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Høiberg MA, Stadler K, Verones F. Disentangling marine plastic impacts in Life Cycle Assessment: Spatially explicit Characterization Factors for ecosystem quality. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 949:175019. [PMID: 39059661 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175019] [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: 03/26/2024] [Revised: 07/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Inputs of persistent plastic items to marine environments continue to pose a serious and long-term threat to marine fauna and ecosystem health, justifying further interventions on local and global scales. While Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is frequently used for sustainability evaluations by industries and policymakers, plastic leakage to the environment and its subsequent impacts remains absent from the framework. Incorporating plastic pollution in the assessments requires development of both inventories and impact assessment methods. Here, we propose spatially explicit Characterization Factors (CF) for quantifying the impacts of plastic entanglement on marine megafauna (mammals, birds and reptiles) on a global scale. We utilize Lagrangian particle tracking and a Species Sensitivity Distribution (SSD) model along with species susceptibility records to estimate potential entanglement impacts stemming from lost plastic-based fishing gear. By simulating plastic losses from fishing hotspots within all Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) we provide country-specific impact estimates for use in LCA. The impacts were found to be similar across regions, although the median CF associated with Oceania was higher compared to Europe, Africa and Asia. Our findings underscore the presence of susceptible species across the world and the transboundary issue of plastic pollution. We discuss the application of the factors and identify areas of further refinement that can contribute towards a comprehensive assessment of macroplastic pollution in sustainability assessments. Degradation and beaching rates for different types of fishing gear remain a research gap, along with population-level effects on marine taxa beyond surface breathing megafauna. Increasing the coverage of impacts specific to the marine realm in LCA alongside other stressors can facilitate informed decision-making towards more sustainable marine resource management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marthe A Høiberg
- Industrial Ecology Programme, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Konstantin Stadler
- Industrial Ecology Programme, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Francesca Verones
- Industrial Ecology Programme, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
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2
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Thorne LH, Wiley DN. Evaluating drivers of recent large whale strandings on the East Coast of the United States. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2024:e14302. [PMID: 38808391 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.14302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
Anthropogenic stressors threaten large whales globally. Effective management requires an understanding of where, when, and why threats are occurring. Strandings data provide key information on geographic hotspots of risk and the relative importance of various threats. There is currently considerable public interest in the increased frequency of large whale strandings occurring along the US East Coast of the United States since 2016. Interest is accentuated due to a purported link with offshore wind energy development. We reviewed spatiotemporal patterns of strandings, mortalities, and serious injuries of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), the species most frequently involved, for which the US government has declared an "unusual mortality event" (UME). Our analysis highlights the role of vessel strikes, exacerbated by recent changes in humpback whale distribution and vessel traffic. Humpback whales have expanded into new foraging grounds in recent years. Mortalities due to vessel strikes have increased significantly in these newly occupied regions, which show high vessel traffic that also increased markedly during the UME. Surface feeding and feeding in shallow waters may have been contributing factors. We found no evidence that offshore wind development contributed to strandings or mortalities. This work highlights the need to consider behavioral, ecological, and anthropogenic factors to determine the drivers of mortality and serious injury in large whales and to provide informed guidance to decision-makers.
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Affiliation(s)
- L H Thorne
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - D N Wiley
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean Service, Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, Scituate, Massachusetts, USA
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3
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Feyrer LJ, Stanistreet JE, Moors-Murphy HB. Navigating the unknown: assessing anthropogenic threats to beaked whales, family Ziphiidae. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:240058. [PMID: 38633351 PMCID: PMC11021932 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.240058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
This review comprehensively evaluates the impacts of anthropogenic threats on beaked whales (Ziphiidae)-a taxonomic group characterized by cryptic biology, deep dives and remote offshore habitat, which have challenged direct scientific observation. By synthesizing information published in peer-reviewed studies and grey literature, we identified available evidence of impacts across 14 threats for each Ziphiidae species. Threats were assessed based on their pathways of effects on individuals, revealing many gaps in scientific understanding of the risks faced by beaked whales. By applying a comprehensive taxon-level analysis, we found evidence that all beaked whale species are affected by multiple stressors, with climate change, entanglement and plastic pollution being the most common threats documented across beaked whale species. Threats assessed as having a serious impact on individuals included whaling, military sonar, entanglement, depredation, vessel strikes, plastics and oil spills. This review emphasizes the urgent need for targeted research to address a range of uncertainties, including cumulative and population-level impacts. Understanding the evidence and pathways of the effects of stressors on individuals can support future assessments, guide practical mitigation strategies and advance current understanding of anthropogenic impacts on rare and elusive marine species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura J. Feyrer
- Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Dartmouth, Nova ScotiaB2Y 4A2, Canada
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova ScotiaB3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Joy E. Stanistreet
- Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Dartmouth, Nova ScotiaB2Y 4A2, Canada
| | - Hilary B. Moors-Murphy
- Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Dartmouth, Nova ScotiaB2Y 4A2, Canada
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4
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Reed J, New L, Corkeron P, Harcourt R. Disentangling the influence of entanglement on recruitment in North Atlantic right whales. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20240314. [PMID: 38471549 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
North Atlantic right whales are Critically Endangered and declining, with entanglements in fishing gear a key contributor to their decline. Entanglement events can result in lethal and sub-lethal (i.e. increased energetic demands and reduced foraging ability) impacts, with the latter influencing critical life-history states, such as reproduction. Using a multi-event framework, we developed a Bayesian mark-recapture model to investigate the influence of entanglement severity on survival and recruitment for female right whales. We used information from 199 known-aged females sighted between 1977 and 2018, combined with known entanglements of varying severity that were classified as minor, moderate or severe. Severe entanglements resulted in an average decline in survival of 27% for experienced non-breeders, 9% for breeders and 26% for pre-breeding females compared with other entanglements and unentangled individuals. Surviving individuals with severe entanglements had low transitional probabilities to breeders, but surprisingly, individuals with minor entanglements had the lowest transitional probabilities, contrary to expectations underpinning current management actions. Management actions are needed to address the lethal and sub-lethal impacts of entanglements, regardless of severity classification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Reed
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, New South Wales, 2109, Australia
| | - Leslie New
- Department of Mathematics, Computer Science and Statistics, Ursinus College, Collegeville, PA, 19426, USA
| | - Peter Corkeron
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland 4111, Australia
| | - Robert Harcourt
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, New South Wales, 2109, Australia
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5
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Pirotta E, Schick RS, Hamilton PK, Harris CM, Hewitt J, Knowlton AR, Kraus SD, Meyer‐Gutbrod E, Moore MJ, Pettis HM, Photopoulou T, Rolland RM, Tyack PL, Thomas L. Estimating the effects of stressors on the health, survival and reproduction of a critically endangered, long‐lived species. OIKOS 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.09801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Pirotta
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, Univ. of St Andrews St Andrews UK
| | - Robert S. Schick
- Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke Univ. Durham NC USA
