Sound production and associated behavior of tagged fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) in the Southern California Bight

Background: For marine animals, acoustic communication is critical for many life functions, yet individual calling behavior is poorly understood for most large whale species. These topics are important for understanding whale social behavior and can also serve as a baseline for behavioral studies as...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Animal Biotelemetry
Main Authors: Stimpert, Alison, DeRuiter, Stacy, Falcone, Erin, Joseph, John, Douglas, Annie B, Moretti, David J, Friedlander, Ari S, Calambokidis, John, Gailey, Glenn, Tyack, Peter Lloyd, Goldbogen, Jeremy A
Other Authors: Naval Facilities Engineeering, University of St Andrews. School of Biology, University of St Andrews. Centre for Social Learning & Cognitive Evolution, University of St Andrews. Marine Alliance for Science & Technology Scotland, University of St Andrews. Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St Andrews. Sound Tags Group, University of St Andrews. Bioacoustics group, University of St Andrews. Scottish Oceans Institute
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2015
Subjects:
Fin whale
DTAG
Balaenoptera physalus
Acoustic behavior
Sound production
Biologging
GC Oceanography
QH301 Biology
NDAS
SDG 14 - Life Below Water
GC
QH301
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10023/7716
https://doi.org/10.1186/s40317-015-0058-3
Description
Summary:Background: For marine animals, acoustic communication is critical for many life functions, yet individual calling behavior is poorly understood for most large whale species. These topics are important for understanding whale social behavior and can also serve as a baseline for behavioral studies assessing whale response to disturbance. Using a new technique for identifying the calling individual, we measured body orientation, dive behavior, and surface social behavior in relation to call production for tagged fin whales in Southern California. Results: Behavioral metrics associated with elevated call rates included shallow maximum dive depths (10–15 m), little body movement, negative pitch in body orientation, and moderate body roll. Calling whales were also more likely to be traveling than milling, in groups rather than solitary, and without change in group size compared to non-calling whales. Conclusions: These are the first descriptions of body posture and depths at which fin whales are most likely to call, and some possible sound propagation and/or anatomical reasons for these results are considered. The call behavior characterizations presented here will help in predicting calling behavior from surface behavior, informing interpretation of passive acoustic data, and determining the effects of anthropogenic sound on whales in Southern California. Publisher PDF Peer reviewed

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