1
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Fisher DN, Cheney BJ. Dolphin social phenotypes vary in response to food availability but not the North Atlantic Oscillation index. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231187. [PMID: 37817593 PMCID: PMC10565371 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Social behaviours can allow individuals to flexibly respond to environmental change, potentially buffering adverse effects. However, individuals may respond differently to the same environmental stimulus, complicating predictions for population-level response to environmental change. Here, we show that bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) alter their social behaviour at yearly and monthly scales in response to a proxy for food availability (salmon abundance) but do not respond to variation in a proxy for climate (the North Atlantic Oscillation index). There was also individual variation in plasticity for gregariousness and connectedness to distant parts of the social network, although these traits showed limited repeatability. By contrast, individuals showed consistent differences in clustering with their immediate social environment at the yearly scale but no individual variation in plasticity for this trait at either timescale. These results indicate that social behaviour in free-ranging cetaceans can be highly resource dependent with individuals increasing their connectedness over short timescales but possibly reducing their wider range of connection at longer timescales. Some social traits showed more individual variation in plasticity or mean behaviour than others, highlighting how predictions for the responses of populations to environmental variation must consider the type of individual variation present in the population.
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Affiliation(s)
- David N. Fisher
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, King's College, Aberdeen AB24 3FX, UK
| | - Barbara J. Cheney
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Lighthouse Field Station, George Street, Cromarty IV11 8YL, UK
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2
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Lacetera P, Mason SJ, Tixier P, Arnould JPY. Using ecotourism boats for estimating the abundance of a bottlenose dolphin population in south-eastern Australia. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0289592. [PMID: 37540663 PMCID: PMC10403133 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0289592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023] Open
Abstract
It is challenging to collect robust, long-term datasets to properly monitor the viability and social structure of large, long-lived animals, especially marine mammals. The present study used a unique long-term dataset to investigate the population parameters and social structure of a poorly studied population of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops sp.) in southern Port Phillip Bay, south-eastern Australia. Photo-identification images have been collected between 2012-2022 both opportunistically and following a protocol by patrons, staff, and volunteers of ecotourism companies using their vessels as platforms. The resulting large dataset was available to be processed through the online platform Flukebook and used in capture recapture models to estimate abundance and demographic parameters. In addition, the social structure of the population and the reproductive parameters were investigated. The marked adult population abundance (45.2 ± 2.7 individuals) was found to be stable over the last decade and the calving rate ranged between 0.06-0.19 new calves per identified individuals per year, while the inter-birth interval was 3.7 ± 0.8 years. Social analysis suggested the population has a fission-fusion structure with no apparent clusters. The stability of the population over the study period suggests no deleterious effect of anthropogenic or environmental factors during the last decade. This study is the outcome of the effort of the ecotourism organisations and the results obtained, along with their similarity to those of other dolphin populations worldwide, highlight the importance of such data sources for long-term information that would otherwise be too expensive or logistically difficult to obtain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Lacetera
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
- Faculty of Science, Krijgslaan, Gent University, Gent, Belgium
| | - Suzanne J Mason
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
- Cetacean Science Connections, Forest Hill, Victoria, Australia
| | - Paul Tixier
- MARBEC, Université de Montpellier-CNRS-IFREMER-IRD, Sète, France
| | - John P Y Arnould
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
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3
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Fernandez-Betelu O, Iorio-Merlo V, Graham IM, Cheney BJ, Prentice SM, Cheng RX, Thompson PM. Variation in foraging activity influences area-restricted search behaviour by bottlenose dolphins. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:221613. [PMID: 37325592 PMCID: PMC10265022 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.221613] [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: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Area-restricted search (ARS) behaviour is commonly used to characterize spatio-temporal variation in foraging activity of predators, but evidence of the drivers underlying this behaviour in marine systems is sparse. Advances in underwater sound recording techniques and automated processing of acoustic data now provide opportunities to investigate these questions where species use different vocalizations when encountering prey. Here, we used passive acoustics to investigate drivers of ARS behaviour in a population of dolphins and determined if residency in key foraging areas increased following encounters with prey. Analyses were based on two independent proxies of foraging: echolocation buzzes (widely used as foraging proxies) and bray calls (vocalizations linked to salmon predation attempts). Echolocation buzzes were extracted from echolocation data loggers and bray calls from broadband recordings by a convolutional neural network. We found a strong positive relationship between the duration of encounters and the frequency of both foraging proxies, supporting the theory that bottlenose dolphins engage in ARS behaviour in response to higher prey encounter rates. This study provides empirical evidence for one driver of ARS behaviour and demonstrates the potential for applying passive acoustic monitoring in combination with deep learning-based techniques to investigate the behaviour of vocal animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oihane Fernandez-Betelu
- Lighthouse Field Station, School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Lighthouse Field Station, Cromarty IV11 8YL, UK
| | - Virginia Iorio-Merlo
- Lighthouse Field Station, School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Lighthouse Field Station, Cromarty IV11 8YL, UK
| | - Isla M. Graham
- Lighthouse Field Station, School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Lighthouse Field Station, Cromarty IV11 8YL, UK
| | - Barbara J. Cheney
- Lighthouse Field Station, School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Lighthouse Field Station, Cromarty IV11 8YL, UK
| | - Simone M. Prentice
- Lighthouse Field Station, School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Lighthouse Field Station, Cromarty IV11 8YL, UK
| | - Rachael Xi Cheng
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Berlin 10315, Germany
| | - Paul M. Thompson
- Lighthouse Field Station, School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Lighthouse Field Station, Cromarty IV11 8YL, UK
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4
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Population Genetic Structure of Anisakis simplex Infecting the European Hake from North East Atlantic Fishing Grounds. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13020197. [PMID: 36670737 PMCID: PMC9854729 DOI: 10.3390/ani13020197] [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: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The European hake, one of the most commercially valuable species in ICES fishing areas, is considered an important neglected source of zoonotic risk by nematode parasites belonging to the genus Anisakis. Merluccius merluccius is, by far, the most important host of Anisakis spp. at the European fishing grounds, in terms of demographic infection values, and carries the highest parasite burden. These high parasite population densities within an individual fish host offer a chance to explore new sources of variations for the genetic structure of Anisakis spp. populations. A total of 873 Anisakis spp. third-stage larvae, originally sampled from viscera and muscular sections of hake collected at ten fishing grounds, were primarily identified using ITS rDNA region as molecular marker. After that, we used mtDNA cox2 gene to reveal the high haplotype diversity and the lack of genetic structure for A. simplex. Dominant haplotypes were shared among the different fishing areas and fish sections analyzed. Results indicate a clear connection of A. simplex from European hake along the Northern North Sea to the Portuguese coast, constituting a single genetic population but revealing a certain level of genetic sub-structuring on the Northwest coast of Scotland. This study also provides useful information to advance the understanding of parasite speciation to different fish host tissues or microenvironments.
