Intraspecific variation in feeding strategies of Galapagos sea lions: A case of trophic specialization.

ABSTRACT: The trophic behavior of marine predators varies according to the level of competition to which they are exposed. In general, populations that inhabit lower productivity systems face a strong intraspecific competition, which contributes to the development of different foraging strategies to maximize nutritional efficiency. Given the high trophic flexibility of Zalophus wollebaeki, this species is considered appropriate for the analysis of such behavior. Furthermore, this trophic flexibility has allowed them to persist in a seemingly marginal ecosystem. In this study, we used a comparative analysis of variables (diet and dive behavior) related to Z. wollebaeki trophic niche plasticity to better understand their foraging ecology, using techniques such scat analysis, satellite telemetry and co

SUBMITTER: Paez-Rosas D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5653192 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature