Timing is everything: Drivers of interannual variability in blue whale migration
Blue whales need to time their migration from their breeding grounds to their feeding grounds to avoid missing peak prey abundances, but the cues they use for this are unknown. We examine migration timing (inferred from the local onset and cessation of blue whale calls recorded on seafloor-mounted h...
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ftcdlib:oai:escholarship.org:ark:/13030/qt8wc38471 2023-09-05T13:18:33+02:00 Timing is everything: Drivers of interannual variability in blue whale migration Szesciorka, Angela R Ballance, Lisa T Širović, Ana Rice, Ally Ohman, Mark D Hildebrand, John A Franks, Peter JS 7710 2020-01-01 application/pdf https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8wc38471 unknown eScholarship, University of California qt8wc38471 https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8wc38471 public Scientific Reports, vol 10, iss 1 Life Below Water Animal Migration Animals Balaenoptera Biomass California Climate Change Euphausiacea Feeding Behavior Humans Oceans and Seas Seasons Temperature article 2020 ftcdlib 2023-08-21T18:06:53Z Blue whales need to time their migration from their breeding grounds to their feeding grounds to avoid missing peak prey abundances, but the cues they use for this are unknown. We examine migration timing (inferred from the local onset and cessation of blue whale calls recorded on seafloor-mounted hydrophones), environmental conditions (e.g., sea surface temperature anomalies and chlorophyll a), and prey (spring krill biomass from annual net tow surveys) during a 10 year period (2008-2017) in waters of the Southern California Region where blue whales feed in the summer. Colder sea surface temperature anomalies the previous season were correlated with greater krill biomass the following year, and earlier arrival by blue whales. Our results demonstrate a plastic response of blue whales to interannual variability and the importance of krill as a driving force behind migration timing. A decadal-scale increase in temperature due to climate change has led to blue whales extending their overall time in Southern California. By the end of our 10-year study, whales were arriving at the feeding grounds more than one month earlier, while their departure date did not change. Conservation strategies will need to account for increased anthropogenic threats resulting from longer times at the feeding grounds. Article in Journal/Newspaper Blue whale University of California: eScholarship |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of California: eScholarship |
op_collection_id |
ftcdlib |
language |
unknown |
topic |
Life Below Water Animal Migration Animals Balaenoptera Biomass California Climate Change Euphausiacea Feeding Behavior Humans Oceans and Seas Seasons Temperature |
spellingShingle |
Life Below Water Animal Migration Animals Balaenoptera Biomass California Climate Change Euphausiacea Feeding Behavior Humans Oceans and Seas Seasons Temperature Szesciorka, Angela R Ballance, Lisa T Širović, Ana Rice, Ally Ohman, Mark D Hildebrand, John A Franks, Peter JS Timing is everything: Drivers of interannual variability in blue whale migration |
topic_facet |
Life Below Water Animal Migration Animals Balaenoptera Biomass California Climate Change Euphausiacea Feeding Behavior Humans Oceans and Seas Seasons Temperature |
description |
Blue whales need to time their migration from their breeding grounds to their feeding grounds to avoid missing peak prey abundances, but the cues they use for this are unknown. We examine migration timing (inferred from the local onset and cessation of blue whale calls recorded on seafloor-mounted hydrophones), environmental conditions (e.g., sea surface temperature anomalies and chlorophyll a), and prey (spring krill biomass from annual net tow surveys) during a 10 year period (2008-2017) in waters of the Southern California Region where blue whales feed in the summer. Colder sea surface temperature anomalies the previous season were correlated with greater krill biomass the following year, and earlier arrival by blue whales. Our results demonstrate a plastic response of blue whales to interannual variability and the importance of krill as a driving force behind migration timing. A decadal-scale increase in temperature due to climate change has led to blue whales extending their overall time in Southern California. By the end of our 10-year study, whales were arriving at the feeding grounds more than one month earlier, while their departure date did not change. Conservation strategies will need to account for increased anthropogenic threats resulting from longer times at the feeding grounds. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Szesciorka, Angela R Ballance, Lisa T Širović, Ana Rice, Ally Ohman, Mark D Hildebrand, John A Franks, Peter JS |
author_facet |
Szesciorka, Angela R Ballance, Lisa T Širović, Ana Rice, Ally Ohman, Mark D Hildebrand, John A Franks, Peter JS |
author_sort |
Szesciorka, Angela R |
title |
Timing is everything: Drivers of interannual variability in blue whale migration |
title_short |
Timing is everything: Drivers of interannual variability in blue whale migration |
title_full |
Timing is everything: Drivers of interannual variability in blue whale migration |
title_fullStr |
Timing is everything: Drivers of interannual variability in blue whale migration |
title_full_unstemmed |
Timing is everything: Drivers of interannual variability in blue whale migration |
title_sort |
timing is everything: drivers of interannual variability in blue whale migration |
publisher |
eScholarship, University of California |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8wc38471 |
op_coverage |
7710 |
genre |
Blue whale |
genre_facet |
Blue whale |
op_source |
Scientific Reports, vol 10, iss 1 |
op_relation |
qt8wc38471 https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8wc38471 |
op_rights |
public |
_version_ |
1776199490115469312 |