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5
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Genov T, Železnik J, Bruno C, Ascheri D, Fontanesi E, Blasi MF. The longest recorded movement of an inshore common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). Mamm Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-022-00316-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
AbstractInformation on movements and connectivity among populations of animals is important for the delineation of units to conserve, so that demographic parameters, such as abundance, fecundity and mortality, can be placed in an appropriate population and conservation context. Common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) are often considered relatively ‘resident’ and demonstrating strong site fidelity to specific areas. However, this perception may partly be an artefact of the distribution and ‘habitat use’ of cetacean researchers, rather than animals themselves, and bottlenose dolphins have been shown to be capable of substantial movements, often in relatively short periods of time. Here, we report on two long-distance movements of a common bottlenose dolphin within the Mediterranean Sea, across the Tyrrhenian, Ionian and Adriatic Seas, and subsequently back across all three seas to Ligurian Sea, making these the two longest recorded movement for this species in the Mediterranean Sea to date and some of the longest in the world. We also review published records of long-distance movements in this species worldwide. This study highlights the utility of photo-identification and the importance of regional data sharing. We argue that photo-identification comparisons are always worthwhile and the results are informative regardless of the presence or absence of matches, especially with the ongoing advances in automated matching software.
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6
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Lauret V, Labach H, Turek D, Laran S, Gimenez O. Integrated spatial models foster complementarity between monitoring programmes in producing large‐scale bottlenose dolphin indicators. Anim Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- V. Lauret
- CEFE, Université Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD Montpellier France
| | - H. Labach
- CEFE, Université Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD Montpellier France
- MIRACETI, Connaissance et conservation des cétacés Place des traceurs de pierres La Couronne France
| | - D. Turek
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics Williams College Williamstown MA USA
| | - S. Laran
- Observatoire PELAGIS UMS 3462 CNRS‐La Rochelle Université La Rochelle France
| | - O. Gimenez
- CEFE, Université Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD Montpellier France
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7
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Longden EG, Elwen SH, McGovern B, James BS, Embling CB, Gridley T. Mark–recapture of individually distinctive calls—a case study with signature whistles of bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops truncatus). J Mammal 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyaa081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Robust abundance estimates of wild animal populations are needed to inform management policies and are often obtained through mark–recapture (MR) studies. Visual methods are commonly used, which limits data collection to daylight hours and good weather conditions. Passive acoustic monitoring offers an alternative, particularly if acoustic cues are naturally produced and individually distinctive. Here we investigate the potential of using individually distinctive signature whistles in a MR framework and evaluate different components of study design. We analyzed signature whistles of common bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus, using data collected from static acoustic monitoring devices deployed in Walvis Bay, Namibia. Signature whistle types (SWTs) were identified using a bout analysis approach (SIGnature IDentification [SIGID]—Janik et al. 2013). We investigated spatial variation in capture by comparing 21 synchronized recording days across four sites, and temporal variation from 125 recording days at one high-use site (Aphrodite Beach). Despite dolphin vocalizations (i.e., echolocation clicks) being detected at each site, SWTs were not detected at all sites and there was high variability in capture rates among sites where SWTs were detected (range 0–21 SWTs detected). At Aphrodite Beach, 53 SWTs were captured over 6 months and discovery curves showed an initial increase in newly detected SWTs, approaching asymptote during the fourth month. A Huggins closed capture model constructed from SWT capture histories at Aphrodite Beach estimated a population of 54–68 individuals from acoustic detection, which overlaps with the known population size (54–76 individuals—Elwen et al. 2019). This study demonstrates the potential power of using signature whistles as proxies for individual occurrence and in MR abundance estimation, but also highlights challenges in using this approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma G Longden
- Sea Search Research and Conservation - Namibian Dolphin Project, Muizenberg, Cape Town, South Africa
- Marine Vertebrate Research Group, School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom
| | - Simon H Elwen
- Sea Search Research and Conservation - Namibian Dolphin Project, Muizenberg, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Barry McGovern
- Sea Search Research and Conservation - Namibian Dolphin Project, Muizenberg, Cape Town, South Africa
- Cetacean Ecology and Acoustics Laboratory, University of Queensland, Dunwich, QLD, Australia
| | - Bridget S James
- Sea Search Research and Conservation - Namibian Dolphin Project, Muizenberg, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Clare B Embling
- Marine Vertebrate Research Group, School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom
| | - Tess Gridley
- Sea Search Research and Conservation - Namibian Dolphin Project, Muizenberg, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
- Statistics in Ecology, Environment and Conservation (SEEC), Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, South Africa
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8
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Robinson KP, Haskins GN, Eisfeld-Pierantonio SM, Sidiropoulos T, Bamford CCG. Presenting vertebral deformities in bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus calves from a protected population in northeast Scotland. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2020; 140:103-108. [PMID: 32701066 DOI: 10.3354/dao03498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Photographs collected during a 23 yr photo-identification study in the Moray Firth were examined to assess the prevalence, type and severity of vertebral deformations present in bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus calves. Fifteen cases of presenting spinal anomalies (scoliosis, kyphosis, lordosis and combinations thereof) of variable severity were identified in 7.4% of all known calves from the population. Thirteen of the 15 anomalies were either manifest from birth or acquired from an early age, as ascertained from longitudinal sightings histories of their mothers. Most afflicted calves died during early development or shortly after maternal separation. However, 3 survived to adulthood and persist in the population to date, in addition to 2 dependent infants whose fate remains to be established. At 15+ yr of age, the oldest surviving individual was remarkably one of the most severe cases identified, highlighting the ability of these delphinids for adaptation to such gross structural deformities. The aetiology of the observed conditions could be attributed to a range of causative factors that may have implications for the well-being and health of this North Sea coastal dolphin population, a topic which merits further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin P Robinson
- Cetacean Research & Rescue Unit (CRRU), PO Box 11307, Banff, AB45 3WB, UK
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9
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Nykänen M, Kaschner K, Dabin W, Brownlow A, Davison NJ, Deaville R, Garilao C, Kesner-Reyes K, Gilbert MTP, Penrose R, Islas-Villanueva V, Wales N, Ingram SN, Rogan E, Louis M, Foote AD. Postglacial Colonization of Northern Coastal Habitat by Bottlenose Dolphins: A Marine Leading-Edge Expansion? J Hered 2020; 110:662-674. [PMID: 31211393 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esz039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 06/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Oscillations in the Earth's temperature and the subsequent retreating and advancing of ice-sheets around the polar regions are thought to have played an important role in shaping the distribution and genetic structuring of contemporary high-latitude populations. After the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), retreating of the ice-sheets would have enabled early colonizers to rapidly occupy suitable niches to the exclusion of other conspecifics, thereby reducing genetic diversity at the leading-edge. Bottlenose dolphins (genus Tursiops) form distinct coastal and pelagic ecotypes, with finer-scale genetic structuring observed within each ecotype. We reconstruct the postglacial colonization of the Northeast Atlantic (NEA) by bottlenose dolphins using habitat modeling and phylogenetics. The AquaMaps model hindcasted suitable habitat for the LGM in the Atlantic lower latitude waters and parts of the Mediterranean Sea. The time-calibrated phylogeny, constructed with 86 complete mitochondrial genomes including 30 generated for this study and created using a multispecies coalescent model, suggests that the expansion to the available coastal habitat in the NEA happened via founder events starting ~15 000 years ago (95% highest posterior density interval: 4 900-26 400). The founders of the 2 distinct coastal NEA populations comprised as few as 2 maternal lineages that originated from the pelagic population. The low effective population size and genetic diversity estimated for the shared ancestral coastal population subsequent to divergence from the pelagic source population are consistent with leading-edge expansion. These findings highlight the legacy of the Late Pleistocene glacial cycles on the genetic structuring and diversity of contemporary populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milaja Nykänen
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Distillery Fields, Cork, Ireland
| | - Kristin Kaschner
- Department of Biometry and Environmental System Analysis, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacher Straße, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Willy Dabin
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé. UMR 7372 CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, Villiers-en-Bois, France.,Observatoire PELAGIS, UMS 3462 CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, 5 allées de l'Océan, La Rochelle, France
| | - Andrew Brownlow
- Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme, SRUC Veterinary Services, Drummondhill, Inverness, UK
| | - Nicholas J Davison
- Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme, SRUC Veterinary Services, Drummondhill, Inverness, UK
| | - Rob Deaville
- UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme, The Wellcome Building, Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, UK
| | | | | | - M Thomas P Gilbert
- Section for Evolutionary Genomics, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Rod Penrose
- Marine Environmental Monitoring, Penwalk, Llechryd, Cardigan, Ceredigion, Wales, UK
| | | | - Nathan Wales
- Section for Evolutionary Genomics, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Simon N Ingram
- Marine Vertebrate Research Group, School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, UK
| | - Emer Rogan
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Distillery Fields, Cork, Ireland
| | - Marie Louis
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé. UMR 7372 CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, Villiers-en-Bois, France.,Scottish Oceans Institute, East Sands, St Andrews, UK
| | - Andrew D Foote
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Distillery Fields, Cork, Ireland.,Section for Evolutionary Genomics, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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10
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Hohl LSL, Sicuro FL, Wickert JC, Moreno IB, Rocha-Barbosa O, Barreto AS. Skull morphology of bottlenose dolphins from different ocean populations with emphasis on South America. J Morphol 2020; 281:564-577. [PMID: 32249999 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.21121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Revised: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The bottlenose dolphin, genus Tursiops, is cosmopolitan occurring in tropical and temperate regions, with morphological variation between and within different oceans. Since the genus' taxonomy has been under discussion for a long time, this work aimed at analyzing the cranial variability of T. truncatus from different regions of the world. Geometric Morphometrics analyses were performed in 201 skulls of adult specimens, on dorsal, ventral, and lateral views, from the Eastern North Pacific, Eastern North Atlantic, Eastern South Atlantic, and Western South Atlantic oceans. The results indicate differences between individuals that inhabit the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Within the Atlantic Ocean, there is an evident longitudinal differentiation of specimens from the eastern and western regions. A latitudinal separation was also observed, considering specimens from the North and South Atlantic Ocean. In the Western South Atlantic statistical differences were found between two morphological groups, identified as T. gephyreus (sensu Lahille, 1908) and T. truncatus, and the cross-validation presented 98% as minimum confidence for correct classification of these two groups. The present study provides strong morphological support to consider these two lineages as separate species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leandro S L Hohl
- Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Laboratório de Zoologia de Vertebrados-Tetrapoda (LAZOVERTE), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.,Departamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Evolução, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Fernando L Sicuro
- Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Laboratório de Pesquisas Clínicas e Experimentais em Biologia Vascular (BIOVASC), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Janaína C Wickert
- Grupo de Estudos de Mamíferos Aquáticos do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Bento Gonçalves, Torres, RS, Brazil.,Centro de Estudos Costeiros, Limnológicos e Marinhos (CECLIMAR), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, (UFRGS Campus Litoral Norte), Rio Grande do Sul, RS, Brazil
| | - Ignacio B Moreno
- Centro de Estudos Costeiros, Limnológicos e Marinhos (CECLIMAR), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, (UFRGS Campus Litoral Norte), Rio Grande do Sul, RS, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal (PPGBan), Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Oscar Rocha-Barbosa
- Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Laboratório de Zoologia de Vertebrados-Tetrapoda (LAZOVERTE), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.,Departamento de Ecologia, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Evolução, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - André S Barreto
- Universidade do Vale do Itajaí, Laboratório de Informática da Biodiversidade e Geomática, Itajaí, SC, Brazil
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11
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Zanuttini C, Gally F, Scholl G, Thomé JP, Eppe G, Das K. High pollutant exposure level of the largest European community of bottlenose dolphins in the English Channel. Sci Rep 2019; 9:12521. [PMID: 31515499 PMCID: PMC6742642 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-48485-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The objective of this study was to assess the levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and mercury (T-Hg) in the blubber and skin, respectively, of the free-ranging bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus, from the Normanno-Breton Gulf, one of the largest identified coastal population in Europe. Among all the POPs analysed in this study, the ∑NDL-PCBs were the most abundant compounds found in the blubber (mean: 1.33 × 105-0.65 × 105 ng.g-1 lipid weight (lw) for males and females respectively), followed by ∑DDX (1.11 × 104-4.67 × 103 ng.g-1 lw) > ∑DL-PCBs (8.06 × 103-2.62 × 103ng.g-1 lw) > ∑PBDEs (1.95 × 103-0.64 × 103ng.g-1 lw) > dieldrin (1.86 × 103-0.18 × 103 ng.g-1 lw) > ∑endosulfan (405-62 ng.g-1 lw) > HCB (86-52 ng.g-1 lw) > ∑HCHs (47-60 ng.g-1 lw) > ∑chlordane (24-0.97 ng.g-1 lw) > ∑PCDFs (0.3-0.1 ng.g-1 lw) > ∑PCDDs (0.06-0.05 ng.g-1 lw). The T-Hg concentrations were highly variable between individuals (2.45 × 103 ng.g-1 to 21.3 × 103 ng.g-1 dry weight, dw). The reported concentrations are among the highest reported for cetaceans. We strongly recommend that the Normanno-Breton Gulf be a special area of conservation (cSAC) candidate because it contains the last large European population of bottlenose dolphins (rare or threatened within a European context) designated under the EC Habitats Directive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyrielle Zanuttini
- Groupe d'Etude des Cétacés du Cotentin (GECC), Place des Justes, 50130, Cherbourg-Octeville, France
| | - François Gally
- Groupe d'Etude des Cétacés du Cotentin (GECC), Place des Justes, 50130, Cherbourg-Octeville, France
| | - Georges Scholl
- CART, UR MolSys B6c, University of Liège, 4000, Liège, Belgium
| | - Jean-Pierre Thomé
- CART-LEAE, Freshwater and Oceanic sciences Unit of reSearch (FOCUS- CART-LEAE), B6C, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Gauthier Eppe
- CART, UR MolSys B6c, University of Liège, 4000, Liège, Belgium
| | - Krishna Das
- Freshwater and Oceanic sciences Unit of reSearch (FOCUS-Oceanology), B6C, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
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12
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Schleimer A, Ramp C, Delarue J, Carpentier A, Bérubé M, Palsbøll PJ, Sears R, Hammond PS. Decline in abundance and apparent survival rates of fin whales ( Balaenoptera physalus) in the northern Gulf of St. Lawrence. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:4231-4244. [PMID: 31016001 PMCID: PMC6468087 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2018] [Revised: 02/16/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Estimates of abundance and survivorship provide quantifiable measures to monitor populations and to define and understand their conservation status. This study investigated changes in abundance and survival rates of fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) in the northern Gulf of St. Lawrence in the context of anthropogenic pressures and changing environmental conditions. A long-term data set, consisting of 35 years of photo-identification surveys and comprising more than 5,000 identifications of 507 individuals, formed the basis of this mark-recapture study. Based on model selection using corrected Akaike Information Criterion, the most parsimonious Cormack-Jolly-Seber model included a linear temporal trend in noncalf apparent survival rates with a sharp decline in the last 5 years of the study and a median survival rate of 0.946 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.910-0.967). To account for capture heterogeneity due to divergent patterns of site fidelity, agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis was employed to categorize individuals based on their annual and survey site fidelity indices. However, the negative trend in survivorship remained and was corroborated by a significant decline in the estimated super-population size from 335 (95% CI 321-348) individuals in 2004-2010 to 291 (95% CI 270-312) individuals in 2010-2016. Concurrently, a negative trend was estimated in recruitment to the population, supported by a sharp decrease in the number of observed calves. Ship strikes and changes in prey availability are potential drivers of the observed decline in fin whale abundance. The combination of clustering methods with mark-recapture represents a flexible way to investigate the effects of site fidelity on demographic variables and is broadly applicable to other individual-based studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Schleimer
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans InstituteUniversity of St AndrewsFifeUK
- Marine Evolution and Conservation, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life SciencesUniversity of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
- Mingan Island Cetacean StudySt LambertQuébecCanada
| | - Christian Ramp
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans InstituteUniversity of St AndrewsFifeUK
- Mingan Island Cetacean StudySt LambertQuébecCanada
| | | | | | - Martine Bérubé
- Marine Evolution and Conservation, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life SciencesUniversity of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
- Center for Coastal StudiesProvincetownMassachusetts
| | - Per J. Palsbøll
- Marine Evolution and Conservation, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life SciencesUniversity of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
- Center for Coastal StudiesProvincetownMassachusetts
| | | | - Philip S. Hammond
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans InstituteUniversity of St AndrewsFifeUK
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13
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Cheney BJ, Thompson PM, Cordes LS. Increasing trends in fecundity and calf survival of bottlenose dolphins in a marine protected area. Sci Rep 2019; 9:1767. [PMID: 30741983 PMCID: PMC6370779 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-38278-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Estimates of temporal variation in demographic rates are critical for identifying drivers of population change and supporting conservation. However, for inconspicuous wide-ranging species, births may be missed and fecundity rates underestimated. We address this issue using photo-identification data and a novel robust design multistate model to investigate changes in bottlenose dolphin fecundity and calf survival. The model allows for uncertainty in breeding status, and seasonal effects. The best model estimated an increase in the proportion of females with newborn calves from 0.16 (95% CI = 0.11-0.24) in 2001 to 0.28 (95% CI = 0.22-0.36) in 2016. First year calf survival also increased over this period from 0.78 (95% CI = 0.53-0.92) to 0.93 (95% CI = 0.82-0.98). Second year calf survival remained lower, but also showed an increase from 0.32 (95% CI = 0.19-0.48) to 0.55 (95% CI = 0.44-0.65). Females with newborn calves had a slightly higher mortality than those with older calves, but further work is required to evaluate potential costs of reproduction. This study presents a rare example of empirical evidence of a positive trend in reproduction and survival for a cetacean population using a Marine Protected Area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara J Cheney
- University of Aberdeen, Institute of Biological and Environmental Science, Lighthouse Field Station, Cromarty, IV11 8YL, UK.
| | - Paul M Thompson
- University of Aberdeen, Institute of Biological and Environmental Science, Lighthouse Field Station, Cromarty, IV11 8YL, UK
| | - Line S Cordes
- Bangor University, School of Ocean Sciences, Menai Bridge, LL59 5AB, UK
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14
