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Sea ice directs changes in bowhead whale phenology through the Bering Strait
Angela R Szesciorka1, Kathleen M Stafford2
1Marine Mammal Institute, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon State University, 2030 SE Marine Science Drive, Newport, OR, USA. angela@szesciorka.com.
Movement Ecology
|February 8, 2023
Summary
Arctic warming is altering bowhead whale migration. Bering-Chukchi-Beaufort bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) show migration shifts linked to sea ice changes, potentially impacting shipping and Indigenous communities.
Area of Science:
- Marine Mammal Ecology
- Climate Change Science
- Arctic Oceanography
Background:
- The Arctic is warming at an accelerated rate due to climate change.
- Bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) migration patterns in the Bering-Chukchi-Beaufort (BCB) region may be influenced by changing environmental conditions.
- Evidence suggests a potential shift in overwintering grounds for BCB bowhead whales towards the Canadian Beaufort Sea.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between sea ice conditions and the migration timing of BCB bowhead whales.
- To analyze an 11-year time series of whale presence and sea ice data in the Chukchi and Bering Seas.
- To understand how climate-induced sea ice changes affect whale movements.
Main Methods:
- Utilized passive acoustic monitoring data from 2009-2021 to determine BCB bowhead whale presence in the southern Chukchi Sea.
- Correlated whale migration timing (southward fall and northward spring) with sea ice extent and area in the Chukchi and Bering Seas.
- Employed statistical analyses to assess the significance of observed relationships.
Main Results:
- Delayed fall migration into the Bering Strait correlated with reduced October sea ice in the Chukchi Sea.
- Increased October-December sea ice in the Bering Sea was associated with longer periods between fall and spring migrations.
- A notable shift after 2012-2013 indicated some whales overwintering in the southern Chukchi Sea instead of migrating further south.
- Earlier spring northward migration into the southern Chukchi Sea was linked to reduced January-March sea ice in the Chukchi Sea.
Conclusions:
- Declining sea ice may lead to earlier spring migrations or more whales overwintering in summer feeding areas.
- Altered migration patterns could increase interactions with shipping traffic.
- Changes in whale migration pose potential risks to Indigenous communities reliant on bowhead whales for subsistence.
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