Fluctuating reproductive rates in Hawaii's humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae , reflect recent climate anomalies in the North Pacific
Alongside changing ocean temperatures and ocean chemistry, anthropogenic climate change is now impacting the fundamental processes that support marine systems. However, where natural climate aberrations mask or amplify the impacts of anthropogenic climate change, identifying key detrimental changes...
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crroyalsociety:10.1098/rsos.181463 2024-09-15T18:18:26+00:00 Fluctuating reproductive rates in Hawaii's humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae , reflect recent climate anomalies in the North Pacific Cartwright, R. Venema, A. Hernandez, V. Wyels, C. Cesere, J. Cesere, D. IRA Fund, California State University Channel Islands Cesere Fine Art Photography Whale Trust Maui Apple Computers Inc Mark Percival, Worcester, UK British Broadcasting Company 2019 http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.181463 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsos.181463 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full-xml/10.1098/rsos.181463 en eng The Royal Society https://royalsociety.org/journals/ethics-policies/data-sharing-mining/ Royal Society Open Science volume 6, issue 3, page 181463 ISSN 2054-5703 journal-article 2019 crroyalsociety https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.181463 2024-08-12T04:27:44Z Alongside changing ocean temperatures and ocean chemistry, anthropogenic climate change is now impacting the fundamental processes that support marine systems. However, where natural climate aberrations mask or amplify the impacts of anthropogenic climate change, identifying key detrimental changes is challenging. In these situations, long-term, systematic field studies allow the consequences of anthropogenically driven climate change to be distinguished from the expected fluctuations in natural resources. In this study, we describe fluctuations in encounter rates for humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae , between 2008 and 2018. Encounter rates were assessed during transect surveys of the Au'Au Channel, Maui, Hawaii. Initially, rates increased, tracking projected growth rates for this population segment. Rates reached a peak in 2013, then declined through 2018. Specifically, between 2013 and 2018, mother–calf encounter rates dropped by 76.5%, suggesting a rapid reduction in the reproductive rate of the newly designated Hawaii Distinct Population Segment of humpback whales during this time. As this decline coincided with changes in the Pacific decadal oscillation, the development of the NE Pacific marine heat wave and the evolution of the 2016 El Niño, this may be another example of the impact of this potent trifecta of climatic events within the North Pacific. Article in Journal/Newspaper Megaptera novaeangliae The Royal Society Royal Society Open Science 6 3 181463 |
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Open Polar |
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The Royal Society |
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crroyalsociety |
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English |
description |
Alongside changing ocean temperatures and ocean chemistry, anthropogenic climate change is now impacting the fundamental processes that support marine systems. However, where natural climate aberrations mask or amplify the impacts of anthropogenic climate change, identifying key detrimental changes is challenging. In these situations, long-term, systematic field studies allow the consequences of anthropogenically driven climate change to be distinguished from the expected fluctuations in natural resources. In this study, we describe fluctuations in encounter rates for humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae , between 2008 and 2018. Encounter rates were assessed during transect surveys of the Au'Au Channel, Maui, Hawaii. Initially, rates increased, tracking projected growth rates for this population segment. Rates reached a peak in 2013, then declined through 2018. Specifically, between 2013 and 2018, mother–calf encounter rates dropped by 76.5%, suggesting a rapid reduction in the reproductive rate of the newly designated Hawaii Distinct Population Segment of humpback whales during this time. As this decline coincided with changes in the Pacific decadal oscillation, the development of the NE Pacific marine heat wave and the evolution of the 2016 El Niño, this may be another example of the impact of this potent trifecta of climatic events within the North Pacific. |
author2 |
IRA Fund, California State University Channel Islands Cesere Fine Art Photography Whale Trust Maui Apple Computers Inc Mark Percival, Worcester, UK British Broadcasting Company |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Cartwright, R. Venema, A. Hernandez, V. Wyels, C. Cesere, J. Cesere, D. |
spellingShingle |
Cartwright, R. Venema, A. Hernandez, V. Wyels, C. Cesere, J. Cesere, D. Fluctuating reproductive rates in Hawaii's humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae , reflect recent climate anomalies in the North Pacific |
author_facet |
Cartwright, R. Venema, A. Hernandez, V. Wyels, C. Cesere, J. Cesere, D. |
author_sort |
Cartwright, R. |
title |
Fluctuating reproductive rates in Hawaii's humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae , reflect recent climate anomalies in the North Pacific |
title_short |
Fluctuating reproductive rates in Hawaii's humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae , reflect recent climate anomalies in the North Pacific |
title_full |
Fluctuating reproductive rates in Hawaii's humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae , reflect recent climate anomalies in the North Pacific |
title_fullStr |
Fluctuating reproductive rates in Hawaii's humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae , reflect recent climate anomalies in the North Pacific |
title_full_unstemmed |
Fluctuating reproductive rates in Hawaii's humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae , reflect recent climate anomalies in the North Pacific |
title_sort |
fluctuating reproductive rates in hawaii's humpback whales, megaptera novaeangliae , reflect recent climate anomalies in the north pacific |
publisher |
The Royal Society |
publishDate |
2019 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.181463 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsos.181463 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full-xml/10.1098/rsos.181463 |
genre |
Megaptera novaeangliae |
genre_facet |
Megaptera novaeangliae |
op_source |
Royal Society Open Science volume 6, issue 3, page 181463 ISSN 2054-5703 |
op_rights |
https://royalsociety.org/journals/ethics-policies/data-sharing-mining/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.181463 |
container_title |
Royal Society Open Science |
container_volume |
6 |
container_issue |
3 |
container_start_page |
181463 |
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1810456565053915136 |