Foraging Ecology Of Marine Mammals

Front 1

sea otters

Back 1

eat a wide variety of invertebrates.
molariform dentition.
uses tools to open shells

Front 2

trophic cascades

Back 2

top down vs bottom up.
odd vs even trophic levels.
odd = green
even = not green

Front 3

odontocete foraging

Back 3

large social units with coordinated behavior.
eat multiple, smaller prey.
have cagelike teeth.

Front 4

unique odontocete foraging behavior

Back 4

killer whale specialization (mammals vs fish)
dolphins "sponging"
herding into shallow water
stranding behavior

Front 5

mysticete foraging

Back 5

separation between foraging and reproduction.
forage in areas of very high productivity.
generaly feed solitarily.
filter feed.
multiple, very small prey.
some spp form loose feedgin aggregations.

Front 6

feeding mechanisms
family balaenidae (right whales)

Back 6

skimmers

Front 7

feeding mechanisms
family: balaenoptera (roquals)

Back 7

gulpers

Front 8

feeding mechanism
family eschrictiidae (gray whales)

Back 8

mucker

Front 9

bubblenet feeding

Back 9

humpback whales.
loose, short term aggragations.
release bubbles to trap prey.
swim up through dense prey to eat.

Front 10

pinniped diet

Back 10

feed primarily on fish or squid.
crustaceans specialist.
birds and other pinnipeds.

Front 11

pinniped foraging

Back 11

forage in all major habitats (polar, temperate, tropical).
feed alone (most phocids) or in groups (otariids).
clear separation between breeding and foraging.

Front 12

walrus foraging

Back 12

benthic feeder.
mollusks (6000/day).
stir up sediment, find prey with vibrissae.
profound impact.

Front 13

general foraging pattern
diel pattern in dive depths

Back 13

epipelagic (surface - 200m)
mesopelagic (200-1000m)
single or multiple prey.

Front 14

no diel pattern in diving behavior

Back 14

benthic.
forages on or near bottom.
typically large, single prey.