Bottom side‐roll feeding by humpback whales (<i>Megaptera novaeangliae</i>) in the southern Gulf of Maine, U.S.A

Ware, Colin; Wiley, David N.; Friedlaender, Ari S.; Weinrich, Mason T.; Hazen, Elliott L.; Bocconcelli, Alessandro; Parks, Susan E.; Stimpert, Alison K.; Thompson, Michael; Abernathy, Kyler

doi:10.1111/mms.12053

Cited by 37 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…One well-described foraging method used by humpbacks in the Gulf of Maine is bottom side-roll feeding on sand lance (Ammodytes spp.) near the sea floor, particularly during night-time hours [21]. Humpbacks have demonstrated flexible acoustic behaviour in the presence of noise [3,22,23], but few studies have investigated noise effects on their subsurface foraging behaviours.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evidence for ship noise impacts on humpback whale foraging behaviour

et al. 2016

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Noise from shipping activity in North Atlantic coastal waters has been steadily increasing and is an area of growing conservation concern, as it has the potential to disrupt the behaviour of marine organisms. This study examines the impacts of ship noise on bottom foraging humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) in the western North Atlantic . Data were collected from 10 foraging whales using non-invasive archival tags that simultaneously recorded underwater movements and the acoustic environment at the whale. Using mixed models, we assess the effects of ship noise on seven parameters of their feeding behaviours. Independent variables included the presence or absence of ship noise and the received level of ship noise at the whale. We found significant effects on foraging, including slower descent rates and fewer side-roll feeding events per dive with increasing ship noise. During 5 of 18 ship passages, dives without side-rolls were observed. These findings indicate that humpback whales on Stellwagen Bank, an area with chronically elevated levels of shipping traffic, significantly change foraging activity when exposed to high levels of ship noise. This measureable reduction in within-dive foraging effort of individual whales could potentially lead to population-level impacts of shipping noise on baleen whale foraging success.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evidence for ship noise impacts on humpback whale foraging behaviour

et al. 2016

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“…Within the SBNMS, the local abundance of humpback whales fluctuates with local sand lance abundance [ Payne et al ., ; Weinrich et al ., ] and humpback feeding behavior varies relative to sand lance behavior. For example, humpbacks feed along the bottom at night when sand lance bury in the substrate [ Friedlaender et al ., ; Hazen et al ., ; Ware et al ., ] and use bubble nets to forage in the upper portions of the water column during the day when sand lance leave the substrate to feed [ Friedlaender et al ., ; Wiley et al ., ]. In addition, the geographic distribution of feeding humpback whales within the SBNMS varies on a temporal basis ranging from hours to months, and these feeding locations are also thought to be highly influenced by sand lance aggregations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Whales and waves: Humpback whale foraging response and the shoaling of internal waves at Stellwagen Bank

et al. 2015

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We tested the hypothesis that humpback whales aggregate at the southern flank of Stellwagen Bank (SB) in response to internal waves (IWs) generated semidiurnally at Race Point (RP) channel because of the presence of their preferred prey, planktivorous fish, which in turn respond to zooplankton concentrated by the predictable IWs. Analysis of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images indicates that RP IWs approach the southern flank of SB frequently (62% of the images). Published reports of whale sighting data and archived SAR images point to a coarse spatial coincidence between whales and Race Point IWs at SB's southern flank. The responses of whales to IWs were evaluated via sightings and behavior of humpback whales, and IWs were observed in situ by acoustic backscatter and temperature measurements. Modeling of IWs complemented the observations, and results indicate a change of 0.4 m/s in current velocity, and 1.5 Pa in dynamic pressure near the bottom, which may be sufficient for bottom fish to detect the IWs. However, fish were rare in our acoustic observations, and fish response to the IWs could not be evaluated. RP IWs do not represent the leading edge of the internal tide, and they may have less mass-transport potential than typical coastal IWs. There was large interannual variability in whale sightings at SB's southern flank, with decreases in both numbers of sightings and proportion of sightings where feeding was observed from 2008 to 2013. Coincidence of whales and IWs was inconsistent, and results do not support the hypothesis.

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“…; Ware et al . ). Tag studies have revealed that subsurface lunge feeding behaviour in fin whales ( Balaenoptera physalus ) and humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) involves significant rolling moments, although the extent of the roll is typically 90‐degrees (Wiley et al .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…; Ware et al . ). Lunge feeding at the sea surface, which to date has only been analysed from ship observations, often involves a greater range of manoeuvring strategies (Kot et al .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Prey density and distribution drive the three‐dimensional foraging strategies of the largest filter feeder

et al. 2015

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Summary1. Despite their importance in determining the rate of both energy gain and expenditure, how the fine-scale kinematics of foraging are modified in response to changes in prey abundance and distribution remain poorly understood in many animal ecosystems. 2. In the marine environment, bulk-filter feeders rely on dense aggregations of prey for energetically efficient foraging. Rorqual whales (Balaenopteridae) exhibit a unique form of filter feeding called lunge feeding, a process whereby discrete volumes of prey-laden water are intermittently engulfed and filtered. In many large rorqual species the size of engulfed water mass is commensurate with the whale's body size, yet is engulfed in just a few seconds. This filter-feeding mode thus requires precise coordination of the body and enlarged engulfment apparatus to maximize capture efficiency. 3. Previous studies from whale-borne tags revealed that many rorqual species perform rolling behaviours when foraging. It has been hypothesized that such acrobatic manoeuvres may be required for efficient prey capture when prey manifest in small discrete patches, but to date there has been no comprehensive analysis of prey patch characteristics during lunge feeding events. We developed a null hypothesis that blue whale kinematics are independent of prey patch characteristics. 4. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the foraging performance of blue whales, the largest filter-feeding predator and their functional response to variability in their sole prey source, krill using a generalized additive mixed model framework. We used a combination of animal-borne movement sensors and hydroacoustic prey mapping to simultaneously quantify the threedimensional foraging kinematics of blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) and the characteristics of targeted krill patches. 5. Our analyses rejected our null hypothesis, showing that blue whales performed more acrobatic manoeuvres, including 180°and 360°rolling lunges, when foraging on low-density krill patches. In contrast, whales targeting high-density krill patches involved less manoeuvring during lunges and higher lunge feeding rates.6. These data demonstrate that blue whales exhibit a range of adaptive foraging strategies that maximize prey capture in different ecological contexts. Because first principles indicate that manoeuvres require more energy compared with straight trajectories, our data reveal a previously unrecognized level of complexity in predator-prey interactions that are not accounted for in optimal foraging and energetic efficiency models.

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Bottom side‐roll feeding by humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the southern Gulf of Maine, U.S.A

Cited by 37 publications

References 31 publications

Evidence for ship noise impacts on humpback whale foraging behaviour

Evidence for ship noise impacts on humpback whale foraging behaviour

Whales and waves: Humpback whale foraging response and the shoaling of internal waves at Stellwagen Bank

Prey density and distribution drive the three‐dimensional foraging strategies of the largest filter feeder

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