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O'Mahony ÉN, Sremba AL, Keen EM, Robinson N, Dundas A, Steel D, Wray J, Baker CS, Gaggiotti OE. Collecting baleen whale blow samples by drone: A minimally intrusive tool for conservation genetics. Mol Ecol Resour 2024:e13957. [PMID: 38576153 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
In coastal British Columbia, Canada, marine megafauna such as humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) and fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus velifera) have been subject to a history of exploitation and near extirpation. While their populations have been in recovery, significant threats are posed to these vulnerable species by proposed natural resource ventures in this region, in addition to the compounding effects of anthropogenic climate change. Genetic tools play a vital role in informing conservation efforts, but the associated collection of tissue biopsy samples can be challenging for the investigators and disruptive to the ongoing behaviour of the targeted whales. Here, we evaluate a minimally intrusive approach based on collecting exhaled breath condensate, or respiratory 'blow' samples, from baleen whales using an unoccupied aerial system (UAS), within Gitga'at First Nation territory for conservation genetics. Minimal behavioural responses to the sampling technique were observed, with no response detected 87% of the time (of 112 UAS deployments). DNA from whale blow (n = 88 samples) was extracted, and DNA profiles consisting of 10 nuclear microsatellite loci, sex identification and mitochondrial (mt) DNA haplotypes were constructed. An average of 7.5 microsatellite loci per individual were successfully genotyped. The success rates for mtDNA and sex assignment were 80% and 89% respectively. Thus, this minimally intrusive sampling method can be used to describe genetic diversity and generate genetic profiles for individual identification. The results of this research demonstrate the potential of UAS-collected whale blow for conservation genetics from a remote location.
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Affiliation(s)
- Éadin N O'Mahony
- Centre for Biological Diversity and Scottish Oceans Institute, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, UK
- North Coast Cetacean Society, Alert Bay, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Angela L Sremba
- Marine Mammal Institute, Hatfield Marine Science Centre, Oregon State University, Newport, Oregon, USA
- Cooperative Institute for Marine Ecosystem Resources, Oregon State University, Newport, Oregon, USA
| | - Eric M Keen
- North Coast Cetacean Society, Alert Bay, British Columbia, Canada
- Sewanee: The University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee, USA
| | - Nicole Robinson
- Gitga'at Oceans and Lands Department, Hartley Bay, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Archie Dundas
- Gitga'at Oceans and Lands Department, Hartley Bay, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Debbie Steel
- Marine Mammal Institute, Hatfield Marine Science Centre, Oregon State University, Newport, Oregon, USA
| | - Janie Wray
- North Coast Cetacean Society, Alert Bay, British Columbia, Canada
| | - C Scott Baker
- Marine Mammal Institute, Hatfield Marine Science Centre, Oregon State University, Newport, Oregon, USA
| | - Oscar E Gaggiotti
- Centre for Biological Diversity and Scottish Oceans Institute, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, UK
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