The pace of change of the unit repertoire of Southeastern Pacific humpback whales at their breeding area in the Gulf of Chiriqui, Panama
Conference Year
2024
Abstract
Male humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) are known to produce long and complex songs during their breeding season. To understand how these songs change over time, humpback whale songs from the Southeastern Pacific population Breeding Stock G were recorded over a 16-year period in the Gulf of Chiriquí, Panama. Unit presence and percentage of novel, stable, and recalled units were analyzed. This study provides the first unit repertoire analysis for this humpback whale population to understand the pace of change of humpback song, and to understand the potential effects of climate change and subsequent changes in sound propagation on humpback communication.
Primary Faculty Mentor Name
Laura May Collado
Status
Undergraduate
Student College
College of Arts and Sciences
Program/Major
Individually Designed
Primary Research Category
Life Sciences
The pace of change of the unit repertoire of Southeastern Pacific humpback whales at their breeding area in the Gulf of Chiriqui, Panama
Male humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) are known to produce long and complex songs during their breeding season. To understand how these songs change over time, humpback whale songs from the Southeastern Pacific population Breeding Stock G were recorded over a 16-year period in the Gulf of Chiriquí, Panama. Unit presence and percentage of novel, stable, and recalled units were analyzed. This study provides the first unit repertoire analysis for this humpback whale population to understand the pace of change of humpback song, and to understand the potential effects of climate change and subsequent changes in sound propagation on humpback communication.