Habitat suitability models for whales in the Northeastern Atlantic

Project description

Whale species, which react sensitively to underwater noise, have been identified in a pilot study of this project. This especially concerns species belonging to the so called „deep-divers“, like beaked whales (family Ziphiidae), long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas) and sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus). As a next step, it was assessed, which sufficient data exists for which species for a habitat modeling in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean. Already existing habitat models of selected species were evaluated regarding their value for the target area (northeastern Atlantic) in the course of a literature research. Significant sighting data sets, which can be used as base for modeling, were compiled for species, for which an improvement of existing habitat models seems possible. The approval of selected research facilities has already been obtained in order to include more significant sighting data sets from the target area in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean. Several large-scale multinational surveys were conducted in the last decades, which aimed to determine the distribution and abundance of cetaceans in the northeastern Atlantic offshore and shelf waters.
The relevant environmental parameters will be assembled in a homogeneous spatial resolution for the species distribution as base for habitat modeling. Afterwards, habitat models (e.g. GAMs) will be created based on the compiled sighting and environmental data.