Genetic profiling links changing sea-ice to shifting beluga whale migration patterns
There is increasing concern over how Arctic fauna will adapt to climate related changes in sea-ice. We used long-term sighting and genetic data on beluga whales ( Delphinapterus leucas ) in conjunction with multi-decadal patterns of sea-ice in the Pacific Arctic to investigate the influence of sea-i...
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2016.0404 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsbl.2016.0404 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full-xml/10.1098/rsbl.2016.0404 |
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crroyalsociety:10.1098/rsbl.2016.0404 2024-06-02T08:01:21+00:00 Genetic profiling links changing sea-ice to shifting beluga whale migration patterns O'Corry-Crowe, Greg Mahoney, Andrew R. Suydam, Robert Quakenbush, Lori Whiting, Alex Lowry, Lloyd Harwood, Lois Alaska Beluga Whale Committee National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute 2016 http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2016.0404 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsbl.2016.0404 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full-xml/10.1098/rsbl.2016.0404 en eng The Royal Society https://royalsociety.org/journals/ethics-policies/data-sharing-mining/ Biology Letters volume 12, issue 11, page 20160404 ISSN 1744-9561 1744-957X journal-article 2016 crroyalsociety https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2016.0404 2024-05-07T14:16:47Z There is increasing concern over how Arctic fauna will adapt to climate related changes in sea-ice. We used long-term sighting and genetic data on beluga whales ( Delphinapterus leucas ) in conjunction with multi-decadal patterns of sea-ice in the Pacific Arctic to investigate the influence of sea-ice on spring migration and summer residency patterns. Substantial variations in sea-ice conditions were detected across seasons, years and sub-regions, revealing ice–ocean dynamics more complex than Arctic-wide trends suggest. This variation contrasted with a highly consistent pattern of migration and residency by several populations, indicating that belugas can accommodate widely varying sea-ice conditions to perpetuate philopatry to coastal migration destinations. However, a number of anomalous migration and residency events were detected and coincided with anomalous ice years, and in one case with an increase in killer whale ( Orcinus orca ) sightings and reported predation on beluga whales. The behavioural shifts were likely driven by changing sea-ice and associated changes in resource dispersion and predation risk. Continued reductions in sea-ice may result in increased predation at key aggregation areas and shifts in beluga whale behaviour with implications for population viability, ecosystem structure and the subsistence cultures that rely on them. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Beluga Beluga whale Beluga* Delphinapterus leucas Killer Whale Orca Orcinus orca Pacific Arctic Sea ice Killer whale The Royal Society Arctic Pacific Biology Letters 12 11 20160404 |
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Open Polar |
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The Royal Society |
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crroyalsociety |
language |
English |
description |
There is increasing concern over how Arctic fauna will adapt to climate related changes in sea-ice. We used long-term sighting and genetic data on beluga whales ( Delphinapterus leucas ) in conjunction with multi-decadal patterns of sea-ice in the Pacific Arctic to investigate the influence of sea-ice on spring migration and summer residency patterns. Substantial variations in sea-ice conditions were detected across seasons, years and sub-regions, revealing ice–ocean dynamics more complex than Arctic-wide trends suggest. This variation contrasted with a highly consistent pattern of migration and residency by several populations, indicating that belugas can accommodate widely varying sea-ice conditions to perpetuate philopatry to coastal migration destinations. However, a number of anomalous migration and residency events were detected and coincided with anomalous ice years, and in one case with an increase in killer whale ( Orcinus orca ) sightings and reported predation on beluga whales. The behavioural shifts were likely driven by changing sea-ice and associated changes in resource dispersion and predation risk. Continued reductions in sea-ice may result in increased predation at key aggregation areas and shifts in beluga whale behaviour with implications for population viability, ecosystem structure and the subsistence cultures that rely on them. |
author2 |
Alaska Beluga Whale Committee National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
O'Corry-Crowe, Greg Mahoney, Andrew R. Suydam, Robert Quakenbush, Lori Whiting, Alex Lowry, Lloyd Harwood, Lois |
spellingShingle |
O'Corry-Crowe, Greg Mahoney, Andrew R. Suydam, Robert Quakenbush, Lori Whiting, Alex Lowry, Lloyd Harwood, Lois Genetic profiling links changing sea-ice to shifting beluga whale migration patterns |
author_facet |
O'Corry-Crowe, Greg Mahoney, Andrew R. Suydam, Robert Quakenbush, Lori Whiting, Alex Lowry, Lloyd Harwood, Lois |
author_sort |
O'Corry-Crowe, Greg |
title |
Genetic profiling links changing sea-ice to shifting beluga whale migration patterns |
title_short |
Genetic profiling links changing sea-ice to shifting beluga whale migration patterns |
title_full |
Genetic profiling links changing sea-ice to shifting beluga whale migration patterns |
title_fullStr |
Genetic profiling links changing sea-ice to shifting beluga whale migration patterns |
title_full_unstemmed |
Genetic profiling links changing sea-ice to shifting beluga whale migration patterns |
title_sort |
genetic profiling links changing sea-ice to shifting beluga whale migration patterns |
publisher |
The Royal Society |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2016.0404 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsbl.2016.0404 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full-xml/10.1098/rsbl.2016.0404 |
geographic |
Arctic Pacific |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Pacific |
genre |
Arctic Beluga Beluga whale Beluga* Delphinapterus leucas Killer Whale Orca Orcinus orca Pacific Arctic Sea ice Killer whale |
genre_facet |
Arctic Beluga Beluga whale Beluga* Delphinapterus leucas Killer Whale Orca Orcinus orca Pacific Arctic Sea ice Killer whale |
op_source |
Biology Letters volume 12, issue 11, page 20160404 ISSN 1744-9561 1744-957X |
op_rights |
https://royalsociety.org/journals/ethics-policies/data-sharing-mining/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2016.0404 |
container_title |
Biology Letters |
container_volume |
12 |
container_issue |
11 |
container_start_page |
20160404 |
_version_ |
1800745668267999232 |