Following the Food: Dynamic, Seasonal Changes in the Fine-Scale Distribution of Foraging Minke Whales Within a Scottish Marine Protected Area (MPA)
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for Authors
This is a nice and concise paper with interesting information and applicability to management decision-making. I have made some comments about missing information or details but otherwise, no major issues.
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Author Response
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Reviewer 2 Report
Comments and Suggestions for Authors
Dear Authors,
I found your manuscript very interesting. The text is accurate in all its parts starting from the Abstract which clearly frames premise, methodological approach and aim of the study. Introduction frames the topic with the help of appropriate references anticipating the need for studies like this. The methodological approach is clearly described and supported, where necessary, by references. Figures and tables graphically support and reinforce the description of the results. The Discussion critically evaluates the results and leads to the definition of Conclusions expressed clearly and open to future studies. I only noticed a small inaccuracy in the References (L490-491). The manuscript is accepted in present form.
Author Response
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Reviewer 3 Report
Comments and Suggestions for Authors
The authors model the distribution of minke whales relative to various factors, in particular prey abundance (or correlates of this) and show that within calendar years, there is extensive seasonal variation and that this variation can be understood by the few factors that they model. The paper seems generally useful, rigorously executed, and is very clearly written. My expertise is more in modeling of evolutionary processes, but the text was easy to follow, and the authors did not overstate their results/conclusions given the data and models implemented here. In line 18 of the Abstract, ‘SST SD’ is not defined. Should spell these out or define the abbreviation used in the abstract?
Author Response
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Reviewer 4 Report
Comments and Suggestions for Authors
I have a few small points to raise below but the major one is the statement that this paper "advocates a more dynamic, ecosystem-based approach to management for these highly mobile protected whales." I don't see that it does. It shows seasonal shifts by these whales based on prey availability, but looking at the boundaries of the MPA and the sightings of the whales, the major take-home message is that the geographically defined MPA does an excellent job of encompassing the whale sightings and the critical whale habitat in all the seasons studied. If any adjustment were needed, a 10 km eastward extension would be virtually all encompassing. If you are arguing a "dynamic, ecosystem based approach is superior to the currently defined MPA, you need to demonstrate how you would use the data you have collected to establish such an MPA and then how that dynamically-defined MPA would compare in overall whale protection with the current MPA.
On the smaller points:
Line 93: "behavioural" should read "behaviour"
Line 321: "part" should read "in part" or "partially"
Author Response
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