The goal of this research is to understand how short and long term environmental changes affect ecological relationships and result in plankton, fish, and whales occupying new habitats.
Current Projects
Understanding the Effects of Climate Change on Marine Species
The goal of this research is to understand how short and long term environmental changes affect ecological relationships and result in plankton, fish, and whales occupying new habitats. Of particular interest in this program are climate-induced changes in phenology (the natural seasonal cycles of life), such as the timing of whale migrations. For example, if plankton blooms occur earlier or later than expected, fish and whales that consume plankton should change the timing of spawning or migration accordingly. A “mismatch” could occur if animals are not able to adapt to changes in the phenology of their prey, leading to less productive ecosystems with lower species diversity. We conduct this research by integrating data from satellites, climate models, and marine mammal surveys.
- Lead: Dan Pendleton, Laura Ganley
- Program: EcoMap
Pershing AJ, Pendleton DE (2021) Can Right Whales Out-Swim Climate Change? Can We? Oceanography 34:19–21. doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2021.315