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Arso Civil M, Cheney B, Quick NJ, Islas‐Villanueva V, Graves JA, Janik VM, Thompson PM, Hammond PS. Variations in age- and sex-specific survival rates help explain population trend in a discrete marine mammal population. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:533-544. [PMID: 30680134 PMCID: PMC6342117 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2018] [Revised: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 11/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the drivers underlying fluctuations in the size of animal populations is central to ecology, conservation biology, and wildlife management. Reliable estimates of survival probabilities are key to population viability assessments, and patterns of variation in survival can help inferring the causal factors behind detected changes in population size. We investigated whether variation in age- and sex-specific survival probabilities could help explain the increasing trend in population size detected in a small, discrete population of bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus off the east coast of Scotland. To estimate annual survival probabilities, we applied capture-recapture models to photoidentification data collected from 1989 to 2015. We used robust design models accounting for temporary emigration to estimate juvenile and adult survival, multistate models to estimate sex-specific survival, and age models to estimate calf survival. We found strong support for an increase in juvenile/adult annual survival from 93.1% to 96.0% over the study period, most likely caused by a change in juvenile survival. Examination of sex-specific variation showed weaker support for this trend being a result of increasing female survival, which was overall higher than for males and animals of unknown sex. Calf survival was lower in the first than second year; a bias in estimating third-year survival will likely exist in similar studies. There was some support first-born calf survival being lower than for calves born subsequently. Coastal marine mammal populations are subject to the impacts of environmental change, increasing anthropogenic disturbance and the effects of management measures. Survival estimates are essential to improve our understanding of population dynamics and help predict how future pressures may impact populations, but obtaining robust information on the life history of long-lived species is challenging. Our study illustrates how knowledge of survival can be increased by applying a robust analytical framework to photoidentification data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mònica Arso Civil
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans InstituteUniversity of St AndrewsSt AndrewsUK
| | - Barbara Cheney
- Lighthouse Field Station, Institute of Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of AberdeenCromartyUK
| | - Nicola J. Quick
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans InstituteUniversity of St AndrewsSt AndrewsUK
- Duke University Marine LaboratoryNicholas School of the EnvironmentBeaufortNorth Carolina
| | - Valentina Islas‐Villanueva
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans InstituteUniversity of St AndrewsSt AndrewsUK
- CONACYT, Universidad del Mar, Instituto de GenéticaCiudad UniversitariaOaxacaMéxico
| | - Jeff A. Graves
- Centre for Biological DiversityUniversity of St AndrewsSt AndrewsUK
| | - Vincent M. Janik
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans InstituteUniversity of St AndrewsSt AndrewsUK
| | - Paul M. Thompson
- Lighthouse Field Station, Institute of Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of AberdeenCromartyUK
| | - Philip S. Hammond
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans InstituteUniversity of St AndrewsSt AndrewsUK
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15
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Nykänen M, Dillane E, Englund A, Foote AD, Ingram SN, Louis M, Mirimin L, Oudejans M, Rogan E. Quantifying dispersal between marine protected areas by a highly mobile species, the bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:9241-9258. [PMID: 30377497 PMCID: PMC6194238 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2018] [Revised: 05/31/2018] [Accepted: 06/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The functioning of marine protected areas (MPAs) designated for marine megafauna has been criticized due to the high mobility and dispersal potential of these taxa. However, dispersal within a network of small MPAs can be beneficial as connectivity can result in increased effective population size, maintain genetic diversity, and increase robustness to ecological and environmental changes making populations less susceptible to stochastic genetic and demographic effects (i.e., Allee effect). Here, we use both genetic and photo-identification methods to quantify gene flow and demographic dispersal between MPAs of a highly mobile marine mammal, the bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus. We identify three populations in the waters of western Ireland, two of which have largely nonoverlapping core coastal home ranges and are each strongly spatially associated with specific MPAs. We find high site fidelity of individuals within each of these two coastal populations to their respective MPA. We also find low levels of demographic dispersal between the populations, but it remains unclear whether any new gametes are exchanged between populations through these migrants (genetic dispersal). The population sampled in the Shannon Estuary has a low estimated effective population size and appears to be genetically isolated. The second coastal population, sampled outside of the Shannon, may be demographically and genetically connected to other coastal subpopulations around the coastal waters of the UK. We therefore recommend that the methods applied here should be used on a broader geographically sampled dataset to better assess this connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milaja Nykänen
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental SciencesUniversity College CorkCorkIreland
| | - Eileen Dillane
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental SciencesUniversity College CorkCorkIreland
| | - Anneli Englund
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental SciencesUniversity College CorkCorkIreland
| | - Andrew D. Foote
- School of Biological SciencesMolecular Ecology Fisheries Genetics LabBangor UniversityBangorUK
| | - Simon N. Ingram
- School of Biological and Marine SciencesPlymouth UniversityPlymouthUK
| | - Marie Louis
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de ChizéUMR 7372CNRS‐Université de La RochelleLa RochelleFrance
- Observatoire PelagisUMS 3462CNRS‐Université de La RochelleLa RochelleFrance
- Scottish Oceans InstituteUniversity of St AndrewsSt AndrewsUK
| | - Luca Mirimin
- Department of Natural SciencesSchool of Science and ComputingGalway‐Mayo Institute of TechnologyMarine and Freshwater Research CentreGalwayIreland
| | | | - Emer Rogan
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental SciencesUniversity College CorkCorkIreland
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16
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Cheney B, Wells RS, Barton TR, Thompson PM. Laser photogrammetry reveals variation in growth and early survival in free-ranging bottlenose dolphins. Anim Conserv 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- B. Cheney
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Science; University of Aberdeen; Lighthouse Field Station Cromarty UK
| | - R. S. Wells
- Sarasota Dolphin Research Program; Chicago Zoological Society, c/o Mote Marine Laboratory; Sarasota FL USA
| | - T. R. Barton
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Science; University of Aberdeen; Lighthouse Field Station Cromarty UK
| | - P. M. Thompson
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Science; University of Aberdeen; Lighthouse Field Station Cromarty UK
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17
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Robinson KP, Sim TMC, Culloch RM, Bean TS, Cordoba Aguilar I, Eisfeld SM, Filan M, Haskins GN, Williams G, Pierce GJ. Female reproductive success and calf survival in a North Sea coastal bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) population. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0185000. [PMID: 28931081 PMCID: PMC5607131 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0185000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2017] [Accepted: 09/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Between-female variation in reproductive output provides a strong measure of individual fitness and a quantifiable measure of the health of a population which may be highly informative to management. In the present study, we examined reproductive traits in female bottlenose dolphins from the east coast of Scotland using longitudinal sightings data collected over twenty years. From a total of 102 females identified between 1997 and 2016, 74 mothers produced a collective total of 193 calves. Females gave birth from 6 to 13 years of age with a mean age of 8. Calves were produced during all study months, May to October inclusive, but showed a seasonal birth pulse corresponding to the regional peak in summer water temperatures. Approximately 83% (n = 116) of the calves of established fate were successfully raised to year 2-3. Of the known mortalities, ~45% were first-born calves. Calf survival rates were also lower in multiparous females who had previously lost calves. A mean inter-birth interval (IBI) of 3.80 years (n = 110) and mean fecundity of 0.16 was estimated for the population. Calf loss resulted in shortened IBIs, whilst longer IBIs were observed in females assumed to be approaching reproductive senescence. Maternal age and size, breeding experience, dominance, individual associations, group size and other social factors, were all concluded to influence reproductive success (RS) in this population. Some females are likely more important than others for the future viability of the population. Consequently, a better knowledge of the demographic groups containing those females showing higher reproductive success would be highly desirable for conservation efforts aimed at their protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin P. Robinson
