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Stenson G, Gosselin JF, Lawson J, Buren A, Goulet P, Lang S, Nilssen KT, Hammill M. Pup production of Harp Seals in the Northwest Atlantic in 2017 during a time of ecosystem change. NAMMCOSP 2022. [DOI: 10.7557/3.6214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Photographic and visual aerial surveys were conducted off Newfoundland and Labrador (”the Front”), and in the Gulf of St. Lawrence (“Gulf”) in March 2017 to estimate pup production of Northwest Atlantic harp seals (Pagophilus groenlandicus). Traditionally, harp seals pup (whelp) in three general areas; the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence, the northern Gulf of St. Lawrence, and off the east coast of Newfoundland and Labrador. After extensive reconnaissance, four whelping areas were identified: one in each of the southern and northern Gulf, and two at the Front. We estimated a total pup production in 2017 of 746,500 (SE=89,900, CV=12%), the lowest since 1994. Most (96%) pups were born at the Front (714,600 pups, SE=89,700). Very few pups were born in the southern Gulf (18,300, SE=1,500) and no whelping concentrations were observed prior to March 5, approximately one week later than previously observed. This is far lower than the 2012 survey estimate of 115,500 (SE=15,100) for the same area. Pup production in the northern Gulf was also lower than in previous years, at 13,600 (SE=3,000). The timing of births in the southern Gulf was much later than normal in 2017, and unusually early pupping at the Front suggests that some females from the Gulf herd may have moved to the Front to whelp due to a lack of ice suitable for pupping (i.e., thin first year) in the Gulf. Harp seals whelp in large concentrations. While one large whelping concentration formed at the Front, approximately 15% of the pupping at the Front occurred in small, dispersed groups which formed later than observed in previous years. Given the unusual ice conditions, distribution of whelping seals, and timing of pupping, assessing the results of the 2017 surveys relative to other estimates of pup production in the Northwest Atlantic is challenging and indicates the ongoing difficulties of assessing a population that is being impacted by climate change.
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Dietz R, Letcher RJ, Aars J, Andersen M, Boltunov A, Born EW, Ciesielski TM, Das K, Dastnai S, Derocher AE, Desforges JP, Eulaers I, Ferguson S, Hallanger IG, Heide-Jørgensen MP, Heimbürger-Boavida LE, Hoekstra PF, Jenssen BM, Kohler SG, Larsen MM, Lindstrøm U, Lippold A, Morris A, Nabe-Nielsen J, Nielsen NH, Peacock E, Pinzone M, Rigét FF, Rosing-Asvid A, Routti H, Siebert U, Stenson G, Stern G, Strand J, Søndergaard J, Treu G, Víkingsson GA, Wang F, Welker JM, Wiig Ø, Wilson SJ, Sonne C. A risk assessment review of mercury exposure in Arctic marine and terrestrial mammals. Sci Total Environ 2022; 829:154445. [PMID: 35304145 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
There has been a considerable number of reports on Hg concentrations in Arctic mammals since the last Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) effort to review biological effects of the exposure to mercury (Hg) in Arctic biota in 2010 and 2018. Here, we provide an update on the state of the knowledge of health risk associated with Hg concentrations in Arctic marine and terrestrial mammal species. Using available population-specific data post-2000, our ultimate goal is to provide an updated evidence-based estimate of the risk for adverse health effects from Hg exposure in Arctic mammal species at the individual and population level. Tissue residues of Hg in 13 species across the Arctic were classified into five risk categories (from No risk to Severe risk) based on critical tissue concentrations derived from experimental studies on harp seals and mink. Exposure to Hg lead to low or no risk for health effects in most populations of marine and terrestrial mammals, however, subpopulations of polar bears, pilot whales, narwhals, beluga and hooded seals are highly exposed in geographic hotspots raising concern for Hg-induced toxicological effects. About 6% of a total of 3500 individuals, across different marine mammal species, age groups and regions, are at high or severe risk of health effects from Hg exposure. The corresponding figure for the 12 terrestrial species, regions and age groups was as low as 0.3% of a total of 731 individuals analyzed for their Hg loads. Temporal analyses indicated that the proportion of polar bears at low or moderate risk has increased in East/West Greenland and Western Hudson Bay, respectively. However, there remain numerous knowledge gaps to improve risk assessments of Hg exposure in Arctic mammalian species, including the establishment of improved concentration thresholds and upscaling to the assessment of population-level effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rune Dietz
- Aarhus University, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark.
