Trial lecture and disputation - MSc in Marine Biological Resources Zoë Morange

Later, at 12.15 he will defend her thesis entitled: "Seasonal and Individual patterns in habitat use of male sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) in their arctic foraging grounds"

Professor Nigel Yoccoz at AMB will lead the disputation.

Popular Science Summary

This thesis explores how male sperm whales adapt their behavior and habitat use to seasonal variations in the marine environment in the Northeast Atlantic and Northern Norway. Using photo-identification and satellite tracking, the study examined their movements, social behavior and foraging tactics throughout the seasons. Findings reveal that male sperm whales adjust their behavior based on prey availability, targeting different types of prey in winter and summer. In winter, they focus on shallow areas with abundant demersal prey, while in summer, they move to deeper waters to forage on mesopelagic prey. Individual whales showed preferences in their habitat use and occurrence. These results emphasize the role of sperm whales as ecological sentinels, helping us understand seasonal marine ecosystem dynamics. This research contributes to conservation effort by identifying critical habitats identifiable as biological hotspots throughout the seasons.

Evaluation Committee

•  Professor Hal Whitehead, Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada (1. opponent)
• Researcher Dr Albert Fernández Chacón, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (2. opponent)
• Professor Sünnje Basedow, AMB (internal member and leader of the committee)
  (Internal member and leader of the committee)

Supervisors

• Professor Audun Rikardsen, Department of Arctic and Marine Biology
• Dr Tiu Similä, Whale2Sea
• Researcher Dr Marie-Anne Blanchet, Norwegian Polar Institute AMB

Streaming

Both the trial lecture and defense and will be streamed and recorded:

• Trial lecture
• Defense

Thesis

 The thesis is available in Vitenarkivet