Abundance and distribution of ringed and bearded seals in the Chukchi Sea: a reference for future trends
Ringed (Pusa hispida) and bearded (Erignathus barbatus) seals are vulnerable to decreasing sea ice habitat in the rapidly warming Arctic. In April and May 2016, we conducted an aerial survey over the ice-covered areas of the Chukchi Sea using thermal and color cameras to detect and count these seals...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Canadian Science Publishing
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Arctic Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/as-2024-0068 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850035499409866752 |
|---|---|
| author | Peter L. Boveng Vladimir I. Chernook Erin E. Moreland Paul B. Conn Irina S. Trukhanova Michael F. Cameron Cynthia L. Christman Justin A. Crawford Dmitry M. Glazov Lois Harwood Benjamin X. Hou Stacie M. Koslovsky Jessica M. Lindsay Denis I. Litovka Josh M. London Brett T. McClintock Nikita Platonov Lori Quakenbush Erin L. Richmond Alexander Vasiliev Andrew L. Von Duyke Amy Willoughby |
| author_facet | Peter L. Boveng Vladimir I. Chernook Erin E. Moreland Paul B. Conn Irina S. Trukhanova Michael F. Cameron Cynthia L. Christman Justin A. Crawford Dmitry M. Glazov Lois Harwood Benjamin X. Hou Stacie M. Koslovsky Jessica M. Lindsay Denis I. Litovka Josh M. London Brett T. McClintock Nikita Platonov Lori Quakenbush Erin L. Richmond Alexander Vasiliev Andrew L. Von Duyke Amy Willoughby |
| author_sort | Peter L. Boveng |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ringed (Pusa hispida) and bearded (Erignathus barbatus) seals are vulnerable to decreasing sea ice habitat in the rapidly warming Arctic. In April and May 2016, we conducted an aerial survey over the ice-covered areas of the Chukchi Sea using thermal and color cameras to detect and count these seals on sea ice. We related seal counts to environmental variables, and used the relationships to estimate the species’ distributions and abundance. We accounted for incomplete detection due to: seals missed by sensors or image processing errors; behavioral responses to aircraft; or incomplete availability (seals in the water or in snow dens on the ice, called lairs). To our knowledge, this is the first abundance estimate that accounts for use of lairs by ringed seals. We estimated there were 592 577 (95%, 478 448–733 929) ringed seals and 147 421 (95%, 114 155–190 380) bearded seals in the Chukchi Sea. The influence of remotely sensed environmental variables, such as snow depth and ice type, was consistent with the species’ natural history, particularly ringed seals’ need for snow of adequate depth for lairs. Our study provides the first comprehensive abundance estimates for these seals in a large portion of their ranges and establishes a reference for monitoring how their populations respond to Arctic warming. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b394ec8bf6f84b5886696716d78102e5 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2368-7460 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Canadian Science Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Arctic Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-b394ec8bf6f84b5886696716d78102e52025-08-20T02:57:28ZengCanadian Science PublishingArctic Science2368-74602025-01-011112110.1139/as-2024-0068Abundance and distribution of ringed and bearded seals in the Chukchi Sea: a reference for future trendsPeter L. Boveng0Vladimir I. Chernook1Erin E. Moreland2Paul B. Conn3Irina S. Trukhanova4Michael F. Cameron5Cynthia L. Christman6Justin A. Crawford7Dmitry M. Glazov8Lois Harwood9Benjamin X. Hou10Stacie M. Koslovsky11Jessica M. Lindsay12Denis I. Litovka13Josh M. London14Brett T. McClintock15Nikita Platonov16Lori Quakenbush17Erin L. Richmond18Alexander Vasiliev19Andrew L. Von Duyke20Amy Willoughby21Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, USARPO “Marine Mammal Council”, Moscow, RussiaMarine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, USAMarine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, USAMarine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, USAMarine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, USAMarine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, USAArctic Marine Mammal Program, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Fairbanks, AK, USARPO “Marine Mammal Council”, Moscow, RussiaFisheries Joint Management Committee, Inuvik, NT, CanadaMarine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, USAMarine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, USAMarine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, USAChukotka Arctic Scientific Center, Anadyr, Chukotka, RussiaMarine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, USAMarine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, USASevertsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, RussiaArctic Marine Mammal Program, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Fairbanks, AK, USAMarine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, USARPO “Marine Mammal Council”, Moscow, RussiaDepartment of Wildlife Management, North Slope Borough, Utqiaġvik, AK, USAMarine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, USARinged (Pusa hispida) and bearded (Erignathus barbatus) seals