Purpose:
This research provides substantial new information on the reproductive biology, foraging ecology, habitat requirements and use, migratory patterns, disease and pathology and medicine, and population and immunogenetics of the four ice-associated phocid pinnipeds (crab eater, Ross, leopard, and Weddell seals).
The data was the first to accumulate species in the BeAR sea ice mass massif (i.e.,
... Amundsen and Bellingshausen seas) area, one of the two principal areas in the Antarctic of abundant persistent sea ice in summer and consequently perhaps the most important area for these ice breeding marine mammals, particularly as southern ocean climates warm and annual ice cover recedes generally and seasonal sea ice in other areas may become unsuitable for reproduction of these species. These physical and biogeochemical dynamics of sea ice are central to the biology and ecology of the four Antarctic phocid pinnipeds that depend on it as substrate to support breeding, molting and resting activities and for the trophic stimulation and enhancements that are associated with seasonal melting. 
