Abstract: The distribution of the fossil fuel component in atmospheric CO2 cannot be measured directly at a cheap cost. Could anthropogenic tracers with source patterns similar to fossil fuel CO2 then be used for that purpose? Here we present and evaluate a methodology using surrogate tracers, CO, SF6, and C2Cl4, to deduce fossil fuel CO2. A three-dimensional atmospheric chemistry transport model is used to simulate the relationship between each tracer and fossil fuel CO2. In summertime the regression slopes between fossil fuel CO2 and surrogate tracers show large spatial variations for chemically active tracers (CO and C2Cl4), although C2Cl4 presents less scatter than CO. At two tall tower sites in the United States (WLEF, Wisconsin, and WITN, North Carolina), we found that in summertime the C2Cl4 (CO) versus fossil CO2 slope is on average up to 15% (25%) higher than in winter. We show that for C2Cl4 this seasonal variation is due to OH oxidation. For CO the seasonal variation is due to both chemistry and mixing with nonanthropogenic CO sources. In wintertime the three surrogate tracers SF6, C2Cl4, and CO are about equally as good indicators of the presence of fossil CO2. However, our model strongly underestimates the variability of SF6 at both towers, probably because of unaccounted for emissions. Hence poor knowledge of emission distribution hampers the use of SF6 as a surrogate tracer. From a practical point of view we recommend the use of C2Cl4 as a proxy of fossil CO2. We also recommend the use of tracers to separate fossil CO2. Despite the fact that the uncertainty on the regression slope is on the order of 30%, the tracer approach is likely to have less bias than when letting one model with one inventory emission map calculate the fossil CO2 distribution.

Abstract: Understanding the diving behaviour of diving predators in relation to concomitant prey distribution could have major practical applications in conservation biology by allowing the assessment of how changes in fine scale prey distribution impact foraging efficiency and ultimately population dynamics. The southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina, hereafter SES), the largest phocid, is a major predator of the southern ocean feeding on myctophids and cephalopods. Because of its large size it can carry bio-loggers with minimal disturbance. Moreover, it has great diving abilities and a wide foraging habitat. Thus, the SES is a well suited model species to study predator diving behaviour and the distribution of ecologically important prey species in the Southern Ocean. In this study, we examined how SESs adjust their diving behaviour and horizontal movements in response to fine scale prey encounter densities using high resolution accelerometers, magnetometers, pressure sensors and GPS loggers. When high prey encounter rates were encountered, animals responded by (1) diving and returning to the surface with steeper angles, reducing the duration of transit dive phases (thus improving dive efficiency), and (2) exhibiting more horizontally and vertically sinuous bottom phases. In these cases, the distance travelled horizontally at the surface was reduced. This behaviour is likely to counteract horizontal displacement from water currents, as they try to remain within favourable prey patches. The prey encounter rate at the bottom of dives decreased with increasing diving depth, suggesting a combined effect of decreased accessibility and prey density with increasing depth. Prey encounter rate also decreased when the bottom phases of dives were spread across larger vertical extents of the water column. This result suggests that the vertical aggregation of prey can regulate prey density, and as a consequence impact the foraging success of SESs. To our knowledge, this is one of only a handful of studies showing how the vertical distributions and structure of prey fields influence the prey encounter rates of a diving predator.

Abstract: Given the lack of background data on essential and non-essential trace elements in invertebrates and fish known to be the predominant prey of marine mammals and seabirds breeding at the Kerguelen Islands, this study intends to provide these results of great influence for predators in higher trophic levels. To this end, plankton organisms (9 species/4 phyla), mollusks (2 bivalves and 2 squid species) and fishes (8 benthic and 10 pelagic species) from Kerguelen waters were analysed for cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg) and zinc (Zn). Individual concentrations of non-essential elements (particularly Cd) showed larger variation in comparison with essential ones likely due to their homeostasis. Thus Cd ranged over 4 orders of magnitude; however, Hg ranged only 1, without significant correlation to trophic level. Instead, ecological parameters (benthic/mesopelagic habitat and feeding ecology) showed a more important influence on the results. Concerning seashore organisms, bivalves collected inside the Gulf of Morbihan had higher Cd concentrations compared to those from the Kerguelen shelf, suggesting a local source of Cd, such as runoff water from bird colonies. Comparison with the literature showed metal concentrations in invertebrates and fishes from Kerguelen Islands somewhat lower than those in the Antarctic area, with Hg prevailing in benthic species and Cd in pelagic ones. In contrast to Hg, Cd values of squids, jellyfish and the amphipod Themisto gaudichaudii were significantly higher than all other species. Finally, top predators foraging in this area that can be subject to potentially high Hg and Cd exposure through their diet at Kerguelen are reviewed.