Bluewhale diving and feeding heartbeat
Posted: Fri Dec 27, 2019 2:49 pm
Bluewhale heartbeat observations
Impressive plots showing observation results.
Improved instrumentation for a fabulous giant organism.We present a major advancement in our ability to bring the physiological laboratory to the open ocean through the noninvasive use of a suction cup-attached tag equipped with surface electrodes. Our study provides heart rate data of a large, free-diving whale (blue whale) without prior capture or restraint. We recorded a wide range of heart rates from the tag, reaching only several beats per minute during deep foraging dives (bradycardia) and nearly 40 beats per minute at the sea surface (tachycardia) as the whale recovered from its oxygen debt.
Impressive plots showing observation results.