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Chou LS, Yao CJ, Wang MC, Chi WL, Ho Y, Yang WC. Cetacean Stranding Response Program and Spatial-Temporal Analysis in Taiwan, 1994-2018. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1823. [PMID: 38929442 PMCID: PMC11200669 DOI: 10.3390/ani14121823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2024] [Revised: 06/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
A national cetacean stranding response program in Taiwan has evolved significantly in the past three decades. Initially co-ordinated by National Taiwan University from 1994, the program transitioned to the Taiwan Cetacean Society in 1999, and local governments took on a more prominent role after 2009. A comprehensive stranding database (1994-2018) has been maintained, which documented 1320 stranding events involving 1698 animals from at least 27 species. The most commonly stranded species include finless porpoises, bottlenose dolphins, Kogia spp., and Risso's dolphins. The stranding rates varied annually and seasonally, with increases noted from an average of 16 events per year for the first 3 years to 44-58 events per year between 1997 and 2015, and a sharp rise to over 90 events per year for the period of the last three years. Seasonal variations were also significant, with higher stranding rates during the northeastern monsoon (NEM, October to next April) than that during southwestern monsoon (SWM, May to September). From the aspect of distribution, more frequent and even strandings occurred along the coast of northern Taiwan, while mass strandings were concentrated in the southwestern counties during NEM. Among all strandings, 390 events (29.5%) and 660 animals (38.9%) were live ones. Under great effort in rescuing and rehabilitating 52 cases, 15 cetacean individuals have been released since 2000. Additionally, there have been 56 mass strandings involving at least 11 species since 1994, predominated by pygmy killer whales, particularly during the NEM season along the southwest coast. This study not only contributes to our understanding of the stranding patterns and diversity of the cetaceans in Taiwan, but also provides valuable insights for future conservation strategies on cetaceans in the western Pacific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lien-Siang Chou
- Institute of Ecological and Evolutionary Biology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106216, Taiwan; (L.-S.C.); (Y.H.)
| | - Chiou-Ju Yao
- Department of Biology, National Museum of Natural Science, Taichung 404023, Taiwan
- Department of Life Science, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402202, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Chih Wang
- Taiwan Cetacean Society, New Taipei 248020, Taiwan; (M.-C.W.); (W.-L.C.)
| | - Wei-Lien Chi
- Taiwan Cetacean Society, New Taipei 248020, Taiwan; (M.-C.W.); (W.-L.C.)
- Department of Post-Baccalaureate Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical and Health Science, Asia University, Taichung 413305, Taiwan
| | - Yun Ho
- Institute of Ecological and Evolutionary Biology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106216, Taiwan; (L.-S.C.); (Y.H.)
| | - Wei-Cheng Yang
- Taiwan Cetacean Society, New Taipei 248020, Taiwan; (M.-C.W.); (W.-L.C.)
- School of Veterinary Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106216, Taiwan
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2
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Fuenzalida G, Yarimizu K, Norambuena L, Fujiyoshi S, Perera IU, Rilling JI, Campos M, Ruiz-Gil T, Vilugrón J, Sandoval-Sanhueza A, Ortiz M, Espinoza-González O, Guzmán L, Acuña JJ, Jorquera MA, Maruyama F. Environmental evaluation of the Reloncaví estuary in southern Chile based on lipophilic shellfish toxins as related to harmful algal blooms. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 928:172374. [PMID: 38615760 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172374] [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: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
The Reloncaví estuary in southern Chile is famous for its aquaculture. However, recurring harmful algal blooms have adversely affected mussel production. Therefore, regular monitoring of algal toxins is urgently needed to better understand the contamination status of the estuary. In this study, we quantified 15 types of lipophilic shellfish toxins in Metri Bay in the Reloncaví estuary on a biweekly basis for 4 years. We identified algal species using microscopy and metabarcoding analysis. We also measured water temperature, salinity, chlorophyll-a, and dissolved oxygen to determine the potential relationships of these parameters with algal toxin production. Our results revealed the presence of a trace amount of pectenotoxin and the causal phytoplankton Dinophysis, as well as yessotoxin and the causal phytoplankton Protoceratium. Statistical analysis indicated that fluctuations in water temperature affected the detection of these toxins. Additionally, metabarcoding analysis detected the highly toxic phytoplankton Alexandrium spp. in some samples. Although our results suggest that the level of lipophilic shellfish toxins in Metri Bay during the study period was insignificantly low using our current LC-MS method, the confirmed presence of highly toxic algae in Metri Bay raises concerns, given that favorable environmental conditions could cause blooms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gonzalo Fuenzalida
- Centro de Estudios de Algas Nocivas (CREAN), Instituto de Fomento Pesquero (IFOP), Padre Harter 547, Puerto Montt 5480000, Chile; Departamento de Ciencias Basicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Santo Tomas, Buena Vecindad #91, Puerto Montt 5480000, Chile.
| | - Kyoko Yarimizu
- Microbial Genomics and Ecology, The IDEC Institute, Hiroshima University, 1-3-2 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima City, Hiroshima 739-8511, Japan.
| | - Luis Norambuena
- Centro de Estudios de Algas Nocivas (CREAN), Instituto de Fomento Pesquero (IFOP), Padre Harter 547, Puerto Montt 5480000, Chile.
| | - So Fujiyoshi
- Microbial Genomics and Ecology, The IDEC Institute, Hiroshima University, 1-3-2 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima City, Hiroshima 739-8511, Japan.
| | - Ishara Uhanie Perera
- Microbial Genomics and Ecology, The IDEC Institute, Hiroshima University, 1-3-2 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima City, Hiroshima 739-8511, Japan.
| | - Joaquin-Ignacio Rilling
- Laboratorio de Ecología Microbiana Aplicada (EMALAB), Departamento de Ciencias Quimicas y Recursos Naturales, Universidad de La Frontera, Ave. Francisco Salazar 01145, Temuco 4780000, Chile.
| | - Marco Campos
- Laboratorio de Ecología Microbiana Aplicada (EMALAB), Departamento de Ciencias Quimicas y Recursos Naturales, Universidad de La Frontera, Ave. Francisco Salazar 01145, Temuco 4780000, Chile; Laboratorio de Investigación en Salud de Precisión, Departamento de Procesos Diagnósticos y Evaluación, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Católica de Temuco, Manuel Montt 056, Temuco 4780000, Chile
| | - Tay Ruiz-Gil
- Laboratorio de Ecología Microbiana Aplicada (EMALAB), Departamento de Ciencias Quimicas y Recursos Naturales, Universidad de La Frontera, Ave. Francisco Salazar 01145, Temuco 4780000, Chile
| | - Jonnathan Vilugrón
- Centro de Estudios de Algas Nocivas (CREAN), Instituto de Fomento Pesquero (IFOP), Padre Harter 547, Puerto Montt 5480000, Chile.
| | - Alondra Sandoval-Sanhueza
- Centro de Estudios de Algas Nocivas (CREAN), Instituto de Fomento Pesquero (IFOP), Padre Harter 547, Puerto Montt 5480000, Chile
| | - Mario Ortiz
- Centro de Estudios de Algas Nocivas (CREAN), Instituto de Fomento Pesquero (IFOP), Padre Harter 547, Puerto Montt 5480000, Chile
| | - Oscar Espinoza-González
- Centro de Estudios de Algas Nocivas (CREAN), Instituto de Fomento Pesquero (IFOP), Padre Harter 547, Puerto Montt 5480000, Chile.
| | - Leonardo Guzmán
- Centro de Estudios de Algas Nocivas (CREAN), Instituto de Fomento Pesquero (IFOP), Padre Harter 547, Puerto Montt 5480000, Chile.
| | - Jacqueline J Acuña
- Laboratorio de Ecología Microbiana Aplicada (EMALAB), Departamento de Ciencias Quimicas y Recursos Naturales, Universidad de La Frontera, Ave. Francisco Salazar 01145, Temuco 4780000, Chile.
| | - Milko A Jorquera
- Laboratorio de Ecología Microbiana Aplicada (EMALAB), Departamento de Ciencias Quimicas y Recursos Naturales, Universidad de La Frontera, Ave. Francisco Salazar 01145, Temuco 4780000, Chile.
| | - Fumito Maruyama
- Microbial Genomics and Ecology, The IDEC Institute, Hiroshima University, 1-3-2 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima City, Hiroshima 739-8511, Japan.
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3
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Cadaillon AM, Mattera B, Albizzi A, Montoya N, Maldonado S, Raya Rey A, Riccialdelli L, Almandoz GO, Schloss IR. Multispecies mass mortality in the Beagle Channel associated with paralytic shellfish toxins. HARMFUL ALGAE 2024; 132:102581. [PMID: 38331545 DOI: 10.1016/j.hal.2024.102581] [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: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
The Beagle Channel is a Subantarctic semi-estuarine environment at the southern tip of South America, where intoxication events associated with harmful algal blooms have been reported since 1886, including a world record in toxicity due to Alexandrium catenella in 1992. Toxic algae affect public health and ecosystem services, particularly mussel aquaculture and fisheries management. During the austral summer of 2022, an intense bloom of A. catenella (5 × 104 cells L-1) occurred in the Beagle Channel, leading to the second most toxic event in the area, with mussel toxicity reaching 197,266 µg STXeq kg-1. This event was synchronous with the mortality of marine organisms from different trophic levels and terrestrial fauna, i.e., two Fuegian red foxes and a southern caracara. Stomach content and liver samples from dead kelp gulls (Larus dominicanus), Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus), papua penguins (Pygoscelis papua), and imperial cormorants (Leucocarbo atriceps), presented variable paralytic shellfish toxins (PST) levels (up to 3427 µg STXeq kg-1) as measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), suggesting that deaths were associated with high PST toxicity level. The different toxin profiles found in phytoplankton, zooplankton, squat lobsters (Grimothea gregaria), Fuegian sprat (Sprattus fuegensis), and seabirds evidenced possible toxin transformation along the food web and the possible transfer vectors. The unexpected detection of PST in terrestrial fauna (up to 2707 µg STXeq kg-1) suggested intoxication by scavenging on squat lobsters, which had high toxicity (26,663 µg STXeq kg-1). PST trace levels were also detected in a liver sample of a dead false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens), an oceanic odontocete stranded on the coast during the bloom. Overall, our results denote the exceptional nature of the toxic, multispecies mortality event and that toxins may propagate to several levels of the food web in this Subantarctic environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- A M Cadaillon
- Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Bernardo Houssay 200, Ushuaia, Argentina; Instituto de Desarrollo Económico e Innovación (IDEI), Universidad Nacional de Tierra del Fuego, Antártida e Islas del Atlántico Sur (UNTDF), Yrigoyen 879, Ushuaia 9410, Argentina.
