Article,
Are Icelandic harbor seals acoustically cryptic to avoid predation?
Contributors
Roessler, Helen
0000-0003-0166-9155
(Corresponding author)
[1]
[2]
Tougaard, Jakob
0000-0002-4422-7800
[3]
Granquist, Sandra M.
0000-0001-6503-5499
[2]
[5]
Affiliations
- [1] Univ Southern Denmark, Dept Biol, Campusvej 55, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark [NORA names: SDU University of Southern Denmark; University; Denmark; Europe, EU; Nordic; OECD];
- [2] Iceland Seal Ctr, Brekkugata 2, IS-530 Hvammstangi, Iceland [NORA names: Iceland; Europe, Non-EU; Nordic; OECD];
- [3] Aarhus Univ, Dept Biosci, Frederiksborgvej 399, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark [NORA names: AU Aarhus University; University; Denmark; Europe, EU; Nordic; OECD];
- [4] Univ Iceland, Res Ctr Husav, Hafnarstett 3, IS-640 Husavik, Iceland [NORA names: Iceland; Europe, Non-EU; Nordic; OECD];
- [5] Marine & Freshwater Res Inst, Fornubudum 5, IS-220 Hafnarfjordur, Iceland [NORA names: Iceland; Europe, Non-EU; Nordic; OECD]
Abstract
Male harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) produce stereotypic underwater roars during the mating season. It remains unclear to what extent roar structures vary due to predation levels. Here, seal roars from waters with many (Iceland) and few (Denmark and Sweden) predators were compared. Most Icelandic roars included a long pulse train and a pause. Icelandic roars occurred less frequently, lasted longer (20.3 +/- 6.5 s), and were recorded with lower received sound levels (98.3 +/- 8.9 dB re 1 mu Pa root mean square) than roars from Denmark and Sweden. Local extrinsic factors may shape sound production in harbor seals more than previously reported. (C) 2021 Author(s).
