Distribution and Abundance of Fin whales and other baleen whales in the European Atlantic

The abundance of fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) and other baleen whales was generated from data collected during shipboard sightings surveys as part of the Cetacean Offshore Distribution and Abundance in the European Atlantic project (CODA). The survey area covered offshore waters beyond the continental shelf of the UK, Ireland, France and Spain. The area was stratified into four blocks and was surveyed by five ships during July 2007. Double platform methods employing the trialconfiguration method (BT-method) were used. Fin, sei (B. borealis) and minke whales (B. acutorostrata) were positively identified, with possible sightings of blue whales (B. musculus). Abundance was estimated for these species and for “large baleen whales” which included fin, sei, fin/sei and blue whales. Abundance for the larger species was estimated using the Mark- Recapture Line Transect design-based method and also model-based methods using density surface modelling. Sample size limitations dictated that conventional line transect sampling methods were used to estimate the abundance of minke whales. Estimates from the two methods were comparable but model-based methods improved the precision and were considered best estimates. The density of large baleen whale species was greatest in the southern end of the survey area and water depth, temperature and distance to the 2000m contour were important predictors of their distribution. The total abundance estimated for the entire survey area was 9,019 (CV=0.11) fin whales and 9,619 (CV= 0.11) large baleen whales. The uncertainty around these estimates due to duplicate classification and species identification were explored. The fin whale estimate is likely to be underestimated because it excludes unidentified large whales, of which a large proportion was likely to have been fin whales. Notwithstanding this, these large baleen whale abundance estimates are the first robust estimates (corrected for responsive movement and g(0)) for this area. The estimated abundance of minke whales was 6,765 (CV=0.99) and sightings were restricted to the northern blocks of the survey area. The minke whale estimate, although imprecise and likely underestimated, does provide a baseline figure for this area and, when considered with results from the SCANS-II continental shelf surveys of July 2005, gives a more comprehensive picture of this species in the European Atlantic. These abundance estimates are important contributions to the conservation and management of these species in the Northeast Atlantic

Abundance of baleen whales in the European Atlantic

The abundance of fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus), sei whales (B. borealis) and minke whales (B. acutorostrata) was estimated from data collected during shipboard sightings surveys conducted as part of CODA and TNASS (Faroese block) in July 2007 in offshore waters of the European Atlantic west of the UK, Ireland, France and Spain, combined with data collected from shipboard and aerial surveys of European Atlantic continental shelf waters conducted as part of SCANS-II in July 2005. Double platform methods employing the trial-configuration method (BT-method) were used in all shipboard surveys. Analysis used Mark-Recapture Distance Sampling to account for animals missed on the transect line. Density surface modelling was undertaken to generate model-based abundance estimates and maps of predicted density. Estimates are presented for the SCANS-II and CODA survey areas. Estimates for the Faroese block of TNASS have been presented elsewhere. The abundance of fin whales in the CODA and SCANS-II areas was estimated as 19,354 (CV 0.24) for identified sightings and 29,512 (CV 0.26) when adjusted to include a proportion of unidentified large whale abundance (which included large baleen and sperm whales), prorated by number of sightings, because there were a large number of such sightings in one of the CODA survey blocks. The model-based estimate of identified fin whales was 19,751 (CV 0.17), more precise than the design-based estimate. Fin whales were mainly found in the southern part of the CODA survey area. Estimates based on identified sightings were comparable to those from the Spanish survey conducted as part of 1989 NASS but were larger if adjusted for a proportion of unidentified large whales. Sei whales were rare except in the southwest of the survey area; the estimate of abundance was 619 (CV 0.34) for identified sightings and 765 (CV 0.43) adjusted for a proportion of unidentified large whales. Minke whale abundance was estimated for shelf and offshore European Atlantic waters as 30,410 (CV 0.34). The model-based estimate was less precise and considerably larger

Omura’s whales (Balaenoptera omurai) off northwest Madagascar: ecology, behaviour and conservation needs

