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Barrett CE, Evans I, Morgan T, Olivier AK. Novel processing and staining methodology of bottlenose dolphin ( Tursiops truncatus) teeth for age determination. J Histotechnol 2024:1-8. [PMID: 38465369 DOI: 10.1080/01478885.2024.2327155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Age determination of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) is a critical tool in understanding both individual and population health. There are many methods of aging bottlenose dolphins including analysis of teeth, pectoral flipper radiographs, and epigenetics. The most common and oldest method for aging toothed cetaceans is the counting of growth layer groups (GLGs) in the teeth. Current techniques have technical and repeatability challenges. Therefore, a processing technique that results in better resolution of GLGs is needed. This study compares different decalcifications and different histochemical staining techniques. Decalcification was done using 10% EDTA, Kristensen's decalcification, and Rapid Decalcification Solution (RDO). Following decalcification and routine processing, GLGs were assessed using Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E), hematoxylin, Giemsa, Wright-Giemsa, Toluidine Blue (T-Blue), Masson's Trichrome, and Congo Red staining techniques. Decalcification with Kristensen's and staining with Masson's Trichrome and Congo Red were determined to best highlight GLGs. This processing and staining was then applied to a sample population of 102 bottlenose dolphins that were evaluated independently and blindly by two observers. Of the 102 dolphin samples, 13 (12.7%) were unable to age due to no clear distinction or distortion between GLGs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christa E Barrett
- Global Center for Aquatic Health and Food Security, Mississippi State University, Mississippi, MS, USA
| | - Ian Evans
- Global Center for Aquatic Health and Food Security, Mississippi State University, Mississippi, MS, USA
| | - Timothy Morgan
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi, MS, USA
| | - Alicia K Olivier
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi, MS, USA
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2
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Linnehan BK, Gomez FM, Huston SM, Hsu A, Takeshita R, Colegrove KM, Harms CA, Barratclough A, Deming AC, Rowles TK, Musser WB, Zolman ES, Wells RS, Jensen ED, Schwacke LH, Smith CR. Cardiac assessments of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Northern Gulf of Mexico following exposure to Deepwater Horizon oil. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0261112. [PMID: 34905585 PMCID: PMC8670661 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill profoundly impacted the health of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Barataria Bay, LA (BB). To comprehensively assess the cardiac health of dolphins living within the DWH oil spill footprint, techniques for in-water cardiac evaluation were refined with dolphins cared for by the U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program in 2018 and applied to free-ranging bottlenose dolphins in BB (n = 34) and Sarasota Bay, Florida (SB) (n = 19), a non-oiled reference population. Cardiac auscultation detected systolic murmurs in the majority of dolphins from both sites (88% BB, 89% SB) and echocardiography showed most of the murmurs were innocent flow murmurs attributed to elevated blood flow velocity [1]. Telemetric six-lead electrocardiography detected arrhythmias in BB dolphins (43%) and SB dolphins (31%), all of which were considered low to moderate risk for adverse cardiac events. Echocardiography showed BB dolphins had thinner left ventricular walls, with significant differences in intraventricular septum thickness at the end of diastole (p = 0.002), and left ventricular posterior wall thickness at the end of diastole (p = 0.033). BB dolphins also had smaller left atrial size (p = 0.004), higher prevalence of tricuspid valve prolapse (p = 0.003), higher prevalence of tricuspid valve thickening (p = 0.033), and higher prevalence of aortic valve thickening (p = 0.008). Two dolphins in BB were diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension based on Doppler echocardiography-derived estimates and supporting echocardiographic findings. Histopathology of dolphins who stranded within the DWH oil spill footprint showed a significantly higher prevalence of myocardial fibrosis (p = 0.003), regardless of age, compared to dolphins outside the oil spill footprint. In conclusion, there were substantial cardiac abnormalities identified in BB dolphins which may be related to DWH oil exposure, however, future work is needed to rule out other hypotheses and further elucidate the connection between oil exposure, pulmonary disease, and the observed cardiac abnormalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara K. Linnehan
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Forrest M. Gomez
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Sharon M. Huston
- San Diego Veterinary Cardiology, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Adonia Hsu
- San Diego Veterinary Cardiology, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Ryan Takeshita
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Kathleen M. Colegrove
- Zoological Pathology Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Brookfield, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Craig A. Harms
- North Carolina State University, Center for Marine Sciences and Technology, Morehead City, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Ashley Barratclough
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Alissa C. Deming
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dauphin Island, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Teri K. Rowles
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of Protected Resources, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Whitney B. Musser
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Eric S. Zolman
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Randall S. Wells
- Chicago Zoological Society’s Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, c/o Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, Florida, United States of America
| | - Eric D. Jensen
- U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program, Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Lori H. Schwacke
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Cynthia R. Smith
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, California, United States of America
