Space-
use was examined in 54 female polar bears (
Ursusmaritimus) from Svalbard and the Barents Sea that werecollared with satellite transmitters to provide information ontheir spatial positions and ann
ual home range sizes.Plasma samples from the same animals were analyzedfor concentrations of six relevant PCB congeners (PCB-99, -153, -156, -180, -194, and -118). Factors related to space-
use strategy (s
uch as home range size; ann
ual, spring,and winter longit
udinal position; and spring and s
ummerlatit
udinal position) were important determinants ofPCB concentrations in plasma. In addition, reprod
uctivestat
us of the polar bears and plasma lipid content affectedPCB concentrations. Among the tested variables, ann
ualhome range size was the variable that affected
um.gif">PCB
5 (s
umof PCB-99, -153, -156, -180, and -194) to the largestdegree (
r2 = 0.22). We propose that the positive effect ofhome range size on
um.gif">PCB
5 in female polar bears isrelated to the higher energetic costs req
uired to occ
upylarge home range sizes as compared to small home rangesizes. Polar bears with large home range sizes wo
uldneed to cons
ume more prey than bears with small homerange sizes, and increased feeding witho
ut a changein elimination of persistent compo
unds can explain theirhigher
um.gif">PCB
5 concentrations. Polar bears with large homerange sizes were also more pelagic, inhabiting areasf
urther east, closer to the ice-edge zone than animals withsmall home range sizes. Th
us, prey choice associatedwith a pelagic space-
use strategy may also explain thehigher
um.gif">PCB
5 in polar bears with large home range sizes.