@article{fdi:010065663,
  title = {{Q}uasi-planktonic behavior of foraging top marine predators},
  author = {{D}ella {P}enna, {A}. and {D}e {M}onte, {S}. and {K}estenare, {E}lodie and {G}uinet, {C}. and d'{O}vidio, {F}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{M}onitoring marine top predators is fundamental for assessing the health and functioning of open ocean ecosystems. {A}lthough recently tracking observations have substantially increased, factors determining the horizontal exploration of the ocean by marine predators are still largely unknown, especially at the scale of behavioral switches (1-100 km, days-weeks). {I}t is commonly assumed that the influence of water movement can be neglected for animals capable of swimming faster than the current. {H}ere, we challenge this assumption by combining the use of biologging ({GPS} and accelerometry), satellite altimetry and in-situ oceanographic data ({ADCP} and drifting buoys) to investigate the effect of the mesoscale ocean dynamics on a marine predator, the southern elephant seal. {A} {L}agrangian approach reveals that trajectories of elephant seals are characterized by quasi-planktonic bouts where the animals are horizontally drifting. {T}hese bouts correspond to periods of increased foraging effort, indicating that in the quasi-planktonic conditions energy is allocated to diving and chasing, rather than in horizontal search of favourable grounds. {T}hese results suggest that mesoscale features like eddies and fronts may act as a focal points for trophic interactions not only by bottom-up modulation of nutrient injection, but also by directly entraining horizontal displacements of the upper trophic levels.},
  keywords = {{KERGUELEN} ; {OCEAN} {AUSTRAL}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{S}cientific {R}eports - {N}ature},
  volume = {5},
  numero = {},
  pages = {art. 18063 [10 p.]},
  ISSN = {2045-2322},
  year = {2015},
  DOI = {10.1038/srep18063},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010065663},
}