Pallin L, Bierlich K C, Durban J, Fearnbach H, Savenko O, Baker C S, Bell E, Double M C, de la Mare W, Goldbogen J, Johnston D, Kellar N, Nichols R, Nowacek D, Read A J, Steel D, Friedlaender A
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Ocean Health Building, 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA.
Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University Marine Laboratory, 135 Duke Marine Lab Road, Beaufort, NC 28516, USA.
R Soc Open Sci. 2022 Nov 2;9(11):220724. doi: 10.1098/rsos.220724. eCollection 2022 Nov.
Antarctic minke whales (, AMW) are an abundant, ice-dependent species susceptible to rapid climatic changes occurring in parts of the Antarctic. Here, we used remote biopsy samples and estimates of length derived from unoccupied aircraft system (UAS) to characterize for the first time the sex ratio, maturity, and pregnancy rates of AMWs around the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP). DNA profiling of 82 biopsy samples (2013-2020) identified 29 individual males and 40 individual females. Blubber progesterone levels indicated 59% of all sampled females were pregnant, irrespective of maturity. When corrected for sexual maturity, the median pregnancy rate was 92.3%, indicating that most mature females become pregnant each year. We measured 68 individuals by UAS (mean = 8.04 m) and estimated that 66.5% of females were mature. This study provides the first data on the demography of AMWs along the WAP and represents the first use of non-lethal approaches to studying this species. Furthermore, these results provide baselines against which future changes in population status can be assessed in this rapidly changing marine ecosystem.
南极小须鲸（AMW）是一种数量丰富、依赖冰层的物种，容易受到南极部分地区快速气候变化的影响。在此，我们使用远程活检样本以及从无人机系统（UAS）获得的体长估计值，首次对南极半岛西部（WAP）周围南极小须鲸的性别比例、成熟度和怀孕率进行了特征描述。对82个活检样本（2013 - 2020年）进行的DNA分析确定了29只雄性个体和40只雌性个体。鲸脂中的孕酮水平表明，所有采样的雌性中59%已怀孕，与成熟度无关。校正性成熟度后，怀孕率中位数为92.3%，这表明大多数成熟雌性每年都会怀孕。我们通过无人机系统测量了68个个体（平均体长 = 8.04米），并估计66.5%的雌性已经成熟。本研究提供了关于南极半岛西部南极小须鲸种群统计学的首批数据，并代表了首次使用非致命方法研究该物种。此外，这些结果提供了基线，据此可以评估这个快速变化的海洋生态系统中该种群未来的状态变化。
