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Temporal variation in distribution and density of ice-obligated seals in western Hudson Bay, Canada

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Abstract

Recent unidirectional climatic trends and changes in top predator population ecology suggest that long-term modifications may be happening in Hudson Bay, Canada. Effects of such changes on ice-obligated seal populations are expected but long-term studies are required to differentiate climate-induced changes from natural variation. We conducted strip-transect surveys in late spring in 1995–1997, 1999–2000 and 2007–2008 to estimate distribution, density and abundance of ice-obligated ringed (Phoca hispida) and bearded (Erignathus barbatus) seals in western Hudson Bay. When hauled out, ringed seals preferred land-fast and consolidated pack ice, whereas bearded seals preferred unconsolidated pack ice. Bearded and ringed seal density estimates varied from 0.0036 to 0.0229 seals/km2 of ice and from 0.46 to 1.60 seals/km2 of ice, respectively. Strong inter-annual variations were recorded in the abundance estimates of both species, with the largest abundance estimates in 1995 (104,162 and 1,494 ringed and bearded seals, respectively) and the lowest in 2008 for ringed seals (33,701) and 1997 for bearded seals (278). A sine function best described seal density estimates in western Hudson Bay and suggested a decadal cycle. Previous studies that reported low ringed seal demographic parameters in the 1990s and a recovery in the 2000s supported our interpretation of the survey results. We discuss our results in the context of climate warming and suggest that a long-term decline in ice-obligated seal density estimates may overlay a possible natural decadal cycle.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the Nunavut Implementation Fund, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Manitoba Hydro, Environment Canada, the University of Alberta, and the University of Manitoba for their financial support. We are also grateful to the Churchill Northern Studies Centre, the communities of Churchill, Manitoba and Arviat, Nunavut, for supporting this research project. Sasha Nowicki (1995 and 1996), Meike Holst (1997), Chad Nordstrom (1999) and Corey Davis (2000) counted seals from the left side of the plane. We thank J. Blair Dunn for his assistance in flying the survey in 2007 and 2008. We also thank the pilots: John Kuipers (1995–1997), Brian Goldie (1999) and Joe Van Horne (2000) of Hicks & Lawrence Limited, and Jair Goguen (2007) and Sean Briesboek (2008) of Wildlife Observation Services Inc. Pierre Richard provided useful logistic advice and equipment. We thank Michael C.S. Kingsley for statistical advice, and Pierre Richard, Rob E. A. Stewart and Ian Stirling for useful comments on earlier drafts of the manuscript.

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  1. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N2, Canada

    Magaly Chambellant & Steven H. Ferguson

  2. Wildlife Research Division, Science and Technology Branch, Environment Canada, 5320-122 Street, Edmonton, AB, T6H 3S5, Canada

    Nicholas J. Lunn

  3. Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 501 University Crescent, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N6, Canada

    Steven H. Ferguson

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  1. Magaly Chambellant
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Correspondence to Magaly Chambellant.

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Chambellant, M., Lunn, N.J. & Ferguson, S.H. Temporal variation in distribution and density of ice-obligated seals in western Hudson Bay, Canada. Polar Biol 35, 1105–1117 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-012-1159-6

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