Sound production and associated behavior of tagged fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) in the Southern California Bight

Animal Biotelemetry

Alison K Stimpert⁸  Stacy L DeRuiter⁴  Erin A Falcone⁷  John Joseph⁵  Annie B Douglas⁷  David J Moretti²  Ari S Friedlaender⁶  John Calambokidis⁷  Glenn Gailey⁷  Peter L Tyack³  Jeremy A Goldbogen¹ 

[1] Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, 120 Ocean View Blvd., Pacific Grove 93950, CA, USA

[2] Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Newport, RI, USA

[3] Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, East Sands, St Andrews KY16 8LB, Scotland, UK

[4] Mathematics and Statistics Department, Calvin College, 3201 Burton SE, Grand Rapids 49546, MI, USA

[5] Ocean Acoustics Laboratory, Department of Oceanography, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA, USA

[6] Southall Environmental Associates, Aptos 95003, CA, USA

[7] Cascadia Research Collective, 218 1/2 W. Fourth Ave., Olympia 98501, WA, USA

[8] Vertebrate Ecology Laboratory, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, Moss Landing, CA, USA

关键词: DTAG;    Biologging;    Sound production;    Acoustic behavior;    Balaenoptera physalus;    Fin whale;   

Others  :  1224613
DOI  :  10.1186/s40317-015-0058-3

 received in 2015-01-31, accepted in 2015-07-09,  发布年份 2015

【 摘 要 】

Background

For marine animals, acoustic communication is critical for many life functions, yet individual calling behavior is poorly understood for most large whale species. These topics are important for understanding whale social behavior and can also serve as a baseline for behavioral studies assessing whale response to disturbance. Using a new technique for identifying the calling individual, we measured body orientation, dive behavior, and surface social behavior in relation to call production for tagged fin whales in Southern California.

Results

Behavioral metrics associated with elevated call rates included shallow maximum dive depths (10–15 m), little body movement, negative pitch in body orientation, and moderate body roll. Calling whales were also more likely to be traveling than milling, in groups rather than solitary, and without change in group size compared to non-calling whales.

Conclusions

These are the first descriptions of body posture and depths at which fin whales are most likely to call, and some possible sound propagation and/or anatomical reasons for these results are considered. The call behavior characterizations presented here will help in predicting calling behavior from surface behavior, informing interpretation of passive acoustic data, and determining the effects of anthropogenic sound on whales in Southern California.

【 授权许可】

   
2015 Stimpert et al.

【 图 表 】

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