Oxford Scholarship Online: The Biology of Polar Regions

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The Biology of Polar Regions Thomas, D.N. University of Wales, Bangor, UK Fogg, G.E. University of Wales, Bangor, UK. Deceased 2005 Convey, P. British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, UK Fritsen, C.H. Desert Research Institute, Nevada, USA Gili, J.-M. Institut de Ciències del Mar (CSIC), Spanish National Research Council, Spain Gradinger, R. University of Fairbanks, Alaska, USA Laybourn-Parry, J. University of Tasmania, Australia Reid, K. Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, Tasmania, Australia Walton, D.W.H. British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, UK Print publication date: 2008 (this edition) Published to Oxford Scholarship Online: May 2008 Print ISBN-13: 978-0-19-929811-2
9 Birds and mammals in polar regions doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199298112.003.0009 David N. Thomas G.E. (Tony) Fogg Peter Convey Christian H. Fritsen Josep-Maria Gili Rolf Gradinger Johanna Laybourn-Parry Keith Reid David W.H. Walton Abstract: Sea birds and mammals are predators in the open seas and coastal regions of the polar regions, and are mainly of different species north and south. Birds and mammals are visible on top of the sea ice and they have evolved foraging techniques adapted to the physical nature of the ice and also make use of it as a comparatively safe breeding ground. This chapter discusses how bird and mammal life histories have adapted to the sea-ice environment in the Arctic and Antarctic. It covers sea birds, seals, whales, bears, and foxes. Keywords: sea birds, seals, bears, foxes, whales,