| Citation | Bliss LM, Zamon JE, Davoren GK, Hanson MB, Noren DP, Emmons C and Holt MM. 2024.
Habitat associations of marine predators in the northern California Current during the
low productivity downwelling season. Frontiers in Marine Science 11:1355439. (doi: 10.3389/fmars.2024.1355439) |
| Title | Habitat associations of marine predators in the northern California Current during the low productivity downwelling season |
| Publication Year | 2024 |
| Volume | 11 |
| Pages | 1355439 |
| Keywords | marine mammals, seabirds, California Current ecosystem, Southern Resident killer whales, winter |
| Abstract | Eastern Boundary Upwelling Systems (EBUE) are some of the most productive marine ecosystems in the world. Still, many studies of these systems focus on periods of maximum primary productivity, even though these systems experience seasonal periods of low primary productivity. During periods of low productivity or prey scarcity, predators consuming similar prey in the same time and space may compete for limited resources, or they may avoid competition by exploiting different habitats or occupying separate spaces (i.e. niche partitioning). Little is known about habitat associations and spatial distributions of marine predators during periods of low productivity because there are few at-sea surveys. In this study, we examined habitat associations and niche partitioning of marine predator assemblages during the low productivity winter downwelling season of the northern California Current. Seabird and marine mammal counts were continuously collected during systematic at-sea surveys during Fe |
| Official Citation | Bliss LM, Zamon JE, Davoren GK, Hanson MB, Noren DP, Emmons C and Holt MM. 2024.
Habitat associations of marine predators in the northern California Current during the
low productivity downwelling season. Frontiers in Marine Science 11:1355439. |
| Links | (doi: 10.3389/fmars.2024.1355439) |