being entered here are from a group of animals, then the TAXON_SAMPLE_ID identifies that group of animals. TAXON_SAMPLE_ID values are unique within a source. Rows with the same SOURCE_ID and TAXON_SAMPLE_ID values relate to the same individual(s), but may represent different processing methods, different physical samples (see PHYSICAL_SAMPLE_ID) or different analytical replicates (see ANALYTICAL_REPLICATE_ID). In the simplest case, the isotopes of each animal will be reported at the individual-animal level and based on only one processing method, and in this scenario the TAXON_SAMPLE_ID values will simply be 1 to N (for N individual animals) - PHYSICAL_SAMPLE_ID: Where multiple samples were taken from one individual animal, this column will identify the samples. This will be blank kif only one physical sample was taken from each TAXON_SAMPLE_ID, or if the results were aggregated for reporting - ANALYTICAL_REPLICATE_ID: Where the lab analysis was replicated on each physical sample (i.e. multiple sub-samples of each sample were run through the machine), this column will identify the replicates. This column will be blank if the lab analysis for each PHYSICAL_SAMPLE_ID was not replicated, or if the results were aggregated for reporting - ANALYTICAL_REPLICATE_COUNT: If lab analyses were replicated but the data here represent the aggregated results over the replicates, this column will indicate the number of replicates. The ANALYTICAL_REPLICATE_ID column in this case will be blank, because the data pertain to multiple replicates - SAMPLES_WERE_POOLED: If "Y", multiple physical samples were pooled for analysis (likely because of a minimum required volume or mass of matter for the analytical process) - MEASUREMENT_NAME: the name of the quantity being reported ("delta_15N", "C:N mass ratio", "standard length", "wet weight") - MEASUREMENT_MIN_VALUE, MEASUREMENT_MAX_VALUE, MEASUREMENT_MEAN_VALUE, MEASUREMENT_VARIABILITY_VALUE: The minimum, maximum, mean, and variability of the measured values - MEASUREMENT_VARIABILITY_TYPE: the type of variability reported ("SD", "SE") - MEASUREMENT_UNITS: the units of measurement ("per mil", "mm", "mg") - MEASUREMENT_METHOD: a description of the measurement method - ISOTOPES_CARBONATES_TREATMENT: How were carbonates treated in the sample processing? Currently "acidification" (acid used to remove carbonates from samples), "none" (no carbonate treatment), or "unknown" - ISOTOPES_LIPIDS_TREATMENT: How were lipids treated in the sample processing? Currently either "chemical delipidation" (where lipids were removed chemically), "mathematical correction" (where a mathematical model was used to correct for the effects of lipids), "none" (for no lipid treatment), or "unknown" - ISOTOPES_PRETREATMENT: Any other pretreatment (free text) - ISOTOPES_ARE_ADJUSTED: "Y" here indicates that the isotope values have been adjusted in some way not already described in the other columns (e.g. values derived from blood samples might be adjusted to make them comparable to tissue sample values) - ISOTOPES_ADJUSTMENT_NOTES: if ISOTOPES_ARE_ADJUSTED, notes on the adjustment applied (e.g. "Adjusted values are corrected to represent muscle tissue") - ISOTOPES_BODY_PART_USED: Which part of the organism was sampled? Lipids data table (Columns that are already described in the "Diet" or "Isotopes" schemas above are not included here) - MEASUREMENT_NAME: the name of the quantity being reported ("lipid content", "monounsaturated fatty alcohol content", "18:1n-7 content", "wet weight") - MEASUREMENT_CLASS: where the measurement could apply to e.g. either fatty acids or fatty alcohols, this column is used to clarify (e.g. "fatty acid", "fatty alcohol", "triacylglycerol fatty acid", "wax ester fatty acid") Energetics data table All of the columns in this data table have been described in the schemas above. DNA diet data table (Columns that are already described in the schemas above are not included here) - SEQUENCES_TOTAL: The total sequence count for this predator sample - DNA_CONCENTRATION: Sample DNA concentration if recorded, in nM/µl - FRACTION_SEQUENCES_BY_PREY: The fraction of SEQUENCES_TOTAL that this prey type made up (e.g. if Euphausia superba contributed 50% of the total sequences of prey items, this value would be 0.5). Note: many papers represent very small dietary contributions as "trace" or sometimes "less than 0.1%". These have been entered as -999 - FRACTION_OCCURRENCE: The fraction of predator samples in which this prey item occurred (e.g. if Euphausia superba occurred in half of the scats collected, this value would be 0.5). Note: many papers represent very small dietary contributions as "trace" or sometimes "less than 0.1%". These have been entered as -999 - SAMPLE_TYPE: Sample type that the DNA was extracted from, e.g. "scat", "stomach content" - DNA_EXTRACTION_METHOD: The method used to extract DNA (e.g. "DNA stool kit", "Maxwell robot", "salting out procedure") - ANALYSIS_TYPE: e.g. "High-throughput sequencing", "cloning", "PCR amplification only" - SEQUENCING_PLATFORM: e.g. "Ion torrent", "Miseq" - TARGET_GENE: The gene area targeted, e.g. "16S", "12S", "18S", "CO1" - TARGET_FOOD_GROUP: For the 18S region, this might be "all eukaryotes"; for 16S or 12S, this might be "fish" or "vertebrates" - FORWARD_PRIMER: The sequence of the forward primer used, in the 5'-to-3' direction - REVERSE_PRIMER: The sequence of the reverse primer used, in the 5'-to-3' direction - BLOCKING_PRIMER: The sequence of the blocking primer if used, in the 5'-to-3' direction - PRIMER_SOURCE_ID: The ID of the paper reference for where the primer was first designed. This reference will likely include the PCR conditions, annealing temperature and alignment of the primers - PRIMER_SOURCE_DETAILS, PRIMER_SOURCE_DOI: The details and DOI of the PRIMER_SOURCE_ID, copied from the sources data table for convenience - SEQUENCE_SOURCE_ID: The database that contains the sequence data, e.g. "Dryad", "GenBank" - SEQUENCE_SOURCE_DETAILS, SEQUENCE_SOURCE_DOI: The details and DOI of the SEQUENCE_SOURCE_ID, copied from the sources data table for convenience - SEQUENCE: DNA sequence for OTU or OTU cluster - OTHER_METHODS_APPLIED: Were there any other methods applied to the sample to either improve amplification or block sequences?

Elephant seals use a suite of physiological and behavioural mechanisms to maximise the time they can be submerged. Of these hypo-metabolism is one of the most important, so this study quantified maximum O2 consumptions relative to dove depth and swim speed. From the abstract of the referenced paper: The ability of air-breathing marine predators to forage successfully depends on their ability to remain submerged. This is in turn related to their total O2 stores and the rate at which these stores are used up while submerged. Body size was positively related to dive duration in a sample of 34 adult female southern elephant seals from Macquarie Island. However, there was no relationship between body size and dive depth. This indicates that smaller seals, with smaller total O2 stores, make shorter dives than larger individuals but operate at similar depths, resulting in less time being spent at depth. Nine adult female elephant seals were also equipped with velocity time depth recorders. In eight of these seals, a plot of swimming speed against dive duration revealed a cloud of points with a clear upper boundary. This boundary could be described using regression analysis and gave a significant negative relationship in most cases. These results indicate that metabolic rate varies with activity levels, as indicated by swimming speed, and that there are quantifiable limits to the distance that a seal can travel on a dive of a given swimming speed. However, the seals rarely dive to these physiological limits, and the majority of their dives are well within their aerobic capacity. Elephant seals therefore appear to dive in a way that ensures that they have a reserve of O2 available. Data were collected on Time Depth Recorders (TDRs), and stored in hexadecimal format. Hexadecimal files can be read using 'Instrument Helper', a free download from Wildlife Computers (see the url given below). Data for this project is the same data that was collected for ASAC projects 857 and 589 (ASAC_857 and ASAC_589).

