Maternal body size and condition determine calf growth rates in southern right whales
The cost of reproduction is a key parameter determining a species' life history strategy. Despite exhibiting some of the fastest offspring growth rates among mammals, the cost of reproduction in baleen whales is largely unknown since standard field metabolic techniques cannot be applied. We qua...
Published in: | Marine Ecology Progress Series |
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Language: | English |
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2018
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Online Access: | https://pure.au.dk/portal/en/publications/4264120d-2d44-4c1a-953f-0180db3462e8 https://doi.org/10.3354/meps12522 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85044739198&partnerID=8YFLogxK |
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ftuniaarhuspubl:oai:pure.atira.dk:publications/4264120d-2d44-4c1a-953f-0180db3462e8 2024-05-19T07:38:02+00:00 Maternal body size and condition determine calf growth rates in southern right whales Christiansen, Fredrik Vivier, Fabien Charlton, Claire Ward, Rhianne Amerson, Alicia Burnell, Stephen Bejder, Lars 2018-03-29 https://pure.au.dk/portal/en/publications/4264120d-2d44-4c1a-953f-0180db3462e8 https://doi.org/10.3354/meps12522 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85044739198&partnerID=8YFLogxK eng eng https://pure.au.dk/portal/en/publications/4264120d-2d44-4c1a-953f-0180db3462e8 info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess Christiansen , F , Vivier , F , Charlton , C , Ward , R , Amerson , A , Burnell , S & Bejder , L 2018 , ' Maternal body size and condition determine calf growth rates in southern right whales ' , Marine Ecology - Progress Series , vol. 592 , pp. 267-281 . https://doi.org/10.3354/meps12522 Baleen whales Bioenergetics Body condition Energy transfer Lactation Offspring growth Photogrammetry Unmanned aerial vehicles EUBALAENA-AUSTRALIS REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS ENERGY-TRANSFER ELEPHANT SEALS ATLANTIC FIN FETAL-GROWTH ENERGETICS MAMMALS COSTS article 2018 ftuniaarhuspubl https://doi.org/10.3354/meps12522 2024-05-01T23:44:25Z The cost of reproduction is a key parameter determining a species' life history strategy. Despite exhibiting some of the fastest offspring growth rates among mammals, the cost of reproduction in baleen whales is largely unknown since standard field metabolic techniques cannot be applied. We quantified the cost of reproduction for southern right whales Eubalaena australis over a 3 mo breeding season. We did this by determining the relationship between calf growth rate and maternal rate of loss in energy reserves, using repeated measurements of body volume obtained from unmanned aerial vehicle photogrammetry. We recorded 1118 body volume estimates from 40 female and calf pairs over 40 to 89 d. Calves grew at a rate of 3.2 cm d(-1) (SD = 0.45) in body length and 0.081 m(3) d(-1) (SD = 0.011) in body volume, while females decreased in volume at a rate of 0.126 m(3) d(-1) (SD = 0.036). The average volume conversion efficiency from female to calf was 68% (SD = 16.91). Calf growth rate was positively related to the rate of loss in maternal body volume, suggesting that maternal volume loss is proportional to the energy investment into her calf. Maternal in vestment was determined by her body size and condition, with longer and more rotund females investing more volume into their calves compared to shorter and leaner females. Lactating females lost on average 25% of their initial body volume over the 3 mo breeding season. This study demonstrates the considerable energetic cost that females face during the lactation period, and highlights the importance of sufficient maternal energy reserves for reproduction in this capital breeding species. Article in Journal/Newspaper baleen whales Elephant Seals Aarhus University: Research Marine Ecology Progress Series 592 267 281 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Aarhus University: Research |
op_collection_id |
ftuniaarhuspubl |
language |
English |
topic |
Baleen whales Bioenergetics Body condition Energy transfer Lactation Offspring growth Photogrammetry Unmanned aerial vehicles EUBALAENA-AUSTRALIS REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS ENERGY-TRANSFER ELEPHANT SEALS ATLANTIC FIN FETAL-GROWTH ENERGETICS MAMMALS COSTS |
