Baleen whales and their prey in a coastal environment

Patterns of abundance of humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae), fin (Balaenoptera physalus), and minke (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) whales are described in relation to the abundance of their primary prey, capelin (Mallotus villosus), during 1982–1985 at Witless Bay, Newfoundland. The abundance ratio of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Canadian Journal of Zoology
Main Authors: Piatt, John F., Methven, David A., Burger, Alan E., McLagan, Ruth L., Mercer, Vicki, Creelman, Elizabeth
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1989
Subjects:
Balaenoptera acutorostrata
Balaenoptera physalus
baleen whales
Megaptera novaeangliae
Newfoundland
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z89-217
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z89-217
Description
Summary:Patterns of abundance of humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae), fin (Balaenoptera physalus), and minke (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) whales are described in relation to the abundance of their primary prey, capelin (Mallotus villosus), during 1982–1985 at Witless Bay, Newfoundland. The abundance ratio of the three whale species was 10:1:3.5, respectively. Abundance of all whale species was strongly correlated with abundance of capelin through each season and between years. Capelin abundance accounted for 63% of the variation in whale numbers in 1983 and 1984, while environmental parameters (e.g., water temperatures) accounted for little variance. The amount of capelin consumed by whales was small (< 2%) compared with the amount available. All three species overlapped temporally at Witless Bay, but spatial overlap was reduced as fins occurred primarily offshore, minkes primarily inshore, and humpbacks in bay habitats of intermediate depth.

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