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Linsky JMJ, Dunlop RA, Noad MJ, McMichael LA. Blubber gene expression and cortisol concentrations reveal changing physiological stress in a Southern ocean sentinel species. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 199:106596. [PMID: 38905865 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106596] [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: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
The health of migratory eastern Australian humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) can reflect the condition of their remote polar foraging environments. This study used gene expression (LEP, LEPR, ADIQ, AhR, TNF-α, HSP-70), blubber hormone concentrations (cortisol, testosterone), and photogrammetric body condition to assess this sentinel species during a period of unprecedented changes to anthropogenic activity and natural processes. The results revealed higher cortisol concentrations in 2020 compared to 2021, suggesting a decline in physiological stress between years. Additionally, metabolic transcripts LEPR, and AhR, which is also linked to xenobiotic metabolism, were upregulated during the 2020 southbound migration. These differences suggest that one or more environmental stressors were reduced between 2020 and 2021, with upregulated AhR possibly indicating a Southern Ocean pollutant declined between the years. This research confirms a Southern Ocean-wide decrease in whale stress during the study period and informs efforts to identify key stressors on Antarctic marine ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob M J Linsky
- School of the Environment, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia.
| | - Rebecca A Dunlop
- School of the Environment, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Michael J Noad
- School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland, 4343, Australia; Centre for Marine Science, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Lee A McMichael
- School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland, 4343, Australia
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2
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Pallin LJ, Garrigue C, Kellar NM, Baker CS, Bonneville CD, Derville S, Garland EC, Steel D, Friedlaender AS. Demographic and physiological signals of reproductive events in humpback whales on a southwest pacific breeding ground. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 12:coae038. [PMID: 38894754 PMCID: PMC11184982 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coae038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
The field of marine mammal conservation has dramatically benefited from the rapid advancement of methods to assess the reproductive physiology of individuals and populations from steroid hormones isolated from minimally invasive skin-blubber biopsy samples. Historically, this vital information was only available from complete anatomical and physiological investigations of samples collected during commercial or indigenous whaling. Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) are a migratory, cosmopolitan species that reproduce in warm, low-latitude breeding grounds. New Caledonia is seasonally visited by a small breeding sub-stock of humpback whales, forming part of the endangered Oceania subpopulation. To better understand the demographic and seasonal patterns of reproductive physiology in humpback whales, we quantified baseline measurements of reproductive hormones (progesterone-P4, testosterone-T and 17β-estradiol-E2) using an extensive archive of skin-blubber biopsy samples collected from female humpback whales in New Caledonia waters between 2016 and 2019 (n = 194). We observed significant differences in the P4, T and E2 concentrations across different demographic groups of female humpback whales, and we described some of the first evidence of the endocrine patterns of estrous in live free-ranging baleen whales. This study is fundamental in its methodological approach to a wild species that has a global distribution, with seasonally distinct life histories. This information will assist in monitoring, managing and conserving this population as global ecological changes continue to occur unhindered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Logan J Pallin
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Ocean Health Building, 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
- Department of Ocean Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, Ocean Health Building, 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| | - Claire Garrigue
- UMR ENTROPIE IRD, Université de La Réunion, Université de la Nouvelle-Calédonie, CNRS, IFREMER, Laboratoire d'excellence-CORAIL, 101 promenade Roger Laroque BP A5NOUMEA CEDEX5 Nouvelle Calédonie 98848, France
- Opération Cétacés, BP 12827, Nouvelle-Calédonie 98802, France
| | - Nicholas M Kellar
- Marine Mammal Turtle Division, , Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 8901 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - C Scott Baker
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, Marine Mammal Institute, Oregon State University, Hatfield Marine Science Center, 2030 SE Marine Science Drive, Newport, OR 97365, USA
| | - Claire D Bonneville
- UMR ENTROPIE IRD, Université de La Réunion, Université de la Nouvelle-Calédonie, CNRS, IFREMER, Laboratoire d'excellence-CORAIL, 101 promenade Roger Laroque BP A5NOUMEA CEDEX5 Nouvelle Calédonie 98848, France
- Opération Cétacés, BP 12827, Nouvelle-Calédonie 98802, France
| | - Solène Derville
- UMR ENTROPIE IRD, Université de La Réunion, Université de la Nouvelle-Calédonie, CNRS, IFREMER, Laboratoire d'excellence-CORAIL, 101 promenade Roger Laroque BP A5NOUMEA CEDEX5 Nouvelle Calédonie 98848, France
- Opération Cétacés, BP 12827, Nouvelle-Calédonie 98802, France
| | - Ellen C Garland
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, School of Biology, University of St. Andrews, W Sands Rd, St Andrews KY16 9XL, UK
