342
Marine Mammal Physiology: Requisites for Ocean Living
extent, and indeed may have already occurred in a few isolated cases, polar bears in their
current evolutionary state do not forage well on land. They will likely remain closely
associated with whatever ice remains in their regions. Similarly, it has been questioned
whether Arctic seals will interbreed if they become more closely associated with each
other under changing ice conditions? Perhaps, but the larger concern is whether this closer
association may accelerate disease transmission between previously isolated populations.
15.6 Requisites for ocean living
The goal of this book was to answer many of the questions that surround the enigmatic
marine mammals. Our ultimate hope was that we have stimulated you to ask even more
questions about the physiology of marine mammals and their life in the sea. There is one
constant among this widely diverse group of animals. For every adaptation that solves a
physiological challenge arising from life in the ocean, there are a suite of cascading and
complex physiological and behavioral tweaks required to integrate effectively into the
numerous and varied species that we identify collectively as the marine mammals.
Now, it is our turn to close by coming full circle. How would you design a marine
mammal?
References
Castellini, M.A. 1996. Dreaming about diving: Sleep apnea in seals. News in Physiological Sciences
11: 208–214.
Hindle, A., M. Horning, J. Mellish, and J. Lawler. 2009. Diving into old age: Muscular senescence in
a large-bodied, long-lived marine mammal, the Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii). Journal
of Experimental Biology 212: 790–796.
Rosen D.A.S. and A.W. Trites. 2000. Pollock and the decline of the Steller sea lions: Testing the junk
food hypothesis. Canadian Journal of Zoology 78: 1243–1250.
Schroeder, J.P. 1990. Reproductive aspects of marine mammals. In CRC Handbook of Marine Mammal
Medicine: Health, Disease, and Rehabilitation, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, pp. 353–369.
Stewart, R.E.A. and B.E. Stewart. 2003. Female reproductive systems. In Encyclopaedia of Marine
Mammals. Academic Press, London, UK, pp. 422–428.
Worthy, G.A.J. 1990. Nutritional energetics of marine mammals. In CRC Handbook of Marine Mammal
Medicine: Health, Disease and Rehabilitation, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, pp. 489–520.
Marine Mammal Physiology: Requisites for Ocean Living
extent, and indeed may have already occurred in a few isolated cases, polar bears in their
current evolutionary state do not forage well on land. They will likely remain closely
associated with whatever ice remains in their regions. Similarly, it has been questioned
whether Arctic seals will interbreed if they become more closely associated with each
other under changing ice conditions? Perhaps, but the larger concern is whether this closer
association may accelerate disease transmission between previously isolated populations.
15.6 Requisites for ocean living
The goal of this book was to answer many of the questions that surround the enigmatic
marine mammals. Our ultimate hope was that we have stimulated you to ask even more
questions about the physiology of marine mammals and their life in the sea. There is one
constant among this widely diverse group of animals. For every adaptation that solves a
physiological challenge arising from life in the ocean, there are a suite of cascading and
complex physiological and behavioral tweaks required to integrate effectively into the
numerous and varied species that we identify collectively as the marine mammals.
Now, it is our turn to close by coming full circle. How would you design a marine
mammal?
References
Castellini, M.A. 1996. Dreaming about diving: Sleep apnea in seals. News in Physiological Sciences
11: 208–214.
Hindle, A., M. Horning, J. Mellish, and J. Lawler. 2009. Diving into old age: Muscular senescence in
a large-bodied, long-lived marine mammal, the Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii). Journal
of Experimental Biology 212: 790–796.
Rosen D.A.S. and A.W. Trites. 2000. Pollock and the decline of the Steller sea lions: Testing the junk
food hypothesis. Canadian Journal of Zoology 78: 1243–1250.
Schroeder, J.P. 1990. Reproductive aspects of marine mammals. In CRC Handbook of Marine Mammal
Medicine: Health, Disease, and Rehabilitation, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, pp. 353–369.
Stewart, R.E.A. and B.E. Stewart. 2003. Female reproductive systems. In Encyclopaedia of Marine
Mammals. Academic Press, London, UK, pp. 422–428.
Worthy, G.A.J. 1990. Nutritional energetics of marine mammals. In CRC Handbook of Marine Mammal
Medicine: Health, Disease and Rehabilitation, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, pp. 489–520.