Trophic niche partitioning and diet composition of sympatric fin (Balaenoptera physalus) and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the Gulf of Alaska revealed through stable isotope analysis

Witteveen, Briana H.; Wynne, Kate M.

doi:10.1111/mms.12333

i

Trophic niche partitioning and diet composition of sympatric fin (Balaenoptera physalus) and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the Gulf of Alaska revealed through stable isotope analysis

Supporting Files

2016
By Witteveen, Briana H. ; Wynne, Kate M.

Details

Journal Title:

Marine Mammal Science
Personal Author:

Witteveen, Briana H. ; Wynne, Kate M.
NOAA Program & Office:

NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) ; Sea Grant
Sea Grant Program:

AKU (Alaska Sea Grant)
Description:

Fin and humpback whales are large consumers that are often sympatric, effectively sharing or partitioning their use of habitat and prey resources. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes in the skin of fin and humpback whales from two regions in the western Gulf of Alaska, Kodiak, and Shumagin Islands, were analyzed to test the hypothesis that these sympatric baleen whales exhibit trophic niche partitioning within these regions. Standard ellipse areas, estimated using Bayesian inference, suggested that niche partitioning between species is occurring in the Kodiak region but not in the Shumagin Islands. Isotopic mixing models based on stable isotopes from whales and local prey samples, were used to estimate possible diet solutions for whales in the Kodiak region. Comparison of isotopic niches and diet models support niche partitioning, with fin whales foraging primarily on zooplankton and humpback whales foraging on zooplankton and small forage fish. The results of this study show that niche partitioning between sympatric species can vary by region and may be the result of prey availability, prey preferences, or both.
Keywords:

Aquatic Science Ecology, Evolution, Behavior And Systematics Ecology, Evolution, Behavior And Systematics Ecology, Evolution, Behavior And Systematics
Source:

Marine Mammal Science, 32(4), 1319-1339
DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12333
ISSN:

0824-0469 ; 1748-7692
Format:

PDF
Publisher:

Wiley
Document Type:

Journal Article
Funding:

Grant no. NA04NMF4390158 ; Grant no. NA07NMF4390339 ; Grant no. NA09NMF439039 ; Grant no. NA10NMF4390295
Rights Information:

Accepted Manuscript
Compliance:

Library
Main Document Checksum:

urn:sha-512:e38f6f3e83de0f44a377c83e6d11b9a9b9b450e54059bb7fcbab9a26c2fe8bba787c28dbde5da30014343573f51c0f0a4a8c4c0892c9c6fcd51d5090d974d151
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https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/63466/noaa_63466_DS1.pdf
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[PDF - 910.48 KB ]

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