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Manlik O, Lacy RC, Sherwin WB, Finn H, Loneragan NR, Allen SJ. A stochastic model for estimating sustainable limits to wildlife mortality in a changing world. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2022; 36:e13897. [PMID: 35122329 PMCID: PMC9542519 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Human-caused mortality of wildlife is a pervasive threat to biodiversity. Assessing the population-level impact of fisheries bycatch and other human-caused mortality of wildlife has typically relied upon deterministic methods. However, population declines are often accelerated by stochastic factors that are not accounted for in such conventional methods. Building on the widely applied potential biological removal (PBR) equation, we devised a new population modeling approach for estimating sustainable limits to human-caused mortality and applied it in a case study of bottlenose dolphins affected by capture in an Australian demersal otter trawl fishery. Our approach, termed sustainable anthropogenic mortality in stochastic environments (SAMSE), incorporates environmental and demographic stochasticity, including the dependency of offspring on their mothers. The SAMSE limit is the maximum number of individuals that can be removed without causing negative stochastic population growth. We calculated a PBR of 16.2 dolphins per year based on the best abundance estimate available. In contrast, the SAMSE model indicated that only 2.3-8.0 dolphins could be removed annually without causing a population decline in a stochastic environment. These results suggest that reported bycatch rates are unsustainable in the long term, unless reproductive rates are consistently higher than average. The difference between the deterministic PBR calculation and the SAMSE limits showed that deterministic approaches may underestimate the true impact of human-caused mortality of wildlife. This highlights the importance of integrating stochasticity when evaluating the impact of bycatch or other human-caused mortality on wildlife, such as hunting, lethal control measures, and wind turbine collisions. Although population viability analysis (PVA) has been used to evaluate the impact of human-caused mortality, SAMSE represents a novel PVA framework that incorporates stochasticity for estimating acceptable levels of human-caused mortality. It offers a broadly applicable, stochastic addition to the demographic toolbox to evaluate the impact of human-caused mortality on wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Manlik
- Biology Department, College of ScienceUnited Arab Emirates UniversityAbu DhabiUnited Arab Emirates
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological Earth and Environmental ScienceUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Robert C. Lacy
- Species Conservation Toolkit InitiativeChicago Zoological SocietyBrookfieldIllinoisUSA
| | - William B. Sherwin
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological Earth and Environmental ScienceUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Hugh Finn
- Curtin Law School, Faculty of Business and LawCurtin UniversityBentleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Neil R. Loneragan
- Environmental and Conservation Sciences, College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education and Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler InstituteMurdoch UniversityMurdochWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Simon J. Allen
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of BristolBristolUK
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of Western AustraliaPerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
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2
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Pace DS, Di Marco C, Giacomini G, Ferri S, Silvestri M, Papale E, Casoli E, Ventura D, Mingione M, Alaimo Di Loro P, Jona Lasinio G, Ardizzone G. Capitoline Dolphins: Residency Patterns and Abundance Estimate of Tursiops truncatus at the Tiber River Estuary (Mediterranean Sea). BIOLOGY 2021; 10:275. [PMID: 33800538 PMCID: PMC8066396 DOI: 10.3390/biology10040275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Periodic assessments of population status and trends to detect natural influences and human effects on coastal dolphin are often limited by lack of baseline information. Here, we investigated for the first time the site-fidelity patterns and estimated the population size of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) at the Tiber River estuary (central Mediterranean, Tyrrhenian Sea, Rome, Italy) between 2017 and 2020. We used photo-identification data and site-fidelity metrics to study the tendency of dolphins to remain in, or return to, the study area, and capture-recapture models to estimate the population abundance. In all, 347 unique individuals were identified. The hierarchical cluster analysis highlighted 3 clusters, labeled resident (individuals encountered at least five times, in three different months, over three distinct years; n = 42), part-time (individuals encountered at least on two occasions in a month, in at least two different years; n = 73), and transient (individuals encountered on more than one occasion, in more than 1 month, none of them in more than 1 year; n = 232), each characterized by site-fidelity metrics. Open POPAN modeling estimated a population size of 529 individuals (95% CI: 456-614), showing that the Capitoline (Roman) coastal area and nearby regions surrounding the Tiber River estuary represent an important, suitable habitat for bottlenose dolphins, despite their proximity to one of the major urban centers in the world (the city of Rome). Given the high number of individuals in the area and the presence of resident individuals with strong site fidelity, we suggest that conservation plans should not be focused only close to the Tiber River mouths but extended to cover a broader scale of area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Silvia Pace
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (C.D.M.); (G.G.); (S.F.); (M.S.); (E.C.); (D.V.); (G.A.)
