1
|
Fish FE, Nicastro AJ, Cardenas KL, Segre PS, Gough WT, Kahane-Rapport SR, St. Leger J, Goldbogen JA. Spin-leap performance by cetaceans is influenced by moment of inertia. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb246433. [PMID: 38149677 PMCID: PMC10914021 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
Cetaceans are capable of extraordinary locomotor behaviors in both water and air. Whales and dolphins can execute aerial leaps by swimming rapidly to the water surface to achieve an escape velocity. Previous research on spinner dolphins demonstrated the capability of leaping and completing multiple spins around their longitudinal axis with high angular velocities. This prior research suggested the slender body morphology of spinner dolphins together with the shapes and positions of their appendages allowed for rapid spins in the air. To test whether greater moments of inertia reduced spinning performance, videos and biologging data of cetaceans above and below the water surface were obtained. The principal factors affecting the number of aerial spins a cetacean can execute were moment of inertia and use of control surfaces for subsurface corkscrewing. For spinner dolphin, Pacific striped dolphin, bottlenose dolphin, minke whale and humpback whale, each with swim speeds of 6-7 m s-1, our model predicted that the number of aerial spins executable was 7, 2, 2, 0.76 and 1, respectively, which was consistent with observations. These data implied that the rate of subsurface corkscrewing was limited to 14.0, 6.8, 6.2, 2.2 and 0.75 rad s-1 for spinner dolphins, striped dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, minke whales and humpback whales, respectively. In our study, the moment of inertia of the cetaceans spanned a 21,000-fold range. The greater moments of inertia for the last four species produced large torques on control surfaces that limited subsurface corkscrewing motion and aerial maneuvers compared with spinner dolphins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Frank E. Fish
- Department of Biology, West Chester University, West Chester, PA 19383, USA
| | - Anthony J. Nicastro
- Department of Physics and Engineering, West Chester University, West Chester, PA 19383, USA
| | | | - Paolo S. Segre
- Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| | - William T. Gough
- Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Vandenberg ML, Cohen KE, Rubin RD, Goldbogen JA, Summers AP, Paig-Tran EWM, Kahane-Rapport SR. Formation of a fringe: A look inside baleen morphology using a multimodal visual approach. J Morphol 2023; 284:e21574. [PMID: 36807194 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.21574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/23/2023]
Abstract
Filter-feeding has been present for hundreds of millions of years, independently evolving in aquatic vertebrates' numerous times. Mysticete whales are a group of gigantic, marine filter-feeders that are defined by their fringed baleen and are divided into two groups: balaenids and rorquals. Recent studies have shown that balaenids likely feed using a self-cleaning, cross-flow filtration mechanism where food particles are collected and then swept to the esophagus for swallowing. However, it is unclear how filtering is achieved in the rorquals (Balaenopteridae). Lunging rorqual whales engulf enormous masses of both prey and water; the prey is then separated from the water through baleen plates lining the length of their upper jaw and positioned perpendicular to flow. Rorqual baleen is composed of both major (larger) and minor (smaller) keratin plates containing embedded fringe that extends into the whale's mouth, forming a filtering fringe. We used a multimodal approach, including microcomputed tomography (µCT) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), to visualize and describe the variability in baleen anatomy across five species of rorqual whales, spanning two orders of magnitude in body length. For most morphological measurements, larger whales exhibited hypoallometry relative to body length. µCT and SEM revealed that the major and minor plates break away from the mineralized fringes at variable distances from the gums. We proposed a model for estimating the effective pore size to determine whether flow scales with body length or prey size across species. We found that pore size is likely not a proxy for prey size but instead, may reflect changes in resistance through the filter that affect fluid flow.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Megan L Vandenberg
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Friday Harbor Laboratories, University of Washington, Friday Harbor, Washington, USA
| | - Karly E Cohen
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Friday Harbor Laboratories, University of Washington, Friday Harbor, Washington, USA
| | | | - Jeremy A Goldbogen
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, California, USA
| | - Adam P Summers
