USGS Changing Arctic Ecosystems: The effects of declining sea ice on polar bear behaviors and energetic rates

This research serves to identify important foraging habitats for polar bears, provide quantitative data on seasonal foraging rates, and provide the first measures of the energetic costs of swimming in this species; a behavior that is expected to increase as sea ice cover declines in the Arctic.

Abstract

Recent declines in arctic sea ice have been linked to decreases in health, survival, and population size of polar bears. Data on polar bear foraging rates and energy demands are greatly needed to better understand the factors driving these declines. We will measure oxygen consumption rates, identify behaviors, and quantify the energetic costs of those behaviors in captive and wild polar bears. This research will serve to identify important foraging habitats for polar bears, provide quantitative data on seasonal foraging rates, and provide the first measures of the energetic costs of swimming in this species.

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Products

Title	Type
The seasonal energetic landscape of an apex marine carnivore, the polar bear	Publication
Satellite Location and Tri-axial Accelerometer Data from Adult Female Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) in the Southern Beaufort Sea, April-October 2014	Data
Measures of Oxygen Consumption and Stroke Frequency of a Captive Subadult Female Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) while Resting in Water and Swimming and Diving in a Metabolic Water Flume, Oregon Zoo, 2017	Data
Energetic Costs of Locomotion in Bears	Data
Tri-axial Accelerometer Data of Captive Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) and Captive Grizzly Bears (Ursus arctos) Resting and Walking on a Treadmill	Data
Measures of Oxygen Consumption and Kinematics of Captive Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) and Captive Grizzly Bears (Ursus arctos) while Resting and Walking in a Metabolic Chamber	Data
Locations Collected 1985-2015 from Female Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) with Dependent Young Instrumented in the Southern Beaufort Sea with Satellite-linked Transmitters by the USGS	Data
High-energy, high-fat lifestyle challenges an Arctic apex predator, the polar bear	Publication
Evaluating methods to assess the body condition of female polar bears	Publication
Bioelectrical Impedance, Deuterium Dilution, Body Mass, and Morphological Measures of Southern Beaufort Sea Female Polar Bears, Spring 2014-2016	Data
Resting Metabolic Rates of a Captive Adult Female Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) at the San Diego Zoo	Data
Doubly-labeled Water, Deuterium Dilution, Body Mass, and Blood Biochemistry Data from Female Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) in the Southern Beaufort Sea by the USGS in April 2014-2016	Data
GPS Location Data from Female Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) Instrumented in the Southern Beaufort Sea with Video Camera Collars equipped with Satellite-linked GPS Receivers by the USGS in April 2014-2016	Data
Behavior Data from Female Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) Instrumented in the Southern Beaufort Sea with Video Camera Collars by the USGS in April 2014-2016	Data
Archival Logger Data from Female Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus) of the Southern Beaufort Sea by the USGS, April 2014-2016	Data
Metabolic Rate, Body Composition, Foraging Success, Behavior, and GPS Locations of Female Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus), Beaufort Sea, Spring, 2014-2016 and Resting Energetics of an Adult Female Polar Bear	Data
Polar Bear-Sea Ice Relationships	Project Website

Contacts

Pagano, Anthony , 907-786-7165

Status: completed
Start Year: 2013
End Year: 2018

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Project Sites

Location

Beaufort Sea

USGS Mission Area and Program

Ecosystems → Environments Program

Major Initiatives

USGS - Changing Arctic Ecosystems Initiative

Keywords

Biological Classification > Animals/Vertebrates > Mammals > Carnivores > Bears
Cryosphere > Sea Ice