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Abstract The oceanographic conditions of the Southern California Bight (SCB) dictate the distribution and abundance of prey resources and therefore the presence of mobile predators, such as goose‐beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris). Goose‐beaked whales are deep‐diving odontocetes that spend a majority of their time foraging at depth. Due to their cryptic behavior, little is known about how they respond to seasonal and interannual changes in their environment. This study utilizes passive acoustic data recorded from two sites within the SCB to explore the oceanographic conditions that goose‐beaked whales appear to favor. Utilizing optimum multiparameter analysis, modeled temperature and salinity data are used to identify and quantify these source waters: Pacific Subarctic Upper Water (PSUW), Pacific Equatorial Water (PEW), and Eastern North Pacific Central Water (ENPCW). The interannual and seasonal variability in goose‐beaked whale presence was related to the variability in El Niño Southern Oscillation events and the fraction and vertical distribution of the three source waters. Goose‐beaked whale acoustic presence was highest during the winter and spring and decreased during the late summer and early fall. These seasonal increases occurred at times of increased fractions of PEW in the California Undercurrent and decreased fractions of ENPCW in surface waters. Interannual increases in goose‐beaked whale presence occurred during El Niño events. These results establish a baseline understanding of the oceanographic characteristics that correlate with goose‐beaked whale presence in the SCB. Furthering our knowledge of this elusive species is key to understanding how anthropogenic activities impact goose‐beaked whales. 

Summary Plants integrate environmental stimuli to optimize photosynthesis vs water loss by controlling stomatal apertures. However, stomatal responses to temperature elevation and the underlying molecular genetic mechanisms remain less studied.We developed an approach for clamping leaf‐to‐air vapor pressure difference (VPD_leaf) to fixed values, and recorded robust reversible warming‐induced stomatal opening in intact plants. We analyzed stomatal temperature responses of mutants impaired in guard cell signaling pathways for blue light, abscisic acid (ABA), CO₂, and the temperature‐sensitive proteins, Phytochrome B (phyB) and EARLY‐FLOWERING‐3 (ELF3).We confirmed thatphot1‐5/phot2‐1leaves lacking blue‐light photoreceptors showed partially reduced warming‐induced stomatal opening. Furthermore, ABA‐biosynthesis, phyB, and ELF3 were not essential for the stomatal warming response. Strikingly,Arabidopsis(dicot) andBrachypodium distachyon(monocot) mutants lacking guard cell CO₂sensors and signaling mechanisms, includinght1,mpk12/mpk4‐gc, andcbc1/cbc2abolished the stomatal warming response, suggesting a conserved mechanism across diverse plant lineages. Moreover, warming rapidly stimulated photosynthesis, resulting in a reduction in intercellular (CO₂). Interestingly, further enhancing heat stress caused stomatal opening uncoupled from photosynthesis.We provide genetic and physiological evidence that the stomatal warming response is triggered by increased CO₂assimilation and stomatal CO₂sensing. Additionally, increasing heat stress functions via a distinct photosynthesis‐uncoupled stomatal opening pathway.