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dc.contributor.authorEisenmann, Pascale
dc.contributor.authorFry, Brian
dc.contributor.authorHolyoake, Carly
dc.contributor.authorCoughran, Douglas
dc.contributor.authorNicol, Steve
dc.contributor.authorNash, Susan Bengtson
dc.date.accessioned2018-01-19T06:12:58Z
dc.date.available2018-01-19T06:12:58Z
dc.date.issued2016
dc.identifier.issn1932-6203
dc.identifier.doi10.1371/journal.pone.0156698
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10072/99451
dc.description.abstractOur current understanding of Southern hemisphere humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) ecology assumes high-fidelity feeding on Antarctic krill in Antarctic waters during summer, followed by fasting during their annual migration to and from equatorial breeding grounds. An increase in the number of reported departures from this feeding/fasting model suggests that the current model may be oversimplified or, alternatively, undergoing contemporary change. Information about the feeding and fasting cycles of the two Australian breeding populations of humpback whales were obtained through stable isotope analysis of baleen plates from stranded adult individuals. Comparison of isotope profiles showed that individuals from the West Australian breeding population strongly adhered to the classical feeding model. By contrast, East Australian population individuals demonstrated greater heterogeneity in their feeding. On a spectrum from exclusive Antarctic feeding to exclusive feeding in temperate waters, three different strategies were assigned and discussed: classical feeders, supplemental feeders, and temperate zone feeders. Diversity in the interannual feeding strategies of humpback whales demonstrates the feeding plasticity of the species, but could also be indicative of changing dynamics within the Antarctic sea-ice ecosystem. This study presents the first investigation of trophodynamics in Southern hemisphere humpback whales derived from baleen plates, and further provides the first estimates of baleen plate elongation rates in the species.
dc.description.peerreviewedYes
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherPublic Library of Sciences
dc.relation.ispartofpagefrome0156698-1
dc.relation.ispartofpagetoe0156698-20
dc.relation.ispartofissue5
dc.relation.ispartofjournalPLoS One
dc.relation.ispartofvolume11
dc.subject.fieldofresearchConservation and biodiversity
dc.subject.fieldofresearchcode410401
dc.titleIsotopic Evidence of a Wide Spectrum of Feeding Strategies in Southern Hemisphere Humpback Whale Baleen Records
dc.typeJournal article
dc.type.descriptionC1 - Articles
dc.type.codeC - Journal Articles
dcterms.licensehttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.description.versionVersion of Record (VoR)
gro.facultyGriffith Sciences, Griffith School of Environment
gro.rights.copyright© 2016 Eisenmann et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
gro.hasfulltextFull Text
gro.griffith.authorBengtson Nash, Susan M.
gro.griffith.authorFry, Brian D.


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