| | - B Mattera
- Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero, Paseo Victoria Ocampo N°1, Mar del Plata 7600, Argentina
| | - A Albizzi
- Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Bernardo Houssay 200, Ushuaia, Argentina
| | - N Montoya
- Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero, Paseo Victoria Ocampo N°1, Mar del Plata 7600, Argentina
| | - S Maldonado
- Dirección General de Laboratorio de Toxinas y Microbiología, Secretaría de Pesca y Acuicultura, Ministerio de Produccion y Ambiente. Gobierno de la Provincia de Tierra del Fuego, Antártida e Islas del Atlántico Sur, Argentina
| | - A Raya Rey
- Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Bernardo Houssay 200, Ushuaia, Argentina; Instituto de Ciencias Polares, Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (ICPA), UNTDF, Yrigoyen 879, Ushuaia 9410, Argentina; Wildlife Conservation Society, Amenábar 1595, Office 19, C1426AKC CABA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - L Riccialdelli
- Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Bernardo Houssay 200, Ushuaia, Argentina
| | - G O Almandoz
- División Ficología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Paseo del Bosque s/n, B1900FWA La Plata, Argentina; CONICET, Godoy Cruz 2290 (C1425FQB), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - I R Schloss
- Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Bernardo Houssay 200, Ushuaia, Argentina; Instituto de Ciencias Polares, Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (ICPA), UNTDF, Yrigoyen 879, Ushuaia 9410, Argentina; Instituto Antártico Argentino, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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4
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Díaz PA, Álvarez G, Figueroa RI, Garreaud R, Pérez-Santos I, Schwerter C, Díaz M, López L, Pinto-Torres M, Krock B. From lipophilic to hydrophilic toxin producers: Phytoplankton succession driven by an atmospheric river in western Patagonia. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 193:115214. [PMID: 37385183 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115214] [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: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
Phytoplankton succession is related to hydroclimatic conditions. In this study we provide the first description of a toxic phytoplankton succession in the Patagonian Fjord System. The shift was modulated by atmospheric-oceanographic forcing and consisted of the replacement of the marine dinoflagellate Dinophysis acuta in a highly stratified water column during austral summer by the diatom Pseudo-nitzschia calliantha in a mixed water column during late summer and early autumn. This transition, accompanied by a change in the biotoxin profiles (from lipophilic dinophysis toxins to hydrophilic domoic acid), was induced by the arrival of an intense atmospheric river. The winds in Magdalena Sound may have been further amplified, due to its west-east orientation and its location within a tall, narrow mountain canyon. This work also documents the first known appearance of toxic P. calliantha in Northern Patagonian. The potential impacts of the biotoxins of this species on higher trophic levels are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricio A Díaz
- Centro i~mar, Universidad de Los Lagos, Casilla 557, Puerto Montt, Chile; CeBiB, Universidad de Los Lagos, Casilla 557, Puerto Montt, Chile.
| | - Gonzalo Álvarez
- Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Departamento de Acuicultura, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo 1281, Chile; Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo Tecnológico en Algas (CIDTA), Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile; Center for Ecology and Sustainable Management of Oceanic Islands (ESMOI), Departamento de Biología Marina, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Rosa I Figueroa
- Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo, Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO-CSIC), Vigo, Spain
| | - René Garreaud
- Centro de Ciencia del Clima y la Resiliencia (CR2), Universidad de Chile, Chile; Departamento de Geofísica, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8370449, Región Metropolitana, Chile
| | - Iván Pérez-Santos
- Centro i~mar, Universidad de Los Lagos, Casilla 557, Puerto Montt, Chile; Centro de Investigación Oceanográfica COPAS COASTAL, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile; Centro de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia (CIEP), Coyhaique, Chile
| | - Camila Schwerter
- Centro i~mar, Universidad de Los Lagos, Casilla 557, Puerto Montt, Chile
| | - Manuel Díaz
- Instituto de Acuicultura, Programa de Investigación Pesquera, Universidad Austral de Chile, Los Pinos S/N, Puerto Montt, Chile
| | - Loreto López
- Centro de Estudios de Algas Nocivas (CREAN), Instituto de Fomento Pesquero (IFOP), Padre Harter 574, Puerto Montt, Chile
| | - Marco Pinto-Torres
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias de la Acuicultura, Universidad Austral de Chile, Los Pinos S/N, Puerto Montt, Chile; Centro FONDAP de Investigación de Ecosistemas de Altas Latitudes (IDEAL), Universidad Austral de Chile, Av. El Bosque 01789, Punta Arenas, Chile
| | - Bernd Krock
- Centro de Investigación Oceanográfica COPAS COASTAL, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile; Alfred Wegener Institut-Helmholtz Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany
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5
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Nguyen PQ, Huang X, Collins DS, Collins JJ, Lu T. Harnessing synthetic biology to enhance ocean health. Trends Biotechnol 2023; 41:860-874. [PMID: 36669947 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2022.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Ocean health is faltering, its capability for regeneration and renewal being eroded by a steady pulse of anthropomorphic impacts. Plastic waste has infiltrated all ocean biomes, climate change threatens coral reefs with extinction, and eutrophication has unleashed vast algal blooms. In the face of these challenges, synthetic biology approaches may hold untapped solutions to mitigate adverse effects, repair ecosystems, and put us on a path towards sustainable stewardship of our planet. Leveraging synthetic biology tools would enable innovative engineering approaches to augment the natural adaptive capacity of ocean biological systems to cope with the swiftness of human-induced change. Here, we present a framework for developing synthetic biology solutions for the challenges of plastic pollution, coral bleaching, and harmful algal blooms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Q Nguyen
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xiaoning Huang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Daniel S Collins
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Biology and Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - James J Collins
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA; Institute for Medical Engineering & Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Ting Lu