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Friday Harbor Laboratories, University of Washington, Friday Harbor, Washington, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Cade DE, Kahane-Rapport SR, Gough WT, Bierlich KC, Linsky JMJ, Calambokidis J, Johnston DW, Goldbogen JA, Friedlaender AS. Minke whale feeding rate limitations suggest constraints on the minimum body size for engulfment filtration feeding. Nat Ecol Evol 2023; 7:535-546. [PMID: 36914772 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-01993-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
Bulk filter feeding has enabled gigantism throughout evolutionary history. The largest animals, extant rorqual whales, utilize intermittent engulfment filtration feeding (lunge feeding), which increases in efficiency with body size, enabling their gigantism. The smallest extant rorquals (7-10 m minke whales), however, still exhibit short-term foraging efficiencies several times greater than smaller non-filter-feeding cetaceans, raising the question of why smaller animals do not utilize this foraging modality. We collected 437 h of bio-logging data from 23 Antarctic minke whales (Balaenoptera bonaerensis) to test the relationship of feeding rates (λf) to body size. Here, we show that while ultra-high nighttime λf (mean ± s.d.: 165 ± 40 lunges h-1; max: 236 lunges h-1; mean depth: 28 ± 46 m) were indistinguishable from predictions from observations of larger species, daytime λf (mean depth: 72 ± 72 m) were only 25-40% of predicted rates. Both λf were near the maxima allowed by calculated biomechanical, physiological and environmental constraints, but these temporal constraints meant that maximum λf was below the expected λf for animals smaller than ~5 m-the length of weaned minke whales. Our findings suggest that minimum size for specific filter-feeding body plans may relate broadly to temporal restrictions on filtration rate and have implications for the evolution of filter feeding.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David E Cade
- Institute of Marine Science, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA.
| | | | - William T Gough
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA
| | - K C Bierlich
- Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, NC, USA
- Marine Mammal Institute, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon State University, Newport, OR, USA
| | - Jacob M J Linsky
- Institute of Marine Science, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | | | - David W Johnston
- Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, NC, USA
| | | | - Ari S Friedlaender
- Institute of Marine Science, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Gough WT, Cade DE, Czapanskiy MF, Potvin J, Fish FE, Kahane-Rapport SR, Savoca MS, Bierlich KC, Johnston DW, Friedlaender AS, Szabo A, Bejder L, Goldbogen JA. Fast and Furious: Energetic Tradeoffs and Scaling of High-Speed Foraging in Rorqual Whales. Integr Org Biol 2022; 4:obac038. [PMID: 36127894 PMCID: PMC9475666 DOI: 10.1093/iob/obac038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Revised: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Although gigantic body size and obligate filter feeding mechanisms have evolved in multiple vertebrate lineages (mammals and fishes), intermittent ram (lunge) filter feeding is unique to a specific family of baleen whales: rorquals. Lunge feeding is a high cost, high benefit feeding mechanism that requires the integration of unsteady locomotion (i.e., accelerations and maneuvers); the impact of scale on the biomechanics and energetics of this foraging mode continues to be the subject of intense study. The goal of our investigation was to use a combination of multi-sensor tags paired with UAS footage to determine the impact of morphometrics such as body size on kinematic lunging parameters such as fluking timing, maximum lunging speed, and deceleration during the engulfment period for a range of species from minke to blue whales. Our results show that, in the case of krill-feeding lunges and regardless of size, animals exhibit a skewed gradient between powered and fully unpowered engulfment, with fluking generally ending at the point of both the maximum lunging speed and mouth opening. In all cases, the small amounts of propulsive thrust generated by the tail were unable to overcome the high drag forces experienced during engulfment. Assuming this thrust to be minimal, we predicted the minimum speed of lunging across scale. To minimize the energetic cost of lunge feeding, hydrodynamic theory predicts slower lunge feeding speeds regardless of body size, with a lower boundary set by the ability of the prey to avoid capture. We used empirical data to test this theory and instead found that maximum foraging speeds remain constant and high (∼4 m s–1) across body size, even as higher speeds result in lower foraging efficiency. Regardless, we found an increasing relationship between body size and this foraging efficiency, estimated as the ratio of energetic gain from prey to energetic cost. This trend held across timescales ranging from a single lunge to a single day and suggests that larger whales are capturing more prey—and more energy—at a lower cost.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William T Gough
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University , Pacific Grove, CA 94305, USA
| | - David E Cade
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University , Pacific Grove, CA 94305, USA
| | - Max F Czapanskiy
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University , Pacific Grove, CA 94305, USA
| | - Jean Potvin
- Saint Louis University , Saint Louis, MO 63103, USA
| | - Frank E Fish
- West Chester University , West Chester, PA 19383, USA
| | | | - Matthew S Savoca
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University , Pacific Grove, CA 94305, USA
| | - K C Bierlich
- Oregon State University , Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | | | | | - Andy Szabo
- Alaska Whale Foundation , Sitka, AK, 99835, USA
| | - Lars Bejder
- Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii at Manoa , Kaheohe, HI 96822, USA
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University , Aarhus 8000, Denmark
| | - Jeremy A Goldbogen
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University , Pacific Grove, CA 94305, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Kahane-Rapport SR, Whelan S, Ammendolia J, Hatch SA, Elliott KH, Jacobs S. Food supply and individual quality influence seabird energy expenditure and reproductive success. Oecologia 2022; 199:367-376. [PMID: 35716234 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05191-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Breeding animals trade off maximizing energy output to increase their number of offspring with conserving energy to ensure their own survival, leading to an energetic ceiling influenced by external, environmental factors or by internal, physiological factors. We examined whether internal or external factors limited energy expenditure by supplementally feeding breeding black-legged kittiwakes varying in individual quality, based on earlier work that defined late breeders as low-quality and early breeders as high-quality individuals. We tested whether energy expenditure increased when food availability decreased in both low- and high-quality birds; we predicted this would only occur in high-quality individuals capable of sustaining high levels of energy expenditure. Here, we find that food-supplemented birds expended less energy than control birds because they spent more time at the colony. However, foraging trips of food-supplemented birds were only slightly shorter than control birds, implying that food-supplemented birds were limited by food availability at sea similarly to control birds. Late breeders expended less energy, suggesting that low-quality individuals may not intake the energy necessary for sustaining high-energy output. Food-supplemented birds had more offspring than control birds, but offspring number did not influence energy expenditure, supporting the idea that the birds reached an energy ceiling. Males and lighter birds expended more energy, possibly compensating for relatively higher energy intake. Chick-rearing birds were working near their maximum, with highest levels of expenditure for early-laying (high-quality) individuals foraging at sea. Due to fluctuating marine environments, kittiwakes may be forced to change their foraging behaviors to maintain the balance between reproduction and survival.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shirel R Kahane-Rapport
- College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, California State University, Fullerton, Fullerton, CA, 92831, USA. .,Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada.
| | - Shannon Whelan
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Ste Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Justine Ammendolia
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada.,Faculty of Graduate Studies, Interdisciplinary Studies, Dalhousie University, 6299 South St, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Scott A Hatch
- Institute for Seabird Research and Conservation, Anchorage, AK, 95516, USA
| | - Kyle H Elliott
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Ste Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Shoshanah Jacobs
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Segre PS, Gough WT, Roualdes EA, Cade DE, Czapanskiy MF, Fahlbusch J, Kahane-Rapport SR, Oestreich WK, Bejder L, Bierlich KC, Burrows JA, Calambokidis J, Chenoweth EM, di Clemente J, Durban JW, Fearnbach H, Fish FE, Friedlaender AS, Hegelund P, Johnston DW, Nowacek DP, Oudejans MG, Penry GS, Potvin J, Simon M, Stanworth A, Straley JM, Szabo A, Videsen SKA, Visser F, Weir CR, Wiley DN, Goldbogen JA. Scaling of maneuvering performance in baleen whales: larger whales outperform expectations. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:274595. [PMID: 35234874 PMCID: PMC8976943 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Despite their enormous size, whales make their living as voracious predators. To catch their much smaller, more maneuverable prey, they have developed several unique locomotor strategies that require high energetic input, high mechanical power output and a surprising degree of agility. To better understand how body size affects maneuverability at the largest scale, we used bio-logging data, aerial photogrammetry and a high-throughput approach to quantify the maneuvering performance of seven species of free-swimming baleen whale. We found that as body size increases, absolute maneuvering performance decreases: larger whales use lower accelerations and perform slower pitch-changes, rolls and turns than smaller species. We also found that baleen whales exhibit positive allometry of maneuvering performance: relative to their body size, larger whales use higher accelerations, and perform faster pitch-changes, rolls and certain types of turns than smaller species. However, not all maneuvers were impacted by body size in the same way, and we found that larger whales behaviorally adjust for their decreased agility by using turns that they can perform more effectively. The positive allometry of maneuvering performance suggests that large whales have compensated for their increased body size by evolving more effective control surfaces and by preferentially selecting maneuvers that play to their strengths.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paolo S Segre
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| | - William T Gough
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| | - Edward A Roualdes
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, California State University, Chico, Chico, CA 95929, USA
| | - David E Cade
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA.,Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Max F Czapanskiy
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| | - James Fahlbusch
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA.,Cascadia Research Collective, Olympia, WA 98501, USA
| | - Shirel R Kahane-Rapport
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA.,Department of Biological Science, California State University, Fullerton, Fullerton, CA 92834, USA
| | | | - Lars Bejder
- Marine Mammal Research Program, Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Kaneohe, HI 96744, USA.,Zoophysiology, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - K C Bierlich
- Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Duke University Marine Laboratory, Beaufort, NC 28516, USA.,Marine Mammal Institute, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon State University, Newport, OR 97365, USA
| | - Julia A Burrows
- Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Duke University Marine Laboratory, Beaufort, NC 28516, USA.,Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | | | - Ellen M Chenoweth
- University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA.,Department of Natural Sciences, University of Alaska Southeast, AK 99835, USA
| | - Jacopo di Clemente
- Marine Mammal Research, Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.,Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark.,Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense M, Denmark
| | - John W Durban
- Southall Environmental Associates, Inc., Aptos, CA 95003, USA
| | - Holly Fearnbach
- SR3, SeaLife Response, Rehabilitation and Research, Des Moines, WA 98198, USA
| | - Frank E Fish
- Department of Biology, West Chester University, PA 19383, USA
| | - Ari S Friedlaender
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Peter Hegelund
- Greenland Climate Research Centre, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk 3900, Greenland
| | - David W Johnston
- Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Duke University Marine Laboratory, Beaufort, NC 28516, USA
| | - Douglas P Nowacek
- Nicholas School of the Environment and Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University Marine Lab, Beaufort, NC 28516, USA
| | | | - Gwenith S Penry
- Institute for Coastal and Marine Research, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha 6031, South Africa
| | - Jean Potvin
- Department of Physics, Saint Louis University, St Louis, MO 63103, USA
| | - Malene Simon
- Greenland Climate Research Centre, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk 3900, Greenland
| | | | - Janice M Straley
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of Alaska Southeast, AK 99835, USA
| | - Andrew Szabo
- Alaska Whale Foundation, Petersburg, AK 99833, USA
| | - Simone K A Videsen
- Zoophysiology, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Fleur Visser
- Kelp Marine Research, 1624 CJ Hoorn, The Netherlands.,Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, IBED, University of Amsterdam, 1090 GE Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Coastal Systems, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Texel, 1790 AB Den Burg, The Netherlands
| | | | - David N Wiley
- NOAA/Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, Scituate, MA 02066, USA
| | - Jeremy A Goldbogen
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
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: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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.
Collapse
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
| | | |
Collapse
|
9
|
Kashiwabara LM, Kahane-Rapport SR, King C, DeVogelaere M, Goldbogen JA, Savoca MS. Microplastics and microfibers in surface waters of Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, California. Mar Pollut Bull 2021; 165:112148. [PMID: 33610108 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 01/30/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Despite a recent report of high concentrations of microplastics and microfibers in the mesopelagic waters of Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS), little is known about these particles in surface waters. From 2017 to 2019, we sampled two nearshore and two offshore locations within MBNMS using a manta trawl and analyzed these samples for microplastics and microfibers. We found an average concentration of 1.32 ± 0.70 (SE) particles per m3. We found the highest concentration of particles closest to shore, and the lowest concentration above the remote Davidson Seamount. Fiber-like debris was more common in offshore, as compared to nearshore, sites. Overall, particles in our samples were primarily buoyant synthetic polymers, including polypropylene and polyethylene. Our results provide baseline data on the degree of microplastic and microfiber pollution in MBNMS surface waters and confirm that this pollution can be found in waters from the surface to at least 1000 m depth.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lauren M Kashiwabara
- Department of Marine Science, California State University, Monterey Bay, United States of America.
| | - Shirel R Kahane-Rapport
- Hopkins Marine Station, Department of Biology, Stanford University, United States of America
| | - Chad King
- Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, United States of America
| | | | - Jeremy A Goldbogen
- Hopkins Marine Station, Department of Biology, Stanford University, United States of America
| | - Matthew S Savoca
- Hopkins Marine Station, Department of Biology, Stanford University, United States of America.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Kahane-Rapport SR, Savoca MS, Cade DE, Segre PS, Bierlich KC, Calambokidis J, Dale J, Fahlbusch JA, Friedlaender AS, Johnston DW, Werth AJ, Goldbogen JA. Lunge filter feeding biomechanics constrain rorqual foraging ecology across scale. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb224196. [PMID: 32820028 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.224196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Fundamental scaling relationships influence the physiology of vital rates, which in turn shape the ecology and evolution of organisms. For diving mammals, benefits conferred by large body size include reduced transport costs and enhanced breath-holding capacity, thereby increasing overall foraging efficiency. Rorqual whales feed by engulfing a large mass of prey-laden water at high speed and filtering it through baleen plates. However, as engulfment capacity increases with body length (engulfment volume∝body length3.57), the surface area of the baleen filter does not increase proportionally (baleen area∝body length1.82), and thus the filtration time of larger rorquals predictably increases as the baleen surface area must filter a disproportionally large amount of water. We predicted that filtration time should scale with body length to the power of 1.75 (filter time∝body length1.75). We tested this hypothesis on four rorqual species using multi-sensor tags with corresponding unoccupied aircraft systems-based body length estimates. We found that filter time scales with body length to the power of 1.79 (95% CI: 1.61-1.97). This result highlights a scale-dependent trade-off between engulfment capacity and baleen area that creates a biomechanical constraint to foraging through increased filtration time. Consequently, larger whales must target high-density prey patches commensurate to the gulp size to meet their increased energetic demands. If these optimal patches are absent, larger rorquals may experience reduced foraging efficiency compared with smaller whales if they do not match their engulfment capacity to the size of targeted prey aggregations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- S R Kahane-Rapport
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| | - M S Savoca
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| | - D E Cade
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - P S Segre
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| | - K C Bierlich
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University Marine Laboratory, Beaufort, NC 27710, USA
| | - J Calambokidis
- Cascadia Research Collective, 218 W. 4th Ave., Olympia, WA 98501, USA
| | - J Dale
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University Marine Laboratory, Beaufort, NC 27710, USA
| | - J A Fahlbusch
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| | - A S Friedlaender
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - D W Johnston
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University Marine Laboratory, Beaufort, NC 27710, USA
| | - A J Werth
- Department of Biology, Hampden-Sydney College, Hampden-Sydney, VA 23943, USA
| | - J A Goldbogen
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Goldbogen JA, Cade DE, Wisniewska DM, Potvin J, Segre PS, Savoca MS, Hazen EL, Czapanskiy MF, Kahane-Rapport SR, DeRuiter SL, Gero S, Tønnesen P, Gough WT, Hanson MB, Holt MM, Jensen FH, Simon M, Stimpert AK, Arranz P, Johnston DW, Nowacek DP, Parks SE, Visser F, Friedlaender AS, Tyack PL, Madsen PT, Pyenson ND. Why whales are big but not bigger: Physiological drivers and ecological limits in the age of ocean giants. Science 2020; 366:1367-1372. [PMID: 31831666 DOI: 10.1126/science.aax9044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The largest animals are marine filter feeders, but the underlying mechanism of their large size remains unexplained. We measured feeding performance and prey quality to demonstrate how whale gigantism is driven by the interplay of prey abundance and harvesting mechanisms that increase prey capture rates and energy intake. The foraging efficiency of toothed whales that feed on single prey is constrained by the abundance of large prey, whereas filter-feeding baleen whales seasonally exploit vast swarms of small prey at high efficiencies. Given temporally and spatially aggregated prey, filter feeding provides an evolutionary pathway to extremes in body size that are not available to lineages that must feed on one prey at a time. Maximum size in filter feeders is likely constrained by prey availability across space and time.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J A Goldbogen
- Hopkins Marine Station, Department of Biology, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA.
| | - D E Cade
- Hopkins Marine Station, Department of Biology, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA
| | - D M Wisniewska
- Hopkins Marine Station, Department of Biology, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA
| | - J Potvin
- Department of Physics, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - P S Segre
- Hopkins Marine Station, Department of Biology, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA
| | - M S Savoca
- Hopkins Marine Station, Department of Biology, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA
| | - E L Hazen
- Hopkins Marine Station, Department of Biology, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA.,Environmental Research Division, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, Monterey, CA, USA.,Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - M F Czapanskiy
- Hopkins Marine Station, Department of Biology, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA
| | - S R Kahane-Rapport
- Hopkins Marine Station, Department of Biology, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA
| | - S L DeRuiter
- Mathematics and Statistics Department, Calvin University, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - S Gero
- Zoophysiology, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - P Tønnesen
- Zoophysiology, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - W T Gough
- Hopkins Marine Station, Department of Biology, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA
| | - M B Hanson
- Conservation Biology Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - M M Holt
- Conservation Biology Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - F H Jensen
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - M Simon
- Greenland Climate Research Centre, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk, Greenland
| | - A K Stimpert
- Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, Moss Landing, CA, USA
| | - P Arranz
- Biodiversity, Marine Ecology and Conservation Group, Department of Animal Biology, University of La Laguna, La Laguna, Spain
| | - D W Johnston
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University Marine Laboratory, Beaufort, NC, USA
| | - D P Nowacek
- Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - S E Parks
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - F Visser
- Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, IBED, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Coastal Systems, NIOZ and Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands.,Kelp Marine Research, Hoorn, Netherlands
| | - A S Friedlaender
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - P L Tyack
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, School of Biology, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - P T Madsen
- Zoophysiology, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - N 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
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Segre PS, Potvin J, Cade DE, Calambokidis J, Di Clemente J, Fish FE, Friedlaender AS, Gough WT, Kahane-Rapport SR, Oliveira C, Parks SE, Penry GS, Simon M, Stimpert AK, Wiley DN, Bierlich KC, Madsen PT, Goldbogen JA. Energetic and physical limitations on the breaching performance of large whales. eLife 2020; 9:51760. [PMID: 32159511 PMCID: PMC7065846 DOI: 10.7554/elife.51760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The considerable power needed for large whales to leap out of the water may represent the single most expensive burst maneuver found in nature. However, the mechanics and energetic costs associated with the breaching behaviors of large whales remain poorly understood. In this study we deployed whale-borne tags to measure the kinematics of breaching to test the hypothesis that these spectacular aerial displays are metabolically expensive. We found that breaching whales use variable underwater trajectories, and that high-emergence breaches are faster and require more energy than predatory lunges. The most expensive breaches approach the upper limits of vertebrate muscle performance, and the energetic cost of breaching is high enough that repeated breaching events may serve as honest signaling of body condition. Furthermore, the confluence of muscle contractile properties, hydrodynamics, and the high speeds required likely impose an upper limit to the body size and effectiveness of breaching whales.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paolo S Segre
- Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University, Pacific Grove, United States
| | - Jean Potvin
- Saint Louis University, St Louis, United States
| | - David E Cade
- Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University, Pacific Grove, United States
| | | | | | - Frank E Fish
- West Chester University, West Chester, United States
| | - Ari S Friedlaender
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, United States
| | - William T Gough
- Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University, Pacific Grove, United States