- Cetacean Research & Rescue Unit (CRRU), Banff, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Texa M. C. Sim
- Cetacean Research & Rescue Unit (CRRU), Banff, Scotland, United Kingdom
- Oceanlab, University of Aberdeen, Newburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Ross M. Culloch
- Cetacean Research & Rescue Unit (CRRU), Banff, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas S. Bean
- Cetacean Research & Rescue Unit (CRRU), Banff, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | | | - Sonja M. Eisfeld
- Cetacean Research & Rescue Unit (CRRU), Banff, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Miranda Filan
- Cetacean Research & Rescue Unit (CRRU), Banff, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Gary N. Haskins
- Cetacean Research & Rescue Unit (CRRU), Banff, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | | | - Graham J. Pierce
- Oceanlab, University of Aberdeen, Newburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
- CESAM and Departamento de Biologia, Universidade de Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
- Instituto de Investigacións Mariñas (CSIC), Vigo, Spain
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18
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Palmer KJ, Brookes K, Rendell L. Categorizing click trains to increase taxonomic precision in echolocation click loggers. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2017; 142:863. [PMID: 28863550 DOI: 10.1121/1.4996000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Passive acoustic monitoring is an efficient way to study acoustically active animals but species identification remains a major challenge. C-PODs are popular logging devices that automatically detect odontocete echolocation clicks. However, the accompanying analysis software does not distinguish between delphinid species. Click train features logged by C-PODs were compared to frequency spectra from adjacently deployed continuous recorders. A generalized additive model was then used to categorize C-POD click trains into three groups: broadband click trains, produced by bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) or common dolphin (Delphinus delphis), frequency-banded click trains, produced by Risso's (Grampus griseus) or white beaked dolphins (Lagenorhynchus albirostris), and unknown click trains. Incorrect categorization rates for broadband and frequency banded clicks were 0.02 (SD 0.01), but only 30% of the click trains met the categorization threshold. To increase the proportion of categorized click trains, model predictions were pooled within acoustic encounters and a likelihood ratio threshold was used to categorize encounters. This increased the proportion of the click trains meeting either the broadband or frequency banded categorization threshold to 98%. Predicted species distribution at the 30 study sites matched well to visual sighting records from the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- K J Palmer
- School of Biology, University of St. Andrews, Sir Harold Mitchell Building, St. Andrews, Fife KY16 9TH, United Kingdom
| | - Kate Brookes
- Marine Laboratory, Marine Scotland Science, PO Box 101, 375 Victoria Road, Aberdeen AB11 9DB, United Kingdom
| | - Luke Rendell
- School of Biology, University of St. Andrews, Sir Harold Mitchell Building, St. Andrews, Fife KY16 9TH, United Kingdom
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19
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Arso Civil M, Cheney B, Quick NJ, Thompson PM, Hammond PS. A new approach to estimate fecundity rate from inter‐birth intervals. Ecosphere 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Mònica Arso Civil
- Sea Mammal Research Unit Scottish Oceans Institute University of St Andrews Fife KY16 8LB UK
| | - Barbara Cheney
- Lighthouse Field Station Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Aberdeen Cromarty IV11 8YL UK
| | - Nicola J. Quick
- Duke University Marine Laboratory Nicholas School of the Environment Beaufort North Carolina 28516 USA
| | - Paul M. Thompson
- Lighthouse Field Station Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Aberdeen Cromarty IV11 8YL UK
| | - Philip S. Hammond
- Sea Mammal Research Unit Scottish Oceans Institute University of St Andrews Fife KY16 8LB UK
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20
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Edgar GJ, Bates AE, Bird TJ, Jones AH, Kininmonth S, Stuart-Smith RD, Webb TJ. New Approaches to Marine Conservation Through the Scaling Up of Ecological Data. ANNUAL REVIEW OF MARINE SCIENCE 2016; 8:435-61. [PMID: 26253270 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-marine-122414-033921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
In an era of rapid global change, conservation managers urgently need improved tools to track and counter declining ecosystem conditions. This need is particularly acute in the marine realm, where threats are out of sight, inadequately mapped, cumulative, and often poorly understood, thereby generating impacts that are inefficiently managed. Recent advances in macroecology, statistical analysis, and the compilation of global data will play a central role in improving conservation outcomes, provided that global, regional, and local data streams can be integrated to produce locally relevant and interpretable outputs. Progress will be assisted by (a) expanded rollout of systematic surveys that quantify species patterns, including some carried out with help from citizen scientists; (b) coordinated experimental research networks that utilize large-scale manipulations to identify mechanisms underlying these patterns;
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Affiliation(s)
- Graham J Edgar
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart 7004, Tasmania, Australia; ,
| | - Amanda E Bates
- National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton, Southampton SO14 3ZH, United Kingdom;
| | - Tomas J Bird
- Department of Geography and the Environment, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom;
| | - Alun H Jones
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, United Kingdom; ,
| | - Stuart Kininmonth
- Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden;
| | - Rick D Stuart-Smith
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart 7004, Tasmania, Australia; ,
| | - Thomas J Webb
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, United Kingdom; ,
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21
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Soundscape and Noise Exposure Monitoring in a Marine Protected Area Using Shipping Data and Time-Lapse Footage. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2016; 875:705-12. [PMID: 26611022 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-2981-8_85] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
We review recent work that developed new techniques for underwater noise assessment that integrate acoustic monitoring with automatic identification system (AIS) shipping data and time-lapse video, meteorological, and tidal data. Two sites were studied within the Moray Firth Special Area of Conservation (SAC) for bottlenose dolphins, where increased shipping traffic is expected from construction of offshore wind farms outside the SAC. Noise exposure varied markedly between the sites, and natural and anthropogenic contributions were characterized using multiple data sources. At one site, AIS-operating vessels accounted for total cumulative sound exposure (0.1-10 kHz), suggesting that noise modeling using the AIS would be feasible.