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Toms CN, Stone T, Och T. Skin lesion and mortality rate estimates for common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) in the Florida Panhandle following a historic flood. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0257526. [PMID: 34618826 PMCID: PMC8496785 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0257526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing evidence links prolonged freshwater exposure to adverse health conditions, immune deficiencies, and mortality in delphinids. Pensacola, Florida, experienced a record-breaking flood event in April 2014, after which, skin lesions evident of freshwater exposure were observed on common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Here we assess the potential consequences of the flood on bottlenose dolphin health and mortality. Data from an ongoing study were used to evaluate the relationship between skin lesions (progression, prevalence, and extent) and the flood with respect to changing environmental conditions (salinity). Annual stranding records (2012–2016) from Alabama to the eastern Florida Panhandle were used as an indicator of dolphin health to test the hypothesis that the flood event resulted in increased annual mortality rates. Although salinities remained low for several months, results suggest that there was not the widespread skin lesion outbreak anticipated. Of the 333 unique individuals detected only 20% were seen with skin lesions. There was a significant increase in the proportion of dolphins seen post-flood with lesion extent above background levels (≥ 5%; p = 0.001), however, there were only 11 cases with lesion extent greater than 20%. Skin lesion prevalence increased overall following the flood (p < 0.001), but pairwise comparisons revealed a delayed response with significant increases not detected until the following fall (p = 0.01), several months after salinities returned to expected levels. Regression modeling revealed no significant effects of year, region, or year x region on mortality rates, except in Alabama, where increased mortality rates were likely due to residual impacts from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. This study takes advantage of a natural experiment, highlighting how little is understood about the conditions in which prolonged freshwater exposure leads to negative impacts on dolphin health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina N. Toms
- Chicago Zoological Society’s Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, c/o Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, Florida, United States of America
- Department of Biology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, United States of America
- Center for Environmental Diagnostics and Bioremediation, University of West Florida, Pensacola, Florida, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Tori Stone
- Department of Biology, University of West Florida, Pensacola, Florida, United States of America
| | - Traci Och
- Department of Biology, University of West Florida, Pensacola, Florida, United States of America
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Takeshita R, Balmer BC, Messina F, Zolman ES, Thomas L, Wells RS, Smith CR, Rowles TK, Schwacke LH. High site-fidelity in common bottlenose dolphins despite low salinity exposure and associated indicators of compromised health. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0258031. [PMID: 34591903 PMCID: PMC8483354 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
More than 2,000 common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) inhabit the Barataria Bay Estuarine System in Louisiana, USA, a highly productive estuary with variable salinity driven by natural and man-made processes. It was unclear whether dolphins that are long-term residents to specific areas within the basin move in response to fluctuations in salinity, which at times can decline to 0 parts per thousand in portions of the basin. In June 2017, we conducted health assessments and deployed satellite telemetry tags on dolphins in the northern portions of the Barataria Bay Estuarine System Stock area (9 females; 4 males). We analyzed their fine-scale movements relative to modeled salinity trends compared to dolphins tagged near the barrier islands (higher salinity environments) from 2011 to 2017 (37 females; 21 males). Even though we observed different movement patterns among individual dolphins, we found no evidence that tagged dolphins moved coincident with changes in salinity. One tagged dolphin spent at least 35 consecutive days, and 75 days in total, in salinity under 5 parts per thousand. Health assessments took place early in a seasonal period of decreased salinity. Nonetheless, we found an increased prevalence of skin lesions, as well as abnormalities in serum biochemical markers and urine:serum osmolality ratios for dolphins sampled in lower salinity areas. This study provides essential information on the likely behavioral responses of dolphins to changes in salinity (e.g., severe storms or from the proposed Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion project) and on physiological markers to inform the timing and severity of impacts from low salinity exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Takeshita
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Brian C. Balmer
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Francesca Messina
- Water Institute of the Gulf, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Eric S. Zolman
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Len Thomas
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, United Kingdom
| | - Randall S. Wells
- Chicago Zoological Society’s Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, Florida, United States of America
| | - Cynthia R. Smith
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Teresa K. Rowles
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Office of Protected Resources, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Lori H. Schwacke
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, California, United States of America
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Ruberg EJ, Elliott JE, Williams TD. Review of petroleum toxicity and identifying common endpoints for future research on diluted bitumen toxicity in marine mammals. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2021; 30:537-551. [PMID: 33761025 PMCID: PMC8060214 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-021-02373-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Large volumes of conventional crude oil continue to be shipped by sea from production to consumption areas across the globe. In addition, unconventional petroleum products also transverse pelagic habitats; for example, diluted bitumen from Canada's oilsands which is shipped along the Pacific coast to the United States and Asia. Therefore, there is a continuing need to assess the toxicological consequences of chronic and catastrophic petroleum spillage on marine wildlife. Peer-reviewed literature on the toxicity of unconventional petroleum such as diluted bitumen exists for teleost fish, but not for fauna such as marine mammals. In order to inform research needs for unconventional petroleum toxicity we conducted a comprehensive literature review of conventional petroleum toxicity on marine mammals. The common endpoints observed in conventional crude oil exposures and oil spills include hematological injury, modulation of immune function and organ weight, genotoxicity, eye irritation, neurotoxicity, lung disease, adrenal dysfunction, metabolic and clinical abnormalities related to oiling of the pelage, behavioural impacts, decreased reproductive success, mortality, and population-level declines. Based on our findings and the body of literature we accessed, our recommendations for future research include: 1) improved baseline data on PAH and metals exposure in marine mammals, 2) improved pre- and post-spill data on marine mammal populations, 3) the use of surrogate mammalian models for petroleum toxicity testing, and 4) the need for empirical data on the toxicity of unconventional petroleum to marine mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- E J Ruberg
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | - J E Elliott
- Pacific Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Delta, BC, Canada.
| | - T D Williams
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
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Bowen-Stevens SR, Gannon DP, Hazelkorn RA, Lovewell G, Volker KM, Smith S, Tumlin MC, Litz J. Diet of Common Bottlenose Dolphins, Tursiops truncatus, that Stranded in and Near Barataria Bay, Louisiana, 2010–2012. SOUTHEAST NAT 2021. [DOI: 10.1656/058.020.0113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Damon P. Gannon
- University of Georgia Marine Institute, PO Box 32, Sapelo Island, GA 31327
| | | | - Gretchen Lovewell
- Stranding Investigations Program, Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL 34236
| | - Kristen M. Volker
- Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center, Virginia Beach, VA 23451
| | - Suzanne Smith
- Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, New Orleans, LA 70130
| | - Mandy C. Tumlin
- Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Baton Rouge, LA 70898
| | - Jenny Litz
- National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Miami, FL 33149
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McCormack MA, Jackson BP, Dutton J. Relationship between mercury and selenium concentrations in tissues from stranded odontocetes in the northern Gulf of Mexico. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 749:141350. [PMID: 33370896 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Odontocetes are apex predators that, despite accumulating mercury (Hg) to high concentrations in their tissues, show few signs of Hg toxicity. One method of Hg detoxification in odontocetes includes the sequestering of Hg in toxicologically inert mercury selenide (HgSe) compounds. To explore the tissue-specific accumulation of Hg and Se and the potential protective role of Se against Hg toxicity, we measured the concentrations of total mercury (THg) and selenium (Se) in multiple tissues from 11 species of odontocetes that stranded along the northern Gulf of Mexico coast [Florida (FL) and Louisiana (LA)]. Tissues were collected primarily from bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus; n = 93); however, individuals from species in the following 8 genera were also sampled: Feresa (n = 1), Globicephala (n = 1), Grampus (n = 2), Kogia (n = 5), Mesoplodon (n = 1), Peponocephala (n = 4), Stenella (n = 9), and Steno (n = 1). In all species, mean THg concentrations were greatest in the liver and lowest in the blubber, lung, or skin. In contrast, in most species, mean Se concentrations were greatest in the liver, lung, or skin, and lowest in the blubber. For all species combined, Se:Hg molar ratios decreased with increasing THg concentration in the blubber, kidney, liver, lung, and skin following an exponential decay relationship. In bottlenose dolphins, THg concentrations in the kidney, liver, and lung were significantly greater in FL dolphins compared to LA dolphins. On average, in bottlenose dolphins, Se:Hg molar ratios were approximately 1:1 in the liver and >1:1 in blubber, kidney, lung, and skin, suggesting that Se likely protects against Hg toxicity. However, more research is necessary to understand the variation in Hg accumulation within and among species and to assess how Hg, in combination with other environmental stressors, influences odontocete population health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meaghan A McCormack
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, Aquatic Station, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA.
| | - Brian P Jackson
- Department of Earth Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA.
| | - Jessica Dutton
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, Aquatic Station, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA.
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Singh H, Bhardwaj N, Arya SK, Khatri M. Environmental impacts of oil spills and their remediation by magnetic nanomaterials. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.enmm.2020.100305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Barratclough A, Wells RS, Schwacke LH, Rowles TK, Gomez FM, Fauquier DA, Sweeney JC, Townsend FI, Hansen LJ, Zolman ES, Balmer BC, Smith CR. Health Assessments of Common Bottlenose Dolphins ( Tursiops truncatus): Past, Present, and Potential Conservation Applications. Front Vet Sci 2019; 6:444. [PMID: 31921905 PMCID: PMC6923228 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2019.00444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) is a global marine mammal species for which some populations, due to their coastal accessibility, have been monitored diligently by scientists for decades. Health assessment examinations have developed a comprehensive knowledge base of dolphin biology, population structure, and environmental or anthropogenic stressors affecting their dynamics. Bottlenose dolphin health assessments initially started as stock assessments prior to acquisition. Over the last four decades, health assessments have evolved into essential conservation management tools of free-ranging dolphin populations. Baseline data enable comparison of stressors between geographic locations and associated changes in individual and population health status. In addition, long-term monitoring provides opportunities for insights into population shifts over time, with retrospective application of novel diagnostic tests on archived samples. Expanding scientific knowledge enables effective long-term conservation management strategies by facilitating informed decision making and improving social understanding of the anthropogenic effects. The ability to use bottlenose dolphins as a model for studying marine mammal health has been pivotal in our understanding of anthropogenic effects on multiple marine mammal species. Future studies aim to build on current knowledge to influence management decisions and species conservation. This paper reviews the historical approaches to dolphin health assessments, present day achievements, and development of future conservation goals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Randall S Wells
- Chicago Zoological Society's Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL, United States
| | - Lori H Schwacke
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Teresa K Rowles
- NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Office of Protected Resources, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Forrest M Gomez
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Deborah A Fauquier
- NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Office of Protected Resources, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | | | | | - Larry J Hansen
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Eric S Zolman
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Brian C Balmer
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Cynthia R Smith
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, CA, United States
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Pitchford JL, Garcia M, Pulis EE, Ambert AM, Heaton AJ, Solangi M. Gauging the influence of increased search effort on reporting rates of bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) strandings following the deepwater horizon oil spill. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0199214. [PMID: 29927976 PMCID: PMC6013114 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0199214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2016] [Accepted: 04/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The co-occurrence of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the northern Gulf of Mexico cetacean Unusual Mortality Event have raised questions about the stability of inshore bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) populations throughout the region. Several factors could have contributed to the ongoing event, but little attention has been paid to the potential effects of increased search effort and reporting of strandings associated with oil spill response activities, which were widespread for an extended period. This study quantified the influence of increased search effort by estimating the number of bottlenose dolphin strandings reported by oil spill responders and comparing monthly stranding rates with and without response-related records. Results showed that response teams reported an estimated 58% of strandings during the Active Response period within the study area. Comparison of Poisson rates tests showed that when responder-influenced stranding records were removed, the monthly stranding rates from the Active Response period (May 2010 –April 2014) were similar to the Post-Removal Actions Deemed Complete period (May 2013 –March 2015) (e.g., p = 0.83 for remote areas in Louisiana). Further, analyses using the Getis-Ord Gi* spatial statistic showed that when response-related stranding reports were removed from the Active Response period, significant spatial clustering of strandings (p < 0.05) was reduced by 48% in coastal Louisiana. Collectively, these results suggest that increased search effort resulting from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill response throughout remote portions of the Unusual Mortality Event geographic region had the capacity to increase reporting and recovery of marine mammal strandings to unusually high levels. To better understand how stranding data relates to actual mortality, more work is needed to quantify dolphin population size, population trends, and carcass detection rates including the role of search effort. This is vital for understanding the status of a protected species within the northern Gulf of Mexico.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan L. Pitchford
- Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Moss Point, Mississippi, United States of America
- The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies, Gulfport, Mississippi, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Michael Garcia
- NOVACES LLC, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Eric E. Pulis
- The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies, Gulfport, Mississippi, United States of America
| | - Ashley Millan Ambert
- The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies, Gulfport, Mississippi, United States of America
| | - Andrew J. Heaton
- The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies, Gulfport, Mississippi, United States of America
- University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Moby Solangi
- The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies, Gulfport, Mississippi, United States of America
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Mullin KD, McDonald T, Wells RS, Balmer BC, Speakman T, Sinclair C, Zolman ES, Hornsby F, McBride SM, Wilkinson KA, Schwacke LH. Density, abundance, survival, and ranging patterns of common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Mississippi Sound following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0186265. [PMID: 29053728 PMCID: PMC5650146 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0186265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2017] [Accepted: 09/28/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
After the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill began in April 2010, studies were initiated on northern Gulf of Mexico common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Mississippi Sound (MSS) to determine density, abundance, and survival, during and after the oil spill, and to compare these results to previous research in this region. Seasonal boat-based photo-identification surveys (2010–2012) were conducted in a section of MSS to estimate dolphin density and survival, and satellite-linked telemetry (2013) was used to determine ranging patterns. Telemetry suggested two different ranging patterns in MSS: (1) inshore waters with seasonal movements into mid-MSS, and (2) around the barrier islands exclusively. Based upon these data, dolphin density was estimated in two strata (Inshore and Island) using a spatially-explicit robust-design capture-recapture model. Inshore and Island density varied between 0.77–1.61 dolphins km−2 ( x¯ = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.28–1.53) and 3.32–5.74 dolphins km−2 ( x¯ = 4.43, 95% CI: 2.70–5.63), respectively. The estimated annual survival rate for dolphins with distinctive fins was very low in the year following the spill, 0.73 (95% CI: 0.67–0.78), and consistent with the occurrence of a large scale cetacean unusual mortality event that was in part attributed to the DWH oil spill. Fluctuations in density were not as large or seasonally consistent as previously reported. Total abundance for MSS extrapolated from density results ranged from 4,610 in July 2011 to 3,046 in January 2012 ( x¯ = 3,469, 95% CI: 3,113–3,725).
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith D. Mullin
- Southeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Pascagoula, Mississippi, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Trent McDonald
- Western Ecosystems Technology, Inc., Cheyenne, Wyoming, United States of America
| | - Randall S. Wells
- Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, Chicago Zoological Society, % Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, Florida, United States of America
| | - Brian C. Balmer
- Hollings Marine Laboratory, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Charleston, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Todd Speakman
- Hollings Marine Laboratory, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Charleston, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Carrie Sinclair
- Southeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Pascagoula, Mississippi, United States of America
| | - Eric S. Zolman
- Hollings Marine Laboratory, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Charleston, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Fawn Hornsby
- Western Ecosystems Technology, Inc., Cheyenne, Wyoming, United States of America
| | - Shauna M. McBride
- Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, Chicago Zoological Society, % Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, Florida, United States of America
| | - Krystan A. Wilkinson
- Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, Chicago Zoological Society, % Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, Florida, United States of America
| | - Lori H. Schwacke
- Hollings Marine Laboratory, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Charleston, South Carolina, United States of America
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Pasamontes A, Aksenov AA, Schivo M, Rowles T, Smith CR, Schwacke LH, Wells RS, Yeates L, Venn-Watson S, Davis CE. Noninvasive Respiratory Metabolite Analysis Associated with Clinical Disease in Cetaceans: A Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Study. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2017; 51:5737-5746. [PMID: 28406294 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6b06482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Health assessments of wild cetaceans can be challenging due to the difficulty of gaining access to conventional diagnostic matrices of blood, serum and others. While the noninvasive detection of metabolites in exhaled breath could potentially help to address this problem, there exists a knowledge gap regarding associations between known disease states and breath metabolite profiles in cetaceans. This technology was applied to the largest marine oil spill in U.S. history (The 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico). An accurate analysis was performed to test for associations between the exhaled breath metabolome and sonographic lung abnormalities as well as hematological, serum biochemical, and endocrine hormone parameters. Importantly, metabolites consistent with chronic inflammation, such as products of lung epithelial cellular breakdown and arachidonic acid cascade metabolites were associated with sonographic evidence of lung consolidation. Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) metabolite profiles also correlated with serum hormone concentrations (cortisol and aldosterone), hepatobiliary enzyme levels, white blood cell counts, and iron homeostasis. The correlations among breath metabolites and conventional health measures suggest potential application of breath sampling for remotely assessing health of wild cetaceans. This methodology may hold promise for large cetaceans in the wild for which routine collection of blood and respiratory anomalies are not currently feasible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Pasamontes
- Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California , One Shields Avenue, Davis, California 95616, United States
| | - Alexander A Aksenov
- Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California , One Shields Avenue, Davis, California 95616, United States
| | - Michael Schivo
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of California , 4150 V Street, Suite 3400, Sacramento, California 95817, United States
- Center for Comparative Respiratory Biology and Medicine, University of California , Davis, California 95616, United States
| | - Teri Rowles
- Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 1315 East West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, United States
| | - Cynthia R Smith
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, 2240 Shelter Island Drive, Suite 200, San Diego, California 92106, United States
| | - Lori H Schwacke
- National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 331 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, South Carolina 29412, United States
| | - Randall S Wells
- Chicago Zoological Society's Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, c/o Mote Marine Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, Florida 34236, United States
| | - Laura Yeates
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, 2240 Shelter Island Drive, Suite 200, San Diego, California 92106, United States
| | - Stephanie Venn-Watson
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, 2240 Shelter Island Drive, Suite 200, San Diego, California 92106, United States
| | - Cristina E Davis
- Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California , One Shields Avenue, Davis, California 95616, United States
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13
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Wallace BP, Brosnan T, McLamb D, Rowles T, Ruder E, Schroeder B, Schwacke L, Stacy B, Sullivan L, Takeshita R, Wehner D. Effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on protected marine species. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2017. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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14
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Hohn AA, Thomas L, Carmichael RH, Litz J, Clemons-Chevis C, Shippee SF, Sinclair C, Smith S, Speakman TR, Tumlin MC, Zolman ES. Assigning stranded bottlenose dolphins to source stocks using stable isotope ratios following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2017. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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15
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Thomas L, Booth CG, Rosel PE, Hohn A, Litz J, Schwacke LH. Where were they from? Modelling the source stock of dolphins stranded after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill using genetic and stable isotope data. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2017. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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16
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Kellar NM, Speakman TR, Smith CR, Lane SM, Balmer BC, Trego ML, Catelani KN, Robbins MN, Allen CD, Wells RS, Zolman ES, Rowles TK, Schwacke LH. Low reproductive success rates of common bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus in the northern Gulf of Mexico following the Deepwater Horizon disaster (2010-2015). ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2017. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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17
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McDonald TL, Hornsby FE, Speakman TR, Zolman ES, Mullin KD, Sinclair C, Rosel PE, Thomas L, Schwacke LH. Survival, density, and abundance of common bottlenose dolphins in Barataria Bay (USA) following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2017. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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18
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Smith CR, Rowles TK, Hart LB, Townsend FI, Wells RS, Zolman ES, Balmer BC, Quigley B, Ivancˇic΄ M, McKercher W, Tumlin MC, Mullin KD, Adams JD, Wu Q, McFee W, Collier TK, Schwacke LH. Slow recovery of Barataria Bay dolphin health following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (2013-2014), with evidence of persistent lung disease and impaired stress response. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2017. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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19
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Takeshita R, Sullivan L, Smith C, Collier T, Hall A, Brosnan T, Rowles T, Schwacke L. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill marine mammal injury assessment. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2017. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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20
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Schwacke LH, Thomas L, Wells RS, McFee WE, Hohn AA, Mullin KD, Zolman ES, Quigley BM, Rowles TK, Schwacke JH. Quantifying injury to common bottlenose dolphins from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill using an age-, sex- and class-structured population model. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2017. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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21
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Groner ML, Maynard J, Breyta R, Carnegie RB, Dobson A, Friedman CS, Froelich B, Garren M, Gulland FMD, Heron SF, Noble RT, Revie CW, Shields JD, Vanderstichel R, Weil E, Wyllie-Echeverria S, Harvell CD. Managing marine disease emergencies in an era of rapid change. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2016; 371:rstb.2015.0364. [PMID: 26880835 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2015.0364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Infectious marine diseases can decimate populations and are increasing among some taxa due to global change and our increasing reliance on marine environments. Marine diseases become emergencies when significant ecological, economic or social impacts occur. We can prepare for and manage these emergencies through improved surveillance, and the development and iterative refinement of approaches to mitigate disease and its impacts. Improving surveillance requires fast, accurate diagnoses, forecasting disease risk and real-time monitoring of disease-promoting environmental conditions. Diversifying impact mitigation involves increasing host resilience to disease, reducing pathogen abundance and managing environmental factors that facilitate disease. Disease surveillance and mitigation can be adaptive if informed by research advances and catalysed by communication among observers, researchers and decision-makers using information-sharing platforms. Recent increases in the awareness of the threats posed by marine diseases may lead to policy frameworks that facilitate the responses and management that marine disease emergencies require.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya L Groner
- Centre for Veterinary Epidemiological Research, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada C1A 4P3
| | - Jeffrey Maynard
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA Laboratoire d'Excellence 'CORAIL' USR 3278 CNRS-EPHE, CRIOBE, Papetoai, Moorea, French Polynesia
| | - Rachel Breyta
- School of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Ryan B Carnegie
- Department of Aquatic Health Sciences, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA 23062, USA
| | - Andy Dobson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Carolyn S Friedman
- School of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Brett Froelich
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Morehead City, NC 28557, USA
| | - Melissa Garren
- Division of Science and Environmental Policy, California State University Monterey Bay, 100 Campus Center, Seaside, CA 93955, USA
| | | | - Scott F Heron
- NOAA Coral Reef Watch, NESDIS Center for Satellite Applications and Research, 5830 University Research Ct., E/RA3, College Park, MD 20740, USA Marine Geophysical Laboratory, Physics Department, College of Science, Technology and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4814, Australia
| | - Rachel T Noble
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Morehead City, NC 28557, USA
| | - Crawford W Revie
- Centre for Veterinary Epidemiological Research, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada C1A 4P3
| | - Jeffrey D Shields
- Department of Aquatic Health Sciences, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA 23062, USA
| | - Raphaël Vanderstichel
- Centre for Veterinary Epidemiological Research, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada C1A 4P3
| | - Ernesto Weil
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, PR 00680, USA
| | - Sandy Wyllie-Echeverria
- Friday Harbor Laboratories, University of Washington, Friday Harbor, WA 98250, USA Center for Marine and Environmental Studies, University of the Virgin Islands, St Thomas, VI 00802, USA
| | - C Drew Harvell
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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22
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Lane SM, Smith CR, Mitchell J, Balmer BC, Barry KP, McDonald T, Mori CS, Rosel PE, Rowles TK, Speakman TR, Townsend FI, Tumlin MC, Wells RS, Zolman ES, Schwacke LH. Reproductive outcome and survival of common bottlenose dolphins sampled in Barataria Bay, Louisiana, USA, following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Proc Biol Sci 2016; 282:20151944. [PMID: 26538595 PMCID: PMC4650159 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2015.1944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) inhabit bays, sounds and estuaries across the Gulf of Mexico. Following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, studies were initiated to assess potential effects on these ecologically important apex predators. A previous study reported disease conditions, including lung disease and impaired stress response, for 32 dolphins that were temporarily captured and given health assessments in Barataria Bay, Louisiana, USA. Ten of the sampled dolphins were determined to be pregnant, with expected due dates the following spring or summer. Here, we report findings after 47 months of follow-up monitoring of those sampled dolphins. Only 20% (95% CI: 2.50–55.6%) of the pregnant dolphins produced viable calves, as compared with a previously reported pregnancy success rate of 83% in a reference population. Fifty-seven per cent of pregnant females that did not successfully produce a calf had been previously diagnosed with moderate–severe lung disease. In addition, the estimated annual survival rate of the sampled cohort was low (86.8%, 95% CI: 80.0–92.7%) as compared with survival rates of 95.1% and 96.2% from two other previously studied bottlenose dolphin populations. Our findings confirm low reproductive success and high mortality in dolphins from a heavily oiled estuary when compared with other populations. Follow-up studies are needed to better understand the potential recovery of dolphins in Barataria Bay and, by extension, other Gulf coastal regions impacted by the spill.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne M Lane
