Linking movement and dive data to prey distribution models: new insights in foraging behaviour and potential pitfalls of movement analyses.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Animal movement data are regularly used to infer foraging behaviour and relationships to environmental characteristics, often to help identify critical habitat. To characterize foraging, movement models make a set of assumptions rooted in theory, for example, time spent foraging in an area increases with higher prey density.

Methods

We assessed the validity of these assumptions by associating horizontal movement and diving of satellite-telemetered ringed seals (Pusa hispida)-an opportunistic predator-in Hudson Bay, Canada, to modelled prey data and environmental proxies.

Results

Modelled prey biomass data performed better than their environmental proxies (e.g., sea surface temperature) for explaining seal movement; however movement was not related to foragi

SUBMITTER: Florko KRN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10037791 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature