Abstract
Survival and recruitment of Weddell seal pups were studied in eastern McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. Pups were marked and their apparent survival estimated by mark–recapture methods. The resulting estimates were used together with published estimates of adult survival, yearly sighting probabilities, and direct counts of pup production to simulate the dynamics of the population and evaluate the assumption that it is closed to immigration. Estimates derived from census data in 1982 and 1983 were over five times larger than those simulated. This discrepancy was due to the extremely low juvenile survival rates calculated from marked seals. Since few animals born in Erebus Bay return to breed, the large adult breeding population must be the result of substantial immigration, indicating an important role for juvenile dispersal in the population dynamics of Weddell seals.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
