Bowhead whale year-round acoustic presence and habitat associations in the Amundsen Gulf, Western Canadian Arctic, 2018–2019
Date
2023
Authors
Diogou, Nikoletta
Halliday, William D.
Dosso, Stan E.
Mouy, Xavier
Niemi, Andrea
Insley, Stephen J.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Progress in Oceanography
Abstract
Understanding the temporal and spatial distribution of bowhead whales is ecologically and culturally important in the context of a rapidly changing climate. Long-term monitoring can reveal alterations in the bowhead whale distribution range, spatiotemporal patterns, and migration phenology that can be responses to global change. However, Arctic ecosystems are challenging to monitor. Here, we deployed passive acoustic recorders at three locations in the southern Amundsen Gulf (western Canadian Arctic) between September 2018 and September 2019 to detect bowhead whale presence, quantify their seasonal occurrence, and examine the oceanographic conditions that correlate with bowhead occurrence. Results show clear seasonal patterns in the occurrence of bowheads with increased acoustic presence in spring/summer at all sites. In contrast to their typical migratory behavior, bowhead sounds were detected throughout the year at all sites, providing evidence of a number of overwintering animals in what is normally their summer feeding ground. The continuous occupancy of bowheads from May to August at all sites emphasizes the importance of this area as a core foraging ground for this population. Our results indicate a clear selection for the shallowest habitat over an annual cycle. Statistical habitat modeling indicated associations between bowhead occurrence and decreasing sea-ice coverage, wind speed, temperature, and salinity. Positive relationships between bowhead detections and zooplankton density suggest a predator-prey dynamic. These results are the first that cover an entire annual cycle of bowhead presence in the southern Amundsen Gulf, providing new knowledge and current status of bowhead habitat use to support effective management under ongoing Arctic change.
Description
We are grateful to the captain and crew of the CCGS Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the crew from DFO, and specifically the Chief Science Officer, H. Melling, for deploying and recovering our oceanographic moorings. Many thanks also to the three anonymous reviewers that helped with insightful comments to improve this manuscript. Acoustic monitoring work by WCS Canada is licenced under Aurora Research Institute permit 16330, and research was approved and support by the Inuvialuit Game
Council (IGC) and Fisheries Joint Management Committee (FJMC). We
are extremely grateful to both IGC and FJMC for continuing to support
our research and providing valuable insights into the amazing and
changing ecosystem in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region.
Keywords
Citation
Diogou, N., Halliday, W. D., Dosso, S. E., Mouy, X., Niemi, A., & Insley, S. J. (2023). Bowhead whale year-round acoustic presence and habitat associations in the Amundsen Gulf, Western Canadian Arctic, 2018–2019. Progress in Oceanography, 213, 103004. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2023.103004.