| | - Chiara Di Marco
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (C.D.M.); (G.G.); (S.F.); (M.S.); (E.C.); (D.V.); (G.A.)
| | - Giancarlo Giacomini
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (C.D.M.); (G.G.); (S.F.); (M.S.); (E.C.); (D.V.); (G.A.)
| | - Sara Ferri
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (C.D.M.); (G.G.); (S.F.); (M.S.); (E.C.); (D.V.); (G.A.)
| | - Margherita Silvestri
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (C.D.M.); (G.G.); (S.F.); (M.S.); (E.C.); (D.V.); (G.A.)
| | - Elena Papale
- CNR-IAS, Campobello di Mazara, 91021 Trapani, Italy;
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, 10123 Torino, Italy
| | - Edoardo Casoli
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (C.D.M.); (G.G.); (S.F.); (M.S.); (E.C.); (D.V.); (G.A.)
| | - Daniele Ventura
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (C.D.M.); (G.G.); (S.F.); (M.S.); (E.C.); (D.V.); (G.A.)
| | - Marco Mingione
- Department of Statistical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (M.M.); (P.A.D.L.); (G.J.L.)
| | - Pierfrancesco Alaimo Di Loro
- Department of Statistical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (M.M.); (P.A.D.L.); (G.J.L.)
| | - Giovanna Jona Lasinio
- Department of Statistical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (M.M.); (P.A.D.L.); (G.J.L.)
| | - Giandomenico Ardizzone
- Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (C.D.M.); (G.G.); (S.F.); (M.S.); (E.C.); (D.V.); (G.A.)
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3
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Loureiro JD, Migliorisi AL, Loureiro JP, Rodríguez Heredia S, Rebollo J, Álvarez KC, Morón S, Nuñez Favre R. Breeding program in rehabilitated bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus gephyreus) from the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean. Zoo Biol 2021; 40:208-217. [PMID: 33606298 DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21592] [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: 06/23/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Tursiops truncatus gephyreus is only found in the inshore waters of the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean. They are organized in small socially, structured groups, which lead to low genetic variability and high anthropogenic threats. Currently, the information about their reproductive biology and management is still insufficient. Thus, this study aims to present novel information recorded for 20 years regarding reproductive parameters in a small population of captive T. t. gephyreus. Three of the animals involved were found stranded in La Plata River estuary and, the other two were born at the oceanarium. Thirteen semen evaluations showed high-quality semen with a low percentage of sperm abnormalities. Twelve pregnancies and parturitions were observed. There was a clear calving seasonality during austral spring and summer. The duration of phase-2 of labor was approximately 80 min, being the caudal presentation the most frequent. The average inter-birth interval (IBI) was about 33 months. This is the first report that closely monitored parturition, IBI, and seminal evaluation in this species. Information gathered during this program will allow the development of adequate conservation plans for free-ranging populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio D Loureiro
- Oceanario Mundo Marino, San Clemente del Tuyú, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Fundación Mundo Marino, San Clemente del Tuyú, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ana L Migliorisi
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Juan P Loureiro
- Oceanario Mundo Marino, San Clemente del Tuyú, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Fundación Mundo Marino, San Clemente del Tuyú, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Sergio Rodríguez Heredia
- Oceanario Mundo Marino, San Clemente del Tuyú, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Fundación Mundo Marino, San Clemente del Tuyú, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jorge Rebollo
- Oceanario Mundo Marino, San Clemente del Tuyú, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Karina C Álvarez
- Oceanario Mundo Marino, San Clemente del Tuyú, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Fundación Mundo Marino, San Clemente del Tuyú, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Sergio Morón
- Oceanario Mundo Marino, San Clemente del Tuyú, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Fundación Mundo Marino, San Clemente del Tuyú, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Romina Nuñez Favre
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), CABA, Argentina
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4
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Loizaga R, Grandi F, Cunha H, Crespo E. New genetic diversity for endangered bottlenose dolphin subspecies along the Argentine coast. MAMMALIA 2020. [DOI: 10.1515/mammalia-2019-0149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
This study analyzed mtDNA sequences of two bottlenose dolphin subspecies found along the northern Patagonian coast, Argentina: the endangered Tursiops truncatus gephyreus and the data deficient Tursiops truncatus truncatus. Three haplotypes were recovered from nine samples. The most frequent haplotype represented the coastal morph, also two haplotypes showing falcate dorsal fin, a characteristic describing the oceanic morph. This finding suggests that both morphs may exist in sympatry in Argentina. Furthermore, sampling was extended beyond the species’ previously known range, including individuals as far as seven hundred kilometers to the south. Therefore, new genetic data, despite being preliminary, hint at an unexpectedly higher genetic diversity of matrilines than previously anticipated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocío Loizaga
- Laboratorio de Mamíferos Marinos , Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos (CESIMAR, CONICET), (U9120ACD) , Puerto Madryn , Chubut , Argentina
| | - Florencia Grandi
- Laboratorio de Mamíferos Marinos , Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos (CESIMAR, CONICET), (U9120ACD) , Puerto Madryn , Chubut , Argentina
| | - Haydée Cunha
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores , Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, (CEP20550-013) , Rio de Janeiro , Brazil
| | - Enrique Crespo
- Laboratorio de Mamíferos Marinos , Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos (CESIMAR, CONICET), (U9120ACD) , Puerto Madryn , Chubut , Argentina
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5
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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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6
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Edmonds D, Kessler E, Bolte L. How common is common? Rapidly assessing population size and structure of the frog Mantidactylus betsileanus
at a site in east-central Madagascar. AUSTRAL ECOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Devin Edmonds
- Association Mitsinjo; Andasibe Madagascar
- Illinois Natural History Survey; Prairie Research Institute; University of Illinois; 1816 South Oak Street Champaign Illinois 61820 USA
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences; University of Illinois; Urbana Illinois USA
| | - Ethan Kessler
- Illinois Natural History Survey; Prairie Research Institute; University of Illinois; 1816 South Oak Street Champaign Illinois 61820 USA
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences; University of Illinois; Urbana Illinois USA
| | - Leonard Bolte
- Georg-August-University Göttingen; Göttingen Germany
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7
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Barragán-Barrera DC, Luna-Acosta A, May-Collado LJ, Polo-Silva CJ, Riet-Sapriza FG, Bustamante P, Hernández-Ávila MP, Vélez N, Farías-Curtidor N, Caballero S. Foraging habits and levels of mercury in a resident population of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Bocas del Toro Archipelago, Caribbean Sea, Panama. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2019; 145:343-356. [PMID: 31590796 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.04.076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2018] [Revised: 04/26/2019] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
A small and genetically isolated bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) population resides year-round in the Bocas del Toro Archipelago-Panama (BDT). Photo-identification and genetic data showed that this dolphin population is highly phylopatric and is formed exclusively by individuals of the "inshore form". This study aimed to investigate the trophic ecology and mercury concentrations of bottlenose dolphins in BDT to assess their coastal habits. We collected muscle samples (n = 175) of 11 potential fish prey species, and skin samples from free-ranging dolphins in BDT (n = 37) and La Guajira-Colombia (n = 7) to compare isotopic niche width. Results showed that BDT dolphins have a coastal feeding habit, belong to the "inshore form" (δ13C = -13.05 ± 1.89‰), and have low mercury concentrations (mean = 1637 ± 1387 ng g-1dw). However, this element is biomagnified in the BDT food chain, showing a marginal dolphins health risk (RQ = 1.00). We call for a monitoring pollutant program and conservation strategies aimed to protect the dolphin population at BDT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dalia C Barragán-Barrera
- Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular de Vertebrados Acuáticos-LEMVA, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de los Andes, Carrera 1 # 18A-10, Bogotá, Colombia; Fundación Macuáticos Colombia, Calle 27 # 79-167, Medellín, Colombia; Corporation Center of Excellence in Marine Sciences-CEMarin, Carrera 21 # 35-53, Bogotá, Colombia.
