scholarly journals Marine soundscape variation reveals insights into baleen whales and their environment: a case study in central New Zealand

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria E. Warren ◽  
Craig McPherson ◽  
Giacomo Giorli ◽  
Kimberly T. Goetz ◽  
Craig A. Radford

Baleen whales reliably produce stereotyped vocalizations, enabling their spatio-temporal distributions to be inferred from acoustic detections. Soundscape analysis provides an integrated approach whereby vocal species, such as baleen whales, are sampled holistically with other acoustic contributors to their environment. Acoustic elements that occur concurrently in space, time and/or frequency can indicate overlaps between free-ranging species and potential stressors. Such information can inform risk assessment framework models. Here, we demonstrate the utility of soundscape monitoring in central New Zealand, an area of high cetacean diversity where potential threats are poorly understood. Pygmy blue whale calls were abundant in the South Taranaki Bight (STB) throughout recording periods and were also detected near Kaikōura during autumn. Humpback, Antarctic blue and Antarctic minke whales were detected in winter and spring, during migration. Wind, rain, tidal and wave activity increased ambient sound levels in both deep- and shallow-water environments across a broad range of frequencies, including those used by baleen whales, and sound from shipping, seismic surveys and earthquakes overlapped in time, space and frequency with whale calls. The results highlight the feasibility of soundscape analysis to quantify and understand potential stressors to free-ranging species, which is essential for conservation and management decisions.

1983 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 174-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleanor M. Dorsey

Free-ranging minke whales in the inland marine waters of Washington, U.S.A., were found to be individually identifiable from photographs of naturally occurring distinctive features. Sixteen individuals were recognized and observed from small boats 66 times over 3.5 months in 1980, and four of these whales were also recognized from photographs taken in 1977 and 1978. Three exclusive adjoining ranges were found in about 600 km2, each one shared by up to at least seven minke whales, with only two instances of crossover between areas in 70 sightings. Feeding was observed in all three areas, and the whales within each area appeared most of the time to be acting independently of one another. No calves were seen, and no overt acts of territorial defense were observed. This is the first known report in baleen whales of nonoverlapping ranges on a very small scale.


1981 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
WARREN MORAN ◽  
SARAH J. NASON

1999 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 75 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. G. Lentle ◽  
K. J. Stafford ◽  
M. A. Potter ◽  
B. P. Springett ◽  
S. Haslett

The particle size distribution of stomach contents from 25 tammar wallabies (Macropus eugenii Desmarest) shot in the Okataina State Forest and adjoining farmland near Rotorua, New Zealand, were determined. There was a greater percentage of finer, and a smaller percentage of larger, particles than reported in the stomach contents of larger macropods. The chewing and biting activities of four free-ranging tammars fitted with radio-microphone collars were monitored. Chewing rates (chews per minute) were similar to those of other small herbivorous vertebrates. There were significantly lower rates of chewing and higher chew-to- bite ratios when browsing than when grazing. Observations of browsing by three captive tammars showed inefficient handling by mutually opposed palms and digitopalmar grip, resulting in low rates of ingestion. We suggest that tammars lower the time necessary for fermentation of food by reducing the size of food particles, and that their choice between graze and browse is influenced by food handling and chewing investment.


2022 ◽  
Vol 265 ◽  
pp. 109423
Author(s):  
Yue Weng ◽  
William McShea ◽  
Yixin Diao ◽  
Hongbo Yang ◽  
Xiaofeng Zhang ◽  
...  

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Joiner ◽  
Y. Yoshida ◽  
L. Guanter ◽  
E. M. Middleton

Abstract. Global satellite measurements of solar-induced fluorescence (SIF) from chlorophyll over land and ocean have proven useful for a number of different applications related to physiology, phenology, and productivity of plants and phytoplankton. Terrestrial chlorophyll fluorescence is emitted throughout the red and far-red spectrum, producing two broad peaks near 683 and 736 nm. From ocean surfaces, phytoplankton fluorescence emissions are entirely from the red region. Studies using satellite-derived SIF over land have focused almost exclusively on measurements in the far- red, since those are the most easily obtained with existing instrumentation. Here, we examine new ways to use existing hyper-spectral satellite data sets to retrieve red SIF over both land and ocean. Our approach offers noise reductions as compared with previously published solar line filling retrievals by making use of the oxygen (O2) γ-band that is not affected by SIF. The O2 γ-band in conjunction with solar Fraunhofer lines help to anchor the O2 B-band that provides additional information on red SIF. Biases due to instrumental artifacts that vary in time, space, and with instrument, must be addressed in order to obtain reasonable results. The satellite instruments that we use were designed to make atmospheric trace- gas measurements and are therefore not optimal for observing SIF; they have coarse spatial resolution and only moderate spectral resolution (∼0.5 nm). Nevertheless, these instruments offer a unique opportunity to compare red and far-red terrestrial SIF at regional spatial scales. Our eight year record of red SIF observations over land with the Global Ozone Monitoring Instrument 2 (GOME-2) allows for the first time reliable global mapping of monthly anomalies. These anomalies are shown to have similar spatio-temporal structure as those in the far-red, particularly for drought-prone regions. There is a somewhat larger percentage response in the red as compared with the far-red for these areas that are sensitive to soil moisture, although the differences are within the specified uncertainties that are dominated by systematic errors. We also demonstrate that high quality ocean fluorescence line height retrievals can be achieved with GOME-2 and similar instruments by utilizing the full complement of radiance measurements that span the red SIF emission feature.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Bert Van Dijk

