Largest baleen whale mass mortality during strong El Niño event is likely related to harmful toxic algal bloom
Author
dc.contributor.author
Haussermann, Verena
Author
dc.contributor.author
Simon Gutstein, Carolina
Author
dc.contributor.author
Bedington, Michael
Author
dc.contributor.author
Cassis, David
Author
dc.contributor.author
Olavarría, Carlos
Author
dc.contributor.author
Dale, Andrew C.
Author
dc.contributor.author
Valenzuela Toro, Ana M.
Author
dc.contributor.author
Pérez Álvarez, María José
Author
dc.contributor.author
Sepúlveda, Héctor H.
Author
dc.contributor.author
McConnell, Kaitlin M.
Author
dc.contributor.author
Horwitz, Fanny E.
Author
dc.contributor.author
Försterra, Günter
Admission date
dc.date.accessioned
2018-03-29T14:27:31Z
Available date
dc.date.available
2018-03-29T14:27:31Z
Publication date
dc.date.issued
2017-05-31
Cita de ítem
dc.identifier.citation
PeerJ 5:e3123 (2017)
es_ES
Identifier
dc.identifier.other
10.7717/peerj.3123
Identifier
dc.identifier.uri
https://repositorio.uchile.cl/handle/2250/147079
Abstract
dc.description.abstract
While large mass mortality events (MMEs) are well known for toothed whales, they have been rare in baleen whales due to their less gregarious behavior. Although in most cases the cause of mortality has not been conclusively identified, some baleen whale mortality events have been linked to bio-oceanographic conditions, such as harmful algal blooms (HABs). In Southern Chile, HABs can be triggered by the ocean-atmosphere phenomenon El Niño. The frequency of the strongest El Niño events is increasing due to climate change. In March 2015, by far the largest reported mass mortality of baleen whales took place in a gulf in Southern Chile. Here, we show that the synchronous death of at least 343, primarily sei whales can be attributed to HABs during a building El Niño. Although considered an oceanic species, the sei whales died while feeding near to shore in previously unknown large aggregations. This provides evidence of new feeding grounds for the species. The combination of older and newer remains of whales in the same area indicate that MMEs have occurred more than once in recent years. Large HABs and reports of marine mammal MMEs along the Northeast Pacific coast may indicate similar processes in both hemispheres. Increasing MMEs through HABs may become a serious concern in the conservation of endangered whale species.
es_ES
Patrocinador
dc.description.sponsorship
Fondecyt
1131039
1161699
1150843
National Geographic Society/Waitt
W380-15
U-REDES (Universidad de Chile)
Domeyko II UR-C12/1
Consultora Paleosuchus LTDA
CONICYT Postdoctoral FONDECYT
3140513
ICM P05-002
PFB 023
3160710
Blue Marine Foundation
Paulsen Editions Foundation
Consejo de Monumentos Nacionales