Spatial Association Of Humpback Whales Megaptera Novaeangliae And Their Prey In The Southern Gulf Of Maine Usa
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Spatial Association Of Humpback Whales Megaptera Novaeangliae And Their Prey In The Southern Gulf Of Maine Usa
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Author : Theresa Kirchner
language : en
Publisher:
Release Date : 2016
Spatial Association Of Humpback Whales Megaptera Novaeangliae And Their Prey In The Southern Gulf Of Maine Usa written by Theresa Kirchner and has been published by this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2016 with Ammodytes categories.
Efficient foraging strategies result in a predator spatially overlapping with its prey, foraging in the most profitable patches, and minimizing the time transiting between patches. Previous studies investigating baleen whale foraging strategies have generally focused on investigating spatial overlap with prey patches, patch profitability or movement within feeding grounds. The present study investigated the fine-scale strategies of movement between individual prey schools and larger prey patches in humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) bubble-feeding on sand lance (Ammodytes spp.) in and around the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, USA. The goal was to investigate the presence of hierarchically nested spatial structures in both sand lance patches and whale bubble-feeding behavior, and to compare the scales and geometry of these patches between predator and prey behavior on each hierarchical scale. Furthermore, the profitability of sand lance schools in feeding areas was investigated. Using animal-borne tag technology to record underwater movement of whales in combination with surface observations of whale behavior, the locations of bubble-feeding events were identified. Concurrent hydroacoustic measurements of the prey distribution in the water column were used to identify the locations and energetic parameters of sand lance schools around tagged whales. First Passage Time analysis was used to determine the spatial scale of individual bubble-feeding events. Based on spatial proximity, feeding events and prey schools were grouped into larger feeding bouts and prey patches to investigate the presence of hierarchically nested scales. Up to three hierarchy levels were found in bubble-feeding behavior of nine whales tagged on six days between 2008 and 2012, and up to five hierarchy levels in the sand lance prey field around the tagged whales. There was a significant positive correlation between the lengths of whale bubble-feeding bouts and the lengths of sand lance patches over three common hierarchy levels. On each hierarchy level, the lengths of whale bubble-feeding bouts were significantly smaller than those of sand lance patches. Mean inter-feeding bout distances were significantly positively correlated with mean inter-prey patch distances over two hierarchy levels. Mean distances between feeding events were similar to the mean distances between prey schools. On larger hierarchy levels, mean inter-bout distances were greater than mean distances among prey patches. Mean school height and density tended to be greater in schools recorded inside than outside of feeding bout areas. The prey field structures found here were likely a result of the specific habitat requirements of sand lance. The results of this study suggest that the tagged whales were able to adapt their foraging movement to the structure of the prey field. By feeding on neighboring schools, whales could minimize the time spent between prey schools. On larger spatial scales, whales did not feed on neighboring prey patches. This could be a result of decreased abilities to find the nearest patch, or because, rather than restricting their foraging movement to neighboring patches, the whales were targeting specific patches. The foraging movement observed in this study led to spatial overlap of the tagged whales with sand lance schools that were characterized by properties rendering them more energetically profitable for bubble-feeding whales. While hierarchically structured foraging movement has been found in other marine predators, this is the first study that demonstrates this kind of foraging mechanism for baleen whales.
The Effect Of Group Size On Individual Roles And The Potential For Cooperation In Group Bubble Net Feeding Humpback Whales Megaptera Novaeangliae
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Author : Natalie Mastick
language : en
Publisher:
Release Date : 2016
The Effect Of Group Size On Individual Roles And The Potential For Cooperation In Group Bubble Net Feeding Humpback Whales Megaptera Novaeangliae written by Natalie Mastick and has been published by this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2016 with Humpback whale categories.
Group foraging is observed in many species as a means to increase the ability of members of the group to find and exploit patchy prey. Group foraging can be exhibited in a number of different contexts based on the relationships between the participants, including by-product mutualism. One variant of by-product mutualism is cooperation, in which individuals achieve a greater energetic gain by feeding together than they would alone. In cooperation, individuals adopt a role in the group, and in the most complex interactions there may be multiple roles, resulting in a division of labor that occasionally includes role specialization. Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) are one of the few baleen whale species that have been observed feeding in groups, utilizing behaviors that are hypothesized to be cooperative. One of these behaviors is group bubble-net feeding, which has been observed in the Northeastern Pacific, Northwestern Atlantic, and Southern Oceans. This study utilized multi-sensor archival tag data from 26 humpback whales from the southern Gulf of Maine, 4 from Southeast Alaska, and 1 from the Western Antarctic Peninsula to analyze individual bubble-net feeding behaviors and compare these across populations. Linear mixed effects models were used to determine if dive behaviors varied with group sizes to test the hypothesis that group size influences individual behavior. The results indicate that individuals in the southern Gulf of Maine, for which sufficient data were available, were consistent in their bubble-net feeding behaviors across group sizes, which suggests that individuals utilize set roles in group feeding events. There was evidence for a division of labor and role specialization among whales utilizing certain bubble-net feeding tactics in the southern Gulf of Maine. The three populations performed different variations of bubble-net feeding that are likely based on the speed and schooling patterns of the prey. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that bubble-net feeding is an example of by-product mutualism in these populations, though was not enough data to suggest that group bubble-net feeding in Southeast Alaska was a form of by-product mutualism. The prevalence of herding dives in feeding groups suggest that each individual takes on a role to herd the prey to the surface, and provide evidence against a producer-scrounger relationship in the southern Gulf of Maine, and potentially in the Western Antarctic Peninsula.
