Examination of beluga-habitat relationships through the use of telemetry and a geographic information system

The spatial and temporal relationships between belugas (Delphinapterus leuc as) and two characteristics of their habitat-bathymetry and ice concentrati on-were examined. Observed location-habitat correspondence histograms were compared to random location-habitat histograms, using a Kolmogorov-Smirnoff (K-S) statistical test. Results show that beluga distribution is bimodal w ith respect to bathymetry, with a larger mode in shallow water and a smalle r mode in water approximately 500 m deep. They occur more often than expect ed by chance in the 0/10 ice class and less often than expected in the 10/1 0 ice class. Males and females associate differently with both depth and ic e concentration. Females associate with bathymetry very differently in the fall than in the summer. There is a general tendency for males in the easte rn North American Arctic to be associated with shallow water during the sum mer and deeper water (modes at 100 and 500 m) in the fall. Female locations are associated more often with the 0/10 ice class and less often with the 10/10 class than expected by chance. These trends were stronger in the west ern than in the eastern portions of the Canadian Arctic.