| | - Debbie Steel
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, Marine Mammal Institute, Oregon State University, Hatfield Marine Science Center, 2030 SE Marine Science Drive, Newport, OR 97365, USA
| | - Ari S Friedlaender
- Department of Ocean Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, Ocean Health Building, 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
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Fraleigh DC, Pallin LJ, Friedlaender AS, Barlow J, Henry AE, Waples DM, Oglesby T, Fleming AH. The influence of biopsy site and pregnancy on stable isotope ratios in humpback whale skin. RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY : RCM 2024; 38:e9746. [PMID: 38576213 DOI: 10.1002/rcm.9746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
RATIONALE Stable isotope analysis (SIA) of free-swimming mysticetes using biopsies is often limited in sample size and uses only one sample per individual, failing to capture both intra-individual variability and the influence of demographic and physiological factors on isotope ratios. METHODS We applied SIA of δ13C and δ15N to humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) biopsies taken during the foraging season along the western Antarctic Peninsula to quantify intra-individual variation from repeatedly sampled individuals, as well as to determine the effect of biopsy collection site, sex, and pregnancy on isotope ratios. RESULTS There was substantial variability in δ13C from multiple biopsies taken from the same individuals, though δ15N was much more consistent. Side of the body (left versus right) and biopsy location (dorsal, anterior, ventral, and posterior) did marginally affect the isotopic composition of δ15N but not δ13C. Pregnancy had a significant effect on both δ13C and δ15N, where pregnant females were depleted in both when compared to non-pregnant females and males. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that isotopic signatures are influenced by multiple endogenous and exogenous factors and emphasize value in accounting for intra-individual variability and pregnancy status within a sampled population. Placed within an ecological context, the endogenous variability in δ13C observed here may be informative for future isotopic analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devin C Fraleigh
- Center for Marine Science, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Oceanography, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Logan J Pallin
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, USA
| | - Ari S Friedlaender
- Institute for Marine Science, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, USA
- Department of Ocean Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, USA
| | - Jay Barlow
- NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Annette E Henry
- NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center, San Diego, California, USA
| | | | - Teris Oglesby
- Duke University Marine Laboratory, Beaufort, North Carolina, USA
| | - Alyson H Fleming
- Center for Marine Science, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Forest & Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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4
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Fernández Ajó A, Teixeira C, M D de Mello D, Dillon D, Rice JM, Buck CL, Hunt KE, Rogers MC, Torres LG. A longitudinal study of endocrinology and foraging ecology of subadult gray whales prior to death based on baleen analysis. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2024; 352:114492. [PMID: 38479678 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2024.114492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Individual-level assessments of wild animal health, vital rates, and foraging ecology are critical for understanding population-wide impacts of exposure to stressors. Large whales face multiple stressors, including, but not limited to, ocean noise, pollution, and ship strikes. Because baleen is a continuously growing keratinized structure, serial extraction, and quantification of hormones and stable isotopes along the length of baleen provide a historical record of whale physiology and foraging ecology. Furthermore, baleen analysis enables the investigation of dead specimens, even decades later, allowing comparisons between historic and modern populations. Here, we examined baleen of five sub-adult gray whales and observed distinct patterns of oscillations in δ15N values along the length of their baleen plates which enabled estimation of baleen growth rates and differentiation of isotopic niche widths of the whales during wintering and summer foraging. In contrast, no regular patterns were apparent in δ13C values. Prolonged elevation of cortisol in four individuals before death indicates that chronic stress may have impacted their health and survival. Triiodothyronine (T3) increased over months in the whales with unknown causes of death, simultaneous with elevations in cortisol, but both hormones remained stable in the one case of acute death attributed to killer whale predation. This parallel elevation of cortisol and T3 challenges the classic understanding of their interaction and might relate to increased energetic demands during exposure to stressors. Reproductive hormone profiles in subadults did not show cyclical trends, suggesting they had not yet reached sexual maturity. This study highlights the potential of baleen analysis to retrospectively assess gray whales' physiological status, exposure to stressors, reproductive status, and foraging ecology in the months or years leading up to their death, which can be a useful tool for conservation diagnostics to mitigate unusual mortality events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Fernández Ajó
- Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Lab, Marine Mammal Institute, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Newport 97365, OR, USA.
| | - Clarissa Teixeira
- Marine Mammal Institute, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Newport 97365, OR, USA
| | - Daniela M D de Mello
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Bioscience, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508090, SP, Brazil
| | - Danielle Dillon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - James M Rice
- Oregon Marine Mammal Stranding Network, Marine Mammal Institute, Oregon State University, Newport 97365, OR, USA
| | - C Loren Buck
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Kathleen E Hunt
- George Mason University & Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation, 1500 Remount Rd, Front Royal, VA 22630, USA
| | - Matthew C Rogers
- NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Alaska Fisheries Science Center Auke Bay Laboratories, Juneau, AK 99801, USA
| | - Leigh G Torres
- Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Lab, Marine Mammal Institute, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Newport 97365, OR, USA
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5
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Gallagher KL, Cimino MA, Dinniman MS, Lynch HJ. Quantifying potential marine debris sources and potential threats to penguins on the West Antarctic Peninsula. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 347:123714. [PMID: 38452836 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123714] [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: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Marine pollution is becoming ubiquitous in the environment. Observations of pollution on beaches, in the coastal ocean, and in organisms in the Antarctic are becoming distressingly common. Increasing human activity, growing tourism, and an expanding krill fishing industry along the West Antarctic Peninsula all represent potential sources of plastic pollution and other debris (collectively referred to as debris) to the region. However, the sources of these pollutants from point (pollutants released from discrete sources) versus non-point (pollutants from a large area rather than a specific source) sources are poorly understood. We used buoyant simulated particles released in a high-resolution physical ocean model to quantify pollutant loads throughout the region. We considered non-point sources of debris from the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, Bellingshausen Sea, Weddell Sea, and point source pollution from human activities including tourism, research, and fishing. We also determined possible origins for observed debris based on data from the Southern Ocean Observing System and Palmer Long-Term Ecological Research program. Our results indicate that point source pollution released in the coastal Antarctic is more likely to serve as a source for observed debris than non-point sources, and that the dominant source of pollution is region-specific. Penguin colonies in the South Shetland and Elephant Islands had the greatest debris load from point sources whereas loads from non-point sources were greatest around the southernmost colonies. Penguin colonies at Cornwallis Island and Fort Point were exposed to the highest theoretical debris loads. While these results do not include physical processes such as windage and Stokes Drift that are known to impact debris distributions and transport in the coastal ocean, these results provide critical insights to building an effective stratified sampling and monitoring effort to better understand debris distributions, concentrations, and origins throughout the West Antarctic Peninsula.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine L Gallagher
- Institute for Advanced Computational Sciences, Stony Brook University, 100 Nicols Road, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA; School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, 100 Nicols Road, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA.
