Behavior of Arctic fourhorn sculpin (Myoxocephalus quadricornis) beneath winter sea ice assessed with passive acoustic telemetry in Tremblay Sound (Baffin Island, Canada).

The Arctic experiences dramatic annual cycles in environmental condition, including winters that can last two thirds of the year. During these long winters, coastal waters are covered in ice and show very low levels of productivity which presumably can be stressful for organisms which remain in the same ecosystem year-round. However, the activities or behavior of marine Arctic residents during this period is not well understood. Fourhorn sculpin (Myoxocephalus quadricornis) are residents of Tremblay Sound, Nunavut, Canada which freezes over entirely from October to June each year. We characterized the behavior of a small number of individuals (n = 7) beneath sea ice with passive acoustic telemetry to monitor position as well as in situ acceleration and depth over time. Intermittent bursts of acceleration and changes in depth usage indicate that sculpins are not dormant under the winter ice and likely continue their characteristic lie-in-wait foraging. A generalized linear mixed model indicated activity increased marginally while individuals moved to shallower waters as spring approached. These behaviors suggest that sculpin could be exploiting early ice-associated productivity before ice melt begins. The continued activity of sculpin even under sea ice provides potential insight to how residents persist in Arctic winters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]