| | | | - Cláudia Oliveira
- Okeanos R&D Centre and the Institute of Marine Research, University of the Azores, Horta, Portugal
| | - Susan E Parks
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, United States
| | - Gwenith S Penry
- Institute for Coastal and Marine Research, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
| | - Malene Simon
- Department of Birds and Mammals, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Nuuk, Greenland
| | - Alison K Stimpert
- Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, San Jose State University, San Jose, United States
| | - David N Wiley
- Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, Scituate, United States
| | - K C Bierlich
- Duke University Marine Laboratory, Piver's Island, United States
| | - Peter T Madsen
- Aarhus Institute for Advanced Studies, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.,Zoophysiology, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jeremy A Goldbogen
- Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University, Pacific Grove, United States
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Gough WT, Segre PS, Bierlich KC, Cade DE, Potvin J, Fish FE, Dale J, di Clemente J, Friedlaender AS, Johnston DW, Kahane-Rapport SR, Kennedy J, Long JH, Oudejans M, Penry G, Savoca MS, Simon M, Videsen SKA, Visser F, Wiley DN, Goldbogen JA. Scaling of swimming performance in baleen whales. J Exp Biol 2019; 222:jeb.204172. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.204172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The scale-dependence of locomotor factors have long been studied in comparative biomechanics, but remain poorly understood for animals at the upper extremes of body size. Rorqual baleen whales include the largest animals, but we lack basic kinematic data about their movements and behavior below the ocean surface. Here we combined morphometrics from aerial drone photogrammetry, whale-borne inertial sensing tag data, and hydrodynamic modeling to study the locomotion of five rorqual species. We quantified changes in tail oscillatory frequency and cruising speed for individual whales spanning a threefold variation in body length, corresponding to an order of magnitude variation in estimated body mass. Our results showed that oscillatory frequency decreases with body length (∝ length−0.53) while cruising speed remains roughly invariant (∝ length0.08) at 2 m s−1. We compared these measured results for oscillatory frequency against simplified models of an oscillating cantilever beam (∝ length−1) and an optimized oscillating Strouhal vortex generator (∝ length−1). The difference between our length-scaling exponent and the simplified models suggests that animals are often swimming non-optimally in order to feed or perform other routine behaviors. Cruising speed aligned more closely with an estimate of the optimal speed required to minimize the energetic cost of swimming (∝ length0.07). Our results are among the first to elucidate the relationships between both oscillatory frequency and cruising speed and body size for free-swimming animals at the largest scale.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William T. Gough
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| | - Paolo S. Segre
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| | - K. C. Bierlich
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, NC 28516, USA
| | - David E. Cade
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| | - Jean Potvin
- Department of Physics, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 633103, USA
| | - Frank E. Fish
- Department of Biology, West Chester University, West Chester, PA 19383, USA
| | - Julian Dale
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, NC 28516, USA
| | | | - Ari S. Friedlaender
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - David W. Johnston
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, NC 28516, USA
| | | | - John Kennedy
- Department of Physics, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 633103, USA
| | - John H. Long
- Departments of Biology and Cognitive Science, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY 12604, USA
| | | | - Gwenith Penry
- Department of Zoology, Institute for Coastal and Marine Research, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
| | - Matthew S. Savoca
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| | - Malene Simon
- Greenland Climate Research Centre, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Kivioq 2, 3900 Nuuk, Greenland
| | - Simone K. A. Videsen
- Zoophysiology, Department of Bioscience, Faculty of Science and Technology, Aarhus University, Aarhus 8000, Denmark
| | - Fleur Visser
- Kelp Marine Research, Hoorn, the Netherlands
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics – Freshwater and Marine Ecology, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Texel, the Netherlands
| | - David N. Wiley
- US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, Scituate, MA 02066, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|