Food energy requirements of the harp seal (Phoca groenlandica) population in the Barents and White Seas

The harp seal ( Phoca groenlandica ) population of the Barents and White Seas has probably decreased from about one million individuals to half this size the last few years. Energy requirements of the population have been estimated by use of the simulation model SEAERG. In this model the energy requirements of an individual seal from each age group is multiplied with the group size and summed to provide the requirements of the population. In addition to population size and age structure the total food and energy requirement is sensitive to individual activity levels as well as metabolic levels and other specified physiological functions. The interactions between the seal population and fisheries depends on the caloric density of the prey species which varies with season and location. Realistic simulations of interactions between seals and fisheries require more information about spatial and temporal variations in the prey selection of harp seals than is available today.
Present estimates indicate average maintenance requirements of about 13,600 and ll,150kcal/day for adult female and male harp seals respectively. The high value for the females is due to the costs of pregnancy and lactation. With a mean energy density of prey of 1500 kcal/kg, the corresponding food consumption is 9 kg/day for females and 7.4 kg/day for males.     

Vegetation patterns, recent pollen deposition and distribution of non-pollen palynomorphs in a polygon mire near Chokurdakh (NE Yakutia, NE Siberia)

Fine-scaled distribution patterns of vegetation and palynomorphs in a polygon mire in NE Siberia were studied in 31 × 31 plots of 1 m² (vegetation) and along a transect at intervals of 1 m (palynomorphs). Pollen and non-pollen-palynomorph contents clearly reflect differences between polygon ridges and centres. For most single pollen types, however, no unambiguous relation with actual plant abundances and distribution exists. High pollen values are restricted to the immediate vicinity of the pollen sources, which is attributed to the low height of the vegetation. For several plant taxa, high pollen values were found to be restricted to particular plant specimens in the population. High values of pollen ascribed to taxa currently absent at the relevant plot show that the sampled mosses contain a pollen signal of several years. Betula exilis produces two morphologically clearly distinct pollen types. The distribution of selected non-pollen palynomorphs correlates to microrelief, moisture regime and/or trophic conditions. The study shows that single palaeo-sections from arctic peatlands should not be over-interpreted with respect to their palaeoecological value. Local vegetation types and site conditions, however, can be accurately reconstructed from the total assemblages and from combined occurrences of specific palynomorph types.