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Exploitation of marine mammals: r-selection of K-strategists?

January 1, 1979

The importance of marine mammals as predators to the organization of marine communities is poorly known, although in several structurally analogous systems the ecological and evolutionary roles of predators are known to be of considerable importance. Occupation of the marine environment by mammals probably carried physiological constraints for single-young pregnancies thereby limiting all species to low intrinsic rates of population increase. As such, species subjected to high mortality rates from predation or other natural disturbances became extinct; those that survived probably were largely resource limited. In view of this scenario it is suggested that stable populations of marine mammals can be maintained at high levels without being manipulated in most communities. Exploitation probably constitutes a rather dramatic environmental change to marine mammals consequently subjecting them to selective forces fundamentally different from many of those under the influence of which they evolved.

Publication Year 1979
Title Exploitation of marine mammals: r-selection of K-strategists?
DOI 10.1139/f79-140
Authors J. E. Estes
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada
Index ID 1007849
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse
USGS Organization Western Ecological Research Center
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