Dear colleagues,
we are pleased to announce the publication of the following paper:
Predictive habitat modelling of humpback (/Megaptera novaeangliae/) and
Antarctic minke (/Balaenoptera bonaerensis/) whales in the Southern
Ocean as a planning tool for seismic surveys (2014). Annette Bombosch,
Daniel P. Zitterbart, Ilse Van Opzeeland, Stephan Frickenhaus, Elke
Burkhardt, Mary S. Wisz, Olaf Boebel. Deep-Sea Research I 91 p.101--114.
DOI: 10.1016/j.dsr.2014.05.017
Abstract:
Seismic surveys are frequently a matter of concern regarding their
potentially negative impacts on marine mammals. In the Southern Ocean,
which provides a critical habitat for several endangered cetacean
species, seismic research activities are undertaken at a circumpolar
scale. In order to minimize impacts of these surveys, pre-cruise
planning requires detailed, spatio-temporally resolved knowledge on the
likelihood of encountering these species in the survey area. In this
publication we present predictive habitat modelling as a potential tool
to support decisions for survey planning. We associated opportunistic
sightings (2005--2011) of humpback (/Megaptera novaeangliae/, N=93) and
Antarctic minke whales (/Balaenoptera bonaerensis/, N=139) with a range
of static and dynamic environmental variables. A maximum entropy
algorithm (Maxent) was used to develop habitat models and to calculate
daily basinwide/circumpolar prediction maps to evaluate how
species-specific habitat conditions evolved throughout the spring and
summer months. For both species, prediction maps revealed considerable
changes in habitat suitability throughout the season. Suitable humpback
whale habitat occurred predominantly in ice-free areas, expanding
southwards with the retreating sea ice edge, whereas suitable Antarctic
minke whale habitat was consistently predicted within sea ice covered
areas. Daily, large-scale prediction maps provide a valuable tool to
design layout and timing of seismic surveys as they allow the
identification and consideration of potential spatio-temporal hotspots
to minimize potential impacts of seismic surveys on Antarctic cetacean
species.
The article is published open-access and can be downloaded via the
following link:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0967063714000995
For comments or questions please contact
[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> or
[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
Best Regards
Annette Bombosch
Predictive habitat modelling of humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae) and
Antarctic minke (Balaenoptera bonaerensis) whales in the Southern Ocean as a
planning tool for seismic surveys
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