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Bates KA, Higgins C, Neiman M, King KC. Turning the tide on sex and the microbiota in aquatic animals. HYDROBIOLOGIA 2022; 850:3823-3835. [PMID: 37662671 PMCID: PMC10468917 DOI: 10.1007/s10750-022-04862-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Sex-based differences in animal microbiota are increasingly recognized as of biological importance. While most animal biomass is found in aquatic ecosystems and many water-dwelling species are of high economic and ecological value, biological sex is rarely included as an explanatory variable in studies of the aquatic animal microbiota. In this opinion piece, we argue for greater consideration of host sex in studying the microbiota of aquatic animals, emphasizing the many advancements that this information could provide in the life sciences, from the evolution of sex to aquaculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kieran A. Bates
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3SZ UK
| | - Chelsea Higgins
- Department of Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IW 52245 USA
| | - Maurine Neiman
- Department of Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IW 52245 USA
- Department of Gender, Women’s, and Sexuality Studies, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IW 52245 USA
| | - Kayla C. King
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3SZ UK
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2
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Mayette A, Loseto L, Pearce T, Hornby C, Marcoux M. Group characteristics and spatial organization of the Eastern Beaufort Sea beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) population using aerial photographs. CAN J ZOOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2021-0232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
While it is known that beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas (Pallas, 1776)) are social animals, sociality within populations remains complex and poorly understood. Using aerial photographs taken in mid-July and early August 2019, we examined group characteristics and spatial organization of the Eastern Beaufort Sea beluga population in two distinct summering areas: (1) the continental shelf and offshore region of the southeast Beaufort Sea, and (2) the inshore of the Mackenzie Estuary. Observations revealed that the average group size was similar in both environments. A piecewise regression analysis showed that belugas were found to be most frequently within 24.6 m of another beluga in the offshore, and within 22.0 m in the inshore. The average inter-individual distance of groups composed of subadults and/or adults was greater than that of groups including younger whales in both environments. Also, the swimming direction of individuals in a group differed less in the offshore than in the inshore. We suggest that habitat shapes the types of activity conducted and that spatial cohesion within groups persists across environmental conditions but changes with age composition. By identifying elements of social structure and important areas for Eastern Beaufort Sea belugas, our results highlight the value of habitat conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Mayette
- University of Manitoba Clayton H Riddell Faculty of Environment Earth and Resources, 194380, Centre for Earth Observation Science (CEOS), Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Lisa Loseto
- University of Manitoba Clayton H Riddell Faculty of Environment Earth and Resources, 194380, Centre for Earth Observation Science (CEOS), Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada Central and Arctic Region, 111145, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Tristan Pearce
- University of Northern British Columbia, 6727, Department of Global & International Studies Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, Prince George, British Columbia, Canada, V2N 4Z9
| | - Claire Hornby
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada Central and Arctic Region, 111145, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Marianne Marcoux
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada Central and Arctic Region, 111145, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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3
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Jones JM, Frasier KE, Westdal KH, Ootoowak AJ, Wiggins SM, Hildebrand JA. Beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) and narwhal (Monodon monoceros) echolocation click detection and differentiation from long-term Arctic acoustic recordings. Polar Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-022-03008-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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4
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Biddlecombe BA, Watt CA. Incorporating environmental covariates into a Bayesian stock production model for the endangered Cumberland Sound beluga population. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2022. [DOI: 10.3354/esr01186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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5
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Zahn MJ, Rankin S, McCullough JLK, Koblitz JC, Archer F, Rasmussen MH, Laidre KL. Acoustic differentiation and classification of wild belugas and narwhals using echolocation clicks. Sci Rep 2021; 11:22141. [PMID: 34772963 PMCID: PMC8589986 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-01441-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Belugas (Delphinapterus leucas) and narwhals (Monodon monoceros) are highly social Arctic toothed whales with large vocal repertoires and similar acoustic profiles. Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) that uses multiple hydrophones over large spatiotemporal scales has been a primary method to study their populations, particularly in response to rapid climate change and increasing underwater noise. This study marks the first acoustic comparison between wild belugas and narwhals from the same location and reveals that they can be acoustically differentiated and classified solely by echolocation clicks. Acoustic recordings were made in the pack ice of Baffin Bay, West Greenland, during 2013. Multivariate analyses and Random Forests classification models were applied to eighty-one single-species acoustic events comprised of numerous echolocation clicks. Results demonstrate a significant difference between species' acoustic parameters where beluga echolocation was distinguished by higher frequency content, evidenced by higher peak frequencies, center frequencies, and frequency minimums and maximums. Spectral peaks, troughs, and center frequencies for beluga clicks were generally > 60 kHz and narwhal clicks < 60 kHz with overlap between 40-60 kHz. Classification model predictive performance was strong with an overall correct classification rate of 97.5% for the best model. The most important predictors for species assignment were defined by peaks and notches in frequency spectra. Our results provide strong support for the use of echolocation in PAM efforts to differentiate belugas and narwhals acoustically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie J Zahn
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, 1122 NE Boat Street, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA.
