Bio-physical characterisation of polynyas as a key foraging habitat for juvenile male southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) in Prydz Bay, East Antarctica
Fig 1
Map of the Prydz Bay study region.
a) ROMS mean surface heat flux (expressed as W m-2) during the freezing season (March to October) and b) instrumented southern elephant seal CTD cast locations from the MEOP portal, 2007–2015 where data points are coloured by the deepest temperature readings per cast. In panel a) Heat flux contours of -40 W m-2 (black), -70 W m-2 (red), -150 W m-2 (cyan), -210 W m-2 (white) and -260 W m-2 (green) are shown. Polynyas from west to east are Cape Darnley (70°E), Mackenzie (72°E), Prydz Bay (82°E) and West Ice shelf (85°E). Centroid locations are indicated by a white or black star (Fig 1A). The Antarctic shelf break is represented by a black dashed line.