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA; Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA; Department of Physics, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA; Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA; National Center for Supercomputing Applications, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
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6
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Kraft S, Rodríguez F, Olavarría C, Poulin E, Pérez-Álvarez MJ. Genetic Analysis as a Tool to Improve the Monitoring of Stranded Cetaceans in Chile. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12050748. [PMID: 37237561 DOI: 10.3390/biology12050748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Cetacean strandings are a valuable source of information for several studies from species richness to conservation and management. During the examination of strandings, taxonomic and sex identification might be hindered for several reasons. Molecular techniques are valuable tools to obtain that missing information. This study evaluates how gene fragment amplification protocols can support the records of strandings done in the field in Chile by identifying, corroborating, or correcting the identification of the species and sex of the recorded individuals. Through a collaboration between a scientific laboratory and government institution in Chile, 63 samples were analyzed. Thirty-nine samples were successfully identified to the species level. In total, 17 species of six families were detected, including six species of conservation interest. Of the 39 samples, 29 corresponded to corroborations of field identifications. Seven corresponded to unidentified samples and three to corrected misidentifications, adding up to 28% of the identified samples. Sex was successfully identified for 58 of the 63 individuals. Twenty were corroborations, 34 were previously unidentified, and four were corrections. Applying this method improves the stranding database of Chile and provides new data for future management and conservation tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastián Kraft
- Centro de Ciências do Mar (CCMAR), Universidade do Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
- Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 7800003, Chile
| | - Francisca Rodríguez
- Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 7800003, Chile
- Millennium Institute Biodiversity of Antarctic and Subantarctic Ecosystems (BASE), Santiago 7800003, Chile
| | - Carlos Olavarría
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA), La Serena 1720256, Chile
- Eutropia, Centro de Investigación, Santiago 8320238, Chile
| | - Elie Poulin
- Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 7800003, Chile
- Millennium Institute Biodiversity of Antarctic and Subantarctic Ecosystems (BASE), Santiago 7800003, Chile
| | - María José Pérez-Álvarez
- Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 7800003, Chile
- Millennium Institute Biodiversity of Antarctic and Subantarctic Ecosystems (BASE), Santiago 7800003, Chile
- Eutropia, Centro de Investigación, Santiago 8320238, Chile
- Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Facultad de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Mayor, Santiago 8580745, Chile
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Cubaynes HC, Clarke PJ, Goetz KT, Aldrich T, Fretwell PT, Leonard KE, Khan CB. Annotating very high-resolution satellite imagery: A whale case study. MethodsX 2023; 10:102040. [PMID: 36793672 PMCID: PMC9923222 DOI: 10.1016/j.mex.2023.102040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of very high-resolution (VHR) optical satellites is gaining momentum in the field of wildlife monitoring, particularly for whales, as this technology is showing potential for monitoring the less studied regions. However, surveying large areas using VHR optical satellite imagery requires the development of automated systems to detect targets. Machine learning approaches require large training datasets of annotated images. Here we propose a standardised workflow to annotate VHR optical satellite imagery using ESRI ArcMap 10.8, and ESRI ArcGIS Pro 2.5., using cetaceans as a case study, to develop AI-ready annotations.•A step-by-step protocol to review VHR optical satellite images and annotate the features of interest.•A step-by-step protocol to create bounding boxes encompassing the features of interest.•A step-by-step guide to clip the satellite image using bounding boxes to create image chips.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Penny Joanna Clarke
- British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, United Kingdom.,School of Engineering, The University of Edinburgh, Sanderson Building, Robert Stevenson Road, The King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3FB, United Kingdom
| | - Kimberly Thea Goetz
- Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Seattle, Washington, United States
| | - Tyler Aldrich
- Northeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Woods Hole, MA, United States
| | - Peter Thomas Fretwell
- British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, United Kingdom
| | - Kathleen Elise Leonard
- Protected Resources Division, Alaska Regional Office, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Anchorage, AK, United States
| | - Christin Brangwynne Khan
- Northeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Woods Hole, MA, United States
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8
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The shrunk genetic diversity of coral populations in North-Central Patagonia calls for management and conservation plans for marine resources. Sci Rep 2022; 12:14894. [PMID: 36050435 PMCID: PMC9437062 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-19277-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The Chilean Patagonia is a complex puzzle of numerous fjords, channels, bays, estuaries, and islands. The largest part of it is very remote, hampering the generation of scientific knowledge and effective management planning that could balance conservation of the marine resources with the increasing development of aquaculture activities. The present study focuses on the deep-water emergent cold-water coral Desmophyllum dianthus, dwelling in Chilean Patagonia, with the aim to illustrate its population genetic structure, demography and adaptation of the species along this coast. Microsatellite loci analysis included D. dianthus individuals from twelve sampling localities along bathymetric and oceanographic gradients from the latitude 40°S to 48°S. The results showed a lack of genetic structure with an asymmetric dispersion of individuals, and relevant heterozygosity deficiency in some populations. This study also analyses the natural and human impacts affecting the region (e.g., climate change, increasing salmon farming activities), and stresses the importance of including genetic information in the process of management and conservation of marine resources. In particular, the relevance of using interdisciplinary approaches to fill the gaps in scientific knowledge especially in remote and pristine areas of western Patagonia. Therefore, information on genetic spatial distribution of marine fauna could become pivotal to develop a holistic ecosystem-based approach for marine spatial planning.
