Research
Arctic Seal Physiology
Diving
This project involves working with high-resolution CT scans from rehabilitated ringed seals (Pusa hispida). My goal is to provide the first in vivo measurements of lung volume and lung oxygen storage capacity in ringed seals. To support this project, I am working with open-source software to conduct the volumetric reconstruction of the respiratory tract to the level of the bronchi.
​
Why it's awesome: My project will provide insight into how lung capacity and respiratory characteristics of ringed seals compare to other species. Lung capacity is often estimated from allometric scaling relationships, but it's unknown whether predictions of TLC for the smallest seal, the ringed seal, agree with these relationships. Ultimately, these data will be combined with assessments of blood and muscle oxygen stores to produce more accurate estimates of the relative contribution of the lungs to diving oxygen stores and aerobic dive limit of ringed seals.
Metabolism
Alaskan ice seals are experiencing ongoing sea ice loss and associated reductions in available haul-out substrate. Seals will be forced to move with retreating sea ice, travel to terrestrial haul-outs, and/or spend increasing amounts of time in water. These scenarios pose potential negative energetic consequences, which may be exacerbated during the molting season. This project involves directly evaluating the energetic costs incurred by ice-associated seals in air and in water as a function of molting status.
​
Why it's awesome: Scientists still understand very little about the relationship between ice seals and their sea ice environment. As we witness the rapid decline in seasonally available sea ice, we wonder how ice seals will cope in the absence of something so intrinsically connected to them. This project will hopefully shed some light on the importance of sea ice as a haul out substrate during the molt, and give us a better understanding of the thermoregulatory abilities of ice seals.