Habitats and movement patterns of white whales Delphinapterus leucas in Svalbard, Norway in a changing climate

Abstract Background The Arctic is experiencing rapid reductions in sea ice and in some areas tidal glaciers are melting and retracting onto land. These changes are occurring at extremely rapid rates in the Northeast Atlantic Arctic. The aim of this study was to investigate the impacts of these envir...

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Main Authors: Jade Vacquié-Garcia, Christian Lydersen, Rolf A. Ims, Kit M. Kovacs
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2018-10-01
Series:Movement Ecology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40462-018-0139-z
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author Jade Vacquié-Garcia
Christian Lydersen
Rolf A. Ims
Kit M. Kovacs
author_facet Jade Vacquié-Garcia
Christian Lydersen
Rolf A. Ims
Kit M. Kovacs
author_sort Jade Vacquié-Garcia
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background The Arctic is experiencing rapid reductions in sea ice and in some areas tidal glaciers are melting and retracting onto land. These changes are occurring at extremely rapid rates in the Northeast Atlantic Arctic. The aim of this study was to investigate the impacts of these environmental changes on space use by white whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in Svalbard, Norway. Using a unique biotelemetry data set involving 34 animals, spanning two decades, habitat use and movement patterns were compared before (1995–2001) and after (2013–2016) a dramatic change in the regional sea ice regime that began in 2006. Results White whales were extremely coastal in both study periods, remaining near the islands within the Svalbard Archipelago, even when winter sea ice formation pushed them offshore somewhat (later in the year in the recent period), into areas with drifting sea ice (concentrations up to 90%). In both periods, the whales followed the same basic patterns seasonally; they occupied the west coast in summer and shifted to the east coast as winter approached. However, space use did change between the two periods, with the whales spending less time close to tidal glacier fronts in the second period compared to the first (2nd-36% vs 1st-51%), a habitat characterized by low swimming speeds and high turning angles, and more time out in the fjords (2nd-26% vs1st-10%). Use of coastal transit corridors remained the same in both periods; the whales appear to minimize time spent moving between fjords. Conclusions Glacier fronts have previously been shown to be important foraging areas for white whales in Svalbard and the movement metrics documented in this study confirms that this is still the case. However, use of the Fjords habitat in summer and fall (frequency of occupancy and movement metrics) seen in the recent period suggests that the white whales might now also be feeding on Atlantic prey that is increasingly common in the fjords, concomitant with influxes of Atlantic Water along the west coast of Svalbard. Such behavioural flexibility, if confirmed by further diet studies, would likely be important for white whales in adapting to new conditions in Svalbard.
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spelling doaj.art-501102f26d1b4f17af64564c62f30e052022-12-22T00:14:45ZengBMCMovement Ecology2051-39332018-10-016111210.1186/s40462-018-0139-zHabitats and movement patterns of white whales Delphinapterus leucas in Svalbard, Norway in a changing climateJade Vacquié-Garcia0Christian Lydersen1Rolf A. Ims2Kit M. Kovacs3Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram CentreNorwegian Polar Institute, Fram CentreUniversity of Tromsø, the Arctic University of NorwayNorwegian Polar Institute, Fram CentreAbstract Background The Arctic is experiencing rapid reductions in sea ice and in some areas tidal glaciers are melting and retracting onto land. These changes are occurring at extremely rapid rates in the Northeast Atlantic Arctic. The aim of this study was to investigate the impacts of these environmental changes on space use by white whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in Svalbard, Norway. Using a unique biotelemetry data set involving 34 animals, spanning two decades, habitat use and movement patterns were compared before (1995–2001) and after (2013–2016) a dramatic change in the regional sea ice regime that began in 2006. Results White whales were extremely coastal in both study periods, remaining near the islands within the Svalbard Archipelago, even when winter sea ice formation pushed them offshore somewhat (later in the year in the recent period), into areas with drifting sea ice (concentrations up to 90%). In both periods, the whales followed the same basic patterns seasonally; they occupied the west coast in summer and shifted to the east coast as winter approached. However, space use did change between the two periods, with the whales spending less time close to tidal glacier fronts in the second period compared to the first (2nd-36% vs 1st-51%), a habitat characterized by low swimming speeds and high turning angles, and more time out in the fjords (2nd-26% vs1st-10%). Use of coastal transit corridors remained the same in both periods; the whales appear to minimize time spent moving between fjords. Conclusions Glacier fronts have previously been shown to be important foraging areas for white whales in Svalbard and the movement metrics documented in this study confirms that this is still the case. However, use of the Fjords habitat in summer and fall (frequency of occupancy and movement metrics) seen in the recent period suggests that the white whales might now also be feeding on Atlantic prey that is increasingly common in the fjords, concomitant with influxes of Atlantic Water along the west coast of Svalbard. Such behavioural flexibility, if confirmed by further diet studies, would likely be important for white whales in adapting to new conditions in Svalbard.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40462-018-0139-zAdaptationArcticAtlantificationBelugaClimate changeEnvironmental change
spellingShingle Jade Vacquié-Garcia
Christian Lydersen
Rolf A. Ims
Kit M. Kovacs
Habitats and movement patterns of white whales Delphinapterus leucas in Svalbard, Norway in a changing climate
Movement Ecology
Adaptation
Arctic
Atlantification
Beluga
Climate change
Environmental change
title Habitats and movement patterns of white whales Delphinapterus leucas in Svalbard, Norway in a changing climate
title_full Habitats and movement patterns of white whales Delphinapterus leucas in Svalbard, Norway in a changing climate
title_fullStr Habitats and movement patterns of white whales Delphinapterus leucas in Svalbard, Norway in a changing climate
title_full_unstemmed Habitats and movement patterns of white whales Delphinapterus leucas in Svalbard, Norway in a changing climate
title_short Habitats and movement patterns of white whales Delphinapterus leucas in Svalbard, Norway in a changing climate
title_sort habitats and movement patterns of white whales delphinapterus leucas in svalbard norway in a changing climate
topic Adaptation
Arctic
Atlantification
Beluga
Climate change
Environmental change
url http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40462-018-0139-z
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