| Trophic interactions between organisms are the main drivers of ecosystem dynamics, but scant dietary information is available for wide-ranging predators during migration. We investigated feeding habits of a key consumer of the Southern Ocean, the southern elephant seal Miroungia leonina, by comparing its blood delta(13) C and delta N-15 values with those of various marine organisms, including crustaceans, squid, fishes, seabirds and fur seals. At the end of winter, delta C-13 values (-23.1 to -20.1 parts per thousand)indicate that female elephant seals forage mainly in the vicinity of the Polar Front and in the Polar Frontal Zone. Trophic levels derived from delta N-15 values (trophic level = 4.6) show that the southern elephant seal is a top consumer in... |