| | - Shannon Rankin
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA, 8901 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Jennifer L K McCullough
- Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, NOAA, 1845 Wasp Boulevard, Building 176, Honolulu, HI, 96818, USA
| | - Jens C Koblitz
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Advanced Research Technology Unit, Konstanz, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Frederick Archer
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA, 8901 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | | | - Kristin L Laidre
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, 1122 NE Boat Street, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA
- Polar Science Center, Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Washington, 1013 NE 40th Street, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA
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6
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Zahn MJ, Laidre KL, Stilz P, Rasmussen MH, Koblitz JC. Vertical sonar beam width and scanning behavior of wild belugas (Delphinapterus leucas) in West Greenland. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0257054. [PMID: 34499678 PMCID: PMC8428689 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0257054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Echolocation signals of wild beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) were recorded in 2013 using a vertical, linear 16-hydrophone array at two locations in the pack ice of Baffin Bay, West Greenland. Individual whales were localized for 4:42 minutes of 1:04 hours of recordings. Clicks centered on the recording equipment (i.e. on-axis clicks) were isolated to calculate sonar parameters. We report the first sonar beam estimate of in situ recordings of wild belugas with an average -3 dB asymmetrical vertical beam width of 5.4°, showing a wider ventral beam. This narrow beam width is consistent with estimates from captive belugas; however, our results indicate that beluga sonar beams may not be symmetrical and may differ in wild and captive contexts. The mean apparent source level for on-axis clicks was 212 dB pp re 1 μPa and whales were shown to vertically scan the array from 120 meters distance. Our findings support the hypothesis that highly directional sonar beams and high source levels are an evolutionary adaptation for Arctic odontocetes to reduce unwanted surface echoes from sea ice (i.e., acoustic clutter) and effectively navigate through leads in the pack ice (e.g., find breathing holes). These results provide the first baseline beluga sonar metrics from free-ranging animals using a hydrophone array and are important for acoustic programs throughout the Arctic, particularly for acoustic classification between belugas and narwhals (Monodon monoceros).
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie J Zahn
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Kristin L Laidre
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America.,Polar Science Center, Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Peter Stilz
- Animal Physiology, Institute for Neurobiology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Jens C Koblitz
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany.,Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
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7
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Bors EK, Baker CS, Wade PR, O'Neill KB, Shelden KEW, Thompson MJ, Fei Z, Jarman S, Horvath S. An epigenetic clock to estimate the age of living beluga whales. Evol Appl 2021; 14:1263-1273. [PMID: 34025766 PMCID: PMC8127720 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation data facilitate the development of accurate molecular estimators of chronological age or "epigenetic clocks." We present a robust epigenetic clock for the beluga whale, Delphinapterus leucas, developed for an endangered population in Cook Inlet, Alaska, USA. We used a custom methylation array to measure methylation levels at 37,491 cytosine-guanine sites (CpGs) from skin samples of dead whales (n = 67) whose chronological ages were estimated based on tooth growth layer groups. Using these calibration data, a penalized regression model selected 23 CpGs, providing an R 2 = 0.92 for the training data; and an R 2 = 0.74 and median absolute age error = 2.9 years for the leave one out cross-validation. We applied the epigenetic clock to an independent dataset of 38 skin samples collected with a biopsy dart from living whales between 2016 and 2018. Age estimates ranged from 11 to 27 years. We also report sex correlations in CpG data and describe an approach of identifying the sex of an animal using DNA methylation. The epigenetic estimators of age and sex presented here have broad applications for conservation and management of Cook Inlet beluga whales and potentially other cetaceans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - C. Scott Baker
- Marine Mammal InstituteOregon State UniversityNewportORUSA
| | - Paul R. Wade
- Marine Mammal LaboratoryAlaska Fisheries Science CenterNational Marine Fisheries ServiceNational Oceanographic and Atmospheric AdministrationSeattleWAUSA
| | | | - Kim E. W. Shelden
- Marine Mammal LaboratoryAlaska Fisheries Science CenterNational Marine Fisheries ServiceNational Oceanographic and Atmospheric AdministrationSeattleWAUSA
| | - Michael J. Thompson
- Molecular, Cell and Developmental BiologyUniversity of California Los AngelesLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Zhe Fei
- Department of BiostatisticsSchool of Public HealthUniversity of California‐Los AngelesLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Simon Jarman
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of Western AustraliaPerthWAAustralia
| | - Steve Horvath
- Department of BiostatisticsSchool of Public HealthUniversity of California‐Los AngelesLos AngelesCAUSA
- Department of Human GeneticsGonda Research CenterDavid Geffen School of MedicineLos AngelesCAUSA
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10
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Vacquié-Garcia J, Lydersen C, Ims RA, Kovacs KM. Habitats and movement patterns of white whales Delphinapterus leucas in Svalbard, Norway in a changing climate. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2018; 6:21. [PMID: 30386623 PMCID: PMC6199748 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-018-0139-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2018] [Accepted: 09/05/2018] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Arctic is experiencing rapid reductions in sea ice and in some areas tidal glaciers are melting and retracting onto land. These changes are occurring at extremely rapid rates in the Northeast Atlantic Arctic. The aim of this study was to investigate the impacts of these environmental changes on space use by white whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in Svalbard, Norway. Using a unique biotelemetry data set involving 34 animals, spanning two decades, habitat use and movement patterns were compared before (1995-2001) and after (2013-2016) a dramatic change in the regional sea ice regime that began in 2006. RESULTS White whales were extremely coastal in both study periods, remaining near the islands within the Svalbard Archipelago, even when winter sea ice formation pushed them offshore somewhat (later in the year in the recent period), into areas with drifting sea ice (concentrations up to 90%). In both periods, the whales followed the same basic patterns seasonally; they occupied the west coast in summer and shifted to the east coast as winter approached. However, space use did change between the two periods, with the whales spending less time close to tidal glacier fronts in the second period compared to the first (2nd-36% vs 1st-51%), a habitat characterized by low swimming speeds and high turning angles, and more time out in the fjords (2nd-26% vs1st-10%). Use of coastal transit corridors remained the same in both periods; the whales appear to minimize time spent moving between fjords. CONCLUSIONS Glacier fronts have previously been shown to be important foraging areas for white whales in Svalbard and the movement metrics documented in this study confirms that this is still the case. However, use of the Fjords habitat in summer and fall (frequency of occupancy and movement metrics) seen in the recent period suggests that the white whales might now also be feeding on Atlantic prey that is increasingly common in the fjords, concomitant with influxes of Atlantic Water along the west coast of Svalbard. Such behavioural flexibility, if confirmed by further diet studies, would likely be important for white whales in adapting to new conditions in Svalbard.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Rolf A. Ims
- University of Tromsø, the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Kit M. Kovacs
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, N-9296 Tromsø, Norway
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11
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Pine MK, Hannay DE, Insley SJ, Halliday WD, Juanes F. Assessing vessel slowdown for reducing auditory masking for marine mammals and fish of the western Canadian Arctic. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2018; 135:290-302. [PMID: 30301040 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.07.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2018] [Revised: 07/09/2018] [Accepted: 07/10/2018] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Vessel slowdown may be an alternative mitigation option in regions where re-routing shipping corridors to avoid important marine mammal habitat is not possible. We investigated the potential relief in masking in marine mammals and fish from a 10 knot speed reduction of container and cruise ships. The mitigation effect from slower vessels was not equal between ambient sound conditions, species or vessel-type. Under quiet ambient conditions, a speed reduction from 25 to 15 knots resulted in smaller listening space reductions by 16-23%, 10-18%, 1-2%, 5-8% and 8% respectively for belugas, bowheads, bearded seals, ringed seals, and fish, depending on vessel-type. However, under noisy conditions, those savings were between 9 and 19% more, depending on the species. This was due to the differences in species' hearing sensitivities and the low ambient sound levels measured in the study region. Vessel slowdown could be an effective mitigation strategy for reducing masking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew K Pine
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada; Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada.
| | | | - Stephen J Insley
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada; Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
| | - William D Halliday
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada; Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
| | - Francis Juanes
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
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12
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O’Corry-Crowe G, Suydam R, Quakenbush L, Potgieter B, Harwood L, Litovka D, Ferrer T, Citta J, Burkanov V, Frost K, Mahoney B. Migratory culture, population structure and stock identity in North Pacific beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas). PLoS One 2018; 13:e0194201. [PMID: 29566001 PMCID: PMC5863979 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0194201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2017] [Accepted: 02/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The annual return of beluga whales, Delphinapterus leucas, to traditional seasonal locations across the Arctic may involve migratory culture, while the convergence of discrete summering aggregations on common wintering grounds may facilitate outbreeding. Natal philopatry and cultural inheritance, however, has been difficult to assess as earlier studies were of too short a duration, while genetic analyses of breeding patterns, especially across the beluga's Pacific range, have been hampered by inadequate sampling and sparse information on wintering areas. Using a much expanded sample and genetic marker set comprising 1,647 whales, spanning more than two decades and encompassing all major coastal summering aggregations in the Pacific Ocean, we found evolutionary-level divergence among three geographic regions: the Gulf of Alaska, the Bering-Chukchi-Beaufort Seas, and the Sea of Okhotsk (Φst = 0.11-0.32, Rst = 0.09-0.13), and likely demographic independence of (Fst-mtDNA = 0.02-0.66), and in many cases limited gene flow (Fst-nDNA = 0.0-0.02; K = 5-6) among, summering groups within regions. Assignment tests identified few immigrants within summering aggregations, linked migrating groups to specific summering areas, and found that some migratory corridors comprise whales from multiple subpopulations (PBAYES = 0.31:0.69). Further, dispersal is male-biased and substantial numbers of closely related whales congregate together at coastal summering areas. Stable patterns of heterogeneity between areas and consistently high proportions (~20%) of close kin (including parent-offspring) sampled up to 20 years apart within areas (G = 0.2-2.9, p>0.5) is the first direct evidence of natal philopatry to migration destinations in belugas. Using recent satellite telemetry findings on belugas we found that the spatial proximity of winter ranges has a greater influence on the degree of both individual and genetic exchange than summer ranges (rwinter-Fst-mtDNA = 0.9, rsummer-Fst-nDNA = 0.1). These findings indicate widespread natal philopatry to summering aggregation and entire migratory circuits, and provide compelling evidence that migratory culture and kinship helps maintain demographically discrete beluga stocks that can overlap in time and space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greg O’Corry-Crowe
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, Florida, United States of America
| | - Robert Suydam
- North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management, Barrow, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Lori Quakenbush
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Fairbanks, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Brooke Potgieter
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, Florida, United States of America
| | - Lois Harwood
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
| | - Dennis Litovka
- Marine Mammal Laboratory, ChukotTINRO, Anadyr, Chukotka, Russia
| | - Tatiana Ferrer
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, Florida, United States of America
| | - John Citta
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Fairbanks, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Vladimir Burkanov
- North Pacific Wildlife Consulting, Marine Mammal Laboratory, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Kathy Frost
- University of Alaska, School of Fisheries and Ocean Science, Kailua Kona, Hawaii, United States of America
| | - Barbara Mahoney
- National Marine Fisheries Service, Anchorage, Alaska, United States of America
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13
