The ecological importance of oceanic islands for cetaceans : the case study of Madeira archipelago ...
Open ocean islands support resident cetaceans and are used seasonally as feeding/breeding areas by migrating populations. However, these usually small habitats are expected to have limited capacity to sustain many animals for long periods, especially in oligotrophic waters. This study aimed at under...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
The University of St Andrews
2024
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://dx.doi.org/10.17630/sta/893 https://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/handle/10023/29846 |
| Summary: | Open ocean islands support resident cetaceans and are used seasonally as feeding/breeding areas by migrating populations. However, these usually small habitats are expected to have limited capacity to sustain many animals for long periods, especially in oligotrophic waters. This study aimed at understanding how cetaceans use insular habitats, including their relevance to cetaceans’ survival and life cycles, and how cetacean species may share or compete for local marine resources. The study combined data from multiple survey types (2001 – 2017) to model the temporal and spatial use of Madeira archipelago waters by 10 cetacean species, including baleen whales, dolphins and deep divers, and to identify their local habitat preferences. Photo-identification, capture-mark-recapture methods and satellite telemetry were used to investigate the role of Madeira in the survival and life cycle of Bryde’s whales. Ecological niche partitioning among these cetacean species was studied using a multidisciplinary approach, ... |
|---|