Overview
- Cal Poly and Scripps researchers report in PLOS One that microbial and small‑plankton DNA in seawater predicts baleen whale density with 53% greater accuracy than standard models.
- The method filters seawater, extracts DNA, and sequences genetic markers to identify microbes and tiny plankton that track the habitat and prey conditions tied to whale presence.
- The models used 2014–2020 ship surveys and CalCOFI seawater samples from San Diego to Morro Bay, spanning over 200,000 square kilometers of the southern California Current.
- More accurate maps of whale hotspots could guide vessel speed reductions or routing in areas like the Santa Barbara Channel to cut the risk of deadly ship strikes.
- The team released portable software so agencies and researchers can test the approach in other waters after local validation.