A model-based approach investigating killer whale (Orcinus orca) exposure to marine vessel engine exhaust ...
The summer habitat of the southern resident population of killer whales (Orcinus orca) in British Columbia and Washington experiences heavy traffic by vessels involved in whale-watching, sport fishing, other recreational activities, and shipping. Behavioural changes caused by vessel proximity and th...
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| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
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University of British Columbia
2008
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| Online Access: | https://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0067192 https://doi.library.ubc.ca/10.14288/1.0067192 |
| Summary: | The summer habitat of the southern resident population of killer whales (Orcinus orca) in British Columbia and Washington experiences heavy traffic by vessels involved in whale-watching, sport fishing, other recreational activities, and shipping. Behavioural changes caused by vessel proximity and the impacts of vessel noise have been previously documented, but this is the first study to assess direct impacts of air pollutant emissions from vessel traffic. The concentration and composition of air pollutants from whale-watching vessels that southern resident killer whales are exposed to during the peak tourist season were estimated, as were the health impacts of the exposure. Specifically, the study a) estimated the output of airborne pollutants from the whale-watching fleet based on emissions data from regulatory agencies, b) estimated the vertical dispersion of such pollutants based on air stability data collected in the field and from climatological sources, c) used a dispersion model incorporating data on ... |
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