<p>This practice‐led research enquiry sets out to develop and test a model of theatre practice that relates to the unique geographic, cultural and spiritual dimensions of Aotearoa/New Zealand. In this practice, actors are connected with their body and the earth (they have feet), archetypal qualities inherent in nature and culture are incorporated into training and performance (return of the gods), a sense of adventure and risk‐taking is emphasized, and the practice relates to the multiple cultures and communities of Aotearoa/New Zealand. Presence, defined as the ability to be sensorially alive in the moment, and site‐specific performance, a creative response to locality, emerged as two of the key strategies to connect with self, other and the environment.  By investigating selected principles, strategies and values from the indigenous, pre‐European, Māori performing arts (whare tapere), devised theatre, the Michael Chekhov technique, and Japanese Noh theatre, an intercultural approach to site specific theatre evolved that interweaves the four pathways of collaboration, connection, exploration and transformation and their corresponding values. After considering the political and ethical issues of intercultural performance a number of principles to guide the process of intercultural exchange were formulated and tested. A vital component of this study was the creative development and performance of Ex_isle of Strangers – a site‐specific work developed in response to the tangible and intangible dimensions of Matiu/Somes Island. The research generated moments of practice that investigated the creative potential of residential devising processes and the transformative value of audience mobility in performances that involve physical and metaphorical journeying. These moments provided the participants (performers and spectators) time, space and opportunity to interact with one another and with the site they occupied, thus significantly increasing their level of physical and mental engagement with the work.</p>


Author(s):  
J. W. Li ◽  
Y. Ma ◽  
J. W. Jiang ◽  
W. D. Chen ◽  
N. Yu ◽  
...  

Abstract. Starting from the object-oriented idea, this paper analyses the existing event-based models and the logical relationship between behavioral cognition and events, and discusses the continuity of behavioral cognition on the time axis from the perspective of temporal and spatial cognition. A geospatial data model based on behavioral-event is proposed. The physical structure and logical structure of the model are mainly designed, and the four-dimensional model of “time, space, attribute and event” is constructed on the axis. The organic combination of the four models can well describe the internal mechanism and rules of geographical objects. The expression of data model based on behavior-event not only elaborates the basic information of geospatial objects, but also records the changes of related events caused by the changes of geographic Entities' behavior, and expresses the relationship between spatial and temporal objects before and after the changes of behavior cognition. This paper also designs an effective method to organize spatio-temporal data, so as to realize the effective management and analysis of spatio-temporal data and meet the requirements of storage, processing and mining of large spatio-temporal data.


2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 1196
Author(s):  
Tiago Henrique de Oliveira ◽  
José Gleidson Dantas ◽  
Josiclêda Domiciano Galvíncio ◽  
Rejane Magalhães de Mendonça Pimentel ◽  
Milton Botler

As rápidas mudanças do uso e cobertura do solo em ambiente urbano apresentam grande impacto nas relações entre os ciclos energéticos e hidrológicos sobre a superfície. O município do Recife, através da Lei de Uso e Ocupação do Solo de 1996 (Lei nº 16.176/96) define área verde como “toda área de domínio público ou privado, em solo natural,onde predomina qualquer forma de vegetação, distribuída em seus diferentes estratos: Arbóreo, Arbustivo e Herbáceo /Forrageira, nativa ou exótica”. O objetivo deste artigo é analisar a variação espacial das áreas verdes disponíveis no município do Recife e a evolução espaço-temporal da qualidade ambiental na RPA 4 através do computo do Índice de umidade (NDWI), Índice de Área Foliar (IAF) e Temperatura da superfície em imagens TM Landsat. Foi realizada uma classificação supervisionada na ortofotocarta Recife onde as áreas verdes foram exportadas para polígonos, permitindo a sua quantificação. Para as imagens TM foi aplicada parte da metodologia SEBAL. As áreas verdes ocupam 45,58% do Recife. Os transectos lineares e perfis permitiram visualizar mais facilmente as mudanças espaço-temporais ocorridos na RPA-4. Foi visualizada grande diferença de temperatura entre as áreas vegetadas e as áreas mais urbanizadas. Palavras-chave: Uso e ocupação do solo; área urbana, áreas vegetadas, sensoriamento remoto; MAXVER. A B S T R A C T The rapid change of use and land cover in urban environment poses great impact on relations between energy and hydrological cycles on the surface. The municipality of Recife, through the Land Use Legislation from 1996 (Law No. 16.176/96) defines green area as ";;;;;;any public or private domain area, in natural soil, where overcrows any form of vegetation, distributed in its different layers: Arboreal, shrubby and Herbaceous Forage, native or exotic";;;;;;. The goal of this paper is to analyze the spatial variation of available green areas in the city of Recife and the spatio-temporal evolution of environmental quality in the Political Administrative Region 4, known as RPA-4, through the calculation of moisture content (NDWI), leaf area index (LAI) and the surface temperature from Landsat TM images. Supervised classification was performed on orthophoto Reef where the green areas were exported to polygons, allowing its quantification. For the TM images, it has been applied the methodology SEBAL. The green areas occupy 45.58% of Recife. The linear transects and profiles allowed to show more easily space-time changes occurring in the RPA-4. Large temperature differences have been displayed between the most vegetated areas and more urbanized areas. Key-words: Land use; urban areas; vegetated area, remote sensing; MAXVER.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Boessenecker ◽  
R. Ewan Fordyce

The early evolution of toothless baleen whales (Chaeomysticeti) remains elusive despite a robust record of Eocene-Oligocene archaeocetes and toothed mysticetes. Eomysticetids, a group of archaic longirostrine and putatively toothless baleen whales fill in a crucial morphological gap between well-known toothed mysticetes and more crownward Neogene Mysticeti. A historically important but perplexing cetacean is “Mauicetus” lophocephalus (upper Oligocene South Island, New Zealand). The discovery of new skulls and skeletons of eomysticetids from the Oligocene Kokoamu Greensand and Otekaike Limestone permit a redescription and modern reinterpretation of “Mauicetus” lophocephalus, and indicating that this species may have retained adult teeth. A new genus and species, Tokarahia kauaeroa, is erected on the basis of a well-preserved subadult to adult skull with mandibles, tympanoperiotics, and cervical and thoracic vertebrae, ribs, sternum, and forelimbs from the Otekaike Limestone (&gt;25.2 Ma). “Mauicetus” lophocephalus is relatively similar and recombined as Tokarahia lophocephalus. Phylogenetic analysis supports inclusion of Tokarahia within the Eomysticetidae alongside Eomysticetus, Micromysticetus, Yamatocetus, and Tohoraata, and strongly supports monophyly of Eomysticetidae. Tokarahia lacked extreme rostral kinesis of extant Mysticeti and primitively retained a delicate archaeocete-like posterior mandible and synovial temporomandibular joint, suggesting that Tokarahia was capable of at most, limited lunge feeding in contrast to extant Balaenopteridae, and utilized an alternative as-yet unspecified feeding strategy.


2008 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 226-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madalynn Neu ◽  
Mark L. Laudenslager ◽  
JoAnn Robinson

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine coregulation between mothers and preterm infants in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) system activity, as indicated by salivary cortisol levels, while mothers held their infants. The research questions were (a) does mother—infant coregulation in HPA activity occur during holding? and (b) if mother— infant coregulation in HPA activity exists during holding, do type of holding, antenatal steroids, sound level, and maternal touch influence this coregulation? Sample: The sample consisted of 20 mother— infant dyads with infants at a mean postconceptional age of 34.7 weeks (+0.7) and average postnatal age of 15 days (+9) at the time of cortisol sampling. Design: The design was exploratory using convenience sampling. Maternal and infant cortisol levels were obtained at Time 1 (baseline) and Time 2 (end of holding); at each time, the absolute differences in levels between mother and infant were determined. Coregulation was operationalized as less difference between maternal-infant cortisol levels immediately after holding (Time 2) as compared to before holding (Time 1). Results: The two variables with the highest correlation with the Time 1/Time 2 difference score included antenatal steroids and ambient sound level, which were entered into a linear regression equation as predictor variables. A coregulatory relationship in cortisol levels existed between mothers and infants during holding, which was moderated by sound levels. Nurses in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) can facilitate the mother—infant relationship, as reflected in coregulatory measures, by promoting a quiet environment, particularly around mothers who are holding their infants.


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