High-energy, high-fat lifestyle challenges an Arctic apex predator, the polar bear

Pagano, A. M.; Durner, G. M.; Rode, K. D.; Atwood, T. C.; Atkinson, S. N.; Peacock, E.; Costa, D. P.; Owen, M. A.; Williams, T. M.

doi:10.1126/science.aan8677

i

High-energy, high-fat lifestyle challenges an Arctic apex predator, the polar bear

2018
By Pagano, A. M. ; Durner, G. M. ; Rode, K. D. ; ...

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Journal Title:

Science
Personal Author:

Pagano, A. M. ; Durner, G. M. ; Rode, K. D. ; Atwood, T. C. ; Atkinson, S. N. ; Peacock, E. ; Costa, D. P. ; Owen, M. A. ; Williams, T. M.
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NOAA General Documents
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A demanding lifestyle Polar bears appear to be well adapted to the extreme conditions of their Arctic habitat. Pagano et al. , however, show that the energy balance in this harsh environment is narrower than we might expect (see the Perspective by Whiteman). They monitored the behavior and metabolic rates of nine free-ranging polar bears over 2 years. They found that high energy demands required consumption of high-fat prey, such as seals, which are easy to come by on sea ice but nearly unavailable in ice-free conditions. Thus, as sea ice becomes increasingly short-lived annually, polar bears are likely to experience increasingly stressful conditions and higher mortality rates. Science , this issue p. 568 ; see also p. 514
Keywords:

Multidisciplinary
Source:

Science, 359(6375), 568-572
DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aan8677
ISSN:

0036-8075 ; 1095-9203
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PDF
Publisher:

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Document Type:

Journal Article
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urn:sha256:38e62981d1c06e2a6f7de795ca79374521c40ad4522754ff303db42635cd9f48
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https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/60050/noaa_60050_DS1.pdf
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[PDF - 682.06 KB ]

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