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Bowers EK, Stimmelmayr R, Hendrix A, Lefebvre KA. Stability of Saxitoxin in 50% Methanol Fecal Extracts and Raw Feces from Bowhead Whales (Balaena mysticetus). Mar Drugs 2022; 20:md20090547. [PMID: 36135736 PMCID: PMC9505082 DOI: 10.3390/md20090547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent decades, harmful algal blooms (HABs) producing paralytic shellfish toxins (including saxitoxin, STX) have become increasingly frequent in the marine waters of Alaska, USA, subjecting Pacific Arctic and subarctic communities and wildlife to increased toxin exposure risks. Research on the risks of HAB toxin exposures to marine mammal health commonly relies on the sampling of marine mammal gastrointestinal (GI) contents to quantify HAB toxins, yet no studies have been published testing the stability of STX in marine mammal GI matrices. An understanding of STX stability in test matrices under storage and handling conditions is imperative to the integrity of toxin quantifications and conclusions drawn thereby. Here, STX stability is characterized in field-collected bowhead whale feces (stored raw in several treatments) and in fecal extracts (50% methanol, MeOH) over multiple time points. Toxin stability, as the percent of initial concentration (T0), was reported for each storage treatment and time point. STX was stable (mean 99% T0) in 50% MeOH extracts over the 8-week study period, and there was no significant difference in STX concentrations quantified in split fecal samples extracted in 80% ethanol (EtOH) and 50% MeOH. STX was also relatively stable in raw fecal material stored in the freezer (mean 94% T0) and the refrigerator (mean 93% T0) up to 8 weeks. STX degraded over time in the room-temperature dark, room-temperature light, and warm treatments to means of 48 ± 1.9, 38 ± 2.8, and 20 ± 0.7% T0, respectively, after 8 weeks (mean ± standard error; SE). Additional opportunistically analyzed samples frozen for ≤4.5 years also showed STX to be relatively stable (mean 97% T0). Mean percent of T0 was measured slightly above 100% in some extracts following some treatments, and (most notably) at some long-term frozen time points, likely due to evaporation from samples causing STX to concentrate, or variability between ELISA plates. Overall, these results suggest that long-term frozen storage of raw fecal samples and the analysis of extracts within 8 weeks of extraction in 50% MeOH is sufficient for obtaining accurate STX quantifications in marine mammal fecal material without concerns about significant degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily K. Bowers
- Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Environmental and Fisheries Sciences Division, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 2725 Montlake Blvd E, Seattle, WA 98112, USA
| | - Raphaela Stimmelmayr
- The North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management, P.O. Box 69, Utqiagvik, AK 99723, USA
| | - Alicia Hendrix
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Box 351618, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Kathi A. Lefebvre
- Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Environmental and Fisheries Sciences Division, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 2725 Montlake Blvd E, Seattle, WA 98112, USA
- Correspondence:
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Maurer AS, Stapleton SP, Layman CA, Burford Reiskind MO. The Atlantic Sargassum invasion impedes beach access for nesting sea turtles. CLIMATE CHANGE ECOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecochg.2021.100034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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11
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van Weelden C, Towers JR, Bosker T. Impacts of climate change on cetacean distribution, habitat and migration. CLIMATE CHANGE ECOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecochg.2021.100009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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12
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Aniceto AS, Tassara L, Rikardsen A, Blévin P. Mass strandings of seven toothed and baleen whale species in Northern Norway in March 2020 call for further investigation. Polar Biol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-021-02869-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
AbstractMonitoring whale strandings are a key aspect of ecosystem management as stranded animals can provide indications on ecosystem health, pollution and adverse effects due to anthropogenic activities. Most mass mortality events are reported for toothed whales and rarely involve baleen whales. In the course of one month in spring 2020, 17 whales belonging to seven different species, stranded on the shores of Northern Norway, above the Arctic circle. This multi-species event included humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae), fin (Balaenoptera physalus) and sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus), that were accompanied by northern bottlenose whales (Hyperoodon ampullatus), a white-beaked dolphin (Lagenorhynchus albirostris), a long-finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas) and a harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). We discuss some potential causes of death based on the previous literature and available information for the area, highlighting the need for further investigation on cetacean strandings at high latitudes. Ultimately, the reasons for the stranding could only be identified by a thorough examination of all the animals, which was unfortunately not conducted. As the threats to polar ecosystems and access to local shores are likely to increase, reports of cetacean mortality are also expected to surge, particularly in high latitude regions where climate variations and anthropogenic activities are increasing. This study makes recommendations for future steps and considerations for monitoring networks and standardized sampling methods for future marine mammal stranding events. Finally, we suggest that national and international efforts based on the collaborative relationships are implemented, considering the multiple facets of animal ecology and health as an achievable step in the near future.
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Sunesen I, Méndez SM, Mancera-Pineda JE, Dechraoui Bottein MY, Enevoldsen H. The Latin America and Caribbean HAB status report based on OBIS and HAEDAT maps and databases. HARMFUL ALGAE 2021; 102:101920. [PMID: 33875182 DOI: 10.1016/j.hal.2020.101920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Revised: 10/04/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Harmful Algae Blooms (HAB) have been documented for at least fifty years in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), however, their impacts at social, ecological and economic levels are still little known. To contribute to the impact assessment of HABs in LAC region, the available information in HAEDAT, OBIS, CAREC, and CARPHA databases, and scientific literature was analyzed. This historical analysis allows identification of the main syndromes and causal organisms. Considering the existence of two regional working groups of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC): Algas Nocivas del Caribe (ANCA) and Floraciones Algales Nocivas en Sudamérica (FANSA), representing Central American/Caribbean and South American countries, respectively, the analysis is presented both globally and subregional. For the FANSA region, the HAEDAT data base listed 249 records from 1970 to 2019, with a total of 1432 human intoxications, including 37 fatalities. The majority of these events comprised Paralytic Shellfish Toxins (49%), Diarrhetic Shellfish Toxins (34%), Cyanotoxins (12%) and 6 % other toxins. The total number of harmful taxa in the OBIS database includes 79 species distributed over 25 genera. The most commonly reported species are Alexandrium catenella/tamarense, Gymnodinium catenatum and the Dinophysis acuminata complex. Two new species Prorocentrum caipirignum Fraga, Menezes and Nascimento and Alexandrium fragae Branco and Menezes were newly described from Brazilian waters. In the ANCA region, HAEDAT listed 131 records from 1956 to 2018. The main problems are PSP and Ciguatera and common HAB taxa are Gambierdiscus, Gymnodinium, Pyrodinium, Alexandrium and Dinophysis. The most reported HAB forming species are Gymnodinium catenatum, Pyrodinium bahamense and Gambierdiscus spp. In recent years Margalefidinium polykrikoides blooms have become frequent, causing fish and invertebrates massive mortalities and impacts on touristic activities. In the LAC region, the greatest economic losses were produced by ichthyotoxic massive events causing salmon deaths associated to Pseudochattonella verruculosa and Alexandrium catenella in Chile and tuna deaths related to Tripos furca and Chattonella spp. in the Mexican Pacific. In the last decade, several studies in LAC have linked HAB events with local mesoscale oceanographic and atmospheric phenomena. Trends analyzed up to 2019 are related to the increasing awareness about presence of toxic species, the geographical expansion of already known species, the detection of new toxins for the region, and HAB events duration and/or impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inés Sunesen
- División Ficología Dr. Sebastián Guarrera, FCNyM, Paseo del Bosque s/n, 1900, La Plata, Argentina. CONICET - UNLP.
| | - Silvia M Méndez
- Dirección Nacional de Recursos Acuáticos/MGAP, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | | | | | - Henrik Enevoldsen
- IOC Science and Communication Centre on Harmful Algae, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
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Bisconti M, Damarco P, Pavia M, Sorce B, Carnevale G. Marzanoptera tersillae, a new balaenopterid genus and species from the Pliocene of Piedmont, north-west Italy. Zool J Linn Soc 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Marzanoptera tersillae gen. & sp. nov., a new balaenopterid from the Pliocene of the Piedmont in north-west Italy, is described based on a partial skeleton and compared with other living and fossil baleen whales. Marzanoptera tersillae shares characters, such as the shape of the supraoccipital, glenoid fossa of the squamosal and zygomatic process of the squamosal, with ‘Balaenoptera’ bertae. We used a computed tomography scan to view parts of the skull that were otherwise impossible to observe, such as the periotic. A phylogenetic analysis based on 355 character states scored from 87 taxa revealed a well-resolved hypothesis of relationships for Balaenopteridae and a general phylogenetic hypothesis for chaeomysticetes. The monophyly of all superfamily- and family-rank clades and of crown balaenopterid species was confirmed. In addition, a monophyletic group including most basal thalassotherian taxa was recovered. The mollusc fauna associated with the specimen was autochtonous and constituted a residual fossil assemblage indicative of an environmental context located below the base of the storm wave, characterized by a low-energy hydrodynamic regimen. Many shark teeth have been found in close association or embedded within the bones, suggesting a possible scavenging action by two shark species on the whale carcass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelangelo Bisconti
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Torino, via Valperga Caluso 35, 10135 Torino, Italia
- San Diego Natural History Museum, El Prado 1788, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Piero Damarco
- Ente di Gestione del Parco Paleontologico Astigiano, Museo Paleontologico Territoriale dell’Astigiano, Corso Vittorio Alfieri 381, 14100, Asti, Italia
| | - Marco Pavia
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Torino, via Valperga Caluso 35, 10135 Torino, Italia
| | - Barbara Sorce
- Unitre Cecina-Livorno, via Cecchini 3, Cecina, Italia
| | - Giorgio Carnevale
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Torino, via Valperga Caluso 35, 10135 Torino, Italia
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Marquet PA, Castilla JC, Gaxiola A, Hucke-Gaete R, Pena-Vega A. Indigenous rights to Patagonia's Guafo island. Science 2020; 370:669-670. [PMID: 33154130 DOI: 10.1126/science.abf1962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Pablo A Marquet
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, CP 8331150, Santiago, Chile. .,Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad (IEB), Santiago, Chile
| | - Juan Carlos Castilla
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, CP 8331150, Santiago, Chile
| | - Aurora Gaxiola
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, CP 8331150, Santiago, Chile.,Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad (IEB), Santiago, Chile
| | - Rodrigo Hucke-Gaete
- Programa Austral Patagonia, Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Universidad Austral de Chile, Campus Isla Teja, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Alfredo Pena-Vega
- Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales/Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Institut Interdisciplinaire d'Anthropologie du Contemporain, Paris, France
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16
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50 Years of Cetacean Strandings Reveal a Concerning Rise in Chilean Patagonia. Sci Rep 2020; 10:9511. [PMID: 32528030 PMCID: PMC7290033 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-66484-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Cetacean strandings (CS) have been reported in increasing numbers in coastal areas worldwide. Although the causes of these strandings are unknown, a number of anthropogenic and environmental factors have been suggested. This paper aims to characterize CS patterns and describe their fine-scale spatiotemporal dynamics. We analysed spatial and spatiotemporal CS patterns in Chile from January 1968 to January 2020. We identified a total of 389 CS events affecting eight cetacean families, 21 genera, and 35 species, which represent more than 85% of the reported species richness for the country. Most CS events (94.1%) were single (i.e., ≤two individuals). There were also 18 mass stranding (three to 24 individuals, 4.1%) and nine unusually large mass stranding events (>25 individuals, 2%). Purely spatial tests showed CS events appearing in random occurrence along the Chilean coast. Local tests for spatio-temporal clusters, however, identified a greater number of hotspots reported in the southernmost part of the country, namely, Chilean Patagonia. Specifically, significant spatio-temporal clusters were identified and defined as containing three or more individuals within a two-month period as a focal coastal event (<1 km radius). It is a cause of concern that CS events in Chile have been increasing consistently over the last decades, and although we were not able to identify their causes, we are able to highlight the importance of changes in climate conditions and of an increase in monitoring activities as primary drivers for such patterns, particularly important in Chilean Patagonia.
