1
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Cole MR, Ware C, McHuron EA, Costa DP, Ponganis PJ, McDonald BI. Deep dives and high tissue density increase mean dive costs in California sea lions (Zalophus californianus). J Exp Biol 2023; 226:jeb246059. [PMID: 37345474 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
Diving is central to the foraging strategies of many marine mammals and seabirds. Still, the effect of dive depth on foraging cost remains elusive because energy expenditure is difficult to measure at fine temporal scales in wild animals. We used depth and acceleration data from eight lactating California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) to model body density and investigate the effect of dive depth and tissue density on rates of energy expenditure. We calculated body density in 5 s intervals from the rate of gliding descent. We modeled body density across depth in each dive, revealing high tissue densities and diving lung volumes (DLVs). DLV increased with dive depth in four individuals. We used the buoyancy calculated from dive-specific body-density models and drag calculated from swim speed to estimate metabolic power and cost of transport in 5 s intervals during descents and ascents. Deeper dives required greater mean power for round-trip vertical transit, especially in individuals with higher tissue density. These trends likely follow from increased mean swim speed and buoyant hinderance that increasingly outweighs buoyant aid in deeper dives. This suggests that deep diving is either a 'high-cost, high-reward' strategy or an energetically expensive option to access prey when prey in shallow waters are limited, and that poor body condition may increase the energetic costs of deep diving. These results add to our mechanistic understanding of how foraging strategy and body condition affect energy expenditure in wild breath-hold divers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mason R Cole
- Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, San Jose State University, 8272 Moss Landing Rd, Moss Landing, CA 95039, USA
| | - Colin Ware
- Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03924, USA
| | - Elizabeth A McHuron
- Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, and Ecosystem Studies, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Daniel P Costa
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Paul J Ponganis
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, Center for Marine Biodiversity and Biomedicine, 8655 Kennel Way, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Birgitte I McDonald
- Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, San Jose State University, 8272 Moss Landing Rd, Moss Landing, CA 95039, USA
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2
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Videsen SKA, Simon M, Christiansen F, Friedlaender A, Goldbogen J, Malte H, Segre P, Wang T, Johnson M, Madsen PT. Cheap gulp foraging of a giga-predator enables efficient exploitation of sparse prey. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eade3889. [PMID: 37352356 PMCID: PMC10289661 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade3889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
The giant rorqual whales are believed to have a massive food turnover driven by a high-intake lunge feeding style aptly described as the world's largest biomechanical action. This high-drag feeding behavior is thought to limit dive times and constrain rorquals to target only the densest prey patches, making them vulnerable to disturbance and habitat change. Using biologging tags to estimate energy expenditure as a function of feeding rates on 23 humpback whales, we show that lunge feeding is energetically cheap. Such inexpensive foraging means that rorquals are flexible in the quality of prey patches they exploit and therefore more resilient to environmental fluctuations and disturbance. As a consequence, the food turnover and hence the ecological role of these marine giants have likely been overestimated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone K. A. Videsen
- Zoophysiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Denmark
- Greenland Climate Research Centre, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk, Greenland
| | - Malene Simon
- Greenland Climate Research Centre, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk, Greenland
| | - Fredrik Christiansen
- Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Marine Mammal Research, Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Ari Friedlaender
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Jeremy Goldbogen
- Hopkins Marine Station, Department of Biology, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA
| | - Hans Malte
- Zoophysiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Denmark
| | - Paolo Segre
- Hopkins Marine Station, Department of Biology, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA
| | - Tobias Wang
- Zoophysiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Denmark
| | - Mark Johnson
- Zoophysiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Denmark
- Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Peter T. Madsen
- Zoophysiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Denmark
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3
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Reidy RD, Lemay MA, Innes KG, Clemente‐Carvalho RBG, Janusson C, Dower JF, Cowen LLE, Juanes F. Fine-scale diversity of prey detected in humpback whale feces. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9680. [PMID: 36619710 PMCID: PMC9797768 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Predator diets are largely influenced by prey availability and abundance. Yet, in heterogenous marine environments, identifying the prey species consumed by diving mammals remains a fundamental challenge. For rorqual whales, the energetic constraints of prey engulfment require that the whales seek areas of high prey abundance and execute discrete lunge feeding events on patches of high-density prey. Prey occurrences in feces should therefore provide meaningful insight into the dominant taxa in food patches selected by the animal. We investigated the prey consumed by humpback whales in three regions in southern British Columbia (BC), Canada, using opportunistic fecal sampling, microscopy, and DNA metabarcoding of 14 fecal samples. Fish including Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii), hake (Merluccius productus), and eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus) were the most common fish species potentially targeted by humpback whales in two regions. The krill Euphausia pacifica was the most prevalent invertebrate DNA detected in all three regions, while sergestid and mysid shrimp may also be important. High DNA read abundances from walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) and sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria) were also recovered in one sample each, suggesting that juveniles of these semi-pelagic species may occasionally be targeted. In general, we observed heavily digested fecal material that drove substantial dissimilarities in taxonomic resolution between polymerase chain reaction-based and morphological analyses of the feces. Pacific herring and walleye pollock were the only prey species confirmed by both methods. Our results highlight that molecular and visual analyses of fecal samples provide a complementary approach to diet analysis, with each method providing unique insight into prey diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rhonda D. Reidy
- Department of BiologyUniversity of VictoriaVictoriaBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Matthew A. Lemay
- Hakai Institute Genomics LaboratoryQuadra IslandBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Katie G. Innes
- Department of BiologyUniversity of VictoriaVictoriaBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | | | - Carly Janusson
- Hakai Institute Genomics LaboratoryQuadra IslandBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - John F. Dower
- Department of BiologyUniversity of VictoriaVictoriaBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Laura L. E. Cowen
- Department of Mathematics and StatisticsUniversity of VictoriaVictoriaBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Francis Juanes
- Department of BiologyUniversity of VictoriaVictoriaBritish ColumbiaCanada
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4
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Gabaldon JT, Zhang D, Rocho-Levine J, Moore MJ, van der Hoop J, Barton K, Shorter KA. Tag-based estimates of bottlenose dolphin swimming behavior and energetics. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:280539. [PMID: 36326004 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.244599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Current estimates of marine mammal hydrodynamic forces tend to be made using camera-based kinematic data for a limited number of fluke strokes during a prescribed swimming task. In contrast, biologging tag data yield kinematic measurements from thousands of strokes, enabling new insights into swimming behavior and mechanics. However, there have been limited tag-based estimates of mechanical work and power. In this work, we investigated bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) swimming behavior using tag-measured kinematics and a hydrodynamic model to estimate propulsive power, work and cost of transport. Movement data were collected from six animals during prescribed straight-line swimming trials to investigate swimming mechanics over a range of sustained speeds (1.9-6.1 m s-1). Propulsive power ranged from 66 W to 3.8 kW over 282 total trials. During the lap trials, the dolphins swam at depths that mitigated wave drag, reducing overall drag throughout these mid- to high-speed tasks. Data were also collected from four individuals during undirected daytime (08:30-18:00 h) swimming to examine how self-selected movement strategies are used to modulate energetic efficiency and effort. Overall, self-selected swimming speeds (individual means ranging from 1.0 to 1.96 m s-1) tended to minimize cost of transport, and were on the lower range of animal-preferred speeds reported in literature. The results indicate that these dolphins moderate propulsive effort and efficiency through a combination of speed and depth regulation. This work provides new insights into dolphin swimming behavior in both prescribed tasks and self-selected swimming, and presents a path forward for continuous estimates of mechanical work and power from wild animals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ding Zhang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | | | - Michael J Moore
- Marine Mammal Center, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Julie van der Hoop
- Marine Mammal Center, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Kira Barton
- Robotics Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.,Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - K Alex Shorter
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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5
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Nazario EC, Cade DE, Bierlich K, Czapanskiy MF, Goldbogen JA, Kahane-Rapport SR, van der Hoop JM, San Luis MT, Friedlaender AS. Baleen whale inhalation variability revealed using animal-borne video tags. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13724. [PMID: 35880219 PMCID: PMC9308462 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Empirical metabolic rate and oxygen consumption estimates for free-ranging whales have been limited to counting respiratory events at the surface. Because these observations were limited and generally viewed from afar, variability in respiratory properties was unknown and oxygen consumption estimates assumed constant breath-to-breath tidal volume and oxygen uptake. However, evidence suggests that cetaceans in human care vary tidal volume and breathing frequency to meet aerobic demand, which would significantly impact energetic estimates if the findings held in free-ranging species. In this study, we used suction cup-attached video tags positioned posterior to the nares of two humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) and four Antarctic minke whales (Balaenoptera bonaerensis) to measure inhalation duration, relative nares expansion, and maximum nares expansion. Inhalation duration and nares expansion varied between and within initial, middle, and terminal breaths of surface sequences between dives. The initial and middle breaths exhibited the least variability and had the shortest durations and smallest nares expansions. In contrast, terminal breaths were highly variable, with the longest inhalation durations and the largest nares expansions. Our results demonstrate breath-to-breath variability in duration and nares expansion, suggesting differential oxygen exchange in each breath during the surface interval. With future validation, inhalation duration or nares area could be used alongside respiratory frequency to improve oxygen consumption estimates by accounting for breath-to-breath variation in wild whales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily C. Nazario
