Distribution and abundance of sei whales off the west coast of the Falkland Islands
The survey was funded by Falklands Conservation, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, and the Falkland Islands Government Environmental Studies Budget. Little information exists on the current status of Southern Hemisphere sei whales (Balaenoptera borealis). We assessed their distribution...
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Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10023/24861 https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12784 |
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ftstandrewserep:oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/24861 2024-04-21T07:57:50+00:00 Distribution and abundance of sei whales off the west coast of the Falkland Islands Weir, Caroline R. Taylor, Maria Jelbes, Pamela A. Q. Stanworth, Andrew Hammond, Philip S. University of St Andrews. School of Biology University of St Andrews. Sea Mammal Research Unit University of St Andrews. Scottish Oceans Institute University of St Andrews. Centre for Research into Ecological & Environmental Modelling University of St Andrews. Marine Alliance for Science & Technology Scotland 2022-02-13 15 3673837 application/pdf https://hdl.handle.net/10023/24861 https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12784 eng eng Marine Mammal Science 272949574 288f467d-64b8-4e69-bbe6-a898c3a1ec49 85100854770 000617552400001 Weir , C R , Taylor , M , Jelbes , P A Q , Stanworth , A & Hammond , P S 2021 , ' Distribution and abundance of sei whales off the west coast of the Falkland Islands ' , Marine Mammal Science , vol. 37 , no. 3 , pp. 919-933 . https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12784 0824-0469 RIS: urn:0EAF94ABA558BCCF08161EA546DA3846 ORCID: /0000-0002-2381-8302/work/89178157 https://hdl.handle.net/10023/24861 doi:10.1111/mms.12784 Atlantic Ocean Balaenoptera borealis Coastal Density Feeding ground Key Biodiversity Area Management Southern Hemisphere GC Oceanography QL Zoology NDAS AC GC QL Journal article 2022 ftstandrewserep https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12784 2024-03-27T15:07:39Z The survey was funded by Falklands Conservation, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, and the Falkland Islands Government Environmental Studies Budget. Little information exists on the current status of Southern Hemisphere sei whales (Balaenoptera borealis). We assessed their distribution and abundance along the west coast of the Falkland Islands (southwest Atlantic) during February and March 2018, using line transect and nonsystematic surveys. Abundance estimates were generated for a single survey stratum using design- and model-based approaches. Sightings of sei whales and unidentified baleen whales (most, if not all, likely to be sei whales) occurred from the coast to the 100 m depth isobath that marked the offshore boundary of the stratum. The modeled distribution predicted highest whale densities in King George Bay and in the waters between Weddell Island and the Passage Islands. Sei whale abundance was estimated as 716 animals (CV = 0.22; 95% CI [448, 1,144]; density = 0.20 whales/km2) using the design-based approach, and 707 animals (CV = 0.11; 95% CI [566, 877]; density = 0.20 whales/km2) using the model-based approach. For sei whales and unidentified baleen whales combined, the equivalent estimates were 916 animals (CV = 0.19; 95% CI [606, 1,384]; density = 0.26 whales/km2) and 895 animals (CV = 0.074; 95% CI [777, 1,032]; density = 0.25 whales/km2). The data indicate that the Falkland Islands inner shelf region may support globally important seasonal feeding aggregations of sei whales, and potentially qualify as a Key Biodiversity Area. Peer reviewed Article in Journal/Newspaper Balaenoptera borealis baleen whales Sei Whale University of St Andrews: Digital Research Repository Marine Mammal Science 37 3 919 933 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of St Andrews: Digital Research Repository |
op_collection_id |
ftstandrewserep |
language |
English |
topic |
Atlantic Ocean Balaenoptera borealis Coastal Density Feeding ground Key Biodiversity Area Management Southern Hemisphere GC Oceanography QL Zoology NDAS AC GC QL |
spellingShingle |