| | - Philip K. Hamilton
- Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium Boston MA USA
| | - Catriona M. Harris
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, Univ. of St Andrews St Andrews UK
| | - Joshua Hewitt
- Dept of Statistical Science, Duke Univ. Durham NC USA
| | - Amy R. Knowlton
- Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium Boston MA USA
| | - Scott D. Kraus
- Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium Boston MA USA
| | - Erin Meyer‐Gutbrod
- School of Earth, Ocean and Environment, Univ. of South Carolina Columbia SC USA
| | | | - Heather M. Pettis
- Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium Boston MA USA
| | - Theoni Photopoulou
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, Univ. of St Andrews St Andrews UK
| | | | - Peter L. Tyack
- School of Biology, Scottish Oceans Inst., Univ. of St Andrews St Andrews UK
| | - Len Thomas
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, Univ. of St Andrews St Andrews UK
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6
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Fin Whale ( Balaenoptera physalus) Mortality along the Italian Coast between 1624 and 2021. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12223111. [PMID: 36428339 PMCID: PMC9686696 DOI: 10.3390/ani12223111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The Mediterranean Sea hosts a population of fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus), the only species of Mysticete regularly occurring in the basin. Observed and inferred mortality suggests that the population is likely declining. Accordingly, understanding the causes of mortality and assessing the health status is pivotal to the survival of this endangered population. While such studies are inherently difficult for a highly roaming species with a pelagic distribution, mortality events provide the opportunity to investigate biological and epidemiological traits linked to these events, and evaluate the footprint of human activity, especially when long-term data series exist. We present a comprehensive spatial-temporal overview of fin whale mortality events along the Italian coast encompassing four centuries (1624-2021). Time series analysis was used to highlight structural changes in the evolution of mortality through time, while spatial-temporal patterns in the distribution of mortality events were assessed through emerging hot spot analysis methods. Recent mortality events (1964-2021) were further explored to evaluate, where possible, the primary causes of mortality and to identify anthropogenic threats of conservation concerns. This long-term survey offers the basis for an understanding of the health status of this B. physalus population and provides much-needed information for developing an effective management and conservation plan for the species in the region.
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McHuron EA, Adamczak S, Arnould JPY, Ashe E, Booth C, Bowen WD, Christiansen F, Chudzinska M, Costa DP, Fahlman A, Farmer NA, Fortune SME, Gallagher CA, Keen KA, Madsen PT, McMahon CR, Nabe-Nielsen J, Noren DP, Noren SR, Pirotta E, Rosen DAS, Speakman CN, Villegas-Amtmann S, Williams R. Key questions in marine mammal bioenergetics. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 10:coac055. [PMID: 35949259 PMCID: PMC9358695 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coac055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Bioenergetic approaches are increasingly used to understand how marine mammal populations could be affected by a changing and disturbed aquatic environment. There remain considerable gaps in our knowledge of marine mammal bioenergetics, which hinder the application of bioenergetic studies to inform policy decisions. We conducted a priority-setting exercise to identify high-priority unanswered questions in marine mammal bioenergetics, with an emphasis on questions relevant to conservation and management. Electronic communication and a virtual workshop were used to solicit and collate potential research questions from the marine mammal bioenergetic community. From a final list of 39 questions, 11 were identified as 'key' questions because they received votes from at least 50% of survey participants. Key questions included those related to energy intake (prey landscapes, exposure to human activities) and expenditure (field metabolic rate, exposure to human activities, lactation, time-activity budgets), energy allocation priorities, metrics of body condition and relationships with survival and reproductive success and extrapolation of data from one species to another. Existing tools to address key questions include labelled water, animal-borne sensors, mark-resight data from long-term research programs, environmental DNA and unmanned vehicles. Further validation of existing approaches and development of new methodologies are needed to comprehensively address some key questions, particularly for cetaceans. The identification of these key questions can provide a guiding framework to set research priorities, which ultimately may yield more accurate information to inform policies and better conserve marine mammal populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A McHuron
- Corresponding author: Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, and Ecosystem Studies, University of Washington, WA, 98195, USA.
| | - Stephanie Adamczak
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
| | - John P Y Arnould
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia
| | - Erin Ashe
- Oceans Initiative, Seattle, WA, 98102, USA
| | - Cormac Booth
- SMRU Consulting, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews KY16 8LB, UK
| | - W Don Bowen
- Biology Department, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
- Population Ecology Division, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Dartmouth, NS B2Y 4A2, Canada
| | - Fredrik Christiansen
- Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Zoophysiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Center for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch, Murdoch University, WA 6150, Australia
| | - Magda Chudzinska
- SMRU Consulting, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews KY16 8LB, UK
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews KY16 9XL, UK
| | - Daniel P Costa
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
| | - Andreas Fahlman
- Fundación Oceanogràfic de la Comunitat Valenciana, 46005 Valencia, Spain
- Kolmården Wildlife Park, 618 92 Kolmården, Sweden
| | - Nicholas A Farmer
- NOAA/National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Regional Office, St. Petersburg, FL, 33701, USA
| | - Sarah M E Fortune
- Department of Oceanography, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Cara A Gallagher
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation, University of Potsdam, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Kelly A Keen
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
| | - Peter T Madsen
- Zoophysiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Clive R McMahon
- IMOS Animal Tagging, Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Mosman, NSW 2088, Australia
| | | | - Dawn P Noren
- Conservation Biology Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, WA, 98112, USA
| | - Shawn R Noren
- Institute of Marine Science, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA
| | - Enrico Pirotta
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews KY16 9LZ, UK
| | - David A S Rosen
- Institute for Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1ZA, Canada
| | - Cassie N Speakman
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia
| | - Stella Villegas-Amtmann
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
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Khan C, Blount D, Parham J, Holmberg J, Hamilton P, Charlton C, Christiansen F, Johnston D, Rayment W, Dawson S, Vermeulen E, Rowntree V, Groch K, Levenson JJ, Bogucki R. Artificial intelligence for right whale photo identification: from data science competition to worldwide collaboration. Mamm Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-022-00253-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
AbstractPhoto identification is an important tool in the conservation management of endangered species, and recent developments in artificial intelligence are revolutionizing existing workflows to identify individual animals. In 2015, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration hosted a Kaggle data science competition to automate the identification of endangered North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis). The winning algorithms developed by Deepsense.ai were able to identify individuals with 87% accuracy using a series of convolutional neural networks to identify the region of interest, create standardized photographs of uniform size and orientation, and then identify the correct individual. Since that time, we have brought in many more collaborators as we moved from prototype to production. Leveraging the existing infrastructure by Wild Me, the developers of Flukebook, we have created a web-based platform that allows biologists with no machine learning expertise to utilize semi-automated photo identification of right whales. New models were generated on an updated dataset using the winning Deepsense.ai algorithms. Given the morphological similarity between the North Atlantic right whale and closely related southern right whale (Eubalaena australis), we expanded the system to incorporate the largest long-term photo identification catalogs around the world including the United States, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Argentina, Brazil, and New Zealand. The system is now fully operational with multi-feature matching for both North Atlantic right whales and southern right whales from aerial photos of their heads (Deepsense), lateral photos of their heads (Pose Invariant Embeddings), flukes (CurvRank v2), and peduncle scarring (HotSpotter). We hope to encourage researchers to embrace both broad data collaborations and artificial intelligence to increase our understanding of wild populations and aid conservation efforts.
