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Danil K, Colegrove KM, Delaney MA, Mena A, Stedman N, Wurster E. Systemic Erysipelas Outbreak among Free-Ranging Bottlenose Dolphins, San Diego, California, USA, 2022. Emerg Infect Dis 2023; 29:2561-2563. [PMID: 37987589 PMCID: PMC10683814 DOI: 10.3201/eid2912.230811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
We diagnosed fatal Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae sepsis in 3 stranded bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) during summer 2022, in San Diego, California, USA. The previously undetected disease in this relatively small, regional population of dolphins most likely indicates an environmental or biological change in the coastal ocean or organisms.
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Stack ME, Cossaboon JM, Tubbs CW, Vilchis LI, Felton RG, Johnson JL, Danil K, Heckel G, Hoh E, Dodder NG. Assessing Marine Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals in the Critically Endangered California Condor: Implications for Reintroduction to Coastal Environments. Environ Sci Technol 2022; 56:7800-7809. [PMID: 35579339 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c07302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Coastal reintroduction sites for California condors (Gymnogyps californianus) can lead to elevated halogenated organic compound (HOC) exposure and potential health impacts due to the consumption of scavenged marine mammals. Using nontargeted analysis based on comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC/TOF-MS), we compared HOC profiles of plasma from inland and coastal scavenging California condors from the state of California (CA), and marine mammal blubber from CA and the Gulf of California off Baja California (BC), Mexico. We detected more HOCs in coastal condors (32 ± 5, mean number of HOCs ± SD, n = 7) than in inland condors (8 ± 1, n = 10) and in CA marine mammals (136 ± 87, n = 25) than in BC marine mammals (55 ± 46, n = 8). ∑DDT-related compounds, ∑PCBs, and total tris(chlorophenyl)methane (∑TCPM) were, respectively, ∼7, ∼3.5, and ∼148 times more abundant in CA than in BC marine mammals. The endocrine-disrupting potential of selected polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) congeners, TCPM, and TCPMOH was determined by in vitro California condor estrogen receptor (ER) activation. The higher levels of HOCs in coastal condors compared to those in inland condors and lower levels of HOC contamination in Baja California marine mammals compared to those from the state of California are factors to consider in condor reintroduction efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret E Stack
- San Diego State University Research Foundation, San Diego, California 92182, United States
| | - Jennifer M Cossaboon
- School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, California 92182, United States
| | - Christopher W Tubbs
- Conservation Science Wildlife Health, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Escondido, California 92027, United States
| | - L Ignacio Vilchis
- Conservation Science Wildlife Health, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Escondido, California 92027, United States
| | - Rachel G Felton
- Conservation Science Wildlife Health, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Escondido, California 92027, United States
| | - Jade L Johnson
- School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, California 92182, United States
| | - Kerri Danil
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Gisela Heckel
- Centro de Investigacion Cientifica y de Educacion Superior de Ensenada, 22860 Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
| | - Eunha Hoh
- School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, California 92182, United States
| | - Nathan G Dodder
- San Diego State University Research Foundation, San Diego, California 92182, United States
- School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, California 92182, United States
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Springer MS, Guerrero-Juarez CF, Huelsmann M, Collin MA, Danil K, McGowen MR, Oh JW, Ramos R, Hiller M, Plikus MV, Gatesy J. Genomic and anatomical comparisons of skin support independent adaptation to life in water by cetaceans and hippos. Curr Biol 2021; 31:2124-2139.e3. [PMID: 33798433 PMCID: PMC8154672 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.02.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2020] [Revised: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The macroevolutionary transition from terra firma to obligatory inhabitance of the marine hydrosphere has occurred twice in the history of Mammalia: Cetacea and Sirenia. In the case of Cetacea (whales, dolphins, and porpoises), molecular phylogenies provide unambiguous evidence that fully aquatic cetaceans and semiaquatic hippopotamids (hippos) are each other's closest living relatives. Ancestral reconstructions suggest that some adaptations to the aquatic realm evolved in the common ancestor of Cetancodonta (Cetacea + Hippopotamidae). An alternative hypothesis is that these adaptations evolved independently in cetaceans and hippos. Here, we focus on the integumentary system and evaluate these hypotheses by