Atlantic Ocean Balaenoptera borealis Coastal Density Feeding ground Key Biodiversity Area Management Southern Hemisphere GC Oceanography QL Zoology NDAS AC GC QL Weir, Caroline R. Taylor, Maria Jelbes, Pamela A. Q. Stanworth, Andrew Hammond, Philip S. Distribution and abundance of sei whales off the west coast of the Falkland Islands |
topic_facet |
Atlantic Ocean Balaenoptera borealis Coastal Density Feeding ground Key Biodiversity Area Management Southern Hemisphere GC Oceanography QL Zoology NDAS AC GC QL |
description |
The survey was funded by Falklands Conservation, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, and the Falkland Islands Government Environmental Studies Budget. Little information exists on the current status of Southern Hemisphere sei whales (Balaenoptera borealis). We assessed their distribution and abundance along the west coast of the Falkland Islands (southwest Atlantic) during February and March 2018, using line transect and nonsystematic surveys. Abundance estimates were generated for a single survey stratum using design- and model-based approaches. Sightings of sei whales and unidentified baleen whales (most, if not all, likely to be sei whales) occurred from the coast to the 100 m depth isobath that marked the offshore boundary of the stratum. The modeled distribution predicted highest whale densities in King George Bay and in the waters between Weddell Island and the Passage Islands. Sei whale abundance was estimated as 716 animals (CV = 0.22; 95% CI [448, 1,144]; density = 0.20 whales/km2) using the design-based approach, and 707 animals (CV = 0.11; 95% CI [566, 877]; density = 0.20 whales/km2) using the model-based approach. For sei whales and unidentified baleen whales combined, the equivalent estimates were 916 animals (CV = 0.19; 95% CI [606, 1,384]; density = 0.26 whales/km2) and 895 animals (CV = 0.074; 95% CI [777, 1,032]; density = 0.25 whales/km2). The data indicate that the Falkland Islands inner shelf region may support globally important seasonal feeding aggregations of sei whales, and potentially qualify as a Key Biodiversity Area. Peer reviewed |
author2 |
University of St Andrews. School of Biology University of St Andrews. Sea Mammal Research Unit University of St Andrews. Scottish Oceans Institute University of St Andrews. Centre for Research into Ecological & Environmental Modelling University of St Andrews. Marine Alliance for Science & Technology Scotland |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Weir, Caroline R. Taylor, Maria Jelbes, Pamela A. Q. Stanworth, Andrew Hammond, Philip S. |
author_facet |
Weir, Caroline R. Taylor, Maria Jelbes, Pamela A. Q. Stanworth, Andrew Hammond, Philip S. |
author_sort |
Weir, Caroline R. |
title |
Distribution and abundance of sei whales off the west coast of the Falkland Islands |
title_short |
Distribution and abundance of sei whales off the west coast of the Falkland Islands |
title_full |
Distribution and abundance of sei whales off the west coast of the Falkland Islands |
title_fullStr |
Distribution and abundance of sei whales off the west coast of the Falkland Islands |
title_full_unstemmed |
Distribution and abundance of sei whales off the west coast of the Falkland Islands |
title_sort |
distribution and abundance of sei whales off the west coast of the falkland islands |
publishDate |
2022 |
url |
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/24861 https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12784 |
genre |
Balaenoptera borealis baleen whales Sei Whale |
genre_facet |
Balaenoptera borealis baleen whales Sei Whale |
op_relation |
Marine Mammal Science 272949574 288f467d-64b8-4e69-bbe6-a898c3a1ec49 85100854770 000617552400001 Weir , C R , Taylor , M , Jelbes , P A Q , Stanworth , A & Hammond , P S 2021 , ' Distribution and abundance of sei whales off the west coast of the Falkland Islands ' , Marine Mammal Science , vol. 37 , no. 3 , pp. 919-933 . https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12784 0824-0469 RIS: urn:0EAF94ABA558BCCF08161EA546DA3846 ORCID: /0000-0002-2381-8302/work/89178157 https://hdl.handle.net/10023/24861 doi:10.1111/mms.12784 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12784 |
container_title |
Marine Mammal Science |
container_volume |
37 |
container_issue |
3 |
container_start_page |
919 |
op_container_end_page |
933 |
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1796939285727805440 |