Physical and Biological Controls of Copepod Aggregation and Baleen Whale Distribution
Our long-term goal is to develop a fundamental understanding of the physical and biological mechanisms that aggregate zooplankton on spatial scales of hundreds of meters to hundreds of kilometers. These aggregation processes have a profound effect on the distribution, movements, and behavior of top...
Main Authors: | , , |
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Other Authors: | |
Format: | Text |
Language: | English |
Published: |
2011
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Online Access: | http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA598753 http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA598753 |
Summary: | Our long-term goal is to develop a fundamental understanding of the physical and biological mechanisms that aggregate zooplankton on spatial scales of hundreds of meters to hundreds of kilometers. These aggregation processes have a profound effect on the distribution, movements, and behavior of top predators, including those that feed directly on zooplankton (e.g., basking sharks, manta rays, right whales). While all marine mammals rely on prey aggregation processes for their survival, baleen whales are perhaps most dependent upon these processes because of the enormous quantities of food they must consume daily. Therefore, we have chosen to focus our long-term research efforts on the interactions between baleen whales, zooplankton, and ocean physics to better understand the environmental factors influence marine mammal distribution. |
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