Interactions Among Behavioral Responses of Baleen Whales to Acoustic Stimuli, Oceanographic Features, and Prey Availability

• Main Authors: Friedlaender, Ari S, Southall, Brandon L, Hazen, Elliott L
• Other Authors: SOUTHALL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES INC APTOS CA
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: Biology; *WHALES; BEHAVIOR; ECOLOGY; EXPOSURE(PHYSIOLOGY); INTERACTIONS; RESPONSE(BIOLOGY); SOUND; baleen whale; baleen whales
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA616546; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA616546

The overall objectives of this multi-year study are to obtain empirical synoptic measurements of fine-scale prey distribution and whale diving and foraging behavior in order to better understand baleen whale foraging ecology and better interpret responses to experimental sound exposure. The current project has already enabled us to obtain basic distribution and density information for prey concurrent with foraging mysticete cetaceans during tagging with fine-scale movement sensors in the context of behavioral response studies (specifically the Southern California Behavioral Response Study, or SOCAL-BRS). The new results in FY14 here clearly and quite powerfully demonstrate that data on the distribution and abundance of prey are essential in fully understanding how changes in whale behavior related to the presence of human sounds are mediated by these factors and associated environmental variables. Subsequent CEEs involving potential behavioral changes in foraging marine mammals should build on these novel techniques and measurements in order to fully describe potential responses (or lack thereof) to sound exposure. Contract nos. N00014-13-1-0790, MIPR-N0001413IP20034, MIPR-N0001412IP20071