Satellite tracking and stable isotope analysis link wintering and feeding grounds of North Atlantic baleen whales
Knowledge of the distribution of baleen whales throughout their annual cycle is critical for understanding their ecology, life history and behavior, and for their effective conservation. We combined analysis of stable isotopes (δ15N and δ13C) and satellite tracking data of blue (Balaenoptera musculu...
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ftunigroningenpu:oai:pure.rug.nl:publications/b90b3eed-2333-4626-90dd-f94e1b16cdb7 2024-06-02T08:03:58+00:00 Satellite tracking and stable isotope analysis link wintering and feeding grounds of North Atlantic baleen whales Almeida e Silva, Monica Prieto, Rui Gauffier, Pauline Palsboll, Per Bérubé, Martine Colaco, Ana 2017-10-22 https://hdl.handle.net/11370/b90b3eed-2333-4626-90dd-f94e1b16cdb7 https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/b90b3eed-2333-4626-90dd-f94e1b16cdb7 eng eng https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/b90b3eed-2333-4626-90dd-f94e1b16cdb7 info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess Almeida e Silva , M , Prieto , R , Gauffier , P , Palsboll , P , Bérubé , M & Colaco , A 2017 , ' Satellite tracking and stable isotope analysis link wintering and feeding grounds of North Atlantic baleen whales ' , 22nd Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals , Halifax , Canada , 22/10/2017 - 27/10/2017 . conferenceObject 2017 ftunigroningenpu 2024-05-07T20:19:49Z Knowledge of the distribution of baleen whales throughout their annual cycle is critical for understanding their ecology, life history and behavior, and for their effective conservation. We combined analysis of stable isotopes (δ15N and δ13C) and satellite tracking data of blue (Balaenoptera musculus), fin (B. physalus) and sei whales (B. borealis) encountered in the Azores to determine their wintering ranges, foraging behaviour, and movements towards feeding grounds. Blue, fin and sei whales occupied distinct isotopic spaces and distance between species was mainly driven by differences in δ 13C, suggesting use of different wintering habitats. Fin whales had the lowest δ13C values, consistent with prey sources from offshore areas, whereas the δ13C-enriched signal of sei whales indicate foraging in coastal NW African waters. Blue whales’ δ13C values were intermediate between those of fin and sei whales. Fin whales showed the broadest range and highest δ15N values, suggesting a more diverse prey base with a greater contribution of higher-trophic level organisms. Sex had no effect on isotopic signal in any of the species, indicating similar trophic levels and dietary sources for males and females. Satellite-derived movements of blue (n=10) and fin whales (n=16) indicated foraging at middle latitudes and a mid-Atlantic corridor between the Azores and Iceland-Greenland. Tracks of 8 sei whales provided no evidence of foraging until whales reached the Labrador Sea. One sei whale tagged in September moved towards Canary Islands, where the tag stopped transmitting. Our work suggests a wintering range in temperate-tropical pelagic waters for fin and blue whales migrating through the Azores to Iceland-Greenland. It also shows that part of the sei whale population feeding in the Labrador Sea winter, and possibly breed, in the eastern Atlantic. We discuss these findings in light of current knowledge on the migration strategy and population structure of each whale species Conference Object Balaenoptera musculus baleen whales Greenland Iceland Labrador Sea North Atlantic Sei Whale University of Groningen research database Greenland |
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Open Polar |
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University of Groningen research database |
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ftunigroningenpu |
language |
English |
description |
Knowledge of the distribution of baleen whales throughout their annual cycle is critical for understanding their ecology, life history and behavior, and for their effective conservation. We combined analysis of stable isotopes (δ15N and δ13C) and satellite tracking data of blue (Balaenoptera musculus), fin (B. physalus) and sei whales (B. borealis) encountered in the Azores to determine their wintering ranges, foraging behaviour, and movements towards feeding grounds. Blue, fin and sei whales occupied distinct isotopic spaces and distance between species was mainly driven by differences in δ 13C, suggesting use of different wintering habitats. Fin whales had the lowest δ13C values, consistent with prey sources from offshore areas, whereas the δ13C-enriched signal of sei whales indicate foraging in coastal NW African waters. Blue whales’ δ13C values were intermediate between those of fin and sei whales. Fin whales showed the broadest range and highest δ15N values, suggesting a more diverse prey base with a greater contribution of higher-trophic level organisms. Sex had no effect on isotopic signal in any of the species, indicating similar trophic levels and dietary sources for males and females. Satellite-derived movements of blue (n=10) and fin whales (n=16) indicated foraging at middle latitudes and a mid-Atlantic corridor between the Azores and Iceland-Greenland. Tracks of 8 sei whales provided no evidence of foraging until whales reached the Labrador Sea. One sei whale tagged in September moved towards Canary Islands, where the tag stopped transmitting. Our work suggests a wintering range in temperate-tropical pelagic waters for fin and blue whales migrating through the Azores to Iceland-Greenland. It also shows that part of the sei whale population feeding in the Labrador Sea winter, and possibly breed, in the eastern Atlantic. We discuss these findings in light of current knowledge on the migration strategy and population structure of each whale species |
format |
Conference Object |
author |
Almeida e Silva, Monica Prieto, Rui Gauffier, Pauline Palsboll, Per Bérubé, Martine Colaco, Ana |
spellingShingle |
Almeida e Silva, Monica Prieto, Rui Gauffier, Pauline Palsboll, Per Bérubé, Martine Colaco, Ana Satellite tracking and stable isotope analysis link wintering and feeding grounds of North Atlantic baleen whales |
author_facet |
Almeida e Silva, Monica Prieto, Rui Gauffier, Pauline Palsboll, Per Bérubé, Martine Colaco, Ana |
author_sort |
Almeida e Silva, Monica |
title |
Satellite tracking and stable isotope analysis link wintering and feeding grounds of North Atlantic baleen whales |
title_short |
Satellite tracking and stable isotope analysis link wintering and feeding grounds of North Atlantic baleen whales |
title_full |
Satellite tracking and stable isotope analysis link wintering and feeding grounds of North Atlantic baleen whales |
title_fullStr |
Satellite tracking and stable isotope analysis link wintering and feeding grounds of North Atlantic baleen whales |
title_full_unstemmed |
Satellite tracking and stable isotope analysis link wintering and feeding grounds of North Atlantic baleen whales |
title_sort |
satellite tracking and stable isotope analysis link wintering and feeding grounds of north atlantic baleen whales |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
https://hdl.handle.net/11370/b90b3eed-2333-4626-90dd-f94e1b16cdb7 https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/b90b3eed-2333-4626-90dd-f94e1b16cdb7 |
geographic |
Greenland |
geographic_facet |
Greenland |
genre |
Balaenoptera musculus baleen whales Greenland Iceland Labrador Sea North Atlantic Sei Whale |
genre_facet |
Balaenoptera musculus baleen whales Greenland Iceland Labrador Sea North Atlantic Sei Whale |
op_source |
Almeida e Silva , M , Prieto , R , Gauffier , P , Palsboll , P , Bérubé , M & Colaco , A 2017 , ' Satellite tracking and stable isotope analysis link wintering and feeding grounds of North Atlantic baleen whales ' , 22nd Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals , Halifax , Canada , 22/10/2017 - 27/10/2017 . |
op_relation |
https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/b90b3eed-2333-4626-90dd-f94e1b16cdb7 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess |
_version_ |
1800748571216052224 |