Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

PC03 Undergraduate Education

Date: Tuesday, February 13, 2001

Location: Southwest Hall

Harding, O, R, University of Alaska Southeast REU, Juneau, USA, oriana.harding@uas.alska.edu

Kelly, B, P, University of Alaska Southeast, Juneau, USA, ffbpk@uaf.edu

Taras, B, D, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, USA, btaras@ims.uaf.edu

Quakenbush, L, T, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, USA, loriq@ims.alaska.edu

IMPORTANCE OF SNOW FOR RINGED SEAL PUPS

In April and May 1998, 1999, and 2000, we measured snow temperatures as well as air temperatures inside and outside of snow caves (lairs) used by ringed seals on the arctic sea ice near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. Snow above the lairs provided protection from predators and insulated ringed seals from extreme cold as they gave birth and nursed their young. Temperatures in lairs averaged -5 degrees C (minimum -8.5 C), while ambient temperatures dropped as low as -29 degrees C, below the critical temperature for pups. By early June, when most pups are weaned, lair temperatures fluctuated near 0 degrees C. Snow temperature records showed that the snow pack was melting and lair temperatures no longer lagged those of ambient air indicating deterioration of the lairs' insulation and structural integrity. At the same time, most seals abandoned their lairs. If the current arctic warming trend continues and seals are exposed to predation and ambient weather conditions earlier in spring, we could expect a decrease in juvenile survival.

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Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

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