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17
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Berger J, Wangchuk T, Briceño C, Vila A, Lambert JE. Disassembled Food Webs and Messy Projections: Modern Ungulate Communities in the Face of Unabating Human Population Growth. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.00128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
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18
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Armijo J, Oerder V, Auger PA, Bravo A, Molina E. The 2016 red tide crisis in southern Chile: Possible influence of the mass oceanic dumping of dead salmons. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2020; 150:110603. [PMID: 31784267 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.110603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2018] [Revised: 08/18/2019] [Accepted: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In 2016, a massive harmful algal bloom (HAB) of Alexandrium catenella around Chiloé island caused one of the major socio-ecological crisis in Chilean history. This red tide occurred in two distinct pulses, the second, most anomalous, bursting with extreme toxicity on the Pacific coast, weeks after the highly controversial dumping off Chiloé of 4,700 t of rotting salmons, killed by a previous HAB of Pseudochattonella verruculosa. We study the transport of this pollution, analyzing the physical oceanographic conditions during and after the dumping. We find that a cyclonic gyre was present between the dumping site and the coast, visible in satellite altimetry and sea surface temperature data. Using Lagrangian simulations, we confirm that near-surface currents could have brought part of the pollution to the coast, and fueled the bloom. This scenario explains also the anomalous later finding of ammonium near Chiloé. Finally we discuss the mismanagement of risk throughout the events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Armijo
- Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Centro de Investigación en Recursos Naturales y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Bernardo O'Higgins, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Vera Oerder
- Instituto Milenio de Oceanografía and Escuela de Ciencias del Mar, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Pierre-Amaël Auger
- Instituto Milenio de Oceanografía and Escuela de Ciencias del Mar, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile; Laboratoire d'Océanographie Physique et Spatiale, Université de Brest, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer, Brest, France
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19
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Reiss L, Häussermann V, Mayr C. Stable isotope records of sei whale baleens from Chilean Patagonia as archives for feeding and migration behavior. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:808-818. [PMID: 32015845 PMCID: PMC6988525 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Revised: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 11/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) stable isotope variations in baleen plates of sei whales (Balaenoptera borealis) stranded after a mass mortality event in Chilean Patagonia were investigated to assess potential dietary and migratory patterns. Carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios of seven baleens from six individuals were analyzed. The δ13C values ranged from - 19.1 to - 15.9‰ and the δ15N values from 8.7 to 15.4‰. Variations of up to 2.9‰ for δ13C and 5.3‰ for δ15N were observed within one baleen. Carbon and nitrogen isotope records of each baleen were significantly correlated and showed recurring oscillations confirmed by wavelet analyses. Oscillations slightly differed in periodicity indicating variable baleen growth rates between 10.0 and 16.5 cm/year. Food sources of the whales are discussed in terms of available isotope data for potential prey taxa and potential migratory behavior on the basis of latitudinal isotope gradients of particulate organic matter. Cyclicity could be explained by regular migrations of the sei whales from subtropical calving areas to high-latitude foraging grounds. δ15N records of baleens differed between individuals eventually pointing to diverse feeding and migratory preferences among sei whale individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilian Reiss
- Institute of GeographyFriedrich‐Alexander‐Universität Erlangen‐NürnbergErlangenGermany
| | - Verena Häussermann
- Huinay Scientific Field StationEscuela de Ciencias del MarFacultad de Recursos NaturalesPontificia Universidad Católica de ValparaísoValparaísoChile
| | - Christoph Mayr
- Institute of GeographyFriedrich‐Alexander‐Universität Erlangen‐NürnbergErlangenGermany
- GeoBio‐CenterDepartment of Earth and Environmental SciencesLudwig‐Maximilians‐UniversitätMünchenGermany
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20
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Xiao X, Agustí S, Pan Y, Yu Y, Li K, Wu J, Duarte CM. Warming Amplifies the Frequency of Harmful Algal Blooms with Eutrophication in Chinese Coastal Waters. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2019; 53:13031-13041. [PMID: 31609108 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b03726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Widespread coastal eutrophication is known to increase the prevalence of harmful algal blooms (HABs). Increased HABs have also been linked to climate change, with ocean warming predicted to lead to increased prevalence and earlier timing of HABs. Testing the predictions of warming to HABs is difficult due to the lack of long-term observations across spatial scales. Here, we use a 45 year (1970-2015) record of the occurrence and duration of HABs along Chinese coast to show that the HAB frequency has increased at a rate of 40 ± 4% decade-1, with earlier timing by 5.50 ± 1.78 days decade-1. The increasing frequency of blooms varied with latitude and is significantly correlated with warming at an average rate of 0.17 ± 0.03 °C decade-1, with the positive relationship being strongest in more eutrophic provinces. HAB frequency increased with elevated dissolved inorganic nutrient concentration, but this increase was amplified further with warming. Warming and eutrophication showed additive roles in triggering HABs. Swift action to mitigate eutrophication is essential to avoid a sharp increase in the HABs in coastal waters with further warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Xiao
- Zhejiang University, Ocean College , 1 Zheda Road , Zhoushan , Zhejiang 316021 , China
| | - Susana Agustí
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) , Thuwal 23955-6900 , Saudi Arabia
| | - Yaoru Pan
- Zhejiang University, Ocean College , 1 Zheda Road , Zhoushan , Zhejiang 316021 , China
| | - Yan Yu
- Zhejiang University, Ocean College , 1 Zheda Road , Zhoushan , Zhejiang 316021 , China
| | - Ke Li
- Zhejiang University, Ocean College , 1 Zheda Road , Zhoushan , Zhejiang 316021 , China
| | - Jiaping Wu
- Zhejiang University, Ocean College , 1 Zheda Road , Zhoushan , Zhejiang 316021 , China
| | - Carlos M Duarte
- Red Sea Research Center (RSRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) , Thuwal 23955-6900 , Saudi Arabia
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21
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Fretwell PT, Jackson JA, Ulloa Encina MJ, Häussermann V, Perez Alvarez MJ, Olavarría C, Gutstein CS. Using remote sensing to detect whale strandings in remote areas: The case of sei whales mass mortality in Chilean Patagonia. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0222498. [PMID: 31622348 PMCID: PMC6797088 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0222498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 08/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We test the ability of Very High Resolution satellite (VHR) imagery to detect stranded whales using both manual and automated methods. We use the 2015 mass mortality event in the Gulf of Penas locality, central Patagonia, Chile, as an initial case study. This event was the largest known mass mortality of baleen whales, with at least 343 whales, mainly sei whales (Balaenoptera borealis), documented as stranding. However, even with such a large number of whales, due to the remote location of the gulf the strandings went unrecorded for several weeks. Aerial and boat surveys of the area were conducted two to four months after the mortality event. In this study we use 50cm resolution WorldView2 imagery to identify and count strandings from two archival images acquired just after the stranding event and two months before the aerial and ground surveys, and to test manual and automated methods of detecting stranded whales. Our findings show that whales are easily detected manually in the images but due to the heterogeneous colouration of decomposing whales, spectral indices are unsuitable for automatic detection. Our satellite counts suggest that, at the time the satellite images were taken, more whales were stranded than recorded in the aerial survey, possibly due to the non-comprehensive coverage of the aerial survey or movement of the carcases between survey acquisition. With even higher resolution imagery now available, satellite imagery may be a cost effective alternative to aerial surveys for future assessment of the extent of mass whale stranding events, especially in remote and inaccessible areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter T. Fretwell
- British Antarctic Survey, Madingley Road, Cambridge, England, United Kingdom
| | - Jennifer A. Jackson
- British Antarctic Survey, Madingley Road, Cambridge, England, United Kingdom
| | - Mauricio J. Ulloa Encina
- Aquatic Animal Rescue and Conservation Unit, National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service of Chile, Valparaiso, Chile
| | - Vreni Häussermann
- Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Escuela de Ciencias del Mar, Avda. Brazil, Valparaíso, Chile
- Huinay Scientific Field Station, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Maria J. Perez Alvarez
- Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile
- Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Centro de Investigación Eutropia, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carlos Olavarría
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Aridas (CEAZA), La Serena, Chile
| | - Carolina S. Gutstein
- Lab. Ontogenia y Filogenia, Depto. Biologiía, Fac. Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Consultora Paleosuchus Ltda, oficina C, Providencia, Santiago, Chile
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22
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Sprogis KR, Christiansen F, Wandres M, Bejder L. El Niño Southern Oscillation influences the abundance and movements of a marine top predator in coastal waters. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2018; 24:1085-1096. [PMID: 28988470 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2017] [Accepted: 08/29/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Large-scale climate modes such as El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) influence population dynamics in many species, including marine top predators. However, few quantitative studies have investigated the influence of large-scale variability on resident marine top predator populations. We examined the effect of climate variability on the abundance and temporary emigration of a resident bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) population off Bunbury, Western Australia (WA). This population has been studied intensively over six consecutive years (2007-2013), yielding a robust dataset that captures seasonal variations in both abundance and movement patterns. In WA, ENSO affects the strength of the Leeuwin Current (LC), the dominant oceanographic feature in the region. The strength and variability of the LC affects marine ecosystems and distribution of top predator prey. We investigated the relationship between dolphin abundance and ENSO, Southern Annular Mode, austral season, rainfall, sea surface salinity and sea surface temperature (SST). Linear models indicated that dolphin abundance was significantly affected by ENSO, and that the magnitude of the effect was dependent upon season. Dolphin abundance was lowest during winter 2009, when dolphins had high temporary emigration rates out of the study area. This coincided with the single El Niño event that occurred throughout the study period. Coupled with this event, there was a negative anomaly in SST and an above average rainfall. These conditions may have affected the distribution of dolphin prey, resulting in the temporary emigration of dolphins out of the study area in search of adequate prey. This study demonstrated the local effects of large-scale climatic variations on the short-term response of a resident, coastal delphinid species. With a projected global increase in frequency and intensity of extreme climatic events, resident marine top predators may not only have to contend with increasing coastal anthropogenic activities, but also have to adapt to large-scale climatic changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate R Sprogis
- Cetacean Research Unit, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia
| | - Fredrik Christiansen
- Cetacean Research Unit, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia
| | - Moritz Wandres
- School of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering and the UWA Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Lars Bejder
- Cetacean Research Unit, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia
- Marine Mammal Research Program, Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii, Hawaii, HI, USA
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Glibert PM, Berdalet E, Burford MA, Pitcher GC, Zhou M. Harmful Algal Blooms and the Importance of Understanding Their Ecology and Oceanography. ECOLOGICAL STUDIES 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-70069-4_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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