Notice of PhD dissertation defense by Gina Lonati-SJ

Event date(s): December 19, 2024
Time(s): 04:00 PM - 07:00 PM
Category: Saint John
Location: Saint John

Ms. Gina Lonati will be defending her thesis titled, "Remote Sensing to Measure the Physiology and Foraging Ecology of North Atlantic Right Whales in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada".  The hybrid defense will take place on Thursday, Dec. 19 from 4 to 7 pm in Oland Hall Room 103 (Saint John).  Virtual participants can tune in using the MS Teams link.

Abstract

Many baleen whale species were historically exploited by commercial whaling, but despite modern-day regulations and protections, their conflict with humans is ongoing. Although long-term research and monitoring programs exist, there are still many uncertainties about baleen whale physiology and foraging ecology, and filling these data gaps will contribute to whale conservation. The development of remote sensing technology offers minimally invasive tools for collecting pertinent datasets on wide-ranging baleen whales and their prey. My thesis used remote sensing to measure the physiology and foraging ecology of critically endangered North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis, NARWs) in the southwestern Gulf of St. Lawrence (swGSL), Canada, where occupancy by NARWs has recently increased following an ocean regime shift. First, I developed and tested a method for using drone-based infrared thermography to assess the internal body temperatures of NARWs. I applied this method to establish the first baselines of intranasal temperature for free-swimming baleen whales: 26.9 ± 1.7ºC in NARWs. Second, I evaluated several methods for conducting drone-based photogrammetry with suboptimal photographs of NARWs, so I could provide the first analysis of body condition variation in the swGSL and make comparisons among demographic groups and between foraging habitats. Body condition of NARWs in the swGSL in the summer was significantly greater than in Cape Cod Bay in the spring, but not as great as in the Bay of Fundy in the early 2000’s. Third, I contributed to our understanding of body condition variation by describing prey field conditions associated with groups of foraging NARWs in the swGSL. These conditions were diverse, explained by the diel behaviors, life histories, and relative concentrations of three copepod prey species, including Calanus hyperboreus, which is absent from more southerly foraging habitats. The depth of maximum prey concentrations occurred anywhere from shallow sub-surface to just above the seafloor, implying that NARWs alter their dive behavior to target different prey layers in the swGSL depending on the time of day and year. Overall, my thesis provides information for assessing change to the NARW population over time, which is essential for forecast modelling and effective management of this critically endangered species. 

Building: Oland Hall

Room Number: 103