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London JM, Conn PB, Koslovsky SM, Richmond EL, Ver Hoef JM, Cameron MF, Crawford JA, Von Duyke AL, Quakenbush L, Boveng PL. Spring haul-out behavior of seals in the Bering and Chukchi Seas: implications for abundance estimation. PeerJ 2024; 12:e18160. [PMID: 39399416 PMCID: PMC11471145 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.18160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2024] [Indexed: 10/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Ice-associated seals rely on sea ice for a variety of activities, including pupping, breeding, molting, and resting. In the Arctic, many of these activities occur in spring (April through June) as sea ice begins to melt and retreat northward. Rapid acceleration of climate change in Arctic ecosystems is therefore of concern as the quantity and quality of suitable habitat is forecast to decrease. Robust estimates of seal population abundance are needed to properly monitor the impacts of these changes over time. Aerial surveys of seals on ice are an efficient method for counting seals but must be paired with estimates of the proportion of seals out of the water to derive population abundance. In this paper, we use hourly percent-dry data from satellite-linked bio-loggers deployed between 2005 and 2021 to quantify the proportion of seals hauled out on ice. This information is needed to accurately estimate abundance from aerial survey counts of ice-associated seals (i.e., to correct for the proportion of animals that are in the water, and so are not counted, while surveys are conducted). In addition to providing essential data for survey 'availability' calculations, our analysis also provides insights into the seasonal timing and environmental factors affecting haul-out behavior by ice-associated seals. We specifically focused on bearded (Erignathus barbatus), ribbon (Histriophoca fasciata), and spotted seals (Phoca largha) in the Bering and Chukchi seas. Because ringed seals (Phoca (pusa) hispida) can be out of the water but hidden from view in snow lairs analysis of their 'availability' to surveys requires special consideration; therefore, they were not included in this analysis. Using generalized linear mixed pseudo-models to properly account for temporal autocorrelation, we fit models with covariates of interest (e.g., day-of-year, solar hour, age and sex class, wind speed, barometric pressure, temperature, precipitation) to examine their ability to explain variation in haul-out probability. We found evidence for strong diel and within-season patterns in haul-out behavior, as well as strong weather effects (particularly wind and temperature). In general, seals were more likely to haul out on ice in the middle of the day and when wind speed was low and temperatures were higher. Haul-out probability increased through March and April, peaking in May and early June before declining again. The timing and frequency of haul-out events also varied based on species and age-sex class. For ribbon and spotted seals, models with year effects were highly supported, indicating that the timing and magnitude of haul-out behavior varied among years. However, we did not find broad evidence that haul-out timing was linked to annual sea-ice extent. Our analysis emphasizes the importance of accounting for seasonal and temporal variation in haul-out behavior, as well as associated environmental covariates, when interpreting the number of seals counted in aerial surveys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josh M. London
- Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Paul B. Conn
- Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Stacie M. Koslovsky
- Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Erin L. Richmond
- Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Jay M. Ver Hoef
- Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Michael F. Cameron
- Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Justin A. Crawford
- Arctic Marine Mammals Program, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Fairbanks, AK, USA
| | | | - Lori Quakenbush
- Arctic Marine Mammals Program, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Fairbanks, AK, USA
| | - Peter L. Boveng
- Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Seattle, WA, United States of America
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2
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Taylor RL, Jay CV, Beatty WS, Fischbach AS, Quakenbush LT, Crawford JA. Exploring effects of vessels on walrus behaviors using telemetry, automatic identification system data and matching. Ecosphere 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Chadwick V. Jay
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center Anchorage Alaska USA
| | - William S. Beatty
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Marine Mammals Management Anchorage Alaska USA
| | | | - Lori T. Quakenbush
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game Arctic Marine Mammal Program Fairbanks Alaska USA
| | - Justin A. Crawford
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game Arctic Marine Mammal Program Fairbanks Alaska USA
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3
