Do beluga whales truly migrate? Testing a key trait of the classical migration syndrome ...

• Main Authors: Storrie, Luke, Loseto, Lisa L., Sutherland, Emma L., MacPhee, Shannon A., O’Corry-Crowe, Greg, Hussey, Nigel E.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: figshare 2023
• Subjects: Ecology; FOS Biological sciences; Beaufort Sea; Beluga; Beluga*; Delphinapterus leucas
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.6813426; https://springernature.figshare.com/collections/Do_beluga_whales_truly_migrate_Testing_a_key_trait_of_the_classical_migration_syndrome/6813426

Abstract Background Migration enables organisms to access resources in separate regions that have predictable but asynchronous spatiotemporal variability in habitat quality. The classical migration syndrome is defined by key traits including directionally persistent long-distance movements during which maintenance activities are suppressed. But recently, seasonal round-trip movements have frequently been considered to constitute migration irrespective of the traits required to meet this movement type, conflating common outcomes with common traits required for a mechanistic understanding of long-distance movements. We aimed to test whether a cetacean ceases foraging during so-called migratory movements, conforming to a trait that defines classical migration. Methods We used location and dive data collected by satellite tags deployed on beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) from the Eastern Beaufort Sea population, which undertake long-distance directed movements between summer and winter areas. To identify ...