| | - Megan A Cimino
- Institute of Marine Science, University of California Santa Cruz, 1156 High St, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
| | - Michael S Dinniman
- Department of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Old Dominion University, 5115 Hampton Blvd, Norfolk, VA, 23529, USA
| | - Heather J Lynch
- Institute for Advanced Computational Sciences, Stony Brook University, 100 Nicols Road, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA; Department of Ecology & Evolution, Stony Brook University, 100 Nicols Road, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
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6
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Robinson SA, Revell LE, Mackenzie R, Ossola R. Extended ozone depletion and reduced snow and ice cover-Consequences for Antarctic biota. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17283. [PMID: 38663017 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Stratospheric ozone, which has been depleted in recent decades by the release of anthropogenic gases, is critical for shielding the biosphere against ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation. Although the ozone layer is expected to recover before the end of the 21st century, a hole over Antarctica continues to appear each year. Ozone depletion usually peaks between September and October, when fortunately, most Antarctic terrestrial vegetation and soil biota is frozen, dormant and protected under snow cover. Similarly, much marine life is protected by sea ice cover. The ozone hole used to close before the onset of Antarctic summer, meaning that most biota were not exposed to severe springtime UV-B fluxes. However, in recent years, ozone depletion has persisted into December, which marks the beginning of austral summer. Early summertime ozone depletion is concerning: high incident UV-B radiation coincident with snowmelt and emergence of vegetation will mean biota is more exposed. The start of summer is also peak breeding season for many animals, thus extreme UV-B exposure (UV index up to 14) may come at a vulnerable time in their life cycle. Climate change, including changing wind patterns and strength, and particularly declining sea ice, are likely to compound UV-B exposure of Antarctic organisms, through earlier ice and snowmelt, heatwaves and droughts. Antarctic field research conducted decades ago tended to study UV impacts in isolation and more research that considers multiple climate impacts, and the true magnitude and timing of current UV increases is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon A Robinson
- Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
- Environmental Futures, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Laura E Revell
- School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Roy Mackenzie
- Cape Horn International Center CHIC, Universidad de Magallanes, Puerto Williams, Chile
- Millenium Institut Biodiversity of Antarctic and Subantarctic Ecosystems BASE, Santiago, Chile
| | - Rachele Ossola
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
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7
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Andrews-Goff V, Gales N, Childerhouse SJ, Laverick SM, Polanowski AM, Double MC. Australia's east coast humpback whales: Satellite tag-derived movements on breeding grounds, feeding grounds and along the northern and southern migration. Biodivers Data J 2023; 11:e114729. [PMID: 38116475 PMCID: PMC10729012 DOI: 10.3897/bdj.11.e114729] [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: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Satellite tags were deployed on 50 east Australian humpback whales (breeding stock E1) between 2008 and 2010 on their southward migration, northward migration and feeding grounds in order to identify and describe migratory pathways, feeding grounds and possible calving areas. At the time, these movements were not well understood and calving grounds were not clearly identified. To the best of our knowledge, this dataset details all long-term, implantable tag deployments that have occurred to date on breeding stock E1. As such, these data provide researchers, regulators and industry with clear and valuable insights into the spatial and temporal nature of humpback whale movements along the eastern coastline of Australia and into the Southern Ocean. As this population of humpback whales navigates an increasingly complex habitat undergoing various development pressures and anthropogenic disturbances, in addition to climate-mediated changes in their marine environment, this dataset may also provide a valuable baseline. New information At the time these tracks were generated, these were the first satellite tag deployments intended to deliver long-term, detailed movement information on east Australian (breeding stock E1) humpback whales. The tracking data revealed previously unknown migratory pathways into the Southern Ocean, with 11 individuals tracked to their Antarctic feeding grounds. Once assumed to head directly south on their southern migration, five individuals initially travelled west towards New Zealand. Six tracks detailed the coastal movement of humpback whales migrating south. One tag transmitted a partial southern migration, then ceased transmissions only to begin transmitting eight months later as the animal was migrating north. Northern migration to breeding grounds was detailed for 13 individuals, with four tracks including turning points and partial southern migrations. Another 14 humpback whales were tagged in Antarctica, providing detailed Antarctic feeding ground movements.Broadly speaking, the tracking data revealed a pattern of movement where whales were at their northern limit in July and their southern limit in March. Migration north was most rapid across the months of May and June, whilst migration south was most rapid between November and December. Tagged humpback whales were located on their Antarctic feeding grounds predominantly between January and May and approached their breeding grounds between July and August. Tracking distances ranged from 68 km to 8580 km and 1 to 286 days. To the best of our knowledge, this dataset compiles all of the long-term tag deployments that have occurred to date on breeding stock E1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Andrews-Goff