integrating new histological data for cetaceans and hippos, the first genome-scale data for pygmy hippopotamus, and comprehensive genomic screens and molecular evolutionary analyses for protein-coding genes that have been inactivated in hippos and cetaceans. We identified eight skin-related genes that are inactivated in both cetaceans and hippos, including genes that are related to sebaceous glands, hair follicles, and epidermal differentiation. However, none of these genes exhibit inactivating mutations that are shared by cetaceans and hippos. Mean dates for the inactivation of skin genes in these two clades serve as proxies for phenotypic changes and suggest that hair reduction/loss, the loss of sebaceous glands, and changes to the keratinization program occurred ∼16 Ma earlier in cetaceans (∼46.5 Ma) than in hippos (∼30.5 Ma). These results, together with histological differences in the integument and prior analyses of oxygen isotopes from stem hippopotamids ("anthracotheres"), support the hypothesis that aquatic skin adaptations evolved independently in hippos and cetaceans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark S Springer
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
| | - Christian F Guerrero-Juarez
- Department of Mathematics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; NSF-Simons Center for Multiscale Cell Fate Research, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Matthias Huelsmann
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, 01307 Dresden, Germany; Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, 01187 Dresden, Germany; Center for Systems Biology Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Matthew A Collin
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA; Department of Botany & Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Kerri Danil
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Michael R McGowen
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, 10th & Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20560, USA
| | - Ji Won Oh
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea; Biomedical Research Institute, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu, Korea; Hair Transplantation Center, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu, Korea
| | - Raul Ramos
- NSF-Simons Center for Multiscale Cell Fate Research, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Michael Hiller
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, 01307 Dresden, Germany; Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, 01187 Dresden, Germany; Center for Systems Biology Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany; Senckenberg Research Institute, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany; Faculty of Biosciences, Goethe-University, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany.
| | - Maksim V Plikus
- NSF-Simons Center for Multiscale Cell Fate Research, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
| | - John Gatesy
- Division of Vertebrate Zoology and Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY 10024, USA.
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Ruiz‐Cooley RI, Gerrodette T, Chivers SJ, Danil K. Cooperative feeding in common dolphins as suggested by ontogenetic patterns in δ
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N bulk and amino acids. J Anim Ecol 2021; 90:1583-1595. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Rocio I. Ruiz‐Cooley
- Departamento de Oceanografía Biológica Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada Ensenada Baja California México
- Moss Landing Marine Laboratories San Jose State University Moss Landing CA USA
| | - Tim Gerrodette
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center National Marine Fisheries ServiceNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries La Jolla CA USA
| | - Susan J. Chivers
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center National Marine Fisheries ServiceNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries La Jolla CA USA
| | - Kerri Danil
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center National Marine Fisheries ServiceNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries La Jolla CA USA
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Danil K, Berman M, Frame E, Preti A, Fire SE, Leighfield T, Carretta J, Carter ML, Lefebvre K. Marine algal toxins and their vectors in southern California cetaceans. Harmful Algae 2021; 103:102000. [PMID: 33980440 DOI: 10.1016/j.hal.2021.102000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Published baseline data on biotoxin exposure in cetaceans is sparse but critical for interpreting mortality events as harmful algal blooms increase in frequency and duration. We present the first synthesis of domoic acid (DA), saxitoxin (STX), okadaic acid (OA), and microcystin detections in the feces and urine of stranded and bycaught southern California cetaceans, over an 18 year period (2001-2018), along with corresponding stomach content data. DA was detected in 13 out of 19 cetacean species, most often in harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) (81.8%, n = 22) and long-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis bairdii) (74%, n = 231). Maximum DA concentrations of 