Life-History Traits of Four Canadian Arctic Seal Species

Canadian Arctic data from Inuit subsistence harvests analyzes four seal species: ringed, bearded, harp, and harbour seals. The dataset includes biological measurements such as standard length, girth, fat depth, and reproductive status. It supports research on species range shifts and adaptive strategies under climate change.

Use Cases

• Analyze seasonal blubber depth patterns across species like bearded and harbour seals to study energy allocation strategies.
• Compare reproductive metrics such as pregnancy status and corpora lutea count between species with different life-history strategies.
• Model age and size relationships using standard length and girth measurements to understand determinate versus indeterminate growth.
• Investigate species-specific reliance on ice-algal versus phytoplankton production using tissue analysis data referenced in the study.

Strengths

• Data originates from Inuit subsistence harvests, providing direct biological measurements from the Canadian Arctic.
• Includes multiple biological variables per individual, such as fat depth, teste size, and parity status.
• Covers four distinct seal species, enabling comparative analysis of Arctic and subarctic adaptations.

Limitations

• Data is described as raw and unfiltered, requiring user screening for outliers and errors.
• Sample size and row count are unknown, limiting assessment of statistical power.
• Geographic and temporal coverage specifics are not detailed, potentially introducing bias.

Provenance

Source

Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Arctic and Aquatic Research Division.

Collection Method

Data collected from Inuit subsistence harvests.

Freshness

Dataset metadata was last updated in March 2026.

Geography

Canadian Arctic.