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, United States of America
| | - David E. Cade
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, United States of America
| | - K.C. Bierlich
- Marine Mammal Institute, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon State University, Newport, OR, United States of America
| | - Max F. Czapanskiy
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, United States of America
| | - Jeremy A. Goldbogen
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, United States of America
| | - Shirel R. Kahane-Rapport
- Department of Biological Science, California State University, Fullerton, Fullerton, CA, United States of America
| | | | - Merceline T. San Luis
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, United States of America
| | - Ari S. Friedlaender
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, United States of America
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6
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Williams TM. Racing Time: Physiological Rates and Metabolic Scaling in Marine Mammals. Integr Comp Biol 2022; 62:icac054. [PMID: 35612973 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icac054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Reinvasion of the oceans beginning 10-60 million years ago by ancient mammals instigated one of the most remarkable metabolic transitions across evolutionary time. A consequence of marine living, especially in colder waters, has been a 1.4 to 2.9-fold increase in resting metabolic rate (RMR) for otters, pinnipeds and cetaceans over predicted levels for terrestrial mammals of similar body mass. Notably, the greatest metabolic elevation occurred in the smallest marine mammals, suggesting an underlying thermal causative mechanism. Superimposed on these resting costs are the metabolic demands of locomotion. Collectively termed the field metabolic rate, such active costs consistently approach three times the resting rates of individuals regardless of locomotor style, species, foraging patterns, habitat or geographic location. In wild non-reproducing mammals, the FMR/RMR ratio averages 2.6-2.8 for both terrestrial and marine species, with the latter group maintaining larger absolute daily metabolic rates supported by comparatively higher food ingestion rates. Interestingly, the limit for habitual (multi-day), sustained maximal energy expenditure in human endurance athletes averages < 3.0 times resting metabolic levels, with a notable exception in Tour de France cyclists. Importantly, both athletes and wild mammals seem similarly constrained; that is, by the ability to process enough calories in a day to support exceptional metabolic performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terrie M Williams
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California- Santa Cruz, Coastal Biology Building, 130 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95064
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7
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Optimal diving and oxygen use. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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8
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Savoca MS, Czapanskiy MF, Kahane-Rapport SR, Gough WT, Fahlbusch JA, Bierlich KC, Segre PS, Di Clemente J, Penry GS, Wiley DN, Calambokidis J, Nowacek DP, Johnston DW, Pyenson ND, Friedlaender AS, Hazen EL, Goldbogen JA. Baleen whale prey consumption based on high-resolution foraging measurements. Nature 2021; 599:85-90. [PMID: 34732868 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03991-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Baleen whales influence their ecosystems through immense prey consumption and nutrient recycling1-3. It is difficult to accurately gauge the magnitude of their current or historic ecosystem role without measuring feeding rates and prey consumed. To date, prey consumption of the largest species has been estimated using metabolic models3-9 based on extrapolations that lack empirical validation. Here, we used tags deployed on seven baleen whale (Mysticeti) species (n = 321 tag deployments) in conjunction with acoustic measurements of prey density to calculate prey consumption at daily to annual scales from the Atlantic, Pacific, and Southern Oceans. Our results suggest that previous studies3-9 have underestimated baleen whale prey consumption by threefold or more in some ecosystems. In the Southern Ocean alone, we calculate that pre-whaling populations of mysticetes annually consumed 430 million tonnes of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba), twice the current estimated total biomass of E. superba10, and more than twice the global catch of marine fisheries today11. Larger whale populations may have supported higher productivity in large marine regions through enhanced nutrient recycling: our findings suggest mysticetes recycled 1.2 × 104 tonnes iron yr-1 in the Southern Ocean before whaling compared to 1.2 × 103 tonnes iron yr-1 recycled by whales today. The recovery of baleen whales and their nutrient recycling services2,3,7 could augment productivity and restore ecosystem function lost during 20th century whaling12,13.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew S Savoca
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA.
| | - Max F Czapanskiy
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA
| | | | - William T Gough
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA
| | - James A Fahlbusch
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA.,Cascadia Research Collective, Olympia, WA, USA
| | - K C Bierlich
- Duke University Marine Laboratory, Duke University, Beaufort, NC, USA.,Marine Mammal Institute, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon State University, Newport, OR, USA
| | - Paolo S Segre
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA
| | - Jacopo Di Clemente
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.,Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Gwenith S Penry
- Institute for Coastal and Marine Research, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
| | - David N Wiley
- Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, NOAA National Ocean Service, Scituate, MA, USA
| | | | - Douglas P Nowacek
- Duke University Marine Laboratory, Duke University, Beaufort, NC, USA
| | - David W Johnston
- Duke University Marine Laboratory, Duke University, Beaufort, NC, USA
| | - Nicholas D Pyenson
- Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, USA.,Department of Paleontology and Geology, Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ari S Friedlaender
- Long Marine Laboratory, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Elliott L Hazen
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA.,Long Marine Laboratory, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.,Environmental Research Division, NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center, Monterey, CA, USA
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9
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Videsen SKA, Simon M, Johnson M, Madsen PT, Christiansen F. Cryptic vocal behavior of foraging humpback whales on feeding grounds in West Greenland. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2021; 150:2879. [PMID: 34717496 DOI: 10.1121/10.0006735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Male humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) sing in mating aggregations in the form of song displays, but much less is known about how both sexes use sound on their feeding grounds. Here, we test different hypotheses about the function of vocalizations in 14 foraging humpback whales tagged with sound and movement recording Dtags in Greenland. We show that this population of foraging humpback whales have an overall low call rate of 11.9 calls h-1 (inter-quartile range = 12.1) with no support for the hypotheses that they employ sound in the localization or manipulation of prey nor in the coordination of lunge feeding. The calls had a mean received level of 135 ± 5dB re 1 μPa, which is some 30 dB lower than maximum levels of song recorded on similar deployed tags, suggesting a much smaller active space of these vocalizations. This reduced active space might, in concert with low call rates, serve to mitigate eavesdropping by predatory killer whales or conspecifics competing for the same prey resources. We conclude that feeding humpback whales in Greenland produce low level, infrequent calls suggesting that calling is not a prerequisite for successful feeding, but likely serves to mediate within group social interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone K A Videsen
- Zoophysiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Malene Simon
- Greenland Climate Research Centre, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, P.O. Box 570, Kivioq 2, 3900 Nuuk, Greenland
| | - Mark Johnson
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St Andrews, Fife KY16 8LB, United Kingdom
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10
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García Cegarra AM, Castro C, Van Waerebeek K. Feeding of humpback whales in low latitudes of the Southeast Pacific Ocean. NEOTROPICAL BIODIVERSITY 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/23766808.2021.1971041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ana M. García Cegarra
- Centro De Investigación De Fauna Marina Y Avistamiento De Cetáceos, (CIFAMAC), Mejillones, Chile
- Departamento De Ciencias Básicas, Facultad De Ciencias, Universidad Santo Tomás, Antofagasta, Chile
- Instituto De Ciencias Naturales Alexander Von Humboldt, Facultad De Ciencias Del Mar Y Recursos Biológicos, Universidad De Antofagasta, Chile
| | | | - Koen Van Waerebeek
- Centro Peruano De Estudios Cetológicos (CEPEC), Peruvian Centre for Cetacean Research, Peru
- Centre for Marine Mammals Research Leviathan (CMMR), Santiago, Chile
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11
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Variability in Anthropogenic Underwater Noise Due to Bathymetry and Sound Speed Characteristics. JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/jmse9101047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Oceanic acoustic environments are dynamic, shaped by the spatiotemporal variability in transmission losses and sound propagation pathways of natural and human-derived noise sources. Here we used recordings of an experimental noise source combined with transmission loss modeling to investigate changes in the received levels of vessel noise over space and time as a result of natural water column variability. Recordings were made in the Juan de Fuca Strait, on the west coast of Vancouver Island, a biologically productive coastal region that hosts several cetacean species. Significant variability in noise levels was observed due to changing water masses, tied to seasonal temperature variation and, on a finer scale, tidal movements. Comparisons of interpreted received noise levels through the water column indicated that vessel noise recorded by bottom-stationed monitoring devices might not accurately represent those received by whales in near-surface waters. Vertical and temporal differences of 3–5 dB were commonly observed in both the recorded and modeled data. This has implications in estimating the success of noise mitigation measures, and our understanding of the change in sound fields experienced by target species for conservation.