324,000 ng/g in feces and 271, 967 ng/ml in urine were observed in D. d. bairdii. DA was detected more frequently and at higher concentrations in male vs. female D. d. bairdii. Higher fecal DA concentrations in D. d. bairdii were associated with a greater proportion of northern anchovy (Engraulis mordax) in the diet, indicating it may be a primary vector of DA. Fecal DA concentrations for D. d. bairdii off Point Conception were greater than those from animals sampled off Los Angeles and San Diego counties, reflecting greater primary productivity and higher Pseudo-nitzschia spp. abundance in that region and a greater abundance of E. mordax in the diet. STX was detected at low levels (fecal max = 7.5 ng/g, urine max = 17 ng/ml) in 3.6% (n = 165) of individuals from 3 out of 11 species. The occurrence of E. mordax in 100% of the 3 examined stomachs suggests this species could be a primary vector of the detected STX. OA was detected in 2.4% of tested individuals (n = 85) at a maximum fecal concentration of 422.8 ng/g. Microcystin was detected in 14.3% (n = 7) of tested individuals with a maximum liver concentration of 96.8 ppb.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerri Danil
- NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, La Jolla, CA, United States.
| | - Michelle Berman
- Channel Islands Cetacean Research Unit, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
| | - Elizabeth Frame
- King County Environmental Laboratory, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Antonella Preti
- NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, La Jolla, CA, United States; Institute of Marine Studies, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, United States
| | - Spencer E Fire
- Department of Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL, United States
| | - Tod Leighfield
- NOAA, National Ocean Service, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Jim Carretta
- NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Melissa L Carter
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Kathi Lefebvre
- NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Seattle, WA, United States
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Gulland F, Danil K, Bolton J, Ylitalo G, Okrucky RS, Rebolledo F, Alexander-Beloch C, Brownell RL, Mesnick S, Lefebvre K, Smith CR, Thomas PO, Rojas-Bracho L. Vaquitas ( Phocoena sinus) continue to die from bycatch not pollutants. Vet Rec 2020; 187:e51. [PMID: 32661184 PMCID: PMC7591798 DOI: 10.1136/vr.105949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [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: 03/16/2020] [Revised: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Background The vaquita of Mexico is critically endangered, with a population less than 19 individuals in 2018. The population continues to decline and gillnet use continues in vaquita habitat. Methods Nine vaquita carcases were examined from 2016 to 2018 to establish cause of death. Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), DDTs and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in blubber (n=3) were determined using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and faeces tested for domoic acid and saxitoxin. Results Carcases were in good nutritional status and had lesions and full stomachs consistent with fisheries bycatch. PCB, DDT and PBDE concentrations ranged between 94 and 180 ng/g, 500 and 1200 ng/g and 97 and 210 ng/g lipid weight, respectively, which are low compared with other marine mammals. No saxitoxin or domoic acid was detected. Conclusion These findings support the conclusion that bycatch is the primary source of vaquita population decline and emphasise the need for stronger measures to eliminate gillnets from the Upper Gulf of California, Mexico.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kerri Danil
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Jennie Bolton
- Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Gina Ylitalo
- Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Roberto Sanchez Okrucky
- Asociación Mexicana de Hábitats para la Interacción y Protección de Mamíferos Marinos, Cancun, Mexico
| | | | | | | | - Sarah Mesnick
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Kathi Lefebvre
- Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Cynthia R Smith
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, California, USA
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Danil K, Dennison S, Wurster E, Garner MM, Lulich J, St Leger J. Renal and vaginal calculi in a free-ranging long-beaked common dolphin Delphinus capensis. Dis Aquat Organ 2019; 136:265-271. [PMID: 31724559 DOI: 10.3354/dao03414] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Bilateral nephrolithiasis with a concurrent vaginal calculus was identified in a stranded free-ranging long-beaked common dolphin Delphinus capensis. Necropsy and radiologic examinations of the sexually mature D. capensis revealed multiple small irregularly round nephroliths and a 6.4 × 4.1 × 9.2 cm vaginal calculus weighing 182 g. Nephroliths numbered 68 and 71 in the left and right kidneys, respectively, and ranged from 1.7 to 6.9 mm in diameter. Nephroliths were composed of 100% ammonium urate, which has been found in captive dolphin populations. However, the vaginolith consisted of struvite and calcium carbonate suggesting an alternate etiology. The composition of the vaginolith suggests that bacterial vaginitis could have served as the predisposing condition. Renal lesions included chronic tubulointerstitial nephritis with tubular degeneration and loss, likely secondary to the nephroliths. The pathogenesis of ammonium urate nephrolithiasis in managed care is suspected to be linked to diet and age but in this case may be due to metabolic disruption. However, if environmental changes cause a shift in prey species, the risk of nephrolithiasis in free-ranging cetaceans could increase. Careful surveillance for nephroliths in free-ranging populations should be considered by researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerri Danil
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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Rust LB, Danil K, Melin SR, Wilkerson B. Accuracy and precision of age determination using growth layer groups for California sea lions ( Zalophus californianus) with known ages. Mar Mamm Sci 2019; 35:1355-1368. [PMID: 33867654 PMCID: PMC8049567 DOI: 10.1111/mms.12605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Age determination from counts of growth layer groups (GLGs) in tooth dentine is a common method for aging marine mammals. Using known-aged animals, we validated this method for acid etched teeth of California sea lions (CSLs), Zalophus californianus. Between 1991 and 2013, the upper left canine (n = 33) was collected opportunistically during necropsy from animals tagged or branded as pups that later died. Overall, 55%-61% of age estimates by GLG counting were within 1 yr of the known-age in the sample of 1-30-yr-old CSLs. Accuracy of age estimates was found to be dependent on age of the CSLs, however. 71%-79% of age estimates were within 1 yr of the known-age in CSLs <10 yr old. These findings support the validity of counting GLGs to estimate age for CSLs <10 yr old to within 1 yr of accuracy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kerri Danil
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, NMFS, NOAA, 8901 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, California 92037, U.S.A
| | - Sharon R. Melin
- Alaska Fisheries Science Center, NMFS, NOAA, 7600 Sand Point Way N.E., Building 4, Seattle, Washington 98115, U.S.A
| | - Brent Wilkerson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, U.S.A
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Cossaboon JM, Hoh E, Chivers SJ, Weller DW, Danil K, Maruya KA, Dodder NG. Apex marine predators and ocean health: Proactive screening of halogenated organic contaminants reveals ecosystem indicator species. Chemosphere 2019; 221:656-664. [PMID: 30665094 PMCID: PMC6392016 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.01.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2018] [Revised: 01/05/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Despite decades-long bans on the production and use of certain chemicals, many halogenated organic compounds (HOCs) are persistent and can bioaccumulate in the marine environment with the potential to cause physiological harm to marine fauna. Highly lipid-rich tissue (e.g., marine mammal blubber) functions as a reservoir for HOCs, and selecting ideal indicator species is a priority for retrospective and proactive screening efforts. We selected five marine mammal species as possible indicators for the Southern California Bight (SCB) and applied a non-targeted analytical method paired with an automated data reduction strategy to catalog a broad range of known, known but unexpected, and unknown compounds in their blubber. A total of 194 HOCs were detected across the study species (n = 25 individuals), 81% of which are not routinely monitored, including 30 halogenated natural products and 45 compounds of unknown structure and origin. The cetacean species (long-beaked common dolphin, short-beaked common dolphin, and Risso's dolphin) averaged 128 HOCs, whereas pinnipeds (California sea lion and Pacific harbor seal) averaged 47 HOCs. We suspect this disparity can be attributed to differences in life history, foraging strategies, and/or enzyme-mediated metabolism. Our results support proposing (1) the long- and short-beaked common dolphin as apex marine predator sentinels for future and retrospective biomonitoring of the SCB ecosystem and (2) the use of non-targeted contaminant analyses to identify and prioritize emerging contaminants. The use of a sentinel marine species together with the non-targeted analytical approach will enable a proactive approach to environmental contaminant monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eunha Hoh
- School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Susan J Chivers
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - David W Weller
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Kerri Danil
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Keith A Maruya
- Southern California Coastal Water Research Project Authority, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, USA
| | - Nathan G Dodder
- School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA; San Diego State University Research Foundation, San Diego, CA 92182, USA.