| | - Andrea Luna-Acosta
- Departamento de Ecología y Territorio, Facultad de Estudios Ambientales y Rurales, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Transversal 4 # 42-00, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Laura J May-Collado
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, 109 Carrigan Drive, Burlington, VT 05405, USA; Centro de Investigación en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad de Costa Rica, Costa Rica
| | - Carlos J Polo-Silva
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Ingeniería, Universidad de Bogotá Jorge Tadeo Lozano, Santa Marta, Colombia
| | - Federico G Riet-Sapriza
- Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular de Vertebrados Acuáticos-LEMVA, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de los Andes, Carrera 1 # 18A-10, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Paco Bustamante
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs) UMR 7266 CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000 La Rochelle, France
| | - María Paula Hernández-Ávila
- Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular de Vertebrados Acuáticos-LEMVA, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de los Andes, Carrera 1 # 18A-10, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Natalia Vélez
- Departamento de Ecología y Territorio, Facultad de Estudios Ambientales y Rurales, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Transversal 4 # 42-00, Bogotá, Colombia; Fundación Malpelo y Otros Ecosistemas Marinos, Carrera 11 # 87-51, Local 4 - Piso 2, Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | - Susana Caballero
- Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular de Vertebrados Acuáticos-LEMVA, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de los Andes, Carrera 1 # 18A-10, Bogotá, Colombia
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8
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Ramos EA, Castelblanco-Martínez DN, Garcia J, Rojas Arias J, Foley JR, Audley K, Van Waerebeek K, Van Bressem MF. Lobomycosis-like disease in common bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus from Belize and Mexico: bridging the gap between the Americas. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2018; 128:1-12. [PMID: 29565249 DOI: 10.3354/dao03206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Lobomycosis and lobomycosis-like diseases (LLD) (also: paracoccidioidomycosis) are chronic cutaneous infections that affect Delphinidae in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. In the Americas, these diseases have been relatively well-described, but gaps still exist in our understanding of their distribution across the continent. Here we report on LLD affecting inshore bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus from the Caribbean waters of Belize and from the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean off the southwestern coast of Mexico. Photo-identification and catalog data gathered between 1992 and 2017 for 371 and 41 individuals, respectively from Belize and Mexico, were examined for the presence of LLD. In Belize, 5 free-ranging and 1 stranded dolphin were found positive in at least 3 communities with the highest prevalence in the south. In Guerrero, Mexico, 4 inshore bottlenose dolphins sighted in 2014-2017 were affected by LLD. These data highlight the need for histological and molecular studies to confirm the etiological agent. Additionally, we document a single case of LLD in an adult Atlantic spotted dolphin Stenella frontalis in southern Belize, the first report in this species. The role of environmental and anthropogenic factors in the occurrence, severity, and epidemiology of LLD in South and Central America requires further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric A Ramos
- The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York 10016, USA
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9
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Barragán-Barrera DC, May-Collado LJ, Tezanos-Pinto G, Islas-Villanueva V, Correa-Cárdenas CA, Caballero S. High genetic structure and low mitochondrial diversity in bottlenose dolphins of the Archipelago of Bocas del Toro, Panama: A population at risk? PLoS One 2017; 12:e0189370. [PMID: 29236757 PMCID: PMC5728558 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0189370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2016] [Accepted: 11/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The current conservation status of the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) under the IUCN is ‘least concern’. However, in the Caribbean, small and localized populations of the ‘inshore form’ may be at higher risk of extinction than the ‘worldwide distributed form’ due to a combination of factors including small population size, high site fidelity, genetic isolation, and range overlap with human activities. Here, we study the population genetic structure of bottlenose dolphins from the Archipelago of Bocas del Toro in Panama. This is a small population characterized by high site fidelity and is currently heavily-impacted by the local dolphin-watching industry. We collected skin tissue samples