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12
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Williams CL, Ponganis PJ. Diving physiology of marine mammals and birds: the development of biologging techniques. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200211. [PMID: 34121464 PMCID: PMC8200650 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In the 1940s, Scholander and Irving revealed fundamental physiological responses to forced diving of marine mammals and birds, setting the stage for the study of diving physiology. Since then, diving physiology research has moved from the laboratory to the field. Modern biologging, with the development of microprocessor technology, recorder memory capacity and battery life, has advanced and expanded investigations of the diving physiology of marine mammals and birds. This review describes a brief history of the start of field diving physiology investigations, including the invention of the time depth recorder, and then tracks the use of biologging studies in four key diving physiology topics: heart rate, blood flow, body temperature and oxygen store management. Investigations of diving heart rates in cetaceans and O2 store management in diving emperor penguins are highlighted to emphasize the value of diving physiology biologging research. The review concludes with current challenges, remaining diving physiology questions and what technologies are needed to advance the field. This article is part of the theme issue 'Measuring physiology in free-living animals (Part I)'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassondra L. Williams
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, 2240 Shelter Island Drive, Suite 200, San Diego, CA 92106, USA
| | - Paul J. Ponganis
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0204, USA
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13
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Blawas AM, Nowacek DP, Rocho-Levine J, Robeck TR, Fahlman A. Scaling of heart rate with breathing frequency and body mass in cetaceans. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200223. [PMID: 34121456 PMCID: PMC8200651 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasticity in the cardiac function of a marine mammal facilitates rapid adjustments to the contrasting metabolic demands of breathing at the surface and diving during an extended apnea. By matching their heart rate (fH) to their immediate physiological needs, a marine mammal can improve its metabolic efficiency and maximize the proportion of time spent underwater. Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) is a known modulation of fH that is driven by respiration and has been suggested to increase cardiorespiratory efficiency. To investigate the presence of RSA in cetaceans and the relationship between fH, breathing rate (fR) and body mass (Mb), we measured simultaneous fH and fR in five cetacean species in human care. We found that a higher fR was associated with a higher mean instantaneous fH (ifH) and minimum ifH of the RSA. By contrast, fH scaled inversely with Mb such that larger animals had lower mean and minimum ifHs of the RSA. There was a significant allometric relationship between maximum ifH of the RSA and Mb, but not fR, which may indicate that this parameter is set by physical laws and not adjusted dynamically with physiological needs. RSA was significantly affected by fR and was greatly reduced with small increases in fR. Ultimately, these data show that surface fHs of cetaceans are complex and the fH patterns we observed are controlled by several factors. We suggest the importance of considering RSA when interpreting fH measurements and particularly how fR may drive fH changes that are important for efficient gas exchange. This article is part of the theme issue 'Measuring physiology in free-living animals (Part I)'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley M. Blawas
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University Marine Laboratory, Beaufort, NC 28516, USA
| | - Douglas P. Nowacek
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University Marine Laboratory, Beaufort, NC 28516, USA
- Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | | | | | - Andreas Fahlman
- Fundación Oceanogràfic de la Comunitat Valenciana, Valencia, Spain 46005
- Global Diving Research, Inc., Ottawa, Canada, K2 J 5E8
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14
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Watanabe YY, Goldbogen JA. Too big to study? The biologging approach to understanding the behavioural energetics of ocean giants. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:270831. [PMID: 34232316 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.202747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Wild animals are under selective pressure to optimise energy budgets; therefore, quantifying energy expenditure, intake and allocation to specific activities is important if we are to understand how animals survive in their environment. One approach toward estimating energy budgets has involved measuring oxygen consumption rates under controlled conditions and constructing allometric relationships across species. However, studying 'giant' marine vertebrates (e.g. pelagic sharks, whales) in this way is logistically difficult or impossible. An alternative approach involves the use of increasingly sophisticated electronic tags that have allowed recordings of behaviour, internal states and the surrounding environment of marine animals. This Review outlines how we could study the energy expenditure and intake of free-living ocean giants using this 'biologging' technology. There are kinematic, physiological and theoretical approaches for estimating energy expenditure, each of which has merits and limitations. Importantly, tag-derived energy proxies can hardly be validated against oxygen consumption rates for giant species. The proxies are thus qualitative, rather than quantitative, estimates of energy expenditure, and have more limited utilities. Despite this limitation, these proxies allow us to study the energetics of ocean giants in their behavioural context, providing insight into how these animals optimise their energy budgets under natural conditions. We also outline how information on energy intake and foraging behaviour can be gained from tag data. These methods are becoming increasingly important owing to the natural and anthropogenic environmental changes faced by ocean giants that can alter their energy budgets, fitness and, ultimately, population sizes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuuki Y Watanabe
- National Institute of Polar Research, Tachikawa, Tokyo 190-8518, Japan.,Department of Polar Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Tachikawa, Tokyo 190-8518, Japan
| | - Jeremy A Goldbogen
- Hopkins Marine Station, Department of Biology, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
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15
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Williams CL, Hindle AG. Field Physiology: Studying Organismal Function in the Natural Environment. Compr Physiol 2021; 11:1979-2015. [PMID: 34190338 DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c200005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Continuous physiological measurements collected in field settings are essential to understand baseline, free-ranging physiology, physiological range and variability, and the physiological responses of organisms to disturbances. This article presents a current summary of the available technologies to continuously measure the direct physiological parameters in the field at high-resolution/instantaneous timescales from freely behaving animals. There is a particular focus on advantages versus disadvantages of available methods as well as emerging technologies "on the horizon" that may have been validated in captive or laboratory-based scenarios but have yet to be applied in the wild. Systems to record physiological variables from free-ranging animals are reviewed, including radio (VHF/UFH) telemetry, acoustic telemetry, and dataloggers. Physiological parameters that have been continuously measured in the field are addressed in seven sections including heart rate and electrocardiography (ECG); electromyography (EMG); electroencephalography (EEG); body temperature; respiratory, blood, and muscle oxygen; gastric pH and motility; and blood pressure and flow. The primary focal sections are heart rate and temperature as these can be, and have been, extensively studied in free-ranging organisms. Predicted aspects of future innovation in physiological monitoring are also discussed. The article concludes with an overview of best practices and points to consider regarding experimental designs, cautions, and effects on animals. © 2021 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 11:1979-2015, 2021.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassondra L Williams
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, California, USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Science, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Allyson G Hindle
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
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16
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Ejrnæs DD, Sprogis KR. Ontogenetic changes in energy expenditure and resting behaviour of humpback whale mother–calf pairs examined using unmanned aerial vehicles. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2021. [DOI: 10.1071/wr20186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Context Baleen whale calves rapidly increase in size and improve locomotion abilities, while on their low-latitude breeding ground, allowing them to undertake a successful migration to high-latitude feeding grounds. Aims We investigated energy expenditure and resting behaviour of humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) mother–calf pairs in regard to changes in calf length on an undisturbed breeding/resting ground off Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia. Methods Data were collected from August to October in 2018 and 2019 on lactating mothers that were predominantly resting on the surface with their calf. Focal follows on mother–calf pairs (n = 101) were conducted using an unmanned aerial vehicle to obtain detailed video of behaviours and respirations (23.7 h). Body length measurements of individual whales were calculated from aerial still frames. Key results Results on calves ranging in length from ~4–8 m demonstrated that calf respiration rate decreased with an increase in calf length and increased with presence of activity (P < 0.001). Calf inter-breath intervals became longer in duration with an increase in calf length (P < 0.01). Calf activity level and resting behaviour remained constant, with calves logging for 53% of the time their mothers were logging. Maternal respiration rate remained low and did not differ with respect to maternal or calf length. Conclusions Results highlighted the importance of resting grounds for energy preservation, which benefits the calves’ rapid growth before migration to polar waters. Implications Findings from the present largely undisturbed population serve as a baseline for understanding the impacts of anthropogenic disturbance on resting behaviour and energy expenditure in humpback whale mother–calf pairs globally.
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17
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Bories P, Rikardsen AH, Leonards P, Fisk AT, Tartu S, Vogel EF, Bytingsvik J, Blévin P. A deep dive into fat: Investigating blubber lipidomic fingerprint of killer whales and humpback whales in northern Norway. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:6716-6729. [PMID: 34141252 PMCID: PMC8207449 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
In cetaceans, blubber is the primary and largest lipid body reservoir. Our current understanding about lipid stores and uses in cetaceans is still limited, and most studies only focused on a single narrow snapshot of the lipidome. We documented an extended lipidomic fingerprint in two cetacean species present in northern Norway during wintertime. We were able to detect 817 molecular lipid species in blubber of killer whales (Orcinus orca) and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). The profiles were largely dominated by triradylglycerols in both species and, to a lesser extent, by other constituents including glycerophosphocholines, phosphosphingolipids, glycerophosphoethanolamines, and diradylglycerols. Through a unique combination of traditional statistical approaches, together with a novel bioinformatic tool (LION/web), we showed contrasting fingerprint composition between species. The higher content of triradylglycerols in humpback whales is necessary to fuel their upcoming half a year fasting and energy-demanding migration between feeding and breeding grounds. In adipocytes, we assume that the intense feeding rate of humpback whales prior to migration translates into an important accumulation of triacylglycerol content in lipid droplets. Upstream, the endoplasmic reticulum is operating at full capacity to supply acute lipid storage, consistent with the reported enrichment of glycerophosphocholines in humpback whales, major components of the endoplasmic reticulum. There was also an enrichment of membrane components, which translates into higher sphingolipid content in the lipidome of killer whales, potentially as a structural adaptation for their higher hydrodynamic performance. Finally, the presence of both lipid-enriched and lipid-depleted individuals within the killer whale population in Norway suggests dietary specialization, consistent with significant differences in δ15N and δ13C isotopic ratios in skin between the two groups, with higher values and a wider niche for the lipid-enriched individuals. Results suggest the lipid-depleted killer whales were herring specialists, while the lipid-enriched individuals might feed on both herrings and seals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Audun H. Rikardsen
- Department of Arctic and Marine BiologyUiT ‐ The Arctic University of NorwayTromsøNorway
| | - Pim Leonards
- Department of Environment and HealthVrije UniversiteitAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Aaron T. Fisk
- School of the EnvironmentUniversity of WindsorWindsorONCanada
| | - Sabrina Tartu
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de ChizéVilliers en BoisFrance
| | - Emma F. Vogel
- Department of Arctic and Marine BiologyUiT ‐ The Arctic University of NorwayTromsøNorway
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18
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Iwata T, Biuw M, Aoki K, Miller PJO, Sato K. Using an omnidirectional video logger to observe the underwater life of marine animals: Humpback whale resting behaviour. Behav Processes 2021; 186:104369. [PMID: 33640487 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2021.104369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Animal-borne video loggers are powerful tools for investigating animal behaviour because they directly record immediate and extended peripheral animal activities; however, typical video loggers capture only a limited area on one side of an animal being monitored owing to their narrow field of view. Here, we investigated the resting behaviour of humpback whales using an animal-borne omnidirectional video camera combined with a behavioural data logger. In the video logger footage, two non-tagged resting individuals, which did not spread their flippers or move their flukes, were observed above a tagged animal, representing an apparent bout of group resting. During the video logger recording, the swim speed was relatively slow (0.75 m s-1), and the tagged animal made only a few strokes of very low amplitude during drift diving. We report the drift dives as resting behaviour specific to baleen whales as same as seals, sperm whales and loggerhead turtles. Overall, our study shows that an omnidirectional video logger is a valuable tool for interpreting animal ecology with improved accuracy owing to its ability to record a wide field of view.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Iwata
- Graduate School of Maritime Sciences, Kobe University, 5-1-1 Fukaeminami-machi, Higashinada-ku, Kobe, Hyogo, 658-0022, Japan; Ocean Policy Research Institute, Sasakawa Peace Foundation, 1-15-16 Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo, 105-8524, Japan; Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8564, Japan; Sea Mammal Research Unit, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9TS, UK.
