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Prey preferences of sympatric fin (Balaenoptera physalus) and humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae) whales revealed by stable isotope mixing models

Prey preferences of sympatric fin (Balaenoptera physalus) and humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae) whales revealed by stable isotope mixing models
Prey preferences of sympatric fin (Balaenoptera physalus) and humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae) whales revealed by stable isotope mixing models
Over-exploitation of top predators and fish stocks has altered ecosystems towards less productive systems with fewer trophic levels. In the Celtic Sea (CS), discards and bycatch levels have prompted concern about some fisheries, while fin and humpback whales are recovering from centuries of over-exploitation. A lack of empirical evidence on the preferred diet of some predators such as whales in the CS has hindered the implementation of effective conservation measures using an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management. Using a Bayesian framework (SIAR), stable carbon (?13C) and nitrogen (?15N) isotope mixing models were used to assign proportionate diet solutions to fin and humpback whales (skin biopsies) and putative prey items: herring (Clupea harengus), sprat (Sprattus sprattus), and krill (Meganyctiphanes norvegica and Nyctiphanes couchii) in the CS. Krill was the single most important prey item in the diet of fin whales, but one of the least important for humpback whales (albeit based on a small sample of humpback whale samples). Age 0 sprat and herring comprised a large proportion of the diet of both species, followed by older sprat (age 1–2) and older herring (age 2–4). An ecosystem based approach to fisheries management will be required in the CS if we seek effective conservation of both fin and humpback whales, and sustainable fisheries.
diet, SIAR, Bayesian mixing model, biopsy, Balaenopteridae
0824-0469
242-258
Ryan, Conor
7654709e-3ea2-48ce-a419-b238021a663a
Berrow, Simon D.
41eb377e-5025-46cd-a854-a4859ffd3246
McHugh, Brendan
13579681-4071-45dd-b792-4a8dcf690508
O'Donnell, Ciarán
c15319ce-7e22-48f4-9d99-1b8b1bd62266
Trueman, Clive N.
d00d3bd6-a47b-4d47-89ae-841c3d506205
O'Connor, Ian
719bdff3-4e6a-4bc8-9606-64e27356c26d
Ryan, Conor
7654709e-3ea2-48ce-a419-b238021a663a
Berrow, Simon D.
41eb377e-5025-46cd-a854-a4859ffd3246
McHugh, Brendan
13579681-4071-45dd-b792-4a8dcf690508
O'Donnell, Ciarán
c15319ce-7e22-48f4-9d99-1b8b1bd62266
Trueman, Clive N.
d00d3bd6-a47b-4d47-89ae-841c3d506205
O'Connor, Ian
719bdff3-4e6a-4bc8-9606-64e27356c26d

Ryan, Conor, Berrow, Simon D., McHugh, Brendan, O'Donnell, Ciarán, Trueman, Clive N. and O'Connor, Ian (2014) Prey preferences of sympatric fin (Balaenoptera physalus) and humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae) whales revealed by stable isotope mixing models. Marine Mammal Science, 30 (1), 242-258. (doi:10.1111/mms.12034).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Over-exploitation of top predators and fish stocks has altered ecosystems towards less productive systems with fewer trophic levels. In the Celtic Sea (CS), discards and bycatch levels have prompted concern about some fisheries, while fin and humpback whales are recovering from centuries of over-exploitation. A lack of empirical evidence on the preferred diet of some predators such as whales in the CS has hindered the implementation of effective conservation measures using an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management. Using a Bayesian framework (SIAR), stable carbon (?13C) and nitrogen (?15N) isotope mixing models were used to assign proportionate diet solutions to fin and humpback whales (skin biopsies) and putative prey items: herring (Clupea harengus), sprat (Sprattus sprattus), and krill (Meganyctiphanes norvegica and Nyctiphanes couchii) in the CS. Krill was the single most important prey item in the diet of fin whales, but one of the least important for humpback whales (albeit based on a small sample of humpback whale samples). Age 0 sprat and herring comprised a large proportion of the diet of both species, followed by older sprat (age 1–2) and older herring (age 2–4). An ecosystem based approach to fisheries management will be required in the CS if we seek effective conservation of both fin and humpback whales, and sustainable fisheries.

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More information

Published date: January 2014
Keywords: diet, SIAR, Bayesian mixing model, biopsy, Balaenopteridae
Organisations: Geochemistry

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 361852
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/361852
ISSN: 0824-0469
PURE UUID: d1120223-b63e-4b7b-903c-ee0e366ce6ff
ORCID for Clive N. Trueman: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-4995-736X

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 04 Feb 2014 15:06
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:17

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Contributors

Author: Conor Ryan
Author: Simon D. Berrow
Author: Brendan McHugh
Author: Ciarán O'Donnell
Author: Ian O'Connor

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