Surface behaviors correlate with prey abundance and vessels in an endangered killer whale ( Orcinus orca) population
Abstract Southern Resident killer whales (SRKWs) ( Orcinus orca ) are an endangered population in the United States and Canada, partly due to declines of their primary prey species, Chinook salmon. Prey availability influences various aspects of SRKW behavior, including distribution patterns and soc...
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crwiley:10.1111/maec.12626 2024-09-15T18:16:44+00:00 Surface behaviors correlate with prey abundance and vessels in an endangered killer whale ( Orcinus orca) population Bubac, Christine M. Johnson, Amy C. Otis, Robert Alberta Innovates - Technology Futures University of Alberta Alberta Society of Professional Biologists Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada 2020 http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/maec.12626 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/maec.12626 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1111/maec.12626 en eng Wiley http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor Marine Ecology volume 42, issue 1 ISSN 0173-9565 1439-0485 journal-article 2020 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1111/maec.12626 2024-08-22T04:17:40Z Abstract Southern Resident killer whales (SRKWs) ( Orcinus orca ) are an endangered population in the United States and Canada, partly due to declines of their primary prey species, Chinook salmon. Prey availability influences various aspects of SRKW behavior, including distribution patterns and social structure. Yet, it is unclear to what extent a limited prey source influences the frequency of surface‐active behaviors (SABs), behaviors with important ecological implications. Here, we used long‐term datasets (1996–2019) to examine the relationships between the abundance of Chinook salmon, vessel presence, and the frequency with which SRKWs perform SABs. Salmon abundance was a significant predictor of SAB frequency, with fewer SABs performed in times of lower salmon abundance. SRKWs displayed more SABs when more whale watching vessels were present, and the whales spent a greater amount of time in the study area, performing more milling as opposed to traveling behavior, when vessel numbers were higher. Lastly, we found pod‐specific differences, such that K pod displayed significantly fewer SABs than either J or L pods. The observed relationships between SRKW behavior and both salmon abundance and vessel presence have implications for social network cohesion and foraging success. Our study adds to a growing body of literature highlighting factors affecting SRKW behavior as they experience increased threats from decreased prey availability, habitat loss, and anthropogenic disturbance, with implications for trans‐boundary management and conservation efforts. Article in Journal/Newspaper Killer Whale Orca Orcinus orca Killer whale Wiley Online Library Marine Ecology 42 1 |
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Wiley Online Library |
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crwiley |
language |
English |
description |
Abstract Southern Resident killer whales (SRKWs) ( Orcinus orca ) are an endangered population in the United States and Canada, partly due to declines of their primary prey species, Chinook salmon. Prey availability influences various aspects of SRKW behavior, including distribution patterns and social structure. Yet, it is unclear to what extent a limited prey source influences the frequency of surface‐active behaviors (SABs), behaviors with important ecological implications. Here, we used long‐term datasets (1996–2019) to examine the relationships between the abundance of Chinook salmon, vessel presence, and the frequency with which SRKWs perform SABs. Salmon abundance was a significant predictor of SAB frequency, with fewer SABs performed in times of lower salmon abundance. SRKWs displayed more SABs when more whale watching vessels were present, and the whales spent a greater amount of time in the study area, performing more milling as opposed to traveling behavior, when vessel numbers were higher. Lastly, we found pod‐specific differences, such that K pod displayed significantly fewer SABs than either J or L pods. The observed relationships between SRKW behavior and both salmon abundance and vessel presence have implications for social network cohesion and foraging success. Our study adds to a growing body of literature highlighting factors affecting SRKW behavior as they experience increased threats from decreased prey availability, habitat loss, and anthropogenic disturbance, with implications for trans‐boundary management and conservation efforts. |
author2 |
Alberta Innovates - Technology Futures University of Alberta Alberta Society of Professional Biologists Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Bubac, Christine M. Johnson, Amy C. Otis, Robert |
spellingShingle |
Bubac, Christine M. Johnson, Amy C. Otis, Robert Surface behaviors correlate with prey abundance and vessels in an endangered killer whale ( Orcinus orca) population |
author_facet |
Bubac, Christine M. Johnson, Amy C. Otis, Robert |
author_sort |
Bubac, Christine M. |
title |
Surface behaviors correlate with prey abundance and vessels in an endangered killer whale ( Orcinus orca) population |
title_short |
Surface behaviors correlate with prey abundance and vessels in an endangered killer whale ( Orcinus orca) population |
title_full |
Surface behaviors correlate with prey abundance and vessels in an endangered killer whale ( Orcinus orca) population |
title_fullStr |
Surface behaviors correlate with prey abundance and vessels in an endangered killer whale ( Orcinus orca) population |
title_full_unstemmed |
Surface behaviors correlate with prey abundance and vessels in an endangered killer whale ( Orcinus orca) population |
title_sort |
surface behaviors correlate with prey abundance and vessels in an endangered killer whale ( orcinus orca) population |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/maec.12626 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/maec.12626 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1111/maec.12626 |
genre |
Killer Whale Orca Orcinus orca Killer whale |
genre_facet |
Killer Whale Orca Orcinus orca Killer whale |
op_source |
Marine Ecology volume 42, issue 1 ISSN 0173-9565 1439-0485 |
op_rights |
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1111/maec.12626 |
container_title |
Marine Ecology |
container_volume |
42 |
container_issue |
1 |
_version_ |
1810454738028724224 |