spellingShingle |
Baleen whales Bioenergetics Body condition Energy transfer Lactation Offspring growth Photogrammetry Unmanned aerial vehicles EUBALAENA-AUSTRALIS REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS ENERGY-TRANSFER ELEPHANT SEALS ATLANTIC FIN FETAL-GROWTH ENERGETICS MAMMALS COSTS Christiansen, Fredrik Vivier, Fabien Charlton, Claire Ward, Rhianne Amerson, Alicia Burnell, Stephen Bejder, Lars Maternal body size and condition determine calf growth rates in southern right whales |
topic_facet |
Baleen whales Bioenergetics Body condition Energy transfer Lactation Offspring growth Photogrammetry Unmanned aerial vehicles EUBALAENA-AUSTRALIS REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS ENERGY-TRANSFER ELEPHANT SEALS ATLANTIC FIN FETAL-GROWTH ENERGETICS MAMMALS COSTS |
description |
The cost of reproduction is a key parameter determining a species' life history strategy. Despite exhibiting some of the fastest offspring growth rates among mammals, the cost of reproduction in baleen whales is largely unknown since standard field metabolic techniques cannot be applied. We quantified the cost of reproduction for southern right whales Eubalaena australis over a 3 mo breeding season. We did this by determining the relationship between calf growth rate and maternal rate of loss in energy reserves, using repeated measurements of body volume obtained from unmanned aerial vehicle photogrammetry. We recorded 1118 body volume estimates from 40 female and calf pairs over 40 to 89 d. Calves grew at a rate of 3.2 cm d(-1) (SD = 0.45) in body length and 0.081 m(3) d(-1) (SD = 0.011) in body volume, while females decreased in volume at a rate of 0.126 m(3) d(-1) (SD = 0.036). The average volume conversion efficiency from female to calf was 68% (SD = 16.91). Calf growth rate was positively related to the rate of loss in maternal body volume, suggesting that maternal volume loss is proportional to the energy investment into her calf. Maternal in vestment was determined by her body size and condition, with longer and more rotund females investing more volume into their calves compared to shorter and leaner females. Lactating females lost on average 25% of their initial body volume over the 3 mo breeding season. This study demonstrates the considerable energetic cost that females face during the lactation period, and highlights the importance of sufficient maternal energy reserves for reproduction in this capital breeding species. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Christiansen, Fredrik Vivier, Fabien Charlton, Claire Ward, Rhianne Amerson, Alicia Burnell, Stephen Bejder, Lars |
author_facet |
Christiansen, Fredrik Vivier, Fabien Charlton, Claire Ward, Rhianne Amerson, Alicia Burnell, Stephen Bejder, Lars |
author_sort |
Christiansen, Fredrik |
title |
Maternal body size and condition determine calf growth rates in southern right whales |
title_short |
Maternal body size and condition determine calf growth rates in southern right whales |
title_full |
Maternal body size and condition determine calf growth rates in southern right whales |
title_fullStr |
Maternal body size and condition determine calf growth rates in southern right whales |
title_full_unstemmed |
Maternal body size and condition determine calf growth rates in southern right whales |
title_sort |
maternal body size and condition determine calf growth rates in southern right whales |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
https://pure.au.dk/portal/en/publications/4264120d-2d44-4c1a-953f-0180db3462e8 https://doi.org/10.3354/meps12522 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85044739198&partnerID=8YFLogxK |
genre |
baleen whales Elephant Seals |
genre_facet |
baleen whales Elephant Seals |
op_source |
Christiansen , F , Vivier , F , Charlton , C , Ward , R , Amerson , A , Burnell , S & Bejder , L 2018 , ' Maternal body size and condition determine calf growth rates in southern right whales ' , Marine Ecology - Progress Series , vol. 592 , pp. 267-281 . https://doi.org/10.3354/meps12522 |
op_relation |
https://pure.au.dk/portal/en/publications/4264120d-2d44-4c1a-953f-0180db3462e8 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3354/meps12522 |
container_title |
Marine Ecology Progress Series |
container_volume |
592 |
container_start_page |
267 |
op_container_end_page |
281 |
_version_ |
1799477419391844352 |