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22
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Pirotta E, Harwood J, Thompson PM, New L, Cheney B, Arso M, Hammond PS, Donovan C, Lusseau D. Predicting the effects of human developments on individual dolphins to understand potential long-term population consequences. Proc Biol Sci 2015; 282:20152109. [PMID: 26511044 PMCID: PMC4650163 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2015.2109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2015] [Accepted: 09/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Human activities that impact wildlife do not necessarily remove individuals from populations. They may also change individual behaviour in ways that have sublethal effects. This has driven interest in developing analytical tools that predict the population consequences of short-term behavioural responses. In this study, we incorporate empirical information on the ecology of a population of bottlenose dolphins into an individual-based model that predicts how individuals' behavioural dynamics arise from their underlying motivational states, as well as their interaction with boat traffic and dredging activities. We simulate the potential effects of proposed coastal developments on this population and predict that the operational phase may affect animals' motivational states. For such results to be relevant for management, the effects on individuals' vital rates also need to be quantified. We investigate whether the relationship between an individual's exposure and the survival of its calves can be directly estimated using a Bayesian multi-stage model for calf survival. The results suggest that any effect on calf survival is probably small and that a significant relationship could only be detected in large, closely studied populations. Our work can be used to guide management decisions, accelerate the consenting process for coastal and offshore developments and design targeted monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Pirotta
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ, UK
| | - John Harwood
- Scottish Oceans Institute, East Sands, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 8LB, UK Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9LZ, UK
| | - Paul M Thompson
- Lighthouse Field Station, Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Cromarty IV11 8YL, UK
| | - Leslie New
- Washington State University, 14204 Salmon Creek Avenue, Vancouver, WA 98686, USA
| | - Barbara Cheney
- Lighthouse Field Station, Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Cromarty IV11 8YL, UK
| | - Monica Arso
- Scottish Oceans Institute, East Sands, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 8LB, UK
| | - Philip S Hammond
- Scottish Oceans Institute, East Sands, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 8LB, UK
| | - Carl Donovan
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9LZ, UK
| | - David Lusseau
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ, UK
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23
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Drivers of Population Structure of the Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Evol Biol 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s11692-015-9309-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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24
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King SL, Janik VM. Come dine with me: food-associated social signalling in wild bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Anim Cogn 2015; 18:969-74. [PMID: 25688042 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-015-0851-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2014] [Revised: 02/05/2015] [Accepted: 02/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Food-related signalling is widespread in the animal kingdom with some food-associated vocalizations considered functionally referential. Food calls can, however, vary greatly in the type of information they convey. Thus, there are a multitude of purposes for which food calls are used, including social recruitment, caller spacing, the indication of type, quantity, quality, divisibility of food, the caller's hunger level and even as tools to manipulate prey behaviour. Yet little work has focused on the social aspect of food calling in animals. We investigated the association of social signals in wild bottlenose dolphins with foraging behaviour where context-specific food-associated calls are commonly produced. Our data showed that specific social signals were significantly correlated with food call production and these calls rarely occurred in the absence of food calls. We suggest that animals are sharing additional information on the food patch itself with their social affiliates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie L King
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 8LB, UK,
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25
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Embling C, Walters A, Dolman S. How much effort is enough? The power of citizen science to monitor trends in coastal cetacean species. Glob Ecol Conserv 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2015.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
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26
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Long-term trends in the use of a protected area by small cetaceans in relation to changes in population status. Glob Ecol Conserv 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2014.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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27
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Lauriano G, Pierantonio N, Donovan G, Panigada S. Abundance and distribution of Tursiops truncatus in the Western Mediterranean Sea: an assessment towards the Marine Strategy Framework Directive requirements. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2014; 100:86-93. [PMID: 24784442 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2014.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2013] [Revised: 03/31/2014] [Accepted: 04/02/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The Mediterranean Sea common bottlenose dolphin population has been assessed as Vulnerable according to the IUCN Red List Criteria. The species is also included in several International Agreements, European Union Regulations and Directives. Amongst them, a strict protection and identification of special conservation areas are requested by the EU Habitats Directive. Despite direct takes, by-catch, chemical and acoustic pollution, and prey depletion, general habitat degradation and fragmentation have been indicated as detrimental for the species, the degree to which these threats pose population risk is still largely unknown. At present it is thus not possible to depict the actual status of the population and to assess prospective trends. To address this gap in the current knowledge, line transect distance sampling aerial surveys were conducted in a wide portion of the Western Mediterranean Sea between the summer of 2010 and winter 2011. A total of 165 parallel transects equally spaced at 15 km were designed providing homogeneous coverage probability. Overall, 21,090 km were flown on effort and 16 bottlenose dolphin sightings were recorded and used for the analysis. The surface abundance and density estimates resulted in 1676 animals (CV = 38.25; 95% CI = 804-3492) with a density of 0.005 (CV = 38.25%). These results represent the first ever estimates for the common bottlenose dolphin over a wide portion of the Western Mediterranean Sea Subregion, with the potential to be useful baseline data to inform conservation. Specifically, they could be used as indicators under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive requirements, in conjunction with other study methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giancarlo Lauriano
- Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via V. Brancati 60, 00144 Roma, Italy.
| | - Nino Pierantonio
- Tethys Research Institute, Viale G.B. Gadio 2, 20121 Milano, Italy
| | - Greg Donovan
- The International Whaling Commission, The Red House, 135 Station Road, Impington, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire CB24 9NP, UK
| | - Simone Panigada
- Tethys Research Institute, Viale G.B. Gadio 2, 20121 Milano, Italy; Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via V. Brancati 60, 00144 Roma, Italy
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28
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Pirotta E, Thompson PM, Cheney B, Donovan CR, Lusseau D. Estimating spatial, temporal and individual variability in dolphin cumulative exposure to boat traffic using spatially explicit capture-recapture methods. Anim Conserv 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- E. Pirotta
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences; University of Aberdeen; Aberdeen UK
| | - P. M. Thompson
- Lighthouse Field Station; Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences; University of Aberdeen; Cromarty UK
| | - B. Cheney
- Lighthouse Field Station; Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences; University of Aberdeen; Cromarty UK
| | - C. R. Donovan
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling; University of St Andrews; St Andrews UK
| | - D. Lusseau
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences; University of Aberdeen; Aberdeen UK
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29
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McClellan CM, Brereton T, Dell'Amico F, Johns DG, Cucknell AC, Patrick SC, Penrose R, Ridoux V, Solandt JL, Stephan E, Votier SC, Williams R, Godley BJ. Understanding the distribution of marine megafauna in the English channel region: identifying key habitats for conservation within the busiest seaway on earth. PLoS One 2014; 9:e89720. [PMID: 24586985 PMCID: PMC3938532 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0089720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2013] [Accepted: 01/22/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The temperate waters of the North-Eastern Atlantic have a long history of maritime resource richness and, as a result, the European Union is endeavouring to maintain regional productivity and biodiversity. At the intersection of these aims lies potential conflict, signalling the need for integrated, cross-border management approaches. This paper focuses on the marine megafauna of the region. This guild of consumers was formerly abundant, but is now depleted and protected under various national and international legislative structures. We present a meta-analysis of available megafauna datasets using presence-only distribution models to characterise suitable habitat and identify spatially-important regions within the English Channel and southern bight of the North Sea. The integration of studies from dedicated and opportunistic observer programmes in the United Kingdom and France provide a valuable perspective on the spatial and seasonal distribution of various taxonomic groups, including large pelagic fishes and sharks, marine mammals, seabirds and marine turtles. The Western English Channel emerged as a hotspot of biodiversity for megafauna, while species richness was low in the Eastern English Channel. Spatial conservation planning is complicated by the highly mobile nature of marine megafauna, however they are important components of the marine environment and understanding their distribution is a first crucial step toward their inclusion into marine ecosystem management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine M. McClellan