Data from fish captured by Erwin, Casey 1988. Includes fish size, weight, sex, reproductive stage data as well as quantitative stomach contents data and qualitative position data. Approximate locations where fish were caught are provided in the database. Additionally an approximate image map is also provided as a visual reference. These data are stored in an Access Database. Additionally, another Microsoft Access database containing data from this cruise, plus several others is available for download from the URL given below. The Entry ID's of the other metadata records also related to this data are: AADC-00038 AADC-00068 AADC-00073 AADC-00075 AADC-00080 AADC-00082 c88_data The fields in this dataset are: Cruises Date Location Latitude Longitude Species Gear Length Weight Sex Gonad Eye Otolith Stomach Lifestage Family

Although the most abundant of all mammalian predators in the Antarctic marine ecosystem, crabeater seals are also one of the least understood. The most fundamental question of all - how many are there? - is the focus of an extensive international collaborative program (the Antarctic Pack-ice Seal Program, or APIS). This study supplements APIS by providing additional data on the diving behaviour and food requirements of crabeater seals, that can be used in conjunction with census data to provide information on the role of crabeater seals in the antarctic ecosystem. Winter densities and distributions of Crabeater seals were collected during 1999. Crabeater seals were most often encountered on the shelf break. The data collected include numbers of seals sighted per hour in relation to the amount of time the ship spent in each 0.5 degree grid square. This study is the first to describe the winter distribution of crabeater seals (Lobodon carcinophagus) in East Antarctica. The study was conducted in the Mertz Glacier Polynya region from July to August 1999. In total 89 crabeater seals were seen in 26 groups which ranged in size from 1 to 35 animals (mean = 3.2). The mean observed haulout density along a 200m wide strip transect was 0.108 seals per square kilometre, or 0.042 groups per square kilometre. Crabeater seals were not uniformly distributed in the polynya but selected areas of stable ice over shallow (less than 1000m) waters. We used a generalised linear model to assess the relationship of seal distribution to the physical attributes of sea ice concentration, thickness, and ocean depth. We found that ice thickness and ocean depth were the most important determinants of seal distribution. Crabeater seals occurred in areas where the ice affords them a stable haulout platform while allowing them access to Antarctic krill that live directly beneath the ice.

Metadata record for data from ASAC Project 1252 See the link below for public details on this project. Currently three datasets are attached to this metadata record. Dive data collected in 1988, track data from adult birds collected in 1994 and track data from fledglings collected in 1995. Dive data are available in Microsoft Word format, while the track data are available in Microsoft Excel format. A readme file (txt) is included in each download file to explain column headings, etc. ---- Public Summary from Project ---- To breed successfully the winter-breeding emperor penguins must fatten on two occasions: once before the onset of moult in January, and again prior to the commencement of the new breeding season in March. Interference with the capacity of the penguins to fatten in summer might be detrimental to the their breeding performance and survival later on in winter. This study seeks to determine the likely impact of commercial fishing operations on emperor penguin colonies at the Mawson Coast. More specifically, the data pertains to the locations of emperor penguins when fattening prior to the moult, and prior to the new breeding season. Project objectives: 1. To determine the extent and location of foraging areas of post-breeding adult Emperor penguins in summer. 3. To determine the extent and locations of foraging areas of fledgling Emperor penguins on their first trip to sea. 4. To identify interseasonal and interannual variations in foraging areas in conjunction with changes in seaice conditions and compare these with results from different colonies. 5. To survey the coastline of the AAT to verify the existence (or non-existence) of Emperor penguin colonies. Emperor penguins are icons of Antarctic wildlife and their conservation is of paramount interest to the wider community. They are also key consumers of marine resources in several areas and consequently there is great potential for interactions between feeding penguins and harvesting of fish and krill. Emperor penguins are one of the few species to breed on the fast ice (although there are three known land-based colonies, one of which has all but ceased to exist in recent years). Thus, the breeding habitat of Emperor penguins is subject to direct alteration as a result of climate change. Colonies of Emperors are found across a wide latitudinal range, from deep in the Ross Sea to the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. This range includes breeding areas where significant changes in seaice are not (yet?) thought to be occurring to areas where seaice is changing rapidly. Accordingly, studies at multiple locations will provide valuable clues on how this species will be affected by a warming Antarctic. Additionally, Emperor penguins are large animals that live in a relatively small number of discrete locations. It is therefore more than feasible, using an international effort, to study an entire species and to make some predictions about their response to a warming world and to current and future fishing practices. This project aims to make the first steps towards an overall conservation assessment of Emperor penguins through studies in several locations around the Antarctic continent. Should these attempts be successful, then a more ambitious international project will be launched to take a species-wide perspective.

