A multi-purpose research platform for ecological and applied research on cetaceans in California
Abstract
The rationale for the resubmission of a DURIP proposal that was highly ranked but not funded in FY19 is to develop a field-ready multi-purpose coastal research vessel that will support a number of currently-funded and proposed ONR and other DoD marine mammal research initiatives from a single platform. This platform will: diminish logistical constraints including personnel required; maximize budgets; provide field adaptability to favorable weather windows; provide both research and educational training opportunities; and advance overall research capacity within our experienced, interdisciplinary, and multi-institutional collaborative research teams both in scope and efficiency. DoD funded or planned projects this platform will support include (at least): (1) ongoing behavioral and physiological response study of delphinid species to simulated and actual navy sonar in California utilizing UAS, visual observation, biopsy, and passive acoustics methods; (2) ongoing projects to better quantify ecological interactions between baleen whales and their prey in California using motion-sensing tags and fisheries acoustics; (3) am ongoing project to develop a heart-rate monitor to collect data from baleen whales concurrent with motion-sensors to accurately estimate metabolic costs and other vital rates; (4) a proposed project to develop new longer-term multi-senor tags to be deployed on a variety of pinniped, delphinid, and baleen whale species in California; (4) ongoing and future collaborations with the Naval Postgraduate School and others to evaluate particle vector sensors to localize anthropogenic and biological sound sources; and (5) a proposed project to develop long-duration tags with algorithms to process data and transmit feeding rates of small odontocete cetaceans. The myriad methodologies used in these studies requires a strategically-configured platform that is designed to successfully conduct multi-disciplinary research while maintaining a small size, mobility both on the water and between sites, relatively low operational costs and is self-sufficient yet large enough to safely operate in coastal and offshore waters. To this end, we have used our extensive practical field expertise from previous productive and extensively published studies to design the research vessel in the current proposal. This platform would support current research at a number of academic institutions in California, facilitate collaboration with governmental agencies and NGOs conducting similar research and would also be utilized as a platform to provide unique at-sea educational opportunities for high school, undergraduate, and graduate students around Monterey Bay. The proposed platform is comparable to that proposed in 2019, with some slight modifications given improvements in technology which actually result in a slight reduction in total cost.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Apr 06, 2021
- Source ID
- N000142112284
Entities
People
- Ari S. Friedlaender
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of California, Santa Cruz