| | - Martin Biuw
- Institute of Marine Research, P.O box, 6404, 9294, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Kagari Aoki
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8564, Japan
| | | | - Katsufumi Sato
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-8564, Japan
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19
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Cade DE, Seakamela SM, Findlay KP, Fukunaga J, Kahane‐Rapport SR, Warren JD, Calambokidis J, Fahlbusch JA, Friedlaender AS, Hazen EL, Kotze D, McCue S, Meÿer M, Oestreich WK, Oudejans MG, Wilke C, Goldbogen JA. Predator‐scale spatial analysis of intra‐patch prey distribution reveals the energetic drivers of rorqual whale super‐group formation. Funct Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- David E. Cade
- Hopkins Marine Station Stanford University Pacific Grove CA USA
- Institute of Marine Science University of California, Santa Cruz Santa Cruz CA USA
| | - S. Mduduzi Seakamela
- Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Branch: Oceans and Coasts, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront Cape Town South Africa
| | - Ken P. Findlay
- Oceans Economy Cape Peninsula University of Technology Cape Town South Africa
- MRI Whale Unit Department of Zoology and Entomology University of Pretoria Hatfield South Africa
| | - Julie Fukunaga
- Hopkins Marine Station Stanford University Pacific Grove CA USA
| | | | - Joseph D. Warren
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences Stony Brook University Southampton NY USA
| | | | - James A. Fahlbusch
- Hopkins Marine Station Stanford University Pacific Grove CA USA
- Cascadia Research Collective Olympia WA USA
| | - Ari S. Friedlaender
- Institute of Marine Science University of California, Santa Cruz Santa Cruz CA USA
| | - Elliott L. Hazen
- Environmental Research Division/Southwest Fisheries Science Center/National Marine Fisheries Service/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Monterey CA USA
| | - Deon Kotze
- Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Branch: Oceans and Coasts, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront Cape Town South Africa
| | - Steven McCue
- Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Branch: Oceans and Coasts, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront Cape Town South Africa
| | - Michael Meÿer
- Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Branch: Oceans and Coasts, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront Cape Town South Africa
| | | | | | - Christopher Wilke
- Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Branch: Fisheries Management Cape Town South Africa
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20
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Owen K, Saeki K, Warren JD, Bocconcelli A, Wiley DN, Ohira SI, Bombosch A, Toda K, Zitterbart DP. Natural dimethyl sulfide gradients would lead marine predators to higher prey biomass. Commun Biol 2021; 4:149. [PMID: 33526835 PMCID: PMC7851116 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-01668-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Finding prey is essential to survival, with marine predators hypothesised to track chemicals such as dimethyl sulfide (DMS) while foraging. Many predators are attracted to artificially released DMS, and laboratory experiments have shown that zooplankton grazing on phytoplankton accelerates DMS release. However, whether natural DMS concentrations are useful for predators and correlated to areas of high prey biomass remains a fundamental knowledge gap. Here, we used concurrent hydroacoustic surveys and in situ DMS measurements to present evidence that zooplankton biomass is spatially correlated to natural DMS concentration in air and seawater. Using agent simulations, we also show that following gradients of DMS would lead zooplankton predators to areas of higher prey biomass than swimming randomly. Further understanding of the conditions and scales over which these gradients occur, and how they are used by predators, is essential to predicting the impact of future changes in the ocean on predator foraging success. Kylie Owen et al. sample concurrent prey biomass and natural dimethyl sulfide (DMS) concentration, and show that these variables are correlated in air and seawater. Agent simulations show that following fine-scale gradients of DMS would lead zooplankton predators to higher prey biomass, shedding light on how marine predators may use these cues for foraging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kylie Owen
- Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA.,Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, Ecology & Biodiversity Centre, University of Tasmania, Battery Point, TAS, Australia.,Department of Environmental Research and Monitoring, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Kentaro Saeki
- Department of Chemistry, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Joseph D Warren
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Southampton, NY, USA
| | - Alessandro Bocconcelli
- Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - David N Wiley
- Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, NOAA National Ocean Service, Scituate, MA, USA
| | - Shin-Ichi Ohira
- Department of Chemistry, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Annette Bombosch
- Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - Kei Toda
- Department of Chemistry, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.
| | - Daniel P Zitterbart
- Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA. .,Biophysics Lab, Friedrich-Alexander-Universtät Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany. .,International Research Organization for Advanced Science and Technology (IROAST), Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.
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21
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Paijmans KC, Booth DJ, Wong MYL. Odd one in: Oddity within mixed‐species shoals does not affect shoal preference by vagrant tropical damselfish in the presence or absence of a predator. Ethology 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kai C. Paijmans
- Centre for Sustainable Ecosystems Solutions School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences University of Wollongong Wollongong NSW Australia
| | - David J. Booth
- Fish Ecology Lab University of Technology Sydney Sydney NSW Australia
| | - Marian Y. L. Wong
- Centre for Sustainable Ecosystems Solutions School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences University of Wollongong Wollongong NSW Australia
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22
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Stimpert AK, Lammers MO, Pack AA, Au WWL. Variations in received levels on a sound and movement tag on a singing humpback whale: Implications for caller identification. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2020; 147:3684. [PMID: 32486778 DOI: 10.1121/10.0001306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Bio-logging devices are advancing the understanding of marine animal behavior, but linking sound production and behavior of individual baleen whales is still unreliable. Tag placement potentially within the near field of the sound source creates uncertainty about how tagged animal sounds will register on recorders. This study used data from a tagged singing humpback whale to evaluate this question of how sound levels present on a tag when calls are produced by a tagged animal. Root-mean-square (rms) received levels (RLs) of song units ranged from 112 to 164 dB re 1 μPa rms, with some, but not all, of the lower frequency units registering on the tag's 800 Hz accelerometer sensor. Fifty-nine percent of recorded units measured lower acoustic RLs than previously reported source levels for humpback song, but signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) were 30-45 dB during periods of the dive with low noise. This research highlights that tag RL does not alone predict caller identity, argues for higher SNR thresholds if using SNR to inform decisions about the source of a call, and provides a baseline for future research identifying diagnostic properties of tagged animal calls in cetacean bioacoustic tag datasets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison K Stimpert
- Bioacoustics and Vertebrate Ecology, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, 8272 Moss Landing Road, Moss Landing, California 95039, USA
| | - Marc O Lammers
- Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 726 South Kihei Road, Kihei, Hawaii 96753, USA
| | - Adam A Pack
- Departments of Psychology and Biology and LOHE Bioacoustics Laboratory, University of Hawaii at Hilo, Hilo, Hawaii 96720, USA
| | - Whitlow W L Au
- Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, 46-007 Lilipuna Road, Kaneohe, Hawaii 96744, USA
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23
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Torres LG, Barlow DR, Chandler TE, Burnett JD. Insight into the kinematics of blue whale surface foraging through drone observations and prey data. PeerJ 2020; 8:e8906. [PMID: 32351781 PMCID: PMC7183305 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.8906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
To understand how predators optimize foraging strategies, extensive knowledge of predator behavior and prey distribution is needed. Blue whales employ an energetically demanding lunge feeding method that requires the whales to selectively feed where energetic gain exceeds energetic loss, while also balancing oxygen consumption, breath holding capacity, and surface recuperation time. Hence, blue whale foraging behavior is primarily driven by krill patch density and depth, but many studies have not fully considered surface feeding as a significant foraging strategy in energetic models. We collected predator and prey data on a blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) foraging ground in New Zealand in February 2017 to assess the distributional and behavioral response of blue whales to the distribution and density of krill prey aggregations. Krill density across the study region was greater toward the surface (upper 20 m), and blue whales were encountered where prey was relatively shallow and more dense. This relationship was particularly evident where foraging and surface lunge feeding were observed. Furthermore, New Zealand blue whales also had relatively short dive times (2.83 ± 0.27 SE min) as compared to other blue whale populations, which became even shorter at foraging sightings and where surface lunge feeding was observed. Using an unmanned aerial system (UAS; drone) we also captured unique video of a New Zealand blue whale's surface feeding behavior on well-illuminated krill patches. Video analysis illustrates the whale's potential use of vision to target prey, make foraging decisions, and orient body mechanics relative to prey patch characteristics. Kinematic analysis of a surface lunge feeding event revealed biomechanical coordination through speed, acceleration, head inclination, roll, and distance from krill patch to maximize prey engulfment. We compared these lunge kinematics to data previously reported from tagged blue whale lunges at depth to demonstrate strong similarities, and provide rare measurements of gape size, and krill response distance and time. These findings elucidate the predator-prey relationship between blue whales and krill, and provide support for the hypothesis that surface feeding by New Zealand blue whales is an important component to their foraging ecology used to optimize their energetic efficiency. Understanding how blue whales make foraging decisions presents logistical challenges, which may cause incomplete sampling and biased ecological knowledge if portions of their foraging behavior are undocumented. We conclude that surface foraging could be an important strategy for blue whales, and integration of UAS with tag-based studies may expand our understanding of their foraging ecology by examining surface feeding events in conjunction with behaviors at depth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leigh G. Torres
- Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Lab, Marine Mammal Institute, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Newport, OR, United States of America
| | - Dawn R. Barlow
- Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Lab, Marine Mammal Institute, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Newport, OR, United States of America
| | - Todd E. Chandler
- Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Lab, Marine Mammal Institute, Oregon State University, Newport, OR, United States of America
| | - Jonathan D. Burnett
- Aerial Information Systems Laboratory, Forest Engineering, Resources and Management, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States of America
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24
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Derville S, Torres LG, Zerbini AN, Oremus M, Garrigue C. Horizontal and vertical movements of humpback whales inform the use of critical pelagic habitats in the western South Pacific. Sci Rep 2020; 10:4871. [PMID: 32184421 PMCID: PMC7078318 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-61771-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) are known for their nearshore distribution during the breeding season, but their pelagic habitat use patterns remain mostly unexplored. From 2016 to 2018, 18 humpback whales were equipped with depth-recording satellite tags (SPLASH10) to shed light on environmental and social drivers of seamount association around New Caledonia in the western South Pacific. Movement paths were spatially structured around shallow seamounts (<200 m). Indeed, two males stopped over the Lord Howe seamount chain during the first-ever recorded longitudinal transit between New Caledonia and the east coast of Australia. Residence time significantly increased with proximity to shallow seamounts, while dive depth increased in the vicinity of seafloor ridges. Most of the 7,986 recorded dives occurred above 80 m (88.5%), but deep dives (>80 m, max 616 m) were also recorded (11.5%), including by maternal females. Deep dives often occurred in series and were characterized by U-shapes suggesting high energy expenditure. This study provides new insights into the formerly overlooked use of pelagic habitats by humpback whales during the breeding season. Given increasing anthropogenic threats on deep sea habitats worldwide, this work has implications for the conservation of vulnerable marine ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Solène Derville
- UMR ENTROPIE, IRD, 101 promenade Roger Laroque, 98848, Nouméa, New Caledonia. .,Operation Cétacés, BP12827, 98802, Nouméa, New Caledonia. .,Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 6, IFD-ED129, 4 Place Jussieu, Paris, 75252, France. .,Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Lab, Marine Mammal Institute, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, 2030 SE Marine Science Drive, Newport, 97365, OR, USA.
| | - Leigh G Torres
- Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Lab, Marine Mammal Institute, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, 2030 SE Marine Science Drive, Newport, 97365, OR, USA
| | - Alexandre N Zerbini
- Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, 2725 Montlake Blvd E, Seattle, 98112, WA, USA
| | - Marc Oremus
- WWF France, Parc Forestier Michel Corbasson, BP692, 98845, Nouméa, New Caledonia
| | - Claire Garrigue
- UMR ENTROPIE, IRD, 101 promenade Roger Laroque, 98848, Nouméa, New Caledonia.,Operation Cétacés, BP12827, 98802, Nouméa, New Caledonia
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25
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Zhu Y, Yang G, Zhuang C, Li C, Hu D. Oral cavity flow distribution and pressure drop in balaenid whales feeding: a theoretical analysis. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2020; 15:036004. [PMID: 31978919 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/ab6fb8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Balaenid whales, as continuous ram filter feeders, can efficiently separate prey from water by baleen. The feeding process of balaenid whales is extremely complex, in which the flow distribution and pressure drop in the oral cavity play a significant role. In this paper, a theoretical model coupled with oral cavity velocity and pressure in balaenid whales is established based on mass conservation, momentum conservation and pressure drop equations, considering both the inertial and the friction terms. A discrete method with section-by-section calculation is adopted to solve the theoretical model. The effects of four crucial parameters, i.e. the ratio of filtration area to inlet area (S), the Reynolds number of entrance (Re in ), the ratio of thickness to permeability of the porous media formed by the fringe layer (ϕ) and the width ratio of the anteroposterior canal within the mouth along the tongue (APT channel) to that along the lip (APL channel) (H) are discussed. The results show that, for a given case, the flow distribution and the pressure drop both show increasing trends with the flow direction. For different cases, when S is small, Re in is small and ϕ is large, a good flow pattern emerges with a smoother flow speed near the oropharynx, better drainage, better shunting and filtration, and higher energy efficiency. However, for smaller values of H, some energy efficiency is sacrificed to achieve additional average transverse flow in order to produce better shunting and filtration. The research in this paper provides a reference for the design of high-efficiency bionic filters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yawei Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Design and Manufacturing for Vehicle Body, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, People's Republic of China. Key Laboratory of Advanced Design and Simulation Techniques for Special Equipments, Ministry of Education, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, People's Republic of China
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26
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Fahlman A, Borque-Espinosa A, Facchin F, Fernandez DF, Caballero PM, Haulena M, Rocho-Levine J. Comparative Respiratory Physiology in Cetaceans. Front Physiol 2020; 11:142. [PMID: 32194433 PMCID: PMC7063064 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.00142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
In the current study, we used breath-by-breath respirometry to evaluate respiratory physiology under voluntary control in a male beluga calf [Delphinapterus leucas, body mass range (M b): 151-175 kg], an adult female (estimated M b = 500-550 kg) and a juvenile male (M b = 279 kg) false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) housed in managed care. Our results suggest that the measured breathing frequency (f R) is lower, while tidal volume (V T) is significantly greater as compared with allometric predictions from terrestrial mammals. Including previously published data from adult bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) beluga, harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena), killer whale (Orcinus orca), pilot whale (Globicephala scammoni), and gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) show that the allometric mass-exponents for V T and f R are similar to that for terrestrial mammals (V T: 1.00, f R: -0.20). In addition, our results suggest an allometric relationship for respiratory flow ( V . ), with a mass-exponent between 0.63 and 0.70, and where the expiratory V . was an average 30% higher as compared with inspiratory V . . These data provide enhanced understanding of the respiratory physiology of cetaceans and are useful to provide proxies of lung function to better understand lung health or physiological limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Fahlman
- Research Department, Fundación Oceanogràfic de la Comunitat Valenciana, Valencia, Spain
- Global Diving Research Inc., Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Alicia Borque-Espinosa
- Research Department, Fundación Oceanogràfic de la Comunitat Valenciana, Valencia, Spain
- University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Federico Facchin
- Research Department, Fundación Oceanogràfic de la Comunitat Valenciana, Valencia, Spain
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Habitat compression and ecosystem shifts as potential links between marine heatwave and record whale entanglements. Nat Commun 2020; 11:536. [PMID: 31988285 PMCID: PMC6985238 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-14215-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change and increased variability and intensity of climate events, in combination with recovering protected species populations and highly capitalized fisheries, are posing new challenges for fisheries management. We examine socio-ecological features of the unprecedented 2014–2016 northeast Pacific marine heatwave to understand the potential causes for record numbers of whale entanglements in the central California Current crab fishery. We observed habitat compression of coastal upwelling, changes in availability of forage species (krill and anchovy), and shoreward distribution shift of foraging whales. We propose that these ecosystem changes, combined with recovering whale populations, contributed to the exacerbation of entanglements throughout the marine heatwave. In 2016, domoic acid contamination prompted an unprecedented delay in the opening of California’s Dungeness crab fishery that inadvertently intensified the spatial overlap between whales and crab fishery gear. We present a retroactive assessment of entanglements to demonstrate that cooperation of fishers, resource managers, and scientists could mitigate future entanglement risk by developing climate-ready fisheries approaches, while supporting thriving fishing communities. Climate-driven extreme events may have strong local impacts on marine organisms and fisheries. Here the authors report increased whale entanglements in the northeast Pacific following a marine heatwave, and propose compression of coastal upwelling habitat as the potential driver.
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Abstract
The largest animals are baleen filter feeders that exploit large aggregations of small-bodied plankton. Although this feeding mechanism has evolved multiple times in marine vertebrates, rorqual whales exhibit a distinct lunge filter feeding mode that requires extreme physiological adaptations-most of which remain poorly understood. Here, we review the biomechanics of the lunge feeding mechanism in rorqual whales that underlies their extraordinary foraging performance and gigantic body size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert E Shadwick
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Jean Potvin
- Department of Physics, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Jeremy A Goldbogen
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, California
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29
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Kosma MM, Werth AJ, Szabo AR, Straley JM. Pectoral herding: an innovative tactic for humpback whale foraging. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2019; 6:191104. [PMID: 31824717 PMCID: PMC6837203 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.191104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) have exceptionally long pectorals (i.e. flippers) that aid in shallow water navigation, rapid acceleration and increased manoeuvrability. The use of pectorals to herd or manipulate prey has been hypothesized since the 1930s. We combined new technology and a unique viewing platform to document the additional use of pectorals to aggregate prey during foraging events. Here, we provide a description of 'pectoral herding' and explore the conditions that may promote this innovative foraging behaviour. Specifically, we analysed aerial videos and photographic sequences to assess the function of pectorals during feeding events near salmon hatchery release sites in Southeast Alaska (2016-2018). We observed the use of solo bubble-nets to initially corral prey, followed by calculated movements to establish a secondary boundary with the pectorals-further condensing prey and increasing foraging efficiency. We found three ways in which humpback whales use pectorals to herd prey: (i) create a physical barrier to prevent evasion, (ii) cause water motion to guide prey towards the mouth, and (iii) position the ventral side to reflect light and alter prey movement. Our findings suggest that behavioural plasticity may aid foraging in changing environments and shifts in prey availability. Further study would clarify if 'pectoral herding' is used as a principal foraging tool by the broader humpback whale population and the conditions that promote its use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madison M. Kosma
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Juneau, AK 99801, USA
| | - Alexander J. Werth
- Department of Biology, Hampden-Sydney College, Hampden-Sydney, VA 23943, USA
| | | | - Janice M. Straley
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of Alaska Southeast, Sitka, AK 99835, USA
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30
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Werth AJ, Kosma MM, Chenoweth EM, Straley JM. New views of humpback whale flow dynamics and oral morphology during prey engulfment. MARINE MAMMAL SCIENCE 2019; 35:1556-1578. [PMID: 32863564 PMCID: PMC7449129 DOI: 10.1111/mms.12614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The rise of inexpensive, user-friendly cameras and editing software promises to revolutionize data collection with minimal disturbance to marine mammals. Video sequences recorded by aerial drones and GoPro cameras provided close-up views and unique perspectives of humpback whales engulfing juvenile salmon at or just below the water surface in Southeast Alaska and Prince William Sound. Although humpback feeding is famous for its flexibility, several stereotyped events were noted in the 47 lunges we analyzed. Engulfment was rapid (mean 2.07 s), and the entrance through which the tongue inverts into the ventral pouch was seen as water rushes in. Cranial elevation was a major contributor to gape, and pouch contraction sometimes began before full gape closure, with reverberating waves indicating rebounding flow of water within the expanded pouch. Expulsion of filtered water began with a small splash at the anterior of the mouth, followed by sustained excurrent flow in the mouth's central or posterior regions. Apart from a splash of rebounding water, water within the mouth was surprisingly turbulence-free during engulfment, but submersion of the whale's head created visible surface whirlpools and vortices which may aggregate prey for subsequent engulfment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Madison M. Kosma
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Juneau, Alaska 99801, U.S.A
| | - Ellen M. Chenoweth
- College of Natural Science and Mathematics, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Sitka, Alaska 99835, U.S.A
| | - Janice M. Straley
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of Alaska Southeast, Sitka, Alaska 99835, U.S.A
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31
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Hoop JM, Nousek‐McGregor AE, Nowacek DP, Parks SE, Tyack P, Madsen PT. Foraging rates of ram‐filtering North Atlantic right whales. Funct Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Douglas P. Nowacek
- Nicholas School of the Environment & Pratt School of Engineering Duke University Beaufort North California
| | - Susan E. Parks
- Biology Department Syracuse University Syracuse New York
| | - Peter Tyack
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute University of St Andrews St Andrews UK
| | - Peter Teglberg Madsen
- Department of Bioscience Aarhus University Aarhus Denmark
- Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies Aarhus University Aarhus Denmark
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32
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Bouchard B, Barnagaud JY, Poupard M, Glotin H, Gauffier P, Torres Ortiz S, Lisney TJ, Campagna S, Rasmussen M, Célérier A. Behavioural responses of humpback whales to food-related chemical stimuli. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0212515. [PMID: 30807595 PMCID: PMC6391047 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0212515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2018] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Baleen whales face the challenge of finding patchily distributed food in the open ocean. Their relatively well-developed olfactory structures suggest that they could identify the specific odours given off by planktonic prey such as krill aggregations. Like other marine predators, they may also detect dimethyl sulfide (DMS), a chemical released in areas of high marine productivity. However, dedicated behavioural studies still have to be conducted in baleen whales in order to confirm the involvement of chemoreception in their feeding ecology. We implemented 56 behavioural response experiments in humpback whales using two food-related chemical stimuli, krill extract and DMS, as well as their respective controls (orange clay and vegetable oil) in their breeding (Madagascar) and feeding grounds (Iceland and Antarctic Peninsula). The whales approached the stimulus area and stayed longer in the trial zone during krill extract trials compared to control trials, suggesting that they were attracted to the chemical source and spent time exploring its surroundings, probably in search of prey. This response was observed in Iceland, and to a lesser extend in Madagascar, but not in Antarctica. Surface behaviours indicative of sensory exploration, such as diving under the stimulus area and stopping navigation, were also observed more often during krill extract trials than during control trials. Exposure to DMS did not elicit such exploration behaviours in any of the study areas. However, acoustic analyses suggest that DMS and krill extract both modified the whales' acoustic activity in Madagascar. Altogether, these results provide the first behavioural evidence that baleen whales actually perceive prey-derived chemical cues over distances of several hundred metres. Chemoreception, especially olfaction, could thus be used for locating prey aggregations and for navigation at sea, as it has been shown in other marine predators including seabirds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bertrand Bouchard
- Behavioural Ecology Group, CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS–Université de Montpellier–Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier–EPHE, Montpellier, France
- Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Jean-Yves Barnagaud
- Behavioural Ecology Group, CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS–Université de Montpellier–Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier–EPHE, Montpellier, France
| | - Marion Poupard
- DYNI team, LIS, Université de Toulon, Université Aix-Marseille, CNRS, Marseille, France
| | - Hervé Glotin
- DYNI team, LIS, Université de Toulon, Université Aix-Marseille, CNRS, Marseille, France
| | - Pauline Gauffier
- CIRCE, Conservation, Information and Research on Cetaceans, Algeciras-Pelayo, Cadiz, Spain
| | - Sara Torres Ortiz
- Marine Biological Research Centre, Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Kerteminde, Denmark
| | - Thomas J. Lisney
- Behavioural Ecology Group, CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS–Université de Montpellier–Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier–EPHE, Montpellier, France
- Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | | | | | - Aurélie Célérier
- Behavioural Ecology Group, CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS–Université de Montpellier–Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier–EPHE, Montpellier, France
- Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
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33
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Akiyama Y, Akamatsu T, Rasmussen MH, Iversen MR, Iwata T, Goto Y, Aoki K, Sato K. Leave or stay? Video-logger revealed foraging efficiency of humpback whales under temporal change in prey density. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0211138. [PMID: 30721236 PMCID: PMC6363283 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0211138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Accepted: 01/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Central place foraging theory (CPF) has been used to predict the optimal patch residence time for air-breathing marine predators in response to patch quality. Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) forage on densely aggregated prey, which may induce drastic change in prey density in a single feeding event. Thus, the decision whether to leave or stay after each feeding event in a single dive in response to this drastic change, should have a significant effect on prey exploitation efficiency. However, whether humpback whales show adaptive behavior in response to the diminishing prey density in a single dive has been technically difficult to test. Here, we studied the foraging behavior of humpback whales in response to change in prey density in a single dive and calculated the efficiency of each foraging dive using a model based on CPF approach. Using animal-borne accelerometers and video loggers attached to whales, foraging behavior and change in relative prey density in front of the whales were successfully quantified. Results showed diminishing rate of energy intake in consecutive feeding events, and humpback whales efficiently fed by bringing the rate of energy intake close to maximum in a single dive cycle. This video-based method also enabled us to detect the presence of other animals around the tagged whales, showing an interesting trend in behavioral changes where feeding duration was shorter when other animals were present. Our results have introduced a new potential to quantitatively investigate the effect of other animals on free-ranging top predators in the context of optimal foraging theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Akiyama
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Tomonari Akamatsu
- National Research Institute of Fisheries Science, Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency, Kanazawa, Yokohama, Japan
| | | | - Maria R. Iversen
- The University of Iceland’s Research Center in Húsavík, Húsavík, Iceland
| | - Takashi Iwata
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, Bute Building, St Andrews, Fife, United Kingdom
| | - Yusuke Goto
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
| | - Kagari Aoki
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
| | - Katsufumi Sato
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
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34
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Montuelle SJ, Kane EA. Food Capture in Vertebrates: A Complex Integrative Performance of the Cranial and Postcranial Systems. FEEDING IN VERTEBRATES 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-13739-7_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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35
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Becker EA, Forney KA, Redfern JV, Barlow J, Jacox MG, Roberts JJ, Palacios DM. Predicting cetacean abundance and distribution in a changing climate. DIVERS DISTRIB 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A. Becker
- Marine Mammal and Turtle Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration La Jolla California
- ManTech International Corporation Solana Beach California
| | - Karin A. Forney
- Marine Mammal and Turtle Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Moss Landing California
- Moss Landing Marine Laboratories Moss Landing California
| | - Jessica V. Redfern
- Marine Mammal and Turtle Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration La Jolla California
| | - Jay Barlow
- Marine Mammal and Turtle Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration La Jolla California
| | - Michael G. Jacox
- Environmental Research Division Southwest Fisheries Science Center Monterey California
- Physical Sciences Division Earth System Research Laboratory Boulder Colorado
| | - Jason J. Roberts
- Marine Geospatial Ecology Laboratory, Nicholas School of the Environment Duke University Durham North Carolina
| | - Daniel M. Palacios
- Marine Mammal Institute and Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Hatfield Marine Science Center Oregon State University Newport Oregon
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36
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Kahane‐Rapport SR, Goldbogen JA. Allometric scaling of morphology and engulfment capacity in rorqual whales. J Morphol 2018; 279:1256-1268. [DOI: 10.1002/jmor.20846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2018] [Revised: 05/16/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shirel R. Kahane‐Rapport
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station Stanford University 120 Ocean View Blvd, Pacific Grove California
| | - Jeremy A. Goldbogen
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station Stanford University 120 Ocean View Blvd, Pacific Grove California
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37
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Rivero JLL. Locomotor muscle fibre heterogeneity and metabolism in the fastest large-bodied rorqual: the fin whale ( Balaenoptera physalus). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 221:jeb.177758. [PMID: 29691309 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.177758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2018] [Accepted: 04/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
From a terrestrial ancestry, the fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) is one of the largest animals on Earth with a sprinter anti-predator strategy, and a characteristic feeding mode, lunge feeding, which involves bouts of high-intensity muscle activity demanding high metabolic output. We investigated the locomotor muscle morphology and metabolism of this cetacean to determine whether its muscle profile (1) explains this unique swimming performance and feeding behaviour, (2) is or is not homogeneous within the muscle, and (3) predicts allometric variations inherent to an extreme body size. A predominantly fast-glycolytic phenotype characterized the fin whale locomotor muscle, composed of abundant fast-twitch (type IIA) fibres with high glycolytic potential, low oxidative capacity, relatively small size, and reduced number of capillaries. Compared with superficial areas, deep regions of this muscle exhibited a slower and more oxidative profile, suggesting a division of labour between muscle strata. As expected, the fin whale locomotor muscle only expressed the two slowest myosin heavy chain isoforms (I and IIA). However, it displayed anaerobic (glycolytic) and aerobic (lipid-based metabolism) capabilities higher than would be predicted from the allometric perspective of its extreme body size. Relationships between muscle metabolism and body mass were fibre-type specific. The 'sprinter' profile of the fin whale swimming muscle, particularly of its superficial compartment, supports physiological demands during both high-speed swimming and the lunge, when energy expenditure reaches maximal or supramaximal levels. Comparatively, the slower and more oxidative profile of the deep compartment of this muscle seems to be well designed for sustained, low-intensity muscle activity during routine swimming.
