Discovery News: Prey 'Buffets' Help Fuel Healthy Ocean Ecosystems


A simulation of spinner dolphins circling prey illustrates the importance of "patchiness" in marine environments.
Image Credit: Alan Dennis, College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences at Oregon State University

Marine animal populations thrive when presented with dense and accessible patches of prey, as opposed to just more of it, according to new research.

It turns out that sheer abundance of food is less important than what scientists sometimes call "patchiness" — the spatial distribution of a food source. Marine animals, from birds to dolphins, are able to home in on dense patches of food, making a more efficient use of precious energy for mealtime.

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Posted by WILDNEWJERSEY at 5/4/2012 10:00 AM
Categories: Sea Life
Tags: marine life marine animals prey food dolphins
 

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