1
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Guzman HM, Estévez RM, Kaiser S. Insights into Blue Whale ( Balaenoptera musculus L.) Population Movements in the Galapagos Archipelago and Southeast Pacific. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:2707. [PMID: 39335296 PMCID: PMC11428603 DOI: 10.3390/ani14182707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2024] [Revised: 09/06/2024] [Accepted: 09/11/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024] Open
Abstract
The Galapagos Marine Reserve is vital for cetaceans, serving as both a stopover and residency site. However, blue whales, occasionally sighted here, exhibit poorly understood migratory behavior within the Galapagos and the broader Eastern Tropical Pacific. This study, the first to satellite tag blue whales in the Galapagos (16 tagged between 2021 and 2023), explored their behavior in relation to environmental variables like chlorophyll-a concentration, sea surface temperature (SST), and productivity. Key findings show a strong correlation between foraging behavior, high chlorophyll-a levels, productivity, and lower SSTs, indicating a preference for food-rich areas. Additionally, there is a notable association with geomorphic features like ridges, which potentially enhance food abundance. Most tagged whales stayed near the Galapagos archipelago, with higher concentrations observed around Isabela Island, which is increasingly frequented by tourist vessels, posing heightened ship strike risks. Some whales ventured into Ecuador's exclusive economic zone, while one migrated southward to Peru. The strong 2023 El Niño-Southern Oscillation event led to SST and primary production changes, likely impacting whale resource availability. Our study provides crucial insights into blue whale habitat utilization, informing adaptive management strategies to mitigate ship strike risks and address altered migration routes due to climate-driven environmental shifts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hector M. Guzman
- Naos Marine Laboratory, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City P.O. Box 0843-03092, Panama; (H.M.G.); (R.M.E.)
| | - Rocío M. Estévez
- Naos Marine Laboratory, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City P.O. Box 0843-03092, Panama; (H.M.G.); (R.M.E.)
| | - Stefanie Kaiser
- Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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2
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Charlton C, Christiansen F, Ward R, Mackay AI, Andrews-Goff V, Zerbini AN, Childerhouse S, Guggenheimer S, O'Shannessy B, Brownell RL. Evaluating short- to medium-term effects of implantable satellite tags on southern right whales Eubalaena australis. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2023; 155:125-140. [PMID: 37706643 DOI: 10.3354/dao03730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
Improving our understanding of the effects of satellite tags on large whales is a critical step in ongoing tag development to minimise potential health effects whilst addressing important research questions that enhance conservation management policy. In 2014, satellite tags were deployed on 9 female southern right whales Eubalaena australis accompanied by a calf off Australia. Photo-identification resights (n = 48) of 4 photo-identified individuals were recorded 1 to 2894 d (1-8 yr) post-tagging. Short-term (<22 d) effects observed included localised and regional swelling, depression at the tag site, blubber extrusion, skin loss and pigmentation colour change. Broad swelling observable from lateral but not aerial imagery (~1.2 m diameter or ~9% of body length) and depression at the tag site persisted up to 1446 d post-tagging for 1 individual, indicating a persistent foreign-body response or infection. Two tagged individuals returned 4 yr post-tagging in 2018 with a calf, and the medium-term effects were evaluated by comparing body condition of tagged whales with non-tagged whales. These females calved in a typical 4 yr interval, suggesting no apparent immediate impact of tagging on reproduction for these individuals, but longer-term monitoring is needed. There was no observable difference in the body condition between the 2 tagged and non-tagged females. Ongoing monitoring post-tagging is required to build on the sample size and statistical power. We demonstrate the value of long-term monitoring programmes and a collaborative approach for evaluating effects from satellite-tagging cetaceans to support species management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Charlton
- Centre for Marine Science and Technology, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6102, Australia
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3
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Ahrendt C, Galbán-Malagón C, Gómez V, Torres M, Mattar C, DeCoite M, Guida Y, Příbylová P, Pozo K. Marine debris and associated organic pollutants in surface waters of Chiloé in the Northern Chilean Patagonia (42°-44°S). MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 187:114558. [PMID: 36652856 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
We report the occurrence of plastics and associated persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in surface waters from Northern Chilean Patagonia. A total of 200 particles were found during the conducted survey. The highest number of particles found was 0.6 item m-3. We found that 53 % of the collected particles corresponded to plastic, with an average of 0.19 ± 0.18 item m-3. Microplastics (68 %) were the dominant size found in the area, followed by macroplastics (18 %) and mesoplastics (14 %). Most plastic particles were white (55 %) while others were <10 % each. Black and light blue represented 9 %; red, dark blue, and other colors 7 %; and green 6 %. Fragments were the most frequent shape of plastic debris (38 %), followed by Styrofoam (30 %) and fiber (27 %). Higher PBDE levels were found in the central zone, and those were higher than DDT, PeCB, HCB, and PCB levels. This study is the first report on POP occurrence in marine plastic debris from Chiloé Sea in the Northern Chilean Patagonia.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Ahrendt
- Fundación Acción Natural, Las Condes, Santiago de Chile, Chile; Plastic Oceans International, 23823 Malibu Road Ste 50-205, Malibu, CA 90265, USA.
| | - C Galbán-Malagón
- Centro GEMA (Genómica, Ecología y Medio Ambiente), Universidad Mayor, Huechuraba, Santiago de Chile, Chile; Anillo en Ciencia y Tecnología Antártica POLARIX, Chile; Institute of Environment, Florida International University, University Park, Miami, FL 33199, USA.
| | - V Gómez
- Centro GEMA (Genómica, Ecología y Medio Ambiente), Universidad Mayor, Huechuraba, Santiago de Chile, Chile; Anillo en Ciencia y Tecnología Antártica POLARIX, Chile
| | - M Torres
- Facultad de Ingeniería y Tecnología, Universidad San Sebastián, Lientur 1457, Concepción, Chile
| | - C Mattar
- Fundación Bioera, Las Condes, Santiago de Chile, Chile
| | - M DeCoite
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1156 High St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| | - Y Guida
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - P Příbylová
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - K Pozo
- Facultad de Ingeniería y Tecnología, Universidad San Sebastián, Lientur 1457, Concepción, Chile; RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, Brno, Czech Republic.
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4
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Bedriñana-Romano L, Zarate PM, Hucke-Gaete R, Viddi FA, Buchan SJ, Cari I, Clavijo L, Bello R, Zerbini AN. Abundance and distribution patterns of cetaceans and their overlap with vessel traffic in the Humboldt Current Ecosystem, Chile. Sci Rep 2022; 12:10639. [PMID: 35739207 PMCID: PMC9226171 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-14465-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The Humboldt Current Ecosystem (HCE) is one of the most productive marine ecosystems, sustaining one of the largest fishing industries in the world. Although several species of cetaceans are known to inhabit these productive waters, quantitative assessments of their abundance and distribution patterns are scarce and patchy. Here, we present the first abundance and distribution estimates for fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus), southeast Pacific blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus), sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), dusky dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obscurus), and common dolphin (Delphinus spp.) in the entire Chilean portion of the HCE. Line transect surveys were conducted during 2016–2021 between 18° S and 41° S and up to ~ 200 km offshore, and data were analyzed using distance sampling methods. Group counts were modelled as a function of environmental variables using single step Bayesian Binomial N-mixture model (BNMM), which allows full uncertainty propagation between model components. By using spatially explicit predictions of cetacean densities and observed vessel densities in the HCE, we provide quantitative assessments on the relative probability of cetaceans encountering vessels (RPCEV). Dusky dolphin and fin whale showed the largest distribution overlap with industrial and artisanal fishery fleets. Our results highlight areas where effort should be prioritized to address the extant but unquantified negative interactions between vessels and cetaceans in Chilean HCE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Bedriñana-Romano
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile. .,NGO Centro Ballena Azul, 5090000, Valdivia, Chile. .,Centro de Investigación Oceanográfica COPAS Coastal, Universidad de Concepción, 4070043, Concepción, Región del Bio Bio, Chile.
| | - Patricia M Zarate
- Instituto de Fomento Pesquero, Departamento de Oceanografía y Medio Ambiente, Almirante Manuel Blanco Encalada 839, Valparaíso, Chile.,MigraMar, 2099 Westshore Rd, CA, 94923, Bodega Bay, USA
| | - Rodrigo Hucke-Gaete
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.,NGO Centro Ballena Azul, 5090000, Valdivia, Chile.,Centro de Investigación Oceanográfica COPAS Coastal, Universidad de Concepción, 4070043, Concepción, Región del Bio Bio, Chile
| | - Francisco A Viddi
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.,NGO Centro Ballena Azul, 5090000, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Susannah J Buchan
- Centro de Investigación Oceanográfica COPAS Coastal, Universidad de Concepción, 4070043, Concepción, Región del Bio Bio, Chile.,Centro de Investigación Oceanográfica COPAS Sur-Austral, Universidad de Concepción, 4070043, Concepción, Región del Bio, Chile.,Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas, Raúl Bitran 1305, 1700000, La Serena, Región del Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Ilia Cari
- Instituto de Fomento Pesquero, Departamento de Oceanografía y Medio Ambiente, Almirante Manuel Blanco Encalada 839, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Ljubitza Clavijo
- Instituto de Fomento Pesquero, Departamento de Oceanografía y Medio Ambiente, Almirante Manuel Blanco Encalada 839, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Robert Bello
- Instituto de Fomento Pesquero, Departamento de Oceanografía y Medio Ambiente, Almirante Manuel Blanco Encalada 839, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Alexandre N Zerbini
- Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean and Ecosystem Studies, University of Washington & Marine Mammal Laboratory Alaska Fisheries Science Center/NOAA, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA, USA.,Marine Ecology and Telemetry Research, 2468 Camp McKenzie Tr NW, Seabeck, WA, 98380, USA.,Instituto Aqualie, Av. Dr. Paulo Japiassú Coelho, 714, Sala 206, Juiz de Fora, MG, 36033-310, Brazil
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5
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Toro F, Alarcón J, Márquez S, Capella J, Bahamonde P, Esperón F, Moreno-Switt A, Castro-Nallar E. Composition and structure of the skin microbiota of rorquals off the Eastern South Pacific. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2021; 97:6179854. [PMID: 33749784 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiab050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in high-throughput sequencing have enabled the large-scale interrogation of microbiota in the most diverse environments, including host-associated microbiota. This has led to the recognition that the skin microbiota of rorquals is specific and structurally different from that of the ocean. This study reveals the skin microbiome of 85 wild individuals along the Chilean coast belonging to Megaptera novaeangliae, Balaenoptera musculus and Balaenoptera physalus. Alpha diversity analysis revealed significant differences in richness and phylogenetic diversity, particularly among humpback whales from different locations and between blue and humpback whales. Beta diversity was partially explained by host and location but only accounting for up to 17% of microbiota variability (adjusted VPA). Overall, we found that microbiota composition was dominated by bacterial genera such as Cardiobacter, Moraxella, Tenacibaculum, Stenotrophomonas, Flavobacteria and Pseudomonas. We also found that no ASVs were associated with the three rorqual species. Up to four ASVs were specific of a location, indicating a great variability in the microbiota. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the composition and structure of the skin microbiota of whales off the coast of Chile, providing a foundational dataset to understand the microbiota's role in rorquals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederick Toro
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Center for Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, Avenida Republica 330, Santiago 8370186, Chile.,Doctorate in Conservation Medicine, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Departamento de Ecologia y Recursos Naturales, Avenida Republica 330, Santiago 8370186, Chile.,Panthalassa, Red de Estudios de Vertebrados Marinos de Chile Toesca 2002 P6, Santiago, Chile.,Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Santo Tomás, Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Avenida Limonares 190, Viña del Mar, Chile
| | - Jaime Alarcón
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Center for Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, Avenida Republica 330, Santiago 8370186, Chile
| | - Sebastián Márquez
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Center for Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, Avenida Republica 330, Santiago 8370186, Chile
| | - Juan Capella
- Whalesound Ltda., Lautaro Navarro 1163, 2do piso. Punta Arenas, Chile.,Fundación Yubarta, Apartado Aéreo 33141, Cali, Colombia
| | - Paulina Bahamonde
- Melimoyu Ecosystem Research Institute, Avenida Kennedy 5682, Vitacura, Chile.,Universidad de Playa Ancha, HUB AMBIENTAL UPLA - Centro de Estudios Avanzados, Playa Ancha 850, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Fernando Esperón
- Animal Health Research Center, INIA-CISA, Valdeolmos, Carretera Algete-El Casar de Talamanca, Km. 8,1, 28130 Valdeolmos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Andrea Moreno-Switt
- Millennium Initiative for Collaborative Research on Bacterial Resistance (MICROB-R), Avenida Las Condes 12.461, torre 3, oficina 205. Las Condes, Chile.,Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
| | - Eduardo Castro-Nallar
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Center for Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, Avenida Republica 330, Santiago 8370186, Chile
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6
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Smith C. A warming Southern Ocean may compromise Antarctic blue whale foetus growth. JOURNAL OF VERTEBRATE BIOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.25225/jvb.20114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carl Smith
- Department of Ecology & Vertebrate Zoology, University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland; e-mail:
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7
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Bedriñana-Romano L, Hucke-Gaete R, Viddi FA, Johnson D, Zerbini AN, Morales J, Mate B, Palacios DM. Defining priority areas for blue whale conservation and investigating overlap with vessel traffic in Chilean Patagonia, using a fast-fitting movement model. Sci Rep 2021; 11:2709. [PMID: 33526800 PMCID: PMC7851173 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-82220-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Defining priority areas and risk evaluation is of utmost relevance for endangered species` conservation. For the blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus), we aim to assess environmental habitat selection drivers, priority areas for conservation and overlap with vessel traffic off northern Chilean Patagonia (NCP). For this, we implemented a single-step continuous-time correlated-random-walk model which accommodates observational error and movement parameters variation in relation to oceanographic variables. Spatially explicit predictions of whales' behavioral responses were combined with density predictions from previous species distribution models (SDM) and vessel tracking data to estimate the relative probability of vessels encountering whales and identifying areas where interaction is likely to occur. These estimations were conducted independently for the aquaculture, transport, artisanal fishery, and industrial fishery fleets operating in NCP. Blue whale movement patterns strongly agreed with SDM results, reinforcing our knowledge regarding oceanographic habitat selection drivers. By combining movement and density modeling approaches we provide a stronger support for purported priority areas for blue whale conservation and how they overlap with the main vessel traffic corridor in the NCP. The aquaculture fleet was one order of magnitude larger than any other fleet, indicating it could play a decisive role in modulating potential negative vessel-whale interactions within NCP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Bedriñana-Romano
- grid.7119.e0000 0004 0487 459XInstituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Casilla 567, Valdivia, Chile ,NGO Centro Ballena Azul, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Rodrigo Hucke-Gaete
- grid.7119.e0000 0004 0487 459XInstituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Casilla 567, Valdivia, Chile ,NGO Centro Ballena Azul, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Francisco A. Viddi
- grid.7119.e0000 0004 0487 459XInstituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Casilla 567, Valdivia, Chile ,NGO Centro Ballena Azul, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Devin Johnson
- Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center/NOAA, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA USA
| | - Alexandre N. Zerbini
- Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center/NOAA, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA USA ,grid.508396.1Marine Ecology and Telemetry Research, 2468 Camp McKenzie Tr NW, Seabeck, WA 98380 USA ,grid.448402.e0000 0004 5929 5632Cascadia Research Collective, 218 ½ 4th Ave, Olympia, WA 98502 USA ,Instituto Aqualie, Av. Dr. Paulo Japiassú Coelho, 714, Sala 206, Juiz de Fora, MG 36033-310 Brazil
| | - Juan Morales
- grid.412234.20000 0001 2112 473XGrupo de Ecología Cuantitativa, INIBIOMA-CONICET, Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Bariloche, Argentina
| | - Bruce Mate
- grid.4391.f0000 0001 2112 1969Marine Mammal Institute and Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon State University, Newport, OR USA
| | - Daniel M. Palacios
- grid.4391.f0000 0001 2112 1969Marine Mammal Institute and Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon State University, Newport, OR USA
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8
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Busquets-Vass G, Newsome SD, Pardo MA, Calambokidis J, Aguíñiga-García S, Páez-Rosas D, Gómez-Gutiérrez J, Enríquez-Paredes LM, Gendron D. Isotope-based inferences of the seasonal foraging and migratory strategies of blue whales in the eastern Pacific Ocean. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 163:105201. [PMID: 33162117 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2020.105201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Migratory marine megafauna generally move vast distances between productive foraging grounds and environmentally stable breeding grounds, but characterizing how they use these habitats to maintain homeostasis and reproduce is difficult. We used isotope analysis of blue whale skin strata (n = 621) and potential prey (n = 300) to examine their migratory and foraging strategies in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Our results suggest that most whales in the northeast Pacific use a mixed income and capital breeding strategy, and use the California Current Ecosystem as their primary summer-fall foraging ground. A subset of individuals exhibited migratory plasticity and spend most of the year in the Gulf of California or Costa Rica Dome, two regions believed to be their primary winter-spring breeding grounds. Isotope data also revealed that whales in the southern Eastern Tropical Pacific generally do not forage in the northeast Pacific, which suggests a north-south population structure with a boundary near the equator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geraldine Busquets-Vass
- Centro de Investigación Científica y Educación Superior de Ensenada, Unidad La Paz, Laboratorio de Macroecología Marina, Baja California Sur, Mexico; University of New Mexico, Biology Department, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Seth D Newsome
- University of New Mexico, Biology Department, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Mario A Pardo
- Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología - Centro de Investigación Científica y Educación Superior de Ensenada, Unidad La Paz, Laboratorio de Macroecología Marina, Baja California Sur, Mexico
| | | | - Sergio Aguíñiga-García
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico
| | - Diego Páez-Rosas
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Galapagos Science Center, Av. Alsacio Northía, Isla San Cristóbal, Galápagos, Ecuador; Dirección del Parque Nacional Galápagos, Unidad Técnica Operativa San Cristóbal, Av. Perimetral, Isla San Cristóbal, Galápagos, Ecuador
| | - Jaime Gómez-Gutiérrez
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico
| | - Luis M Enríquez-Paredes
- Facultad de Ciencias Marinas, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Baja California, Mexico
| | - Diane Gendron
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico.
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9
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Leslie MS, Perkins-Taylor CM, Durban JW, Moore MJ, Miller CA, Chanarat P, Bahamonde P, Chiang G, Apprill A. Body size data collected non-invasively from drone images indicate a morphologically distinct Chilean blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) taxon. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2020. [DOI: 10.3354/esr01066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The blue whale Balaenoptera musculus (Linnaeus, 1758) was the target of intense commercial whaling in the 20th century, and current populations remain drastically below pre-whaling abundances. Reducing uncertainty in subspecific taxonomy would enable targeted conservation strategies for the recovery of unique intraspecific diversity. Currently, there are 2 named blue whale subspecies in the temperate to polar Southern Hemisphere: the Antarctic blue whale B. m. intermedia and the pygmy blue whale B. m. brevicauda. These subspecies have distinct morphologies, genetics, and acoustics. In 2019, the Society for Marine Mammalogy’s Committee on Taxonomy agreed that evidence supports a third (and presently unnamed) subspecies of Southern Hemisphere blue whale subspecies, the Chilean blue whale. Whaling data indicate that the Chilean blue whale is intermediate in body length between pygmy and Antarctic blue whales. We collected body size data from blue whales in the Gulfo Corcovado, Chile, during the austral summers of 2015 and 2017 using aerial photogrammetry from a remotely controlled drone to test the hypothesis that the Chilean blue whale is morphologically distinct from other Southern Hemisphere blue whale subspecies. We found the Chilean whale to be morphologically intermediate in both overall body length and relative tail length, thereby joining other diverse data in supporting the Chilean blue whale as a unique subspecific taxon. Additional photogrammetry studies of Antarctic, pygmy, and Chilean blue whales will help examine unique morphological variation within this species of conservation concern. To our knowledge, this is the first non-invasive small drone study to test a hypothesis for systematic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- MS Leslie
- Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, 500 College Ave., Swarthmore, PA 19081, USA
| | - CM Perkins-Taylor
- Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, 500 College Ave., Swarthmore, PA 19081, USA
| | - JW Durban
- Southall Environmental Associates, Inc., 9099 Soquel Drive, Suite 8, Aptos, CA 95003, USA
| | - MJ Moore
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Rd., MS #50, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - CA Miller
- Marine Chemistry & Geochemistry Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Rd., MS #4, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - P Chanarat
- WWF Thailand, Level 3, 9 Pra Dipat 10, Pra Dipat Road, Phaya Thai, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - P Bahamonde
- HUB AMBIENTAL UPLA - Centro de Estudios Avanzado, Universidad de Playa Ancha, Valparaíso 2340000, Chile
- Melimoyu Ecosystem Research Institute, Avenida Kennedy 5682, Santiago de Chile 7650720, Chile
| | - G Chiang
- Melimoyu Ecosystem Research Institute, Avenida Kennedy 5682, Santiago de Chile 7650720, Chile
- CAPES-UC, Center for Applied Ecology & Sustainability, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago 8331150, Chile
| | - A Apprill
- Marine Chemistry & Geochemistry Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Rd., MS #4, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
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10
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Mackay AI, Bailleul F, Carroll EL, Andrews-Goff V, Baker CS, Bannister J, Boren L, Carlyon K, Donnelly DM, Double M, Goldsworthy SD, Harcourt R, Holman D, Lowther A, Parra GJ, Childerhouse SJ. Satellite derived offshore migratory movements of southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) from Australian and New Zealand wintering grounds. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0231577. [PMID: 32380516 PMCID: PMC7205476 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0231577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) migrate between Austral-winter calving and socialising grounds to offshore mid- to high latitude Austral-summer feeding grounds. In Australasia, winter calving grounds used by southern right whales extend from Western Australia across southern Australia to the New Zealand sub-Antarctic Islands. During the Austral-summer these whales are thought to migrate away from coastal waters to feed, but the location of these feeding grounds is only inferred from historical whaling data. We present new information on the satellite derived offshore migratory movements of six southern right whales from Australasian wintering grounds. Two whales were tagged at the Auckland Islands, New Zealand, and the remaining four at Australian wintering grounds, one at Pirates Bay, Tasmania, and three at Head of Bight, South Australia. The six whales were tracked for an average of 78.5 days (range: 29 to 150) with average individual distance of 38 km per day (range: 20 to 61 km). The length of individually derived tracks ranged from 645–6,381 km. Three likely foraging grounds were identified: south-west Western Australia, the Subtropical Front, and Antarctic waters, with the Subtropical Front appearing to be a feeding ground for both New Zealand and Australian southern right whales. In contrast, the individual tagged in Tasmania, from a sub-population that is not showing evidence of post-whaling recovery, displayed a distinct movement pattern to much higher latitude waters, potentially reflecting a different foraging strategy. Variable population growth rates between wintering grounds in Australasia could reflect fidelity to different quality feeding grounds. Unlike some species of baleen whale populations that show movement along migratory corridors, the new satellite tracking data presented here indicate variability in the migratory pathways taken by southern right whales from Australia and New Zealand, as well as differences in potential Austral summer foraging grounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice I. Mackay
- South Australian Research and Development Institute, Primary Industries and Regions South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Frédéric Bailleul
- South Australian Research and Development Institute, Primary Industries and Regions South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Emma L. Carroll
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, Fife, Scotland
| | - Virginia Andrews-Goff
- Australian Antarctic Division, Australian Marine Mammal Centre, Kingston, Tasmania, Australia
| | - C. Scott Baker
- Hatfield Marine Science Center, Newport, Oregon, United States of America
| | - John Bannister
- Deceased, Western Australian Museum, Welshpool DC, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Laura Boren
- New Zealand Department of Conservation, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Krisa Carlyon
- Marine Conservation Program, Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | | | - Michael Double
- Australian Antarctic Division, Australian Marine Mammal Centre, Kingston, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Simon D. Goldsworthy
- South Australian Research and Development Institute, Primary Industries and Regions South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Robert Harcourt
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Dirk Holman
- Department of Environment & Water, Port Lincoln, South Australia, Australia
| | | | - Guido J. Parra
- Cetacean Ecology, Behaviour and Evolution Lab, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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11
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Trueman CN, Jackson AL, Chadwick KS, Coombs EJ, Feyrer LJ, Magozzi S, Sabin RC, Cooper N. Combining simulation modeling and stable isotope analyses to reconstruct the last known movements of one of Nature's giants. PeerJ 2019; 7:e7912. [PMID: 31637141 PMCID: PMC6802580 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The spatial ecology of rare, migratory oceanic animals is difficult to study directly. Where incremental tissues are available, their chemical composition can provide valuable indirect observations of movement and diet. Interpreting the chemical record in incremental tissues can be highly uncertain, however, as multiple mechanisms interact to produce the observed data. Simulation modeling is one approach for considering alternative hypotheses in ecology and can be used to consider the relative likelihood of obtaining an observed record under different combinations of ecological and environmental processes. Here we show how a simulation modeling approach can help to infer movement behaviour based on stable carbon isotope profiles measured in incremental baleen tissues of a blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus). The life history of this particular specimen, which stranded in 1891 in the UK, was selected as a case study due to its cultural significance as part of a permanent display at the Natural History Museum, London. We specifically tested whether measured variations in stable isotope compositions across the analysed baleen plate were more consistent with residency or latitudinal migrations. The measured isotopic record was most closely reproduced with a period of residency in sub-tropical waters for at least a full year followed by three repeated annual migrations between sub-tropical and high latitude regions. The latitudinal migration cycle was interrupted in the year prior to stranding, potentially implying pregnancy and weaning, but isotopic data alone cannot test this hypothesis. Simulation methods can help reveal movement information coded in the biochemical compositions of incremental tissues such as those archived in historic collections, and provides context and inferences that are useful for retrospective studies of animal movement, especially where other sources of individual movement data are sparse or challenging to validate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clive N Trueman
- School of Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew L Jackson
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Dublin, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Katharyn S Chadwick
- School of Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Ellen J Coombs
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom.,Department of Earth Sciences, University College London, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Laura J Feyrer
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Sarah Magozzi
- School of Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom.,Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States of America
| | - Richard C Sabin
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
| | - Natalie Cooper
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
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