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Hollings Marine Laboratory, Charleston, SC, USA
| | | | | | - Brian C Balmer
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Hollings Marine Laboratory, Charleston, SC, USA Chicago Zoological Society, c/o Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL, USA
| | - Kevin P Barry
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Pascagoula, MS, USA
| | | | | | - Patricia E Rosel
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Lafayette, LA, USA
| | - Teresa K Rowles
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Office of Protected Resources, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Todd R Speakman
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Hollings Marine Laboratory, Charleston, SC, USA
| | | | - Mandy C Tumlin
- Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Randall S Wells
- Chicago Zoological Society, c/o Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL, USA
| | - Eric S Zolman
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Hollings Marine Laboratory, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Lori H Schwacke
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Hollings Marine Laboratory, Charleston, SC, USA
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23
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Pitchford JL, Pulis EE, Evans K, Shelley JK, Serafin BJ, Solangi M. Seasonal Density Estimates of Tursiops truncatus (Bottlenose Dolphin) in the Mississippi Sound from 2011 to 2013. SOUTHEAST NAT 2016. [DOI: 10.1656/058.015.0201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Eric E. Pulis
- Institute for Marine Mammal Studies, 10801 Dolphin Lane, Gulfport, MS 39503
| | - Kristine Evans
- Geosystems Research Institute, Mississippi State University Box 9627, Mississippi State, MS 39762
| | - Jamie K. Shelley
- Institute for Marine Mammal Studies, 10801 Dolphin Lane, Gulfport, MS 39503
| | | | - Moby Solangi
- Institute for Marine Mammal Studies, 10801 Dolphin Lane, Gulfport, MS 39503
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24
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Colegrove KM, Venn-Watson S, Litz J, Kinsel MJ, Terio KA, Fougeres E, Ewing R, Pabst DA, McLellan WA, Raverty S, Saliki J, Fire S, Rappucci G, Bowen-Stevens S, Noble L, Costidis A, Barbieri M, Field C, Smith S, Carmichael RH, Chevis C, Hatchett W, Shannon D, Tumlin M, Lovewell G, McFee W, Rowles TK. Fetal distress and in utero pneumonia in perinatal dolphins during the Northern Gulf of Mexico unusual mortality event. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2016; 119:1-16. [PMID: 27068499 DOI: 10.3354/dao02969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
An unusual mortality event (UME) involving primarily common bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus of all size classes stranding along coastal Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, USA, started in early 2010 and continued into 2014. During this northern Gulf of Mexico UME, a distinct cluster of perinatal dolphins (total body length <115 cm) stranded in Mississippi and Alabama during 2011. The proportion of annual dolphin strandings that were perinates between 2009 and 2013 were compared to baseline strandings (2000-2005). A case-reference study was conducted to compare demographics, histologic lesions, and Brucella sp. infection prevalence in 69 UME perinatal dolphins to findings from 26 reference perinates stranded in South Carolina and Florida outside of the UME area. Compared to reference perinates, UME perinates were more likely to have died in utero or very soon after birth (presence of atelectasis in 88 vs. 15%, p < 0.0001), have fetal distress (87 vs. 27%, p < 0.0001), and have pneumonia not associated with lungworm infection (65 vs. 19%, p = 0.0001). The percentage of perinates with Brucella sp. infections identified via lung PCR was higher among UME perinates stranding in Mississippi and Alabama compared to reference perinates (61 vs. 24%, p = 0.01), and multiple different Brucella omp genetic sequences were identified in UME perinates. These results support that from 2011 to 2013, during the northern Gulf of Mexico UME, bottlenose dolphins were particularly susceptible to late-term pregnancy failures and development of in utero infections including brucellosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen M Colegrove
- Zoological Pathology Program, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Maywood, IL 60153
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25
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Balmer BC, Ylitalo GM, McGeorge LE, Baugh KA, Boyd D, Mullin KD, Rosel PE, Sinclair C, Wells RS, Zolman ES, Schwacke LH. Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in blubber of common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) along the northern Gulf of Mexico coast, USA. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2015; 527-528:306-312. [PMID: 25965044 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2015] [Revised: 05/04/2015] [Accepted: 05/04/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
A number of studies were initiated in response to the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill to understand potential injuries to bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) that inhabit the northern Gulf of Mexico (NGoM) estuarine waters. As part of these studies, remote biopsy skin and blubber samples were collected from dolphins at six field sites that received varying degrees of oiling: Barataria Bay (BB), Chandeleur Sound West (CSW), Chandeleur Sound East (CSE), Mississippi Sound South (MSS), Mississippi Sound North (MSN), and St. Joseph Bay (SJ). Blubber samples from 108 male dolphins were analyzed for persistent organic pollutant (POP) concentrations, as high levels of POPs have been previously reported in other southeastern U.S. dolphins and the potential contribution of these compounds to adverse health effects in NGoM dolphins must be considered. Dolphin blubber levels of summed POPs (ΣPOPs) did not differ significantly across sites (F-test, P=0.9119) [μg/g lipid; geometric mean and 95% CI]; CSW [65.9 (51.4-84.6)], SJ [74.1 (53.0-104)], MSN [74.3 (58.7-93.9)], BB [75.3 (56.4-101)], CSE [80.5 (57.8-112)], and MSS [82.5 (65.9-103)]. Overall, POP concentrations were in the lower half of the range compared to previously reported concentrations from other southeastern U.S. sites. Increased dolphin mortalities have been ongoing in the NGoM and have been suggested to be linked with the DWH oil spill. In addition, lung disease, impaired adrenal function, and serum biochemical abnormalities have been reported in dolphins from BB, an area that was heavily oiled. The results of this study suggest that POPs are likely not a primary contributor to the poor health conditions and increased mortality observed in some populations of NGoM dolphins following the DWH oil spill.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian C Balmer
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, 331 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, SC 29412, USA; Chicago Zoological Society, c/o Mote Marine Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, FL 34236, USA.
