Data from: Sperm whale dive behavior characteristics derived from intermediate-duration archival tag data

Here, we describe the diving behavior of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) using the Advanced Dive Behavior (ADB) tag, which records depth data at 1‐Hz resolution and GPS‐quality locations for over 1 month, before releasing from the whale for recovery. A total of 27 ADB tags were deployed on sperm whales in the central Gulf of California, Mexico, during spring 2007 and 2008, of which 10 were recovered for data download. Tracking durations of all tags ranged from 0 to 34.5 days (median = 2.3 days), and 0.6 to 26.6 days (median = 5.0 days) for recovered tags. Recovered tags recorded a median of 50.8 GPS‐quality locations and 42.6 dives per day. Dive summary metrics were generated for archived dives and were subsequently classified into six categories using hierarchical cluster analysis. A mean of 77% of archived dives per individual were one of four dive categories with median Maximum Dive Depth >290 m (V‐shaped, Mid‐water, Benthic, or Variable), likely associated with foraging. Median Maximum Dive Depth was <30 m for the other two categories (Short‐ and Long‐duration shallow dives), likely representing socializing or resting behavior. Most tagged whales remained near the tagging area during the tracking period, but one moved north of Isla Tiburón, where it appeared to regularly dive to, and travel along the seafloor. Three whales were tagged on the same day in 2007 and subsequently traveled in close proximity (<1 km) for 2 days. During this period, the depth and timing of their dives were not coordinated, suggesting they were foraging on a vertically heterogeneous prey field. The multiweek dive records produced by ADB tags enabled us to generate a robust characterization of the diving behavior, activity budget, and individual variation for an important predator of the mesopelagos over temporal and spatial scales not previously possible.

本研究利用先进潜泳行为（Advanced Dive Behavior, ADB）标签，记录了抹香鲸（Physeter macrocephalus）的潜泳行为：该标签以1Hz分辨率采集深度数据，并可获取GPS级定位信息，最长记录时长超过1个月，后续可从鲸体上释放并回收以获取数据。2007年与2008年春季，研究团队在墨西哥加利福尼亚湾中部海域为27头抹香鲸部署了ADB标签，其中10枚标签成功回收用于数据下载。所有标签的追踪时长区间为0至34.5天（中位数为2.3天），回收标签的追踪时长则为0.6至26.6天（中位数为5.0天）。回收标签的日均记录中位数为50.8个GPS级定位点与42.6次潜次。研究人员为存档潜次生成了潜次摘要指标，并通过层次聚类分析将其划分为6个类别。每头个体的存档潜次中平均77%属于4类潜次范畴，其最大潜深中位数均大于290米（包括V形、中层、底栖型及可变型潜次），这类潜次大概率与觅食行为相关。剩余两类潜次（短时长浅潜与长时长浅潜）的最大潜深中位数均小于30米，这类潜次大概率对应社交或休憩行为。多数被标记的抹香鲸在追踪期间始终停留在标签部署海域附近，但有一头个体移动至蒂布龙岛（Isla Tiburón）以北区域，该个体似乎会定期下潜并沿海底地形移动。2007年有三头抹香鲸在同日被标记，随后的2天内它们始终保持在1公里以内的近距离移动。在此期间，它们的潜深与潜次时间并未呈现协同性，这表明它们正基于垂直异质性的猎物场开展觅食活动。本研究通过ADB标签获取的多周潜次记录，首次在前所未有的时空尺度下，对大洋中层带（mesopelagos）重要捕食者的潜泳行为、活动时间分配及个体差异进行了可靠的特征刻画。