DoctorClive McMahon

Project Total: $3,000; Long-nosed fur seal (LNFS, formerly New Zealand fur seal, Arctocephalus forsteri) breeding range in South Australia is distributed across a relatively small geographic area characterized by a southern distribution, associated with narrow shelves in proximity to localized seasonal coastal upwelling in summer and autumn. Early in lactation (December to March), females undertake short foraging trips (~4 days duration) to near shelf waters (70-90 km the colony), in regions associated with localised upwelling. However, between April to May females switch to foraging in distant oceanic waters 700-1,000 km to the south of breeding colonies, associated with the Subtropical Front (STF), where they continue to forage until the weaning of their pup in September/October. These winter foraging trips can last more than two weeks. It is unclear if this major shift in foraging distribution occurs in response to: 1) reduced prey availability as a consequence of cessation in coastal upwelling; 2) life-history/pup growth factors that enable females to switch to more reliable but distant foraging grounds once their pup reaches a size and condition threshold where they can sustain longer fasts; or 3) a combination of these factors. Understanding the role of the in-situ oceanographic and life history factors in shaping alternate summer and winter foraging strategies is the central focus of this study. Changes in shelf oceanographic features associated with fur seal foraging areas will be monitored using a novel approach, by simultaneously fitting biologging tags to fur seals and oceanographic (CTD/Fluorometer/Irradiance) tags onto Australian sea lion males. Sea lions forage over shelf waters year round and sample the entire water column, providing a means to monitor changes in local oceanographic conditions from the summer to winter period. Funded by: Field Naturalists Society of South Australia Inc - Grant ($3,000); University of Tasmania.

Project Total: $7,500; The aim of my research is to develop and implement a non-lethal method to accurately and reliably estimate the age of individual long-lived seabirds. Funded by: Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment - Grant ($7,500); University of Tasmania.

Project Total: $1,090,800; The Antarctic and the surrounding Southern Ocean are one of the most important, yet least observed of marine habitats. Connecting all the world's oceans, the physical structure of the Southern Ocean profoundly influences world climate and ecology, and plays a key role in global climate. Within the IMOS program we use satellite linked data loggers that measure physical ocean properties (specifically salinity, temperature and depth) to depths of up to 2000m. Merging oceanography with marine mammal ecology advances our understanding of the world's oceans and its top predators, and allow us to predict how these species will be affected by future climate changes. This study collects important data on ocean properties throughout the Antarctic winter - data previously unavailable but crucially important to oceanographic and climate studies. Importantly this study builds on an existing continuous eight year time-series of annual oceanographic measurements between Davis and Kergeulen. Funded by: Department of Environment and Energy (Cwth) - Grant-Australian Antarctic Science; University of Tasmania.

Project Total: $800; The aim of my research is to develop and implement a non-lethal method to accurately and reliably estimate the age of individual long-lived seabirds. Funded by: Linnean Society of New South Wales - Grant-Joyce W Vickery Scientific Research Fund ($800); University of Tasmania.

Project Total: $29,342; This project repurposes retired geolocators from marine predator tracking projects into pieces of art. Donations from the public have been accepted for these pieces through the UTAS Foundation. The funds raised are to support current and future marine predator tracking projects at IMAS through the purchase of geolocators. Funded by: Donation via University of Tasmania Foundation - Donation ($29,342); University of Tasmania.

Project Total: $18,300; Long-nosed fur seal (LNFS, formerly New Zealand fur seal, Arctocephalus forsteri) breeding range in South Australia is distributed across a relatively small geographic area characterized by a southern distribution, associated with narrow shelves in proximity to localized seasonal coastal upwelling in summer and autumn. Early in lactation (December to March), females undertake short foraging trips (~4 days duration) to near shelf waters (70-90 km the colony), in regions associated with localised upwelling. However, between April to May females switch to foraging in distant oceanic waters 700-1,000 km to the south of breeding colonies, associated with the Subtropical Front (STF), where they continue to forage until the weaning of their pup in September/October. These winter foraging trips can last more than two weeks. It is unclear if this major shift in foraging distribution occurs in response to: 1) reduced prey availability as a consequence of cessation in coastal upwelling; 2) life-history/pup growth factors that enable females to switch to more reliable but distant foraging grounds once their pup reaches a size and condition threshold where they can sustain longer fasts; or 3) a combination of these factors. Understanding the role of the in-situ oceanographic and life history factors in shaping alternate summer and winter foraging strategies is the central focus of this study. Changes in shelf oceanographic features associated with fur seal foraging areas will be monitored using a novel approach, by simultaneously fitting biologging tags to fur seals and oceanographic (CTD/Fluorometer/Irradiance) tags onto Australian sea lion males. Sea lions forage over shelf waters year round and sample the entire water column, providing a means to monitor changes in local oceanographic conditions from the summer to winter period. Funded by: Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment - Grant ($18,300); University of Tasmania.