| | - Gina M Ylitalo
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, 2725 Montlake Boulevard East, Seattle, WA 98112, USA
| | - Lauren E McGeorge
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, 331 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, SC 29412, USA
| | - Keri A Baugh
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, 2725 Montlake Boulevard East, Seattle, WA 98112, USA
| | - Daryle Boyd
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, 2725 Montlake Boulevard East, Seattle, WA 98112, USA
| | - Keith D Mullin
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, 3209 Frederic Street, Pascagoula, MS 39567, USA
| | - Patricia E Rosel
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, 646 Cajundome Boulevard, Lafayette, LA 70506, USA
| | - Carrie Sinclair
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, 3209 Frederic Street, Pascagoula, MS 39567, USA
| | - Randall S Wells
- Chicago Zoological Society, c/o Mote Marine Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, FL 34236, USA
| | - Eric S Zolman
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, 331 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, SC 29412, USA
| | - Lori H Schwacke
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, 331 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, SC 29412, USA
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26
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Venn-Watson S, Colegrove KM, Litz J, Kinsel M, Terio K, Saliki J, Fire S, Carmichael R, Chevis C, Hatchett W, Pitchford J, Tumlin M, Field C, Smith S, Ewing R, Fauquier D, Lovewell G, Whitehead H, Rotstein D, McFee W, Fougeres E, Rowles T. Adrenal Gland and Lung Lesions in Gulf of Mexico Common Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) Found Dead following the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0126538. [PMID: 25992681 PMCID: PMC4439104 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0126538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2014] [Accepted: 03/30/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
A northern Gulf of Mexico (GoM) cetacean unusual mortality event (UME) involving primarily bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama began in February 2010 and continued into 2014. Overlapping in time and space with this UME was the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill, which was proposed as a contributing cause of adrenal disease, lung disease, and poor health in live dolphins examined during 2011 in Barataria Bay, Louisiana. To assess potential contributing factors and causes of deaths for stranded UME dolphins from June 2010 through December 2012, lung and adrenal gland tissues were histologically evaluated from 46 fresh dead non-perinatal carcasses that stranded in Louisiana (including 22 from Barataria Bay), Mississippi, and Alabama. UME dolphins were tested for evidence of biotoxicosis, morbillivirus infection, and brucellosis. Results were compared to up to 106 fresh dead stranded dolphins from outside the UME area or prior to the DWH spill. UME dolphins were more likely to have primary bacterial pneumonia (22% compared to 2% in non-UME dolphins, P = .003) and thin adrenal cortices (33% compared to 7% in non-UME dolphins, P = .003). In 70% of UME dolphins with primary bacterial pneumonia, the condition either caused or contributed significantly to death. Brucellosis and morbillivirus infections were detected in 7% and 11% of UME dolphins, respectively, and biotoxin levels were low or below the detection limit, indicating that these were not primary causes of the current UME. The rare, life-threatening, and chronic adrenal gland and lung diseases identified in stranded UME dolphins are consistent with exposure to petroleum compounds as seen in other mammals. Exposure of dolphins to elevated petroleum compounds present in coastal GoM waters during and after the DWH oil spill is proposed as a cause of adrenal and lung disease and as a contributor to increased dolphin deaths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Venn-Watson
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Kathleen M. Colegrove
- University of Illinois, Zoological Pathology Program, Maywood, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Jenny Litz
- National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Miami, Florida, United States of America
| | - Michael Kinsel
- University of Illinois, Zoological Pathology Program, Maywood, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Karen Terio
- University of Illinois, Zoological Pathology Program, Maywood, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Jeremiah Saliki
- Athens Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Spencer Fire
- NOAA National Ocean Service, Marine Biotoxins Program, Charleston, South Carolina, United States of America
- Florida Institute of Technology Department of Biological Sciences, Melbourne, Florida, United States of America
| | - Ruth Carmichael
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab and University of South Alabama, Dauphin Island, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Connie Chevis
- Institute for Marine Mammal Studies, Gulfport, Mississippi, United States of America
| | - Wendy Hatchett
- Institute for Marine Mammal Studies, Gulfport, Mississippi, United States of America
| | - Jonathan Pitchford
- Institute for Marine Mammal Studies, Gulfport, Mississippi, United States of America
| | - Mandy Tumlin
- Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Cara Field
- Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Suzanne Smith
- Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Ruth Ewing
- National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Miami, Florida, United States of America
| | - Deborah Fauquier
- National Marine Fisheries Service, Office of Protected Resources, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | | | - Heidi Whitehead
- Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - David Rotstein
- Marine Mammal Pathology Services, Olney, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Wayne McFee
- National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, National Ocean Service, Charleston, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Erin Fougeres
- National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Regional Office, St. Petersburg, Florida, United States of America
| | - Teri Rowles
- National Marine Fisheries Service, Office of Protected Resources, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
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