The intensity of horizontal and vertical search in a diving forager: the harbour seal

Description

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Abstract

Background: Free ranging foraging animals can vary their searching intensity in response to the profitability ofthe environment by modifying their movements. Marine diving animals forage in a three dimensional spaceand searching intensity can be varied in both the horizontal and vertical planes. Therefore understanding therelationship between the allocation of searching effort in these two spaces can provide a better understanding ofsearching strategies and a more robust identification of foraging behaviour from the multitude of foraging indices(FIs) available. We investigated the movement of a widespread marine coastal predator, the harbour seal (Phocavitulina), and compared two sets of foraging indices reflecting searching intensity respectively in the horizontalplane (displacement speed, extensive vs. intensive movement types, residence time) and in the vertical dimension(time at the bottom of a dive). We then tested how several factors (dive depth, direction of the trip with respect tohaul-out site, different predatory tactics, the presence of factors confounding the detection of foraging, and temporalresolution of the data) affected their relationships.

Results: Overall the indices only showed a very weak positive correlation across the two spaces. However controllingfor various factors strengthened the relationships. Resting at sea, a behaviour intrinsically static in the horizontal plane,was found to be strongly negatively related to the time spent at the bottom of the dives, indirectly weakening therelationship between horizontal and vertical foraging indices. Predatory tactic (benthic vs. pelagic) was found todirectly affect the relationship. In benthic (as opposed to pelagic) foraging a stronger positive relationship was foundbetween vertical and horizontal indices.

Conclusions: Our results indicated that movement responses, leading to an intensification of search, are similar in thetwo spaces (positive relationship), but additional factors need to be taken into account for this relationship to emerge.Foraging indices measuring residence in the horizontal plane tend to be inflated by resting events at sea, while verticalindices tend to distinguish mainly between periods of activity and inactivity, or of benthic and pelagic foraging. Thesimultaneous consideration of horizontal and vertical movements, as well as topographic information, allows additionalbehavioural states to be inferred, providing greater insight into the interpretation of foraging activity.