Collaborative Research: The Drivers and Role of Immigration in the Dynamics of the Largest Population of Weddell Seals in Antarctica under Changing Conditions

The Weddell seal population in Erebus Bay, which is the southern Ross Sea, is the most southerly mammal population in the world and has been intensively monitored since 1978. Over the past 15 years, the team has been especially focused on monitoring both the number of pups produced annually, population abundance, and population composition, which includes tracking the number of new immigrant mothers that are an important part of the reproductive population. This project is continuing the long-term monitoring of the study of the Erebus Bay Weddell seals population but also adds a component of population modeling and genomic analyses to try to learn about the environmental factors that influence population dynamics, the geographic origin of immigrants, and the role of immigrants in the local population. The team also has a robust plan for early-career science training and education and outreach activities related to this project.

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