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Ruiz-Cooley RI, Gerrodette T, Fiedler PC, Chivers SJ, Danil K, Ballance LT. Temporal variation in pelagic food chain length in response to environmental change. Sci Adv 2017; 3:e1701140. [PMID: 29057322 PMCID: PMC5647130 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1701140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2017] [Accepted: 09/20/2017] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Climate variability alters nitrogen cycling, primary productivity, and dissolved oxygen concentration in marine ecosystems. We examined the role of this variability (as measured by six variables) on food chain length (FCL) in the California Current (CC) by reconstructing a time series of amino acid-specific δ15N values derived from common dolphins, an apex pelagic predator, and using two FCL proxies. Strong declines in FCL were observed after the 1997-1999 El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event. Bayesian models revealed longer FCLs under intermediate conditions for surface temperature, chlorophyll concentration, multivariate ENSO index, and total plankton volume but not for hypoxic depth and nitrate concentration. Our results challenge the prevalent paradigm that suggested long-term stability in the food web structure in the CC and, instead, reveal that pelagic food webs respond strongly to disturbances associated with ENSO events, local oceanography, and ongoing changes in climate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocio I. Ruiz-Cooley
- Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, San Jose State University, Moss Landing, CA 95039, USA
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Service, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Tim Gerrodette
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Service, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Paul C. Fiedler
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Service, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Susan J. Chivers
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Service, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Kerri Danil
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Service, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Lisa T. Ballance
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Service, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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Mackintosh SA, Dodder NG, Shaul NJ, Aluwihare LI, Maruya KA, Chivers SJ, Danil K, Weller DW, Hoh E. Newly Identified DDT-Related Compounds Accumulating in Southern California Bottlenose Dolphins. Environ Sci Technol 2016; 50:12129-12137. [PMID: 27737539 PMCID: PMC6310127 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6b03150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Nontargeted GC×GC-TOF/MS analysis of blubber from 8 common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) inhabiting the Southern California Bight was performed to identify novel, bioaccumulative DDT-related compounds and to determine their abundance relative to the commonly studied DDT-related compounds. We identified 45 bioaccumulative DDT-related compounds of which the majority (80%) is not typically monitored in environmental media. Identified compounds include transformation products, technical mixture impurities such as tris(chlorophenyl)methane (TCPM), the presumed TCPM metabolite tris(chlorophenyl)methanol (TCPMOH), and structurally related compounds with unknown sources, such as hexa- to octachlorinated diphenylethene. To investigate impurities in pesticide mixtures as possible sources of these compounds, we analyzed technical DDT, the primary source of historical contamination in the region, and technical Dicofol, a current use pesticide that contains DDT-related compounds. The technical mixtures contained only 33% of the compounds identified in the blubber, suggesting that transformation products contribute to the majority of the load of DDT-related contaminants in these sentinels of ocean health. Quantitative analysis revealed that TCPM was the second most abundant compound class detected in the blubber, following DDE, and TCPMOH loads were greater than DDT. QSPR estimates verified 4,4',4″-TCPM and 4,4'4,″-TCPMOH are persistent and bioaccumulative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan A. Mackintosh
- Center for Oceans and Human Health, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, California 92182, United States
- San Diego State University Research Foundation, 5250 Campanile Drive, San Diego, California 92182, United States
| | - Nathan G. Dodder
- Center for Oceans and Human Health, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, California 92182, United States
- San Diego State University Research Foundation, 5250 Campanile Drive, San Diego, California 92182, United States
| | - Nellie J. Shaul
- Center for Oceans and Human Health, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Lihini I. Aluwihare
- Center for Oceans and Human Health, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Keith A. Maruya
- Southern California Coastal Water Research Project Authority, 3535 Harbor Boulevard, Suite 110, Costa Mesa, California 92626, United States
| | - Susan J. Chivers
- Marine Mammal & Turtle Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 8901 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Kerri Danil
- Marine Mammal & Turtle Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 8901 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - David W. Weller
- Marine Mammal & Turtle Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 8901 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Eunha Hoh
- Center for Oceans and Human Health, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, California 92182, United States
- Corresponding Author: Phone: +16195944671. Fax: +16195946112.
