Importance of the eastern Alaskan Beaufort Sea to feeding bowhead whales, 1985-86. Final report, June 1985-August 1987

Technical Report · Sat Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987

OSTI ID:5144133

Richardson, W J

The 2-year project was designed to quantify what proportion of the energy requirements of Western Arctic bowheads is provided by food acquired in the eastern part of the Alaskan Beaufort Sea. This final report presents the results from fieldwork in September - early October of 1985 and 1986. Water masses were studied by boat-based sampling and remote sensing. Zooplankton composition, biomass, distribution, patchiness and energy content were documented with nets and echosounders (a) over the continental shelf generally, and (b) near feeding bowheads. Whale distribution, numbers and activities were determined by aerial surveys and behavioral observations. Size segregation and residence times were studied by photogrammetry; five bowheads were radio tagged. Analyses of carbon-isotope ratios helped in tracing energy sources for bowheads.

• Research Organization: LGL Ecological Research Associates, Inc., Bryan, TX (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5144133
• Report Number(s): PB-88-150271/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

520100* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Basic Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ALASKA
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ARCTIC OCEAN
BASELINE ECOLOGY
BEAUFORT SEA
CETACEANS
DOCUMENT TYPES
ECOLOGY
ENDANGERED SPECIES
FEDERAL REGION X
MAMMALS
NORTH AMERICA
PLANKTON
PROGRESS REPORT
SEAS
SURFACE WATERS
USA
VERTEBRATES
ZOOPLANKTON