Gray whale habitat use and reproductive success during seismic surveys near their feeding grounds: comparing state-dependent life history models and field data.

ABSTRACT: We used a stochastic dynamic programming (SDP) model to quantify the consequences of disturbance on pregnant western gray whales during one foraging season. The SDP model has a firm basis in bioenergetics, but detailed knowledge of minimum reproductive length of females (L_min) and the relationship between length and reproductive success (R_fit) was lacking. We varied model assumptions to determine their effects on predictions of habitat use, proportion of animals disturbed, reproductive success, and the effects of disturbance. Smaller L_min values led to higher predicted nearshore habitat use. Changes in L_min and R_fit had little effect on predictions of the effect of disturbance. Reproductive success increased with increased L_min

SUBMITTER: Schwarz L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9579109 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature