Behavioural estimation of blue whale movements in the Northeast Pacific from state-space model analysis of satellite tracks
Behavioural estimation of blue whale movements in the Northeast Pacific from state-space model analysis of satellite tracks
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DOI：
10.3354/esr00239
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发表时间：
2010-01-01
影响因子：
3.1
通讯作者：
Costa, Daniel P.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Bailey, Helen;Mate, Bruce R.;Costa, Daniel P.
长须鲸的迁徙通常是每年在高纬度的繁殖地和低纬度的繁殖地之间进行。然而，人们对鲸鱼在这些地方的实际迁徙路线和行为知之甚少。本研究的目的是应用切换状态空间模型的蓝鲸Balaenoptera musculus在东北太平洋的卫星轨道，以提高位置估计和洞察迁移（过境）和觅食（区域限制搜索，ARS）的行为，这个人口。在1993年至2007年期间，Argos卫星标签被附加到159头鲸鱼上，主要是夏末在加州海岸附近，其中92条跟踪时间>7 d。在冬季，系统通常会向南移动至下加利福尼亚和热带太平洋东部的哥斯达黎加穹以西地区。过境期间的旅行速度明显快于ARS运动期间（平均值分别为3.70和1.05公里/小时（-1））。平均而言，29%的跟踪时间花费在ARS中，ARS贴片内的平均时间为21 d。ARS行为的发生在整个迁移周期表明，这些动物可能全年觅食，但也可能表明有限的运动在生殖季节。它们从下加利福尼亚向北迁移到华盛顿的程度在年际间变化很大，可能是为了应对影响它们猎物的环境变化。通过电子标签获得的长轨迹持续时间提供了有关东北太平洋蓝鲸关键栖息地的重要新信息。
Baleen whale migrations typically consist of annual movements between productive, high-latitude feeding grounds and unproductive, low-latitude breeding grounds. However, the actual migratory path and whales' behaviour in these locations are poorly known. The objectives of this study were to apply a switching state-space model to the satellite tracks of blue whales Balaenoptera musculus in the Northeast Pacific to improve location estimation and gain insight into the migratory (transiting) and foraging (area-restricted search, ARS) behaviours of this population. During the period 1993 to 2007, Argos satellite tags were attached to 159 whales, mainly off the coast of California during late summer, of which 92 tracks were >7 d in duration. There was generally a southward movement during the winter to Baja California and to an area west of the Costa Rica Dome, in the eastern tropical Pacific (ETP). Travel speeds during transit were significantly faster than during ARS movements (mean = 3.70 and 1.05 km h(-1), respectively). On average, 29% of the track time was spent in ARS, and the mean time within an ARS patch was 21 d. The occurrence of ARS behaviour throughout the migration cycle suggests that these animals may forage year-round, but could also indicate limited movements during the reproductive season. The extent of their northward migration from Baja California to Washington varied significantly interannually, likely in response to environmental changes affecting their prey. The long track durations obtained from electronic tagging have provided essential new information about the critical habitats of Northeast Pacific blue whales.