| | - Robert J Letcher
- Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3, Canada.
| | - Jon Aars
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø NO-9296, Norway
| | | | - Andrei Boltunov
- Marine Mammal Research and Expedition Centre, 36 Nahimovskiy pr., Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Erik W Born
- Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, P.O. Box 570, DK-3900 Nuuk, Greenland
| | - Tomasz M Ciesielski
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Krishna Das
- Freshwater and Oceanic sciences Unit of reSearch (FOCUS), University of Liege, 4000 Liege, Belgium
| | - Sam Dastnai
- Aarhus University, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Andrew E Derocher
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Jean-Pierre Desforges
- Aarhus University, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark; Department of Environmental Studies and Science, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Igor Eulaers
- Aarhus University, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark; Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø NO-9296, Norway
| | - Steve Ferguson
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 501 University Crescent, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N6, Canada; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | | | | | - Lars-Eric Heimbürger-Boavida
- Géosciences Environnement Toulouse, CNRS/IRD/Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse III, Toulouse, France; Aix Marseille Université, CNRS/INSU, Université de Toulon, IRD, Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO) UM 110, Marseille, France
| | | | - Bjørn M Jenssen
- Aarhus University, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark; Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Stephen Gustav Kohler
- Department of Chemistry, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Realfagbygget, E2-128, Gløshaugen, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Martin M Larsen
- Aarhus University, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Ulf Lindstrøm
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, NO-9037 Tromsø, Norway; Department of Arctic Technology, Institute of Marine Research, FRAM Centre, NO-9007 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Anna Lippold
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø NO-9296, Norway
| | - Adam Morris
- Northern Contaminants Program, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, 15 Eddy Street, 14th floor, Gatineau, Quebec K1A 0H4, Canada
| | - Jacob Nabe-Nielsen
- Aarhus University, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Nynne H Nielsen
- Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, P.O. Box 570, DK-3900 Nuuk, Greenland
| | - Elizabeth Peacock
- USGS Alaska Science Center, 4210 University Dr., Anchorage, AK 99508-4626, USA
| | - Marianna Pinzone
- Department of Environmental Studies and Science, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Frank F Rigét
- Aarhus University, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Aqqalu Rosing-Asvid
- Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, P.O. Box 570, DK-3900 Nuuk, Greenland
| | - Heli Routti
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø NO-9296, Norway
| | - Ursula Siebert
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Werftstr. 6, DE-25761 Büsum, Germany
| | - Garry Stenson
- Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre, Department DFO-MPO, 80 EastWhite Hills vie, St John's A1C 5X1, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
| | - Gary Stern
- Centre for Earth Observation Sciences (CEOS), Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth and Resources, University of Manitoba, 586Wallace Bld, 125 Dysart Rd., Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T, 2N2, Canada
| | - Jakob Strand
- Aarhus University, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Jens Søndergaard
- Aarhus University, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Gabriele Treu
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - Gisli A Víkingsson
- Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, Skúlagata 4, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Feiyue Wang
- Centre for Earth Observation Sciences (CEOS), Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth and Resources, University of Manitoba, 586Wallace Bld, 125 Dysart Rd., Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T, 2N2, Canada
| | - Jeffrey M Welker
- University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage 99508, United States; University of Oulu, Oulu 90014, Finland; University of the Arctic, Rovaniemi 96460, Finland
| | - Øystein Wiig
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1172, Blindern, N-0318 Oslo, Norway
| | - Simon J Wilson
- Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) Secretariat, Box 6606 Stakkevollan, N-9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Christian Sonne
- Aarhus University, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
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Hamilton CD, Lydersen C, Aars J, Acquarone M, Atwood T, Baylis A, Biuw M, Boltunov AN, Born EW, Boveng P, Brown TM, Cameron M, Citta J, Crawford J, Dietz R, Elias J, Ferguson SH, Fisk A, Folkow LP, Frost KJ, Glazov DM, Granquist SM, Gryba R, Harwood L, Haug T, Heide‐Jørgensen MP, Hussey NE, Kalinek J, Laidre KL, Litovka DI, London JM, Loseto LL, MacPhee S, Marcoux M, Matthews CJD, Nilssen K, Nordøy ES, O’Corry‐Crowe G, Øien N, Olsen MT, Quakenbush L, Rosing‐Asvid A, Semenova V, Shelden KEW, Shpak OV, Stenson G, Storrie L, Sveegaard S, Teilmann J, Ugarte F, Von Duyke AL, Watt C, Wiig Ø, Wilson RR, Yurkowski DJ, Kovacs KM. Marine mammal hotspots across the circumpolar Arctic. DIVERS DISTRIB 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
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Liu X, Schjøtt SR, Granquist SM, Rosing-Asvid A, Dietz R, Teilmann J, Galatius A, Cammen K, O Corry-Crowe G, Harding K, Härkönen T, Hall A, Carroll EL, Kobayashi Y, Hammill M, Stenson G, Frie AK, Lydersen C, Kovacs KM, Andersen LW, Hoffman JI, Goodman SJ, Vieira FG, Heller R, Moltke I, Tange Olsen M. Origin and expansion of the world's most widespread pinniped: range-wide population genomics of the harbour seal (Phoca vitulina). Mol Ecol 2022; 31:1682-1699. [PMID: 35068013 PMCID: PMC9306526 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) is the most widely distributed pinniped, occupying a wide variety of habitats and climatic zones across the Northern Hemisphere. Intriguingly, the harbour seal is also one of the most philopatric seals, raising questions as to how it colonised virtually the whole of the Northern Hemisphere. To shed light on the origin, remarkable range expansion, population structure and genetic diversity of this species, we used genotyping-by-sequencing to analyse ~13,500 biallelic SNPs from 286 individuals sampled from 22 localities across the species' range. Our results point to a Northeast Pacific origin, colonisation of the North Atlantic via the Canadian Arctic, and subsequent stepping-stone range expansions across the North Atlantic from North America to Europe, accompanied by a successive loss of genetic diversity. Our analyses further revealed a deep divergence between modern North Pacific and North Atlantic harbour seals, with finer-scale genetic structure at regional and local scales consistent with strong philopatry. The study provides new insights into the harbour seal's remarkable ability to colonise and adapt to a wide range of habitats. Furthermore, it has implications for current harbour seal subspecies delineations and highlights the need for international and national red lists and management plans to ensure the protection of genetically and demographically isolated populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodong Liu
- Section for Computational and RNA Biology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Sandra M Granquist
- Icelandic Seal Centre, Höfðabraut 6, 530, Hvammstangi, Iceland.,Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, Institute of Freshwater Fisheries Fornubúðir 5, 220, Hafnarfjörður, Iceland
| | | | - Rune Dietz
- Marine Mammal Research, Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Jonas Teilmann
- Marine Mammal Research, Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Anders Galatius
- Marine Mammal Research, Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | | | - Greg O Corry-Crowe
- Wildlife Evolution and Behavior Program, Florida Atlantic University, USA
| | - Karin Harding
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
| | | | - Ailsa Hall
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St. Andrews, UK, KY16 8LB
| | - Emma L Carroll
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand
| | - Yumi Kobayashi
- Laboratory of Animal Ecology, Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Japan
| | - Mike Hammill
- Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, P.O. Box 1000, Mont-Joli, QC, Canada
| | - Garry Stenson
- Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, P.O. Box 5667, St. John's NL, Canada
| | | | | | - Kit M Kovacs
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, 9296, Tromsø, Norway
| | | | - Joseph I Hoffman
- Department of Animal Behaviour, University of Bielefeld, 33501, Bielefeld, Germany.,British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 OET, UK
| | - Simon J Goodman
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, UK
| | - Filipe G Vieira
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospitalet, Denmark
| | - Rasmus Heller
- Section for Computational and RNA Biology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ida Moltke
- Section for Computational and RNA Biology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Morten Tange Olsen
- Section for Evolutionary Genomics, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
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Biuw M, Øigård TA, Nilssen KT, Stenson G, Lindblom L, Poltermann M, Kristiansen M, Haug T. Recent Harp and Hooded Seal Pup Production Estimates in the Greenland Sea Suggest Ecology-Driven Declines. NAMMCOSP 2022. [DOI: 10.7557/3.5821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Pup production of the Greenland Sea populations of harp (Pagophilus groenlandicus) and hooded (Cystophora cristata) seals were estimated based upon aerial surveys in March 2018. One fixed-wing aircraft was used for large-area reconnaissance flights to identify the whelping concentrations and to carry out photographic surveys along systematic transects over the whelping areas. A helicopter, operated from an ice-going vessel, flew more localised reconnaissance flights, deployed GPS beacons within the detected whelping concentrations to monitor ice movements, and determined the proportion of pups in specific age-related developmental stages. While the entire estimated pupping region should ideally be covered during one day, photographic surveys in 2018 were carried out on two consecutive days, March 27 and 28, with slightly different survey designs between the two days to account for potential gaps in coverage caused by changes in visibility and cloud cover. Surveys on the two days were partially overlapping, and pup production estimates were consistent when using different combinations of transects from the two days, suggesting that these photographic counts give a relatively robust estimate of pup production in 2018. The combination of surveys that was deemed most appropriate (in terms of maximum coverage with minimum risk of double coverage) yielded an estimated harp seal pup production of 54,181 (SE=9,236, CV=0.17), which is significantly lower than estimates obtained in similar surveys in 2002, 2007, and 2012. Estimated hooded seal pup production was 12,977 (SE=1,823, CV=0.14), which is lower than estimates obtained from surveys in 2005 and 2007, but similar to estimates from the most recent survey in 2012. The reasons for these declines are unknown, but similar declines in the Barents Sea and White Sea harp seals in the mid-2000s suggest that large-scale environmental or ecological changes affecting the Barents Sea and the Norwegian Sea may be important factors.
