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Serres A, Lin W, Liu B, Chen S, Li S. Skinny dolphins: Can poor body condition explain population decline in Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis)? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 917:170401. [PMID: 38280614 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 01/29/2024]
Abstract
Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (IPHDs) who form resident populations along the Chinese coastline are facing a wide range of anthropogenic disturbances including intense fishing and some populations have been shown to experience a severe decline. Body condition is thought to be a good indicator of health since it is linked to survival and reproductive success. In order to better understand population trends, we investigated whether the body condition of IPHDs is poorer in populations whose status is alarming than in other populations. UAV flights were conducted from 2022 to 2023 in four locations (i.e., Sanniang Bay, Leizhou Bay, Jiangmen, and Lingding Bay) in the northern South China Sea. Body ratios were calculated using the body length and widths of IPHDs and were used to analyze differences among seasons, locations, and demographic parameters. A PCA was then used to obtain a detailed picture of the body condition composition of dolphins at each location. Results showed that dolphins from Leizhou Bay and Jiangmen were in better body condition than those from Sanniang Bay and Lingding Bay. Since populations inhabiting Sanniang Bay and Lingding Bay have been shown to experience a sharp decline, it can be hypothesized that poor body condition may have played a role in such a trend. Further investigations of the factors impacting IPHDs' body condition are needed, including monitoring of prey density, contaminant concentration, stress levels, and impacts of human activities on dolphins' behavior. In addition, the creation of a robust scoring method would allow for regular monitoring of IPHDs' body condition to inform conservation measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agathe Serres
- Marine Mammal and Marine Bioacoustics Laboratory, Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China
| | - Wenzhi Lin
- Marine Mammal and Marine Bioacoustics Laboratory, Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China
| | - Binshuai Liu
- Marine Mammal and Marine Bioacoustics Laboratory, Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shenglan Chen
- Marine Mammal and Marine Bioacoustics Laboratory, Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Songhai Li
- Marine Mammal and Marine Bioacoustics Laboratory, Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China; The Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China.
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Maresh JL, Blanchard AL, Demchenko NL, Shcherbakov I, Aerts L, Schwarz LK. Benthic studies adjacent to Sakhalin Island, Russia, 2015 II: energy content of the zoobenthos in western gray whale feeding grounds. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2022; 194:742. [PMID: 36255480 PMCID: PMC9579061 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-022-10020-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The waters adjacent to the northeastern coast of Sakhalin Island, Russia, are an important feeding ground for the endangered western gray whale. Data on the energy available to foraging whales from their prey resources is required for researchers interested in modeling the bioenergetics of whale foraging, but little energy content information is available for the benthic prey communities of gray whales in this region. In this study, we describe the energy density (ED), biomass, and total energy availability (ED × biomass) of benthic prey sampled from two gray whale foraging areas adjacent to Sakhalin Island: the nearshore and offshore feeding areas. ED varied almost seven-fold among benthic taxa, ranging from 1.11 to 7.62 kJ/g wet mass. Although there was considerable variation within most prey groups, amphipods had the highest mean ED of all of groups examined (5.58 ± 1.44 kJ/g wet mass). Small sample sizes precluded us from detecting any seasonal or spatial differences in mean ED within or among taxa; however, mean biomass in the offshore feeding area was, in some cases, an order of magnitude higher than mean estimates in the nearshore feeding area, resulting in higher mean total energy available to foraging gray whales offshore (958-3313 kJ/m2) compared to nearshore (223-495 kJ/m2). While the proportion of total energy accounted for by amphipods was variable, this prey group generally made up a higher proportion of the total energy available in the benthos of the offshore feeding area than in the benthos of the nearshore feeding area. Data presented here will be used to inform bioenergetics modeling of the vital rates of mature females in an effort to improve understanding of population growth limits for western gray whales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Maresh
- Department of Biology, West Chester University, West Chester, PA, 19383, USA.
| | | | - Natalia L Demchenko
- A.V. Zhirmunsky National Science Center of Marine Biology, Far East Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, Russia
| | - Ilya Shcherbakov
- A.V. Zhirmunsky National Science Center of Marine Biology, Far East Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, Russia
| | | | - Lisa K Schwarz
- Ocean Sciences and Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA
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Schwarz L, McHuron E, Mangel M, Gailey G, Sychenko O. Gray whale habitat use and reproductive success during seismic surveys near their feeding grounds: comparing state-dependent life history models and field data. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2022; 194:733. [PMID: 36255497 PMCID: PMC9579109 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-022-10024-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2022] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
We used a stochastic dynamic programming (SDP) model to quantify the consequences of disturbance on pregnant western gray whales during one foraging season. The SDP model has a firm basis in bioenergetics, but detailed knowledge of minimum reproductive length of females (Lmin) and the relationship between length and reproductive success (Rfit) was lacking. We varied model assumptions to determine their effects on predictions of habitat use, proportion of animals disturbed, reproductive success, and the effects of disturbance. Smaller Lmin values led to higher predicted nearshore habitat use. Changes in Lmin and Rfit had little effect on predictions of the effect of disturbance. Reproductive success increased with increased Lmin and with higher probability of reproductive success by length. Multiple seismic surveys were conducted in 2015 off the northeast coast of Sakhalin Island, with concomitant benthic prey surveys, photo-identification studies, and whale distribution sampling, thus providing a unique opportunity to compare output from SDP models with empirical observations. SDP model predictions of reproductive success and habitat use were similar with and without acoustic disturbance, and SDP predictions of reproductive success and large-scale habitat use were generally similar to values and trends in the data. However, empirical estimates of the proportion of pregnant females nearshore were much higher than SDP model predictions (a large effect, measured by Cohen's d) during the first week, and the SDP model overestimated whale density in the south and underestimated density around the mouth of Piltun Bay. Such differences in nearshore habitat use would not affect SDP predictions of reproductive success or survival under the current seismic air gun disturbance scenario.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Schwarz
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA.
| | - Elizabeth McHuron
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
- Ocean, and Ecosystem Studies, Cooperative Institute for Climate, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Marc Mangel
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
- Theoretical Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of Bergen, 9020, Bergen, Norway
- Puget Sound Institute, University of Washington, Tacoma, WA, 98402, USA
| | - Glenn Gailey
- Cetacean EcoSystem Research, Lacey, WA, 98516, USA
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Blanchard AL, Ainsworth L, Gailey G, Demchenko NL, Shcherbakov IA. Benthic studies adjacent to Sakhalin Island, Russia 2015 III: benthic energy density spatial models in the nearshore gray whale feeding area. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2022; 194:741. [PMID: 36255557 PMCID: PMC9579071 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-022-10018-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Energy densities of six dominant benthic groups (Actinopterygii, Amphipoda, Bivalvia, Cumacea, Isopoda, and Polychaeta) and total prey energy were modeled for the nearshore western gray whale feeding area, Sakhalin Island, Russia, as part of a multi-disciplinary research program in the summer of 2015. Energy was modeled using generalized additive mixed models (GAMM) with accommodations for zero-inflation (logistic regression and hurdle models) and regression predictions combined with kriging to interpolate energy densities across the nearshore feeding area. Amphipoda energy density was the highest nearshore and in the south whereas Bivalvia energy density was the highest offshore and in the northern portion of the study area. Total energy was the highest in mid-range distances from shore and in the north. Amphipoda energy density was higher than minimum energy estimates defining gray whale feeding habitats (312-442 kJ/m2) in 13% of the nearshore feeding area whereas total prey energy density was higher than the minimum energy requirement in 49% of the habitat. Inverse distance-weighted interpolations of Amphipoda energy provided a broader scale representation of the data whereas kriging estimates were spatially limited but more representative of higher density in the southern portion of the study area. Both methods represented the general trend of higher Amphipoda energy density nearshore but with significant differences that highlight the value of using multiple methods to model patterns in highly complex environments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Glenn Gailey
- Cetacean EcoSystem Research, Lacey, WA, 98512, USA
| | - Natalia L Demchenko
- A.V. Zhirmunsky National Science Center of Marine Biology, Far East Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, Russia
| | - Ilya A Shcherbakov
- A.V. Zhirmunsky National Science Center of Marine Biology, Far East Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, Russia
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Melica V, Atkinson S, Calambokidis J, Gendron D, Lang A, Scordino J. Naturally stressed? Glucocorticoid profiles in blubber of blue and gray whales in response to life history parameters. MARINE MAMMAL SCIENCE 2022; 38:1524-1548. [PMID: 36619002 PMCID: PMC9815209 DOI: 10.1111/mms.12954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The goal of the present study was to carry out a thorough methodological validation and describe baseline profiles for glucocorticoid hormones (cortisol and corticosterone) in blubber from blue (n = 77) and gray (n = 103) whales from the eastern North Pacific Ocean. For each species, we modelled cortisol and corticosterone concentrations in response to life history parameters (age, sex, reproductive status) and season or geographic location. In blue whales, cortisol concentrations did not vary significantly by age class, sex, or reproductive status, whereas corticosterone was significantly lower in immature than in adult females (p < .001). In gray whales, cortisol concentrations were significantly higher in lactating whales (p < .05), while corticosterone was significantly different between females and males (p = .001) and elevated in calves (p = .003). In gray whales, corticosterone concentrations were significantly lower in males sampled later in the year (August to November) compared to both sexes sampled between March and August (p = .05), but no seasonal trend occurred in blue whales. Our results indicate that glucocorticoid actions vary between species and sex in large whales. Analysis of multiple hormones improves our understanding of the physiology of maintaining metabolic homeostasis or coping with chronic stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Melica
- Fisheries Department, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Juneau, Alaska
| | - Shannon Atkinson
- Fisheries Department, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Juneau, Alaska
| | | | - Diane Gendron
- Instituto Politecnico Nacional, Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marina (IPN-CICIMAR), La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico
| | - Aimee Lang
- Ocean Associates Inc., on contract to NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center, La Jolla, California
| | - Jonathan Scordino
- Marine Mammal Program, Makah Fisheries Management, Neah Bay, Washington
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6
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Johnston DR, Rayment W, Dawson SM. Morphometrics and body condition of southern right whales on the calving grounds at Port Ross, Auckland Islands. Mamm Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-021-00175-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Evaluating Potential Cetacean Welfare Indicators from Video of Live Stranded Long-Finned Pilot Whales ( Globicephala melas edwardii). Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12141861. [PMID: 35883407 PMCID: PMC9312325 DOI: 10.3390/ani12141861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 07/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the known benefit of considering welfare within wildlife conservation and management, there remains a lack of data to inform such evaluations. To assess animal welfare, relevant information must be captured scientifically and systematically. A key first step is identifying potential indicators of welfare and the practicality of their measurement. We assessed the feasibility of evaluating potential welfare indicators from opportunistically gathered video footage of four stranded odontocete species (n = 53) at 14 stranding events around New Zealand. The first stranded cetacean ethogram was compiled, including 30 different behaviours, 20 of which were observed in all four species. Additionally, thirteen types of human intervention were classified. A subset of 49 live stranded long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas edwardii) were assessed to determine indicator prevalence and to quantify behaviours. Four ‘welfare status’ and six ‘welfare alerting’ non-behavioural indicators could be consistently evaluated from the footage. Additionally, two composite behavioural indicators were feasible. Three human intervention types (present, watering, and touching) and five animal behaviours (tail flutter, dorsal fin flutter, head lift, tail lift, and head side-to-side) were prevalent (>40% of individuals). Our study highlights the potential for non-invasive, remote assessments via video footage and represents an initial step towards developing a systematic, holistic welfare assessment framework for stranded cetaceans.
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Sharp decline in humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) survival and reproductive success in southeastern Alaska during and after the 2014–2016 Northeast Pacific marine heatwave. Mamm Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-021-00187-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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9
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Willoughby AL, Stimmelmayr R, Brower AA, Clarke JT, Ferguson MC. Gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) and killer whale (Orcinus orca) co-occurrence in the eastern Chukchi Sea, 2009–2019: evidence from gray whale carcasses observed during aerial surveys. Polar Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-022-03015-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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10
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McHuron EA, Aerts L, Gailey G, Sychenko O, Costa DP, Mangel M, Schwarz LK. Predicting the population consequences of acoustic disturbance, with application to an endangered gray whale population. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2021; 31:e02440. [PMID: 34374143 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2020] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Acoustic disturbance is a growing conservation concern for wildlife populations because it can elicit physiological and behavioral responses that can have cascading impacts on population dynamics. State-dependent behavioral and life history models implemented via Stochastic Dynamic Programming (SDP) provide a natural framework for quantifying biologically meaningful population changes resulting from disturbance by linking environment, physiology, and metrics of fitness. We developed an SDP model using the endangered western gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) as a case study because they experience acoustic disturbance on their summer foraging grounds. We modeled the behavior and physiological dynamics of pregnant females as they arrived on the feeding grounds and predicted the probability of female and offspring survival, with and without acoustic disturbance and in the presence/absence of high prey availability. Upon arrival in mid-May, pregnant females initially exhibited relatively random behavior before they transitioned to intensive feeding that resulted in continual fat mass gain until departure. This shift in behavior co-occurred with a change in spatial distribution; early in the season, whales were more equally distributed among foraging areas with moderate to high energy availability, whereas by mid-July whales transitioned to predominate use of the location that had the highest energy availability. Exclusion from energy-rich offshore areas led to reproductive failure and in extreme cases, mortality of adult females that had lasting impacts on population dynamics. Simulated disturbances in nearshore foraging areas had little to no impact on female survival or reproductive success at the population level. At the individual level, the impact of disturbance was unequally distributed across females of different lengths, both with respect to the number of times an individual was disturbed and the impact of disturbance on vital rates. Our results highlight the susceptibility of large capital breeders to reductions in prey availability, and indicate that who, where, and when individuals are disturbed are likely to be important considerations when assessing the impacts of acoustic activities. This model provides a framework to inform planned acoustic disturbances and assess the effectiveness of mitigation strategies for large capital breeders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A McHuron
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, 95064, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, 95064, USA
| | | | - Glenn Gailey
- Cetacean EcoSystem Research, Lacey, Washington, 98516, USA
| | - Olga Sychenko
- Cetacean EcoSystem Research, Lacey, Washington, 98516, USA
| | - Daniel P Costa
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, 95064, USA
| | - Marc Mangel
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, 95064, USA
- Theoretical Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of Bergen, Bergen, 9020, Norway
- Puget Sound Institute, University of Washington, Tacoma, Washington, 98402, USA
| | - Lisa K Schwarz
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, 95064, USA
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Aoki K, Isojunno S, Bellot C, Iwata T, Kershaw J, Akiyama Y, Martín López LM, Ramp C, Biuw M, Swift R, Wensveen PJ, Pomeroy P, Narazaki T, Hall A, Sato K, Miller PJO. Aerial photogrammetry and tag-derived tissue density reveal patterns of lipid-store body condition of humpback whales on their feeding grounds. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20202307. [PMID: 33499785 PMCID: PMC7893258 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Monitoring the body condition of free-ranging marine mammals at different life-history stages is essential to understand their ecology as they must accumulate sufficient energy reserves for survival and reproduction. However, assessing body condition in free-ranging marine mammals is challenging. We cross-validated two independent approaches to estimate the body condition of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) at two feeding grounds in Canada and Norway: animal-borne tags (n = 59) and aerial photogrammetry (n = 55). Whales that had a large length-standardized projected area in overhead images (i.e. whales looked fatter) had lower estimated tissue body density (TBD) (greater lipid stores) from tag data. Linking both measurements in a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate the true underlying (hidden) tissue body density (uTBD), we found uTBD was lower (-3.5 kg m-3) in pregnant females compared to adult males and resting females, while in lactating females it was higher (+6.0 kg m-3). Whales were more negatively buoyant (+5.0 kg m-3) in Norway than Canada during the early feeding season, possibly owing to a longer migration from breeding areas. While uTBD decreased over the feeding season across life-history traits, whale tissues remained negatively buoyant (1035.3 ± 3.8 kg m-3) in the late feeding season. This study adds confidence to the effectiveness of these independent methods to estimate the body condition of free-ranging whales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kagari Aoki
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 2778564, Japan
| | - Saana Isojunno
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 8LB, UK
| | - Charlotte Bellot
- Department of Marine Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel 2000, Switzerland
| | - Takashi Iwata
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 2778564, Japan
| | - Joanna Kershaw
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 8LB, UK
| | - Yu Akiyama
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 2778564, Japan
| | - Lucía M Martín López
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 8LB, UK.,Asociación Ipar Perspective, Sopela 48600, Spain
| | - Christian Ramp
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 8LB, UK.,Mingan Island Cetacean Study (MICS), St. Lambert, Quebec, Canada G0G 1V0
| | - Martin Biuw
- Fram Centre, Institute of Marine Research, Tromsø N-9296, Norway
| | - René Swift
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 8LB, UK
| | - Paul J Wensveen
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 8LB, UK.,Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, 102 Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Patrick Pomeroy
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 8LB, UK
| | - Tomoko Narazaki
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 2778564, Japan
| | - Ailsa Hall
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 8LB, UK
| | - Katsufumi Sato
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 2778564, Japan
| | - Patrick J O Miller
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 8LB, UK
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Santos FM, Risco D, Sano NY, de Macedo GC, Barreto WTG, Gonçalves P, Fernández-Llario P, Herrera HM. An alternative method for determining the body condition index of the free-living South American coati. NEOTROPICAL BIOLOGY AND CONSERVATION 2020. [DOI: 10.3897/neotropical.15.e56578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Assessing and monitoring the welfare of free-living mammals is not a usual process due to the logistical complications associated with their capture and sedation, collection and storage of biological samples and their release. In this context, non-invasive methods for monitoring wildlife constitute a good alternative approach for in situ conservation. Body condition index, as a measurement of health status, has been used in free-living mammals; its low value may be associated with negative effects on reproduction and survival. The present study aimed to generate an alternative and reliable non-invasive method and then determine the body condition index, based on previously-collected biometric measurements, without the need to capture and immobilise the animals. A total of 178 free-living Nasua nasua Linnaeus, 1766 were trapped, weighed and measured. Statistical methods were used, based on Boosted Regression Trees (BRT) using body mass, biometric measurements (body length, height and chest girth) and gender as explanatory variables. To assess the agreement between the real Body Condition Indices (BCIs) and the predicted values of BCIs, we explored the correlation between each model using the Bland-Altman method. This method showed a strong agreement between the predictive BRT models proposed (standardised residuals from a linear regression between body length and chest girth) and standardised residuals (linear regression between body mass and body length). The results obtained herein showed that BRT modelling, based on biometrical features, is an alternative way to verify the body conditions of coatis without the need to capture and immobilise the animals.
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Jackson JA, Kennedy A, Moore M, Andriolo A, Bamford CCG, Calderan S, Cheeseman T, Gittins G, Groch K, Kelly N, Leaper R, Leslie MS, Lurcock S, Miller BS, Richardson J, Rowntree V, Smith P, Stepien E, Stowasser G, Trathan P, Vermeulen E, Zerbini AN, Carroll EL. Have whales returned to a historical hotspot of industrial whaling? The pattern of southern right whale Eubalaena australis recovery at South Georgia. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2020. [DOI: 10.3354/esr01072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Around 176500 whales were killed in the sub-Antarctic waters off South Georgia (South Atlantic) between 1904 and 1965. In recent decades, whales have once again become summer visitors, with the southern right whale (SRW) the most commonly reported species until 2011. Here, we assess the distribution, temporal pattern, health status and likely prey of SRWs in these waters, combining observations from a summertime vessel-based expedition to South Georgia, stable isotope data collected from SRWs and putative prey and sightings reports collated by the South Georgia Museum. The expedition used directional acoustics and visual surveys to localise whales and collected skin biopsies and photo-IDs. During 76 h of visual observation effort over 19 expedition days, SRWs were encountered 15 times (~31 individuals). Photo-IDs, combined with publicly contributed images from commercial vessels, were reconciled and quality-controlled to form a catalogue of 6 fully (i.e. both sides) identified SRWs and 26 SRWs identified by either left or right sides. No photo-ID matches were found with lower-latitude calving grounds, but 3 whales had gull lesions supporting a direct link with Península Valdés, Argentina. The isotopic position of SRWs in the South Georgia food web suggests feeding on a combination of copepod and krill species. Opportunistic reports of SRW sightings and associated group sizes remain steady over time, while humpback whales provide a strong contrast, with increased sighting rates and group sizes seen since 2013. These data suggest a plateau in SRWs and an increasing humpback whale presence in South Georgia waters following the cessation of whaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- JA Jackson
- British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Cambridge CB3 0ET, UK For a full list of affiliations see Supplement 1 at www.int-res.com/articles/suppl/n043p323_supp1.pdf
| | | | | | | | - CCG Bamford
- British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Cambridge CB3 0ET, UK For a full list of affiliations see Supplement 1 at www.int-res.com/articles/suppl/n043p323_supp1.pdf
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - G Stowasser
- British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Cambridge CB3 0ET, UK For a full list of affiliations see Supplement 1 at www.int-res.com/articles/suppl/n043p323_supp1.pdf
| | - P Trathan
- British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Cambridge CB3 0ET, UK For a full list of affiliations see Supplement 1 at www.int-res.com/articles/suppl/n043p323_supp1.pdf
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Kratofil MA, Ylitalo GM, Mahaffy SD, West KL, Baird RW. Life history and social structure as drivers of persistent organic pollutant levels and stable isotopes in Hawaiian false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 733:138880. [PMID: 32446048 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Revised: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
False killer whales are long-lived, slow to mature, apex predators, and therefore susceptible to bioaccumulation of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Hawaiian waters are home to three distinct populations: pelagic; Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) insular; and main Hawaiian Islands (MHI) insular. Following a precipitous decline over recent decades, the MHI population was listed as "endangered" under the Endangered Species Act in 2012. This study assesses the risk of POP exposure to these populations by examining pollutant concentrations and ratios from blubber samples (n = 56) related to life history characteristics and MHI social clusters. Samples were analyzed for PCBs, DDTs, PBDEs, and some organochlorine pesticides. Skin samples (n = 52) were analyzed for stable isotopes δ13C and δ15N to gain insight into MHI false killer whale foraging ecology. Pollutant levels were similar among populations, although MHI whales had a significantly higher mean ratio of DDTs/PCBs than NWHI whales. The ∑PCB concentrations of 28 MHI individuals (68%) sampled were equal to or greater than suggested thresholds for deleterious health effects in marine mammals. The highest POP values among our samples were found in four stranded MHI animals. Eight of 24 MHI adult females have not been documented to have given birth; whether they have yet to reproduce, are reproductive senescent, or are experiencing reproductive dysfunction related to high POP exposure is unknown. Juvenile/sub-adults had significantly higher concentrations of certain contaminants than those measured in adults, and may be at greater risk of negative health effects during development. Multivariate analyses, POP ratios, and stable isotope ratios indicate varying risk of POP exposure, foraging locations and potentially prey items among MHI social clusters. Our findings provide invaluable insight into the ongoing risk POPs pose to the MHI population's viability, as well as consideration of risk for the NWHI and pelagic stocks.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gina M Ylitalo
- Environmental and Fisheries Sciences Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, 2725 Montlake Boulevard East, Seattle, WA 98112, USA.
| | - Sabre D Mahaffy
- Cascadia Research Collective, 218½ W. 4th Avenue, Olympia, WA 98501, USA.
| | - Kristi L West
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, PO Box 1346, Kaneohe, HI 96744, USA; Human Nutrition Food and Animal Sciences, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, 1955 East West Road, Ag Sci 216, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA.
| | - Robin W Baird
- Cascadia Research Collective, 218½ W. 4th Avenue, Olympia, WA 98501, USA; Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, PO Box 1346, Kaneohe, HI 96744, USA.
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15
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Drimaj J, Kamler J, Hošek M, Plhal R, Mikulka O, Zeman J, Drápela K. Reproductive potential of free-living wild boar in Central Europe. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-020-01416-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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16
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Bröker KCA, Gailey G, Tyurneva OY, Yakovlev YM, Sychenko O, Dupont JM, Vertyankin VV, Shevtsov E, Drozdov KA. Site-fidelity and spatial movements of western North Pacific gray whales on their summer range off Sakhalin, Russia. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0236649. [PMID: 32797058 PMCID: PMC7428188 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0236649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The Western North-Pacific (WNP) gray whale feeding grounds are off the northeastern coast of Sakhalin Island, Russia and is comprised of a nearshore and offshore component that can be distinguished by both depth and location. Spatial movements of gray whales within their foraging grounds were examined based on 13 years of opportunistic vessel and shore-based photo-identification surveys. Site fidelity was assessed by examining annual return and resighting rates. Lagged Identification Rates (LIR) analyses were conducted to estimate the residency and transitional movement patterns within the two components of their feeding grounds. In total 243 individuals were identified from 2002-2014, among these were 94 calves. The annual return rate over the period 2002-2014 was 72%, excluding 35 calves only seen one year. Approximately 20% of the individuals identified from 2002-2010 were seen every year after their initial sighting (including eight individuals that returned for 13 consecutive years). The majority (239) of the WNP whales were observed in the nearshore area while only half (122) were found in the deeper offshore area. Within a foraging season, there was a significantly higher probability of gray whales moving from the nearshore to the offshore area. No mother-calf pairs, calves or yearlings were observed in the offshore area, which was increasingly used by mature animals. The annual return rates, and population growth rates that are primarily a result of calf production with little evidence of immigration, suggest that this population is demographically self-contained and that both the nearshore and offshore Sakhalin feeding grounds are critically important areas for their summer annual foraging activities. The nearshore habitat is also important for mother-calf pairs, younger individuals, and recently weaned calves. Nearshore feeding could also be energetically less costly compared to foraging in the deeper offshore habitat and provide more protection from predators, such as killer whales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koen C. A. Bröker
- Marine Evolution and Conservation, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
- Shell Global Solutions International B.V., the Hague, The Netherlands
| | - Glenn Gailey
- Cetacean EcoSystem Research, Washington, Olympia, United States of America
| | - Olga Yu. Tyurneva
- A.V. Zhirmunsky National Scientific Center of Marine Biology of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (NSCMB FEB RAS), Vladivostok, Russian Federation
| | - Yuri M. Yakovlev
- A.V. Zhirmunsky National Scientific Center of Marine Biology of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (NSCMB FEB RAS), Vladivostok, Russian Federation
| | - Olga Sychenko
- Cetacean EcoSystem Research, Washington, Olympia, United States of America
| | - Jennifer M. Dupont
- ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | | | - Evgeny Shevtsov
- A.V. Zhirmunsky National Scientific Center of Marine Biology of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (NSCMB FEB RAS), Vladivostok, Russian Federation
| | - Konstantin A. Drozdov
- G.B. Elyakov Pacific Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (PIBOC FEB RAS), Vladivostok, Russian Federation
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17
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Soledade Lemos L, Burnett JD, Chandler TE, Sumich JL, Torres LG. Intra‐ and inter‐annual variation in gray whale body condition on a foraging ground. Ecosphere 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Leila Soledade Lemos
- Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Lab Marine Mammal Institute, Fisheries and Wildlife Department Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon 97331 USA
| | - Jonathan D. Burnett
- Aerial Information Systems Laboratory Forest Engineering, Resources and Management Department Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon 97331 USA
| | - Todd E. Chandler
- Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Lab Marine Mammal Institute, Fisheries and Wildlife Department Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon 97331 USA
| | - James L. Sumich
- Fisheries and Wildlife Department Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon 97331 USA
| | - Leigh G. Torres
- Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Lab Marine Mammal Institute, Fisheries and Wildlife Department Oregon State University Corvallis Oregon 97331 USA
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18
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Smiley RA, Rittenhouse CD, Mong TW, Monteith KL. Assessing Nutritional Condition of Mule Deer Using a Photographic Index. WILDLIFE SOC B 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.1070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A. Smiley
- Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation Center, Department of Natural Resources and the EnvironmentUniversity of Connecticut 1376 Storrs Road, Unit 4087 Storrs CT 06269‐4087 USA
| | - Chadwick D. Rittenhouse
- Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation Center, Department of Natural Resources and the EnvironmentUniversity of Connecticut 1376 Storrs Road, Unit 4087 Storrs CT 06269‐4087 USA
| | - Tony W. Mong
- Wyoming Game and Fish Department 2820 State Highway 120 Cody WY 82414 USA
| | - Kevin L. Monteith
- Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and PhysiologyUniversity of Wyoming 804 East Fremont Street Laramie WY 82072 USA
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19
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Gailey G, Sychenko O, Tyurneva O, Yakovlev Y, Vertyankin V, van der Wolf P, Drozdov K, Zhmaev I. Effects of sea ice on growth rates of an endangered population of gray whales. Sci Rep 2020; 10:1553. [PMID: 32005947 PMCID: PMC6994479 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-58435-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The western gray whale population is endangered with approximately 175 individuals and 33 known reproductive females. Photo-identification studies were conducted from 2002–2017 during the gray whale foraging season off northeastern Sakhalin Island, Russia. Despite abundant prey resources, significant variation in whales’ body condition, inter-birth intervals and calf survival have been documented with limited understanding of factors that account for the observed variability. We examine sea ice concentrations at their known foraging grounds to define the maximum duration of a “foraging season”. We explore the relationship between foraging season length during a female’s pregnancy and post-weaning calf survival and reproduction. Approximately 77% of the variation in calf survival, which ranged annually from 10–80%, was associated with the duration of the feeding season while the mother was pregnant. Poor body conditions and prolonged inter-birth intervals of western gray whales have also been documented to coincide with shorter duration in feeding seasons found in this study. These results imply that shorter foraging seasons are associated with reduced energy intake by physically limiting the number of days gray whales can forage, and thus sea ice conditions may be one limiting factor affecting growth rates of this endangered population of baleen whales.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Gailey
- Cetacean EcoSystem Research, Olympia, WA, USA.
| | - O Sychenko
- Cetacean EcoSystem Research, Olympia, WA, USA
| | - O Tyurneva
- National Science Center of Marine Biology, Far East Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, Russia
| | - Y Yakovlev
- National Science Center of Marine Biology, Far East Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, Russia
| | - V Vertyankin
- Kronotsky State Biosphere Reserve, Elizovo, Russia
| | - P van der Wolf
- Consultant to Sakhalin Energy Investment Company, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russia
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20
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Dalle Luche G, Bengtson Nash S, Kucklick JR, Mingramm FMJ, Boggs ASP. Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry for the quantification of steroid hormone profiles in blubber from stranded humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae). CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 7:coz030. [PMID: 32742659 PMCID: PMC6664595 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coz030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2018] [Revised: 04/12/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Marine mammal blubber is known to have quantifiable concentrations of steroid hormones and is increasingly chosen as a matrix for the detection of these reproductive and stress biomarkers. Steroid hormones act through complex cascades, often in concert, yet studies conducted on cetaceans have rarely measured more than two steroids simultaneously. Due to the role of steroid hormones in multiple physiological processes, and variability in concentration among individuals, data on single compounds are often difficult to interpret. Here a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous analyses of multiple steroid hormones in cetacean blubber was validated and applied to samples from 10 stranded humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). Progesterone, 17α-hydroxyprogesterone, testosterone, androstenedione, oestrone, oestradiol, cortisone, cortisol, corticosterone and 11-deoxycorticosterone were reliably (relative standard deviation on six replicates <15%) and accurately (recovery of an amended sample between 70% and 120%) quantified, but not 11-deoxycortisol. With the exception of progesterone, testosterone, oestradiol and cortisol, these compounds were quantified for the first time in humpback whales. Given that blubber is frequently collected from free-swimming cetaceans in ongoing research programs, the technique developed here could substantially strengthen understanding and monitoring of the physiological condition of these species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greta Dalle Luche
- Southern Ocean Persistent Organic Pollutants Program, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia
| | - Susan Bengtson Nash
- Southern Ocean Persistent Organic Pollutants Program, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia
| | - John R Kucklick
- Hollings Marine Laboratory, National Institute of Standard and Technology, Charleston, SC , USA
| | | | - Ashley S P Boggs
- Hollings Marine Laboratory, National Institute of Standard and Technology, Charleston, SC , USA
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21
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Agreement between Repeated Subjective Visual Evaluations of Body Condition of St. Lawrence Beluga Whale ( Delphinapterus leucas) Carcasses Using a Visual Analog Scale. J Wildl Dis 2018; 55:518-521. [PMID: 30339091 DOI: 10.7589/2018-04-105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The determination of body condition is a fundamental component of an evaluation during postmortem examinations of cetaceans. Three veterinarians experienced in beluga postmortem techniques subjectively evaluated 62 carcasses of beluga whales ( Delphinapterus leucas) in duplicate, using a visual analog scale. The result of evaluation and scoring was repeatable in cachectic animals and animals in very good condition but did not capture the continuum of body condition determinations between the obvious visual conditions.
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22
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Narazaki T, Isojunno S, Nowacek DP, Swift R, Friedlaender AS, Ramp C, Smout S, Aoki K, Deecke VB, Sato K, Miller PJO. Body density of humpback whales (Megaptera novaengliae) in feeding aggregations estimated from hydrodynamic gliding performance. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0200287. [PMID: 30001369 PMCID: PMC6042725 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0200287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2017] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Many baleen whales undertake annual fasting and feeding cycles, resulting in substantial changes in their body condition, an important factor affecting fitness. As a measure of lipid-store body condition, tissue density of a few deep diving marine mammals has been estimated using a hydrodynamic glide model of drag and buoyancy forces. Here, we applied the method to shallow-diving humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in North Atlantic and Antarctic feeding aggregations. High-resolution 3-axis acceleration, depth and speed data were collected from 24 whales. Measured values of acceleration during 5 s glides were fitted to a hydrodynamic glide model to estimate unknown parameters (tissue density, drag term and diving gas volume) in a Bayesian framework. Estimated species-average tissue density (1031.6 ± 2.1 kg m-3, ±95% credible interval) indicates that humpback whale tissue is typically negatively buoyant although there was a large inter-individual variation ranging from 1025.2 to 1043.1 kg m-3. The precision of the individual estimates was substantially finer than the variation across different individual whales, demonstrating a progressive decrease in tissue density throughout the feeding season and comparably high lipid-store in pregnant females. The drag term (CDAm-1) was estimated to be relatively high, indicating a large effect of lift-related induced drag for humpback whales. Our results show that tissue density of shallow diving baleen whales can be estimated using the hydrodynamic gliding model, although cross-validation with other techniques is an essential next step. This method for estimating body condition is likely to be broadly applicable across a range of aquatic animals and environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoko Narazaki
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St Andrews, Fife, United Kingdom
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Saana Isojunno
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St Andrews, Fife, United Kingdom
| | - Douglas P. Nowacek
- Nicholas School of the Environment and Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University Marine Laboratory, Beaufort, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Rene Swift
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St Andrews, Fife, United Kingdom
| | - Ari S. Friedlaender
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Christian Ramp
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St Andrews, Fife, United Kingdom
- Mingan Island Cetacean Study, Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan, Québec, Canada
| | - Sophie Smout
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St Andrews, Fife, United Kingdom
| | - Kagari Aoki
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St Andrews, Fife, United Kingdom
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
| | - Volker B. Deecke
- Department of Science, Natural Resources and Outdoor Studies, University of Cumbria, Ambleside, United Kingdom
| | - Katsufumi Sato
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
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23
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Fearnbach H, Durban JW, Ellifrit DK, Balcomb KC. Using aerial photogrammetry to detect changes in body condition of endangered southern resident killer whales. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2018. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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24
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Pettis HM, Rolland RM, Hamilton PK, Knowlton AR, Burgess EA, Kraus SD. Body condition changes arising from natural factors and fishing gear entanglements in North Atlantic right whales Eubalaena glacialis. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2017. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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25