from 25 dolphins to study the genetic diversity and structure of this population. We amplified a portion of the mitochondrial Control Region (mtDNA-CR) and nine microsatellite loci. The mtDNA-CR analyses revealed that dolphins in Bocas del Toro belong to the ‘inshore form’, grouped with the Bahamas-Colombia-Cuba-Mexico population unit. They also possess a unique haplotype new for the Caribbean. The microsatellite data indicated that the Bocas del Toro dolphin population is highly structured, likely due to restricted movement patterns. Previous abundance estimates obtained with mark-recapture methods reported a small population of 80 dolphins (95% CI = 72–87), which is similar to the contemporary effective population size estimated in this study (Ne = 73 individuals; CI = 18.0 - ∞; 0.05). The combination of small population size, high degree of genetic isolation, and intense daily interactions with dolphin-watching boats puts the Bocas del Toro dolphin to at high risk of extinction. Despite national guidelines to regulate the dolphin-watching industry in Bocas del Toro and ongoing educational programs for tour operators, only in 2012 seven animals have died due to boat collisions. Our results suggest that the conservation status of bottlenose dolphins in Bocas del Toro should be elevated to ‘endangered’ at the national level, as a precautionary measure while population and viability estimates are conducted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dalia C. Barragán-Barrera
- Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular de Vertebrados Acuáticos LEMVA, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de los Andes, Laboratorio J-202, Bogotá, Colombia
- Fundación Macuáticos Colombia, Medellín, Colombia
- * E-mail:
| | - Laura J. May-Collado
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States of America
- Centro de Investigaciones del Mar y Limnología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Jose, Costa Rica
| | | | - Valentina Islas-Villanueva
- CONACYT, Universidad del Mar, Instituto de Genética, Ciudad Universitaria, Puerto Ángel, Distrito de San Pedro Pochutla, Oaxaca, México
| | - Camilo A. Correa-Cárdenas
- Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Básicas, Departamento de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Central, Bogotá, Colombia
- Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad de La Salle, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Susana Caballero
- Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular de Vertebrados Acuáticos LEMVA, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de los Andes, Laboratorio J-202, Bogotá, Colombia
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10
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Fruet PF, Secchi ER, Di Tullio JC, Simões‐Lopes PC, Daura‐Jorge F, Costa APB, Vermeulen E, Flores PAC, Genoves RC, Laporta P, Beheregaray LB, Möller LM. Genetic divergence between two phenotypically distinct bottlenose dolphin ecotypes suggests separate evolutionary trajectories. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:9131-9143. [PMID: 29177038 PMCID: PMC5689489 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2017] [Revised: 07/11/2017] [Accepted: 07/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to their worldwide distribution and occupancy of different types of environments, bottlenose dolphins display considerable morphological variation. Despite limited understanding about the taxonomic identity of such forms and connectivity among them at global scale, coastal (or inshore) and offshore (or oceanic) ecotypes have been widely recognized in several ocean regions. In the Southwest Atlantic Ocean (SWA), however, there are scarce records of bottlenose dolphins differing in external morphology according to habitat preferences that resemble the coastal-offshore pattern observed elsewhere. The main aim of this study was to analyze the genetic variability, and test for population structure between coastal (n = 127) and offshore (n = 45) bottlenose dolphins sampled in the SWA to assess whether their external morphological distinction is consistent with genetic differentiation. We used a combination of mtDNA control region sequences and microsatellite genotypes to infer population structure and levels of genetic diversity. Our results from both molecular marker types were congruent and revealed strong levels of structuring (microsatellites FST = 0.385, p < .001; mtDNA FST = 0.183, p < .001; ΦST = 0.385, p < .001) and much lower genetic diversity in the coastal than the offshore ecotype, supporting patterns found in previous studies elsewhere. Despite the opportunity for gene flow in potential "contact zones", we found minimal current and historical connectivity between ecotypes, suggesting they are following discrete evolutionary trajectories. Based on our molecular findings, which seem to be consistent with morphological differentiations recently described for bottlenose dolphins in our study area, we recommend recognizing the offshore bottlenose dolphin ecotype as an additional Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU) in the SWA. Implications of these results for the conservation of bottlenose dolphins in SWA are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro F. Fruet