are vulnerable to decreasing sea ice habitat in the rapidly warming Arctic. In April and May 2016, we conducted an aerial survey over the ice-covered areas of the Chukchi Sea using thermal and color cameras to detect and count these seals on sea ice. We related seal counts to environmental variables, and used the relationships to estimate the species’ distributions and abundance. We accounted for incomplete detection due to: seals missed by sensors or image processing errors; behavioral responses to aircraft; or incomplete availability (seals in the water or in snow dens on the ice, called lairs). To our knowledge, this is the first abundance estimate that accounts for use of lairs by ringed seals. We estimated there were 592 577 (95%, 478 448–733 929) ringed seals and 147 421 (95%, 114 155–190 380) bearded seals in the Chukchi Sea. The influence of remotely sensed environmental variables, such as snow depth and ice type, was consistent with the species’ natural history, particularly ringed seals’ need for snow of adequate depth for lairs. Our study provides the first comprehensive abundance estimates for these seals in a large portion of their ranges and establishes a reference for monitoring how their populations respond to Arctic warming.https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/as-2024-0068Beringiawildlife remote sensinginfrared imagingPhoca hispidashorefast icesnow on sea ice |
| spellingShingle | Peter L. Boveng Vladimir I. Chernook Erin E. Moreland Paul B. Conn Irina S. Trukhanova Michael F. Cameron Cynthia L. Christman Justin A. Crawford Dmitry M. Glazov Lois Harwood Benjamin X. Hou Stacie M. Koslovsky Jessica M. Lindsay Denis I. Litovka Josh M. London Brett T. McClintock Nikita Platonov Lori Quakenbush Erin L. Richmond Alexander Vasiliev Andrew L. Von Duyke Amy Willoughby Abundance and distribution of ringed and bearded seals in the Chukchi Sea: a reference for future trends Arctic Science Beringia wildlife remote sensing infrared imaging Phoca hispida shorefast ice snow on sea ice |
| title | Abundance and distribution of ringed and bearded seals in the Chukchi Sea: a reference for future trends |
| title_full | Abundance and distribution of ringed and bearded seals in the Chukchi Sea: a reference for future trends |
| title_fullStr | Abundance and distribution of ringed and bearded seals in the Chukchi Sea: a reference for future trends |
| title_full_unstemmed | Abundance and distribution of ringed and bearded seals in the Chukchi Sea: a reference for future trends |
| title_short | Abundance and distribution of ringed and bearded seals in the Chukchi Sea: a reference for future trends |
| title_sort | abundance and distribution of ringed and bearded seals in the chukchi sea a reference for future trends |
| topic | Beringia wildlife remote sensing infrared imaging Phoca hispida shorefast ice snow on sea ice |
| url | https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/as-2024-0068 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT peterlboveng abundanceanddistributionofringedandbeardedsealsinthechukchiseaareferenceforfuturetrends AT vladimirichernook abundanceanddistributionofringedandbeardedsealsinthechukchiseaareferenceforfuturetrends AT erinemoreland abundanceanddistributionofringedandbeardedsealsinthechukchiseaareferenceforfuturetrends AT paulbconn abundanceanddistributionofringedandbeardedsealsinthechukchiseaareferenceforfuturetrends AT irinastrukhanova abundanceanddistributionofringedandbeardedsealsinthechukchiseaareferenceforfuturetrends AT michaelfcameron abundanceanddistributionofringedandbeardedsealsinthechukchiseaareferenceforfuturetrends AT cynthialchristman abundanceanddistributionofringedandbeardedsealsinthechukchiseaareferenceforfuturetrends AT justinacrawford abundanceanddistributionofringedandbeardedsealsinthechukchiseaareferenceforfuturetrends AT dmitrymglazov abundanceanddistributionofringedandbeardedsealsinthechukchiseaareferenceforfuturetrends AT loisharwood abundanceanddistributionofringedandbeardedsealsinthechukchiseaareferenceforfuturetrends AT benjaminxhou abundanceanddistributionofringedandbeardedsealsinthechukchiseaareferenceforfuturetrends AT staciemkoslovsky abundanceanddistributionofringedandbeardedsealsinthechukchiseaareferenceforfuturetrends AT jessicamlindsay abundanceanddistributionofringedandbeardedsealsinthechukchiseaareferenceforfuturetrends AT denisilitovka abundanceanddistributionofringedandbeardedsealsinthechukchiseaareferenceforfuturetrends AT joshmlondon abundanceanddistributionofringedandbeardedsealsinthechukchiseaareferenceforfuturetrends AT bretttmcclintock abundanceanddistributionofringedandbeardedsealsinthechukchiseaareferenceforfuturetrends AT nikitaplatonov abundanceanddistributionofringedandbeardedsealsinthechukchiseaareferenceforfuturetrends AT loriquakenbush abundanceanddistributionofringedandbeardedsealsinthechukchiseaareferenceforfuturetrends AT erinlrichmond abundanceanddistributionofringedandbeardedsealsinthechukchiseaareferenceforfuturetrends AT alexandervasiliev abundanceanddistributionofringedandbeardedsealsinthechukchiseaareferenceforfuturetrends AT andrewlvonduyke abundanceanddistributionofringedandbeardedsealsinthechukchiseaareferenceforfuturetrends AT amywilloughby abundanceanddistributionofringedandbeardedsealsinthechukchiseaareferenceforfuturetrends |