Jennifer Burns

• Understanding the patterns of physiological development in juvenile marine mammals and the mechanisms regulating this process
• Determining how physiological condition influences diving performance and foraging success
• Investigating how critical life-history events are affected by, and reflect, individual condition, prey availability, and environmental conditions

Research in my laboratory has explored the linkages between physiology, nutrition, and performance in mammalian systems. Primarily, our work is focused on polar marine mammals, as the challenges these species face to exploit underwater food resources in a highly seasonal environment have led to multiple unique adaptations that highlight basic physiological principles. Research activities have proceeded along three main lines: 1) understanding the pattern of physiological development in juvenile marine mammals, and how it is regulated; 2) determining how physiological condition impacts diving performance and foraging success; and 3) determining how critical life history events are influenced by, and reflective of, individual condition and prey availability and environmental conditions. These questions are particularly relevant in polar ecosystems, where climate change is reducing available habitats, and altering food webs, but they are important to all populations.

Selected Research Projects

• Projects in Antarctica 

  • Physiological and Genetic Correlates of Reproductive Success in High- versus Low-Quality Weddell seals

  • The Cost of a New Fur Coat: Interactions between reproduction and molt in Weddell seals​

  • Weddell seals as autonomous sensors in the Southern Ocean

  • Foraging ecology of crabeater seals [part of the US GLOBEC program] 

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• Projects in Canada and the Arctic  

  • The role of maternal iron transfer in the development of heme stores and aerobic diving capacity in grey seal pups

  • Maternal foraging trip duration in northern fur seals

  • Ecology of the Lake Iliamna freshwater seal population

  • The role of physiological constraint in the acquisition of foraging ability in pack ice seals

  • Age at first reproduction in sea otter populations 

  • Development of diving behavior and physiology in Steller sea lions