1. Andrea M. Fieber, Kyle W. Jordan, Kara N. Neal
Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences
California Polytechnic University of San Luis Obispo - California 93407 USA
Works Cited
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May 2015.
Introduction:
The gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) is an essential driver
of overall ecosystem productivity by way of its fecal plumes,
which are rich in iron and nitrogen and create cascading
effects that support many types of marine life.
Hypothesis:
E. robustus presence will be directly correlated with an
increase in local primary productivity due to increased iron and
nitrogen availability.
Results and Conclusions
Figure 1. “Short term.” Net primary productivity increases when whales are present and declines when whales are absent from the local
environment. The study may be able to confirm that whales play a vital role in ecosystem health, productivity, and potential
regeneration/growth.
Figure 2. “No effect.” Net primary productivity is not correlated with whale presence; it fluctuates independently. Seasonal or spatial variation
may create differences in nutrient and phytoplankton levels regardless of E. robustus, and whale fecal plumes are not the most important factor
in stimulating marine primary productivity.
Figure 3. “Long-term.” Net primary productivity increases when whales enter the ecosystem and remains high even when whales vacate the
environment. This result would require support from a longer-timescale study in order to evaluate the lasting impact E. robustus.
Figure 4. “Negative effect.” Primary productivity decreases with whale presence and rises again when whales are absent; therefore whales
may utilize more nutrients than they deposit in the ecosystem. This result prompts more extensive testing of the nutrient requirements of both
whales and phytoplankton.
Materials and Methods
•Channel Islands off coast of S. California
• Migration Zone
• Between Santa Catalina and San
Clemente
• Control Zone
• Ocean side of San Nicholas Islands
•Three year study
• Initial Year - Whale tagging and route
monitoring
• Weekly sampling after migration
• Second and Third Year
• 2x Migration events
• Intensive 20 day sampling
• Weekly sampling all year
•Tests
• 15 buoys anchored across migration zone-
five foot depth intervals, automatic sampler
• Abiotic - Iron, Nitrogen, pH, temperature
• Biotic - Phytoplankton, Zooplankton and
Krill densities