Influence of environmental parameters on movements and habitat utilization of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the Madagascar breeding ground
Assessing the movement patterns and key habitat features of breeding humpback whales is a prerequisite for the conservation management of this philopatric species. To investigate the interactions between humpback whale movements and environmental conditions off Madagascar, we deployed 25 satellite t...
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doaj-9978da1c652c4be1875bc5a50cf7ac4a2020-11-25T03:36:55ZengThe Royal SocietyRoyal Society Open Science2054-57032016-01-0131210.1098/rsos.160616160616Influence of environmental parameters on movements and habitat utilization of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the Madagascar breeding groundLaurène TrudelleSalvatore CerchioAlexandre N. ZerbiniYgor GeyerFrançois-Xavier MayerJean-Luc JungMaxime R. HervéStephane PousJean-Baptiste SalléeHoward C. RosenbaumOlivier AdamJean-Benoit CharrassinAssessing the movement patterns and key habitat features of breeding humpback whales is a prerequisite for the conservation management of this philopatric species. To investigate the interactions between humpback whale movements and environmental conditions off Madagascar, we deployed 25 satellite tags in the northeast and southwest coast of Madagascar. For each recorded position, we collated estimates of environmental variables and computed two behavioural metrics: behavioural state of ‘transiting’ (consistent/directional) versus ‘localized’ (variable/non-directional), and active swimming speed (i.e. speed relative to the current). On coastal habitats (i.e. bathymetry < 200 m and in adjacent areas), females showed localized behaviour in deep waters (191 ± 20 m) and at large distances (14 ± 0.6 km) from shore, suggesting that their breeding habitat extends beyond the shallowest waters available close to the coastline. Males' active swimming speed decreased in shallow waters, but environmental parameters did not influence their likelihood to exhibit localized movements, which was probably dominated by social factors instead. In oceanic habitats, both males and females showed localized behaviours in shallow waters and favoured high chlorophyll-a concentrations. Active swimming speed accounts for a large proportion of observed movement speed; however, breeding humpback whales probably exploit prevailing ocean currents to maximize displacement. This study provides evidence that coastal areas, generally subject to strong human pressure, remain the core habitat of humpback whales off Madagascar. Our results expand the knowledge of humpback whale habitat use in oceanic habitat and response to variability of environmental factors such as oceanic current and chlorophyll level.https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsos.160616humpback whalessatellite telemetrymadagascarmovement patternsenvironmental parametershabitat use |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Laurène Trudelle Salvatore Cerchio Alexandre N. Zerbini Ygor Geyer François-Xavier Mayer Jean-Luc Jung Maxime R. Hervé Stephane Pous Jean-Baptiste Sallée Howard C. Rosenbaum Olivier Adam Jean-Benoit Charrassin |
spellingShingle |
Laurène Trudelle Salvatore Cerchio Alexandre N. Zerbini Ygor Geyer François-Xavier Mayer Jean-Luc Jung Maxime R. Hervé Stephane Pous Jean-Baptiste Sallée Howard C. Rosenbaum Olivier Adam Jean-Benoit Charrassin Influence of environmental parameters on movements and habitat utilization of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the Madagascar breeding ground Royal Society Open Science humpback whales satellite telemetry madagascar movement patterns environmental parameters habitat use |
author_facet |
Laurène Trudelle Salvatore Cerchio Alexandre N. Zerbini Ygor Geyer François-Xavier Mayer Jean-Luc Jung Maxime R. Hervé Stephane Pous Jean-Baptiste Sallée Howard C. Rosenbaum Olivier Adam Jean-Benoit Charrassin |
author_sort |
Laurène Trudelle |
title |
Influence of environmental parameters on movements and habitat utilization of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the Madagascar breeding ground |
title_short |
Influence of environmental parameters on movements and habitat utilization of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the Madagascar breeding ground |
title_full |
Influence of environmental parameters on movements and habitat utilization of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the Madagascar breeding ground |
title_fullStr |
Influence of environmental parameters on movements and habitat utilization of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the Madagascar breeding ground |
title_full_unstemmed |
Influence of environmental parameters on movements and habitat utilization of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the Madagascar breeding ground |
title_sort |
influence of environmental parameters on movements and habitat utilization of humpback whales (megaptera novaeangliae) in the madagascar breeding ground |
publisher |
The Royal Society |
series |
Royal Society Open Science |
issn |
2054-5703 |
publishDate |
2016-01-01 |
description |
Assessing the movement patterns and key habitat features of breeding humpback whales is a prerequisite for the conservation management of this philopatric species. To investigate the interactions between humpback whale movements and environmental conditions off Madagascar, we deployed 25 satellite tags in the northeast and southwest coast of Madagascar. For each recorded position, we collated estimates of environmental variables and computed two behavioural metrics: behavioural state of ‘transiting’ (consistent/directional) versus ‘localized’ (variable/non-directional), and active swimming speed (i.e. speed relative to the current). On coastal habitats (i.e. bathymetry < 200 m and in adjacent areas), females showed localized behaviour in deep waters (191 ± 20 m) and at large distances (14 ± 0.6 km) from shore, suggesting that their breeding habitat extends beyond the shallowest waters available close to the coastline. Males' active swimming speed decreased in shallow waters, but environmental parameters did not influence their likelihood to exhibit localized movements, which was probably dominated by social factors instead. In oceanic habitats, both males and females showed localized behaviours in shallow waters and favoured high chlorophyll-a concentrations. Active swimming speed accounts for a large proportion of observed movement speed; however, breeding humpback whales probably exploit prevailing ocean currents to maximize displacement. This study provides evidence that coastal areas, generally subject to strong human pressure, remain the core habitat of humpback whales off Madagascar. Our results expand the knowledge of humpback whale habitat use in oceanic habitat and response to variability of environmental factors such as oceanic current and chlorophyll level. |
topic |
humpback whales satellite telemetry madagascar movement patterns environmental parameters habitat use |
url |
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsos.160616 |
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