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12
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Shaul N, Dodder NG, Aluwihare LI, Mackintosh S, Maruya K, Chivers SJ, Danil K, Weller DW, Hoh E. Nontargeted biomonitoring of halogenated organic compounds in two ecotypes of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) from the Southern California Bight. Environ Sci Technol 2015; 49:1328-38. [PMID: 25526519 PMCID: PMC4319685 DOI: 10.1021/es505156q] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2014] [Revised: 12/08/2014] [Accepted: 12/19/2014] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Targeted environmental monitoring reveals contamination by known chemicals, but may exclude potentially pervasive but unknown compounds. Marine mammals are sentinels of persistent and bioaccumulative contaminants due to their longevity and high trophic position. Using nontargeted analysis, we constructed a mass spectral library of 327 persistent and bioaccumulative compounds identified in blubber from two ecotypes of common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) sampled in the Southern California Bight. This library of halogenated organic compounds (HOCs) consisted of 180 anthropogenic contaminants, 41 natural products, 4 with mixed sources, 8 with unknown sources, and 94 with partial structural characterization and unknown sources. The abundance of compounds whose structures could not be fully elucidated highlights the prevalence of undiscovered HOCs accumulating in marine food webs. Eighty-six percent of the identified compounds are not currently monitored, including 133 known anthropogenic chemicals. Compounds related to dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) were the most abundant. Natural products were, in some cases, detected at abundances similar to anthropogenic compounds. The profile of naturally occurring HOCs differed between ecotypes, suggesting more abundant offshore sources of these compounds. This nontargeted analytical framework provided a comprehensive list of HOCs that may be characteristic of the region, and its application within monitoring surveys may suggest new chemicals for evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nellie
J. Shaul
- Center
for Oceans and Human Health, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California—San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
- Scripps
Institution of Oceanography, University
of California—San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Nathan G. Dodder
- Southern
California Coastal Water Research Project Authority, 3535 Harbor Boulevard, Suite 110, Costa Mesa, California 92626, United States
| | - Lihini I. Aluwihare
- Center
for Oceans and Human Health, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California—San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
- Scripps
Institution of Oceanography, University
of California—San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Susan
A. Mackintosh
- Center
for Oceans and Human Health, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California—San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
- Graduate
School of Public Health, San Diego State
University, 5500 Campanile
Drive, San Diego, California 92182, United States
- San
Diego State University Research Foundation, 5250 Campanile Drive, San
Diego, California 92182, United States
| | - Keith
A. Maruya
- Southern
California Coastal Water Research Project Authority, 3535 Harbor Boulevard, Suite 110, Costa Mesa, California 92626, United States
| | - Susan J. Chivers
- Marine Mammal
& Turtle Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration, 8901 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Kerri Danil
- Marine Mammal
& Turtle Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration, 8901 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - David W. Weller
- Marine Mammal
& Turtle Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration, 8901 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Eunha Hoh
- Center
for Oceans and Human Health, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California—San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
- Graduate
School of Public Health, San Diego State
University, 5500 Campanile
Drive, San Diego, California 92182, United States
- Phone: +16195944671; fax: +16195946112; e-mail:
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13
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Kellar NM, Catelani KN, Robbins MN, Trego ML, Allen CD, Danil K, Chivers SJ. Blubber cortisol: a potential tool for assessing stress response in free-ranging dolphins without effects due to sampling. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0115257. [PMID: 25643144 PMCID: PMC4314064 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0115257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [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: 07/14/2014] [Accepted: 11/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
When paired with dart biopsying, quantifying cortisol in blubber tissue may provide an index of relative stress levels (i.e., activation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis) in free-ranging cetacean populations while minimizing the effects of the act of sampling. To validate this approach, cortisol was extracted from blubber samples collected from beach-stranded and bycaught short-beaked common dolphins using a modified blubber steroid isolation technique and measured via commercially available enzyme immunoassays. The measurements exhibited appropriate quality characteristics when analyzed via a bootstraped stepwise parallelism analysis (observed/expected = 1.03, 95%CI: 99.6 - 1.08) and showed no evidence of matrix interference with increasing sample size across typical biopsy tissue masses (75-150 mg; r(2) = 0.012, p = 0.78, slope = 0.022 ng(cortisol deviation)/ul(tissue extract added)). The relationships between blubber cortisol and eight potential cofactors namely, 1) fatality type (e.g., stranded or bycaught), 2) specimen condition (state of decomposition), 3) total body length, 4) sex, 5) sexual maturity state, 6) pregnancy status, 7) lactation state, and 8) adrenal mass, were assessed using a Bayesian generalized linear model averaging technique. Fatality type was the only factor correlated with blubber cortisol, and the magnitude of the effect size was substantial: beach-stranded individuals had on average 6.1-fold higher cortisol levels than those of bycaught individuals. Because of the difference in conditions surrounding these two fatality types, we interpret this relationship as evidence that blubber cortisol is indicative of stress response. We found no evidence of seasonal variation or a relationship between cortisol and the remaining cofactors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas M. Kellar
- Protected Resources Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Krista N. Catelani
- Protected Resources Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- Ocean Associates, Inc., Arlington, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Michelle N. Robbins
- Protected Resources Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- Ocean Associates, Inc., Arlington, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Marisa L. Trego
- Protected Resources Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- Ocean Associates, Inc., Arlington, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Camryn D. Allen
- Protected Resources Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Kerri Danil
- Protected Resources Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Susan J. Chivers
- Protected Resources Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, La Jolla, California, United States of America
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Danil K, St Leger JA, Dennison S, Bernaldo de Quirós Y, Scadeng M, Nilson E, Beaulieu N. Clostridium perfringens septicemia in a long-beaked common dolphin Delphinus capensis: an etiology of gas bubble accumulation in cetaceans. Dis Aquat Organ 2014; 111:183-190. [PMID: 25320031 DOI: 10.3354/dao02783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
An adult female long-beaked common dolphin Delphinus capensis live-stranded in La Jolla, California, USA, on July 30, 2012 and subsequently died on the beach. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed gas bubble accumulation in the vasculature, organ parenchyma, mandibular fat pads, and subdermal sheath as well as a gas-filled cavity within the liver, mild caudal abdominal effusion, and fluid in the uterus. Gross examination confirmed these findings and also identified mild ulcerations on the palate, ventral skin, and flukes, uterine necrosis, and multifocal parenchymal cavitations in the brain. Histological review demonstrated necrosis and round clear spaces interpreted as gas bubbles with associated bacterial rods within the brain, liver, spleen, and lymph nodes. Anaerobic cultures of the lung, spleen, liver, bone marrow, and abdominal fluid yielded Clostridium perfringens, which was further identified as type A via a multiplex PCR assay. The gas composition of sampled bubbles was typical of putrefaction gases, which is consistent with the by-products of C. perfringens, a gas-producing bacterium. Gas bubble formation in marine mammals due to barotrauma, and peri- or postmortem off-gassing of supersaturated tissues and blood has been previously described. This case study concluded that a systemic infection of C. perfringens likely resulted in production of gas and toxins, causing tissue necrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerri Danil
- Marine Mammal & Turtle Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 8901 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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15
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Trego ML, Kellar NM, Danil K. Validation of blubber progesterone concentrations for pregnancy determination in three dolphin species and a porpoise. PLoS One 2013; 8:e69709. [PMID: 23936083 PMCID: PMC3728358 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0069709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [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: 02/19/2013] [Accepted: 06/11/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have validated the use of biopsies as a minimally invasive way to identify pregnant females in several species of wild cetaceans: Balaenapteraacutorostrata, Delphinusdelphis, Lissodelphisborealis, and Lagenorhynchusobliquidens. These studies found that progesterone (P4) concentrations quantified from blubber attached to biopsy samples is diagnostic of pregnancy. Here we examine a broader group of cetacean species in efforts to investigate how progesterone levels vary between species with respect to pregnancy status. We compared P4 concentrations in blubber collected from fishery bycatch and beach-stranded specimens for 40 females of known reproductive condition from Delphinuscapensis (n = 18), Stenellaattenuata (n = 8), S. longirostris (n = 6), and Phocoenoidesdalli (n = 8). The P4 concentrations were different (t = -7.1, p = 1.79E-08) between pregnant and non-pregnant animals in all species, with the mean blubber P4 concentration for pregnant animals 164 times higher than that of non-pregnant animals. There was no overlap in concentration levels between sexually immature or non-pregnant sexually mature animals and pregnant animals. No significant differences (F = 0.354, p = 0.559) were found between mature non-pregnant and immature D. capensis and Pdalli, suggesting P4 level is not indicative of maturity state in female delphinoids. P4 concentrations in relation to reproductive state were remarkably similar across species. All samples were analyzed with two different enzyme immunoassay kits to gauge assay sensitivity to measure progesterone in small samples, such as biopsies. With the technique now validated for these cetacean species, blubber P4 is a reliable diagnostic of pregnancies across multiple species, and thus expands the utility of this method to study reproduction in free-ranging cetaceans using biopsies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa L Trego
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, La Jolla, California, USA.
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Abstract
We characterize the life-history strategy of female short-beaked common dolphins ( Delphinus delphis L., 1758) inhabiting the eastern tropical Pacific by estimating several growth and reproductive parameters. Reproductive condition (n = 700) and age (n = 405) were determined for animals sampled from those incidentally killed in the yellowfin tuna ( Thunnus albacares (Bonnaterre, 1788)) purse-seine fishery between 1975 and 1993. Females averaged 160.4 cm at age 2 years, 186.5 cm at attainment of sexual maturity, and 197.2 cm at asymptotic length. The estimated age at attainment of sexual maturity was 7.9 years and the oldest animal in the study was 25 years. Calving occurred throughout the year, with females producing a calf approximately every 2.1 years after a gestation period of approximately 11.4 months, an average lactation period of 16.5 months, and an average resting period of 2.8 months. A relatively high percentage (30.4%) of lactating females were simultaneously pregnant, which effectively shortens the average calving interval. No clear evidence of senescence was found. Estimated lengths at birth, 2 years of age, attainment of sexual maturity, and maximum size were greater than those reported for the temperate North Pacific population, indicating that large-scale geographic variation in life history occurs for this species, which likely reflects population-specific adaptations to the tropical and temperate habitats that they occupy.
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Affiliation(s)
- K. Danil
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, 8604 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - S.J. Chivers
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, 8604 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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