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Canuti M, Bouchard É, Rodrigues B, Whitney HG, Hopson M, Gilroy C, Stenson G, Dufour SC, Lang AS, Verhoeven JTP. Newlavirus, a Novel, Highly Prevalent, and Highly Diverse Protoparvovirus of Foxes ( Vulpes spp.). Viruses 2021; 13:1969. [PMID: 34696399 PMCID: PMC8537079 DOI: 10.3390/v13101969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The genus Protoparvovirus (family Parvoviridae) includes several viruses of carnivores. We describe a novel fox protoparvovirus, which we named Newlavirus as it was discovered in samples from Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Analysis of the full non-structural protein (NS1) sequence indicates that this virus is a previously uncharacterized species. Newlavirus showed high prevalence in foxes from both the mainland (Labrador, 54/137, 39.4%) and the island of Newfoundland (22/50, 44%) but was not detected in samples from other carnivores, including coyotes (n = 92), lynx (n = 58), martens (n = 146), mink (n = 47), ermines (n = 17), dogs (n = 48), and ringed (n = 4), harp (n = 6), bearded (n = 6), and harbor (n = 2) seals. Newlavirus was found at similar rates in stool and spleen (24/80, 30% vs. 59/152, 38.8%, p = 0.2) but at lower rates in lymph nodes (2/37, 5.4%, p < 0.01). Sequencing a fragment of approximately 750 nt of the capsid protein gene from 53 samples showed a high frequency of co-infection by more than one strain (33.9%), high genetic diversity with 13 genotypes with low sequence identities (70.5-87.8%), and no geographic segregation of strains. Given the high prevalence, high diversity, and the lack of identification in other species, foxes are likely the natural reservoir of Newlavirus, and further studies should investigate its distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Canuti
- Department of Biology, Memorial, University of Newfoundland, 232 Elizabeth Ave., St. John’s, NL A1B 3X9, Canada; (H.G.W.); (S.C.D.); (J.T.P.V.)
| | - Émilie Bouchard
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, Canada;
- Research Group on Epidemiology of Zoonoses and Public Health (GREZOSP), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Université de Montréal, 3200 rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Bruce Rodrigues
- Wildlife Division, Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Fisheries, Forestry, and Agriculture, PO Box 2007, Corner Brook, NL A2H 7S1, Canada;
| | - Hugh G. Whitney
- Department of Biology, Memorial, University of Newfoundland, 232 Elizabeth Ave., St. John’s, NL A1B 3X9, Canada; (H.G.W.); (S.C.D.); (J.T.P.V.)
| | - Marti Hopson
- Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, 550 University Ave., Charlottetown, PE C1A 4P3, Canada;
| | - Cornelia Gilroy
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, 550 University Ave., Charlottetown, PE C1A 4P3, Canada;
| | - Garry Stenson
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Government of Canada, P.O. Box 5667, St. John’s, NL A1C 5X1, Canada;
| | - Suzanne C. Dufour
- Department of Biology, Memorial, University of Newfoundland, 232 Elizabeth Ave., St. John’s, NL A1B 3X9, Canada; (H.G.W.); (S.C.D.); (J.T.P.V.)
| | - Andrew S. Lang
- Department of Biology, Memorial, University of Newfoundland, 232 Elizabeth Ave., St. John’s, NL A1B 3X9, Canada; (H.G.W.); (S.C.D.); (J.T.P.V.)
| | - Joost T. P. Verhoeven
- Department of Biology, Memorial, University of Newfoundland, 232 Elizabeth Ave., St. John’s, NL A1B 3X9, Canada; (H.G.W.); (S.C.D.); (J.T.P.V.)
