Regional, seasonal and age class blubber fatty acid signature analysis of harbour seals in Alaska from 1997 to 2010.

ABSTRACT: Alaskan harbour seal populations are currently listed as a species of special concern. Although there is evidence of recent stabilization or even partial recovery of harbour seal numbers in areas of historic decline, most populations have not made substantial recoveries. To date, few data exist regarding spatial and seasonal changes in blubber fatty acids (FAs) for Alaskan harbour seal populations. The purpose of this study was to qualitatively investigate harbour seal blubber FA profiles for regional, seasonal and age class differences. Blubber FA concentrations were analysed using MANOVA and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) from 760 individual harbour seals across Bristol Bay, Kodiak, Prince William Sound and Southeast Alaska from 1997 to 2010. Our results suggest spatial and seasonal

SUBMITTER: Neises VM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8628356 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature