November 2016 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

Underwater acoustic measurement training course
by Tanja Pangerc 15 Nov '16

15 Nov '16

Dear MARMAM - passive acoustic monitoring community, This is to let you know that the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is running a training course on underwater acoustic measurement. The course schedule is attached. For more information, and to sign-up, please visit the website<http://www.npl.co.uk/acoustics/underwater-acoustics/products-and-services/t…>. Best regards, Tanja Dr. Tanja Pangerc | Acoustics and Ionising Radiation Division | National Physical Laboratory | Hampton Rd | Teddington | TW11 0LW | UK | Tel: 020 8943 6231 | www.npl.co.uk<http://www.npl.co.uk> Keep in touch - sign up for one of NPL's regular emails<http://www.npl.co.uk/keep-in-touch/> -- If you have received this message in error, please notify us and remove it from your system. NPL Management Ltd cannot guarantee that the e-mail or any attachments are free from viruses. NPL Management Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales, number: 2937881 Registered office: National Physical Laboratory | Hampton Road | Teddington, Middlesex | UK | TW11 0LW

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New Publication ; Cutaneous Granulomas in Dolphins Caused by Novel Uncultivated Paracoccidioides brasiliensis
by Adam Schaefer 14 Nov '16

14 Nov '16

Dear colleagues, We need your help. We are pleased to announce a new publication on marine mammal disease, "Cutaneous Granulomas in Dolphins Caused by Novel Uncultivated Paracoccidioides brasiliensis" in Emerging Infectious Diseases (abstract below). In addition, we are seeking unpublished reports and tissue samples from cetaceans with similar cutaneous fungal granulomas globally to continue this important research. The team welcomes collaboration from researchers worldwide. Vilela R, Bossart GD, St. Leger JA, Dalton LM, Reif JS, Schaefer AM, Fair PA, Mendoza L. (2016). A novel uncultivated Paracoccidioides brasiliensis type is the etiologic agent of cutaneous granulomas in dolphins. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 22:2097-2103. Abstract Cutaneous granulomas in dolphins were believed to be caused by Lacazia loboi, which also causes a similar disease in humans. This hypothesis was recently challenged by reports that fungal DNA sequences from dolphins grouped this pathogen with Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. We conducted phylogenetic analysis of fungi from 6 bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) with cutaneous granulomas and chains of yeast cells in infected tissues. Kex gene sequences of P. brasiliensis from dolphins showed 100% homology with sequences from cultivated P. brasiliensis, 73% with those of L. loboi, and 93% with those of P. lutzii. Parsimony analysis placed DNA sequences from dolphins within a cluster with human P. brasiliensis strains. This cluster was the sister taxon to P. lutzii and L. loboi. Our molecular data support previous findings and suggest that a novel uncultivated strain of P. brasiliensis restricted to cutaneous lesions in dolphins is probably the cause of lacaziosis/lobomycosis, herein referred to as paracoccidioidomycosis ceti. Please contact: Adam M. Schaefer, MPH Wildlife Epidemiology and Population Health, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University e-mail: aschaef3(a)fau.edu<mailto:aschaef3@fau.edu> Adam M. Schaefer, MPH Epidemiologist Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University 5600 US 1 North, Ft. Pierce, FL 34946 office: 772-242-2311 Ocean Science for a Better World

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New publication: Aerial low‑frequency hearing in captive and free‑ranging harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) measured using auditory brainstem responses
by Klaus Lucke 14 Nov '16

