Peer-Reviewed Journal Details
Mandatory Fields
Gimenez, J;Arneill, GE;Bennison, A;Pirotta, E;Gerritsen, HD;Bodey, TW;Bearhop, S;Hamer, KC;Votier, S;Jessopp, M
2021
April
Frontiers in Marine Science
Sexual Mismatch Between Vessel-Associated Foraging and Discard Consumption in a Marine Top Predator
Validated
WOS: 7 ()
Optional Fields
GANNETS MORUS-BASSANUS STABLE-ISOTOPE ANALYSIS NORTHERN GANNETS FISHING VESSELS SCAVENGING SEABIRDS MANX SHEARWATERS DIVING BEHAVIOR MIXING MODELS GPS TRACKING AVIAN BLOOD
8
Sex differences in diet and foraging behaviour are common in sexually dimorphic species, often driven by differences in the cost of locomotion or ability to exploit different ecological niches. However, sex-specific foraging strategies also occur in monomorphic or slightly dimorphic species where the drivers are poorly understood. Here, we study sex differences in foraging of northern gannets (Morus bassanus), where females are only slightly heavier than males. Using concurrently tracked gannets (298 full foraging trips from 81 individuals) and fishing vessels across 5 years, we quantify individualbased vessel-associated putative foraging, and relate this to discard consumption. We found a significant positive relationship between time spent in vessel-associated foraging and discard consumption for both sexes. However, while females showed greater proportions of vessel-associated foraging than males, discarded fish contributed less to the diet of females in all years. These results contrast with previous suggestions that female gannets interact with vessels less often than males, and are consistent with competitive exclusion of females from trawler-associated discards. Our findings give insight into sexual differences in foraging behaviour in the absence of dimorphism that are necessary to predict their response to environmental and anthropogenic changes.
LAUSANNE
2296-7745
10.3389/fmars.2021.636468
Grant Details