- Australian Antarctic Division, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Hobart, AustraliaAustralian Antarctic Division, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and WaterHobartAustralia
| | - Nick Gales
- Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Hobart, AustraliaDepartment of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and WaterHobartAustralia
| | - Simon J Childerhouse
- Environmental Law Initiative, Wellington, New ZealandEnvironmental Law InitiativeWellingtonNew Zealand
| | - Sarah M Laverick
- Blue Planet Marine, Canberra, AustraliaBlue Planet MarineCanberraAustralia
| | - Andrea M Polanowski
- Australian Antarctic Division, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Hobart, AustraliaAustralian Antarctic Division, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and WaterHobartAustralia
| | - Michael C Double
- Australian Antarctic Division, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Hobart, AustraliaAustralian Antarctic Division, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and WaterHobartAustralia
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Kettemer LE, Ramm T, Broms F, Biuw M, Blanchet MA, Bourgeon S, Dubourg P, Ellendersen ACJ, Horaud M, Kershaw J, Miller PJO, Øien N, Pallin LJ, Rikardsen AH. Don't mind if I do: Arctic humpback whales respond to winter foraging opportunities before migration. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:230069. [PMID: 37680501 PMCID: PMC10480701 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
Migration patterns are fundamentally linked to the spatio-temporal distributions of prey. How migrating animals can respond to changes in their prey's distribution and abundance remains largely unclear. During the last decade, humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) used specific winter foraging sites in fjords of northern Norway, outside of their main summer foraging season, to feed on herring that started overwintering in the area. We used photographic matching to show that whales sighted during summer in the Barents Sea foraged in northern Norway from late October to February, staying up to three months and showing high inter-annual return rates (up to 82%). The number of identified whales in northern Norway totalled 866 individuals by 2019. Genetic sexing and hormone profiling in both areas demonstrate a female bias in northern Norway and suggest higher proportions of pregnancy in northern Norway. This may indicate that the fjord-based winter feeding is important for pregnant females before migration. Our results suggest that humpback whales can respond to foraging opportunities along their migration pathways, in some cases by continuing their feeding season well into winter. This provides an important reminder to implement dynamic ecosystem management that can account for changes in the spatio-temporal distribution of migrating marine mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Elena Kettemer
- UiT—The Arctic University of Norway, Faculty of Bioscience, Fisheries and Economics, 9037 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Theresia Ramm
- UiT—The Arctic University of Norway, Faculty of Bioscience, Fisheries and Economics, 9037 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Fredrik Broms
- North Norwegian Humpback Whale Catalogue (NNHWC), Straumsvegen 238, 9109 Kvaløya, Norway
| | - Martin Biuw
- IMR Institute of Marine Research, FRAM—High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment, 9007 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Marie-Anne Blanchet
- UiT—The Arctic University of Norway, Faculty of Bioscience, Fisheries and Economics, 9037 Tromsø, Norway
- Norwegian Polar Institute, FRAM—High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment, 9007 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Sophie Bourgeon
- UiT—The Arctic University of Norway, Faculty of Bioscience, Fisheries and Economics, 9037 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Paul Dubourg
- UiT—The Arctic University of Norway, Faculty of Bioscience, Fisheries and Economics, 9037 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Anna C. J. Ellendersen
- UiT—The Arctic University of Norway, Faculty of Bioscience, Fisheries and Economics, 9037 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Mathilde Horaud
- UiT—The Arctic University of Norway, Faculty of Bioscience, Fisheries and Economics, 9037 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Joanna Kershaw
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, KY16 9ST St Andrews, UK
| | - Patrick J. O. Miller
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, KY16 9ST St Andrews, UK
| | - Nils Øien
- IMR Institute of Marine Research, Nordnes, PO Box 1870, 5817 Bergen, Norway
| | - Logan J. Pallin
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, UC Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| | - Audun H. Rikardsen
- UiT—The Arctic University of Norway, Faculty of Bioscience, Fisheries and Economics, 9037 Tromsø, Norway
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, FRAM—High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment, 9007 Tromsø, Norway
