| Summary: | To enhance knowledge of beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) movement and habitat use in the southeast Beaufort Sea, we examined aerial survey data from two critical seasons: spring (2012-2013) and late-summer (2007-2009). In the spring, belugas were associated to variables of sea ice, bathymetry, and turbidity (chi-square), and a combination of classes within these variables (multiple correspondence analysis). In the late-summer, a resource selection function (RSF) evaluated the influence of sea surface temperature, chlorophyll a, bathymetry, and distance to shore on beluga habitat selection. In the spring, belugas primarily occurred in open water and close to fast-ice edges (<50 m), where increased freshwater flow was present. In the late-summer, prey aggregations likely influenced beluga selection of warmer waters (>0°C) found along the Mackenzie Shelf (<500 m), offshore of the Mackenzie Estuary and Tuktoyaktuk Peninsula. This research contributed important knowledge related to habitat requirements of Beaufort Sea beluga whales, and can support communities and decision-makers when monitoring the effects of climate change. February 2016
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