The ice-breeding seals of the Arctic and Antarctic occupy similar habitats, but must live with very different predators. This difference of predatory threat has resulted in the evolution of differences in the ecology and behavior of seals in these two polar regions.
Dr. Ian Stirling, OC, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta Coach House, Green College, UBC Thursday, March 9, 5-6:30 pm
in the series ARCTIC-WISE: BRIDGING NORTHERN KNOWLEDGES OF CHANGE
The ice-breeding seals of the Arctic and Antarctic marine ecosystems occupy similar habitats in both land-fast ice and pack ice areas surrounding the continent. However, because the Antarctic is a continent surrounded by ocean, no terrestrial predators are present. In contrast, the Arctic is an ocean surrounded by continental land masses from which terrestrial predators have been able to access most adjacent sea ice areas. Consequently, the major predators in the Antarctic are marine while in the Arctic most, though not all, are terrestrial. This has resulted in the evolution of interesting differences in the ecology and behavior of seals in these two polar regions.