@article{80508d06f3f44a2a983c57937848efca,
title = "Energetic and physical limitations on the breaching performance of large whales",
abstract = "The considerable power needed for large whales to leap out of the water may represent the single most expensive burst maneuver found in nature. However, the mechanics and energetic costs associated with the breaching behaviors of large whales remain poorly understood. In this study we deployed whale-borne tags to measure the kinematics of breaching to test the hypothesis that these spectacular aerial displays are metabolically expensive. We found that breaching whales use variable underwater trajectories, and that high-emergence breaches are faster and require more energy than predatory lunges. The most expensive breaches approach the upper limits of vertebrate muscle performance, and the energetic cost of breaching is high enough that repeated breaching events may serve as honest signaling of body condition. Furthermore, the confluence of muscle contractile properties, hydrodynamics, and the high speeds required likely impose an upper limit to the body size and effectiveness of breaching whales.",
author = "Segre, {Paolo S.} and Jean Potvin and Cade, {David E.} and John Calambokidis and {Di Clemente}, Jacopo and Fish, {Frank E.} and Friedlaender, {Ari S.} and Gough, {William T.} and Kahane-Rapport, {Shirel R.} and Cl{\'a}udia Oliveira and Parks, {Susan E.} and Penry, {Gwenith S.} and Malene Simon and Stimpert, {Alison K.} and Wiley, {David N.} and Bierlich, {K. C.} and Madsen, {Peter T.} and Goldbogen, {Jeremy A.}",
note = "Funding Information: We thank Megan Jensen for her ideas, efforts in the inception of this paper, and her initial data anal-ysis. We thank the captains and crews of the RV John Martin, the RV Truth, the RV Fluke, the RV Auk, and the Roxy for field logistical support, and the teams from Cascadia Research Collective, Moss Landing Marine Laboratory for field efforts. We also thank the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, and the Monte-rey Bay National Marine Sanctuary for their assistance and support of these field efforts. We thank Ed Lyman, David Mattila, Asger Hansen, Bertel M{\o}hl, Franz Hutschenreuter, Rui Prieto, the {\textquoteleft}vigias{\textquoteright}, the whale watching companies from Faial and Pico, Lisa Steiner, and Natacha Aguilar Soto for their field assistance. National Science Foundation II OS-OS-484 1656676 Jean Potvin John Calambokidis Frank E Fish Ari S Friedlaender Jeremy A Goldbogen National Science Foundation OPP-1644209 Ari S Friedlaender Jeremy A Goldbogen Office of Naval Research N000141612477 Jeremy A Goldbogen Office of Naval Research N00014080630 Susan E Parks University of Hawai{\textquoteright}i Sea Grant, SOEST NA09OAR4170600 Alison K Stimpert Danish Research Council Peter T Madsen Carlsberg Foundation Peter T Madsen Volgenau Foundation David N Wiley International Fund for Animal Welfare David N Wiley National Marine Sanctuary Foundation David N Wiley Percy Sladen Memorial Trust Jacopo Di Clemente Gwenith S Penry PADI Foundation Paolo S Segre Jacopo Di Clemente Gwenith S Penry Society for Marine Mammalogy Jacopo Di Clemente Gwenith S Penry Torben og Alice Frimodts Fond Jacopo Di Clemente Gwenith S Penry Funda{\c c}{\~a}o para a Ciḙncia e a Tecnologia TRACE-PTDC/MAR/74071/ 2006 Cl{\'a}udia Oliveira Funda{\c c}{\~a}o para a Ci{\^e}ncia e a Tecnologia MAPCET-M2.1.2/F/012/ 2011 Cl{\'a}udia Oliveira. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020, eLife Sciences Publications Ltd. All rights reserved.",
year = "2020",
month = mar,
doi = "10.7554/eLife.51760",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "9",
journal = "eLife",
issn = "2050-084X",
publisher = "eLife Sciences Publications",
}