Remili), Author provided North Atlantic mysteryĬomparing different groups of killer whales around the world reveals that there is still a lot we don’t know about them. Killer whales had top-down effects on the density of kelp forests the killer whales greatly reduced the sea otter population, which caused the sea urchins - the sea otters’ main food source - to proliferate and decimate the kelp forests.Ī group of killer whales in Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland, travelling slowly after feasting on herring. In these populations, scientists found evidence of “ trophic cascades,” the effects of predator consumption on the rest of the food web. These ecotypes have been extensively studied for decades, as the killer whales inhabit densely populated areas, which allows scientists to observe these individuals year-round. The most notorious ecotypes are the transient and resident killer whales in the Eastern North Pacific. As a result, they can hunt nearly any species, from fish to fur seals to blue whales, throughout the world’s oceans.ĭepending on their location and evolutionary history, different groups of killer whales have developed different ecotypes - unique diets and lifestyles. Killer whales are intelligent predators that are known to adopt specific hunting techniques, ranging from carousel feeding - co-operatively herding and then feeding on - herring, to co-operatively creating waves that can dislodge seals from ice floes.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |