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Juvenile survival and population regulation in southern elephant seals at Marion Island

Juvenile survival and population regulation in southern elephant seals at Marion Island We examined annual juvenile survival in southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) at Marion Island for the period 1994–1999 during which time the population was stable. Using mark–recapture models, we tested for age- and sex-specific differences in survival rates over the first three years of life. We found that survival was age-but not sex-related and compared our estimates to similar estimates from a previous study on the same population while in a state of decline. This was done to determine whether changes in juvenile survival were instrumental in terminating the population decline at Marion Island. On average, the probability of survival was 59.5 %, 81.4 % and 78.1 % for the first, second and third year respectively. These estimates were remarkably similar to those previously calculated for the population while in a state of decline, and we dismiss juvenile survival as a major population regulating component in southern elephant seals at Marion Island. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png African Zoology Taylor & Francis

Juvenile survival and population regulation in southern elephant seals at Marion Island

Pistorius, P.A.; Bester, M.N.
African Zoology , Volume 37 (1): 7 – Apr 1, 2002
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Juvenile survival and population regulation in southern elephant seals at Marion Island

Abstract

We examined annual juvenile survival in southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) at Marion Island for the period 1994–1999 during which time the population was stable. Using mark–recapture models, we tested for age- and sex-specific differences in survival rates over the first three years of life. We found that survival was age-but not sex-related and compared our estimates to similar estimates from a previous study on the same population while in a state of decline. This was...
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Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Copyright
© Zoological Society of Southern Africa
ISSN
2224-073X
eISSN
1562-7020
DOI
10.1080/15627020.2002.11657152
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

We examined annual juvenile survival in southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) at Marion Island for the period 1994–1999 during which time the population was stable. Using mark–recapture models, we tested for age- and sex-specific differences in survival rates over the first three years of life. We found that survival was age-but not sex-related and compared our estimates to similar estimates from a previous study on the same population while in a state of decline. This was done to determine whether changes in juvenile survival were instrumental in terminating the population decline at Marion Island. On average, the probability of survival was 59.5 %, 81.4 % and 78.1 % for the first, second and third year respectively. These estimates were remarkably similar to those previously calculated for the population while in a state of decline, and we dismiss juvenile survival as a major population regulating component in southern elephant seals at Marion Island.

Journal

African Zoology – Taylor & Francis

Published: Apr 1, 2002

Keywords: southern elephant seals; juvenile survival; mark–recapture; population regulation

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