Ziphius cavirostris presence relative to the vertical and temporal variability of oceanographic conditions in the Southern California Bight.

ABSTRACT: The oceanographic conditions of the Southern California Bight (SCB) dictate the distribution and abundance of prey resources and therefore the presence of mobile predators, such as goose-beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris). Goose-beaked whales are deep-diving odontocetes that spend a majority of their time foraging at depth. Due to their cryptic behavior, little is known about how they respond to seasonal and interannual changes in their environment. This study utilizes passive acoustic data recorded from two sites within the SCB to explore the oceanographic conditions that goose-beaked whales appear to favor. Utilizing optimum multiparameter analysis, modeled temperature and salinity data are used to identify and quantify these source waters: Pacific Subarctic Upper Water (PSUW), P

SUBMITTER: Schoenbeck CM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11246833 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature