The TOPP Collection

This collection of papers highlights research performed under the auspices of the Tagging of Pacific Predators (TOPP) program, a component of the Census of Marine Life (CoML). TOPP is a multi-institutional, multi-year large-scale biologging program that has deployed nearly 4300 tags on 23 marine species throughout the Pacific Ocean in a series of studies providing essential input into the effective management of marine ecosystems and conservation of top predator populations (www.topp.org).

Biologging technology allows researchers to take measurements from free-swimming marine animals as they move undisturbed through their environment. Recent advances in biologging technology, including electronic tag miniaturization and improved animal movement models, have revolutionized our understanding of the ecology of marine top predators and have permitted observations well beyond the reach of standard measurement techniques. As a result, biologging observations are used for basic ecological research, controlled experimental studies, physiological studies, and oceanographic observations of the in situ environment surrounding the animal. Long-term biologging observations are also used to understand the influence of climate variations, and to predict the potential impacts of climate change, on top predator movements.

Articles are presented in order of publication date and new TOPP articles will be added to the collection as they are published.

Image Credit: Illustration by Kate Spencer

 

Research Articles Top