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Pirotta E, Thomas L, Costa DP, Hall AJ, Harris CM, Harwood J, Kraus SD, Miller PJO, Moore MJ, Photopoulou T, Rolland RM, Schwacke L, Simmons SE, Southall BL, Tyack PL. Understanding the combined effects of multiple stressors: A new perspective on a longstanding challenge. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 821:153322. [PMID: 35074373 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Wildlife populations and their habitats are exposed to an expanding diversity and intensity of stressors caused by human activities, within the broader context of natural processes and increasing pressure from climate change. Estimating how these multiple stressors affect individuals, populations, and ecosystems is thus of growing importance. However, their combined effects often cannot be predicted reliably from the individual effects of each stressor, and we lack the mechanistic understanding and analytical tools to predict their joint outcomes. We review the science of multiple stressors and present a conceptual framework that captures and reconciles the variety of existing approaches for assessing combined effects. Specifically, we show that all approaches lie along a spectrum, reflecting increasing assumptions about the mechanisms that regulate the action of single stressors and their combined effects. An emphasis on mechanisms improves analytical precision and predictive power but could introduce bias if the underlying assumptions are incorrect. A purely empirical approach has less risk of bias but requires adequate data on the effects of the full range of anticipated combinations of stressor types and magnitudes. We illustrate how this spectrum can be formalised into specific analytical methods, using an example of North Atlantic right whales feeding on limited prey resources while simultaneously being affected by entanglement in fishing gear. In practice, case-specific management needs and data availability will guide the exploration of the stressor combinations of interest and the selection of a suitable trade-off between precision and bias. We argue that the primary goal for adaptive management should be to identify the most practical and effective ways to remove or reduce specific combinations of stressors, bringing the risk of adverse impacts on populations and ecosystems below acceptable thresholds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Pirotta
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK; School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
| | - Len Thomas
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.
| | - Daniel P Costa
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA; Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.
| | - Ailsa J Hall
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.
| | - Catriona M Harris
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.
| | - John Harwood
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.
| | - Scott D Kraus
- Anderson-Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Patrick J O Miller
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.
| | - Michael J Moore
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA.
| | - Theoni Photopoulou
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.
| | - Rosalind M Rolland
- Anderson-Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Lori Schwacke
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, Johns Island, SC, USA.
| | | | - Brandon L Southall
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA; Southall Environmental Associates, Inc., Aptos, CA, USA.
| | - Peter L Tyack
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK.
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10
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Eisfeld-Pierantonio SM, Pierantonio N, Simmonds MP. The impact of marine debris on cetaceans with consideration of plastics generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 300:118967. [PMID: 35134431 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.118967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The accumulation of human-derived debris in the oceans is a global concern and a serious threat to marine wildlife. There is a volume of evidence that points to deleterious effects of marine debris (MD) on cetaceans in terms of both entanglement and ingestion. This review suggests that about 68% of cetacean species are affected by interacting with MD with an increase in the number of species reported to have interacted with it over the past decades. Despite the growing body of evidence, there is an ongoing debate on the actual effects of plastics on cetaceans and, in particular, with reference to the ingestion of microplastics and their potential toxicological and pathogenic effects. Current knowledge suggests that the observed differences in the rate and nature of interactions with plastics are the result of substantial differences in species-specific diving and feeding strategies. Existing projections on the production, use and disposal of plastics suggest a further increase of marine plastic pollution. In this context, the contribution of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to marine plastic pollution appears to be substantial, with potentially serious consequences for marine life including cetaceans. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic offers an opportunity to investigate the direct links between industry, human behaviours and the effects of MD on cetaceans. This could help inform management, prevention efforts, describe knowledge gaps and guide advancements in research efforts. This review highlights the lack of assessments of population-level effects related to MD and suggests that these could be rather immediate for small populations already under pressure from other anthropogenic activities. Finally, we suggest that MD is not only a pollution, economic and social issue, but also a welfare concern for the species and populations involved.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nino Pierantonio
- Tethys Research Institute, Viale G. B. Gadio 2, 20121, Milano, Italy.
| | - Mark P Simmonds
- Bristol Veterinary School Langford House, Langford, Bristol, BS40 5DU, UK; OceanCare, PO Box 372, 8820, Wadenswill, Switzerland.
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11
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Delarue JJY, Moors-Murphy H, Kowarski KA, Davis GE, Urazghildiiev IR, Martin SB. Acoustic occurrence of baleen whales, particularly blue, fin, and humpback whales, off eastern Canada, 2015–2017. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2022. [DOI: 10.3354/esr01176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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12
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Pirotta E. A review of bioenergetic modelling for marine mammal populations. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 10:coac036. [PMID: 35754757 PMCID: PMC9215292 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coac036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Bioenergetic models describe the processes through which animals acquire energy from resources in the environment and allocate it to different life history functions. They capture some of the fundamental mechanisms regulating individuals, populations and ecosystems and have thus been used in a wide variety of theoretical and applied contexts. Here, I review the development of bioenergetic models for marine mammals and their application to management and conservation. For these long-lived, wide-ranging species, bioenergetic approaches were initially used to assess the energy requirements and prey consumption of individuals and populations. Increasingly, models are developed to describe the dynamics of energy intake and allocation and predict how resulting body reserves, vital rates and population dynamics might change as external conditions vary. The building blocks required to develop such models include estimates of intake rate, maintenance costs, growth patterns, energy storage and the dynamics of gestation and lactation, as well as rules for prioritizing allocation. I describe how these components have been parameterized for marine mammals and highlight critical research gaps. Large variation exists among available analytical approaches, reflecting the large range of life histories, management needs and data availability across studies. Flexibility in modelling strategy has supported tailored applications to specific case studies but has resulted in limited generality. Despite the many empirical and theoretical uncertainties that remain, bioenergetic models can be used to predict individual and population responses to environmental change and other anthropogenic impacts, thus providing powerful tools to inform effective management and conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Pirotta
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9LZ, UK. Tel: (+44) (0)1334 461 842.
