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Shuert CR, Hussey NE, Marcoux M, Heide-Jørgensen MP, Dietz R, Auger-Méthé M. Divergent migration routes reveal contrasting energy-minimization strategies to deal with differing resource predictability. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2023; 11:31. [PMID: 37280701 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-023-00397-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Seasonal long-distance movements are a common feature in many taxa allowing animals to deal with seasonal habitats and life-history demands. Many species use different strategies to prioritize time- or energy-minimization, sometimes employing stop-over behaviours to offset the physiological burden of the directed movement associated with migratory behaviour. Migratory strategies are often limited by life-history and environmental constraints, but can also be modulated by the predictability of resources en route. While theory on population-wide strategies (e.g. energy-minimization) are well studied, there are increasing evidence for individual-level variation in movement patterns indicative of finer scale differences in migration strategies. METHODS We aimed to explore sources of individual variation in migration strategies for long-distance migrators using satellite telemetry location data from 41 narwhal spanning a 21-year period. Specifically, we aimed to determine and define the long-distance movement strategies adopted and how environmental variables may modulate these movements. Fine-scale movement behaviours were characterized using move-persistence models, where changes in move-persistence, highlighting autocorrelation in a movement trajectory, were evaluated against potential modulating environmental covariates. Areas of low move-persistence, indicative of area-restricted search-type behaviours, were deemed to indicate evidence of stop-overs along the migratory route. RESULTS Here, we demonstrate two divergent migratory tactics to maintain a similar overall energy-minimization strategy within a single population of narwhal. Narwhal migrating offshore exhibited more tortuous movement trajectories overall with no evidence of spatially-consistent stop-over locations across individuals. Nearshore migrating narwhal undertook more directed routes, contrasted by spatially-explicit stop-over behaviour in highly-productive fjord and canyon systems along the coast of Baffin Island for periods of several days to several weeks. CONCLUSIONS Within a single population, divergent migratory tactics can achieve a similar overall energy-minimizing strategy within a species as a response to differing trade-offs between predictable and unpredictable resources. Our methodological approach, which revealed the modulators of fine-scale migratory movements and predicted regional stop-over sites, is widely applicable to a variety of other aquatic and terrestrial species. Quantifying marine migration strategies will be key for adaptive conservation in the face of climate change and ever increasing human pressures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney R Shuert
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, N9B 3P4, Canada.
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Freshwater Institute, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N6, Canada.
| | - Nigel E Hussey
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, N9B 3P4, Canada
| | - Marianne Marcoux
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Freshwater Institute, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N6, Canada
| | | | - Rune Dietz
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Marie Auger-Méthé
- Institute for the Oceans & Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
- Department of Statistics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
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Adachi T, Lovell P, Turnbull J, Fedak MA, Picard B, Guinet C, Biuw M, Keates TR, Holser RR, Costa DP, Crocker DE, Miller PJO. Body condition changes at sea: Onboard calculation and telemetry of body density in diving animals. Methods Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.14089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Taiki Adachi
- Sea Mammal Research Unit University of St Andrews St Andrews UK
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California Santa Cruz Santa Cruz California USA
| | - Philip Lovell
- Sea Mammal Research Unit University of St Andrews St Andrews UK
| | - James Turnbull
- Sea Mammal Research Unit University of St Andrews St Andrews UK
| | - Mike A. Fedak
- Sea Mammal Research Unit University of St Andrews St Andrews UK
| | - Baptiste Picard
- CNRS Centre of Biology Studies of Chizé Villiers‐en‐Bois France
| | | | | | - Theresa R. Keates
- Department of Ocean Sciences University of California Santa Cruz Santa Cruz California USA
| | - Rachel R. Holser
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz Santa Cruz California USA
| | - Daniel P. Costa
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California Santa Cruz Santa Cruz California USA
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz Santa Cruz California USA
| | - Daniel E. Crocker
- Department of Biology Sonoma State University Rohnert Park California USA
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Keen KA, Beltran RS, Pirotta E, Costa DP. Emerging themes in Population Consequences of Disturbance models. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20210325. [PMID: 34428966 PMCID: PMC8385386 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.0325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Assessing the non-lethal effects of disturbance from human activities is necessary for wildlife conservation and management. However, linking short-term responses to long-term impacts on individuals and populations is a significant hurdle for evaluating the risks of a proposed activity. The Population Consequences of Disturbance (PCoD) framework conceptually describes how disturbance can lead to changes in population dynamics, and its real-world application has led to a suite of quantitative models that can inform risk assessments. Here, we review PCoD models that forecast the possible consequences of a range of disturbance scenarios for marine mammals. In so doing, we identify common themes and highlight general principles to consider when assessing risk. We find that, when considered holistically, these models provide valuable insights into which contextual factors influence a population's degree of exposure and sensitivity to disturbance. We also discuss model assumptions and limitations, identify data gaps and suggest future research directions to enable PCoD models to better inform risk assessments and conservation and management decisions. The general principles explored can help wildlife managers and practitioners identify and prioritize the populations most vulnerable to disturbance and guide industry in planning activities that avoid or mitigate population-level effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly A. Keen
