March 2021 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

New Publication on Survival Rates and Capture Heterogeneity of Bottlenose Dolphins in the Shannon Estuary in Ireland
by Kim Ludwig 30 Mar '21

30 Mar '21

Dear MARMAM community, It is our great pleasure to share a new publication on the resident bottlenose dolphin population in the Shannon Estuary, Ireland, with you: Ludwig KE, Daly M, Levesque S and Berrow SD (2021) Survival Rates and Capture Heterogeneity of Bottlenose Dolphins (*Tursiops truncatus*) in the Shannon Estuary, Ireland. *Front. Mar. Sci.* 8:611219. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2021.611219 ABSTRACT: Adult survival is arguably the most important demographic parameter for long-lived species as it has a large impact on population growth, and it can be estimated for cetacean populations using natural markings and mark-recapture (MR) modelling. Here we describe a 26-year study of a genetically discrete, resident population of bottlenose dolphins in the Shannon Estuary, Ireland, conducted by an NGO using multiple platforms. We estimated survival rates (SRs) using Cormack-Jolly-Seber models and explored the effects of variable survey effort, multiple researchers, and changes in camera equipment as well as capture heterogeneity induced by changes in marks and site fidelity variation, all common issues affecting longitudinal dolphin studies. The mean adult SR was 0.94 (±0.001 SD) and thus comparable to the estimates reported for other bottlenose dolphin populations. Capture heterogeneity through variation in mark severity was confirmed, with higher capture probabilities for well-marked individuals than for poorly marked individuals and a “transience” effect being detected for less well-marked individuals with 43% only recorded once. Likewise, both SR and capture probabilities were comparatively low for individuals with low site fidelity to the Shannon Estuary, and SR of these individuals additionally decreased even further toward the end of the study, reflecting a terminal bias. This bias was attributed to non-random temporal migration, and, together with high encounter rates in Brandon Bay, supported the hypothesis of range expansion. Our results highlight the importance of consistent and geographically homogenous survey effort and support the differentiation of individuals according to their distinctiveness to avoid biased survival estimates. The article is freely accessible via https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.611219/full. All the best, Kim Ludwig *former affiliation:* Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Galway, Ireland *present position: * PhD Candidate Working Group: Marine Ecosystems*,* Thünen Institute for Sea Fisheries, Bremerhaven, Germany

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Vacancy IWC Lead for Programme Development
by Iain Staniland 30 Mar '21

30 Mar '21

The International Whaling Commission Secretariat is recruiting to the vacancy of the Lead for Programme Development. The IWC is seeking a dynamic and enthusiastic Lead for Programme Development to direct the development and implementation of IWC Work Programmes. The postholder will lead a team and work across a range of cetacean scientific, conservation and welfare topic areas (for example underwater noise, whale watching, ship strikes, and marine debris) and lead key Commission work plans and projects. This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced and motivated individual to join the IWC Secretariat and advance these programs in a challenging intergovernmental environment. This post is a full-time permanent position (37.5 hours per week) subject to an initial six-month probationary period. Closing date for applications: 5pm Wednesday 21st April 2021 Further information regarding this role, including full job description and person specifications, is available at: https://iwc.int/vacancies To apply, please send a CV and covering letter detailing how you meet the requirements of the person specification to secretariat(a)iwc.int Regards Iain Staniland Dr. Iain Staniland Head of Science, Conservation and Management INTERNATIONAL WHALING COMMISSION The Red House, 135 Station Road, Impington, Cambridge, CB24 9NP, UK t. +44 (0) 1223 233971 d. +44 (0) 1223 606128 www.iwc.int<http://www.iwc.int/> Working hours: 9 am - 5 pm, Monday-Friday [cid:image001.png@01D72562.E6231300] This e-mail and any files transmitted with it may contain confidential or legally privileged information and is intended only for the use of the intended recipient(s). If you are not the named addressee you should delete the email and notify the sender immediately. E-mails are not secure and cannot be guaranteed to be error free as they can be intercepted, amended, or contain viruses. Any opinion and other statement contained in this message and any attachment are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the International Whaling Commission.