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Affiliation(s)
- José-Luis L Rivero
- Laboratory of Muscular Biopathology, Department of Comparative Anatomy and Pathological Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Cordoba, Campus Universitario de Rabanales, 14014 Cordoba, Spain
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38
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Goldbogen JA, Cade DE, Boersma AT, Calambokidis J, Kahane-Rapport SR, Segre PS, Stimpert AK, Friedlaender AS. Using Digital Tags With Integrated Video and Inertial Sensors to Study Moving Morphology and Associated Function in Large Aquatic Vertebrates. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2018; 300:1935-1941. [PMID: 28971623 DOI: 10.1002/ar.23650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2017] [Revised: 06/20/2017] [Accepted: 06/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The anatomy of large cetaceans has been well documented, mostly through dissection of dead specimens. However, the difficulty of studying the world's largest animals in their natural environment means the functions of anatomical structures must be inferred. Recently, non-invasive tracking devices have been developed that measure body position and orientation, thereby enabling the detailed reconstruction of underwater trajectories. The addition of cameras to the whale-borne tags allows the sensor data to be matched with real-time observations of how whales use their morphological structures, such as flukes, flippers, feeding apparatuses, and blowholes for the physiological functions of locomotion, feeding, and breathing. Here, we describe a new tag design with integrated video and inertial sensors and how it can be used to provide insights to the function of whale anatomy. This technology has the potential to facilitate a wide range of discoveries and comparative studies, but many challenges remain to increase the resolution and applicability of the data. Anat Rec, 300:1935-1941, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- J A Goldbogen
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, California
| | - D E Cade
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, California
| | - A T Boersma
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, California
| | | | - S R Kahane-Rapport
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, California
| | - P S Segre
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, California
| | - A K Stimpert
- Vertebrate Ecology Laboratory, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, Moss Landing, California
| | - A S Friedlaender
- Marine Mammal Institute, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon State University, Newport, Oregon
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39
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40
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Respiratory behaviors in sympatric rorqual whales: the influence of prey depth and implications for temporal access to prey. J Mammal 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyx170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
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41
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Ishii M, Murase H, Fukuda Y, Sawada K, Sasakura T, Tamura T, Bando T, Matsuoka K, Shinohara A, Nakatsuka S, Katsumata N, Okazaki M, Miyashita K, Mitani Y. Diving Behavior of Sei WhalesBalaenoptera borealisRelative to the Vertical Distribution of Their Potential Prey. MAMMAL STUDY 2017. [DOI: 10.3106/041.042.0403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Midori Ishii
- Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, 20-5 Benten-cho, Hakodate, Hokkaido 040-0051, Japan
| | - Hiroto Murase
- National Research Institute of Far Seas Fisheries, Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency, 2-12-4 Fukuura, Kanazawa, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-8648, Japan
| | - Yoshiaki Fukuda
- National Research Institute of Fisheries Engineering, Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency, 7620-7 Hasaki, Kamisu, Ibaraki 314-0408, Japan
| | - Kouichi Sawada
- National Research Institute of Fisheries Engineering, Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency, 7620-7 Hasaki, Kamisu, Ibaraki 314-0408, Japan
| | - Toyoki Sasakura
- Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, 4-5-7, Konan, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8477, Japan
| | - Tsutomu Tamura
- The Institute of Cetacean Research, 4-5, Toyomi-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0055, Japan
| | - Takeharu Bando
- The Institute of Cetacean Research, 4-5, Toyomi-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0055, Japan
| | - Koji Matsuoka
- The Institute of Cetacean Research, 4-5, Toyomi-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0055, Japan
| | - Akira Shinohara
- Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, 20-5 Benten-cho, Hakodate, Hokkaido 040-0051, Japan
| | - Sayaka Nakatsuka
- National Research Institute of Far Seas Fisheries, Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency, 5-7-1 Orido, Shimizu-ku, Shizuoka-shi, Shizuoka 424-8633, Japan
| | - Nobuhiro Katsumata
- National Research Institute of Far Seas Fisheries, Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency, 5-7-1 Orido, Shimizu-ku, Shizuoka-shi, Shizuoka 424-8633, Japan
| | - Makoto Okazaki
- National Research Institute of Far Seas Fisheries, Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency, 2-12-4 Fukuura, Kanazawa, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-8648, Japan
| | - Kazushi Miyashita
- Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, 20-5 Benten-cho, Hakodate, Hokkaido 040-0051, Japan
| | - Yoko Mitani
- Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, 20-5 Benten-cho, Hakodate, Hokkaido 040-0051, Japan
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42
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Frankel AS, Gabriele CM. Predicting the acoustic exposure of humpback whales from cruise and tour vessel noise in Glacier Bay, Alaska, under different management strategies. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2017. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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43
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Wensveen PJ, Kvadsheim PH, Lam FPA, von Benda-Beckmann AM, Sivle LD, Visser F, Curé C, Tyack PL, Miller PJO. Lack of behavioural responses of humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae) indicate limited effectiveness of sonar mitigation. J Exp Biol 2017; 220:4150-4161. [PMID: 29141878 PMCID: PMC5702040 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.161232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2017] [Accepted: 09/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to underwater sound can cause permanent hearing loss and other physiological effects in marine animals. To reduce this risk, naval sonars are sometimes gradually increased in intensity at the start of transmission ('ramp-up'). Here, we conducted experiments in which tagged humpback whales were approached with a ship to test whether a sonar operation preceded by ramp-up reduced three risk indicators - maximum sound pressure level (SPLmax), cumulative sound exposure level (SELcum) and minimum source-whale range (Rmin) - compared with a sonar operation not preceded by ramp-up. Whales were subject to one no-sonar control session and either two successive ramp-up sessions (RampUp1, RampUp2) or a ramp-up session (RampUp1) and a full-power session (FullPower). Full-power sessions were conducted only twice; for other whales we used acoustic modelling that assumed transmission of the full-power sequence during their no-sonar control. Averaged over all whales, risk indicators in RampUp1 (n=11) differed significantly from those in FullPower (n=12) by -3.0 dB (SPLmax), -2.0 dB (SELcum) and +168 m (Rmin), but not significantly from those in RampUp2 (n=9). Only five whales in RampUp1, four whales in RampUp2 and none in FullPower or control sessions avoided the sound source. For RampUp1, we found statistically significant differences in risk indicators between whales that avoided the sonar and whales that did not: -4.7 dB (SPLmax), -3.4 dB (SELcum) and +291 m (Rmin). In contrast, for RampUp2, these differences were smaller and not significant. This study suggests that sonar ramp-up has a positive but limited mitigative effect for humpback whales overall, but that ramp-up can reduce the risk of harm more effectively in situations when animals are more responsive and likely to avoid the sonar, e.g. owing to novelty of the stimulus, when they are in the path of an approaching sonar ship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul J Wensveen
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9TS, UK
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Sturlugata 7, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Petter H Kvadsheim
- Maritime Systems, Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI), NO-3191, Horten, Norway
| | - Frans-Peter A Lam
- Acoustics and Sonar, The Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), PO Box 96864, The Hague, 2509 JG, The Netherlands
| | - Alexander M von Benda-Beckmann
- Acoustics and Sonar, The Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), PO Box 96864, The Hague, 2509 JG, The Netherlands
| | - Lise D Sivle
- Marine Ecosystem Acoustics, Institute of Marine Research, PO Box 1870, Nordnes, 5817 Bergen, Norway
| | - Fleur Visser
- Kelp Marine Research, Loniusstraat 9, 1624 CJ, Hoorn, The Netherlands
- Behavioural Biology Group, Institute of Biology, Leiden University, PO Box 9505, 2300 RA, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Charlotte Curé
- Acoustics Group, CEREMA - DTerEst, F-67035, Strasbourg Cedex 2, France
| | - Peter L Tyack
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9TS, UK
| | - Patrick J O Miller
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9TS, UK
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Thorne LH, Conners MG, Hazen EL, Bograd SJ, Antolos M, Costa DP, Shaffer SA. Effects of El Niño-driven changes in wind patterns on North Pacific albatrosses. J R Soc Interface 2017; 13:rsif.2016.0196. [PMID: 27278360 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2016.0196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2016] [Accepted: 05/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Changes to patterns of wind and ocean currents are tightly linked to climate change and have important implications for cost of travel and energy budgets in marine vertebrates. We evaluated how El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO)-driven wind patterns affected breeding Laysan and black-footed albatross across a decade of study. Owing to latitudinal variation in wind patterns, wind speed differed between habitat used during incubation and brooding; during La Niña conditions, wind speeds were lower in incubating Laysan (though not black-footed) albatross habitat, but higher in habitats used by brooding albatrosses. Incubating Laysan albatrosses benefited from increased wind speeds during El Niño conditions, showing increased travel speeds and mass gained during foraging trips. However, brooding albatrosses did not benefit from stronger winds during La Niña conditions, instead experiencing stronger cumulative headwinds and a smaller proportion of trips in tailwinds. Increased travel costs during brooding may contribute to the lower reproductive success observed in La Niña conditions. Furthermore, benefits of stronger winds in incubating habitat may explain the higher reproductive success of Laysan albatross during El Niño conditions. Our findings highlight the importance of considering habitat accessibility and cost of travel when evaluating the impacts of climate-driven habitat change on marine predators.