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9
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Gallagher KL, Dinniman MS, Lynch HJ. Quantifying Antarctic krill connectivity across the West Antarctic Peninsula and its role in large-scale Pygoscelis penguin population dynamics. Sci Rep 2023; 13:12072. [PMID: 37495764 PMCID: PMC10372022 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-39105-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) are considered a keystone species for higher trophic level predators along the West Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) during the austral summer. The connectivity of krill may play a critical role in predator biogeography, especially for central-place foragers such as the Pygoscelis spp. penguins that breed along the WAP during the austral summer. Antarctic krill are also heavily fished commercially; therefore, understanding population connectivity of krill is critical to effective management. Here, we used a physical ocean model to examine adult krill connectivity in this region using simulated krill with realistic diel vertical migration behaviors across four austral summers. Our results indicate that krill north and south of Low Island and the southern Bransfield Strait are nearly isolated from each other and that persistent current features play a role in this lack of inter-region connectivity. Transit and entrainment times were not correlated with penguin populations at the large spatial scales examined. However, long transit times and reduced entrainment correlate spatially with the areas where krill fishing is most intense, which heightens the risk that krill fishing may lead to limited krill availability for predators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine L Gallagher
- Institute for Advanced Computational Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA.
| | - Michael S Dinniman
- Department of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, 23529, USA
| | - Heather J Lynch
- Institute for Advanced Computational Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
- Department of Ecology & Evolution, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11790, USA
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10
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Fernandez Ajó A, Pirotta E, Bierlich KC, Hildebrand L, Bird CN, Hunt KE, Buck CL, New L, Dillon D, Torres LG. Assessment of a non-invasive approach to pregnancy diagnosis in gray whales through drone-based photogrammetry and faecal hormone analysis. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:230452. [PMID: 37476509 PMCID: PMC10354484 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Knowledge of baleen whales' reproductive physiology is limited and requires long-term individual-based studies and innovative tools. We used 6 years of individual-level data on the Pacific Coast Feeding Group gray whales to evaluate the utility of faecal progesterone immunoassays and drone-based photogrammetry for pregnancy diagnosis. We explored the variability in faecal progesterone metabolites and body morphology relative to observed reproductive status and estimated the pregnancy probability for mature females of unknown reproductive status using normal mixture models. Individual females had higher faecal progesterone concentrations when pregnant than when presumed non-pregnant. Yet, at the population level, high overlap and variability in progesterone metabolite concentrations occurred between pregnant and non-pregnant groups, limiting this metric for accurate pregnancy diagnosis in gray whales. Alternatively, body width at 50% of the total body length (W50) correctly discriminated pregnant from non-pregnant females at individual and population levels, with high accuracy. Application of the model using W50 metric to mature females of unknown pregnancy status identified eight additional pregnancies with high confidence. Our findings highlight the utility of drone-based photogrammetry to non-invasively diagnose pregnancy in this group of gray whales, and the potential for improved data on reproductive rates for population management of baleen whales generally.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Fernandez Ajó
- Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Lab, Marine Mammal Institute, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Newport 97365, OR, USA
| | - E. Pirotta
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - K. C. Bierlich
- Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Lab, Marine Mammal Institute, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Newport 97365, OR, USA
| | - L. Hildebrand
- Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Lab, Marine Mammal Institute, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Newport 97365, OR, USA
| | - C. N. Bird
- Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Lab, Marine Mammal Institute, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Newport 97365, OR, USA
| | - K. E. Hunt
- Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation, Department of Biology, George Mason University, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA 22630, USA
| | - C. L. Buck
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 South Beaver Street, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - L. New
- Ursinus College, 601 East Main Street, Collegeville, PA 19426, USA
| | - D. Dillon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 South Beaver Street, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - L. G. Torres
- Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Lab, Marine Mammal Institute, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Newport 97365, OR, USA
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