Sink or Swim: Strategies for Cost-Efficient Diving by Marine Mammals

Locomotor activity by diving marine mammals is accomplished while breath-holding and often exceeds predicted aerobic capacities. Video sequences of freely diving seals and whales wearing submersible cameras reveal a behavioral strategy that improves energetic efficiency in these animals. Prolonged g...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science
Main Authors: Williams, Terrie M., Davis, R. W., Fuiman, L. A., Francis, J., Le, B. J., Boeuf, Horning, M., Calambokidis, J., Croll, D. A.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) 2000
Subjects:
Weddell
Weddell Seals
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.288.5463.133
https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/science.288.5463.133
Description
Summary:Locomotor activity by diving marine mammals is accomplished while breath-holding and often exceeds predicted aerobic capacities. Video sequences of freely diving seals and whales wearing submersible cameras reveal a behavioral strategy that improves energetic efficiency in these animals. Prolonged gliding (greater than 78% descent duration) occurred during dives exceeding 80 meters in depth. Gliding was attributed to buoyancy changes with lung compression at depth. By modifying locomotor patterns to take advantage of these physical changes, Weddell seals realized a 9.2 to 59.6% reduction in diving energetic costs. This energy-conserving strategy allows marine mammals to increase aerobic dive duration and achieve remarkable depths despite limited oxygen availability when submerged.

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