Marine Ecology Progress Series
MEPS is a leading hybrid research journal on all aspects of marine, coastal and estuarine ecology. Priority is given to outstanding research that advances our ecological understanding.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps14887
copiedHistorical niche partitioning of Baleen whales in the Western South Atlantic
- Danielle L. Buss
- Tamsin C. O’Connell
- Sally Evans
- Catherine Kneale
- Joanna Osborn
- Lane M. Atmore
- Angela L. Sremba
- C. Scott Baker
- Michael J. Dunn
- William P. Goodall-Copestake
- Antony Martin
- Andrew C. Kitchener
- Gabriele Stowasser
- Caroline R. Weir
- Jennifer A. Jackson
ABSTRACT: Baleen whales are key marine predators that were heavily exploited throughout the 20th century, resulting in reductions in population size for many species. Whilst population recovery is evident for some species, baseline information on ecological niches is still unknown, rendering it hard to forecast the manner in which baleen whales will reoccupy their former ecological niches as they recover. Biogeochemical analyses of bone fragments from 20th century whaling provide invaluable information on the foraging ecology and trophic niches of whale populations in the past, and provide a baseline for assessing recovery. Here, we combine ZooMS and DNA barcoding to assign bone specimens to species from three former whaling sites in the western South Atlantic, and use stable isotope analysis of carbon and nitrogen to infer differences in the long-term foraging preferences of baleen whales utilising western South Atlantic feeding grounds. These datasets indicate that baleen whale species partitioned prey resources with slight overlap in isotopic niches for three of the four species, with sei whales likely to be foraging predominantly on different feeding grounds relative to Antarctic blue, fin and humpback whales. Niche sizes reveal that Antarctic blue and sei whales are specialist feeders, at the population-level, suggesting that they are less likely to adapt to continuing climate change relative to more generalist fin and humpback whales. Characterising historical foraging baselines such as these are essential for assessing the ecological implications of changing oceans for recovering whale populations.
KEYWORDS
Danielle Buss (Corresponding Author)
- British Antarctic Survey, National Environment Research Council, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK
Tamsin O'Connell (Co-author)
- Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3DZ, UK
Sally Evans (Co-author)
- MSDS Marine, The Dairy, Boothswood Farm, Moorside Lane, Holbrook, Belper DE56 0TU
Catherine Kneale (Co-author)
- Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3DZ, UK
Joanna Osborn (Co-author)
- Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3DZ, UK
Lane Atmore (Co-author)
- Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3DZ, UK
Angela Sremba (Co-author)
- Marine Mammal Institute, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon State University, Newport, OR 97365, USA
C. Baker (Co-author)
- Marine Mammal Institute, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon State University, Newport, OR 97365, USA
Michael Dunn (Co-author)
- British Antarctic Survey, National Environment Research Council, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK
William Goodall-Copestake (Co-author)
- British Antarctic Survey, National Environment Research Council, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK
Anthony Martin (Co-author)
- University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 4HN, UK
Andrew Kitchener (Co-author)
- Department of Natural Sciences, National Museums Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh EH1 1JF, UK and School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Drummond Street, Edinburgh EH8 9XP, UK
Gabriele Stowasser (Co-author)
- British Antarctic Survey, National Environment Research Council, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK
Caroline Weir (Co-author)
- Falklands Conservation, 41 Ross Road, Stanley F1QQ 1ZZ, Falkland Islands
Jennifer Jackson (Co-author)
- British Antarctic Survey, National Environment Research Council, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK
Handling Editor:
Philippe Borsa, Montpellier, France
Reviewers:
2 anonymous referees