Line transects, environmental data and GIS: Cetacean distribution, habitat and prey selection along the Barents Sea shelf edge
Cetacean observations obtained during sighting surveys for abundance estimation can also be used to investigate cetacean habitat and prey selection, the principal processes underlying cetacean distributions. In this paper, we investigate habitat and prey selection of minke (Balaenoptera acutorostrat...
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2009
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:90701d6bcf6c4869a1dd24111dddf82f 2023-05-15T15:36:11+02:00 Line transects, environmental data and GIS: Cetacean distribution, habitat and prey selection along the Barents Sea shelf edge Mette Skern-Mauritzen Hans Julius Skaug Nils Øien 2009-09-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.7557/3.2713 https://doaj.org/article/90701d6bcf6c4869a1dd24111dddf82f EN eng Septentrio Academic Publishing https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/NAMMCOSP/article/view/2713 https://doaj.org/toc/1560-2206 https://doaj.org/toc/2309-2491 1560-2206 2309-2491 doi:10.7557/3.2713 https://doaj.org/article/90701d6bcf6c4869a1dd24111dddf82f NAMMCO Scientific Publications, Vol 7, Iss 0, Pp 179-200 (2009) surveys cetaceans habitat selection prey selection Ecology QH540-549.5 article 2009 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.7557/3.2713 2022-12-31T03:44:57Z Cetacean observations obtained during sighting surveys for abundance estimation can also be used to investigate cetacean habitat and prey selection, the principal processes underlying cetacean distributions. In this paper, we investigate habitat and prey selection of minke (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), fin (B. physalus) and sperm (Physeter macrocephalus) whales and Lagenorhynchus (Atlantic white-sided L. acutus and white-beaked L. albirostris) dolphins observed along predetermined cruise tracks along the Barents Sea shelf edge in 2000, 2001 and 2002. The observations were combined with simultaneously collected data on habitat (depth, sea surface temperature, and temperature gradients) and prey (plankton, 0-group fish, capelin and herring) distributions in a GeographicInformation System (GIS) to investigate habitat and prey selection. Minke whales were associated with cold waters and herring, and capelin in years with low herring abundance. Fin whales were mainly associated with northern cold and deep waters, as well as capelin, 0-group fish and plankton. Lagenorhynchus dolphins were associated with capelin. Finally, sperm whales were associated with deep waters and 0-group fish. Sperm whales were probably indirectly attracted to 0-group fish through preying on predatory fish such as Sebastes spp. and the squid Gonatus spp. The cetacean species responded differently to annual variation in habitat and prey distributions. Minke and fin whale distributions and abundances remained similar between years within the study area, suggestingthat these species are generalists responding to environmental changes by switching between prey species. Conversely, Lagenorhynchus dolphins shifted northwards, likely due to tracking the shifting capelin distributions. The results are discussed in light of how such cetacean habitat and cetacean prey relationships can be valuable for the proper assessment of population sizes and trends, both through guiding the design of sighting surveys and assessing whether changes in abundances ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Balaenoptera acutorostrata Barents Sea Fin whale Physeter macrocephalus Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Barents Sea NAMMCO Scientific Publications 7 179 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
surveys cetaceans habitat selection prey selection Ecology QH540-549.5 |
spellingShingle |
surveys cetaceans habitat selection prey selection Ecology QH540-549.5 Mette Skern-Mauritzen Hans Julius Skaug Nils Øien Line transects, environmental data and GIS: Cetacean distribution, habitat and prey selection along the Barents Sea shelf edge |
topic_facet |
surveys cetaceans habitat selection prey selection Ecology QH540-549.5 |
description |
Cetacean observations obtained during sighting surveys for abundance estimation can also be used to investigate cetacean habitat and prey selection, the principal processes underlying cetacean distributions. In this paper, we investigate habitat and prey selection of minke (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), fin (B. physalus) and sperm (Physeter macrocephalus) whales and Lagenorhynchus (Atlantic white-sided L. acutus and white-beaked L. albirostris) dolphins observed along predetermined cruise tracks along the Barents Sea shelf edge in 2000, 2001 and 2002. The observations were combined with simultaneously collected data on habitat (depth, sea surface temperature, and temperature gradients) and prey (plankton, 0-group fish, capelin and herring) distributions in a GeographicInformation System (GIS) to investigate habitat and prey selection. Minke whales were associated with cold waters and herring, and capelin in years with low herring abundance. Fin whales were mainly associated with northern cold and deep waters, as well as capelin, 0-group fish and plankton. Lagenorhynchus dolphins were associated with capelin. Finally, sperm whales were associated with deep waters and 0-group fish. Sperm whales were probably indirectly attracted to 0-group fish through preying on predatory fish such as Sebastes spp. and the squid Gonatus spp. The cetacean species responded differently to annual variation in habitat and prey distributions. Minke and fin whale distributions and abundances remained similar between years within the study area, suggestingthat these species are generalists responding to environmental changes by switching between prey species. Conversely, Lagenorhynchus dolphins shifted northwards, likely due to tracking the shifting capelin distributions. The results are discussed in light of how such cetacean habitat and cetacean prey relationships can be valuable for the proper assessment of population sizes and trends, both through guiding the design of sighting surveys and assessing whether changes in abundances ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Mette Skern-Mauritzen Hans Julius Skaug Nils Øien |
author_facet |
Mette Skern-Mauritzen Hans Julius Skaug Nils Øien |
author_sort |
Mette Skern-Mauritzen |
title |
Line transects, environmental data and GIS: Cetacean distribution, habitat and prey selection along the Barents Sea shelf edge |
title_short |
Line transects, environmental data and GIS: Cetacean distribution, habitat and prey selection along the Barents Sea shelf edge |
title_full |
Line transects, environmental data and GIS: Cetacean distribution, habitat and prey selection along the Barents Sea shelf edge |
title_fullStr |
Line transects, environmental data and GIS: Cetacean distribution, habitat and prey selection along the Barents Sea shelf edge |
title_full_unstemmed |
Line transects, environmental data and GIS: Cetacean distribution, habitat and prey selection along the Barents Sea shelf edge |
title_sort |
line transects, environmental data and gis: cetacean distribution, habitat and prey selection along the barents sea shelf edge |
publisher |
Septentrio Academic Publishing |
publishDate |
2009 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.7557/3.2713 https://doaj.org/article/90701d6bcf6c4869a1dd24111dddf82f |
geographic |
Barents Sea |
geographic_facet |
Barents Sea |
genre |
Balaenoptera acutorostrata Barents Sea Fin whale Physeter macrocephalus |
genre_facet |
Balaenoptera acutorostrata Barents Sea Fin whale Physeter macrocephalus |
op_source |
NAMMCO Scientific Publications, Vol 7, Iss 0, Pp 179-200 (2009) |
op_relation |
https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/NAMMCOSP/article/view/2713 https://doaj.org/toc/1560-2206 https://doaj.org/toc/2309-2491 1560-2206 2309-2491 doi:10.7557/3.2713 https://doaj.org/article/90701d6bcf6c4869a1dd24111dddf82f |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.7557/3.2713 |
container_title |
NAMMCO Scientific Publications |
container_volume |
7 |
container_start_page |
179 |
_version_ |
1766366518904356864 |