Supplementary material from "Use of glacial fronts by Narwhals ( Monodon monoceros ) in West Greenland"
Glacial fronts are important summer habitat for narwhals ( Monodon monoceros ), however, no studies have quantified which glacial properties attract whales. We investigated the importance of glacial habitats using telemetry data from n = 15 whales in September 1993 - 1994 and 2006 - 2007 in Melville...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | unknown |
| Published: |
Figshare
2016
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.3518946.v1 https://figshare.com/collections/Supplementary_material_from_Use_of_glacial_fronts_by_Narwhals_i_Monodon_monoceros_i_in_West_Greenland_/3518946/1 |
| Summary: | Glacial fronts are important summer habitat for narwhals ( Monodon monoceros ), however, no studies have quantified which glacial properties attract whales. We investigated the importance of glacial habitats using telemetry data from n = 15 whales in September 1993 - 1994 and 2006 - 2007 in Melville Bay, West Greenland. For 41 marine-terminating glaciers, we estimated (i) narwhal presence/absence, (ii) number of 24h periods spent at glaciers and (iii) the fraction of narwhals that visited each glacier (at 5, 7 and 10km) in autumn. We also compiled data on glacier width, ice thickness, ice velocity, front advance/retreat, area and extent of iceberg discharge, bathymetry, subglacial freshwater run-off and sediment flux. Narwhal use of glacial habitats expanded in the 2000s probably due to reduced summer fast ice and later autumn freeze-up. Using a generalized multivariate framework, glacier ice front thickness (vertical height in the water column) was a significant covariate in all models. A negative relationship with glacier velocity was included in several models and glacier front width was a significant predictor in the 2000s. Results suggest narwhals prefer glaciers with potential for higher ambient freshwater melt over glaciers with silt-laden discharge. This may represent a preference for summer freshwater habitat, similar to other Arctic monodontids. |
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