Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ, UK.
J Exp Biol. 2013 Feb 1;216(Pt 3):427-36. doi: 10.1242/jeb.074518.
Seasonal trends in energy storage of the minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), a capital breeder, were investigated in Iceland, a North Atlantic feeding ground. The aim was to better understand the energy acquisition strategies of minke whales and the energetic costs that different reproductive classes face during the breeding season. We modelled total blubber volume, using blubber thickness and morphometric measurements of individual whales. Blubber volume was influenced by body length, and was higher for pregnant females than mature whales. Blubber volume increased linearly through the feeding season at the same rate for mature (mean ± s.e.m.=0.0028 ± 0.00103 m(3) day(-1); N=61 male, 5 female) and pregnant whales (0.0024 ± 0.00100 m(3) day(-1); N=49), suggesting that minke whales aim to maximise energy storage while on the feeding grounds. The total amount of blubber accumulated over the feeding season (0.51 ± 0.119 m(3) for mature and 0.43 ± 0.112 m(3) for pregnant whales), together with energy stored as muscle and intra-abdominal fats, constitutes the total amount of energy available for reproduction (fetus development and lactation) on the breeding grounds, as well as migration, daily field metabolic rates, growth and body maintenance. No seasonal variation was observed for immature whales (N=4 male, 12 female), suggesting that they are investing most of their excess energy into growth rather than reproduction, in order to reach the length of sexual maturity faster and start reproducing earlier. Our novel modelling approach provides insight into large whale bioenergetics and life history strategies, as well as the relationship between single-site measurement of blubber thickness and total blubber volume.
在北大西洋觅食地冰岛，研究人员调查了小须鲸（Balaenoptera acutorostrata）的季节性储能趋势。小须鲸是一种资本繁殖者，研究目的是更好地了解小须鲸的能量获取策略，以及不同繁殖类群在繁殖季节所面临的能量成本。我们使用个体鲸的鲸脂厚度和形态测量值来模拟总鲸脂体积。鲸脂体积受体长影响，怀孕雌性的鲸脂体积高于成熟雌性。鲸脂体积在整个摄食季节通过线性增加，成熟雄性（均值±标准误=0.0028±0.00103m3 天-1；N=61）和怀孕雌性（0.0024±0.00100m3 天-1；N=49）的增长率相同，这表明小须鲸在觅食地时旨在最大限度地储存能量。在摄食季节积累的总鲸脂量（成熟鲸为 0.51±0.119m3，怀孕鲸为 0.43±0.112m3），加上肌肉和腹腔脂肪中储存的能量，构成了在繁殖地进行繁殖（胎儿发育和哺乳）以及迁徙、日常野外代谢率、生长和身体维持所需的总能量。未观察到未成熟鲸（N=4 雄性，12 雌性）的季节性变化，这表明它们将大部分多余的能量投资于生长而不是繁殖，以便更快地达到性成熟的长度并更早开始繁殖。我们的新模型方法为大型鲸类生物能量学和生活史策略提供了深入了解，以及单一部位测量的鲸脂厚度和总鲸脂体积之间的关系。