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Florence Dell'Amico
- Centre d'Études et de Soins pour les Tortues Marines, Aquarium La Rochelle, La Rochelle, France
| | - David G. Johns
- Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science, Plymouth, United Kingdom
| | - Anna-C. Cucknell
- International Fund for Animal Welfare and Marine Conservation Research International, Kelvedon, Essex, United Kingdom
| | - Samantha C. Patrick
- Biosciences, University of Gloucestershire, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom
| | - Rod Penrose
- Marine Environmental Monitoring, Llechryd, Ceredigion, United Kingdom
| | - Vincent Ridoux
- Observatoire PELAGIS, Université de La Rochelle-CNRS, La Rochelle, France
| | - Jean-Luc Solandt
- Marine Conservation Society, Ross on Wye, Herefordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Eric Stephan
- Association Pour l'Etude et la Conservation des Sélaciens, Brest, France
| | - Stephen C. Votier
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom
| | - Ruth Williams
- Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Truro, Cornwall, United Kingdom
| | - Brendan J. Godley
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom
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30
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Merchant ND, Pirotta E, Barton TR, Thompson PM. Monitoring ship noise to assess the impact of coastal developments on marine mammals. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2014; 78:85-95. [PMID: 24279956 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2013.10.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2013] [Revised: 10/29/2013] [Accepted: 10/31/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The potential impacts of underwater noise on marine mammals are widely recognised, but uncertainty over variability in baseline noise levels often constrains efforts to manage these impacts. This paper characterises natural and anthropogenic contributors to underwater noise at two sites in the Moray Firth Special Area of Conservation, an important marine mammal habitat that may be exposed to increased shipping activity from proposed offshore energy developments. We aimed to establish a pre-development baseline, and to develop ship noise monitoring methods using Automatic Identification System (AIS) and time-lapse video to record trends in noise levels and shipping activity. Our results detail the noise levels currently experienced by a locally protected bottlenose dolphin population, explore the relationship between broadband sound exposure levels and the indicators proposed in response to the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive, and provide a ship noise assessment toolkit which can be applied in other coastal marine environments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Enrico Pirotta
- University of Aberdeen, Institute of Biological & Environmental Sciences, Lighthouse Field Station, Cromarty, Ross-shire IV11 8YL, UK
| | - Tim R Barton
- University of Aberdeen, Institute of Biological & Environmental Sciences, Lighthouse Field Station, Cromarty, Ross-shire IV11 8YL, UK
| | - Paul M Thompson
- University of Aberdeen, Institute of Biological & Environmental Sciences, Lighthouse Field Station, Cromarty, Ross-shire IV11 8YL, UK
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31
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Pirotta E, Laesser BE, Hardaker A, Riddoch N, Marcoux M, Lusseau D. Dredging displaces bottlenose dolphins from an urbanised foraging patch. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2013; 74:396-402. [PMID: 23816305 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2013.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2013] [Revised: 06/06/2013] [Accepted: 06/08/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The exponential growth of the human population and its increasing industrial development often involve large scale modifications of the environment. In the marine context, coastal urbanisation and harbour expansion to accommodate the rising levels of shipping and offshore energy exploitation require dredging to modify the shoreline and sea floor. While the consequences of dredging on invertebrates and fish are relatively well documented, no study has robustly tested the effects on large marine vertebrates. We monitored the attendance of common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) to a recently established urbanised foraging patch, Aberdeen harbour (Scotland), and modelled the effect of dredging operations on site usage. We found that higher intensities of dredging caused the dolphins to spend less time in the harbour, despite high baseline levels of disturbance and the importance of the area as a foraging patch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Pirotta
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ, UK.
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32
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Brookes KL, Bailey H, Thompson PM. Predictions from harbor porpoise habitat association models are confirmed by long-term passive acoustic monitoring. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2013; 134:2523-2533. [PMID: 23968050 DOI: 10.1121/1.4816577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Survey based habitat association models provide good spatial coverage, but only a snapshot in time of a species' occurrence in a particular area. A habitat association model for harbor porpoises was created using data from five visual surveys of the Moray Firth, Scotland. Its predictions were tested over broader temporal scales using data from static passive acoustic loggers, deployed in two consecutive years. Predictions of relative abundance (individuals per kilometer of survey transect) were obtained for each 4 km × 4 km grid cell, and compared with the median number of hours per day that porpoises were acoustically detected in those cells. There was a significant, but weak, correlation between predicted relative abundance and acoustic estimates of occurrence, but this was stronger when predictions with high standard errors were omitted. When grid cells were grouped into those with low, medium, and high predicted relative abundance, there were similarly significant differences in acoustic detections, indicating that porpoises were acoustically detected more often in cells where the habitat model predicted higher numbers. The integration of acoustic and visual data added value to the interpretation of results from each, allowing validation of patterns in relative abundance recorded during snapshot visual surveys over longer time scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate L Brookes
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Lighthouse Field Station, University of Aberdeen, George Street, Cromarty, Ross-shire, IV11 8YJ, United Kingdom.
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33
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Pirotta E, Thompson PM, Miller PI, Brookes KL, Cheney B, Barton TR, Graham IM, Lusseau D. Scale-dependent foraging ecology of a marine top predator modelled using passive acoustic data. Funct Ecol 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Pirotta
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences; University of Aberdeen; Aberdeen AB24 2TZ, UK
| | - Paul M. Thompson
- Lighthouse Field Station; Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences; University of Aberdeen; Cromarty IV11 8YL, UK
| | | | - Kate L. Brookes
- Lighthouse Field Station; Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences; University of Aberdeen; Cromarty IV11 8YL, UK
| | - Barbara Cheney
- Lighthouse Field Station; Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences; University of Aberdeen; Cromarty IV11 8YL, UK
| | - Tim R. Barton
- Lighthouse Field Station; Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences; University of Aberdeen; Cromarty IV11 8YL, UK
| | - Isla M. Graham
- Lighthouse Field Station; Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences; University of Aberdeen; Cromarty IV11 8YL, UK
| | - David Lusseau
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences; University of Aberdeen; Aberdeen AB24 2TZ, UK
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34
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New LF, Harwood J, Thomas L, Donovan C, Clark JS, Hastie G, Thompson PM, Cheney B, Scott‐Hayward L, Lusseau D. Modelling the biological significance of behavioural change in coastal bottlenose dolphins in response to disturbance. Funct Ecol 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Leslie F. New
- US Marine Mammal Commission Bethesda Maryland 20814 USA
- US Marine Mammal Commission Bethesda Maryland 20814 USA
| | - John Harwood
- US Marine Mammal Commission Bethesda Maryland 20814 USA
| | - Len Thomas
- US Marine Mammal Commission Bethesda Maryland 20814 USA
| | - Carl Donovan
- US Marine Mammal Commission Bethesda Maryland 20814 USA
| | - James S. Clark
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling University of St Andrews St Andrews KY16 9LZ UK
| | - Gordon Hastie
- Nicholas School of the Environment Duke University Durham North Carolina 27708 USA
| | - Paul M. Thompson
- SMRU Ltd University of St Andrews St Andrews KY16 8 LB UK
- Lighthouse Field Station University of Aberdeen Ross‐shire AB24 2TZ UK
| | - Barbara Cheney
- SMRU Ltd University of St Andrews St Andrews KY16 8 LB UK
- Lighthouse Field Station University of Aberdeen Ross‐shire AB24 2TZ UK
| | | | - David Lusseau
- Lighthouse Field Station University of Aberdeen Ross‐shire AB24 2TZ UK
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