International Journal of Molecular Ecology and Conservation, 2026, Vol.16, No.1, 22-30 http://ecoevopublisher.com/index.php/ijmec 28 8.2 The role of artificial whale falls in research Artificial whale falls - experimentally deployed carcasses or large mammal analogs—have become invaluable for studying ecological succession, microbial processes, and faunal colonization in controlled settings (Hilário et al., 2015; Moriya et al., 2016; Aguzzi et al., 2018; Silva et al., 2021). These experiments allow for high-frequency, long-term monitoring and manipulation, helping to overcome the rarity and unpredictability of natural whale falls. Artificial deployments have revealed new species, documented behavioral rhythms, and provided insights into the dispersal and adaptation of deep-sea organisms (Hilário et al., 2015; Aguzzi et al., 2018; Silva et al., 2021). Cow carcasses and whale bones in aquaria or shallow waters have also served as accessible models for testing hypotheses about community assembly and environmental influences (Hilário et al., 2015; Moriya et al., 2016). 8.3 Predicting whale fall distribution with whale migration data Integrating whale migration and population data with oceanographic models offers a promising avenue for predicting the spatial and temporal distribution of whale falls. Such predictive frameworks could improve estimates of whale fall frequency, guide targeted exploration, and inform conservation strategies by identifying potential biodiversity hotspots and connectivity corridors (Smith et al., 2015). This approach is especially relevant as whale populations recover or shift in response to climate change and human impacts, potentially altering the distribution and ecological role of whale falls in the deep sea (Smith et al., 2015). Addressing these gaps will deepen understanding of whale falls as dynamic, interconnected oases and their broader significance in deep-sea ecology and evolution. Acknowledgments We would like to thank Kris Jin for providing the information and material used in this study. Conflict of Interest Disclosure The authors affirm that this research was conducted without any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. References Aguzzi J., Fanelli E., Ciuffardi T., Schirone A., De Leo F., Doya C., Kawato M., Miyazaki M., Furushima Y., Costa C., and Fujiwara Y., 2018, Faunal activity rhythms influencing early community succession of an implanted whale carcass offshore Sagami Bay, Japan, Scientific Reports, 8. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-29431-5 Amendola A., Peres F., Moreira J., Sumida P., Paula F., and Pellizari V., 2021, Development of chemosynthetic microbial communities in organic falls deployed in the deep Southwest Atlantic Ocean, bioRxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.02.16.431415 Amon D., Glover A., Wiklund H., Marsh L., Linse K., Rogers A., and Copley J., 2013, The discovery of a natural whale fall in the Antarctic deep sea, Deep-Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 92: 87-96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2013.01.028 Armstrong C., Vondolia G., Foley N., Henry L., Needham K., and Ressurreição A., 2019, Expert assessment of risks posed by climate change and anthropogenic activities to ecosystem services in the deep North Atlantic, Frontiers in Marine Science. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2019.00158 Avila A., Shimabukuro M., Couto D., Alfaro-Lucas J., Sumida P., and Gallucci F., 2023, Whale falls as chemosynthetic refugia: a perspective from free-living deep-sea nematodes, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2023.1111249 Bernardino Â., Levin L., Thurber A., and Smith C., 2012, Comparative composition, diversity and trophic ecology of sediment macrofauna at vents, seeps and organic falls, PLoS ONE, 7. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0033515 Bolstad K., Amsler M., Broyer C., Komoda M., and Iwasaki H., 2023, In-situ observations of an intact natural whale fall in Palmer Deep, Western Antarctic Peninsula, Polar Biology, 46: 123-132. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-022-03109-1 Braby C., Rouse G., Johnson S., Jones W., and Vrijenhoek R., 2007, Bathymetric and temporal variation among Osedax boneworms and associated megafauna on whale-falls in Monterey Bay, California, 54: 1773-1791. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr.2007.05.014 Butman C., Carlton J., and Palumbi S., 1995, Whaling effects on deep-sea biodiversity, Conservation Biology, 9: 462-464. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1523-1739.1995.9020462.x Chen B., and Wang M., 2020, Whale fall: the creation of a unique marine ecosystem, International Journal of Marine Science. https://doi.org/10.5376/ijms.2020.10.0004
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