| Budget Amount *help |
¥46,020,000 (Direct Cost: ¥35,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥10,620,000)
Fiscal Year 2015: ¥10,660,000 (Direct Cost: ¥8,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥2,460,000)
Fiscal Year 2014: ¥11,700,000 (Direct Cost: ¥9,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥2,700,000)
Fiscal Year 2013: ¥12,090,000 (Direct Cost: ¥9,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥2,790,000)
Fiscal Year 2012: ¥11,570,000 (Direct Cost: ¥8,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥2,670,000)
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| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
Using bio-logging method behavioral ecology of marine top predators and surrounding environments were investigated. When shearwaters were resting on the water surface, surface currents can be deduced from their drift movements and the estimated currents were in good agreement with data derived from in situ and satellite data. These seabird-based currents were assimilated into operational ocean models and resulted in a refinement of gyre mode events. Soaring shearwaters flew tortuously and ground speed fluctuated due to tailwinds and headwinds. Taking advantage of the ground speed difference in relation to flight direction, we estimated wind vector that the bird experienced. These bird-based winds were significantly correlated with winds estimated by a satellite-borne scatterometer. Seabirds and other marine top predators can be new platforms to measure ocean surface currents and winds potentially complementing conventional measurements by covering spatial and temporal measurement gaps.
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