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Borque-Espinosa A, Rode KD, Ferrero-Fernández D, Forte A, Capaccioni-Azzati R, Fahlman A. Subsurface swimming and stationary diving are metabolically cheap in adult Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens). J Exp Biol 2021; 224:273381. [PMID: 34746957 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.242993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Walruses rely on sea-ice to efficiently forage and rest between diving bouts while maintaining proximity to prime foraging habitat. Recent declines in summer sea ice have resulted in walruses hauling out on land where they have to travel farther to access productive benthic habitat while potentially increasing energetic costs. Despite the need to better understand the impact of sea ice loss on energy expenditure, knowledge about metabolic demands of specific behaviours in walruses is scarce. In the present study, 3 adult female Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) participated in flow-through respirometry trials to measure metabolic rates while floating inactive at the water surface during a minimum of 5 min, during a 180-second stationary dive, and while swimming horizontally underwater for ∼90 m. Metabolic rates during stationary dives (3.82±0.56 l O2 min-1) were lower than those measured at the water surface (4.64±1.04 l O2 min-1), which did not differ from rates measured during subsurface swimming (4.91±0.77 l O2 min-1). Thus, neither stationary diving nor subsurface swimming resulted in metabolic rates above those exhibited by walruses at the water surface. These results suggest that walruses minimize their energetic investment during underwater behaviours as reported for other marine mammals. Although environmental factors experienced by free-ranging walruses (e.g., winds or currents) likely affect metabolic rates, our results provide important information for understanding how behavioural changes affect energetic costs and can be used to improve bioenergetics models aimed at predicting the metabolic consequences of climate change on walruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Borque-Espinosa
- Universitat de València, Av. de Blasco Ibáñez 13, 46010 Valencia, Spain.,Fundación Oceanogràfic de la Comunitat Valenciana, Gran Vía Marqués del Turia 19, 46005 Valencia, Spain
| | - Karyn D Rode
- U.S. Geological Survey Alaska Science Center, , 4210 University Dr, Anchorage, 99508 AK, USA
| | | | - Anabel Forte
- Universitat de València, Av. de Blasco Ibáñez 13, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | | | - Andreas Fahlman
- Fundación Oceanogràfic de la Comunitat Valenciana, Gran Vía Marqués del Turia 19, 46005 Valencia, Spain.,Global Diving Research, Inc. Ottawa, K2J 5E8 ON, Canada
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4
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Cloyed CS, Balmer BC, Schwacke LH, Wells RS, Berens McCabe EJ, Barleycorn AA, Allen JB, Rowles TK, Smith CR, Takeshita R, Townsend FI, Tumlin MC, Zolman ES, Carmichael RH. Interaction between dietary and habitat niche breadth influences cetacean vulnerability to environmental disturbance. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Carl S. Cloyed
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab 101 Bienville Boulevard Dauphin Island Alabama 36608 USA
- Department of Marine Sciences University of South Alabama Mobile Alabama 36688 USA
| | - Brian C. Balmer
- National Marine Mammal Foundation 3419 Maybank Highway Johns Island South Carolina 29487 USA
| | - Lori H. Schwacke
- National Marine Mammal Foundation 3419 Maybank Highway Johns Island South Carolina 29487 USA
| | - Randall S. Wells
- Chicago Zoological Society’s Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, c/o Mote Marine Laboratory 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway Sarasota Florida 34236 USA
| | - Elizabeth J. Berens McCabe
- Chicago Zoological Society’s Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, c/o Mote Marine Laboratory 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway Sarasota Florida 34236 USA
| | - Aaron A. Barleycorn
- Chicago Zoological Society’s Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, c/o Mote Marine Laboratory 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway Sarasota Florida 34236 USA
| | - Jason B. Allen
- Chicago Zoological Society’s Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, c/o Mote Marine Laboratory 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway Sarasota Florida 34236 USA
| | - Teresa K. Rowles
- Office of Protected Resources National Marine Fisheries Service NOAA 1315 East West Highway Silver Spring Maryland 20910 USA
| | - Cynthia R. Smith
- National Marine Mammal Foundation 2240 Shelter Island Drive #200 San Diego California 92106 USA
| | - Ryan Takeshita
- National Marine Mammal Foundation 3419 Maybank Highway Johns Island South Carolina 29487 USA
| | - Forrest I. Townsend
- Bayside Hospital for Animals 251 Racetrack Road NE Fort Walton Beach Florida 32547 USA
| | - Mandy C. Tumlin
- Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries 2000 Quail Drive Baton Rouge Louisiana 70808 USA
| | - Eric S. Zolman
- National Marine Mammal Foundation 3419 Maybank Highway Johns Island South Carolina 29487 USA
| | - Ruth H. Carmichael
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab 101 Bienville Boulevard Dauphin Island Alabama 36608 USA
- Department of Marine Sciences University of South Alabama Mobile Alabama 36688 USA
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5
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Cloyed CS, Balmer BC, Schwacke LH, Takeshita R, Hohn A, Wells RS, Rowles TK, Saliki JT, Smith CR, Tumlin MC, Zolman ES, Fauquier DA, Carmichael RH. Linking morbillivirus exposure to individual habitat use of common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) between geographically different sites. J Anim Ecol 2021; 90:1191-1204. [PMID: 33608907 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Dolphin morbillivirus (DMV) is a virulent pathogen that causes high mortality outbreaks in delphinids globally and is spread via contact among individuals. Broadly ranging nearshore and open-ocean delphinids are likely reservoir populations that transmit DMV to estuarine populations. We assessed the seroprevalence of DMV antibodies and determined the habitat use of common bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus truncatus, from two estuarine sites, Barataria Bay and Mississippi Sound, in the northern Gulf of Mexico. We predicted that risk to DMV exposure in estuarine dolphins is driven by spatial overlap in habitat use with reservoir populations. Serum was collected from live-captured dolphins and tested for DMV antibodies. Habitat use of sampled individuals was determined by analysing satellite-tracked movements and stable isotope values. DMV seroprevalences were high among dolphins at Barataria Bay (37%) and Mississippi Sound (44%), but varied differently within sites. Ranging patterns of Barataria Bay dolphins were categorized into two groups: Interior and Island-associated. DMV seroprevalences were absent in Interior dolphins (0%) but high in Island-associated dolphins (45%). Ranging patterns of Mississippi Sound dolphins were categorized into three groups: Interior, Island-east and Island-west. DMV seroprevalences were detected across Mississippi Sound (Interior: 60%; Island-east: 20%; and Island-west: 43%). At both sites, dolphins in habitats with greater marine influence had enriched δ13 C values, and Barataria Bay dolphins with positive DMV titres had carbon isotope values indicative of marine habitats. Positive titres for DMV antibodies were more common in the lower versus upper parts of Barataria Bay but evenly distributed across Mississippi Sound. A dolphin's risk of exposure to DMV is influenced by how individual ranging patterns interact with environmental geography. Barataria Bay's partially enclosed geography likely limits the nearshore or open-ocean delphinids that carry DMV from interacting with dolphins that use interior, estuarine habitats, decreasing their exposure to DMV. Mississippi Sound's relatively open geography allows for greater spatial overlap and mixing among estuarine, nearshore and/or open-ocean cetaceans. The spread of DMV, and likely other diseases, is affected by the combination of individual movements, habitat use and the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl S Cloyed
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dauphin Island, AL, USA.,Department of Marine Sciences, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, USA
| | | | | | | | - Aleta Hohn
- NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Beaufort, NC, USA
| | - Randall S Wells
- Chicago Zoological Society's Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, c/o Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL, USA
| | - Teresa K Rowles
- NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Office of Protected Resources, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Jeremiah T Saliki
- Athens Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | | | - Mandy C Tumlin
- Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Eric S Zolman
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Deborah A Fauquier
- NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Office of Protected Resources, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Ruth H Carmichael
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dauphin Island, AL, USA.,Department of Marine Sciences, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, USA
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Beatty WS, Lemons PR, Sethi SA, Everett JP, Lewis CJ, Lynn RJ, Cook GM, Garlich-Miller JL, Wenburg JK. Panmixia in a sea ice-associated marine mammal: evaluating genetic structure of the Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) at multiple spatial scales. J Mammal 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyaa050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractThe kin structure of a species at relatively fine spatial scales impacts broad-scale patterns in genetic structure at the population level. However, kin structure rarely has been elucidated for migratory marine mammals. The Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) exhibits migratory behavior linked to seasonal patterns in sea ice dynamics. Consequently, information on the spatial genetic structure of the subspecies, including kin structure, could aid wildlife managers in designing future studies to evaluate the impacts of sea ice loss on the subspecies. We sampled 8,303 individual walruses over a 5-year period and used 114 single-nucleotide polymorphisms to examine both broad-scale patterns in genetic structure and fine-scale patterns in relatedness. We did not detect any evidence of genetic structure at broad spatial scales, with low FST values (≤ 0.001) across all pairs of putative aggregations. To evaluate kin structure at fine spatial scales, we defined a walrus group as a cluster of resting individuals that were less than one walrus body length apart. We found weak evidence of kin structure at fine spatial scales, with 3.72% of groups exhibiting mean relatedness values greater than expected by chance, and a significantly higher overall observed mean value of relatedness within groups than expected by chance. Thus, the high spatiotemporal variation in the distribution of resources in the Pacific Arctic environment likely has favored a gregarious social system in Pacific walruses, with unrelated animals forming temporary associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- William S Beatty
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Marine Mammals Management, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | - Patrick R Lemons
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Marine Mammals Management, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | - Suresh A Sethi
- U.S. Geological Survey, New York Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Jason P Everett
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Conservation Genetics Laboratory, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | - Cara J Lewis
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Conservation Genetics Laboratory, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | - Robert J Lynn
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Marine Mammals Management, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | - Geoffrey M Cook
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Conservation Genetics Laboratory, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | | | - John K Wenburg
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Conservation Genetics Laboratory, Anchorage, AK, USA
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7
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Evaluation of a method using survey counts and tag data to estimate the number of Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) using a coastal haulout in northwestern Alaska. Polar Biol 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-016-2060-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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8
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Jay CV, Taylor RL, Fischbach AS, Udevitz MS, Beatty WS. Walrus haul-out and in water activity levels relative to sea ice availability in the Chukchi Sea. J Mammal 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyw195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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9
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Fischbach A, Jay CV. A strategy for recovering continuous behavioral telemetry data from Pacific walruses. WILDLIFE SOC B 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Fischbach
- U.S. Geological SurveyAlaska Science Center4210 University DriveAnchorageAK99508USA
| | - Chadwick V. Jay
- U.S. Geological SurveyAlaska Science Center4210 University DriveAnchorageAK99508USA
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10
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Noren SR, Udevitz MS, Jay CV. Energy demands for maintenance, growth, pregnancy, and lactation of female Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens). Physiol Biochem Zool 2014; 87:837-54. [PMID: 25461648 DOI: 10.1086/678237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Decreases in sea ice have altered habitat use and activity patterns of female Pacific walruses Odobenus rosmarus divergens and could affect their energetic demands, reproductive success, and population status. However, a lack of physiological data from walruses has hampered efforts to develop the bioenergetics models required for fully understanding potential population-level impacts. We analyzed long-term longitudinal data sets of caloric consumption and body mass from nine female Pacific walruses housed at six aquaria using a hierarchical Bayesian approach to quantify relative energetic demands for maintenance, growth, pregnancy, and lactation. By examining body mass fluctuations in response to food consumption, the model explicitly uncoupled caloric demand from caloric intake. This is important for pinnipeds because they sequester and deplete large quantities of lipids throughout their lifetimes. Model outputs were scaled to account for activity levels typical of free-ranging Pacific walruses, averaging 83% of the time active in water and 17% of the time hauled-out resting. Estimated caloric requirements ranged from 26,900 kcal d(-1) for 2-yr-olds to 93,370 kcal d(-1) for simultaneously lactating and pregnant walruses. Daily consumption requirements were higher for pregnancy than lactation, reflecting energetic demands of increasing body size and lipid deposition during pregnancy. Although walruses forage during lactation, fat sequestered during pregnancy sustained 27% of caloric requirements during the first month of lactation, suggesting that walruses use a mixed strategy of capital and income breeding. Ultimately, this model will aid in our understanding of the energetic and population consequences of sea ice loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shawn R Noren
- Institute of Marine Science, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95060; 2US Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska 99508
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