Body condition at weaning affects the duration of the postweaning fast in gray seal pups (Halichoerus grypus)

Physiological and Biochemical Zoology : PBZ
Shawn R NorenW Don Bowen

Abstract

Gray seals (Halichoerus grypus) undergo a terrestrial postweaning fast (PWF) that depletes energy reserves acquired during the suckling interval. Plasticity in PWF duration may ensure that pups of variable body condition depart for sea with adequate energy reserves. To test this hypothesis, we examined body condition of 30 gray seal pups at weaning and monitored their PWF duration. On average, fat accounted for 47.3% +/- 0.7% of their 53.2 +/- 1.3-kg weaning mass. Although fasting duration averaged 21 +/- 1.1 d (n = p28), there was considerable variation in fasting duration (9 to > 31 d) and the resulting age when pups departed to sea (26 to > 49 d). Percent fat at weaning(38.6%-54.6%) was positively correlated with fasting duration(n = 28, r = 0.376, P = 0.0489). In contrast, total body gross energy (735.3-1,447.4 MJ) and body mass (39.0-66.0 kg) were not correlated with fasting duration. Thus, body composition,not overall body reserves, predicted fasting duration, but the effect was weak, indicating that other factors also account for the observed variation in fasting duration. We speculate that pups with greater percent fat more effectively utilized lipid and conserved protein while meeting metabolic costs throughout the PWF...Continue Reading

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Citations

Aug 5, 2014·Journal of Thermal Biology·Linnea E PearsonJennifer M Burns
Oct 17, 2008·Physiological and Biochemical Zoology : PBZ·Shawn R NorenShane B Kanatous
Mar 16, 2012·Physiological and Biochemical Zoology : PBZ·Birgitte I McDonaldDaniel P Costa
Sep 29, 2011·Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Part A, Molecular & Integrative Physiology·Kimberley A BennettMike A Fedak
Jul 18, 2009·General and Comparative Endocrinology·Julie P RichmondSteven A Zinn
Nov 5, 2013·Functional Ecology·Michael S TiftDaniel E Crocker
Apr 20, 2017·Journal of Comparative Physiology. B, Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology·Daniel E CrockerDorian S Houser
Nov 16, 2017·Scientific Reports·Matt I D CarterKimberley A Bennett
Oct 28, 2018·Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry : RCM·Sarah HabranKrishna Das
Nov 22, 2018·Diseases of Aquatic Organisms·Katie Pugliares-BonnerMichael Tlusty
Dec 4, 2020·Diseases of Aquatic Organisms·Caroline C SauvéPierre-Yves Daoust
Jul 28, 2012·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Shelley L C LangW Don Bowen

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