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dc.contributor.authorWild, Lauren A.
dc.contributor.authorMueter, Franz
dc.contributor.authorWitteveen, Briana H.
dc.contributor.authorStraley, Janice M.
dc.date.accessioned2021-05-07T16:46:16Z
dc.date.available2021-05-07T16:46:16Z
dc.date.issued2020-01-27
dc.identifier.citationWild LA, Mueter F, Witteveen B, Straley JM. 2020 Exploring variability in the diet of depredating sperm whales in the Gulf of Alaska through stable isotope analysis. R. Soc. open sci. 7: 191110. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.191110en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11122/11940
dc.description.abstractSperm whales interact with commercially important groundfish fisheries offshore in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This study aims to use stable isotope analysis to better understand the trophic variability of sperm whales and their potential prey, and to use dietary mixing models to estimate the importance of prey species to sperm whale diets. We analysed tissue samples from sperm whales and seven potential prey (five groundfish and two squid species). Samples were analysed for stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios, and diet composition was estimated using Bayesian isotopic mixing models. Mixing model results suggest that an isotopically combined sablefish/ dogfish group, skates and rockfish make up the largest proportion of sperm whale diets (35%, 28% and 12%) in the GOA. The top prey items of whales that interact more frequently with fishing vessels consisted of skates (49%) and the sablefish/dogfish group (24%). This is the first known study to provide an isotopic baseline of adult male sperm whales and these adult groundfish and offshore squid species, and to assign contributions of prey to whale diets in the GOA. This study provides information to commercial fishermen and fisheries managers to better understand trophic connections of important commercial species.en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipData were collected in collaboration with Cascadia Research Collective, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Alaska Sea Life Center, Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association and the Sitka Sound Science Center. SEASWAP co-PIs were all integral in making this project happen: Linda Behnken, Dan Falvey, Victoria O’Connell, Aaron Thode and Russ Andrews. John Calambokidis and Greg Schorr collected biopsy samples used in this project. Kelly Robertson and Gabriela Serra-Valente archived samples at Southwest Fisheries Science Center. Special thanks to the commercial longline fishermen who donated fish and squid that they caught: Frank Balovich and Cale Laduke (F/V Carole D), Paul Ipok (F/V Myra), Walt Cunningham and Jeff Farvour (F/V Christi-Rob), Ryan Nichols (F/V Nekton), Stephen Rhoads and Nick Nekeferof (F/V Magia), Phil Wyman and Kevin Johnson (F/V Archangel), Lucas Skordahl (F/V Tyee), Tyrus Moffitt and Alek Dyakanoff. NMFS GOA longline survey, bottom trawl survey and ecosystem assessment cruise personnel collected specimens: Chris Lunsford, Cindy Tribuzio, Pete Hulson, Dana Hanselman, Cheryl Barnes, Nancy Roberson, Jamal Moss and Wes Strasburger. Laboratory and analysis assistance provided by Illiana Ruiz-Cooley, Todd Miller, Casey Clark, John Logan, Andrew Parnell, Ellen Chenoweth, Madison Kosma, Mike Sigler, Corey Fugate, Matt Rogers, Kate Hauch, Michelle Parke, Kristina Long, Nevé Baker, Emily Whitney and Annie Masterman. Jen Cedarleaf archived historical samples and managed the database. The Inter-Library-Loan folks with the UAF Rasmussen library found all kinds of crazy whaling documents. Finally, special thanks to the Alaska Stable Isotope Facility team of MatWooller, Tim Howe and Norma Haubenstock for their work running bulk isotopes for all of these samples.en_US
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.publisherThe Royal Society Publishingen_US
dc.subjectstable isotope analysisen_US
dc.subjectsperm whalesen_US
dc.subjectGulf of Alaskaen_US
dc.subjectdietary mixing modelsen_US
dc.titleExploring variability in the diet of depredating sperm whales in the Gulf of Alaska through stable isotope analysisen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US
dc.description.peerreviewYesen_US
refterms.dateFOA2021-05-07T16:46:16Z
dc.identifier.journalRoyal Society Open Scienceen_US


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