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O'Corry-Crowe G, Suydam R, Quakenbush L, Potgieter B, Harwood L, Litovka D, Ferrer T, Citta J, Burkanov V, Frost K, Mahoney B. Migratory culture, population structure and stock identity in North Pacific beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas). PLoS One 2018; 13:e0194201. [PMID: 29566001 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.019420116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2017] [Accepted: 02/27/2018] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The annual return of beluga whales, Delphinapterus leucas, to traditional seasonal locations across the Arctic may involve migratory culture, while the convergence of discrete summering aggregations on common wintering grounds may facilitate outbreeding. Natal philopatry and cultural inheritance, however, has been difficult to assess as earlier studies were of too short a duration, while genetic analyses of breeding patterns, especially across the beluga's Pacific range, have been hampered by inadequate sampling and sparse information on wintering areas. Using a much expanded sample and genetic marker set comprising 1,647 whales, spanning more than two decades and encompassing all major coastal summering aggregations in the Pacific Ocean, we found evolutionary-level divergence among three geographic regions: the Gulf of Alaska, the Bering-Chukchi-Beaufort Seas, and the Sea of Okhotsk (Φst = 0.11-0.32, Rst = 0.09-0.13), and likely demographic independence of (Fst-mtDNA = 0.02-0.66), and in many cases limited gene flow (Fst-nDNA = 0.0-0.02; K = 5-6) among, summering groups within regions. Assignment tests identified few immigrants within summering aggregations, linked migrating groups to specific summering areas, and found that some migratory corridors comprise whales from multiple subpopulations (PBAYES = 0.31:0.69). Further, dispersal is male-biased and substantial numbers of closely related whales congregate together at coastal summering areas. Stable patterns of heterogeneity between areas and consistently high proportions (~20%) of close kin (including parent-offspring) sampled up to 20 years apart within areas (G = 0.2-2.9, p>0.5) is the first direct evidence of natal philopatry to migration destinations in belugas. Using recent satellite telemetry findings on belugas we found that the spatial proximity of winter ranges has a greater influence on the degree of both individual and genetic exchange than summer ranges (rwinter-Fst-mtDNA = 0.9, rsummer-Fst-nDNA = 0.1). These findings indicate widespread natal philopatry to summering aggregation and entire migratory circuits, and provide compelling evidence that migratory culture and kinship helps maintain demographically discrete beluga stocks that can overlap in time and space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greg O'Corry-Crowe
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, Florida, United States of America
| | - Robert Suydam
- North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management, Barrow, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Lori Quakenbush
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Fairbanks, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Brooke Potgieter
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, Florida, United States of America
| | - Lois Harwood
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
| | - Dennis Litovka
- Marine Mammal Laboratory, ChukotTINRO, Anadyr, Chukotka, Russia
| | - Tatiana Ferrer
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, Florida, United States of America
| | - John Citta
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Fairbanks, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Vladimir Burkanov
- North Pacific Wildlife Consulting, Marine Mammal Laboratory, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Kathy Frost
- University of Alaska, School of Fisheries and Ocean Science, Kailua Kona, Hawaii, United States of America
| | - Barbara Mahoney
- National Marine Fisheries Service, Anchorage, Alaska, United States of America
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Hauser DDW, Laidre KL, Stern HL, Suydam RS, Richard PR. Indirect effects of sea ice loss on summer‐fall habitat and behaviour for sympatric populations of an Arctic marine predator. DIVERS DISTRIB 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Donna D. W. Hauser
- School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences University of Washington Seattle WA USA
- Polar Science Center Applied Physics Laboratory University of Washington Seattle WA USA
| | - Kristin L. Laidre
- School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences University of Washington Seattle WA USA
- Polar Science Center Applied Physics Laboratory University of Washington Seattle WA USA
| | - Harry L. Stern
- Polar Science Center Applied Physics Laboratory University of Washington Seattle WA USA
| | - Robert S. Suydam
- Department of Wildlife Management North Slope Borough Barrow AK USA
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