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- Title
Examining the potential for nutritional stress in young Steller sea lions: physiological effects of prey composition.
- Authors
Rosen, David A. S.; Trites, Andrew W.
- Abstract
The effects of high- and low-lipid prey on the body mass, body condition, and metabolic rates of young captive Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) were examined to better understand how changes in prey composition might impact the physiology and health of wild sea lions and contribute to their population decline. Results of three feeding experiments suggest that prey lipid content did not significantly affect body mass or relative body condition (lipid mass as a percent of total mass) when sea lions could consume sufficient prey to meet their energy needs. However, when energy intake was insufficient to meet daily requirements, sea lions lost more lipid mass (9.16±1.80 kg±SE) consuming low-lipid prey compared with eating high-lipid prey (6.52±1.65 kg). Similarly, the sea lions lost 2.7±0.9 kg of lipid mass while consuming oil-supplemented pollock at maintenance energy levels but gained 5.2±2.7 kg lipid mass while consuming identical energetic levels of herring. Contrary to expectations, there was a 9.7±1.8% increase in metabolism during mass loss on submaintenance diets. Relative body condition decreased only 3.7±3.8% during periods of imposed nutritional stress, despite a 10.4±4.8% decrease in body mass. These findings raise questions regarding the efficacy of measures of relative body condition to detect such changes in nutritional status among wild animals. The results of these three experiments suggest that prey composition can have additional effects on sea lion energy stores beyond the direct effects of insufficient energy intake.
- Subjects
ANIMAL mechanics; PHYSIOLOGY; STELLER'S sea lion; PHYSIOLOGICAL stress; ANIMAL nutrition; METABOLISM
- Publication
Journal of Comparative Physiology B: Biochemical, Systemic & Environmental Physiology, 2005, Vol 175, Issue 4, p265
- ISSN
0174-1578
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s00360-005-0481-5