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Roxanne S. Beltran
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Enrico Pirotta
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, University of St Andrews, UK
- School of Biological, Earth, and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Daniel P. Costa
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
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van der Kolk H, Ens BJ, Frauendorf M, Jongejans E, Oosterbeek K, Bouten W, van de Pol M. Why time‐limited individuals can make populations more vulnerable to disturbance. OIKOS 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.08031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Henk‐Jan van der Kolk
- Dept of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Inst. of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW) Wageningen the Netherlands
- Centre for Avian Population Studies Wageningen the Netherlands
| | - Bruno J. Ens
- Sovon Dutch Centre for Field Ornithology Sovon‐Texel Den Burg the Netherlands
- Centre for Avian Population Studies Wageningen the Netherlands
| | - Magali Frauendorf
- Dept of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Inst. of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW) Wageningen the Netherlands
- Centre for Avian Population Studies Wageningen the Netherlands
| | - Eelke Jongejans
- Radboud Univ., Dept of Animal Ecology and Physiology Nijmegen the Netherlands
- Centre for Avian Population Studies Wageningen the Netherlands
| | - Kees Oosterbeek
- Sovon Dutch Centre for Field Ornithology Sovon‐Texel Den Burg the Netherlands
| | - Willem Bouten
- Inst. for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, Univ. of Amsterdam Amsterdam the Netherlands
| | - Martijn van de Pol
- Dept of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Inst. of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW) Wageningen the Netherlands
- Centre for Avian Population Studies Wageningen the Netherlands
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5
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Beltran RS, Kendall-Bar JM, Pirotta E, Adachi T, Naito Y, Takahashi A, Cremers J, Robinson PW, Crocker DE, Costa DP. Lightscapes of fear: How mesopredators balance starvation and predation in the open ocean. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/12/eabd9818. [PMID: 33731347 PMCID: PMC7968837 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abd9818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Like landscapes of fear, animals are hypothesized to strategically use lightscapes based on intrinsic motivations. However, longitudinal evidence of state-dependent risk aversion has been difficult to obtain in wild animals. Using high-resolution biologgers, we continuously measured body condition, time partitioning, three-dimensional movement, and risk exposure of 71 elephant seals throughout their 7-month foraging migrations (N = 16,000 seal days). As body condition improved from 21 to 32% fat and daylength declined from 16 to 10 hours, seals rested progressively earlier with respect to sunrise, sacrificing valuable nocturnal foraging hours to rest in the safety of darkness. Seals in superior body condition prioritized safety over energy conservation by resting >100 meters deeper where it was 300× darker. Together, these results provide empirical evidence that marine mammals actively use the three-dimensional lightscape to optimize risk-reward trade-offs based on ecological and physiological factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roxanne S Beltran
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.
| | - Jessica M Kendall-Bar
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Enrico Pirotta
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Washington State University, Vancouver, WA, USA
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Taiki Adachi
- School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, UK
| | - Yasuhiko Naito
- National Institute of Polar Research, Tachikawa, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Jolien Cremers
- Section of Biostatistics, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Patrick W Robinson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Daniel E Crocker
- Department of Biology, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA, USA
| | - Daniel P Costa
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
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Owen MA, Pagano AM, Wisdom SS, Kirschhoffer B, Bowles AE, O'Neill C. Estimating the Audibility of Industrial Noise to Denning Polar Bears. J Wildl Manage 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Megan A. Owen
- Institute for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Global San Diego CA 92027 USA
| | - Anthony M. Pagano
- Institute for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Global San Diego CA 92027 USA
| | | | | | - Ann E. Bowles
- Hubbs‐SeaWorld Research Institute San Diego CA 92109 USA
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Wilson LJ, Harwood J, Booth CG, Joy R, Harris CM. A decision framework to identify populations that are most vulnerable to the population level effects of disturbance. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.149] [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] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay J. Wilson
- SMRU Consulting University of St Andrews St Andrews UK
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling University of St Andrews St Andrews UK
| | - John Harwood
- SMRU Consulting University of St Andrews St Andrews UK
| | | | - Ruth Joy
- SMRU Consulting Canada Vancouver BC Canada
| | - Catriona M. Harris
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling University of St Andrews St Andrews UK
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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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