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Timing is everything: Drivers of interannual variability in blue whale migration
Angela R Szesciorka1, Lisa T Ballance2,3,4, Ana Širović5
1Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA, 92093, US. angela@szesciorka.com.
Scientific Reports
|May 9, 2020
Summary
Blue whales are arriving earlier to feed as climate change warms waters, impacting migration timing. This plastic response to krill availability highlights conservation needs due to extended feeding seasons.
Area of Science:
- Marine Biology
- Animal Migration
- Climate Change Ecology
Background:
- Blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) migrate to feed on prey, but cues for migration timing remain unclear.
- Understanding migration timing is crucial for blue whale conservation, especially with changing environmental conditions.
- Previous research has not fully elucidated the environmental and prey-related factors influencing blue whale migration schedules.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the environmental and prey-related cues influencing blue whale migration timing to feeding grounds.
- To determine the relationship between sea surface temperature, krill biomass, and blue whale arrival dates.
- To assess the impact of climate change on blue whale migration patterns over a decade.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of blue whale calls recorded via hydrophones to infer migration timing (2008-2017).
- Correlation of migration timing with environmental data (sea surface temperature anomalies, chlorophyll a).
- Assessment of krill biomass using annual net tow surveys.
Main Results:
- Colder sea surface temperature anomalies in the preceding season correlated with higher krill biomass the following year.
- Higher krill biomass was associated with earlier arrival of blue whales on feeding grounds.
- Blue whales exhibited a plastic response to interannual variability, with krill biomass being a key driver of migration timing.
Conclusions:
- Blue whale migration timing is adaptable and strongly influenced by krill availability, which is affected by sea surface temperatures.
- Climate change-induced warming has led to blue whales extending their time in Southern California feeding grounds.
- Conservation efforts must address increased anthropogenic threats due to longer whale presence in feeding areas.
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