Marine mammals articles from across Nature Portfolio

The El Niño Southern Oscillation is the primary climate index influencing detections of eight classes of toothed whales at two sites in the Hawaiian Archipelago, according to an analysis of surface conditions, climate indices and long-term passive acoustic monitoring data.

The chronology and mode of parallel evolution remain unclear. Here, the authors compare mid-Holocene and contemporary bottlenose dolphin adaptations between pelagic and coastal ecosystems with paleogenomics, finding rapid adaptation to newly emerged habitat from standing genetic variation.

An article in Science Advances models the noise reduction potential of slowing down marine vessels and how this can mitigate impacts on marine mammals.

Antarctic krill play a key role in Southern Ocean food webs but are vulnerable to climate change, with habitat shifts predicted in response. Now, a study of climate change impacts on a krill-specialist predator — the crabeater seal — suggests that this abundant marine mammal may be forced southwards with its prey.