2000/2001 season 31 quad based surveys were conducted along the pack-ice edge to identify where leopard seals could be accessed. 31 one hour aerial surveys were also conducted to identify the position and number of seals in the region. 36 boat based surveys were conducted to identify the size and sex of leopard seals, whether they were a resight and the possibility of sedating seals. There were a total of 23 leopard seal captures. Resights from the 1999/2000 season were made of 5 known seals. Samples were collected from a total of 19 known and 20 unknown leopards seals. Samples were also collected from 14 known weddell seals. All blood, fur, whisker, scat, and morphmetric measurements were collected. Three satellite tracking units were deployed following the moult on adult leopard seals, and one crittercam unit. 14 blood samples were taken from leopard seals, 13 blood samples from weddell seals. 6 blubber samples from leopard seals, 17 fur samples from leopard seals and 7 whiskers from leopard seals and 2 from weddell seals 32 scats from leopard seals, 50 urine and 30 scat samples from weddell seals. Voucher samples for stable isotope analysis from 2 weddell seals, 26 penguins and 64 fish were collected. Spatial movements and haul out data from 11 leopard seals has been analysed. The blood, skin muscle, whisker, fat and fur has been prepared for later analysis. 42 separate scats have been analysed to determine diet composition. The captive feeding trials have been performed using two captive leopard seals. For each seal the following tests have been conducted, biochemical analysis of fresh serum, manual packed cell volme and white cell counts and differential white cell counts from blood smears and all haematological analysis. The refinement of the anaesthetic protocol of Zolazepam/ Tiletamine in leopard seals has been continued and this combination appears to provide a deeper and more reliable level of immobilisation compared with other anaesthetic combinations to date. 2001/2002 season In the Prydz Bay area, 28 one-hour aerial surveys were conducted by Squirrel helicopter, 23 quad based surveys and 12 boat based surveys were conducted between latitudes 68 degrees 20'S and 68 degrees 40'S along the fast ice edge to identify the position and number of leopard seals in the region. 110 leopard seals were sighted overall and of those 5 were positively identified as resight animals, tagged during previous seasons. Five leopard seal capture procedures were performed and postmortem samples, blood fur, blubber, skin, whiskers, scats, urine and morphometric measurements were collected from two leopard seals. 6 urine and 15 scat samples collected from known and unknown leopard seals and 7 fur samples including 2 from resight animals tagged during the previous two seasons. Three Weddell seal capture procedures were performed and blood samples were collected from each seal. 125 weddell seal urine and 112 weddell seal scat samples were also collected. For stable isotope and signature fatty acid analysis, the following samples were collected as voucher samples; 1 weddell seal muscle sample, 3 adelie penguin muscle samples, 1 elephant seal whisker, muscle and skin sample, 73 Antarctic cod muscle samples, 23 ice fish and 20 krill. Foraging Information Scats collected from 20 seals and will be analysed for diet information. Stable isotope analysis involved fur, blood and whiskers collected from 35 animals. A key to the stable isotopes is provided in the download file. Fatty acid analysis involved collection of blubber from 35 animals. The fields in this dataset are: Spatial Data Seal Id: adult female Ptt tag number Date: date data collected Time: time data collected Location Class: ARGOS location classes 3 (0-150m), 2 (150-350m) and 1 (350-1000m). South: latitude decimal degrees East: longitude decimal degrees Amphipods ID = ID of seal from which scat sample collected Length = length of amphipod Wt = weight of amphipod Species = species of amphipod broken specimens = not whole specimens. Otolith data; No = number collected Species = species of fish identified from otolith Length/breadth/width = measurements of otolith in mm Eqn = calculation used to determine Standard length of fish from otolith size Mass = mass calculation of fish from otolith measurements Age and Length classes = size of mass of fish classified into groups Fatty acids Ret Time = retention time of individual fatty acid Area counts = TBA Area % = TBA LS Scat ID refers to the Identification number we gave to each seal. U refers to a unknown seal Date = date sample collected Sex = sex of seal Age = juvenile, sub adult or adult Seal = seal fur found in scat penguin = penguin remains found in scat and so on for each other column including fish, otolith, krill rocks, amphipod and seaweed. St weight refers to stomach weight.

This record relates to the Australian component of the Latitudinal Gradient Project. The LGP is largely a New Zealand, US and Italian venture, but a small contribution has been made by Australian scientists. The Australian component of this work was completed as part of ASAC projects 2361 and 2682 (ASAC_2361, and ASAC_2682). Data from this project were entered into the herbarium access database, which has been linked to this record. The list below contains details of where and when samples were collected, and also the type of sample and the method of sampling. Cape Hallett and vicinity (2000, 2004): Biodiversity assessment of terrestrial plants (mosses, lichens); Invertebrate collections (mites, Collembola); plant ecology and community analysis; photosynthetic physiology of mosses and lichens; molecular genetics of mosses and lichens. Random sampling for biodiversity studies; point quadrats, releves for vegetation analysis, field laboratory experiments for physiological studies. Dry Valleys: Taylor Valley (1989, 1996), Garwood Valley (2001), Granite Harbour (1989; 1994, 1996) - plant ecology; plant physiology; biodiversity; invertebrate collections; molecular genetics of mosses. Random sampling for biodiversity studies; point quadrats, releves for vegetation analysis, field laboratory experiments for physiological studies. Beaufort Island (1996) - plant biodiversity; molecular genetics of mosses. Random sampling for biodiversity studies; point quadrats, releves for vegetation analysis, laboratory studies for molecular genetics. Darwin Glacier (1994): plant biodiversity; molecular genetics of invertebrates and mosses (random sampling for biodiversity; laboratory studies of invertebrate and moss molecular genetics). Project objectives: 1. Investigate the distribution of bryophytes and lichens in continental Antarctica 1a). to test the null hypothesis that species diversity does not change significantly with latitude; 1b). to explore the relationships between species and key environmental attributes including latitude, distance from the coast, temperature, substrate, snow cover, age of ice-free substrate. 2. To continue to participate in the Ross Sea Sector Latitudinal Gradient Project and develop an Australian corollary in the Prince Charles Mountains, involving international collaborators, incorporating the first two objectives of this project. 3. To develop an international collaborative biodiversity and ecophysiological program in the Prince Charles Mountains that will provide a parallel N-S latitude gradient study to mirror the LGP program in the Ross Sea region as part of the present RISCC cooperative program (to be superseded by the EBA (Evolution and Biodiversity of Antarctica) program) to address the above objectives. Taken from the 2008-2009 Progress Report: Progress against objectives: Continuing identification of moss and lichen samples previously collected from Cape Hallett, Granite Harbour and Darwin Glacier region. Lecidea s.l. lichens currently being studied in Austria by PhD student. Field work in Dry Valleys significantly curtailed by adverse weather. Field work planned for Darwin Glacier region and McMurdo Dry Valleys, particularly Taylor Valley and Granite Harbour region was severely curtailed due to adverse weather, helicopter diversions due to a Medical Evacuation, and other logistic constraints. 10 days of field time were lost. Limitations on field travel in Darwin Glacier region restricted the field work to a biologically depauperate region. The Prince Charles Mountains N-S transect, the only continental transect possibility for comparison with the Ross Sea area, unfortunately appears to have been abandoned through lack of logistic support. Taken from the 2009-2010 Progress Report: Identification of samples collected from AAT and Ross Sea Region continued during the year, interrupted significantly by the packing of the collection and transfer of specimens to the Tasmanian Herbarium. Work is now proceeding at the Herbarium with sorting, databasing and incorporation of packets into the Herbarium collection. The merging of the collection provides long-term security of curation and significantly boosts the cryptogam collections (35000 numbers) of the Tasmanian Herbarium.