Cultural turnover among Galápagos sperm whales
While populations may wax and wane, it is rare for an entire population to be replaced by a completely different set of individuals. We document the large-scale relocation of cultural groups of sperm whale off the Galápagos Islands, in which two sympatric vocal clans were entirely replaced by two di...
Published in: | Royal Society Open Science |
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Language: | English |
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2016
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Online Access: | https://research-portal.st-andrews.ac.uk/en/researchoutput/cultural-turnover-among-galpagos-sperm-whales(04ed2db8-c5d8-474e-83d3-f122dac351a0).html https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.160615 https://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/bitstream/10023/9699/1/Cantor_et_al_2016_cultural_turnover_among_Galapagos_sperm_whales.pdf http://rsos.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/3/10/160615 |
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ftunstandrewcris:oai:research-portal.st-andrews.ac.uk:publications/04ed2db8-c5d8-474e-83d3-f122dac351a0 2024-09-09T20:03:39+00:00 Cultural turnover among Galápagos sperm whales Cantor, Mauricio Whitehead, Hal Gero, Shane Rendell, Luke Edward 2016-10 application/pdf https://research-portal.st-andrews.ac.uk/en/researchoutput/cultural-turnover-among-galpagos-sperm-whales(04ed2db8-c5d8-474e-83d3-f122dac351a0).html https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.160615 https://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/bitstream/10023/9699/1/Cantor_et_al_2016_cultural_turnover_among_Galapagos_sperm_whales.pdf http://rsos.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/3/10/160615 eng eng https://research-portal.st-andrews.ac.uk/en/researchoutput/cultural-turnover-among-galpagos-sperm-whales(04ed2db8-c5d8-474e-83d3-f122dac351a0).html info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Cantor , M , Whitehead , H , Gero , S & Rendell , L E 2016 , ' Cultural turnover among Galápagos sperm whales ' , Royal Society Open Science , vol. 3 , no. 10 , 160615 . https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.160615 Culture Dialect Physeter macrocephalus Population ecology Demographic change Social structure article 2016 ftunstandrewcris https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.160615 2024-06-19T23:47:18Z While populations may wax and wane, it is rare for an entire population to be replaced by a completely different set of individuals. We document the large-scale relocation of cultural groups of sperm whale off the Galápagos Islands, in which two sympatric vocal clans were entirely replaced by two different ones. Between 1985 and 1999, whales from two clans (called Regular and Plus-One ) defined by cultural dialects in coda vocalizations were repeatedly photo-identified off Galápagos. Their occurrence in the area declined through the 1990s; by 2000, none remained. We reassessed Galápagos sperm whales in 2013–2014, identifying 463 new females. However, re-sighting rates were low, with no matches with the Galápagos 1985–1999 population, suggesting an eastward shift to coastal areas. Their vocal repertoires matched those of two other clans (called Short and Four-Plus ) found across the Pacific but previously rare or absent around Galápagos. The mechanisms behind this cultural turnover may include large-scale environmental regime shifts favouring clan-specific foraging strategies, and a response to heavy whaling in the region involving redistribution of surviving whales into high-quality habitats. The fall and rise of sperm whale cultures off Galápagos reflect the structuring of the Pacific population into large, enduring clans with dynamic ranges. Long-lasting clan membership illustrates how culture can be bound up in the structure and dynamics of animal populations and so how tracking cultural traits can reveal large-scale population shifts. Article in Journal/Newspaper Physeter macrocephalus Sperm whale University of St Andrews: Research Portal Pacific Royal Society Open Science 3 10 160615 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of St Andrews: Research Portal |
op_collection_id |
ftunstandrewcris |
language |
English |
topic |
Culture Dialect Physeter macrocephalus Population ecology Demographic change Social structure |
spellingShingle |
Culture Dialect Physeter macrocephalus Population ecology Demographic change Social structure Cantor, Mauricio Whitehead, Hal Gero, Shane Rendell, Luke Edward Cultural turnover among Galápagos sperm whales |
topic_facet |
Culture Dialect Physeter macrocephalus Population ecology Demographic change Social structure |
description |
While populations may wax and wane, it is rare for an entire population to be replaced by a completely different set of individuals. We document the large-scale relocation of cultural groups of sperm whale off the Galápagos Islands, in which two sympatric vocal clans were entirely replaced by two different ones. Between 1985 and 1999, whales from two clans (called Regular and Plus-One ) defined by cultural dialects in coda vocalizations were repeatedly photo-identified off Galápagos. Their occurrence in the area declined through the 1990s; by 2000, none remained. We reassessed Galápagos sperm whales in 2013–2014, identifying 463 new females. However, re-sighting rates were low, with no matches with the Galápagos 1985–1999 population, suggesting an eastward shift to coastal areas. Their vocal repertoires matched those of two other clans (called Short and Four-Plus ) found across the Pacific but previously rare or absent around Galápagos. The mechanisms behind this cultural turnover may include large-scale environmental regime shifts favouring clan-specific foraging strategies, and a response to heavy whaling in the region involving redistribution of surviving whales into high-quality habitats. The fall and rise of sperm whale cultures off Galápagos reflect the structuring of the Pacific population into large, enduring clans with dynamic ranges. Long-lasting clan membership illustrates how culture can be bound up in the structure and dynamics of animal populations and so how tracking cultural traits can reveal large-scale population shifts. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Cantor, Mauricio Whitehead, Hal Gero, Shane Rendell, Luke Edward |
author_facet |
Cantor, Mauricio Whitehead, Hal Gero, Shane Rendell, Luke Edward |
author_sort |
Cantor, Mauricio |
title |
Cultural turnover among Galápagos sperm whales |
title_short |
Cultural turnover among Galápagos sperm whales |
title_full |
Cultural turnover among Galápagos sperm whales |
title_fullStr |
Cultural turnover among Galápagos sperm whales |
title_full_unstemmed |
Cultural turnover among Galápagos sperm whales |
title_sort |
cultural turnover among galápagos sperm whales |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
https://research-portal.st-andrews.ac.uk/en/researchoutput/cultural-turnover-among-galpagos-sperm-whales(04ed2db8-c5d8-474e-83d3-f122dac351a0).html https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.160615 https://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/bitstream/10023/9699/1/Cantor_et_al_2016_cultural_turnover_among_Galapagos_sperm_whales.pdf http://rsos.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/3/10/160615 |
geographic |
Pacific |
geographic_facet |
Pacific |
genre |
Physeter macrocephalus Sperm whale |
genre_facet |
Physeter macrocephalus Sperm whale |
op_source |
Cantor , M , Whitehead , H , Gero , S & Rendell , L E 2016 , ' Cultural turnover among Galápagos sperm whales ' , Royal Society Open Science , vol. 3 , no. 10 , 160615 . https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.160615 |
op_relation |
https://research-portal.st-andrews.ac.uk/en/researchoutput/cultural-turnover-among-galpagos-sperm-whales(04ed2db8-c5d8-474e-83d3-f122dac351a0).html |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.160615 |
container_title |
Royal Society Open Science |
container_volume |
3 |
container_issue |
10 |
container_start_page |
160615 |
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