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Irvine LG, Thums M, Hanson CE, McMahon CR, Hindell MA. Quantifying the energy stores of capital breeding humpback whales and income breeding sperm whales using historical whaling records. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2017; 4:160290. [PMID: 28405350 PMCID: PMC5383807 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2016] [Accepted: 02/17/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Cetacean energy stores are known to vary according to life history, reproductive status and time of year; however, the opportunity to quantify these relationships is rare. Using a unique set of historical whaling records from Western Australia (1952-1963), we investigated energy stores of large cetaceans with differing life histories, and quantified the relationship between total body lipid and length for humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) (n = 905) and sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) (n = 1961). We found that total body lipid increased with body length in both humpback and sperm whales, consistent with size-related energy stores. Male humpback whales stored 2.49 kl (15.6 barrels) (31.9-74.9%) more lipid than male sperm whales of equivalent length, to fuel their annual migration. Relative lipid stores of sperm whales (males) were constant throughout the year, while those of humpback whales varied with reproductive class and sampling date. Pregnant female humpback whales had higher relative energy stores than non-pregnant females and males (26.2% and 37.4%, respectively), to fuel the energy demands of gestation and lactation. Those that reached the sampling site later (en route to their breeding grounds) carried higher lipid stores than those that arrived earlier, possibly reflecting individual variation in residency times in the Antarctic feeding grounds. Importantly, longer pregnant females had relatively larger energy stores than the shorter pregnant females, indicating that the smaller individuals may experience higher levels of energetic stress during the migration fast. The relationships we developed between body lipid and length can be used to inform bioenergetics and ecosystem models when such detailed information is not available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lyn G. Irvine
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Michele Thums
- Australian Institute of Marine Science and the Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, University of Western Australia (M096), Western Australia, Australia
| | | | - Clive R. McMahon
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
- Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Mosman, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Mark A. Hindell
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
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26
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Miller P, Narazaki T, Isojunno S, Aoki K, Smout S, Sato K. Body density and diving gas volume of the northern bottlenose whale (Hyperoodon ampullatus). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 219:2458-68. [PMID: 27296044 PMCID: PMC5004977 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.137349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2016] [Accepted: 05/31/2016] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Diving lung volume and tissue density, reflecting lipid store volume, are important physiological parameters that have only been estimated for a few breath-hold diving species. We fitted 12 northern bottlenose whales with data loggers that recorded depth, 3-axis acceleration and speed either with a fly-wheel or from change of depth corrected by pitch angle. We fitted measured values of the change in speed during 5 s descent and ascent glides to a hydrodynamic model of drag and buoyancy forces using a Bayesian estimation framework. The resulting estimate of diving gas volume was 27.4±4.2 (95% credible interval, CI) ml kg−1, closely matching the measured lung capacity of the species. Dive-by-dive variation in gas volume did not correlate with dive depth or duration. Estimated body densities of individuals ranged from 1028.4 to 1033.9 kg m−3 at the sea surface, indicating overall negative tissue buoyancy of this species in seawater. Body density estimates were highly precise with ±95% CI ranging from 0.1 to 0.4 kg m−3, which would equate to a precision of <0.5% of lipid content based upon extrapolation from the elephant seal. Six whales tagged near Jan Mayen (Norway, 71°N) had lower body density and were closer to neutral buoyancy than six whales tagged in the Gully (Nova Scotia, Canada, 44°N), a difference that was consistent with the amount of gliding observed during ascent versus descent phases in these animals. Implementation of this approach using longer-duration tags could be used to track longitudinal changes in body density and lipid store body condition of free-ranging cetaceans. Summary: Body density and diving gas volume, two important but poorly understood physiological characteristics of beaked whales, are revealed through analysis of hydrodynamic performance during glides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Miller
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9QQ, UK Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8564, Japan
| | - Tomoko Narazaki
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9QQ, UK Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8564, Japan
| | - Saana Isojunno
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9QQ, UK
| | - Kagari Aoki
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9QQ, UK Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8564, Japan
| | - Sophie Smout
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9QQ, UK
| | - Katsufumi Sato
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8564, Japan
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27
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Mate BR, Ilyashenko VY, Bradford AL, Vertyankin VV, Tsidulko GA, Rozhnov VV, Irvine LM. Critically endangered western gray whales migrate to the eastern North Pacific. Biol Lett 2016; 11:20150071. [PMID: 25878049 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2015.0071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Western North Pacific gray whales (WGWs), once considered extinct, are critically endangered with unknown migratory routes and reproductive areas. We attached satellite-monitored tags to seven WGWs on their primary feeding ground off Sakhalin Island, Russia, three of which subsequently migrated to regions occupied by non-endangered eastern gray whales (EGWs). A female with the longest-lasting tag visited all three major EGW reproductive areas off Baja California, Mexico, before returning to Sakhalin Island the following spring. Her 22 511 km round-trip is the longest documented mammal migration and strongly suggests that some presumed WGWs are actually EGWs foraging in areas historically attributed to WGWs. The observed migration routes provide evidence of navigational skills across open water that break the near-shore north-south migratory paradigm of EGWs. Despite evidence of genetic differentiation, these tagging data indicate that the population identity of whales off Sakhalin Island needs further evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce R Mate
- Marine Mammal Institute, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Newport, OR 97365, USA
| | - Valentin Yu Ilyashenko
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Science, Moscow 119071, Russia
| | - Amanda L Bradford
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington DC 98195-5020, USA
| | | | - Grigory A Tsidulko
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Science, Moscow 119071, Russia
| | - Vyacheslav V Rozhnov
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Science, Moscow 119071, Russia
| | - Ladd M Irvine
- Marine Mammal Institute, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Newport, OR 97365, USA
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28
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Bröker K, Gailey G, Muir J, Racca R. Monitoring and impact mitigation during a 4D seismic survey near a population of gray whales off Sakhalin Island, Russia. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2015. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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29
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The Effect of Climate Variability on Gray Whales (Eschrichtius robustus) within Their Wintering Areas. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0134655. [PMID: 26309028 PMCID: PMC4550241 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0134655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2014] [Accepted: 07/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The environmental conditions of the breeding and feeding grounds of the gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) fluctuates at inter-annual scales in response to regional and basin climate patterns. Thus, the goals of this study were to assess if there are any relationships between summer sea ice on their feeding ground and counts of gray whale mother-calf (MC) pairs at Ojo de Liebre Lagoon (OLL); and if El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) influences the winter distribution of gray whales MC pairs in the three primary breeding lagoons of OLL, San Ignacio Lagoon (SIL) and Santo Domingo Channel north of Bahia Magdalena (SDCh). Maximum February counts of MC pairs were compared with the length of the open-water season at the Bering Sea during the previous year. Then, an ENSO index and sea surface temperature anomalies outside the primary lagoons was compared with the maximum February counts of MC pairs at these lagoons. Results showed that maximum counts of MC pairs in OLL correlates with sea ice conditions in their feeding grounds from the previous feeding season, and this relationship can be attributed to changes in nutritive condition of females. ENSO-related variability influences distribution of MC pairs in the southern area of SDCh during the warm 1998 El Niño and cold 1999 La Niña. This supports the hypothesis that changes in the whales' distribution related to sea temperature occurs to reduce thermal-stress and optimize energy utilization for newborn whales. Although this last conclusion should be considered in view of the limited data available from all the whales' wintering locations in all the years considered.
