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Bloodgood JCG, Deming AC, Colegrove KM, Russell ML, Díaz Clark C, Carmichael RH. Causes of death and pathogen prevalence in bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus stranded in Alabama, USA, between 2015 and 2020, following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2023; 155:87-102. [PMID: 37650480 DOI: 10.3354/dao03746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Between 2010 and 2014, an unusual mortality event (UME) involving bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus occurred in the northern Gulf of Mexico, associated with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (DWHOS). Cause of death (COD) patterns in bottlenose dolphins since then have not been analyzed, and baseline prevalence data for Brucella ceti and cetacean morbillivirus, 2 pathogens previously reported in this region, are lacking. We analyzed records from bottlenose dolphins stranded in Alabama from 2015 to 2020 with necropsy and histological findings to determine COD (n = 108). This period included another UME in 2019 associated with prolonged freshwater exposure. A subset of individuals that stranded during this period were selected for molecular testing for Brucella spp. and Morbillivirus spp. Causes of death for all age classes were grouped into 6 categories, including (1) human interaction, (2) infectious disease, (3) noninfectious disease (prolonged freshwater exposure and degenerative), (4) trauma, (5) multifactorial, and (6) unknown. Two additional categories unique to perinates included fetal distress and in utero pneumonia. Human interaction was the most common primary COD (19.4%) followed closely by infectious disease (17.6%) and noninfectious disease (freshwater exposure; 13.9%). Brucella was detected in 18.4% of the 98 animals tested, but morbillivirus was not detected in any of the 66 animals tested. Brucella was detected in some moderately to severely decomposed carcasses, indicating that it may be beneficial to test a broad condition range of stranded animals. This study provides valuable information on COD in bottlenose dolphins in Alabama following the DWHOS and is the first to examine baseline prevalence of 2 common pathogens in stranded animals from this region.
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Affiliation(s)
- J C G Bloodgood
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab, 101 Bienville Blvd., Dauphin Island, Alabama 36528, USA
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Thorne LH, Heywood EI, Hirtle NO. Rapid restructuring of the odontocete community in an ocean warming hotspot. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:6524-6540. [PMID: 36054792 PMCID: PMC9804436 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Cetaceans are important consumers in marine ecosystems, but few studies have quantified their climate responses. The rapid, directional warming occurring in the Northeast United States (NEUS) provides a unique opportunity to assess climate impacts on cetaceans. We used stranding data to examine changes to the distribution and relative abundance of odontocetes from 1996 to 2020 in both the NEUS and the Southeast United States (SEUS), which is not warming. We conducted simulations to determine the number of stranding events needed to detect a distributional shift for each species given the speed of the shift and the spatial variability in strandings. We compared observed shifts to climate velocity. Smaller sample sizes were needed to detect more rapid poleward shifts, particularly for species with low spatial variability. Poleward shifts were observed in all species with sufficient sample sizes, and shifts were faster than predicted by climate velocity. For species whose trailing edge of distribution occurred in the NEUS, the center of distribution approached the northern limit of the NEUS and relative abundance declined through time, suggesting shifts north out of US waters. The relative abundance of warm water species in the stranding record increased significantly in the NEUS while that of cool water species declined significantly as their distributions shifted north out of the NEUS. Changes in the odontocete community were less apparent in the SEUS, highlighting the importance of regional warming. Observed poleward shifts and changes in species composition suggest a reorganization of the odontocete community in the NEUS in response to rapid warming. We suggest that strandings provide a key dataset for understanding climate impacts on cetaceans given limitations of survey effort and modeling approaches for predicting distributions under rapidly changing conditions. Our findings portend marked changes to the distribution of highly mobile consumer species across international boundaries under continued warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lesley H. Thorne
- School of Marine and Atmospheric SciencesStony Brook UniversityStony BrookNew YorkUSA
| | - Eleanor I. Heywood
- School of Marine and Atmospheric SciencesStony Brook UniversityStony BrookNew YorkUSA
| | - Nathan O. Hirtle
- School of Marine and Atmospheric SciencesStony Brook UniversityStony BrookNew YorkUSA
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Schwacke LH, Marques TA, Thomas L, Booth CG, Balmer BC, Barratclough A, Colegrove K, De Guise S, Garrison LP, Gomez FM, Morey JS, Mullin KD, Quigley BM, Rosel PE, Rowles TK, Takeshita R, Townsend FI, Speakman TR, Wells RS, Zolman ES, Smith CR. Modeling population effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on a long-lived species. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2022; 36:e13878. [PMID: 34918835 PMCID: PMC9545999 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The 2010 Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill exposed common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Barataria Bay, Louisiana to heavy oiling that caused increased mortality and chronic disease and impaired reproduction in surviving dolphins. We conducted photographic surveys and veterinary assessments in the decade following the spill. We assigned a prognostic score (good, fair, guarded, poor, or grave) for each dolphin to provide a single integrated indicator of overall health, and we examined temporal trends in prognostic scores. We used expert elicitation to quantify the implications of trends for the proportion of the dolphins that would recover within their lifetime. We integrated expert elicitation, along with other new information, in a population dynamics model to predict the effects of observed health trends on demography. We compared the resulting population trajectory with that predicted under baseline (no spill) conditions. Disease conditions persisted and have recently worsened in dolphins that were presumably exposed to DWH oil: 78% of those assessed in 2018 had a guarded, poor, or grave prognosis. Dolphins born after the spill were in better health. We estimated that the population declined by 45% (95% CI 14-74) relative to baseline and will take 35 years (95% CI 18-67) to recover to 95% of baseline numbers. The sum of annual differences between baseline and injured population sizes (i.e., the lost cetacean years) was 30,993 (95% CI 6607-94,148). The population is currently at a minimum point in its recovery trajectory and is vulnerable to emerging threats, including planned ecosystem restoration efforts that are likely to be detrimental to the dolphins' survival. Our modeling framework demonstrates an approach for integrating different sources and types of data, highlights the utility of expert elicitation for indeterminable input parameters, and emphasizes the importance of considering and monitoring long-term health of long-lived species subject to environmental disasters. Article impact statement: Oil spills can have long-term consequences for the health of long-lived species; thus, effective restoration and monitoring are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tiago A. Marques
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling (CREEM), University of St AndrewsThe ObservatoryLondonUK
| | - Len Thomas
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling (CREEM), University of St AndrewsThe ObservatoryLondonUK
| | - Cormac G. Booth
- SMRU Consulting, Scottish Oceans Institute, East SandsUniversity of St AndrewsSt AndrewsUK
| | - Brian C. Balmer
- National Marine Mammal FoundationJohns IslandSouth CarolinaUSA
| | | | - Kathleen Colegrove
- Zoological Pathology Program, College of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of Illinois at Urbana‐ChampaignBrookfieldIllinoisUSA
| | - Sylvain De Guise
- Department of Pathobiology and Veterinary ScienceUniversity of ConnecticutStorrsConnecticutUSA
| | - Lance P. Garrison
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries ServiceSoutheast Fisheries Science CenterMiamiFloridaUSA
| | | | | | - Keith D. Mullin
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries ServiceSoutheast Fisheries Science CenterPascagoulaMississippiUSA
| | | | - Patricia E. Rosel
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries ServiceSoutheast Fisheries Science CenterLafayetteLouisianaUSA
| | - Teresa K. Rowles
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries ServiceOffice of Protected ResourcesSilver SpringMarylandUSA
| | - Ryan Takeshita
- National Marine Mammal FoundationJohns IslandSouth CarolinaUSA
| | | | | | - Randall S. Wells
- Chicago Zoological Society's Sarasota Dolphin Research Programc/o Mote Marine LaboratorySarasotaFloridaUSA
| | - Eric S. Zolman
- National Marine Mammal FoundationJohns IslandSouth CarolinaUSA
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McCormack MA, Nowlin WH, Dutton J. Effect of trophic position on mercury concentrations in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) from the northern Gulf of Mexico. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 204:112124. [PMID: 34571031 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Marine species from the Gulf of Mexico often have higher mercury (Hg) concentrations than conspecifics in the Atlantic Ocean. Spatial differences in Hg sources, environmental conditions, and microbial communities influence both Hg methylation rates and the bioavailability of Hg to organisms at the base of the food web. Mercury bioaccumulates within organisms and biomagnifies in marine food webs, and therefore reaches the greatest concentrations in long-lived marine carnivores, such as dolphins. In this study, we explored whether differences in trophic position and foraging habitat among bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) from the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGoM) contributed to the observed variation in skin total Hg (THg) concentrations. Using the δ13C and δ34S values in dolphin skin, we assigned deceased stranded dolphins from Florida (FL; n = 29) and Louisiana (LA; n = 72) to habitats (estuarine, barrier island, and coastal) east and west of the Mississippi River Delta (MRD). We estimated the mean trophic position of dolphins from each habitat using δ15N values from stranded dolphin skin and tissues of primary consumers taken from the literature following a Bayesian framework. Finally, we compared trophic positions and THg concentrations among dolphins from each habitat, accounting for sex and body length. Estimated marginal mean THg concentrations (μg/g dry weight) were greatest in dolphins assigned to the coastal habitat and estuarine habitats east of the MRD (range: 2.59-4.81), and lowest in dolphins assigned to estuarine and barrier island habitats west of the MRD (range: 0.675-0.993). On average, dolphins from habitats with greater THg concentrations also had higher estimated trophic positions, except for coastal dolphins. Our results suggest that differences in trophic positions and foraging habitats contribute to spatial variability in skin THg concentrations among nGoM bottlenose dolphins, however, the relative influence of these factors on THg concentrations are not easily partitioned.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meaghan A McCormack
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, Aquatic Station, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA.
| | - Weston H Nowlin
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, Aquatic Station, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA.
| | - Jessica Dutton
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, Aquatic Station, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA.
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Pang KL, Hassett BT, Shaumi A, Guo SY, Sakayaroj J, Chiang MWL, Yang CH, Jones EG. Pathogenic fungi of marine animals: A taxonomic perspective. FUNGAL BIOL REV 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fbr.2021.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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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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Anderson DM, Fensin E, Gobler CJ, Hoeglund AE, Hubbard KA, Kulis DM, Landsberg JH, Lefebvre KA, Provoost P, Richlen ML, Smith JL, Solow AR, Trainer VL. Marine harmful algal blooms (HABs) in the United States: History, current status and future trends. HARMFUL ALGAE 2021; 102:101975. [PMID: 33875183 PMCID: PMC8058451 DOI: 10.1016/j.hal.2021.101975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are diverse phenomena involving multiple. species and classes of algae that occupy a broad range of habitats from lakes to oceans and produce a multiplicity of toxins or bioactive compounds that impact many different resources. Here, a review of the status of this complex array of marine HAB problems in the U.S. is presented, providing historical information and trends as well as future perspectives. The study relies on thirty years (1990-2019) of data in HAEDAT - the IOC-ICES-PICES Harmful Algal Event database, but also includes many other reports. At a qualitative level, the U.S. national HAB problem is far more extensive than was the case decades ago, with more toxic species and toxins to monitor, as well as a larger range of impacted resources and areas affected. Quantitatively, no significant trend is seen for paralytic shellfish toxin (PST) events over the study interval, though there is clear evidence of the expansion of the problem into new regions and the emergence of a species that produces PSTs in Florida - Pyrodinium bahamense. Amnesic shellfish toxin (AST) events have significantly increased in the U.S., with an overall pattern of frequent outbreaks on the West Coast, emerging, recurring outbreaks on the East Coast, and sporadic incidents in the Gulf of Mexico. Despite the long historical record of neurotoxic shellfish toxin (NST) events, no significant trend is observed over the past 30 years. The recent emergence of diarrhetic shellfish toxins (DSTs) in the U.S. began along the Gulf Coast in 2008 and expanded to the West and East Coasts, though no significant trend through time is seen since then. Ciguatoxin (CTX) events caused by Gambierdiscus dinoflagellates have long impacted tropical and subtropical locations in the U.S., but due to a lack of monitoring programs as well as under-reporting of illnesses, data on these events are not available for time series analysis. Geographic expansion of Gambierdiscus into temperate and non-endemic areas (e.g., northern Gulf of Mexico) is apparent, and fostered by ocean warming. HAB-related marine wildlife morbidity and mortality events appear to be increasing, with statistically significant increasing trends observed in marine mammal poisonings caused by ASTs along the coast of California and NSTs in Florida. Since their first occurrence in 1985 in New York, brown tides resulting from high-density blooms of Aureococcus have spread south to Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, while those caused by Aureoumbra have spread from the Gulf Coast to the east coast of Florida. Blooms of Margalefidinium polykrikoides occurred in four locations in the U.S. from 1921-2001 but have appeared in more than 15 U.S. estuaries since then, with ocean warming implicated as a causative factor. Numerous blooms of toxic cyanobacteria have been documented in all 50 U.S. states and the transport of cyanotoxins from freshwater systems into marine coastal waters is a recently identified and potentially significant threat to public and ecosystem health. Taken together, there is a significant increasing trend in all HAB events in HAEDAT over the 30-year study interval. Part of this observed HAB expansion simply reflects a better realization of the true or historic scale of the problem, long obscured by inadequate monitoring. Other contributing factors include the dispersion of species to new areas, the discovery of new HAB poisoning syndromes or impacts, and the stimulatory effects of human activities like nutrient pollution, aquaculture expansion, and ocean warming, among others. One result of this multifaceted expansion is that many regions of the U.S. now face a daunting diversity of species and toxins, representing a significant and growing challenge to resource managers and public health officials in terms of toxins, regions, and time intervals to monitor, and necessitating new approaches to monitoring and management. Mobilization of funding and resources for research, monitoring and management of HABs requires accurate information on the scale and nature of the national problem. HAEDAT and other databases can be of great value in this regard but efforts are needed to expand and sustain the collection of data regionally and nationally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald M Anderson
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, United States.