- Museu Oceanográfico ‘Prof. Eliézer de C. Rios’Rio GrandeRSBrazil
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação da Megafauna Marinha – ECOMEGAInstituto de OceanografiaUniversidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG)Rio GrandeRSBrazil
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Oceanografia BiológicaUniversidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG)Rio GrandeRSBrazil
- Molecular Ecology LaboratoryFlinders UniversityAdelaideSAAustralia
- KaosaRio GrandeRSBrazil
| | - Eduardo R. Secchi
- Museu Oceanográfico ‘Prof. Eliézer de C. Rios’Rio GrandeRSBrazil
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação da Megafauna Marinha – ECOMEGAInstituto de OceanografiaUniversidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG)Rio GrandeRSBrazil
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Oceanografia BiológicaUniversidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG)Rio GrandeRSBrazil
| | - Juliana C. Di Tullio
- Museu Oceanográfico ‘Prof. Eliézer de C. Rios’Rio GrandeRSBrazil
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação da Megafauna Marinha – ECOMEGAInstituto de OceanografiaUniversidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG)Rio GrandeRSBrazil
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Oceanografia BiológicaUniversidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG)Rio GrandeRSBrazil
- KaosaRio GrandeRSBrazil
| | - Paulo César Simões‐Lopes
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos (LAMAQ)Departamento de Ecologia e ZoologiaUniversidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC)FlorianópolisSCBrazil
| | - Fábio Daura‐Jorge
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos (LAMAQ)Departamento de Ecologia e ZoologiaUniversidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC)FlorianópolisSCBrazil
| | - Ana P. B. Costa
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Louisiana at LafayetteLafayetteLAUSA
| | - Els Vermeulen
- Whale UnitMammal Research InstituteUniversity of PretoriaHatfield PretoriaSouth Africa
- WhalefishLancefield QuayGlasgowUK
| | | | - Rodrigo Cezar Genoves
- Museu Oceanográfico ‘Prof. Eliézer de C. Rios’Rio GrandeRSBrazil
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação da Megafauna Marinha – ECOMEGAInstituto de OceanografiaUniversidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG)Rio GrandeRSBrazil
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Oceanografia BiológicaUniversidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG)Rio GrandeRSBrazil
- Molecular Ecology LaboratoryFlinders UniversityAdelaideSAAustralia
- KaosaRio GrandeRSBrazil
| | - Paula Laporta
- Yaqu Pacha Uruguay – Organización para la Conservación de MamíferosPunta del DiabloRochaUruguay
- Centro Universitario Regional del EsteUniversidad de la RepúblicaRochaUruguay
| | | | - Luciana M. Möller
- Molecular Ecology LaboratoryFlinders UniversityAdelaideSAAustralia
- Cetacean Ecology, Behaviour and Evolution LaboratoryFlinders UniversityAdelaideSAAustralia
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Dulau V, Estrade V, Fayan J. Identifying key demographic parameters of a small island-associated population of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Reunion, Indian Ocean). PLoS One 2017. [PMID: 28640918 PMCID: PMC5480988 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0179780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Photo-identification surveys of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins were conducted from 2009 to 2014 off Reunion Island (55°E33’/21°S07’), in the Indian Ocean. Robust Design models were applied to produce the most reliable estimate of population abundance and survival rate, while accounting for temporary emigration from the survey area (west coast). The sampling scheme consisted of a five-month (June–October) sampling period in each year of the study. The overall population size at Reunion was estimated to be 72 individuals (SE = 6.17, 95%CI = 61–85), based on a random temporary emigration (γ”) of 0.096 and a proportion of 0.70 (SE = 0.03) distinct individuals. The annual survival rate was 0.93 (±0.018 SE, 95%CI = 0.886–0.958) and was constant over time and between sexes. Models considering gender groups indicated different movement patterns between males and females. Males showed null or quasi-null temporary emigration (γ” = γ’ < 0.01), while females showed a random temporary emigration (γ”) of 0.10, suggesting that a small proportion of females was outside the survey area during each primary sampling period. Sex-specific temporary migration patterns were consistent with movement and residency patterns observed in other areas. The Robust Design approach provided an appropriate sampling scheme for deriving island-associated population parameters, while allowing to restrict survey effort both spatially (i.e. west coast only) and temporally (five months per year). Although abundance and survival were stable over the six years, the small population size of fewer than 100 individuals suggested that this population is highly vulnerable. Priority should be given to reducing any potential impact of human activity on the population and its habitat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Violaine Dulau