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Affiliation(s)
- L H Thorne
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11790, USA
| | - M G Conners
- Ocean Sciences Department, University of California Santa Cruz, 100 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA Center for the Science of Animal Care and Welfare, Chicago Zoological Society, 3300 Golf Road, Brookfield, IL 60513, USA
| | - E L Hazen
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, 100 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA Environmental Research Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries, 99 Pacific Street, Suite 255A, Monterey, CA 93940, USA
| | - S J Bograd
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, 100 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA Environmental Research Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries, 99 Pacific Street, Suite 255A, Monterey, CA 93940, USA
| | - M Antolos
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, 100 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, 104 Nash Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331-3803, USA
| | - D P Costa
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, 100 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| | - S A Shaffer
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, 100 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA Department of Biological Sciences, San José State University, One Washington Square, San Jose, CA 95192, USA
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45
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Dynamic foraging of a top predator in a seasonal polar marine environment. Oecologia 2017; 185:427-435. [PMID: 28914358 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-017-3949-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2017] [Accepted: 08/30/2017] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The seasonal movement of animals at broad spatial scales provides insight into life-history, ecology and conservation. By combining high-resolution satellite-tagged data with hierarchical Bayesian movement models, we can associate spatial patterns of movement with marine animal behavior. We used a multi-state mixture model to describe humpback whale traveling and area-restricted search states as they forage along the West Antarctic Peninsula. We estimated the change in the geography, composition and characteristics of these behavioral states through time. We show that whales later in the austral fall spent more time in movements associated with foraging, traveled at lower speeds between foraging areas, and shifted their distribution northward and inshore. Seasonal changes in movement are likely due to a combination of sea ice advance and regional shifts in the primary prey source. Our study is a step towards dynamic movement models in the marine environment at broad scales.
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Mannocci L, Boustany AM, Roberts JJ, Palacios DM, Dunn DC, Halpin PN, Viehman S, Moxley J, Cleary J, Bailey H, Bograd SJ, Becker EA, Gardner B, Hartog JR, Hazen EL, Ferguson MC, Forney KA, Kinlan BP, Oliver MJ, Perretti CT, Ridoux V, Teo SLH, Winship AJ. Temporal resolutions in species distribution models of highly mobile marine animals: Recommendations for ecologists and managers. DIVERS DISTRIB 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Mannocci
- Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab; Nicholas School of the Environment; Duke University; Durham NC USA
| | - Andre M. Boustany
- Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab; Nicholas School of the Environment; Duke University; Durham NC USA
| | - Jason J. Roberts
- Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab; Nicholas School of the Environment; Duke University; Durham NC USA
| | - Daniel M. Palacios
- Marine Mammal Institute and Department of Fisheries and Wildlife; Oregon State University; Hatfield Marine Science Center; Newport OR USA
| | - Daniel C. Dunn
- Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab; Nicholas School of the Environment; Duke University; Durham NC USA
| | - Patrick N. Halpin
- Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab; Nicholas School of the Environment; Duke University; Durham NC USA
| | - Shay Viehman
- Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab; Nicholas School of the Environment; Duke University; Durham NC USA
| | - Jerry Moxley
- Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab; Nicholas School of the Environment; Duke University; Durham NC USA
| | - Jesse Cleary
- Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab; Nicholas School of the Environment; Duke University; Durham NC USA
| | - Helen Bailey
- Chesapeake Biological Laboratory; University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science; Solomons MD USA
| | - Steven J. Bograd
- Environmental Research Division; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Southwest Fisheries Science Center; Monterey CA USA
| | - Elizabeth A. Becker
- Protected Resources Division; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Southwest Fisheries Science Center; Santa Cruz CA USA
- ManTech International Corporation; Solana Beach CA USA
| | - Beth Gardner
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences; University of Washington; Seattle WA USA
| | | | - Elliott L. Hazen
- Environmental Research Division; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Southwest Fisheries Science Center; Monterey CA USA
| | - Megan C. Ferguson
- Marine Mammal Laboratory; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries; Alaska Fisheries Science Center; Seattle WA USA
| | - Karin A. Forney
- Protected Resources Division; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Southwest Fisheries Science Center; Santa Cruz CA USA
| | - Brian P. Kinlan
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; National Ocean Service; National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science; Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment; Biogeography Branch; Silver Spring MD USA
| | - Matthew J. Oliver
- College of Earth, Ocean and Environment; University of Delaware; Lewes DE USA
| | - Charles T. Perretti
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; National Marine Fisheries Service; Northeast Fisheries Science Center; Woods Hole MA USA
| | - Vincent Ridoux
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé; UMR 7372 Université de La Rochelle-CNRS; La Rochelle France
| | - Steven L. H. Teo
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; National Marine Fisheries Service; Southwest Fisheries Science Center; La Jolla CA USA
| | - Arliss J. Winship
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; National Ocean Service; National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science; Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment; Biogeography Branch; Silver Spring MD USA
- CSS-Dynamac; Fairfax VA USA
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Humpback whale ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) and killer whale ( Orcinus orca ) feeding aggregations for foraging on herring ( Clupea harengus ) in Northern Norway. Mamm Biol 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2017.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Chenoweth EM, Straley JM, McPhee MV, Atkinson S, Reifenstuhl S. Humpback whales feed on hatchery-released juvenile salmon. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2017; 4:170180. [PMID: 28791145 PMCID: PMC5541540 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.170180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2017] [Accepted: 06/07/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Humpback whales are remarkable for the behavioural plasticity of their feeding tactics and the diversity of their diets. Within the last decade at hatchery release sites in Southeast Alaska, humpback whales have begun exploiting juvenile salmon, a previously undocumented prey. The anthropogenic source of these salmon and their important contribution to local fisheries makes the emergence of humpback whale predation a concern for the Southeast Alaska economy. Here, we describe the frequency of observing humpback whales, examine the role of temporal and spatial variables affecting the probability of sighting humpback whales and describe prey capture behaviours at five hatchery release sites. We coordinated twice-daily 15 min observations during the spring release seasons 2010-2015. Using logistic regression, we determined that the probability of occurrence of humpback whales increased after releases began and decreased after releases concluded. The probability of whale occurrence varied among release sites but did not increase significantly over the 6 year study period. Whales were reported to be feeding on juvenile chum, Chinook and coho salmon, with photographic and video records of whales feeding on coho salmon. The ability to adapt to new prey sources may be key to sustaining their population in a changing ocean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen M. Chenoweth
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Juneau, AK 99801, USA
| | - Janice M. Straley
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of Alaska Southeast, Sitka, AK 99835, USA
| | - Megan V. McPhee
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Juneau, AK 99801, USA
| | - Shannon Atkinson
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Juneau, AK 99801, USA
| | - Steve Reifenstuhl
- Northern Southeast Regional Aquaculture Association, Sitka, AK 99835, USA
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Werth AJ, Ito H. Sling, Scoop, and Squirter: Anatomical Features Facilitating Prey Transport, Processing, and Swallowing in Rorqual Whales (Mammalia: Balaenopteridae). Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2017; 300:2070-2086. [DOI: 10.1002/ar.23606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2016] [Revised: 01/15/2017] [Accepted: 01/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Haruka Ito
- National Research Institute of Fisheries Science, Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency; Yokohama Kanagawa 236-8648 Japan
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50
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Keen EM. Aggregative and feeding thresholds of sympatric rorqual whales within a fjord system. Ecosphere 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Eric M. Keen
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography; UC: San Diego; 9500 Gilman Drive La Jolla California 92093 USA
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