Mortality risk and social network position in southern resident killer whales (Orcinus orca): sex differences and the importance of salmon abundance
An individual's ecological environment affects its mortality risk, which in turn has fundamental consequences for life-history evolution and population viability. In many species, social relationships are likely to be an important component of an individual's environment, and therefore mor...
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ftwestwashington:oai:cedar.wwu.edu:ssec-2478 2023-05-15T17:03:38+02:00 Mortality risk and social network position in southern resident killer whales (Orcinus orca): sex differences and the importance of salmon abundance Ellis, Sam Franks, Daniel Nattrass, Stuart Cant, Michael Weiss, Michael Giles, Deborah Balcomb, Kenneth C. Croft, Darren 2018-04-04T21:15:00Z application/pdf https://cedar.wwu.edu/ssec/2018ssec/allsessions/43 https://cedar.wwu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2478&context=ssec English eng Western CEDAR https://cedar.wwu.edu/ssec/2018ssec/allsessions/43 https://cedar.wwu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2478&context=ssec This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University. Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Killer whale Social behavior Fresh Water Studies Life Sciences Marine Biology Natural Resources and Conservation Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology text 2018 ftwestwashington 2022-09-14T06:02:54Z An individual's ecological environment affects its mortality risk, which in turn has fundamental consequences for life-history evolution and population viability. In many species, social relationships are likely to be an important component of an individual's environment, and therefore mortality risk. Here, we examine the relationship between social position and mortality risk in Southern resident killer whales (Orcinus orca) using over three decades of social and demographic data. We find that the social position of male, but not female, killer whales in their social unit predicts their mortality risk. More socially integrated males have a significantly lower risk of mortality than socially peripheral males, particularly in years of low salmon abundance, suggesting that social position mediates access to resources. Male killer whales are larger and require more resources than females, increasing their vulnerability to starvation in years of low salmon abundance. More socially integrated males are likely to have better access to social information and food-sharing opportunities which may enhance their survival in years of low prey abundance. Our results show that observable variation in the social environment is linked to variation in mortality risk. Furthermore, our results highlight the importance of considering sex differences in social effects on survival when developing conservation strategies for long-lived social mammals. Text Killer Whale Orca Orcinus orca Killer whale Western Washington University: CEDAR (Contributing to Education through Digital Access to Research) |
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Open Polar |
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Western Washington University: CEDAR (Contributing to Education through Digital Access to Research) |
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ftwestwashington |
language |
English |
topic |
Killer whale Social behavior Fresh Water Studies Life Sciences Marine Biology Natural Resources and Conservation Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology |
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Killer whale Social behavior Fresh Water Studies Life Sciences Marine Biology Natural Resources and Conservation Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Ellis, Sam Franks, Daniel Nattrass, Stuart Cant, Michael Weiss, Michael Giles, Deborah Balcomb, Kenneth C. Croft, Darren Mortality risk and social network position in southern resident killer whales (Orcinus orca): sex differences and the importance of salmon abundance |
topic_facet |
Killer whale Social behavior Fresh Water Studies Life Sciences Marine Biology Natural Resources and Conservation Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology |
description |
An individual's ecological environment affects its mortality risk, which in turn has fundamental consequences for life-history evolution and population viability. In many species, social relationships are likely to be an important component of an individual's environment, and therefore mortality risk. Here, we examine the relationship between social position and mortality risk in Southern resident killer whales (Orcinus orca) using over three decades of social and demographic data. We find that the social position of male, but not female, killer whales in their social unit predicts their mortality risk. More socially integrated males have a significantly lower risk of mortality than socially peripheral males, particularly in years of low salmon abundance, suggesting that social position mediates access to resources. Male killer whales are larger and require more resources than females, increasing their vulnerability to starvation in years of low salmon abundance. More socially integrated males are likely to have better access to social information and food-sharing opportunities which may enhance their survival in years of low prey abundance. Our results show that observable variation in the social environment is linked to variation in mortality risk. Furthermore, our results highlight the importance of considering sex differences in social effects on survival when developing conservation strategies for long-lived social mammals. |
format |
Text |
author |
Ellis, Sam Franks, Daniel Nattrass, Stuart Cant, Michael Weiss, Michael Giles, Deborah Balcomb, Kenneth C. Croft, Darren |
author_facet |
Ellis, Sam Franks, Daniel Nattrass, Stuart Cant, Michael Weiss, Michael Giles, Deborah Balcomb, Kenneth C. Croft, Darren |
author_sort |
Ellis, Sam |
title |
Mortality risk and social network position in southern resident killer whales (Orcinus orca): sex differences and the importance of salmon abundance |
title_short |
Mortality risk and social network position in southern resident killer whales (Orcinus orca): sex differences and the importance of salmon abundance |
title_full |
Mortality risk and social network position in southern resident killer whales (Orcinus orca): sex differences and the importance of salmon abundance |
title_fullStr |
Mortality risk and social network position in southern resident killer whales (Orcinus orca): sex differences and the importance of salmon abundance |
title_full_unstemmed |
Mortality risk and social network position in southern resident killer whales (Orcinus orca): sex differences and the importance of salmon abundance |
title_sort |
mortality risk and social network position in southern resident killer whales (orcinus orca): sex differences and the importance of salmon abundance |
publisher |
Western CEDAR |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
https://cedar.wwu.edu/ssec/2018ssec/allsessions/43 https://cedar.wwu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2478&context=ssec |
genre |
Killer Whale Orca Orcinus orca Killer whale |
genre_facet |
Killer Whale Orca Orcinus orca Killer whale |
op_source |
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference |
op_relation |
https://cedar.wwu.edu/ssec/2018ssec/allsessions/43 https://cedar.wwu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2478&context=ssec |
op_rights |
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University. |
_version_ |
1766057537418821632 |