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New publication on prey availability vs. humpback whale reproduction
by Elisa Seyboth 29 Mar '21

29 Mar '21

Dear MARMAR colleagues, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce the publication of the following paper: Elisa Seyboth, Fernando Félix, Mary-Anne Lea, Luciano Dalla Rosa, George M. Watters, Keith Reid, Eduardo R. Secchi. 2021. Influence of krill (Euphausia superba) availability on humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) reproductive rate. Marine Mammal Science, DOI: 10.1111/mms.12805<http://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12805> [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/cms/asset/ddb555a6-67ea-4a7b-a030-4d3900459…]<http://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12805> Influence of krill (Euphausia superba) availability on humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) reproductive rate<http://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12805> Click on the article title to read more. doi.org  Summary: Marine food webs, from primary producers to top predators, can be strongly influenced by climate. Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) is a key component of the Southern Ocean ecosystem and is the main prey of all baleen whales that feed in Antarctic waters. Krill abundance has been decreasing at the western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) given climate warming in the region. Here we investigated the effect of variation in krill density on the reproductive success of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) from Breeding Stock G. Humpback whales’ relative birth rate (RBR), defined as the observed number of calves in relation to non-calves, was obtained from opportunistic surveys carried out on board whale-watching vessels operating near the coast of Ecuador between 2004 and 2010. The relationship between RBR and krill density was significant when considering a lag of 1-year (r2 = 0.9, P = 0.02), and was consistent when considering the RBR balanced by the number of trips (r2 = 0.8, P = 0.02). Therefore, it is recommended that management strategies for krill fisheries consider the effect of climate on the whole Antarctic ecosystem and the potential effect of krill removal on the population recovery of whales. It can also be accessed upon request<https://www.researchgate.net/publication/350376968_Influence_of_krill_Eupha…>. Best wishes, Elisa. Dr Elisa Seyboth Postdoctoral Research Fellow Cape Peninsula University of Technology - CPUT - South Africa District Six Campus Collaborating Researcher Universidade Federal do Rio Grande - FURG - Brazil APECS Council Member (2016-2019) APECS-Brazil Member and National Committee Representative (2017-2019) CCAMLR Scholarship recipient (2018-2019) seybothe(a)cput.ac.za Tel.: +27 079 056 5394

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new publication: Antarctic fur seals
by Rebecca Nagel 29 Mar '21

29 Mar '21

Dear MARMAM community, We’d like to let you know about a new publication on Antarctic fur seals in the /Proceedings of the Royal Society B/: Evidence for an Allee effect in a declining fur seal population. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2882 <https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2020.2882?url_ver=Z39.8…> Abstract: Allee effects play an important role in the dynamics of many populations and can increase the risk of local extinction. However, some authors have questioned the weight of evidence for Allee effects in wild populations. We therefore exploited a natural experiment provided by two adjacent breeding colonies of contrasting density to investigate the potential for Allee effects in an Antarctic fur seal (Please feel free to contact me if you don't have access to the article! Arctocephalus gazella) population that is declining in response to climate change-induced reductions in food availability. Biometric time-series data were collected from 25 pups per colony during two consecutive breeding seasons, the first of which was among the worst on record in terms of breeding female numbers, pup birth weights and foraging trip durations. In previous decades when population densities were higher, pup mortality was consistently negatively density dependent, with rates of trauma and starvation scaling positively with density. However, we found the opposite, with higher pup mortality at low density and the majority of deaths attributable to predation. In parallel, body condition was depressed at low density, particularly in the poor-quality season. Our findings shed light on Allee effects in wild populations and highlight a potential emerging role of predators in the ongoing decline of a pinniped species. Please feel free to contact me if you don't have access to the article! Kind regards, Rebecca Nagel -- Dr. Rebecca Nagel mail: rebecca.nagel(a)uni-bielefeld.de tel.: +49 521 106-2192 room: VHF-203a Bielefeld University Department of Animal Behaviour PO Box 10 01 31 33501 Bielefeld Germany

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new pub: Kogia bioacoustics
by Chloe Elizabeth Malinka 29 Mar '21