14 Nov '16

Dear MARMAN subscribers, We are pleased to announce the publication of the following paper in the Journal of Comparative Physiology A: Lucke K, · Hastie GD, · Ternes K, · McConnell B, Moss S, Russell DJF, Weber H, Janik VM (2016). Aerial low‑frequency hearing in captive and free‑ranging harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) measured using auditory brainstem responses. Journal of Comparative Physiology A, DOI 10.1007/s00359-016-1126-8 Abstract The hearing sensitivity of 18 free-ranging and 10 captive harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) to aerial sounds was measured in the presence of typical environmental noise through auditory brainstem response measurements. A focus was put on the comparative hearing sensitivity at low frequencies. Low- and mid-frequency thresholds appeared to be elevated in both captive and free-ranging seals, but this is likely due to masking effects and limitations of the methodology used. The data also showed individual variability in hearing sensitivity with probable age-related hearing loss found in two old harbour seals. These results suggest that the acoustic sensitivity of free-ranging animals was not negatively affected by the soundscape they experienced in the wild. The paper is available via open access and can be downloaded from the following link: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00359-016-1126-8<http://www.springer.com/-/0/AVgpoYO5hQ3B_jFr5NnU> Happy reading! Klaus Lucke PhD, Marine Bioacoustics Research Fellow | Centre for Marine Science & Technology Curtin University Perth, Australia Tel | +61 8 9266 4503 Mobile | +61 432 777197 Email | klaus.lucke(a)curtin.edu.au<mailto:klaus.lucke@curtin.edu.au> Web | http://curtin.edu.au<http://curtin.edu.au/>

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New publication: Modulation of whistle production related to training sessions in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) under human care.
by Juliana Lopez Marulanda 14 Nov '16

14 Nov '16

Dear MARMAM subscribers, We are pleased to announce our recent publication: Lopez Marulanda, J., Adam, O., & Delfour, F. (2016). Modulation of whistle production related to training sessions in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) under human care. Zoo Biology . http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/zoo.21328/full Abstract Bottlenose dolphins are highly social cetaceans with an extensive sound production including clicks, burst-pulsed sounds, and whistles. Some whistles, known as signature whistles, are individually specific. These acoustic signatures are commonly described as being emitted in contexts of stress during forced isolation and as group cohesion calls. Interactions between humans and captive dolphins is largely based on positive reinforcement conditioning within several training/feeding sessions per day. Vocal behavior of dolphins during these interactions might vary. To investigate this, we recorded 10 bottlenose dolphins of Parc Asterix dolphinarium (France) before, during and after 10 training sessions for a total duration of 7 hr and 32 min. We detected 3,272 whistles with 2,884 presenting a quality good enough to be categorized. We created a catalog of whistle types by visual categorization verified by five naive judges (Fleiss’ Kappa Test). We then applied the SIGID method to identify the signatures whistles present in our recordings. We found 279 whistles belonging to one of the four identified signature whistle types. The remaining 2,605 were classified as non-signature whistles. The non-signature whistles emission rate was higher during and after the training sessions than before. Emission rate of three signature whistles types significantly increased afterwards as compared to before the training sessions. We suggest that dolphins use their signature whistles when they return to their intraspecific social interactions succeeding scheduled and human-organized training sessions. More observations are needed to make conclusions about the function of signature whistles in relation to training sessions. Please contact me by email ( juliana.lopez-marulanda(a)u-psud.fr ) for the full text. I will be glad to send you a pdf copy. Kind regards Juliana Lopez Marulanda Juliana LOPEZ MARULANDA PhD student Bioacoustic Communication Team ( http://www.cb.u-psud.fr/index.html ) Institut de NeuroScience Paris Saclay (NeuroPSI), UMR 9197 Bât 446 Rue Claude Bernard Université Paris-Sud 91405 Orsay cedex Tel. : 01 69 15 49 64 )

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Extended deadline for Domestic Students to start Masters Degree in Miami in January!
by MPS RSMAS 13 Nov '16

13 Nov '16

Good afternoon everyone, We extended the deadline for the Masters of Professional Science application deadline to December 1st. You can apply here: http://mps.rsmas.miami.edu/apply/ We have 16 tracks to choose from (only a handful of Spring options though). The best part of our program is that we help you customize it toward your interests and career goals. Degree Programs <http://mps.rsmas.miami.edu/degree-program/> o Applied Remote Sensing <http://mps.rsmas.miami.edu/degree-program/applied-remote-sensing> o Aquaculture <http://mps.rsmas.miami.edu/degree-program/aquaculture> o Broadcast Meteorology <http://mps.rsmas.miami.edu/degree-program/broadcast-meteorology> o Coastal Sustainability <http://mps.rsmas.miami.edu/degree-program/coastal-sustainability> o Coastal Zone Management <http://mps.rsmas.miami.edu/degree-program/coastal-management> o Computational Meteorology and Oceanography <http://mps.rsmas.miami.edu/degree-program/computational-meteorology-oceanog…> o Exploration Science <http://mps.rsmas.miami.edu/degree-program/exploration-science> o Fisheries Management and Conservation <http://mps.rsmas.miami.edu/degree-program/fisheries-conservation-management> o JD/MPS Program <http://www.law.miami.edu/academics/jd-mps.php?op=0> o Marine Conservation <http://mps.rsmas.miami.edu/degree-program/marine-conservation> o Marine Mammal Science <http://mps.rsmas.miami.edu/degree-program/marine-mammal-science> o Natural Hazard and Catastrophe Analytics <http://mps.rsmas.miami.edu/degree-program/natural-hazards-catastrophe> o Oceans and Human Health <http://mps.rsmas.miami.edu/degree-program/oceans-human-health> o Tropical Marine Ecosystem Management <http://mps.rsmas.miami.edu/degree-program/tropical-marine-ecosystem> o Underwater Archaeology <http://mps.rsmas.miami.edu/degree-program/underwater-archaeology> o Weather, Climate and Society <http://mps.rsmas.miami.edu/degree-program/weather-climate-society> o Weather Forecasting <http://mps.rsmas.miami.edu/degree-program/weather-forecasting> Any questions, please feel free to ask at jcoco(a)rsmas.miami.edu! Sincerely, Josh Coco, Ed. D. Associate Director, Master of Professional Science (MPS) Tel: (305) 421.4304 Fax: (305) 421.4711 Direct: jcoco(a)rsmas.miami.edu <%20jcoco(a)rsmas.miami.edu> University of Miami RSMAS Campus - MPS Office, Room: S/A 132 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway Miami, FL 33149-1031 MPS: mps(a)rsmas.miami.edu On Tue, Oct 11, 2016 at 5:56 PM, MPS RSMAS <mps.rsmas(a)gmail.com> wrote: > Good afternoon everyone, > > Just a reminder that if you are interested in applying to the Master of > Professional Science program at the University of Miami for a start in > Spring 2017 (January 2017), deadline is November 1st. > > We have 16 tracks to choose from. The best part of our program is that we > help you customize it toward your interests and career goals. > > Degree Programs <http://mps.rsmas.miami.edu/degree-program/> > > o Applied Remote Sensing > <http://mps.rsmas.miami.edu/degree-program/applied-remote-sensing> > > o Aquaculture <http://mps.rsmas.miami.edu/degree-program/aquaculture> > > o Broadcast Meteorology > <http://mps.rsmas.miami.edu/degree-program/broadcast-meteorology> > > o Coastal Sustainability > <http://mps.rsmas.miami.edu/degree-program/coastal-sustainability> > > o Coastal Zone Management > <http://mps.rsmas.miami.edu/degree-program/coastal-management> > > o Computational Meteorology and Oceanography > <http://mps.rsmas.miami.edu/degree-program/computational-meteorology-oceanog…> > > o Exploration Science > <http://mps.rsmas.miami.edu/degree-program/exploration-science> > > o Fisheries Management and Conservation > <http://mps.rsmas.miami.edu/degree-program/fisheries-conservation-management> > > o JD/MPS Program <http://www.law.miami.edu/academics/jd-mps.php?op=0> > > o Marine Conservation > <http://mps.rsmas.miami.edu/degree-program/marine-conservation> > > o Marine Mammal Science > <http://mps.rsmas.miami.edu/degree-program/marine-mammal-science> > > o Natural Hazard and Catastrophe Analytics > <http://mps.rsmas.miami.edu/degree-program/natural-hazards-catastrophe> > > o Oceans and Human Health > <http://mps.rsmas.miami.edu/degree-program/oceans-human-health> > > o Tropical Marine Ecosystem Management > <http://mps.rsmas.miami.edu/degree-program/tropical-marine-ecosystem> > > o Underwater Archaeology > <http://mps.rsmas.miami.edu/degree-program/underwater-archaeology> > > o Weather, Climate and Society > <http://mps.rsmas.miami.edu/degree-program/weather-climate-society> > > o Weather Forecasting > <http://mps.rsmas.miami.edu/degree-program/weather-forecasting> > > > Any questions, please feel free to ask at jcoco(a)rsmas.miami.edu! > > > Sincerely, > > Josh Coco, Ed. D. > > Associate Director, Master of Professional Science (MPS) > > Tel: (305) 421.4304 > > Fax: (305) 421.4711 > > Direct: jcoco(a)rsmas.miami.edu <%20jcoco(a)rsmas.miami.edu> > > > University of Miami > > RSMAS Campus - MPS Office, Room: S/A 132 > > 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway > > Miami, FL 33149-1031 > > MPS: mps(a)rsmas.miami.edu > >

