scholarly journals Genetic and behavioural data confirm the existence of a distinct harbour porpoise ecotype in West Greenland

2021 ◽  
pp. 100108
Author(s):  
Morten Tange Olsen ◽  
Nynne Hjort Nielsen ◽  
Vincent Biard ◽  
Jonas Teilmann ◽  
Mạnh Cường Ngô ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Harbour Porpoise ◽  
West Greenland

Mercury, cadmium, zinc, copper and selenium in harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) from West Greenland

Polar Biology ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Paludan-M�ller ◽  
CarstenThyge Agger ◽  
Rune Dietz ◽  
CarlChristian Kinze
Keyword(s):  
Harbour Porpoise ◽  
Phocoena Phocoena ◽  
West Greenland ◽  
Cadmium Zinc

scholarly journals Growth of the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) in eastern Newfoundland, Canada

2003 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 211
Author(s):  
S F Richardson ◽  
G B Stenson ◽  
C Hood
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rates ◽  
Gulf Of Maine ◽  
Harbour Porpoise ◽  
Bay Of Fundy ◽  
Phocoena Phocoena ◽  
Growth Data ◽  
West Greenland ◽  
Gompertz Growth Model ◽  
One Year ◽  
Separate Population

Although the stock relationships among harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) in the Northwest Atlantic are unknown, it has been postulated that there are 4 local populations: Bay of Fundy/Gulf of Maine, Gulf of St. Lawrence, Newfoundland, and west Greenland. Data on the Newfoundland population are extremely limited. To determine growth rates and examine if these animals can be differentiated from other sub-populations on the basis of growth characteristics, 94 porpoises caught incidentally in fishing gear along the southeast coast of Newfoundland during the summers of 1990 and 1991 were examined. Most porpoises (56%) were ≤ 4 years of age. Maximum age was 9 for females and 12 for males. Growth rates were similar for both sexes until one year of age, after which females grew longer and weighed more than males of similar ages. Using the Gompertz growth model, asymptotic values for body length were 156.3 cm for females and 142.9 cm for males. Asymptotic weights were 61.6 kg and 49.1 kg for females and males respectively. With the exception of West Greenland porpoise that were shorter and females from Norway that were lighter, Newfoundland porpoises could not be differentiated from animals collected in other areas based on growth data. However, differences in dental deposition patterns were noted suggesting that Newfoundland porpoise may belong to a separate population.

By-Catches of Harbour Porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) in Salmon Driftnets at West Greenland in 1972

1975 ◽  
Vol 32 (7) ◽  
pp. 1223-1228 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. H. Lear ◽  
O. Christensen
Keyword(s):  
Harbour Porpoise ◽  
Phocoena Phocoena ◽  
Catch Per Unit Effort ◽  
West Greenland ◽  
Unit Effort

On the basis of the catch-per-unit-effort of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) by commercial vessels, an estimate was obtained of the number of porpoises killed by the non-Greenlandic vessels fishing for salmon at West Greenland. During 1972 the estimated kill was 1500. The distribution of porpoises based on catches by commercial and research vessels is also discussed.

scholarly journals Abundance of Whales in West and East Greenland in Summer 2015

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rikke G. Hansen ◽  
Tenna K. Boye ◽  
Rasmus S. Larsen ◽  
Nynne H. Nielsen ◽  
Outi Tervo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Shelf Break ◽  
Minke Whale ◽  
Harbour Porpoise ◽  
Baleen Whale ◽  
Pilot Whale ◽  
East Greenland ◽  
West Greenland ◽  
Minke Whales ◽  
Abundance Estimates ◽  
Pilot Whales

ABSTRACTAn aerial line transect survey of whales in West and East Greenland was conducted in August-September 2015. The survey covered the area between the coast of West Greenland and offshore (up to 100 km) to the shelf break. In East Greenland, the survey lines covered the area from the coast up to 50 km offshore crossing the shelf break. A total of 423 sightings of 12 cetacean species were obtained and abundance estimates were developed for common minke whale, from now on called minke whale, (Balaenoptera acutorostrata)(32 sightings), fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) (129 sightings), humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)(84 sightings), harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena)(55 sightings), long-finned pilot whale, from now on called pilot whale, (Globicephala melas)(42 sightings) and white-beaked dolphins (Lagenorhynchus albirostri)(50 sightings). The developed at-surface abundance estimates were corrected for both perception bias and availability bias if possible. Data on surface corrections for minke whales and harbour porpoises were collected from whales instrumented with satellite-linked time-depth-recorders. Options for estimation methods are presented and the preferred estimates are: Minke whales: 5,095 (95% CI: 2,171-11,961) in West Greenland and 2,762 (95% CI: 1,160-6,574) in East Greenland, fin whales: 2,215 (95% CI: 1,017-4,823) in West Greenland and 6,440 (95% CI: 3,901-10,632) in East Greenland, humpback whales: 993 (95% CI: 434-2,272) in West Greenland and 4,223 (95%CI: 1,845-9,666) in East Greenland, harbour porpoise: 83,321 (95% CI: 43,377-160,047) in West Greenland and 1,642 (95% CI: 319-8,464) in East Greenland, pilot whales: 9,190 (95% CI: 3,635-23,234) in West Greenland and 258 (95% CI: 50-1,354) in East Greenland, white-beaked dolphins 15,261 (95% CI: 7,048-33,046) in West Greenland and 11,889 (95% CI: 4,710-30,008) in East Greenland. The abundance of cetaceans in coastal areas of East Greenland has not been estimated before, but the limited historical information from the area indicate that the achieved abundance estimates were remarkably high. When comparing the abundance estimates from 2015 in West Greenland with a similar survey conducted in 2007 there is a clear trend towards lower densities in 2015 for the three baleen whale species and white-beaked dolphins. Harbour porpoises and pilot whales however, did not show a similar decline. The decline in baleen whale and white-beaked dolphin abundance is likely due to emigration to the East Greenland shelf areas where recent climate driven changes in pelagic productivity may have accelerated favourable conditions for these species.

scholarly journals A combined DNA-microsatellite and isozyme analysis of the population structure of the harbour porpoise in Danish waters and West Greenland

Heredity ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 78 (3) ◽  
pp. 270-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liselotte Wesley Andersen ◽  
Lars-Erik Holm ◽  
Hans R Siegismund ◽  
Bjarne Clausen ◽  
Carl C Kinze ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Population Structure ◽  
Harbour Porpoise ◽  
Isozyme Analysis ◽  
West Greenland ◽  
Dna Microsatellite

Seasonal diving and foraging behaviour of Eastern Canada-West Greenland bowhead whales

2020 ◽  
Vol 643 ◽  
pp. 197-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
SME Fortune ◽  
SH Ferguson ◽  
AW Trites ◽  
B LeBlanc ◽  
V LeMay ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Late Summer ◽  
Calanoid Copepods ◽  
Eastern Canada ◽  
West Greenland ◽  
Bowhead Whales ◽  
Seasonal Movement ◽  
Dive Behaviour ◽  
Calanus Glacialis ◽  
Canada West

Climate change may affect the foraging success of bowhead whales Balaena mysticetus by altering the diversity and abundance of zooplankton species available as food. However, assessing climate-induced impacts first requires documenting feeding conditions under current environmental conditions. We collected seasonal movement and dive-behaviour data from 25 Eastern Canada-West Greenland bowheads instrumented with time-depth telemetry tags and used state-space models to examine whale movements and dive behaviours. Zooplankton samples were also collected in Cumberland Sound (CS) to determine species composition and biomass. We found that CS was used seasonally by 14 of the 25 tagged whales. Area-restricted movement was the dominant behaviour in CS, suggesting that the tagged whales allocated considerable time to feeding. Prey sampling data suggested that bowheads were exploiting energy-rich Arctic copepods such as Calanus glacialis and C. hyperboreus during summer. Dive behaviour changed seasonally in CS. Most notably, probable feeding dives were substantially shallower during spring and summer compared to fall and winter. These seasonal changes in dive depths likely reflect changes in the vertical distribution of calanoid copepods, which are known to suspend development and overwinter at depth during fall and winter when availability of their phytoplankton prey is presumed to be lower. Overall, CS appears to be an important year-round foraging habitat for bowheads, but is particularly important during the late summer and fall. Whether CS will remain a reliable feeding area for bowhead whales under climate change is not yet known.

Subfossil insect remains (Chironomidae) and lake-water temperature inference in the Sisimiut–Kangerlussuaq region, southern West Greenland

2000 ◽  
pp. 78-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Klaus Peter Brodersen ◽  
N. John Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Climate Variability ◽  
Water Temperature ◽  
Lake Water ◽  
Anthropogenic Impact ◽  
Biological Diversity ◽  
Biological Indicators ◽  
Lake Ecosystems ◽  
West Greenland ◽  
Physical Chemical ◽  
Temperature Inference

NOTE: This article was published in a former series of GEUS Bulletin. Please use the original series name when citing this article, for example: Brodersen, K. P., & Anderson, N. J. (2000). Subfossil insect remains (Chironomidae) and lake-water temperature inference in the Sisimiut–Kangerlussuaq region, southern West Greenland. Geology of Greenland Survey Bulletin, 186, 78-82. https://doi.org/10.34194/ggub.v186.5219 _______________ Climate and water temperature have an important influence on the functioning of lake ecosystems. From limnological and palaeolimnological studies of lakes, information on biological diversity and climate variability in time and space can be gleaned from physical, chemical and biological indicators preserved in the lake sediments. The lakes in southern West Greenland are particularly useful for this purpose – they are numerous, diverse and have minimal anthropogenic impact (Anderson & Bennike 1997). Palaeolimnological data are fundamental for understanding the functioning and development of modern lakes and for understanding the causes of climatic change as well as the effect on lake biota.

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