Project Total: $40,900; This study will determine the biological and physical drivers of the distribution and abundance of top predators in southern Storm Bay, Tasmania. We will conduct fortnightly boat-based surveys of predators and the zooplankton prey fields, as well as characterise the habitats using hi-resolution multi-beam sonar and ocean profile data. Funded by: Sea World Research and Rescue Foundation Inc - Grant-Research Project ($40,900); University of Tasmania.

Project Total: $522,250; The Southern Ocean is one of the most rapidly changing environments on earth. Australia seeks to sustain marine resources of high fisheries and conservation value that are dependent on the productive ecosystems of the Kerguelen Axis (including Australia's Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands south to the Antarctic continent). The Kerguelen Axis has never been surveyed as a single region to determine the critical relationships between environmental and biogeochemical drivers responsible for the transition between the northern copepod-fish dominated foodweb to the southern krill-based foodweb. This knowledge is essential for ecosystem-based management of fisheries, as well as conservation of whale populations and marine biodiversity. The results will be important for assessing likely responses to change in the ecosystem (from climate or fisheries) as well as change in the global oceans and carbon cycle, which are fundamental to the Earth's response to climate change Funded by: Department of Environment and Energy (Cwth) - Grant-Australian Antarctic Science; University of Tasmania.

Project Total: $12,200; The aim of this project is to investigate the intrinsic relationship of short-tailed shearwaters (STSW) vital rates and their interaction with the environment, and to quantify how environmental variability affects, individual fitness, population growth rates and population viability of the Furneaux Island group populations. Using a 67-year mark-recapture time series integrated with tracking data collected through this study, information will be incorporated with demographic and environmental parameters to investigate the mechanisms underpinning the health of the population and the individual performance of the STSW. Additionally we will estimate vital rates (survival and fecundity) for the Fisher Island population and relate these vital rates to environmental covariates and harvest rates to create a robust population and harvest model for STSW. Funded by: Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment - Grant ($12,200); University of Tasmania.

Project Total: $148,000; Despite i component of the Southern Ocean ecosystem, pack-ice seals (crabeater, Ross and leopard seals) are notoriously difficult to census as they are sparsely distributed over large regions of remote pack-ice. Historically, population censuses have been made from ship- or helicopter-based surveys, which are expensive and logistica!!y difficult, and this inevitably leads to data which are limited, in time and space. High resolution satellite images allow us now to accurately census seals e.g. elephant and Weddell seals at unprecedented spatial and temporal scales. Using this technology promises to provide regular estimates of the numbers of pack-ice seals in important regions such as Prydz Bay This study will develop techniques to survey pack-ice seals from high resolution satellite images, including automatic detection functions and a preliminary habitat model based on the characteristics of the ice contained in the images. Funded by: Department of Environment and Energy (Cwth) - Grant-Australian Antarctic Science ($148,000); University of Tasmania.

Project Total: $8,228; Funded by: Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research - Fellowship ($8,228); University of Tasmania.

Project Total: $6,862; Funded by: Antarctic Science Ltd - Grant ($6,862); University of Tasmania.

Project Total: $42,500; Funded by: Winifred Violet Scott Charitable Trust - Grant ($42,500); University of Tasmania.

Project Total: $3,500; Funded by: Birdlife Australia - Grant-Conservation ($3,500); University of Tasmania.

Project Total: $22,100; Funded by: Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment - Grant ($22,100); University of Tasmania.

Project Total: $265,000; Funded by: Australian Research Council - Grant-Linkage Projects Round 2; Charles Darwin University; University of Tasmania.