Species distribution models (SDMs) relate species presence to environmental variables to fill gaps in measurements and predictions of habitat suitability. While SDMs for baleen whales have traditionally relied on visual sighting data, passive acoustic monitoring enables observation of whales beyond visual observation on the surface. This study applies presence-only maximum entropy modeling (MaxEnt) to model the distribution of the endangered North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) in the Northwest Atlantic. Using remotely sensed environmental predictors, two models were constructed: one using visual sightings from Ocean Biogeographic Information System Spatial Ecological Analysis of Megavertebrate Populations (OBIS-SEAMAP), and one using acoustic detections from NOAA’s Passive Acoustic Cetacean Map (PACM). By evaluating spatial overlap, seasonal patterns, and environmental variable contributions across models, this work provides insight into how species presence captured through different observation methods may reflect distinct behavioral states or habitat use. The presented findings will inform the development of effective approaches for modeling species distributions using acoustic data, as well as risk mitigation and management planning efforts.
Carlson et al. (Wed,) studied this question.