- GLOBICE-Reunion, Grand Bois, Saint Pierre, Reunion Island, France
- * E-mail:
| | - Vanessa Estrade
- GLOBICE-Reunion, Grand Bois, Saint Pierre, Reunion Island, France
| | - Jacques Fayan
- BNOI-ONCFS, Parc de la Providence, Saint-Denis, Reunion Island, France
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12
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Sharpe DJ, Goldingay RL. Demographic parameters of the squirrel glider (Petaurus norfolcensis) in an urban forest remnant. AUST J ZOOL 2017. [DOI: 10.1071/zo17004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The effective management of species requires detailed knowledge of key population parameters. A capture–mark–recapture study of the squirrel glider (Petaurus norfolcensis) was conducted in an urban forest remnant in Brisbane, south-east Queensland. A total of 187 adult gliders (96 females, 91 males) was captured 620 times, in 19 sessions over a 4-year period. A Cormack–Jolly–Seber model was employed to estimate adult survival and abundance. Factors that may affect survival (e.g. sex, year, season) were included in population models. The overall probability of annual apparent survival was 0.49 ± 0.08. The capture probability over the duration of the study was 0.38 ± 0.03. The size of the local population was highest in the first year of the study (70–113 individuals) but then declined and generally remained low in the last two years. Apparent survival may include an unknown component of dispersal. However, our study area was mostly surrounded by a hostile urban matrix, so the effect of dispersal may have been minimal. Further studies that assess the survival of squirrel gliders are needed to assess the extent to which this parameter varies among localities.
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Santostasi NL, Bonizzoni S, Bearzi G, Eddy L, Gimenez O. A Robust Design Capture-Recapture Analysis of Abundance, Survival and Temporary Emigration of Three Odontocete Species in the Gulf of Corinth, Greece. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0166650. [PMID: 27926926 PMCID: PMC5142793 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0166650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2016] [Accepted: 11/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
While the Mediterranean Sea has been designated as a Global Biodiversity Hotspot, assessments of cetacean population abundance are lacking for large portions of the region, particularly in the southern and eastern basins. The challenges and costs of obtaining the necessary data often result in absent or poor abundance information. We applied capture-recapture models to estimate abundance, survival and temporary emigration of odontocete populations within a 2,400 km2 semi-enclosed Mediterranean bay, the Gulf of Corinth. Boat surveys were conducted in 2011–2015 to collect photo-identification data on striped dolphins Stenella coeruleoalba, short-beaked common dolphins Delphinus delphis (always found together with striped dolphins in mixed groups) and common bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus, totaling 1,873 h of tracking. After grading images for quality and marking distinctiveness, 23,995 high-quality photos were included in a striped and common dolphin catalog, and 2,472 in a bottlenose dolphin catalog. The proportions of striped and common dolphins were calculated from the photographic sample and used to scale capture-recapture estimates. Best-fitting robust design capture-recapture models denoted no temporary emigration between years for striped and common dolphins, and random temporary emigration for bottlenose dolphins, suggesting different residency patterns in agreement with previous studies. Average estimated abundance over the five years was 1,331 (95% CI 1,122–1,578) striped dolphins, 22 (16–32) common dolphins, 55 (36–84) “intermediate” animals (potential striped x common dolphin hybrids) and 38 (32–46) bottlenose dolphins. Apparent survival was constant for striped, common and intermediate dolphins (0.94, 95% CI 0.92–0.96) and year-dependent for bottlenose dolphins (an average of 0.85, 95% CI 0.76–0.95). Our work underlines the importance of long-term monitoring to contribute reliable baseline information that can help assess the conservation status of wildlife populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Luisa Santostasi
- Dolphin Biology and Conservation, Oria, Italy
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, Montpellier, France
- OceanCare, Wädenswil, Switzerland
- Sapienza Università di Roma, Roma, Italy
- * E-mail:
| | - Silvia Bonizzoni
- Dolphin Biology and Conservation, Oria, Italy
- OceanCare, Wädenswil, Switzerland
| | - Giovanni Bearzi
- Dolphin Biology and Conservation, Oria, Italy
- OceanCare, Wädenswil, Switzerland
| | - Lavinia Eddy
- Dolphin Biology and Conservation, Oria, Italy
- OceanCare, Wädenswil, Switzerland
| | - Olivier Gimenez
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, Montpellier, France
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