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Smout S, Murray K, Aarts G, Biuw M, Brasseur S, Buren A, Empacher F, Frie AK, Grecian J, Hammill M, Mikkelsen B, Mosnier A, Rosing-Asvid A, Russell D, Skaug H, Stenson G, Thomas L, Ver Hoef J, Witting L, Zabavnikov V, Øigård TA, Fernandez R, Wickson F. Report of the NAMMCO-ICES Workshop on Seal Modelling (WKSEALS 2020). NAMMCOSP 2021. [DOI: 10.7557/3.5794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
To support sustainable management of apex predator populations, it is important to estimate population size and understand the drivers of population trends to anticipate the consequences of human decisions. Robust population models are needed, which must be based on realistic biological principles and validated with the best available data. A team of international experts reviewed age-structured models of North Atlantic pinniped populations, including Grey seal (Halichoerus grypus), Harp seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus), and Hooded seal (Cystophora cristata). Statistical methods used to fit such models to data were compared and contrasted. Differences in biological assumptions and model equations were driven by the data available from separate studies, including observation methodology and pre-processing. Counts of pups during the breeding season were used in all models, with additional counts of adults and juveniles available in some. The regularity and frequency of data collection, including survey counts and vital rate estimates, varied. Important differences between the models concerned the nature and causes of variation in vital rates (age-dependent survival and fecundity). Parameterisation of age at maturity was detailed and time-dependent in some models and simplified in others. Methods for estimation of model parameters were reviewed and compared. They included Bayesian and maximum likelihood (ML) approaches, implemented via bespoke coding in C, C++, TMB or JAGS. Comparative model runs suggested that as expected, ML-based implementations were rapid and computationally efficient, while Bayesian approaches, which used MCMC or sequential importance sampling, required longer for inference. For grey seal populations in the Netherlands, where preliminary ML-based TMB results were compared with the outputs of a Bayesian JAGS implementation, some differences in parameter estimates were apparent. For these seal populations, further investigations are recommended to explore differences that might result from the modelling framework and model-fitting methodology, and their importance for inference and management advice. The group recommended building on the success of this workshop via continued collaboration with ICES and NAMMCO assessment groups, as well as other experts in the marine mammal modelling community. Specifically, for Northeast Atlantic harp and hooded seal populations, the workshop represents the initial step towards a full ICES benchmark process aimed at revising and evaluating new assessment models.
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Buren AD, Koen-Alonso M, Pepin P, Mowbray F, Nakashima B, Stenson G, Ollerhead N, Montevecchi WA. Bottom-up regulation of capelin, a keystone forage species. PLoS One 2014; 9:e87589. [PMID: 24503909 PMCID: PMC3913657 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0087589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2013] [Accepted: 12/29/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The Northwest Atlantic marine ecosystem off Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, has been commercially exploited for centuries. Although periodic declines in various important commercial fish stocks have been observed in this ecosystem, the most drastic changes took place in the early 1990s when the ecosystem structure changed abruptly and has not returned to its previous configuration. In the Northwest Atlantic, food web dynamics are determined largely by capelin (Mallotus villosus), the focal forage species which links primary and secondary producers with the higher trophic levels. Notwithstanding the importance of capelin, the factors that influence its population dynamics have remained elusive. We found that a regime shift and ocean climate, acting via food availability, have discernible impacts on the regulation of this population. Capelin biomass and timing of spawning were well explained by a regime shift and seasonal sea ice dynamics, a key determinant of the pelagic spring bloom. Our findings are important for the development of ecosystem approaches to fisheries management and raise questions on the potential impacts of climate change on the structure and productivity of this marine ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro D. Buren
- Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology Programme, Memorial University, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
- Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | - Mariano Koen-Alonso
- Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
| | - Pierre Pepin
- Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
| | - Fran Mowbray
- Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
| | - Brian Nakashima
- Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
| | - Garry Stenson
- Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
| | - Neil Ollerhead
- Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
| | - William A. Montevecchi
- Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology Programme, Memorial University, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
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Andersen JM, Wierma YF, Stenson G, Hammill MO, Rosing-Asvid A. Movement Patterns of Hooded Seals (Cystophora cristata) in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean During the Post-Moult and Pre-Breed Seasons. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009. [DOI: 10.2960/j.v42.m649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Abstract
Two putative populations of hooded seals (Cystophora cristata) occur in the North Atlantic. The Greenland Sea population pup and breed on the pack ice near Jan Mayen ('West Ice') while the Northwest Atlantic population is thought to pup in the Davis Strait, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence (the 'Gulf'), and off southern Labrador or northeast Newfoundland (the 'Front'). We used microsatellite profiling of 300 individuals at 13 loci and mitochondrial DNA sequencing of the control region of 123 individuals to test for genetic differentiation between these four breeding herds. We found no significant genetic differences between breeding areas, nor evidence for cryptic nor higher level genetic structure in this species. The Greenland Sea breeding herd was genetically most distant from the Northwest Atlantic breeding areas; however, the differences were statistically nonsignificant. Our data therefore suggest that the world's hooded seals comprise a single panmictic genetic population.