Whales Of The Gulf Of Maine
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Author :
language : en
Publisher:
Release Date : 1985
Whales Of The Gulf Of Maine written by and has been published by this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 1985 with Finback whale categories.
Fin Whale Balaenoptera Physalus Associations On A Feeding Ground In The Western Gulf Of Maine
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Author : William Richard Cioffi
language : en
Publisher:
Release Date : 2015
Fin Whale Balaenoptera Physalus Associations On A Feeding Ground In The Western Gulf Of Maine written by William Richard Cioffi and has been published by this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2015 with Finback whale categories.
Fin whales (Balaenoptra physalus) are commonly considered solitary mammals and are not found in stable groups. Transient associations are observed on the feeding grounds in the western Gulf of Maine. These associations consist of animals coordinating their movements in close physical proximity and sometimes feeding is observed in these groups. Group size ranges from 2 to 10, through larger groups are less stable. Recent research suggests there may be age and sex related effects on similar associations in a closely related species, the humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae (Ramp et al., 2010). The purpose of this work is to investigate the structure and function of fin whale associations. Data on individually identified fin whales was collected from 2005-2009 opportunistically on whale watching boats in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Photo-identification was used to match whales in this study with whales seen at other locations around the Gulf of Maine and where possible sex data was determined from filed observations or biopsies conducted by DenDanto (1998). Spatial distribution of groups, preferred associates, sexual makeup of groups, diel patterns to grouping, and behavior of singles and groups were all investigated. Additionally, a potential methodology for determining prey abundance by measuring surface copepod density was attempted. The spatial distribution of associated fin whales was not significantly predicted by bathymetry in a generalized additive model, while that of non-associated whales was significantly predicted. Since bathymetry should be related to prey density, this result indicates that associations may serve non-feeding functions. These other functions may include male-male competition or courtship of potential mates. No preferred associates were detected among individual identified fin whales. Large differences in gregariousness among individuals were detected. These are possible due to a sexual bias in groups. Males were found to be overrepresented in associations during the summer. When both sexes were known in a 2 whale association, male-male groups were most common, followed by male-female groups and female-female groups. There was no significant difference in male and female participation in associations in the fall. This suggests that females may incur a cost from grouping with males during the summer, but may permit grouping in the fall, perhaps for reproductive purposes. Costs for females may include harassment from males or inability to cooperatively feed because of different diet requirements. Additionally, since baleen whale males are smaller than females, their lower energetic requirements may allow them more time for social behaviors either and account for their increased participation in grouping. Diel patterns in grouping were also detected in the summer, but not in the fall, possibly pointing to a change in prey, or a change in the function of some groups in the fall perhaps toward breeding activities. While ventilation rate, ventilation to diving ratio, and speed were not significantly different for single whales and groups of fin whales, some observations suggested that groups of whales engage in social behaviors not related to feeding. This study suggests the possibility that fin whale feeding habitat in the western Gulf of Maine may also be important habitat for breeding activities. Further studies could test for differences in the function of associations based on sex composition using acoustic data along with real time behavioral sampling and a careful definition of association. Since little is known about fin whale breeding behavior and migration patterns, this line of research is essential to developing effective management plans for an endangered cetacean species.
Structure And Dynamics Of The Gulf Of Maine Humpback Whale Population
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Author : Julie Robbins
language : en
Publisher:
Release Date : 2007
Structure And Dynamics Of The Gulf Of Maine Humpback Whale Population written by Julie Robbins and has been published by this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2007 with Animal populations categories.
Oceanic Abstracts
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Author :
language : en
Publisher:
Release Date : 1995-05
Oceanic Abstracts written by and has been published by this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 1995-05 with Marine biology categories.
Sixth Biennial Conference On The Biology Of Marine Mammals Abstracts November 22 26 1985 Vancouver British Columbia
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Author :
language : en
Publisher:
Release Date : 1985
Sixth Biennial Conference On The Biology Of Marine Mammals Abstracts November 22 26 1985 Vancouver British Columbia written by and has been published by this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 1985 with Marine biology categories.
Spatial Ecology Of Humpback Whales In The South Pacific
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Author : Rebecca Elizabeth Lindsay
language : en
Publisher:
Release Date : 2014
Spatial Ecology Of Humpback Whales In The South Pacific written by Rebecca Elizabeth Lindsay and has been published by this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2014 with Humpback whale categories.
Marine Mammals
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Author : I. L. Boyd
language : en
Publisher: Clarendon Press
Release Date : 1993
Marine Mammals written by I. L. Boyd and has been published by Clarendon Press this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 1993 with Nature categories.
The last decade has seen radical changes in our understanding of the behavior and ecology of seals, whales, and dolphins. This timely volume addresses subjects of critical importance to the field, with outstanding contributions from scientists actively involved in marine mammal research. Topics include the application of modern genetics to understanding populations and their social structure, the development of new methods of diet analysis, and the application of microelectronics to questions concerning the distribution, abundance, foraging behavior, and diving physiology of marine mammals. Scientists and students studying marine mammalogy, population ecology, and animal behavior--as well as fisheries biologists and mammalian conservationists--will welcome this exciting new contribution to the field.
Forty Second Report Of The International Whaling Commission
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Author : Commission baleinière internationale
language : en
Publisher:
Release Date : 1992
Forty Second Report Of The International Whaling Commission written by Commission baleinière internationale and has been published by this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 1992 with categories.