| | - Elizabeth Fensin
- NC Division of Water Resources, 4401 Reedy Creek Road, Raleigh, NC, 27607, United States
| | - Christopher J Gobler
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Southampton, NY, 11968, United States
| | - Alicia E Hoeglund
- Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, St. Petersburg, Florida, 33701, United States
| | - Katherine A Hubbard
- Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, St. Petersburg, Florida, 33701, United States
| | - David M Kulis
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, United States
| | - Jan H Landsberg
- Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, St. Petersburg, Florida, 33701, United States
| | - Kathi A Lefebvre
- Environmental and Fisheries Sciences Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Seattle, WA, 98112, United States
| | - Pieter Provoost
- Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO, IOC Project Office for IODE, 8400 Oostende, Belgium
| | - Mindy L Richlen
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, United States
| | - Juliette L Smith
- Department of Aquatic Health Sciences, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary, Gloucester Point, VA 23062, United States
| | - Andrew R Solow
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, United States
| | - Vera L Trainer
- Environmental and Fisheries Sciences Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Seattle, WA, 98112, United States
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Fire SE, Bogomolni A, DiGiovanni RA, Early G, Leighfield TA, Matassa K, Miller GA, Moore KMT, Moore M, Niemeyer M, Pugliares K, Wang Z, Wenzel FW. An assessment of temporal, spatial and taxonomic trends in harmful algal toxin exposure in stranded marine mammals from the U.S. New England coast. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0243570. [PMID: 33406141 PMCID: PMC7787384 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite a long-documented history of severe harmful algal blooms (HABs) in New England coastal waters, corresponding HAB-associated marine mammal mortality events in this region are far less frequent or severe relative to other regions where HABs are common. This long-term survey of the HAB toxins saxitoxin (STX) and domoic acid (DA) demonstrates significant and widespread exposure of these toxins in New England marine mammals, across multiple geographic, temporal and taxonomic groups. Overall, 19% of the 458 animals tested positive for one or more toxins, with 15% and 7% testing positive for STX and DA, respectively. 74% of the 23 different species analyzed demonstrated evidence of toxin exposure. STX was most prevalent in Maine coastal waters, most frequently detected in common dolphins (Delphinus delphis), and most often detected during July and October. DA was most prevalent in animals sampled in offshore locations and in bycaught animals, and most frequently detected in mysticetes, with humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) testing positive at the highest rates. Feces and urine appeared to be the sample matrices most useful for determining the presence of toxins in an exposed animal, with feces samples having the highest concentrations of STX or DA. No relationship was found between the bloom season of toxin-producing phytoplankton and toxin detection rates, however STX was more likely to be present in July and October. No relationship between marine mammal dietary preference and frequency of toxin detection was observed. These findings are an important part of a framework for assessing future marine mammal morbidity and mortality events, as well as monitoring ecosystem health using marine mammals as sentinel organisms for predicting coastal ocean changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Spencer E. Fire
- Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Andrea Bogomolni
- Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Robert A. DiGiovanni
- Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, Hampton Bays, New York, United States of America
| | - Greg Early
- Integrated Statistics, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Tod A. Leighfield
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean Service, Charleston, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Keith Matassa
- Ocean Animal Response and Research Alliance, Laguna Niguel, California, United States of America
| | - Glenn A. Miller
- Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL, United States of America
| | - Kathleen M. T. Moore
- International Fund for Animal Welfare, Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Michael Moore
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Misty Niemeyer
- International Fund for Animal Welfare, Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Katie Pugliares
- New England Aquarium, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Zhihong Wang
- CSS Corporation, Fairfax, VA, United States of America
- Under Contract to National Ocean Service, Charleston, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Frederick W. Wenzel
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, United States of America
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12
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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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Fire SE, Leighfield TA, Miller GA, Piwetz S, Sabater ER, Whitehead H. Association between red tide exposure and detection of corresponding neurotoxins in bottlenose dolphins from Texas waters during 2007-2017. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 162:105191. [PMID: 33075734 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2020.105191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Harmful algal blooms produced by the phytoplankton species Karenia brevis and its associated neurotoxin, brevetoxin (PbTx), occur throughout the Gulf of Mexico and have had devastating impacts on co-occurring populations of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), an important marine sentinel species. The majority of documented impacts, however, are from the eastern Gulf of Mexico, with a critical lack of information on the degree and frequency of PbTx exposure in bottlenose dolphins from Texas coastal waters. This study documents PbTx exposure in Texas bottlenose dolphins between 2007 and 2017 and their association with co-occurring K. brevis blooms. PbTx was detected in 60% (n = 112) of the animals tested. Liver tissue samples had the highest frequency of detection (62%), followed by feces (41.4%) and gastric contents (30.4%). PbTx was not detected in urine or intestinal tissue. The concentration ranges of PbTx detected in feces (1.2-216, mean 38.4 ng/g), gastric contents (3.3-1016, mean 158 ng/g) and liver (0.6-52.4, mean 8.5 ng/g) samples were an order of magnitude less than values reported for Florida dolphins for the same sample types. The proportion of dolphins recovered within 4 weeks of a bloom that tested positive for PbTx ('Bloom' group; 75%) was significantly higher compared to those that were recovered 5-8 weeks after termination of a bloom ('Post-Bloom' group; 36%; p = 0.004). The proportion of PbTx-positive animals with no observed bloom association ('Baseline' group; 60%) was also significantly greater than the Post-Bloom group (p = 0.012). No significant difference in proportion of PbTx-positive animals was detected between Bloom and Baseline groups (p = 0.242). No significant differences in liver PbTx concentrations were observed between any pairwise combinations of the 3 exposure groups (p = 0.261). Overall, these findings suggest persistent PbTx exposure for many individuals in these populations, although the health impacts of such exposure are not known.
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Affiliation(s)
- Spencer E Fire
- Florida Institute of Technology, 150 W. University Blvd., Melbourne, FL, 32901, USA.
| | - Tod A Leighfield
- NOAA National Ocean Service, 331 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, SC, 29412, USA
| | - Glenn A Miller
- Florida Institute of Technology, 150 W. University Blvd., Melbourne, FL, 32901, USA
| | - Sarah Piwetz
- Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network, 4700 Avenue U, Galveston, TX, 77551, USA
| | - Edna R Sabater
- Florida Institute of Technology, 150 W. University Blvd., Melbourne, FL, 32901, USA
| | - Heidi Whitehead
- Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network, 4700 Avenue U, Galveston, TX, 77551, USA
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Fire SE, Miller GA, Wells RS. Explosive exhalations by common bottlenose dolphins during Karenia brevis red tides. Heliyon 2020; 6:e03525. [PMID: 32181395 PMCID: PMC7063161 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e03525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Revised: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 02/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Harmful algal blooms (HABs) such as those produced by Karenia brevis have acute negative impacts on common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Florida coastal waters, frequently causing illness and death. However, much less is known about chronic, sub-acute effects on these important sentinel species. This study investigates whether bottlenose dolphin behavior in Sarasota Bay, Florida is influenced by the presence of severe red tide events, focusing on respiratory and other behaviors likely affected by abundant toxin aerosols produced during these blooms. Through focal animal behavioral follows, we observed free-ranging dolphin respiratory behavior, activity budgets, and movement patterns relative to K. brevis abundance in the study area. We compared behavior from dolphins observed during a 2005 K. brevis bloom to those observed during inter-bloom conditions where K. brevis was present at background concentrations. We found that the rate of “chuffing”, an explosive type of exhalation, was significantly greater in dolphins observed during the bloom. No apparent effect on respiratory rate, heading change rate or activity budgets was observed. We propose that this chuffing behavior is analogous to symptoms of respiratory irritation observed in humans exposed to such red tide events, and suggest that this may be a type of disturbance response. With an observed increase in both the frequency and severity of HABs, such disturbance responses may have large-scale chronic impacts to the health and fitness of bottlenose dolphins in regions where such HABs are common.
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Affiliation(s)
- Spencer E Fire
- Chicago Zoological Society's Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, c/o Mote Marine Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, FL, 34236, USA.,Department of Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, 150 W. University Blvd., Melbourne, FL, 32901, USA
| | - Glenn A Miller
- Department of Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, 150 W. University Blvd., Melbourne, FL, 32901, USA
| | - Randall S Wells
- Chicago Zoological Society's Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, c/o Mote Marine Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, FL, 34236, USA
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15
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McCormack MA, Battaglia F, McFee WE, Dutton J. Mercury concentrations in blubber and skin from stranded bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) along the Florida and Louisiana coasts (Gulf of Mexico, USA) in relation to biological variables. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 180:108886. [PMID: 31708171 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.108886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2019] [Revised: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 10/29/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Due to their long life-span and top trophic position, odontocetes can accumulate high concentrations of mercury (Hg) in their tissues. This study measured the concentration of total Hg (THg) in the blubber and skin of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) that stranded along the Florida (FL) panhandle and Louisiana (LA) coasts and investigated the relationship between total Hg (THg) concentration and sex, body length, age, stranding location, diet/trophic position (δ13C and δ15N, respectively), and foraging habitat (δ34S). Additionally, we compared models using body length and age as explanatory variables to determine which was a better predictor of THg concentration. In both tissues, sex was not an influential predictor of THg concentration and there was a positive relationship between body length/age and THg concentration (p < 0.001). Florida dolphins had greater mean blubber and skin THg concentrations compared to LA dolphins (p < 0.001). There was a modest improvement in model fit when age was used in place of body length. δ13C, δ15N, and δ34S differed between stranding locations and together with age were significant predictors of THg concentrations (R2 = 0.52, P < 0.001). Florida dolphins were δ13C enriched compared to LA dolphins (p < 0.001) and THg concentrations were positively correlated with δ13C (R2 = 0.22, p < 0.001). Our results demonstrate spatial variability in THg concentrations from stranded bottlenose dolphins from the northern Gulf of Mexico; however, future research is required to understand how fine-scale population structuring of dolphins within FL and LA impacts THg concentrations, particularly among inshore (bay, sound, and estuary) stocks and between inshore and offshore stocks, as variations in biotic and abiotic conditions can influence both stable isotope ratios and THg concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meaghan A McCormack
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, Aquatic Station, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA.
| | - Francesca Battaglia
- Department of Marine Science, Coastal Carolina University, Conway, SC, 29528, USA.
| | - Wayne E McFee
- National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Charleston, SC, 29412, USA.
| | - Jessica Dutton
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, Aquatic Station, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA.
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Fire SE, Browning JA, Durden WN, Stolen MK. Comparison of during-bloom and inter-bloom brevetoxin and saxitoxin concentrations in Indian River Lagoon bottlenose dolphins, 2002-2011. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2020; 218:105371. [PMID: 31790939 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2019.105371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2019] [Revised: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/20/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Harmful algal bloom (HAB) toxins have severe negative impacts on marine mammals, particularly for Florida bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) which frequently experience mass mortality events. Dolphins on the Florida Atlantic coast inhabit a region endemic to two HAB species, Karenia brevis and Pyrodinium bahamense, which produce the neurotoxins brevetoxin (PbTx) and saxitoxin (STX), respectively. Although toxic HABs and associated dolphin mortality events have been reported from this region, there is a lack of available data necessary for comparing toxin exposure levels between bloom ('exposed') conditions and non-bloom ('baseline') conditions. Here we present a 10-year dataset of PbTx and STX concentrations detected in dolphins stranding in this region, and compare the toxin loads from HAB-exposed dolphins to those detected in dolphins recovered in the absence of a HAB. We analyzed liver tissue samples from dead-stranded dolphins (n = 119) recovered and necropsied between 2002-2011, using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) modified for use with mammalian tissues. For dolphins recovered during baseline conditions, toxin-positive samples ranged in concentration from 0.27 to 1.2 ng/g for PbTx and from 0.41 to 1.9 ng/g for STX. For K. brevis-exposed dolphins, concentrations of up to 12.1 ng PbTx/g were detected, and for P. bahamense-exposed dolphins, concentrations of up to 9.9 ng STX/g were detected. Baseline PbTx values were similar to those reported in other regions where K. brevis blooms are more frequent and severe, but HAB-exposed PbTx values were considerably lower relative to these other regions. Since no baseline STX dolphin data exist for any region, our data serve as a first step towards establishing reference STX values for potential dolphin mortality events associated with STX-producing blooms in the future. This study demonstrates that although HABs in eastern Florida are only infrequently associated with dolphin mortalities, the presence of toxins in these animals may pose significant health risks in this region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Spencer E Fire
- Florida Institute of Technology, 150 W. University Blvd., Melbourne, FL 32901, United States.
| | - Jeremy A Browning
- Florida Institute of Technology, 150 W. University Blvd., Melbourne, FL 32901, United States
| | - Wendy Noke Durden
- Hubbs-Sea World Research Institute, 3830 South Highway A1A #4-181, Melbourne Beach, FL 32951, United States
| | - Megan K Stolen
- Hubbs-Sea World Research Institute, 3830 South Highway A1A #4-181, Melbourne Beach, FL 32951, United States
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17
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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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18
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Ronje EI, Whitehead HR, Mullin KD. The 1990Tursiops truncatus(Common Bottlenose Dolphin) Mass Die-Off in East Matagorda Bay, Texas: New Insight into a Cold Case. SOUTHEAST NAT 2018. [DOI: 10.1656/058.017.0306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Errol I. Ronje
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Mississippi Laboratories, Pascagoula, MS
| | | | - Keith D. Mullin
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Mississippi Laboratories, Pascagoula, MS
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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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20
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Fritze M, Puechmaille SJ. Identifying unusual mortality events in bats: a baseline for bat hibernation monitoring and white-nose syndrome research. Mamm Rev 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Fritze
- Zoological Institute and Museum; University of Greifswald; Loitzer Straße 26 17489 Greifswald Germany
| | - Sebastien J. Puechmaille
- Zoological Institute and Museum; University of Greifswald; Loitzer Straße 26 17489 Greifswald Germany
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21
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Abstract
This chapter presents the pathology of cetaceans, a diverse group of mammals restricted exclusively to aquatic habitats. The taxa include the largest mammals on earth, the baleen whales, as well as marine and freshwater toothed whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Pathologies of these species include infectious, toxic, and other disease processes, such as ship strike and entanglements in free-ranging animals. In animals under managed care, concerns include nutritional, degenerative and geriatric processes, such as formation of ammonium urate renal calculi. Due to potential population level effects and individual animal health concerns, viral agents of interest include morbilliviruses, pox virus, and herpes viruses. Both free ranging and captive animals have important neoplasms, including a variety of toxin-related tumors in beluga whales from the St. Lawrence Estuary and oral squamous cell carcinomas in bottlenose dolphins in managed care.
