Scaling of maneuvering performance in baleen whales: larger whales outperform expectations

Despite their enormous size, whales make their living as voracious predators. To catch their much smaller, more maneuverable prey, they have developed several unique locomotor strategies that require high energetic input, high mechanical power output and a surprising degree of agility. To better understand how body size affects maneuverability at the largest scale, we used bio-logging data, aerial photogrammetry and a high-throughput approach to quantify the maneuvering performance of seven species of free-swimming baleen whale. We found that as body size increases, absolute maneuvering performance decreases: larger whales use lower accelerations and perform slower pitch-changes, rolls and turns than smaller species. We also found that baleen whales exhibit positive allometry of maneuvering performance: relative to their body size, larger whales use higher accelerations, and perform faster pitch-changes, rolls and certain types of turns than smaller species. However, not all maneuvers were impacted by body size in the same way, and we found that larger whales behaviorally adjust for their decreased agility by using turns that they can perform more effectively. The positive allometry of maneuvering performance suggests that large whales have compensated for their increased body size by evolving more effective control surfaces and by preferentially selecting maneuvers that play to their strengths.We thank the crews of many research vessels including the R/V John Martin, R/V Fluke, ARSV Laurence M. Gould, R/V Sanna, M/V Antonie, M/V Northern Song, the Cascadia Research Collective and the Shallow Marine Surveys Group; in particular, we thank John Douglas, Andrew Bell, Shaun Tomlinson, Steve Cartwright, Tony D'Aoust, Dennis Rogers, Kelly Newton, Heather Riley, Gina Rousa and Mark Rousa. We also thank Brandon L. Southall, Alison K. Stimpert and Stacy L. DeRuiter for their role in collecting data as part of the SOCAL-BRS project. We thank Matt S. Savoca, Julian Dale and Danuta M. Wisniewska for assistance with data collection. Finally, we thank John H. Kennedy, Michael A. Thompson and the NSF Office of Polar Programs.Ye

Scaling of maneuvering performance in baleen whales: larger whales outperform expectations

Despite their enormous size, whales make their living as voracious predators. To catch their much smaller, more maneuverable prey, they have developed several unique locomotor strategies that require high energetic input, high mechanical power output and a surprising degree of agility. To better understand how body size affects maneuverability at the largest scale, we used bio-logging data, aerial photogrammetry and a high-throughput approach to quantify the maneuvering performance of seven species of free-swimming baleen whale. We found that as body size increases, absolute maneuvering performance decreases: larger whales use lower accelerations and perform slower pitch changes, rolls and turns than smaller species. We also found that baleen whales exhibit positive allometry of maneuvering performance: relative to their body size, larger whales use higher accelerations, and perform faster pitch-changes, rolls and certain types of turns than smaller species. However, not all maneuvers were impacted by body size in the same way, and we found that larger whales behaviorally adjust for their decreased agility by using turns that they can perform more effectively. The positive allometry of maneuvering performance suggests that large whales have compensated for their increased body size by evolving more effective control surfaces and by preferentially selecting maneuvers that play to their strengths

Elihu Stone collection undated, 1913-1962.

Collection contains materials pertaining to the life and work of Stone.Materials pertaining to Stone's Zionist activities include organizational speeches and essays prepared by Stone; materials relating to the Palestine Resolution introduced by Stone into the Massachusetts Legislature and materials relating to the Lodge-Fish Resolution, including a partial account of Stone's role in the passing of the resolution as well as correspondence with Henry Cabot Lodge; correspondence from Stone's tenure as President of the New England Zionist Region; correspondence in his association with the World Zionist Organization, the Zionist Organization of America, the Jewish National Fund, and Keren Heyesod. The collection also includes speeches and writings of Louis Lipsky and speeches given by Henry Cabot Lodge, Colonel Josiah Wedgewood, Congressman John C. McCormack, Governor Frank G. Allen, and an address given by an unidentified Knesset member (probably Abba Eban) before the Mass. Legislature (1949). Also included: misc. correspondence concerning the internationalization of Palestine; materials concerning the opening of Hebrew University on Mt. Scopus (1925); material on Chaim Weizmann and Colonel Josiah Wedgewood; material on Jewish immigration to Palestine, including circulars proclaiming a mass meeting to protest British policy (1939); announcements of meetings and public rallies protesting Naziism; materials on the World Zionist Congress of 1937.Materials pertaining to Stone's political activities include the following: election campaign materials; correspondence written in support of other candidates; resolutions sponsored by Stone as a state representative; correspondence written as a state representative and as Assistant U.S. District Attorney.Contains also material relating to Stone's professional career as a lawyer and personal material relating to members of the family. Also included: material relating to the Meretz Relief Organization, the Meretz Free Loan Association & the Federation of Jews of Lithuanian Descent.There is also information regarding tributes to Stone, including correspondence and information relevant to an award presented to Stone by the President of Lithuania on the 25th anniversary of Lithuanian independence. Also included: copies of the song "My Homeland," lyrics by Stone and music by Boris M. Morros; correspondence written by John McCormack concerning Stone's attempt to gain an audience with the Pope (1927).Collection also contains the following: material relating to local Jewish community affairs, including a copy of a petition in favor of the Sabbath Bill proposed before the Mass. Legislature and also local community reactions to Naziism; correspondence on the Anti-Nazi Boycott Movement and on Jewish immigration to the U.S.; material on reactions to anti-Semitism, including the protest of persecution of Jews in Poland, a response to Henry Ford's anti-Semitic campaign, and information regarding the Nordic Theory and the Johnson Immigration Bill. Also included: an essay on the Sacco-Vanzetti Case.Individual correspondents include: Governor Frank G. Allen, Louis D. Brandeis, Alexander Brin, Sen. William M. Butler, Calvin Coolidge, Governor Channing H. Cox, James M. Curley, Benjamin F. Evarts, Louis Finkelstein, Mendel Fisher, Israel Friedlaender, Governor Alvan T. Fuller, James A. Gallivan, Dr. Israel Goldstein, Christian Herter, Frank B. Kellogg, Harry Levine, William M. Lewis, Ludwig Lewisohn, Louis Lipsky, Sen. Henry Cabot Lodge, Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr., Congressman Joseph Martin, Congressman John C. McCormack, James G. McDonald, Henry Morgenthau, Jr., Franklin D. Roosevelt, Morris Rothenberg, Leverett Saltonstall, Abba Hillel Silver, Pres. Harry Truman, William Vanderbilt, Myer Weisgal, Chaim Weizmann, and Rabbi Stephen S. Wise.Collection further contains miscellaneous photographs (undated) and a collection of letters written in Yiddish.Prominent Boston Jewish communal figure, active in Republican Party, leading Zionist activist.Gift, in part, of Mrs. Carol Stone,Gift, in part, of Lois Stone,far031