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Affiliation(s)
- D W Coltman
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB, Canada.
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Yeats P, Stenson G, Hellou J. Essential elements and priority contaminants in liver, kidney, muscle and blubber of harp seal beaters. Sci Total Environ 1999; 243-244:157-67. [PMID: 10635596 DOI: 10.1016/s0048-9697(99)00371-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Concentrations of 22 elements were determined in blubber, liver, kidney and muscle of five male and five female, 8-month-old harp seals (Phoca groenlandica) by ICP-MS. Young harp seals are hunted during the spring and fall and represent an important traditional dietary item for some northern fishing communities. Interest in the commercial use of seal meat products and the limited data on the level of contaminants in tissues of harp seal beaters motivated our investigation. For most elements, concentrations in liver or kidney were greater than those in muscle. Blubber concentrations were generally lowest, but concentrations of Li, As, Sr, Ba and Pb were highest in blubber. Largest concentration factors [(tissue)/(water) > 10,000] were seen for P, Fe, Zn, Cu, Cd, Se, Mn, Ag, Pb and Co, a list that includes essential elements such as Fe and Zn, as well as several important contaminants such as Cd and Pb. Differences in concentration between male and female seals were only seen in eight of 88 element/tissue comparisons. Any effects of environmental exposure due to location or dietary intake are difficult to detect. Principle component analysis shows an association of Ca with Sr and P with S; and also a distinct grouping of the elements V, Mo, Cu and Ag.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Yeats
- Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Fisheries and Oceans, Dartmouth N.S., Canada
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Zitko V, Stenson G, Hellou J. Levels of organochlorine and polycyclic aromatic compounds in harp seal beaters (Phoca groenlandica). Sci Total Environ 1998; 221:11-29. [PMID: 9810732 DOI: 10.1016/s0048-9697(98)00159-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans, chlorobiphenyls, organochlorine pesticides and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were measured in blubber, liver, kidney and muscle of five male and five female, 8-month-old harp seals (Phoca groenlandica). Levels of organochlorine contaminants were lowest in muscle, nearly 100 times higher in blubber and intermediate in kidney and liver. Only 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran was detected in all liver and blubber samples (0.45 and 3.15 pg/g wet wt., respectively). Concentrations of chlorobiphenyls expressed as Aroclor 1254 were 3.8 and 8.2, 8.6 and 21.5, 23 and 73, and 945 and 890 ng/g wet wt. in the muscle, kidney, liver and blubber of female and male seals, respectively. p,p'-DDE, trans-nonachlor, oxychlordane and alpha-HCH were the additional predominant organochlorine compounds at 460 and 460, 415 and 530, 300 and 390, and 190 and 230 ng/g wet in the blubber of female and male seals, respectively. Concentrations of chlorobiphenyls and pesticides in muscle, liver and kidney were two-three times higher in males compared to females, whether expressed on a wet weight or a lipid weight basis, and approximately equal in blubber, even though the blubber layer of females was 30% thicker than that of males. Naphthalene and its C1-C3 homologues were detected in all tissues, generally at concentrations below 10 ng/g wet wt. The concentrations of PCBs and DDTs in blubber are considerably lower than those reported for juvenile seals from the same area 20 years ago. PCB and organochlorine pesticide concentrations and profiles are discussed in relation to those reported from other areas, as well as to sex and age of the seals.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Zitko
- St. Andrews Biological Station, New Brunswick, Canada
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