MEPS

Marine Ecology Progress Series

MEPS is a leading hybrid research journal on all aspects of marine, coastal and estuarine ecology. Priority is given to outstanding research that advances our ecological understanding.

Online: ISSN 1616-1599

Print: ISSN 0171-8630

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps

Journal contents
Mar Ecol Prog Ser

Integrated population model reveals human and environment driven changes in Baltic ringed seal Pusa hispida botnica demography and behavior

ABSTRACT: Integrated population models (IPMs) are a promising approach to test ecological theories and assess wildlife populations in dynamic and uncertain conditions. By combining multiple data sources into a unified model, they enable the parametrization of versatile, mechanistic models that can predict population dynamics in novel circumstances. Here, we present a Bayesian IPM for the ringed seal Pusa hispida botnica population inhabiting the Bothnian Bay in the Baltic Sea. Despite the availability of long-term monitoring data, traditional assessment methods have faltered due to dynamic environmental conditions, varying reproductive rates, and the recently re-introduced hunting, thus limiting the quality of information available to managers. We fit our model to census and various demographic, reproductive, and harvest data from 1988 to 2023 to provide a comprehensive assessment of past population trends, and predict population response to alternative hunting scenarios. We estimated that 20000 to 36000 ringed seals inhabited the Bothnian Bay in 2024, increasing at a rate of 3% to 6% per year. Reproductive rates have increased since 1988, leading to a substantial increase in the growth rate up until 2015. However, the re-introduction of hunting has since reduced the growth rate, and even minor quota increases are likely to reduce it further. Our results also support the hypothesis that a greater proportion of the population hauls out under lower ice cover circumstances, leading to higher aerial survey results in such years. In general, our study demonstrates the value of IPMs for monitoring wildlife populations under changing environments, and supporting science-based management decisions.

KEYWORDS

Murat Ersalman (Co-author)

  • Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
muratersalman@gmail.com, ersalman@umich.edu

Mervi Kunnasranta (Co-author)

  • Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 80100 Joensuu, Finland
mervi.kunnasranta@luke.fi, mervi.kunnasranta@uef.fi

Markus Ahola (Co-author)

  • Marine Environment Research Group, Sustainable Environment Unit, Turku University of Applied Sciences, 20520 Turku, Finland
markus.ahola@nrm.se, mapeah@utu.fi

Anja Carlsson (Co-author)

  • Department of Environmental Monitoring, Swedish Museum of Natural History, 104 05 Stockholm, Sweden
anja.carlsson@nrm.se

Sara Persson (Co-author)

  • Department of Environmental Monitoring, Swedish Museum of Natural History, 104 05 Stockholm, Sweden
sara.persson@slu.se

Britt-Marie Bäcklin (Co-author)

  • Department of Environmental Monitoring, Swedish Museum of Natural History, 104 05 Stockholm, Sweden
britt-marie.backlin@nrm.se

Inari Helle (Co-author)

  • Natural Resources Institute Finland, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
inari.helle@luke.fi

Linnea Cervin (Co-author)

  • Department of Environmental Monitoring, Swedish Museum of Natural History, 104 05 Stockholm, Sweden
linnea.cervin@nrm.se

Jarno Vanhatalo (Corresponding Author)

  • Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
jarno.vanhatalo@helsinki.fi

Handling Editor:
Robert M. Suryan, Juneau, Alaska, USA

Reviewers:
2 anonymous referees