Bowhead and Beluga Whale Distributions, Sighting Rates, and Habitat Associations in the Western Beaufort Sea in Summer and Fall 2009–16, with Comparison to 1982–91

We analyzed data from line-transect aerial surveys for marine mammals conducted in the western Beaufort Sea (shore to 72˚ N, 140˚–157˚ W) from July to October of 2009–16 to investigate the distribution, behaviors, sighting rates, and habitat use preferences of bowhead and beluga whales. The habitat...

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Published in:ARCTIC
Main Authors: Clarke, Janet T., Ferguson, Megan C., Willoughby, Amy L., Brower, Amelia A.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:unknown
Published: The Arctic Institute of North America 2018
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.14430/arctic4713
https://10.70.129.196/index.php/arctic/article/download/67751/51647
id crarcticinstna:10.14430/arctic4713
record_format openpolar
spelling crarcticinstna:10.14430/arctic4713 2024-06-09T07:41:56+00:00 Bowhead and Beluga Whale Distributions, Sighting Rates, and Habitat Associations in the Western Beaufort Sea in Summer and Fall 2009–16, with Comparison to 1982–91 Clarke, Janet T. Ferguson, Megan C. Willoughby, Amy L. Brower, Amelia A. 2018 http://dx.doi.org/10.14430/arctic4713 https://10.70.129.196/index.php/arctic/article/download/67751/51647 unknown The Arctic Institute of North America http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ARCTIC volume 71, issue 2 ISSN 1923-1245 0004-0843 journal-article 2018 crarcticinstna https://doi.org/10.14430/arctic4713 2024-05-14T12:53:42Z We analyzed data from line-transect aerial surveys for marine mammals conducted in the western Beaufort Sea (shore to 72˚ N, 140˚–157˚ W) from July to October of 2009–16 to investigate the distribution, behaviors, sighting rates, and habitat use preferences of bowhead and beluga whales. The habitat use data allowed for direct comparison with data collected in the same area from 1982 to 1991. Both species are ice-adapted, migrating through leads in sea ice in spring, and are seasonal inhabitants of the western Beaufort Sea during summer and fall. From 2009 to 2016, bowheads were seen in all survey months, with the highest overall sighting rate (whales per km) in August. Bowhead sighting rates were highest in the whales’ preferred habitats: outer shelf habitat (51–200 m depth) in July and inner shelf-shallow habitat (≤ 20 m depth) in August, September, and October. Beluga whales were also seen in all survey months, with highest overall sighting rate in July. Beluga whales were overwhelmingly associated with continental slope habitat (201–2000 m depth) in all months. Bowhead distribution and depth preferences in summer months of 2009–16 differed from those observed in 1982–91, when bowheads were not seen during limited survey effort in July and preferred outer continental shelf habitat in August. These differences indicate that bowhead whale preference for shallow shelf habitat now occurs earlier in summer than it used to. Beluga distribution and depth preference remained similar between 1982–91 and 2009–16, with strong preference for continental slope during both periods. Differences in sea ice cover habitat association for both species are likely due more to the relative lack of sea ice in recent years compared to the earlier period than to shifts in habitat preference. Habitat partitioning between bowhead and beluga whales in the western Beaufort Sea remained evident except in July, when both species used continental slope habitat. In July – October 2009–16, the distribution, sighting rates, and behavior of both ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Beaufort Sea Beluga Beluga whale Beluga* bowhead whale Sea ice Arctic Institute of North America ARCTIC 71 2
institution Open Polar
collection Arctic Institute of North America
op_collection_id crarcticinstna
language unknown
description We analyzed data from line-transect aerial surveys for marine mammals conducted in the western Beaufort Sea (shore to 72˚ N, 140˚–157˚ W) from July to October of 2009–16 to investigate the distribution, behaviors, sighting rates, and habitat use preferences of bowhead and beluga whales. The habitat use data allowed for direct comparison with data collected in the same area from 1982 to 1991. Both species are ice-adapted, migrating through leads in sea ice in spring, and are seasonal inhabitants of the western Beaufort Sea during summer and fall. From 2009 to 2016, bowheads were seen in all survey months, with the highest overall sighting rate (whales per km) in August. Bowhead sighting rates were highest in the whales’ preferred habitats: outer shelf habitat (51–200 m depth) in July and inner shelf-shallow habitat (≤ 20 m depth) in August, September, and October. Beluga whales were also seen in all survey months, with highest overall sighting rate in July. Beluga whales were overwhelmingly associated with continental slope habitat (201–2000 m depth) in all months. Bowhead distribution and depth preferences in summer months of 2009–16 differed from those observed in 1982–91, when bowheads were not seen during limited survey effort in July and preferred outer continental shelf habitat in August. These differences indicate that bowhead whale preference for shallow shelf habitat now occurs earlier in summer than it used to. Beluga distribution and depth preference remained similar between 1982–91 and 2009–16, with strong preference for continental slope during both periods. Differences in sea ice cover habitat association for both species are likely due more to the relative lack of sea ice in recent years compared to the earlier period than to shifts in habitat preference. Habitat partitioning between bowhead and beluga whales in the western Beaufort Sea remained evident except in July, when both species used continental slope habitat. In July – October 2009–16, the distribution, sighting rates, and behavior of both ...
format Article in Journal/Newspaper
author Clarke, Janet T.
Ferguson, Megan C.
Willoughby, Amy L.
Brower, Amelia A.
spellingShingle Clarke, Janet T.
Ferguson, Megan C.
Willoughby, Amy L.
Brower, Amelia A.
Bowhead and Beluga Whale Distributions, Sighting Rates, and Habitat Associations in the Western Beaufort Sea in Summer and Fall 2009–16, with Comparison to 1982–91
author_facet Clarke, Janet T.
Ferguson, Megan C.
Willoughby, Amy L.
Brower, Amelia A.
author_sort Clarke, Janet T.
title Bowhead and Beluga Whale Distributions, Sighting Rates, and Habitat Associations in the Western Beaufort Sea in Summer and Fall 2009–16, with Comparison to 1982–91
title_short Bowhead and Beluga Whale Distributions, Sighting Rates, and Habitat Associations in the Western Beaufort Sea in Summer and Fall 2009–16, with Comparison to 1982–91
title_full Bowhead and Beluga Whale Distributions, Sighting Rates, and Habitat Associations in the Western Beaufort Sea in Summer and Fall 2009–16, with Comparison to 1982–91
title_fullStr Bowhead and Beluga Whale Distributions, Sighting Rates, and Habitat Associations in the Western Beaufort Sea in Summer and Fall 2009–16, with Comparison to 1982–91
title_full_unstemmed Bowhead and Beluga Whale Distributions, Sighting Rates, and Habitat Associations in the Western Beaufort Sea in Summer and Fall 2009–16, with Comparison to 1982–91
title_sort bowhead and beluga whale distributions, sighting rates, and habitat associations in the western beaufort sea in summer and fall 2009–16, with comparison to 1982–91
publisher The Arctic Institute of North America
publishDate 2018
url http://dx.doi.org/10.14430/arctic4713
https://10.70.129.196/index.php/arctic/article/download/67751/51647
genre Arctic
Beaufort Sea
Beluga
Beluga whale
Beluga*
bowhead whale
Sea ice
genre_facet Arctic
Beaufort Sea
Beluga
Beluga whale
Beluga*
bowhead whale
Sea ice
op_source ARCTIC
volume 71, issue 2
ISSN 1923-1245 0004-0843
op_rights http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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