29 Mar '21

Dear MARMAM community, We'd like to let you know about a new publication in JEB on the bioacoustic of dwarf sperm whales: Malinka CE, Tønnesen P, Dunn C, Claridge D, Gridley T, Elwen SH, & PT Madsen. (2021). "Echolocation click parameters and acoustic behaviour of wild dwarf sperm whale (Kogia sima)," The Journal of Experimental Biology, 224(6): jeb240689. doi: 10.1242/jeb.240689.<https://jeb.biologists.org/content/224/6/jeb240689> Abstract: Dwarf sperm whales (Kogia sima) are small toothed whales that produce narrow band high frequency (NBHF) echolocation clicks. Such NBHF clicks, subject to high levels of acoustic absorption, are usually produced by small, shallow-diving odontocetes, such as porpoises, in keeping with their short-range echolocation and fast click rates. Here we sought to address the problem of how the little-studied and deep-diving Kogia can hunt with NBHF clicks in the deep sea. Specifically, we tested the hypotheses that Kogia produce NBHF clicks with longer inter-click intervals (ICIs), higher directionality, and higher source levels (SLs) compared to other NBHF species. We did this by deploying an autonomous deep-water vertical hydrophone array in the Bahamas, where no other NBHF species are present, and by taking opportunistic recordings of a close-range Kogia sima in a South African harbour. Parameters from on-axis clicks (n=46) in the deep revealed very narrowband clicks (BWRMS of 3 + 1 kHz), with SLs of up to 197 dB re 1 µPapp @ 1 m, and a half-power beamwidth of 8.8°. Their ICIs (mode of 245 ms) are much longer than porpoises (<100 ms), suggesting an inspection range that is longer than detection ranges of single prey, perhaps to facilitate auditory streaming of a complex echo scene. On-axis clicks in the shallow harbour (n=870) had ICIs and SLs in keeping with source parameters of other NBHF cetaceans. Thus, in the deep, dwarf sperm whales use a directional, but short-range echolocation system with moderate SLs, suggesting a reliable mesopelagic prey habitat. The PDF is also freely available on the Aarhus Bioacoustics lab website: https://marinebioacoustics.wordpress.com/publications/ Kindest regards, Chloe Chloe Malinka, PhD Fellow Marine Bioacoustics Lab<http://www.marinebioacoustics.com/> . Zoophysiology, Dept. Biology Aarhus University Denmark . Email: chloe.e.malinka(a)bios.au.dk<mailto:chloe.e.malinka@bios.au.dk> Twitter: @c_malinka<https://twitter.com/c_malinka> [AU_Logo]

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New publication: Abundance and site fidelity of bottlenose dolphin at the Tiber river estuary (Mediterranean Sea, Italy)
by Daniela Silvia Pace 28 Mar '21

28 Mar '21

Dear MARMAM members, On behalf of my co-authors I am pleased to announce our new open-access publication: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/10/4/275/pdf Pace D.S., Di Marco C., Giacomini G., Ferri S., Silvestri M., Papale E., Casoli E., Ventura D., Mingione M., Alaimo Di Loro P., Jona Lasinio G. and Ardizzone G.D. (2021). Capitoline dolphins: residency patterns and abundance estimate of Tursiops truncatus at the Tiber River estuary (Mediterranean Sea). Biology 10(4), 275. Abstract Periodic assessments of population status and trends to detect natural influences and human effects on coastal dolphins are often limited by lack of baseline information. Here, we investigated for the first time the site-fidelity patterns and estimated the population size of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) at the Tiber river estuary (Tyrrhenian Sea, central Mediterranean) between 2017-2020. We used photoidentification data and site-fidelity metrics to study the tendency of dolphins to remain in, or return to, the study area, and capture-recapture models to estimate the population abundance. A number of 347 unique individuals were identified. The hierarchical cluster analysis highlighted 3 clusters, labelled as "Resident" (individuals encountered at least 5 times in 3 different months, over 3 distinct years; n=42), "Part-time" (individuals encountered at least on 2 occasions in a month, in 2 different years; n=73) and "Transient" (individuals encountered in 1 or more occasions in more than 1 month, none of them in more than 1 year; n=232), each characterized by site-fidelity metrics. Open POPAN modeling estimated a population size of 529 individuals (95% CI: 456–614), showing that the Capitoline (Roman) coastal area and nearby regions surrounding the Tiber river estuary represent and important, suitable habitat for bottlenose dolphins, despite its proximity to one of the major urban centers in the world (the city of Rome). Given the high number of individuals in the area and the presence of "Residents" with strong site-fidelity, we suggest that conservation plans should not be focused only close to the Tiber river mouths but extended on a broader scale. Keywords: abundance; site-fidelity; Tiber river; bottlenose dolphin; Tursiops truncatus; capture- recapture; Mediterranean Sea With very best wishes, Daniela -- Daniela Silvia Pace, PhD Department of Environmental Biology Marine Ecology Lab Sapienza University of Rome Viale dell’Università 32 00185 Rome, Italy mail: danielasilvia.pace(a)uniroma1.it mobile: +39 346 1039652 office: +39 06 4991 4763 skype: lagenorinco [image: Risultati immagini per logo sapienza] -- ________________________________________________________ Le informazioni contenute in questo messaggio di posta elettronica sono strettamente riservate e indirizzate esclusivamente al destinatario. Si prega di non leggere, fare copia, inoltrare a terzi o conservare tale messaggio se non si è il legittimo destinatario dello stesso. Qualora tale messaggio sia stato ricevuto per errore, si prega di restituirlo al mittente e di cancellarlo permanentemente dal proprio computer. The information contained in this e mail message is strictly confidential and intended for the use of the addressee only. If you are not the intended recipient, please do not read, copy, forward or store it on your computer. If you have received the message in error, please forward it back to the sender and delete it permanently from your computer system.