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22
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A common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) prey handling technique for marine catfish (Ariidae) in the northern Gulf of Mexico. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0181179. [PMID: 28704486 PMCID: PMC5507523 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0181179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2016] [Accepted: 06/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Few accounts describe predator-prey interactions between common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus Montagu 1821) and marine catfish (Ariopsis felis Linnaeus 1766, Bagre marinus Mitchill 1815). Over the course of 50,167 sightings of bottlenose dolphin groups in Mississippi Sound and along the Florida coast of the Gulf of Mexico, severed catfish heads were found floating and exhibiting movements at the surface in close proximity to 13 dolphin groups that demonstrated feeding behavior. These observations prompted a multi-disciplinary approach to study the predator-prey relationship between bottlenose dolphins and marine catfish. A review was conducted of bottlenose dolphin visual survey data and dorsal fin photographs from sightings where severed catfish heads were observed. Recovered severed catfish heads were preserved and studied, whole marine catfish were collected and examined, and stranding network pathology reports were reviewed for references to injuries related to fish spines. Photographic identification analysis confirms eight dolphins associated with severed catfish heads were present in three such sightings across an approximately 350 km expanse of coast between the Mississippi Sound and Saint Joseph Bay, FL. An examination of the severed catfish heads indicated interaction with dolphins, and fresh-caught whole hardhead catfish (A. felis) were examined to estimate the presumed total length of the catfish before decapitation. Thirty-eight instances of significant trauma or death in dolphins attributed to ingesting whole marine catfish were documented in stranding records collected from the southeastern United States of America. Bottlenose dolphins typically adhere to a ram-feeding strategy for prey capture followed by whole prey ingestion; however, marine catfish skull morphology may pose a consumption hazard due to rigid spines that can puncture and migrate through soft tissue, prompting a prey handling technique for certain dolphins, facilitating consumption of the posterior portion of the fish without the head.
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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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24
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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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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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26
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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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27
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Wilkin SM, Rowles TK, Stratton E, Adimey N, Field CL, Wissmann S, Shigenaka G, Fougères E, Mase B, Southeast Region Stranding N, Ziccardi MH. Marine mammal response operations during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2017. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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28
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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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Rosel PE, Wilcox LA, Sinclair C, Speakman TR, Tumlin MC, Litz JA, Zolman ES. Genetic assignment to stock of stranded common bottlenose dolphins in southeastern Louisiana after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2017. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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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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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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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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33
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Fauquier DA, Litz J, Sanchez S, Colegrove K, Schwacke LH, Hart L, Saliki J, Smith C, Goldstein T, Bowen-Stevens S, McFee W, Fougeres E, Mase-Guthrie B, Stratton E, Ewing R, Venn-Watson S, Carmichael RH, Clemons-Chevis C, Hatchett W, Shannon D, Shippee S, Smith S, Staggs L, Tumlin MC, Wingers NL, Rowles TK. Evaluation of morbillivirus exposure in cetaceans from the northern Gulf of Mexico 2010-2014. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2017. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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Beyer J, Trannum HC, Bakke T, Hodson PV, Collier TK. Environmental effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill: A review. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2016; 110:28-51. [PMID: 27301686 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.06.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 253] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2015] [Revised: 04/21/2016] [Accepted: 06/05/2016] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The Deepwater Horizon oil spill constituted an ecosystem-level injury in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Much oil spread at 1100-1300m depth, contaminating and affecting deepwater habitats. Factors such as oil-biodegradation, ocean currents and response measures (dispersants, burning) reduced coastal oiling. Still, >2100km of shoreline and many coastal habitats were affected. Research demonstrates that oiling caused a wide range of biological effects, although worst-case impact scenarios did not materialize. Biomarkers in individual organisms were more informative about oiling stress than population and community indices. Salt marshes and seabird populations were hard hit, but were also quite resilient to oiling effects. Monitoring demonstrated little contamination of seafood. Certain impacts are still understudied, such as effects on seagrass communities. Concerns of long-term impacts remain for large fish species, deep-sea corals, sea turtles and cetaceans. These species and their habitats should continue to receive attention (monitoring and research) for years to come.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonny Beyer
- NIVA - Norwegian Institute for Water Research, NO-0349, Oslo, Norway
| | - Hilde C Trannum
- NIVA - Norwegian Institute for Water Research, NO-0349, Oslo, Norway
| | - Torgeir Bakke
- NIVA - Norwegian Institute for Water Research, NO-0349, Oslo, Norway
| | - Peter V Hodson
- School of Environmental Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Tracy K Collier
- Delta Independent Science Board, 980 Ninth Street, Suite 1500, Sacramento, CA 95814, USA
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35
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Morris SE, Zelner JL, Fauquier DA, Rowles TK, Rosel PE, Gulland F, Grenfell BT. Partially observed epidemics in wildlife hosts: modelling an outbreak of dolphin morbillivirus in the northwestern Atlantic, June 2013-2014. J R Soc Interface 2016; 12:rsif.2015.0676. [PMID: 26577594 PMCID: PMC4685842 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2015.0676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Morbilliviruses cause major mortality in marine mammals, but the dynamics of transmission and persistence are ill understood compared to terrestrial counterparts such as measles; this is especially true for epidemics in cetaceans. However, the recent outbreak of dolphin morbillivirus in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean can provide new insights into the epidemiology and spatio-temporal spread of this pathogen. To deal with uncertainties surrounding the ecology of this system (only stranded animals were observed), we develop a statistical framework that can extract key information about the underlying transmission process given only sparse data. Our self-exciting Poisson process model suggests that individuals are infectious for at most 24 days and can transfer infection up to two latitude degrees (220 km) within this time. In addition, the effective reproduction number is generally below one, but reaches 2.6 during a period of heightened stranding numbers near Virginia Beach, Virginia, in summer 2013. Network analysis suggests local movements dominate spatial spread, with seasonal migration facilitating wider dissemination along the coast. Finally, a low virus transmission rate or high levels of pre-existing immunity can explain the lack of viral spread into the Gulf of Mexico. More generally, our approach illustrates novel methodologies for analysing very indirectly observed epidemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sinead E Morris
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Jonathan L Zelner
- Robert Wood Johnson Health and Society Scholars Program, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Deborah A Fauquier
- National Marine Fisheries Service, Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Teresa K Rowles
- National Marine Fisheries Service, Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Patricia E Rosel
- National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Lafayette, LA, USA
| | - Frances Gulland
- The Marine Mammal Centre, Sausalito, CA, USA US Marine Mammal Commission, 4340 East West Highway, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Bryan T Grenfell
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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36
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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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37
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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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38
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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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39
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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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40
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Cammen KM, Schultz TF, Rosel PE, Wells RS, Read AJ. Genomewide investigation of adaptation to harmful algal blooms in common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Mol Ecol 2015; 24:4697-710. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.13350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2014] [Revised: 08/07/2015] [Accepted: 08/17/2015] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Kristina M. Cammen
- Nicholas School of the Environment; Duke University; 135 Duke Marine Lab Road Beaufort NC 28516 USA
| | - Thomas F. Schultz
- Nicholas School of the Environment; Duke University; 135 Duke Marine Lab Road Beaufort NC 28516 USA
| | - Patricia E. Rosel
- National Marine Fisheries Service; Southeast Fisheries Science Center; 646 Cajundome Blvd Lafayette LA 70506 USA
| | - Randall S. Wells
- Chicago Zoological Society; c/o Mote Marine Laboratory; 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway Sarasota FL 34236 USA
| | - Andrew J. Read
- Nicholas School of the Environment; Duke University; 135 Duke Marine Lab Road Beaufort NC 28516 USA
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41
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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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42
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Venn-Watson S, Garrison L, Litz J, Fougeres E, Mase B, Rappucci G, Stratton E, Carmichael R, Odell D, Shannon D, Shippee S, Smith S, Staggs L, Tumlin M, Whitehead H, Rowles T. Demographic clusters identified within the northern Gulf of Mexico common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncates) unusual mortality event: January 2010-June 2013. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0117248. [PMID: 25671657 PMCID: PMC4324990 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0117248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2014] [Accepted: 12/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
A multi-year unusual mortality event (UME) involving primarily common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncates) was declared in the northern Gulf of Mexico (GoM) with an initial start date of February 2010 and remains ongoing as of August 2014. To examine potential changing characteristics of the UME over time, we compared the number and demographics of dolphin strandings from January 2010 through June 2013 across the entire GoM as well as against baseline (1990-2009) GoM stranding patterns. Years 2010 and 2011 had the highest annual number of stranded dolphins since Louisiana’s record began, and 2011 was one of the years with the highest strandings for both Mississippi and Alabama. Statewide, annual numbers of stranded dolphins were not elevated for GoM coasts of Florida or Texas during the UME period. Demographic, spatial, and temporal clusters identified within this UME included increased strandings in northern coastal Louisiana and Mississippi (March-May 2010); Barataria Bay, Louisiana (August 2010-December 2011); Mississippi and Alabama (2011, including a high prevalence and number of stranded perinates); and multiple GoM states during early 2013. While the causes of the GoM UME have not been determined, the location and magnitude of dolphin strandings during and the year following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, including the Barataria Bay cluster from August 2010 to December 2011, overlap in time and space with locations that received heavy and prolonged oiling. There are, however, multiple known causes of previous GoM dolphin UMEs, including brevetoxicosis and dolphin morbillivirus. Additionally, increased dolphin strandings occurred in northern Louisiana and Mississippi before the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Identification of spatial, temporal, and demographic clusters within the UME suggest that this mortality event may involve different contributing factors varying by location, time, and bottlenose dolphin populations that will be better discerned by incorporating diagnostic information, including histopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Venn-Watson
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Lance Garrison
- National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Miami, Florida, United States of America
| | - Jenny Litz
- National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Miami, Florida, United States of America
| | - Erin Fougeres
- National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Regional Office, St. Petersburg, Florida, United States of America
| | - Blair Mase
- National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Miami, Florida, United States of America
| | - Gina Rappucci
- NOAA Affiliate, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Miami, Florida, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth Stratton
- NOAA Affiliate, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Miami, Florida, United States of America
| | - Ruth Carmichael
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab and University of South Alabama, Dauphin Island, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Daniel Odell
- Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute, Melbourne Beach, Florida, United States of America
| | - Delphine Shannon
- Institute for Marine Mammal Studies, Gulfport, Mississippi, United States of America
| | - Steve Shippee
- Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge, Fort Walton Beach, Florida, United States of America
- Marine Wildlife Response, Esther, Florida, United States of America
| | - Suzanne Smith
- Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Lydia Staggs
- Gulf World Marine Park, Panama City Beach, Florida, United States of America
| | - Mandy Tumlin
- Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Heidi Whitehead
- Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network, Galveston, Texas, 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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