RAPID: Linking the Movement Patterns and Foraging Behavior of Humpback Whales to their Prey across Multiple Spatial Scales within the LTER Study Region

鲸鱼在南大洋的生态和生物地球化学中起着核心作用。然而，关于它们的分布和行为知之甚少，部分原因是与从大型研究船研究这些生物相关的挑战。这项研究将利用2012-2013年更小、更机动的R/V Point Sur的试运行所提供的独特机会。这项工作将使用角苏尔来调查由帕尔默长期生态研究站（LTER）在南极半岛西部（WAP）研究的水域中的座头鲸。研究人员将采用长期卫星连接标签和短期吸盘标签相结合的方法，调查该地区鲸鱼的分布、数量和觅食行为。鲸鱼的生物地理学将与磷虾的定量调查相关，磷虾是鲸鱼的主要食物来源。关于鲸鱼分布和觅食策略以及物理海洋学特征的假设将被测试。WAP正在经历地球上最剧烈的变暖，更好地了解顶级捕食者的生态对于理解这种变化的影响至关重要。研究结果将通过出版物以及在国家和国际会议上的发言广泛传播。此外，原始数据将通过开放获取的数据库提供。最后，这项工作将与Palmer LTER站点的广泛基础设施相协调，使外联和教育活动成为可能。

Whales play a central role in the ecology and biogeochemistry of the Southern Ocean. However, little is known regarding their distribution and behavior, in part because of challenges associated with studying these organisms from large research vessels. This research will take advantage of the unique opportunity presented by the 2012-2013 test run of the smaller, more mobile R/V Point Sur. This work will use the Point Sur to investigate humpback whales in the waters studied by the Palmer Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) Station off the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP). Employing a combination of long-term satellite-linked tags and short-term suction cup tags, researchers will investigate the distribution, abundance and foraging behaviors of whales in this region. Whale biogeography will then be related to quantitative surveys of krill, their primary food source. Hypotheses regarding whale distribution and foraging strategies as well as physical oceanographic features will be tested. The WAP is undergoing some of the most dramatic warming on the planet, and a better understanding of the ecology of top predators is central to developing an understanding of the impacts of this change. Results will be widely disseminated through publications as well as through presentations at national and international meetings. In addition, raw data will be made available through open-access databases. Finally, this work will be coordinated with the extensive infrastructure of the Palmer LTER site, enabling outreach and educational activities.