Fin whale song evolution in the North Atlantic
Type | Article | ||||||||
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Date | 2024-01 | ||||||||
Language | English | ||||||||
Author(s) | Romagosa Miriam1, Nieukirk Sharon2, Cascão Irma1, Marques Tiago A3, 4, Dziak Robert5, Royer Jean-Yves6, O'Brien Joanne7, Mellinger David K2, Pereira Andreia8, Ugalde Arantza9, Papale Elena10, Aniceto Sofia11, Buscaino Giuseppa10, Rasmussen Marianne12, Matias Luis8, Prieto Rui1, Silva Mónica A1 | ||||||||
Affiliation(s) | 1 : Institute of Marine Sciences - OKEANOS & Institute of Marine Research - IMAR, University of the Azores, portugal 2 : Cooperative Institute for Marine Ecosystem and Resources Studies, Oregon State University, USA 3 : Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, University of St Andrews, UK 4 : Centro de Estatística e Aplicações, Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, portugal 5 : NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, Hatfield Marine Science Center, USA 6 : CNRS - UBO - UBS - Ifremer, IUEM - Lab. Geo-Ocean, france 7 : Marine and Freshwater Research Centre (MFRC), Atlantic Technological University, Ireland 8 : Instituto Dom Luiz (IDL), Universidade de Lisboa, portugal 9 : Institute of Marine Sciences, ICM‐CSIC, spain 10 : Institute for the Study of Anthropic Impacts and Sustainability in the Marine Environment of the National Research Council of Italy (CNR-IAS), italy 11 : Akvaplan-niva, Norway 12 : University of Iceland Research Centre in Húsavík, iceland |
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Source | Elife (2050-084X) (eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd), 2024-01 , Vol. 13 , P. e83750 (19p.) | ||||||||
DOI | 10.7554/eLife.83750 | ||||||||
Keyword(s) | fin whale, vocal learning, inter-note interval, song evolution, North Atlantic, song frequency, Other | ||||||||
Abstract | Animal songs can change within and between populations as the result of different evolutionary processes. When these processes include cultural transmission, the social learning of information or behaviours from conspecifics, songs can undergo rapid evolutions because cultural novelties can emerge more frequently than genetic mutations. Understanding these song variations over large temporal and spatial scales can provide insights into the patterns, drivers and limits of song evolution that can ultimately inform on the species’ capacity to adapt to rapidly changing acoustic environments. Here, we analysed changes in fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) songs recorded over two decades across the central and eastern North Atlantic Ocean. We document a rapid replacement of song INIs (inter-note intervals) over just four singing seasons, that co-occurred with hybrid songs (with both INIs), and a clear geographic gradient in the occurrence of different song INIs during the transition period. We also found gradual changes in INIs and note frequencies over more than a decade with fin whales adopting song changes. These results provide evidence of vocal learning in fin whales and reveal patterns of song evolution that raise questions on the limits of song variation in this species. |
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