McGill University
M.Sc. candidate
Supervisor: Melissa McKinney
Start: 2025-09-01
End: 2027-08-31
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Project

Feeding ecology, population structure, and connectivity of the common minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) in the St. Lawrence Estuary
The common minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) is a globally distributed baleen whale species which undertakes annual migrations and, as an opportunistic generalist, exhibits spatial variation in its feeding behaviours. As well, the minke whale is of prominent economic value within global whaling and whale-watching communities. Given these factors, minke whale may serve as a key indicator of worldwide marine ecosystem health and adaptability of marine mammals in the face of increasing anthropogenic stressors. Although the Saint Lawrence Estuary (SLE) is a known summer feeding ground, minke whale feeding patterns while in the SLE and their population structure and connectivity to other North Atlantic populations remain uncertain. In collaboration with Mériscope Marine Research Station, this project aims to fill critical knowledge gaps in their ecology and will investigate the eco-evolutionary dynamics of SLE minke whales in relation to conspecifics across the North Atlantic, delivering critical insights to inform evidence-based management practices.

Keywords

marine ecology, whole-genome resequencing, Fatty acids, stable isotopes, chemical tracers, population structure, Cetacean