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When righting is wrong: performance measures require rank repeatability for estimates of individual fitness. Anim Behav 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2014.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Using hierarchical bayes to understand movement, health, and survival in the endangered north atlantic right whale. PLoS One 2013; 8:e64166. [PMID: 23762237 PMCID: PMC3675107 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0064166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2012] [Accepted: 04/11/2013] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Body condition is an indicator of health, and it plays a key role in many vital processes for mammalian species. While evidence of individual body condition can be obtained, these observations provide just brief glimpses into the health state of the animal. An analytical framework is needed for understanding how health of animals changes over space and time.Through knowledge of individual health we can better understand the status of populations. This is particularly important in endangered species, where the consequences of disruption of critical biological functions can push groups of animals rapidly toward extinction. Here we built a state-space model that provides estimates of movement, health, and survival. We assimilated 30+ years of photographic evidence of body condition and three additional visual health parameters in individual North Atlantic right whales, together with survey data, to infer the true health status as it changes over space and time. We also included the effect of reproductive status and entanglement status on health. At the population level, we estimated differential movement patterns in males and females. At the individual level, we estimated the likely animal locations each month. We estimated the relationship between observed and latent health status. Observations of body condition, skin condition, cyamid infestation on the blowholes, and rake marks all provided measures of the true underlying health. The resulting time series of individual health highlight both normal variations in health status and how anthropogenic stressors can affect the health and, ultimately, the survival of individuals. This modeling approach provides information for monitoring of health in right whales, as well as a framework for integrating observational data at the level of individuals up through the health status of the population. This framework can be broadly applied to a variety of systems – terrestrial and marine – where sporadic observations of individuals exist.
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Monteith KL, Stephenson TR, Bleich VC, Conner MM, Pierce BM, Bowyer RT. Risk-sensitive allocation in seasonal dynamics of fat and protein reserves in a long-lived mammal. J Anim Ecol 2013; 82:377-88. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2012] [Accepted: 10/01/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Mary M. Conner
- California Department of Fish and Game; Bishop; CA; 93514; USA
| | | | - R. Terry Bowyer
- Department of Biological Sciences; Idaho State University; Pocatello; ID; 83209; USA
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Hunt KE, Moore MJ, Rolland RM, Kellar NM, Hall AJ, Kershaw J, Raverty SA, Davis CE, Yeates LC, Fauquier DA, Rowles TK, Kraus SD. Overcoming the challenges of studying conservation physiology in large whales: a review of available methods. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2013; 1:cot006. [PMID: 27293590 PMCID: PMC4806609 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cot006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2013] [Revised: 03/22/2013] [Accepted: 03/27/2013] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Large whales are subjected to a variety of conservation pressures that could be better monitored and managed if physiological information could be gathered readily from free-swimming whales. However, traditional approaches to studying physiology have been impractical for large whales, because there is no routine method for capture of the largest species and there is presently no practical method of obtaining blood samples from free-swimming whales. We review the currently available techniques for gathering physiological information on large whales using a variety of non-lethal and minimally invasive (or non-invasive) sample matrices. We focus on methods that should produce information relevant to conservation physiology, e.g. measures relevant to stress physiology, reproductive status, nutritional status, immune response, health, and disease. The following four types of samples are discussed: faecal samples, respiratory samples ('blow'), skin/blubber samples, and photographs. Faecal samples have historically been used for diet analysis but increasingly are also used for hormonal analyses, as well as for assessment of exposure to toxins, pollutants, and parasites. Blow samples contain many hormones as well as respiratory microbes, a diverse array of metabolites, and a variety of immune-related substances. Biopsy dart samples are widely used for genetic, contaminant, and fatty-acid analyses and are now being used for endocrine studies along with proteomic and transcriptomic approaches. Photographic analyses have benefited from recently developed quantitative techniques allowing assessment of skin condition, ectoparasite load, and nutritional status, along with wounds and scars from ship strikes and fishing gear entanglement. Field application of these techniques has the potential to improve our understanding of the physiology of large whales greatly, better enabling assessment of the relative impacts of many anthropogenic and ecological pressures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen E. Hunt
- John H. Prescott Marine Laboratory, Research Department, New England Aquarium, Boston, MA 02110, USA
- Corresponding author: New England Aquarium, Central Wharf, Boston, MA 02110, USA. Tel: +1 617 226 2175.
| | - Michael J. Moore
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Insitution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Rosalind M. Rolland
- John H. Prescott Marine Laboratory, Research Department, New England Aquarium, Boston, MA 02110, USA
| | - Nicholas M. Kellar
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Ailsa J. Hall
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, St Andrews KY16 8LB, UK
| | - Joanna Kershaw
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, St Andrews KY16 8LB, UK
| | | | - Cristina E. Davis
- Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | | | - Deborah A. Fauquier
- Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Teresa K. Rowles
- Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Scott D. Kraus
- John H. Prescott Marine Laboratory, Research Department, New England Aquarium, Boston, MA 02110, USA
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