Collaborative Research: The Ecological Role of a Poorly Studied Antarctic Krill Predator: The Humpback Whale, Megaptera Novaeangliae

合作研究：研究不足的南极磷虾捕食者：座头鲸，Megaptera Novaeangliae 的生态作用

• 批准号: 0739566
• 负责人: Meng Zhou
• 金额: $ 29.55万
• 依托单位: University of Massachusetts Boston
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2008-09-15 至 2013-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0739566&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Ecological; Role; Poorly

AbstractIntellectual Merit: The krill surplus hypothesis argues that the near-extirpation of baleen whales from Antarctic waters during much the twentieth century led to significant changes in the availability of krill for other predators. Over the past decade, however, overall krill abundance has decreased by over an order of magnitude around the Antarctic Peninsula, in part due to physical forces, including the duration and extent of winter sea ice cover. Krill predators are vulnerable to variability in prey and have been shown to alter their demography in response to changes in prey availability This research will use novel tagging technology combined with traditional fisheries acoustics methods to quantify the prey consumed by a poorly understood yet ecologically integral and recovering krill predator in the Antarctic, the humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae). It also will use a combination of advanced non-invasive tag technology to study whale behavior concurrent with hydro-acoustic techniques to map krill aggregations. The project will (1) provide direct and quantitative estimates of krill consumption rates by humpback whales and incorporate these into models for the management of krill stocks and the conservation of the Antarctic marine ecosystem; (2) provide information integral to understanding predator-prey ecology and trophic dynamics, i.e., if/how baleen whales affect the distribution and behavior of krill and/or other krill predators; (3) add significantly to the knowledge of the diving behavior and foraging ecology of baleen whales in the Antarctic; and (4) develop new geospatial tools for the construction of multi-trophic level models that account for physical as well as biological data. Broader Impacts: Whales are assumed to be a major predator on Antarctic krill, yet there is little understanding of how whales utilize this resource. This knowledge is critical to addressing both bottom-up and top-down questions, e.g., how climate change may affect whales or how whales may affect falling krill abundances. This program will integrate research and education by providing opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students as well as postdoctoral researchers at Duke University, the Florida State University and the University of Massachusetts at Boston. This project will also seek to integrate interactive learning through real time, seasonal and curriculum development in collaboration with the National Geographic Society as well as at the participating universities and local schools in those communities.

摘要智慧优点：磷虾盈余假设认为，在大部分二十世纪，来自南极水域的Baleen鲸鱼几乎延伸，导致其他捕食者的磷虾的可用性发生了重大变化。 然而，在过去的十年中，整体磷虾的丰度在南极半岛周围的数量级下降了，部分原因是物理力，包括冬季海冰覆盖的持续时间和程度。磷虾捕食者容易受到猎物变异性的影响，并且已被证明可以改变其人口统计学，以响应猎物的变化，这项研究将使用新颖的标记技术与传统渔业声学方法相结合，以量化猎物被不可或缺的群体所消耗的猎物，但在本形弧形，humpback whale noveAneakaptera nevalea nevae nevalea nevahea novea novea novea novea noveagapback novea noveagapback novea noveagapback novea novea。它还将使用先进的非侵入性标签技术的组合来研究鲸鱼行为与水力声学技术同时进行映射磷虾聚集。 该项目将（1）通过座头鲸提供磷虾消耗率的直接和定量估计，并将其纳入用于管理磷虾库存和保护南极海洋生态系统的模型； （2）提供信息组成部分，以理解捕食者 - 捕食生态学和营养动力学，即，如果/baleen鲸如何影响磷虾和/或其他磷虾掠食者的分布和行为； （3）显着增加了对南极鲸鱼的潜水行为和觅食生态学的知识； （4）开发新的地理空间工具，用于构建多营养水平模型，这些模型构成了物理和生物学数据。更广泛的影响：假定鲸鱼是南极磷虾的主要捕食者，但对鲸鱼如何利用这种资源几乎没有什么了解。 这些知识对于解决自下而上的问题和自上而下的问题至关重要，例如气候变化如何影响鲸鱼或鲸鱼如何影响磷虾的丰度。该计划将通过为杜克大学，佛罗里达州立大学和马萨诸塞大学波士顿大学的本科生和研究生以及波士顿大学的博士学位研究人员提供机会来整合研究和教育。该项目还将试图通过与国家地理社会以及这些社区的参与大学和当地学校合作，通过实时，季节性和课程开发进行互动学习。