Key questions in marine mammal bioenergetics

Area of Science:

• Marine biology
• Ecology
• Conservation science

Background:

• Bioenergetic approaches are vital for assessing marine mammal population responses to environmental changes.
• Significant knowledge gaps in marine mammal bioenergetics impede conservation and management policy development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify high-priority, unanswered questions in marine mammal bioenergetics relevant to conservation and management.
• To establish a research framework for advancing marine mammal bioenergetics.

Main Methods:

• A priority-setting exercise involving electronic communication and a virtual workshop.
• Soliciting and collating research questions from the marine mammal bioenergetic community.
• Identifying 'key' questions based on consensus from survey participants (≥50% agreement).

Main Results:

• Eleven 'key' questions were identified, focusing on energy intake, expenditure, allocation, body condition, and interspecies data extrapolation.
• Key areas include prey landscapes, human activity impacts, field metabolic rate, and lactation.
• Existing tools like animal-borne sensors and environmental DNA can address some questions, but new methods are needed, especially for cetaceans.

Conclusions:

• The identified key questions provide a crucial framework for prioritizing future research in marine mammal bioenergetics.
• Addressing these questions will yield more accurate data to inform conservation policies and improve marine mammal population management.
• Further methodological development is essential for comprehensive understanding, particularly for cetacean species.