There is increasing concern over how Arctic fauna will adapt to climate related changes in sea-ice. We used long-term sighting and genetic data on beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in conjunction with multi-decadal patterns of sea-ice in the Pacific Arctic to investigate the influence of sea-ice on spring migration and summer residency patterns. Substantial variations in sea-ice conditions were detected across seasons, years and sub-regions, revealing ice–ocean dynamics more complex than Arctic-wide trends suggest. This variation contrasted with a highly consistent pattern of migration and residency by several populations, indicating that belugas can accommodate widely varying sea-ice conditions to perpetuate philopatry to coastal migration destinations.
Original Source [2]
Technology Partners: MimirTech
Links:
[1] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/feature-article/genetic-profiling-links-changing-sea-ice-shifting-beluga-whale-migration-patterns
[2] http://rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/roybiolett/12/11/20160404.full.pdf
[3] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/author/greg-ocorry-crowe
[4] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/author/andrew-r-mahoney
[5] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/author/robert-suydam-et-al
[6] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/journal/biology-letters
[7] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/climate-change
[8] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/whales
[9] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/migratory-species
[10] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/climate-impacts
[11] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/arctic
[12] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/global-warming
