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Aulich MG, Miller BS, Samaran F, McCauley RD, Saunders BJ, Erbe C. Diel patterns of fin whale 20 Hz acoustic presence in Eastern Antarctic waters. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:220499. [PMID: 37090960 PMCID: PMC10113811 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.220499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
This study presents evidence of diel patterns in fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) 20 Hz acoustic presence in Eastern Antarctic waters. Passive acoustic recordings were collected at four sites in Eastern Antarctica from 2013 to 2019. A generalized linear model fitted by a generalized estimating equation was used to test the hypothesis that fin whale 20 Hz acoustic presence shows significant variation between light regimes dawn, day, dusk and night. In the Indian sector of Antarctica, at the Prydz and Southern Kerguelen Plateau sites, fin whale acoustic presence was significantly more common during the night and dawn before declining during the day and dusk periods. A different diel pattern was observed in the Pacific sector, at the Dumont d'Urville site: fin whale acoustic presence was significantly more common during the day than dusk and night periods. No diel pattern was identified at the Casey site. The identified diel patterns in the Indian sector of Eastern Antarctica correlate with previously identified diel patterns of the fin whales' prey. We suggest an indirect association between fin whale acoustic presence and foraging, with the animals more likely to produce the 20 Hz pulse during the night when not foraging and less likely to vocalize when foraging during the day.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan G. Aulich
- Centre for Marine Science and Technology, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Brian S. Miller
- Australian Antarctic Division, 203 Channel Highway, Kingston, TAS 7050, Australia
| | - Flore Samaran
- Lab-STICC CNRS UMR 6285, ENSTA Bretagne, Brest 29802, France
| | - Robert D. McCauley
- Centre for Marine Science and Technology, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Benjamin J. Saunders
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Christine Erbe
- Centre for Marine Science and Technology, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
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Papale E, Pelagatti M, Pedrazzi G, Buscaino G. Occurrence and patterns of fin whale songs reveal alternative migration strategies in Svalbard Islands, Norway. Sci Rep 2023; 13:4436. [PMID: 36932235 PMCID: PMC10023778 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31665-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The Arctic marine environment is highly affected by global warming with notable changes in habitat conditions, which have great consequences on migrating species. For example, the timing of their migration can be altered leading to changes in their occurrence in suitable areas, which are critical for their survival. In this study, seven years of acoustic data were analysed in Svalbard Islands from 2014 to 2020, revealing that the occurrence of fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) happened all year-round. The sea surface temperature recorded reveals conditions which could be favorable for these species to persist until the Polar Night. The occurrence of songs indicated that certain individuals did not undertake the migratory journey through the southern breeding grounds, possibly using the area for mating purposes. The analyses of the Inter-Note-Interval (INI) demonstrated that over the years songs with different patterns were found. This suggests that either the fin whales are able to switch their INI patterns or that populations with different INIs are visiting during the Winter. Therefore, this study unveils the undertaking of an alternative strategy to migration movements, and the possible potential origin of the fin whales overwintering in Svalbard.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Papale
- Institute for the Study of Anthropic Impacts and Sustainability in the Marine Environment (IAS), Unit of Capo Granitola, National Research Council, Via del Mare 3, 91021, Torretta Granitola, TP, Italy.
- Department of Life Sciences and System Biology, University of Torino, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123, Turin, Italy.
| | - M Pelagatti
- Institute for the Study of Anthropic Impacts and Sustainability in the Marine Environment (IAS), Unit of Capo Granitola, National Research Council, Via del Mare 3, 91021, Torretta Granitola, TP, Italy
| | - G Pedrazzi
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - G Buscaino
- Institute for the Study of Anthropic Impacts and Sustainability in the Marine Environment (IAS), Unit of Capo Granitola, National Research Council, Via del Mare 3, 91021, Torretta Granitola, TP, Italy
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Romagosa M, Pérez-Jorge S, Cascão I, Mouriño H, Lehodey P, Pereira A, Marques TA, Matias L, Silva MA. Food talk: 40-Hz fin whale calls are associated with prey biomass. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20211156. [PMID: 34229495 PMCID: PMC8261222 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.1156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals use varied acoustic signals that play critical roles in their lives. Understanding the function of these signals may inform about key life-history processes relevant for conservation. In the case of fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus), that produce different call types associated with different behaviours, several hypotheses have emerged regarding call function, but the topic still remains in its infancy. Here, we investigate the potential function of two fin whale vocalizations, the song-forming 20-Hz call and the 40-Hz call, by examining their production in relation to season, year and prey biomass. Our results showed that the production of 20-Hz calls was strongly influenced by season, with a clear peak during the breeding months, and secondarily by year, likely due to changes in whale abundance. These results support the reproductive function of the 20-Hz song used as an acoustic display. Conversely, season and year had no effect on variation in 40-Hz calling rates, but prey biomass did. This is the first study linking 40-Hz call activity to prey biomass, supporting the previously suggested food-associated function of this call. Understanding the functions of animal signals can help identifying functional habitats and predict the negative effects of human activities with important implications for conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Romagosa
- Okeanos – Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar, Universidade dos Açores & IMAR – Instituto do Mar, Horta, Portugal
| | - Sergi Pérez-Jorge
- Okeanos – Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar, Universidade dos Açores & IMAR – Instituto do Mar, Horta, Portugal
| | - Irma Cascão
- Okeanos – Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar, Universidade dos Açores & IMAR – Instituto do Mar, Horta, Portugal
| | - Helena Mouriño
- Centro de Matemática, Aplicações Fundamentais e Investigação Operacional, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Patrick Lehodey
- Collecte Localisation Satellite (CLS), Ramonville St Agne, France
| | - Andreia Pereira
- Instituto Dom Luiz (IDL), Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Tiago A. Marques
- Centro de Estatística e Aplicações, Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Luís Matias
- Instituto Dom Luiz (IDL), Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Mónica A. Silva
- Okeanos – Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar, Universidade dos Açores & IMAR – Instituto do Mar, Horta, Portugal
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Hendricks B, Keen EM, Shine C, Wray JL, Alidina HM, Picard CR. Acoustic tracking of fin whales: Habitat use and movement patterns within a Canadian Pacific fjord system. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2021; 149:4264. [PMID: 34241431 DOI: 10.1121/10.0005044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Fin whale 20 Hz calls were detected, localized, and tracked using a 10 km aperture network of three acoustic receivers deployed for 11 months in a Pacific Canadian fjord system. The area has been historically important for fin whales and is located along a route that tankers will begin using in 2024. A total of 6712 calls were localized, and trajectories were fitted for 55 acoustic tracks. Fin whale tracks occurred throughout the monitoring site. Call activity peaked in September and was low during winter months. Swimming characteristics varied significantly between day- and nighttime: at night, whales swam faster (7.1 vs 4.0 km/h median, +75.2%), which resulted in longer (+34.7%), less predictable (-70.6%) tracks as compared to daylight hours. Call frequencies varied between 16 and 32 Hz. Beside stereotypical song frequencies, fin whales also used irregular frequency components, which contributed the majority of calls in the summer but did not occur in the winter. The results suggest that the area is primarily used as a summer feeding ground, where fin whales follow a diel behavioral cycle. The observed activity patterns will aid in the assessment of strike risk and harassment mitigation and provide a baseline to document behavioral change.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eric M Keen
- Marine Ecology and Telemetry Research, 2468 Camp McKenzie Trail Northwest, Seabeck, Washington 98380, USA
| | - Chenoah Shine
- North Coast Cetacean Society, 26 Cottonwood Road, Alert Bay, British Columbia V0N 1A0, Canada
| | - Janie L Wray
- North Coast Cetacean Society, 26 Cottonwood Road, Alert Bay, British Columbia V0N 1A0, Canada
| | - Hussein M Alidina
- Oceans Program, World Wildlife Fund-Canada, 259-560 Johnston Street, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 3C6, Canada
| | - Chris R Picard
- Gitga'at Oceans and Lands Department, 445 Hayimiisaxaa Way, Hartley Bay, British Columbia V0V 1A0, Canada
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