The leopard seal as a barometer of climate warming

Presentation by Tracey Rogers

With support from:

www.tallpoppies.net.au

The tall poppy is a metaphor for excellence and symbolises Australia’s pride in its outstanding achievers – in all fields.

AMMRC 2007

AMMRC

• Director• Australian Marine Mammal Research

Centre (University of NSW/ ZPB)• 22 programs• Evolution & Ecology Research Centre

UNSW

Western Antarctic Peninsula

Glacial retreat

Calving ice-bergs

Image from Canadian Space Agency & Centre for Remote Sensing

Krill decline

Atkinson et al. (2004) Nature 432: 100-103

Penguin colony declines

Fraser & Hofmann (2003) Mar.Ecol.Prog.Ser. 265: 1-15

AMMRC

Australia

Dr T. Rogers

Australia

AMMRC

Top-order predators

UK

Chile

Ms I. Hebel

Mosses & lichens

Germany

ClicOPEN

GermanyProf D. Abele

Climate Change Western Antarctic

Peninsula

Brazil

Netherlands

USA

Dr I. Overeem

Sediment analysis

Belgium

Dr C. De Broyer

Data management

Netherlands

France

UK

Poland

Germany

Brazil

MexicoSouth Africa

Germany

Chile

DRAKE BIOSEAS

ArgentinaDr V. Andrea

biodiversity & human impacts

CAML

Australia

Prof M. Stoddart

Census of Antarctic Marine Life

Brazil Ukraine

ItalyIndia

UK

New Zealand

RussiaPoland

USA

France

Norway

CanadaUSA

Argentina

Dr G. Ferreyra

Plankton

UK

Australia

Italy

Prof. G. di Prisco

Evolution & biodiversity in the Antarctic

Germany

Netherlands

SpainProf A. Eraso

Spain

Glacier networks

Norway

Korea

Italy

France

Uruguay

Impacts of climate change

Top of the food chain

Influence on habitat needs

Are the seals drifting with the ice?

Acoustic surveys

Detection Threshold Distance (r)

Source Level (SL)

Transmission Loss (TL)

Background noise (NL)

Predict survey area

Remote sensing data

• Acoustic survey• ACC• Bathymetry• Ice data

Morphometrics

WAP leopard seals

Changes in Prey?

Changes in Diet

13C Prey Location 15N Prey Trophic Position

7

8

9

10

11

14-Sep-98

03-Nov-98

01-Jan-99

05-Feb-99

16-Mar-99

01-May-99

24-Jun-99

28-Aug-99

19-Nov-99

12-Mar-00

20-Aug-00

16-Dec-01

Date

15 N

(‰

)

-24

-23

-22

-21

-20

13 C

(‰

)

Changes over the Past Century

Today

784 species extinct65 are only in captivity

16,119 threatened

2006 IUCN Red List Threatened Species

Thomas et al. 2004 Nature 427 145-148

18-35% species

committed to extinction

Tomorrow

Why do I care?

What inspired me

My plan

Juggling life/work balance?

Juggling life/work balance?

Thank You

ammrc.org.au