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Mondays Ocean Talks with Paul Nachtigall
by AIMM Internships 27 Mar '21

27 Mar '21

*Mondays Ocean Talks* Interview with Dr. Paul Nachtigall 29th March, 3 pm (GMT) on AIMM YouTube channel www.youtube/QsmKajA7npo <https://youtu.be/QsmKajA7npo> Mondays Ocean Talks are a set of interviews between Joana Castro, the founder of AIMM, and invited guests from all over the world who play an important role within the ocean and marine life. The Mondays Ocean Talks were launched in February and every two weeks a new interview is released. Each interview has a duration of appr. one hour and presents an informal talk, a sharing of experiences and an exchange of knowledge. The interviews are completely free to access from AIMM YouTube channel. Subscribe and meet an Ocean Researcher! The next interview will be with Dr. Paul Nachtigall. You can find out more information about Dr. Paul Nachtigall here https://www.mmrphawaii.org/paul-nachtigall More info: info(a)aimmportugal.org -- AIMM Portugal - Ass. Investigacao do Meio Marinho | Marine Environment Research Association Website: www.aimmportugal.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AIMM.org/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AIMMPortugal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aimmportugal_org/ Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/c/AimmportugalOrg -- *AIMM Portugal* - Ass. Investigação do Meio Marinho | Marine Environment Research Association *Website*: www.aimmportugal.org [image: AIMM Portugal | facebook] <https://www.facebook.com/AIMM.org/> [image: AIMM Portugal | twitter] <https://twitter.com/AIMMPortugal> [image: AIMM Portugal | instagram] <https://www.instagram.com/aimmportugal_org/> [image: AIMM Portugal | youtube] <http://www.youtube.com/c/AimmportugalOrg>

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New paper on passive acoustics to study vocalization patterns of bottlenose dolphins
by Alyssa Marian 26 Mar '21

26 Mar '21

Dear members of the MARMAM community, My co-authors and I are pleased to share our recent publication: Marian, A. D., Monczak, A., Balmer, B. C., Hart, L. B., Soueidan, J., & Montie, E. W. (2021). Long-term passive acoustics to assess spatial and temporal vocalization patterns of Atlantic common bottlenose dolphins (*Tursiops truncatus*) in the May River estuary, South Carolina. *Marine Mammal Science. * This paper is available at https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12800. *Abstract*: Passive acoustics has been used extensively to study bottlenose dolphins; yet very few studies have examined the spatial, temporal, and environmental influences on vocalization types (echolocation, burst pulse sounds, and whistles), and few are long‐term and provide high temporal resolution over multiple years. We used data from 2013 to 2018 to establish baseline acoustic patterns for bottlenose dolphins in the May River estuary, South Carolina. We deployed acoustic recorders at six stations during 2013–2014 and three stations during 2015–2018, with locations spanning the entire estuary (headwaters to the mouth). We discovered that acoustic detection of dolphins varied not only spatially, but also yearly, monthly, and tidally. Higher numbers of echolocation bouts, burst pulse sounds, and whistles were detected at the mouth as compared to the headwaters. At the mouth, vocalization detections were greatest in fall and winter for multiple years, and echolocation detection was greatest during falling and low tides. This study provides an example of another tool, long‐term passive acoustics monitoring, to better understand spatial and temporal distribution of dolphins in a typical salt marsh estuary, that can be applied to other ecosystems throughout the southeastern United States and globally. If you have any questions feel free to email: am149(a)uscb.edu Best regards, Alyssa D. Marian, M.S. Research Technician/Lab Manager Marine Sensory & Neurobiology Lab & The Lowcountry Dolphin Conservation Program University of South Carolina Beaufort

