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Related Experiment Videos

Body density affects stroke patterns in Baikal seals.

Yuuki Watanabe1, Eugene A Baranov, Katsufumi Sato

  • 1Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, 1-15-1 Minamidai, Nakano, Tokyo 164-8639, Japan. yuuki@ori.u-tokyo.ac.jp

The Journal of Experimental Biology
|August 19, 2006
PubMed
Summary
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Baikal seals adjust their flipper stroking patterns to compensate for changes in buoyancy. This study shows how seals alter swimming to manage varying body density during dives.

Area of Science:

  • Marine Mammal Physiology
  • Biomechanics
  • Animal Behavior

Background:

  • Buoyancy is a significant external force affecting air-breathing divers.
  • Marine mammal body composition varies, leading to fluctuating buoyancy.
  • Buoyancy variations necessitate adjustments in swimming energetics and stroke patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how buoyancy influences the swimming energetics and stroke patterns of Baikal seals (Phoca sibirica).
  • To test the prediction that seals adjust their stroke patterns in response to changes in buoyancy.

Main Methods:

  • Attached acceleration data loggers to four free-ranging Baikal seals.
  • Monitored flipper stroking activity, swimming speed, depth, and body axis inclination (pitch).

Related Experiment Videos

  • Utilized a lead weight on one seal to experimentally alter body density and observe behavioral changes.

    • Main Results:

    • Baikal seals exhibit individual variations in diving patterns and stroke rates during ascent and descent.
    • A seal with a detached weight altered its swimming mode, increasing descent stroke rate and decreasing ascent stroke rate.
    • Terminal glide speed during descent was influenced by buoyancy and pitch, with higher speeds at increased weight and steeper pitch.

    Conclusions:

    • Baikal seals actively modify their stroke patterns to accommodate individual buoyancy levels.
    • Body density and pitch are key factors determining terminal speed during dives.
    • A physical model successfully estimated seal body density and lipid content based on dive dynamics.