The Omura’s whale (Balaenoptera omurai) was described as a new species in 2003 and then soon after as an ancient lineage basal to a Bryde’s/sei whale clade. Currently known only from whaling and stranding specimens primarily from the western Pacific and eastern Indian Oceans, there exist no confirmed field observations or ecological/behavioural data. Here we present, to our knowledge, the first genetically confirmed documentation of living Omura’s whales including descriptions of basic ecology and behaviour from northwestern Madagascar. Species identification was confirmed through molecular phylogenetic analyses of biopsies collected from 18 adult animals. All individuals shared a single haplotype in a 402 bp sequence of mtDNA control region, suggesting low diversity and a potentially small population. Sightings of 44 groups indicated preference for shallow-water shelf habitat with sea surface temperature between 27.4°C and 30.2°C. Frequent observations were made of lunge feeding, possibly on zooplankton. Observations of four mothers with young calves, and recordings of a song-like vocalization probably indicate reproductive behaviour. Social organization consisted of loose aggregations of predominantly unassociated single individuals spatially and temporally clustered. Photographic recapture of a female re-sighted the following year with a young calf suggests site fidelity or a resident population. Our results demonstrate that the species is a tropical whale without segregation of feeding and breeding habitat, and is probably non-migratory; our data extend the range of this poorly studied whale into the western Indian Ocean. Exclusive range restriction to tropical waters is rare among baleen whale species, except for the various forms of Bryde’s whales and Omura’s whales. Thus, the discovery of a tractable population of Omura’s whales in the tropics presents an opportunity for understanding the ecological factors driving potential convergence of life-history patterns with the distantly related Bryde’s whales

New insights from metallic tracers on the ffeding ecology of common dolphins in European waters

19th Annual Conference of the European Cetacean Society and associated workshop, April 2-7, 2005, La Rochelle, FranceThe common dolphin, Delphinus delphis, is the most abundant small cetacean inhabiting the temperate waters of the northeastern Atlantic. Although its distribution can be correlated to oceanographic features, it is likely that prey abundance is the major factor in determining its occurrence and movementN

Geospatial data analysis in Russia’s geoweb

The chapter examines the role of geospatial data in Russia’s online ecosystem. Facilitated by the rise of geographic information systems and user-generated content, the distribution of geospatial data has blurred the line between physical spaces and their virtual representations. The chapter discusses different sources of these data available for Digital Russian Studies (e.g., social data and crowdsourced databases) together with the novel techniques for extracting geolocation from various data formats (e.g., textual documents and images). It also scrutinizes different ways of using these data, varying from mapping the spatial distribution of social and political phenomena to investigating the use of geotag data for cultural practices’ digitization to exploring the use of geoweb for narrating individual and collective identities online

The stranding anomaly as population indicator: the case of Harbour Porpoise <i>Phocoena phocoena</i> in North-Western Europe

Ecological indicators for monitoring strategies are expected to combine three major characteristics: ecological significance, statistical credibility, and cost-effectiveness. Strategies based on stranding networks rank highly in cost-effectiveness, but their ecological significance and statistical credibility are disputed. Our present goal is to improve the value of stranding data as population indicator as part of monitoring strategies by constructing the spatial and temporal null hypothesis for strandings. The null hypothesis is defined as: small cetacean distribution and mortality are uniform in space and constant in time. We used a drift model to map stranding probabilities and predict stranding patterns of cetacean carcasses under H-0 across the North Sea, the Channel and the Bay of Biscay, for the period 1990-2009. As the most common cetacean occurring in this area, we chose the harbour porpoise <i>Phocoena phocoena</i> for our modelling. The difference between these strandings expected under H-0 and observed strandings is defined as the stranding anomaly. It constituted the stranding data series corrected for drift conditions. Seasonal decomposition of stranding anomaly suggested that drift conditions did not explain observed seasonal variations of porpoise strandings. Long-term stranding anomalies increased first in the southern North Sea, the Channel and Bay of Biscay coasts, and finally the eastern North Sea. The hypothesis of changes in porpoise distribution was consistent with local visual surveys, mostly SCANS surveys (1994 and 2005). This new indicator could be applied to cetacean populations across the world and more widely to marine megafauna