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REVISED Hawaii Marine Animal Response Summer Internships
by marisa.goin＠h-mar.org 25 Mar '21

25 Mar '21

JOIN OUR FIELD RESPONSE TEAM on the beautiful island of Oahu in the State of Hawaii. We are accepting applications for interns for our Summer 2021 internship period. The deadline is March 31, however, applications will be reviewed as they come in, and positions will be assigned as responses are received so apply soon. Here is more detail about this opportunity. ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION Hawaii Marine Animal Response (HMAR) is the field operations arm of Hawaii Marine Mammal Alliance Inc. and is the largest Hawaii-based non-profit marine species conservation and response organization. We cover nearly 300 miles of coastline on the islands of Oahu and Molokai with our team of volunteers, interns and staff. We are a U.S. based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation, conservation and stewardship of Hawaii's protected marine species and our ocean ecosystem. We focus our work on marine species whose natural behaviors and habitat put animals in close proximity to and are therefore most affected by human impacts. These species include the endangered Hawaiian monk seal, the threatened green sea turtle, the endangered hawksbill sea turtle and several vulnerable seabird species. HMAR is supported by private donations, corporate funding and government grants and operates under partnerships with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the State of Hawaii and others. More information about HMAR is available at http://h-mar.org. FIELD OUTREACH AND SUPPORT (FSO) TEAM INTERN DUTIES: -Responding to sightings of endangered or threatened marine species such as Hawaiian monk seals and sea turtles to provide shoreline response to haul-outs and strandings. -Perform or assist in field escalations, interventions, stranding support and rescues. -Report on animal behavior, provide animal assessment information, provide photo-documentation and other important data used in protected marine species research, health management and species recovery efforts. -Perform outreach to the public to teach sustainable human interaction and fishery behaviors and encourage stewardship of protected marine species and the ocean ecosystem. -Participate in dispatch and reporting activity such as the taking and documenting phone call reports of marine species activity, coordinating field response activity, data entry and generating reports. LOCATION: These positions require on-island travel throughout the island of Oahu in the State of Hawaii. FIELD SUPPORT AND OUTREACH (FSO) INTERN GENERAL REQUIREMENTS: -This is an un-paid internship that requires the intern to live on the island of Oahu in the State of Hawaii for the period beginning 2 weeks prior to the start of the internship until the end of the internship. The intern is responsible for all lodging, living and transportation costs associated with the internship. -U.S. citizenship or possession of a passport and all applicable visas and work permits are needed prior to and during the internship period. -18 or more years of age. -English language fluency. -Must be a degree-seeking student or a graduate of a college or university program associated with one of the following courses of study: marine biology, marine ecology, conservation, environmental science or a related field. -Minimum grade point average (GPA). For college/university graduates, a 2.7 cumulative GPA prior to the internship. For current students, a 2.7 cumulative GPA prior to and during the internship. -If college credit for this internship is desired it is the responsibility of the intern to obtain necessary approvals from the applicable college or university. -Ability to walk in sandy, rocky and unstable shoreline conditions for 2 miles. - Ability to work outdoors in a sunny, rainy, windy and hot climate. -Ability to lift and carry a minimum of 75 pounds for 100 feet in shoreline beach and rocky conditions. -Ability to swim required. -Ability to maintain a calm demeanor in potentially stressful conditions. -Possess a team-based work ethic and attitude. -Acceptance of our Intern Policies, Waivers, Releases and Indemnifications agreement. -Attend mandatory in-field or classroom training sessions as required. - Possess an interest in and a desire to engage with the public. - Must have access to a reliable car or truck (truck preferred) during the internship period. Motorcycles or scooters will not be sufficient. -Possession of a valid driver's license. -Proof of automobile insurance carrying Hawaii minimum liability coverage levels. -Access to a cellular phone with 4G data service and camera. -Access to a digital camera (not a smartphone) with at least a 35X zoom lens and Wi-Fi capability. If it does not have wifi capability, you can buy an adapter. FIELD SUPPORT AND OUTREACH INTERNSHIP ACTIVITY EXPECTATIONS: - Internship term: Minimum of 3 months (may be extended for up to 1 year upon mutual agreement). Start date for 3-month minimum internship is somewhat flexible, but must be between May 15th and July 30th, 2020. Interns must be on Oahu, settled and ready to begin training at least 2 weeks prior to the internship start date. -Hours per week: 25 hours minimum, however, due to the unpredictable nature of marine animal response, the intern may sometimes be required to work beyond, or outside of, their normal scheduled hours. Work hours flexibility is required. Travel time to and from training and field response locations is not included in these minimum hours. The intern must be able and willing to work flexible hours including weekends and holidays. -The intern must be available for response anywhere on the Island of Oahu in the State of Hawaii. FIELD SUPPORT AND OUTREACH INTERNSHIP DEADLINE AND APPLICATION PROCESS: The deadline for Summer 2021 internships is March 31, 2021, however, applications will be reviewed as they come in and internship positions will be assigned as they are received so apply soon. To apply, please go to http://h-mar.org/application and complete the online application. IN ADDITION to completion of the online application, please submit the following information via email to marisa.goin(a)h-mar.org. A cover letter of interest, maximum of 1 page, including your dates of availability. Confirmation that you have, or will have, access to a reliable car or truck during the internship period (truck preferred). A resume describing your training, experience, relevant skills and GPA (maximum of 2 pages). Names and contact information for three references. Your application cannot be considered unless both the online application and the required documents listed above are received. We look forward to receiving your application and thank you for your interest in Hawaii Marine Animal Response (HMAR). Marisa Goin Field Support & Outreach Lead Internship Coordinator Hawaii Marine Animal Response marisa.goin(a)h-mar.org Direct: (808) 225-1228 Sighting Hotline: (888) 256-9840

