Physical And Biological Controls Of Copepod Aggregation And Baleen Whale Distribution

Our long-term goal is to develop a fundamental understanding of the physical and biological mechanisms that aggregate zooplankton on spatial scales of hundreds of meters to hundreds of kilometers. These aggregation processes have a profound effect on the distribution, movements, and behavior of top predators, including those that feed directly on zooplankton (e.g., basking sharks, manta rays, right whales). While all marine mammals rely on prey aggregation processes for their survival, baleen whales are perhaps most dependent upon these processes because of the enormous quantities of food they must consume daily. Therefore, we have chosen to focus our long-term research efforts on the interactions between baleen whales, zooplankton, and ocean physics to better understand the environmental factors that influence marine mammal distribution. The specific objectives of this study are as follows: (1) to elucidate the mechanisms of copepod aggregation in the Great South Channel, a major springtime feeding area for right, sei, humpback, and fin whales in the southwestern Gulf of Maine; and (2) to examine the relationship between these mechanisms and the distribution and abundance of baleen whales.