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13
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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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14
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Quintana-Rizzo E, Leiter S, Cole TVN, Hagbloom MN, Knowlton AR, Nagelkirk P, O’Brien O, Khan CB, Henry AG, Duley PA, Crowe LM, Mayo CA, Kraus SD. Residency, demographics, and movement patterns of North Atlantic right whales Eubalaena glacialis in an offshore wind energy development area in southern New England, USA. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2021. [DOI: 10.3354/esr01137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Offshore wind energy development is growing quickly around the world. In southern New England, USA, one of the largest commercial offshore wind energy farms in the USA will be established in the waters off Massachusetts and Rhode Island, an area used by the Critically Endangered North Atlantic right whale Eubalaena glacialis. Prior to 2011, little was known about the use of this area by right whales. We examined aerial survey data collected between 2011-2015 and 2017-2019 to quantify right whale distribution, residency, demography, and movements in the region. Right whale occurrence increased during the study period. Since 2017, whales have been sighted in the area nearly every month, with peak sighting rates between late winter and spring. Model outputs suggest that 23% of the species’ population is present from December through May, and the mean residence time has tripled to an average of 13 d during these months. Age and sex ratios of the individuals present in the area are similar to those of the species as a whole, with adult males the most common demographic group. Movement models showed that southern New England is an important destination for right whales, including conceptive and reproductive females, and qualitative observations included animals feeding and socializing. Implementing mitigation procedures in coordination with these findings will be crucial in lessening the potential impacts on right whales from construction noise, increased vessel traffic, and habitat disruption in this region.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Quintana-Rizzo
- Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium, Boston, MA 02110, USA
- Simmons University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - S Leiter
- Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium, Boston, MA 02110, USA
| | - TVN Cole
- Northeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - MN Hagbloom
- Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium, Boston, MA 02110, USA
| | - AR Knowlton
- Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium, Boston, MA 02110, USA
| | - P Nagelkirk
- Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium, Boston, MA 02110, USA
| | - O O’Brien
- Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium, Boston, MA 02110, USA
| | - CB Khan
- Northeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - AG Henry
- Northeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - PA Duley
- Northeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - LM Crowe
- Integrated Statistics, under contract to the Northeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - CA Mayo
- Center for Coastal Studies, Provincetown, MA 02657, USA
| | - SD Kraus
- Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium, Boston, MA 02110, USA
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15
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Stewart JD, Durban JW, Knowlton AR, Lynn MS, Fearnbach H, Barbaro J, Perryman WL, Miller CA, Moore MJ. Decreasing body lengths in North Atlantic right whales. Curr Biol 2021; 31:3174-3179.e3. [PMID: 34087102 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.04.067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Whales are now largely protected from direct harvest, leading to partial recoveries in many previously depleted species.1 However, most populations remain far below their historical abundances and incidental human impacts, especially vessel strikes and entanglement in fishing gear, are increasingly recognized as key threats.2 In addition, climate-driven changes to prey dynamics are impacting the seasonal foraging grounds of many baleen whales.2 In many cases these impacts result directly in mortality. But it is less clear how widespread and increasing sub-lethal impacts are affecting life history, individual fitness, and population viability. We evaluated changes in body lengths of North Atlantic right whales (NARW) using aerial photogrammetry measurements collected from crewed aircraft and remotely operated drones over a 20-year period (Figure 1). NARW have been monitored consistently since the 1980s and have been declining in abundance since 2011 due primarily to deaths associated with entanglements in active fishing gear and vessel strikes.3 High rates of sub-lethal injuries and individual-level information on age, size and observed entanglements make this an ideal population to evaluate the effects that these widespread stressors may have on individual fitness. We find that entanglements in fishing gear are associated with shorter whales, and that body lengths have been decreasing since 1981. Arrested growth may lead to reduced reproductive success4,5 and increased probability of lethal gear entanglements.6 These results show that sub-lethal stressors threaten the recoveries of vulnerable whale populations even in the absence of direct harvest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua D Stewart
- National Research Council Postdoctoral Fellow for Marine Mammal and Turtle Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.
| | - John W Durban
- Marine Mammal and Turtle Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA; Southall Environmental Associates, Inc., Soquel Dr., Aptos, CA, 95003, USA
| | - Amy R Knowlton
- Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium, Boston, MA, 02110, USA
| | - Morgan S Lynn
- Marine Mammal and Turtle Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Holly Fearnbach
- Marine Mammal Research Program, SR3, SeaLife Response, Rehabilitation and Research, S 216th St., Des Moines, WA, 98198, USA
| | - Jacob Barbaro
- Marine Mammal and Turtle Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Wayne L Perryman
- Marine Mammal and Turtle Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Carolyn A Miller
- Department of Biology, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole Rd., Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA
| | - Michael J Moore
- Department of Biology, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole Rd., Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA
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Gavrilchuk K, Lesage V, Fortune SME, Trites AW, Plourde S. Foraging habitat of North Atlantic right whales has declined in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada, and may be insufficient for successful reproduction. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2021. [DOI: 10.3354/esr01097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate-induced changes in calanoid copepod (Calanus spp.) availability in traditional feeding areas might explain why a large proportion of the North Atlantic right whale Eubalaena glacialis population has fed in the Gulf of St. Lawrence (Canada) in recent years. However, little is known about the distribution of copepods in the gulf, and whether their abundance is sufficient to energetically sustain right whales. We used a mechanistic modelling approach to predict areas within the gulf that have foraging potential for adult female right whales, based on the annual energetic needs of resting, pregnant and lactating females, and their theoretical prey density requirements. We identified suitable foraging areas for right whales by coupling a foraging bioenergetics model with a 12 yr data set (2006-2017) describing the abundance and 3-dimensional distribution of late-stage Calanus spp. in the gulf. Prey densities in the southern gulf (from Shediac Valley to the Magdalen Islands) supported all 3 reproductive states in most (≥6) years. However, foraging habitat became progressively sparse in the southern gulf over time, with noticeably less suitable habitat available after 2014. Few other potentially suitable foraging areas were identified elsewhere in the gulf. Overall, the availability of foraging habitat in the gulf varied considerably between years, and was higher for resting females than for pregnant and lactating females. Our findings are consistent with the recent low calving rates, and indicate that prey biomass in the Gulf of St. Lawrence may be insufficient in most years to support successful reproduction of North Atlantic right whales.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Gavrilchuk
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Mont-Joli, QC G5H 3Z4, Canada
| | - V Lesage
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Mont-Joli, QC G5H 3Z4, Canada
| | - SME Fortune
- Marine Mammal Research Unit, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - AW Trites
- Marine Mammal Research Unit, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - S Plourde
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Mont-Joli, QC G5H 3Z4, Canada
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Moore MJ, Rowles TK, Fauquier DA, Baker JD, Biedron I, Durban JW, Hamilton PK, Henry AG, Knowlton AR, McLellan WA, Miller CA, Pace RM, Pettis HM, Raverty S, Rolland RM, Schick RS, Sharp SM, Smith CR, Thomas L, der Hoop JMV, Ziccardi MH. REVIEW: Assessing North Atlantic right whale health: threats, and development of tools critical for conservation of the species. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2021; 143:205-226. [PMID: 33629663 DOI: 10.3354/dao03578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Whaling has decimated North Atlantic right whales Eubalaena glacialis (NARW) since the 11th century and southern right whales E. australis (SRW) since the 19th century. Today, NARWs are Critically Endangered and decreasing, whereas SRWs are recovering. We review NARW health assessment literature, NARW Consortium databases, and efforts and limitations to monitor individual and species health, survival, and fecundity. Photographs are used to track individual movement and external signs of health such as evidence of vessel and entanglement trauma. Post-mortem examinations establish cause of death and determine organ pathology. Photogrammetry is used to assess growth rates and body condition. Samples of blow, skin, blubber, baleen and feces quantify hormones that provide information on stress, reproduction, and nutrition, identify microbiome changes, and assess evidence of infection. We also discuss models of the population consequences of multiple stressors, including the connection between human activities (e.g. entanglement) and health. Lethal and sublethal vessel and entanglement trauma have been identified as major threats to the species. There is a clear and immediate need for expanding trauma reduction measures. Beyond these major concerns, further study is needed to evaluate the impact of other stressors, such as pathogens, microbiome changes, and algal and industrial toxins, on NARW reproductive success and health. Current and new health assessment tools should be developed and used to monitor the effectiveness of management measures and will help determine whether they are sufficient for a substantive species recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Moore
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole MA 02543, USA Co-authors' addresses given in a supplement; www.int-res.com/articles/suppl/d143p205_supp.pdf
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18
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Raverty S, St. Leger J, Noren DP, Burek Huntington K, Rotstein DS, Gulland FMD, Ford JKB, Hanson MB, Lambourn DM, Huggins J, Delaney MA, Spaven L, Rowles T, Barre L, Cottrell P, Ellis G, Goldstein T, Terio K, Duffield D, Rice J, Gaydos JK. Pathology findings and correlation with body condition index in stranded killer whales (Orcinus orca) in the northeastern Pacific and Hawaii from 2004 to 2013. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0242505. [PMID: 33264305 PMCID: PMC7710042 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0242505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding health and mortality in killer whales (Orcinus orca) is crucial for management and conservation actions. We reviewed pathology reports from 53 animals that stranded in the eastern Pacific Ocean and Hawaii between 2004 and 2013 and used data from 35 animals that stranded from 2001 to 2017 to assess association with morphometrics, blubber thickness, body condition and cause of death. Of the 53 cases, cause of death was determined for 22 (42%) and nine additional animals demonstrated findings of significant importance for population health. Causes of calf mortalities included infectious disease, nutritional, and congenital malformations. Mortalities in sub-adults were due to trauma, malnutrition, and infectious disease and in adults due to bacterial infections, emaciation and blunt force trauma. Death related to human interaction was found in every age class. Important incidental findings included concurrent sarcocystosis and toxoplasmosis, uterine leiomyoma, vertebral periosteal proliferations, cookiecutter shark (Isistius sp.) bite wounds, excessive tooth wear and an ingested fish hook. Blubber thickness increased significantly with body length (all p < 0.001). In contrast, there was no relationship between body length and an index of body condition (BCI). BCI was higher in animals that died from trauma. This study establishes a baseline for understanding health, nutritional status and causes of mortality in stranded killer whales. Given the evidence of direct human interactions on all age classes, in order to be most successful recovery efforts should address the threat of human interactions, especially for small endangered groups of killer whales that occur in close proximity to large human populations, interact with recreational and commercial fishers and transit established shipping lanes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Raverty
- Animal Health Center, Ministry of Agriculture, Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | - Judy St. Leger
- Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Dawn P. Noren
- Conservation Biology Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | | | - David S. Rotstein
- Marine Mammal Pathology Service, Olney, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Frances M. D. Gulland
- One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California - Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - John K. B. Ford
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Science Branch, Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
| | - M. Bradley Hanson
- Conservation Biology Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Dyanna M. Lambourn
- Marine Mammal Investigations, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Lakewood, Washington, United States of America
| | - Jessie Huggins
- Cascadia Research Collective, Olympia, Washington, United States of America
| | - Martha A. Delaney
- Zoological Pathology Program, University of Illinois, Brookfield, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Lisa Spaven
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Science Branch, Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Teri Rowles
- Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Lynne Barre
- West Coast Regional Office, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Paul Cottrell
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Fisheries and Aquaculture Management, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Graeme Ellis
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Science Branch, Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Tracey Goldstein
- One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California - Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Karen Terio
- Zoological Pathology Program, University of Illinois, Brookfield, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Debbie Duffield
- Portland State University, Portland, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Jim Rice
- Oregon State University, Newport, Oregon, United States of America
| | - Joseph K. Gaydos
- The SeaDoc Society, Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center - Orcas Island Office, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Eastsound, Washington, United States of America
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19
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Senko JF, Nelms SE, Reavis JL, Witherington B, Godley BJ, Wallace BP. Understanding individual and population-level effects of plastic pollution on marine megafauna. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2020. [DOI: 10.3354/esr01064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Plastic pollution is increasing rapidly throughout the world’s oceans and is considered a major threat to marine wildlife and ecosystems. Although known to cause lethal or sub-lethal effects to vulnerable marine megafauna, population-level impacts of plastic pollution have not been thoroughly investigated. Here, we compiled and evaluated information from peer-reviewed studies that reported deleterious individual-level effects of plastic pollution on air-breathing marine megafauna (i.e. seabirds, marine mammals, and sea turtles) worldwide, highlighting those that assessed potential population-level effects. Lethal and sub-lethal individual-level effects included drowning, starvation, gastrointestinal tract damage, malnutrition, physical injury, reduced mobility, and physiological stress, resulting in reduced energy acquisition and assimilation, compromised health, reproductive impairment, and mortality. We found 47 studies published between 1969 and 2020 that considered population-level effects of plastic entanglement (n = 26), ingestion (n = 19), or both (n = 2). Of these, 7 inferred population-level effects (n = 6, entanglement; n = 1, ingestion), whereas 19 lacked evidence for effects (n = 12, entanglement; n = 6, ingestion; n = 1, both). However, no study in the past 50 yr reported direct evidence of population-level effects. Despite increased interest in and awareness of the presence of plastic pollution throughout the world’s oceans, the extent and magnitude of demographic impacts on marine megafauna remains largely unassessed and therefore unknown, in contrast to well-documented effects on individuals. Addressing this major assessment gap will allow researchers and managers to compare relative effects of multiple threats—including plastic pollution—on marine megafauna populations, thus providing appropriate context for strategic conservation priority-setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- JF Senko
- School for the Future of Innovation in Society, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - SE Nelms
- Marine Turtle Research Group, Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall TR10 9EZ, UK
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, Plymouth PL1 3DH, UK
| | - JL Reavis
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | | | - BJ Godley
- Marine Turtle Research Group, Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall TR10 9EZ, UK
| | - BP Wallace
- Ecolibrium Inc., Boulder, CO 80303, USA
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University Marine Lab, Beaufort, NC 28516, USA
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20
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Mackay AI, Bailleul F, Carroll EL, Andrews-Goff V, Baker CS, Bannister J, Boren L, Carlyon K, Donnelly DM, Double M, Goldsworthy SD, Harcourt R, Holman D, Lowther A, Parra GJ, Childerhouse SJ. Satellite derived offshore migratory movements of southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) from Australian and New Zealand wintering grounds. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0231577. [PMID: 32380516 PMCID: PMC7205476 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0231577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) migrate between Austral-winter calving and socialising grounds to offshore mid- to high latitude Austral-summer feeding grounds. In Australasia, winter calving grounds used by southern right whales extend from Western Australia across southern Australia to the New Zealand sub-Antarctic Islands. During the Austral-summer these whales are thought to migrate away from coastal waters to feed, but the location of these feeding grounds is only inferred from historical whaling data. We present new information on the satellite derived offshore migratory movements of six southern right whales from Australasian wintering grounds. Two whales were tagged at the Auckland Islands, New Zealand, and the remaining four at Australian wintering grounds, one at Pirates Bay, Tasmania, and three at Head of Bight, South Australia. The six whales were tracked for an average of 78.5 days (range: 29 to 150) with average individual distance of 38 km per day (range: 20 to 61 km). The length of individually derived tracks ranged from 645–6,381 km. Three likely foraging grounds were identified: south-west Western Australia, the Subtropical Front, and Antarctic waters, with the Subtropical Front appearing to be a feeding ground for both New Zealand and Australian southern right whales. In contrast, the individual tagged in Tasmania, from a sub-population that is not showing evidence of post-whaling recovery, displayed a distinct movement pattern to much higher latitude waters, potentially reflecting a different foraging strategy. Variable population growth rates between wintering grounds in Australasia could reflect fidelity to different quality feeding grounds. Unlike some species of baleen whale populations that show movement along migratory corridors, the new satellite tracking data presented here indicate variability in the migratory pathways taken by southern right whales from Australia and New Zealand, as well as differences in potential Austral summer foraging grounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice I. Mackay
- South Australian Research and Development Institute, Primary Industries and Regions South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Frédéric Bailleul
- South Australian Research and Development Institute, Primary Industries and Regions South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Emma L. Carroll
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, Fife, Scotland
| | - Virginia Andrews-Goff
- Australian Antarctic Division, Australian Marine Mammal Centre, Kingston, Tasmania, Australia
| | - C. Scott Baker
- Hatfield Marine Science Center, Newport, Oregon, United States of America
| | - John Bannister
- Deceased, Western Australian Museum, Welshpool DC, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Laura Boren
- New Zealand Department of Conservation, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Krisa Carlyon
- Marine Conservation Program, Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | | | - Michael Double
- Australian Antarctic Division, Australian Marine Mammal Centre, Kingston, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Simon D. Goldsworthy
- South Australian Research and Development Institute, Primary Industries and Regions South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Robert Harcourt
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Dirk Holman
- Department of Environment & Water, Port Lincoln, South Australia, Australia
| | | | - Guido J. Parra
- Cetacean Ecology, Behaviour and Evolution Lab, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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Senko JF, Megill WM, Brooks LB, Templeton RP, Koch V. Developing low-cost tags: assessing the ecological impacts of tethered tag technology on host species. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2019. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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22
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Hoop JM, Nousek‐McGregor AE, Nowacek DP, Parks SE, Tyack P, Madsen PT. Foraging rates of ram‐filtering North Atlantic right whales. Funct Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Douglas P. Nowacek
- Nicholas School of the Environment & Pratt School of Engineering Duke University Beaufort North California
| | - Susan E. Parks
- Biology Department Syracuse University Syracuse New York
| | - Peter Tyack
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute University of St Andrews St Andrews UK
| | - Peter Teglberg Madsen
- Department of Bioscience Aarhus University Aarhus Denmark
- Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies Aarhus University Aarhus Denmark
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23
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Lebon KM, Kelly RP. Evaluating alternatives to reduce whale entanglements in commercial Dungeness Crab fishing gear. Glob Ecol Conserv 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
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Basran CJ, Bertulli CG, Cecchetti A, Rasmussen MH, Whittaker M, Robbins J. First estimates of entanglement rate of humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae observed in coastal Icelandic waters. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2019. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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Gowan TA, Ortega-Ortiz JG, Hostetler JA, Hamilton PK, Knowlton AR, Jackson KA, George RC, Taylor CR, Naessig PJ. Temporal and demographic variation in partial migration of the North Atlantic right whale. Sci Rep 2019; 9:353. [PMID: 30674941 PMCID: PMC6344554 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-36723-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2018] [Accepted: 11/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal movement plays a fundamental role in the ecology of migratory species, and understanding migration patterns is required for effective management. To evaluate intrinsic and environmental factors associated with probabilities of endangered North Atlantic right whales Eubalaena glacialis migrating to a wintering ground off the southeastern United States (SEUS), we applied a multistate temporary emigration capture-recapture model to 22 years of photo-identification data. Migration probabilities for juveniles were generally higher yet more variable than those for adults, and non-calving adult females were the least likely group to migrate. The highest migration probabilities for juveniles and adult males coincided with years of relatively high calving rates, following years of higher prey availability in a fall feeding ground. Right whale migration to the SEUS can be classified as condition-dependent partial migration, which includes skipped breeding partial migration for reproductive females, and is likely influenced by tradeoffs among ecological factors such as reproductive costs and foraging opportunities that vary across individuals and time. The high variability in migration reported in this study provides insight into the ecological drivers of migration but presents challenges to right whale monitoring and conservation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy A Gowan
- Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, St. Petersburg, Florida, 33701, USA. .,Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, 32611, USA.
| | - Joel G Ortega-Ortiz
- Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, 33149, USA
| | - Jeffrey A Hostetler
- Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, St. Petersburg, Florida, 33701, USA
| | - Philip K Hamilton
- Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium, Boston, Massachusetts, 02110, USA
| | - Amy R Knowlton
- Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium, Boston, Massachusetts, 02110, USA
| | - Katharine A Jackson
- Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, St. Petersburg, Florida, 33701, USA
| | - R Clay George
- Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Conservation Section, Brunswick, Georgia, 31520, USA
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Kenney RD. What if there were no fishing? North Atlantic right whale population trajectories without entanglement mortality. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2018. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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Corkeron P, Hamilton P, Bannister J, Best P, Charlton C, Groch KR, Findlay K, Rowntree V, Vermeulen E, Pace RM. The recovery of North Atlantic right whales, Eubalaena glacialis, has been constrained by human-caused mortality. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2018; 5:180892. [PMID: 30564396 PMCID: PMC6281934 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.180892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2018] [Accepted: 10/02/2018] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
North Atlantic right whales (NARW), Eubalaena glacialis, were nearly exterminated by historical whaling. Their abundance slowly increased up until 2010, to a maximum of fewer than 500 whales, and since then they have been in decline. We assessed the extent to which the relatively slow increase demonstrated by NARW was intrinsic, and how much could be due to anthropogenic impacts. In order to do so, we first compared calf counts of three populations of Southern right whales (SRW), E. australis, with that of NARW, over the period 1992-2016. By this index, the annual rate of increase of NARW was approximately one-third of that of SRW. Next we constructed a population projection model for female NARW, using the highest annual survival estimates available from recent mark-resight analysis, and assuming a four-year calving interval. The model results indicated an intrinsic rate of increase of 4% per year, approximately twice that observed, and that adult female mortality is the main factor influencing this rate. Necropsy records demonstrate that anthropogenic mortality is the primary cause of known mortality of NARW. Anthropogenic mortality and morbidity has limited the recovery of NARW, and baseline conditions prior to their recent decline were already jeopardizing NARW recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Corkeron
- Protected Species Branch, NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Philip Hamilton
- Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, John H. Prescott Marine Laboratory, New England Aquarium, Boston, MA 02110, USA
| | - John Bannister
- The Western Australian Museum, Welshpool DC, Western Australia 6086, Australia
| | - Peter Best
- Mammal Research Institute Whale Unit, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, South Africa
| | - Claire Charlton
- Centre for Marine Science and Technology, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Karina R. Groch
- Projeto Baleia Franca/Instituto Australis, Imbituba, Santa Catarina 88780-000, Brazil
| | - Ken Findlay
- Research Chair: Oceans Economy, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Victoria Rowntree
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
- Instituto de Conservación de Ballenas, Capital Federal, Buenos Aires 5411, Argentina
| | - Els Vermeulen
- Mammal Research Institute Whale Unit, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, South Africa
| | - Richard M. Pace
- Protected Species Branch, NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
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Cusano DA, Conger LA, Van Parijs SM, Parks SE. Implementing conservation measures for the North Atlantic right whale: considering the behavioral ontogeny of mother‐calf pairs. Anim Conserv 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- D. A. Cusano
- Department of Biology Syracuse University Syracuse NY USA
| | - L. A. Conger
- Protected Species Branch Northeast Fisheries Science Center NOAA/NMFS Woods Hole MA USA
| | - S. M. Van Parijs
- Protected Species Branch Northeast Fisheries Science Center NOAA/NMFS Woods Hole MA USA
| | - S. E. Parks
- Department of Biology Syracuse University Syracuse NY USA
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Hunt KE, Lysiak NSJ, Matthews CJD, Lowe C, Fernández Ajó A, Dillon D, Willing C, Heide-Jørgensen MP, Ferguson SH, Moore MJ, Buck CL. Multi-year patterns in testosterone, cortisol and corticosterone in baleen from adult males of three whale species. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2018; 6:coy049. [PMID: 30254748 PMCID: PMC6148970 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coy049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2018] [Revised: 08/05/2018] [Accepted: 09/01/2018] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Male baleen whales have long been suspected to have annual cycles in testosterone, but due to difficulty in collecting endocrine samples, little direct evidence exists to confirm this hypothesis. Potential influences of stress or adrenal stress hormones (cortisol, corticosterone) on male reproduction have also been difficult to study. Baleen has recently been shown to accumulate steroid hormones during growth, such that a single baleen plate contains a continuous, multi-year retrospective record of the whale's endocrine history. As a preliminary investigation into potential testosterone cyclicity in male whales and influences of stress, we determined patterns in immunoreactive testosterone, two glucocorticoids (cortisol and corticosterone), and stable-isotope (SI) ratios, across the full length of baleen plates from a bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus), a North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) and a blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus), all adult males. Baleen was subsampled at 2 cm (bowhead, right) or 1 cm (blue) intervals and hormones were extracted from baleen powder with methanol, followed by quantification of all three hormones using enzyme immunoassays validated for baleen extract of these species. Baleen of all three males contained regularly spaced peaks in testosterone content, with number and spacing of testosterone peaks corresponding well to SI data and to species-specific estimates of annual baleen growth rate. Cortisol and corticosterone exhibited some peaks that co-occurred with testosterone peaks, while other glucocorticoid peaks occurred independent of testosterone peaks. The right whale had unusually high glucocorticoids during a period with a known entanglement in fishing gear and a possible disease episode; in the subsequent year, testosterone was unusually low. Further study of baleen testosterone patterns in male whales could help clarify conservation- and management-related questions such as age of sexual maturity, location and season of breeding, and the potential effect of anthropogenic and natural stressors on male testosterone cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen E Hunt
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Bioengineering Innovation, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Nadine S J Lysiak
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Cory J D Matthews
- Arctic Aquatic Research Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Carley Lowe
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Bioengineering Innovation, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Alejandro Fernández Ajó
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Bioengineering Innovation, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Danielle Dillon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Bioengineering Innovation, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Cornelia Willing
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | | | - Steven H Ferguson
- Arctic Aquatic Research Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Michael J Moore
- Marine Mammal Center, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - C Loren Buck
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Bioengineering Innovation, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
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Carretta JV. A machine-learning approach to assign species to ‘unidentified’ entangled whales. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2018. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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Meyer-Gutbrod EL, Greene CH. Uncertain recovery of the North Atlantic right whale in a changing ocean. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2018; 24:455-464. [PMID: 29084379 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2017] [Revised: 09/25/2017] [Accepted: 09/27/2017] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Human activities have placed populations of many endangered species at risk and mitigation efforts typically focus on reducing anthropogenic sources of mortality. However, failing to recognize the additional role of environmental factors in regulating birth and mortality rates can lead to erroneous demographic analyses and conclusions. The North Atlantic right whale population is currently the focus of conservation efforts aimed at reducing mortality rates associated with ship strikes and entanglement in fishing gear. Consistent monitoring of the population since 1980 has revealed evidence that climate-associated changes in prey availability have played an important role in the population's recovery. The considerable interdecadal differences observed in population growth coincide with remote Arctic and North Atlantic oceanographic processes that link to the Gulf of Maine ecosystem. Here, we build capture-recapture models to quantify the role of prey availability on right whale demographic transitional probabilities and use a corresponding demographic model to project population growth rates into the next century. Contrary to previous predictions, the right whale population is projected to recover in the future as long as prey availability and mortality rates remain within the ranges observed during 1980-2012. However, recent events indicate a northward range shift in right whale prey, potentially resulting in decreased prey availability and/or an expansion of right whale habitat into unprotected waters. An annual increase in the number of whale deaths comparable to that observed during the summer 2017 mass mortality event may cause a decline to extinction even under conditions of normal prey availability. This study highlights the importance of understanding the oceanographic context for observed population changes when evaluating the efficacy of conservation management plans for endangered marine species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin L Meyer-Gutbrod
- Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Charles H Greene
- Ocean Ecosystems and Resources Program, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
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Hunt KE, Lysiak NS, Moore M, Rolland RM. Multi-year longitudinal profiles of cortisol and corticosterone recovered from baleen of North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2017; 254:50-59. [PMID: 28919447 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2017.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2017] [Revised: 06/08/2017] [Accepted: 09/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Research into stress physiology of mysticete whales has been hampered by difficulty in obtaining repeated physiological samples from individuals over time. We investigated whether multi-year longitudinal records of glucocorticoids can be reconstructed from serial sampling along full-length baleen plates (representing ∼10years of baleen growth), using baleen recovered from two female North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) of known reproductive history. Cortisol and corticosterone were quantified with immunoassay of subsamples taken every 4cm (representing ∼60d time intervals) along a full-length baleen plate from each female. In both whales, corticosterone was significantly elevated during known pregnancies (inferred from calf sightings and necropsy data) as compared to intercalving intervals; cortisol was significantly elevated during pregnancies in one female but not the other. Within intercalving intervals, corticosterone was significantly elevated during the first year (lactation year) and/or the second year (post-lactation year) as compared to later years of the intercalving interval, while cortisol showed more variable patterns. Cortisol occasionally showed brief high elevations ("spikes") not paralleled by corticosterone, suggesting that the two glucocorticoids might be differentially responsive to certain stressors. Generally, immunoreactive corticosterone was present in higher concentration in baleen than immunoreactive cortisol; corticosterone:cortisol ratio was usually >4 and was highly variable in both individuals. Further investigation of baleen cortisol and corticosterone profiles could prove fruitful for elucidating long-term, multi-year patterns in stress physiology of large whales, determined retrospectively from stranded or archived specimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen E Hunt
- Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium, Central Wharf, New England, Boston, MA 02110, USA.
| | - Nadine S Lysiak
- Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium, Central Wharf, New England, Boston, MA 02110, USA; Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Michael Moore
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Rosalind M Rolland
- Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium, Central Wharf, New England, Boston, MA 02110, USA
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33
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Rolland RM, McLellan WA, Moore MJ, Harms CA, Burgess EA, Hunt KE. Fecal glucocorticoids and anthropogenic injury and mortality in North Atlantic right whales Eubalaena glacialis. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2017. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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34
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Pace RM, Corkeron PJ, Kraus SD. State-space mark-recapture estimates reveal a recent decline in abundance of North Atlantic right whales. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:8730-8741. [PMID: 29152173 PMCID: PMC5677501 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2017] [Revised: 07/10/2017] [Accepted: 07/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis Müller 1776) present an interesting problem for abundance and trend estimation in marine wildlife conservation. They are long lived, individually identifiable, highly mobile, and one of the rarest of cetaceans. Individuals are annually resighted at different rates, primarily due to varying stay durations among several principal habitats within a large geographic range. To date, characterizations of abundance have been produced that use simple accounting procedures with differing assumptions about mortality. To better characterize changing abundance of North Atlantic right whales between 1990 and 2015, we adapted a state–space formulation with Jolly‐Seber assumptions about population entry (birth and immigration) to individual resighting histories and fit it using empirical Bayes methodology. This hierarchical model included accommodation for the effect of the substantial individual capture heterogeneity. Estimates from this approach were only slightly higher than published accounting procedures, except for the most recent years (when recapture rates had declined substantially). North Atlantic right whales' abundance increased at about 2.8% per annum from median point estimates of 270 individuals in 1990 to 483 in 2010, and then declined to 2015, when the final estimate was 458 individuals (95% credible intervals 444–471). The probability that the population's trajectory post‐2010 was a decline was estimated at 99.99%. Of special concern was the finding that reduced survival rates of adult females relative to adult males have produced diverging abundance trends between sexes. Despite constraints in recent years, both biological (whales' distribution changing) and logistical (fewer resources available to collect individual photo‐identifications), it is still possible to detect this relatively recent, small change in the population's trajectory. This is thanks to the massive dataset of individual North Atlantic right whale identifications accrued over the past three decades. Photo‐identification data provide biological information that allows more informed inference on the status of this species.
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Finn HC, Stephens NS. The invisible harm: land clearing is an issue of animal welfare. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2017. [DOI: 10.1071/wr17018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Land clearing is a significant environmental issue in Australia and an area of active legislative reform. Despite evidence of the harm that land clearing causes to individual animals, such harm is either ignored or considered only indirectly in environmental decision-making. We argue that the harm that land clearing causes to animals ought to be identified and evaluated in decision-making relating to land clearing and consider the following three propositions in support: (1) land clearing causes deaths that are physically painful and psychologically distressing because of their traumatic and debilitating nature; (2) land clearing causes physical injuries, other pathological conditions, pain and psychological distress over a prolonged period as animals attempt to survive in the cleared environment or in the environments they are displaced to; and (3) on the basis of current clearing rates, more than 50million mammals, birds and reptiles are likely to be killed annually because of land clearing in Queensland and New South Wales. The scientific consensus about the harm caused by land clearing means that decisions to allow land clearing are decisions to allow most of the animals present to be killed and, as such, frameworks for decision-making ought to include proper evaluation of the harm to be imposed.
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van der Hoop J, Corkeron P, Moore M. Entanglement is a costly life-history stage in large whales. Ecol Evol 2016; 7:92-106. [PMID: 28070278 PMCID: PMC5213775 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2016] [Revised: 10/13/2016] [Accepted: 10/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals store energy to balance deficits in natural cycles; however, unnatural events can also lead to unbalanced energy budgets. Entanglement in fishing gear is one example of an unnatural but relatively common circumstance that imposes energetic demands of a similar order of magnitude and duration of life‐history events such as migration and pregnancy in large whales. We present two complementary bioenergetic approaches to estimate the energy associated with entanglement in North Atlantic right whales, and compare these estimates to the natural energetic life history of individual whales. Differences in measured blubber thicknesses and estimated blubber volumes between normal and entangled, emaciated whales indicate between 7.4 × 1010 J and 1.2 × 1011 J of energy are consumed during the course to death of a lethal entanglement. Increased thrust power requirements to overcome drag forces suggest that when entangled, whales require 3.95 × 109 to 4.08 × 1010 J more energy to swim. Individuals who died from their entanglements performed significantly more work (energy expenditure × time) than those that survived; entanglement duration is therefore critical in determining whales’ survival. Significant sublethal energetic impacts also occur, especially in reproductive females. Drag from fishing gear contributes up to 8% of the 4‐year female reproductive energy budget, delaying time of energetic equilibrium (to restore energy lost by a particular entanglement) for reproduction by months to years. In certain populations, chronic entanglement in fishing gear can be viewed as a costly unnatural life‐history stage, rather than a rare or short‐term incident.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie van der Hoop
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology-Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program in Oceanography/Applied Ocean Science and Engineering Cambridge MA USA; Biology Department Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Woods Hole MA USA
| | - Peter Corkeron
- NOAA Fisheries Northeast Fisheries Science Center Woods Hole MA USA
| | - Michael Moore
- Biology Department Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Woods Hole MA USA
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