Great baleen whales, great services

Abstract

Over centuries, the human-whale interactions has evolved from perceiving them as monsters to recognition of whales as vital contributors, particularly for coastal communities. Great baleen whales play a crucial role in connecting the oceans through their migrations, facilitating a flow of nature's benefits to humans. Ecosystem services, encompassing tourism, education, and religious practices, offer returns. In addition, whales stimulate primary productivity, maintain biodiversity, and fertilize oceans with nutrient-rich excretions. Moreover, through their direct/indirect carbon fixation and sequestration, whales can be viewed as mitigators of climate change. Species of the family Balaenopteridae are distributed across different latitudes and oceans. Mapping tool serves as an effective method for characterizing the actual benefits that ecosystems provide to society, allowing the identification of priority areas for conservation. This study synthesized, mapped and verified the presence of “hotspots” of services provided by Balaenoptera musculus, Balaenoptera physalus, Balaenoptera borealis, Balaenoptera acutorostrata, and Megaptera novaeangliae, revealing provisioning, cultural, regulatory, and maintenance services through a systematic literature review. Recognizing the complex spatial dynamics of these roles as crucial socioeconomically and culturally, it is imperative to integrate them into spatial and management planning. This inclusive approach brings a pluralistic perspective and clarifies the provision of ecosystem services by area, ultimately ensuring more efficient marine management and the sustainability of marine ecosystems.