Browse > Article
http://dx.doi.org/10.5352/JLS.2012.22.6.736

A Study on Food Habits of the Otter, Lutra lutra, and Effects of Construction of the Busan New Port on its Prey  

Choi, Jun-Woo (Department of Biology Kyungsung University)
Yoon, Myung-Hee (Department of Biology Kyungsung University)
Publication Information
Journal of Life Science / v.22, no.6, 2012 , pp. 736-743 More about this Journal
Abstract
The aim of the study is to investigate the food habits of the Eurasian otter, Lutra lutra, and to examine any effects of the construction of the Busan New Port (BNP) on the prey. The frequencies and bulk estimate ratios of the biological debris, taken from spraints collected seasonally during the period from 2005 to 2011 at 16 areas, were analyzed. As the results, it was demonstrated that otters prey mainly on fish but occasionally on crustaceans and gastropods, etc., and the Mugiliformes was the most preferred fish. Although fish debris was observed throughout the season, it was suggested that the amount of fish eaten by the otter seemed to be associated with the amount of fish inhabiting the study area, judging from the striking similarities in the pattern of seasonal variations in each order of the fish between the frequency from the spraints and the fish catch. On the other hand, the frequencies of most of the fish, crustaceans, and gastropods from the spraints decreased from 2010, indicating the decrease of the amount of the prey by the construction of BNP and the strong possibility of the decrease in the number of otters in the near future. This is supported by the other studies, such as one showing a sudden decrease in the number of spraints since 2010, recent decrease in the fish catch, and the increase of marine pollution at this study area.
Keywords
Eurasian otter; Lutra lutra; spraint; food habit; Busan New Port;
Citations & Related Records
연도 인용수 순위
  • Reference
1 Ando, M. 1995. Comparison of river otter habitat deterioration between Japan and Korea. Proceedings of Korea-Japan otter Symposium. March 30-31. Kochi, Japan.
2 Ando, M., Son, S. W. and Shiraishi, S. 1985. The common otter, Lutra lutra, in Southern Korea. Sci. Bull. Fac. Agr., Kyushu Univ. 40, 1-5.
3 Beja, P. R. 1991. Diet of otters (Lutra lutra) in closely associated freshwater, brackish and marine habitats in south-west Portugal. J. Zool. Lond. 225, 11-152.
4 Busan Regional Maritime Affairs & Port Office, Busan New Port Co., Ltd. and Busan Port Authority. 2006. Soil, pp. 49-57, In A report on the environment investigation after the Busan New Port development work. Busan Regional Maritime Affairs & Port Office, Busan New Port Co., Ltd. and Busan Port Authority, Busan, Korea.
5 Busan Regional Maritime Affairs & Port Office, Busan New Port Co., Ltd. and Busan Port Authority. 2007. Soil, pp. 310-317, In A report on the environment investigation after the Busan New Port development work. Busan Regional Maritime Affairs & Port Office, Busan New Port Co., Ltd. and Busan Port Authority, Busan, Korea.
6 Busan Regional Maritime Affairs & Port Office, Busan New Port Co., Ltd. and Busan Port Authority. 2008. Soil, pp. 325-332, In A report on the environment investigation after the Busan New Port development work. Busan Regional Maritime Affairs & Port Office, Busan New Port Co., Ltd. and Busan Port Authority, Busan, Korea.
7 Busan Regional Maritime Affairs & Port Office, Busan New Port Co., Ltd. and Busan Port Authority. 2009. Soil, pp. 339-346, In A report on the environment investigation after the Busan New Port development work. Busan Regional Maritime Affairs & Port Office, Busan New Port Co., Ltd. and Busan Port Authority, Busan, Korea.
8 Busan Regional Maritime Affairs & Port Office, Busan New Port Co., Ltd. and Busan Port Authority. 2010. Soil, pp. 292-299, In A report on the environment investigation after the Busan New Port development work. Busan Regional Maritime Affairs & Port Office, Busan New Port Co., Ltd. and Busan Port Authority, Busan, Korea.
9 Busan Regional Maritime Affairs & Port Office, Busan New Port Co., Ltd. and Busan Port Authority. 2011. A report on the environment investigation after the Busan New Port development work. Busan Regional Maritime Affairs & Port Office, Busan New Port Co., Ltd. and Busan Port Authority, Busan, Korea.
