Table 1 Study sample size and Weddell seal body composition.

From: Iron mobilization during lactation reduces oxygen stores in a diving mammal

 

Skip-breeders

Post-partum females

Effect of reproductive class

 

Early-summer (Lactation Period)

Late-summer

Early-summer beginning lactation (7 dpp)

Early-summer end lactation (35 dpp)

Late-summer post-weaning (95 dpp)

LME F-statistic; P-value

n for study

63

85

17

64

62

—

Total Body Mass (kg)

389.9 ± 10.0a (60)

342.0 ± 7.5b (84)

413.7 ± 13.3a (16)

282.0. ± 4.6c (63)

312.5 ± 5.8b (59)

F4,113 = 46.7, P < 0.001*

Lean Mass (kg)

243.0 ± 6.5a (56)

232.1 ± 4.9b (82)

266.5 ± 8.8ab (15)

192.3 ± 3.2c (62)

232.8 ± 4.0ab (59)

F4,113 = 39.6, P < 0.001*

Lipid (% Total Body Mass)

37.2 ± 0.6a (56)

31.9 ± 0.4b (82)

36.3 ± 0.8a (15)

31.9 ± 0.5b (62)

25.3 ± 0.5c (59)

F4,164 = 74.7, P < 0.001*

  1. *Asterisk denotes significant difference among reproductive classes.
  2. Study sample size (n) and mean ± SE total body mass, lean mass, and lipid (as %total body mass) for skip-breeding and post-partum adult female Weddell seals across the austral summer lactation and post-weaning periods. Statistical significance was detected using Linear Mixed-Effect models and post-hoc comparisons with Bonferroni correction. Sample size for each measure is shown in parentheses and different letters (a,b,c) indicate significant differences in physiological parameter between reproductive classes.
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