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New publication: Temporal and spatial lags between wind, coastal upwelling, and blue whale occurrence
by Barlow, Dawn Renee 25 Mar '21

25 Mar '21

Dear MARMAM Community, On behalf of my coauthors, I am excited to share our recent publication in Scientific Reports: Barlow, D.R., Klinck, H., Ponirakis, D. Garvey, C., Torres, L. G. Temporal and spatial lags between wind, coastal upwelling, and blue whale occurrence. Sci Rep 11, 6915 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-86403-y ABSTRACT: Understanding relationships between physical drivers and biological response is central to advancing ecological knowledge. Wind is the physical forcing mechanism in coastal upwelling systems, however lags between wind input and biological responses are seldom quantified for marine predators. Lags were examined between wind at an upwelling source, decreased temperatures along the upwelling plume's trajectory, and blue whale occurrence in New Zealand's South Taranaki Bight region (STB). Wind speed and sea surface temperature (SST) were extracted for austral spring-summer months between 2009-2019. A hydrophone recorded blue whale vocalizations October 2016-March 2017. Timeseries cross-correlation analyses were conducted between wind speed, SST at different locations along the upwelling plume, and blue whale downswept vocalizations (D calls). Results document increasing lag times (0-2 weeks) between wind speed and SST consistent with the spatial progression of upwelling, culminating with increased D call density at the distal end of the plume three weeks after increased wind speeds at the upwelling source. Lag between wind events and blue whale aggregations (n = 34 aggregations 2013-2019) was 2.09 ± 0.43 weeks. Variation in lag was significantly related to the amount of wind over the preceding 30 days, which likely influences stratification. This study enhances knowledge of physical-biological coupling in upwelling ecosystems and enables improved forecasting of species distribution patterns for dynamic management. The full article is open access, and available online: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-86403-y Please feel free to contact me (dawn.barlow(a)oregonstate.edu<mailto:dawn.barlow@oregonstate.edu>) with any questions or to request a PDF copy. Cheers, Dawn Dawn Barlow PhD Candidate Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Marine Mammal Institute Oregon State University, Hatfield Marine Science Center Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Lab<https://mmi.oregonstate.edu/gemm-lab> dawn.barlow(a)oregonstate.edu

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