10 Cha, H. G. 2001. An Illustrated Guide to Korean Crustacean. pp. 79-515, Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, National Fisheries Research & Development Agency, Seoul, Korea.
11 Cha, S. M., Han, S. Y. and Son, S. W. 2004. Food habits of Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) in Seomjin river and Namhae costal area in Korea. Kor. J. Mamm. 1, 1-14.
12 Conroy, J. W. H., Watt, J., Webb, J. B. and Jones, A. 1993. A guide to the identification of prey remains in otter spraint. Mamm. Soc. Lond. 16, 1-50.
13 Erlinge, S. 1968. Food studies on captive otter (Lutra lutra L.). Oikos 19, 259-270.   DOI
14 Freitas, D., Gomes, J., Luis, T. S., Madruga, L., Marques, C., Baptista, G., Rosalino, L. M., Antunes, P., Santos, R. and Reis, M. S. 2007. Otters and fish farms in the Sado estuary: ecological and socio-economic basis of a conflict. Hydrobiologia 587, 51-62.   DOI
15 Jeon, S. R. 2004. Marine organism encyclopedia. pp. 24-175, Korea Ocean Research & Development Institute, Iansan, Korea.
16 Han, C. W. 2011. Change in the distribution of otter (Lutra lutra) in the constructional areas at the Busan New port (2003-2010). The 66th Annual Meeting of the Korean Association of Biological Sciences. August 8-18. Chuncheon, Korea.
17 Heggberget, T. M. and Christensen, H. 1994. Reproductive timing in Eurasian otters on the coast of Norway. Ecography 17, 339-328.   DOI
18 Jacobsen, L. and Hansen, H. M. 1996. Analysis of otter (Lutra lutra) spraints; Part 1: Comparison of methods to estimate prey proportions; Part 2: Estimation of the size of prey fish. J. Zool. Lond. 238, 167-180.   DOI
19 Kruuk, H. and Moorhouse, A. 1990. Seasonal and spatial differences in food selection by otter (Lutra lutra) in Shetland. J. Zool. Lond. 224, 41-57.
20 Mason, C. F. 1989. Water pollution and otter distribution: a review. Lutra. 32, 97-131.
21 Mason, C. F. and Macdonald, S. M. 1986. Otters: conservation and ecology. pp. 1-236, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
22 Mason, C. F. and Macdonald, S. M. 1987. The use of spraints for surveying otter Lutra lutra populations: An evaluation. Biol. Conserv. 41, 167-177.   DOI
23 Melquist, W. E. and Hornocker, M. G. 1983. Ecology of river otters in west central Idaho. Wildl. Monogr. 83, 1-60.
24 Nam, T. W. 2004. Winter Season Food Habits and Habitat Management of Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra) in Hwacheon-gun. Master's Thesis, University of Kyungnam, Changwon, Korea.
25 Nelson, J. S. 1994. Fishes of the World. pp. 1-600, John Wiley & Son (Inc), Alberta, Canada.
26 The Korean Society of Systematic Zoology, 2003. Animal Taxonomy. pp. 117-427, Jiphyeonsa. Seoul, Korea.
27 Nolet, B. A., Wansink D. E. H. and Kruuk, H. 1993. Diving of otters (Lutra lutra) in a marine habitat: use of depth by a single-prey loader. J. Anim. Ecol. 62, 22-32.   DOI
28 Sasaki, H. 1995. History of river otter in Japan. Proceedings of Korea-Japan Otter Symposium. March 30-31, Kochi, Japan.
29 Statistics Korea, http://kostat.go.kr/portal/korea/index.action.
30 Uichang National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives. 2005. The monthly catch of fish of 2005. Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea.
31 Uichang National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives. 2006. The monthly catch of fish of 2006. Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea.
32 Uichang National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives. 2007. The monthly catch of fish of 2007. Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea.
33 Uichang National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives. 2008. The monthly catch of fish of 2008. Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea.
34 Uichang National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives. 2009. The monthly catch of fish of 2009. Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea.
35 Uichang National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives. 2010. The monthly catch of fish of 2010. Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea.
36 Yoon, M. H. 2003. Changes in distribution of otter, Lutra lutra, with the development of the Busan new port. Institute of Basic Science, Kyungsung University 15, 193-205.