Marine predators like blue whales must find prey that is unevenly spread across the ocean, which makes feeding challenging. Scientists know animals make movement choices at different scales, but it is unclear how these choices affect how well they feed. This study combined satellite data with detailed tracking data from blue whales to see how small-scale ocean features affect where […]
Authors: Briana Abrahms, Kasim Rafiq, Neil R. Jordan, and J. W. McNuttJournal: Proceedings of the National Academy of SciencesDOI:10.1073/pnas.2121667119 Understanding the degree to which animals are shifting their phenology to track optimal conditions as the climate changes is essential to predicting ecological responses to global change…
Full Title: Site fidelity increases reproductive success by increasing foraging efficiency in a marine predator Authors: Ginger A Rebstock, Briana Abrams, P. Dee BoersmaJournal: Behavioral EcologyDOI: 10.1093/beheco/arac052 Seabirds must find food efficiently in the dynamic ocean environment to succeed at raising chicks. In theory, site familiarity, gained by prior experience in a place, should increase foraging efficiency when prey is
From the abstract: “We discuss potential impacts of observed and inferred prey shifts on gray whale nutrition in the context of an ongoing unusual gray whale mortality event. To conclude, we use the conceptual Arctic Marine Pulses (AMP) model to frame hypotheses that may guide future research on whales in the Pacific Arctic marine ecosystem.” Authors: Sue E. Moore, Janet
Authors: William K. Oestreich, Briana Abrahms, Megan F. McKenna, Jeremy A. Goldbogen, Larry B. Crowder, John P. RyanJournal: British Ecological SocietyDOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.14013 Matching the timing of life-history transitions with ecosystem phenology is critical for the survival of many species, especially those undertaking long-distance migrations…
Authors: Jerod A Merkle, Briana Abrahms, Jonathan B Armstrong, Hall Sawyer, Daniel P Costa, Anna D ChalfounJournal: Frontiers in Ecology and the EnvironmentDOI: 10.1002/fee.2456 Site fidelity, or the behavior of returning to previously visited locations, has been observed across taxa and ecosystems…
Authors: Katie Holt and Dee BoersmaJournal: Ornithological ApplicationsDOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ornithapp/duab052 Abstract excerpt: Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and severe, leading to an increase in direct, adverse thermoregulatory impacts on wildlife. Here, we document an unprecedented, single-day, heat-related mortality event of Magellanic Penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) at Punta Tombo, Chubut Province, Argentina, one of the largest breeding colonies for this species.
Animals that live in groups can affect their populations and ecosystems in complicated ways, so scientists need good methods to measure how many groups there are, how big they are, and how many individuals live in them. Traditional spatial capture–recapture (SCR) methods can estimate either group density or individual density, but they often give biased results for group-living species because
From the abstract: “We identified prey capture dives using whale kinematic signatures and found that the probability of capturing prey increased as salmon abundance increased, but decreased as vessel speed increased. When vessels emitted navigational sonar, whales made longer dives to capture prey and descended more slowly when they initiated these dives. Finally, whales descended more quickly when noise levels
Ecologists use spatial capture–recapture (SCR) models to study whole animal populations and movement models to study how individual animals behave. Even though individual movement shapes population patterns, these two approaches have mostly been developed separately. Movement models usually focus only on individuals, while SCR models focus on populations but simplify how animals move. The authors argue that combining these two
Excerpt from the abstract: “Using 34 yr of data from the Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus) colony at Punta Tombo, Argentina, we examined the consequences of the delayed onset of breeding (i.e., arrival and egg-laying dates) that has occurred at the colony since 1983. […] We find that delayed breeding has significantly compressed nestling periods at Punta Tombo, influencing chick growth and
The Center for Ecosystem Sentinels invites you to attend an open house in the Boersma Laboratory from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on June 7th! Please come see the lab and meet the students. Boersma LabKincaid Annex A0231 p.m. – 3 p.m. At 3 p.m., we will head to Meany Hall for the 3:30 p.m. Awards of Excellence ceremony where
From the abstract: “Our findings, suggesting that female killer whales are at greater risk to close approaches by vessels, highlight the importance of understanding sex-specific responses to disturbance. These findings can inform future management decisions seeking to preserve foraging opportunities and enhance recovery efforts relevant to many cetacean species, including vulnerable and endangered populations.” Authors: Marla M. Holt, Jennifer B.
Identifying the sex of animals is important for conservation and behavior studies, but it can be difficult in species where males and females look similar. In this study, scientists tested simple body measurements to determine the sex of Galápagos penguins without harming them. By measuring features like bill depth and length, they correctly identified the sex of 95% of the
Odile Stern, a New York artist and renowned eclectic collector, donated her penguin collection to the Boersma Chair in Natural History and Conservation at the University of Washington (UW). In February 1987, Ms. Stern, traveled to Punta Tombo as part of volunteer group from UW and the Wildlife Conservation Society to help with penguin research. Every year for a decade,