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First Call: Introductory GIS and Species Distribution Modelling courses for Marine Biologists, January 2017
by Colin D. MacLeod 13 Nov '16

13 Nov '16

GIS In Ecology will, once again, be running introductory courses for marine biologists in the use of GIS and Species Distribution Modelling in January 2017. These courses will be of paricular use to marine mammal biologists as they will specifically cover the typical GIS-based tasks, such as creating maps, processing survey data and creating species distribution models, that MMOs, environmental consultants, NGOs, and students are likely to need to be able to do on a regular basis. These courses are: 1. An Introduction To Using GIS In Marine Biology, 16th – 18th January 2017, Glasgow, Scotland: This three day course covers the basics of how to use GIS in marine biological research and is aimed at those who have little or no experience in using GIS, but who wish to learn. The course is taught by Dr Colin D. MacLeod, author of the ‘An Introduction To Using GIS In Marine Biology’ series of books, and is taught in the type of language marine biologists will be familiar with. It consists of a series of background and practical sessions which will provide all the information needed to start successfully using GIS in marine biology. This course can be done with either ArcGIS or the freely available open source GIS software package QGIS. Cost: £395 (£300 for students, unwaged and those working for NGOs). More information on this course, including an online booking form, can be found at: http://www.gisinecology.com/Training_Course_Glasgow_January_2017.htm. If you have any questions, or wish to book a place by email, email: cdmacleod(a)GISinEcology.com 2. An Introduction To Species Distribution Modelling In The Marine Environment, 19th – 20th January 2017, Glasgow, Scotland: This two day course follows on from the introductory GIS course and provides all the information required to start using Species Distribution Modelling (SDM) in the marine environment in a practical and biologically meaningful way. In a series of background sessions, case studies and practical exercises, it covers how to create data layers of species distribution, how to select and create raster data layers of environmental variables, such as water depth, how to join information on species distribution to environmental information, how to export data from a GIS project for analysis in a statistical package, such as R, how to create spatial visualisations based on a statistical model and how to validate the spatial predictions of a model. The practical sessions work through a species distribution modelling project based on real marine survey data from start to finish. Cost: £295 (£200 for students, unwaged and those working for NGOs). This course can be done with either ArcGIS or the freely available open source GIS software package QGIS. More information on this course, including an online booking form, can be found at: http://www.gisinecology.com/Training_Course_SDM_January_2017.htm. If you have any questions, or wish to book a place by email, email: cdmacleod(a)GISinEcology.com. Note: This course requires a basic knowledge of GIS (as covered in the above introductory GIS course) and how to use ArcGIS or QGIS GIS software. For more information on other upcoming courses from GIS In Ecology, visit: http://www.GISinEcology.com/training_courses.htm. All the best, Colin ================================================================================== GIS IN ECOLOGY - Providing Training, Advice And Consultancy On The Use Of GIS In Ecology Web: www.GISinEcology.com Email: info(a)GISinEcology.com Need to ask a question about using GIS? Try the GIS In Ecology Forum: www.GISinEcology.com/GIS_in_Ecology_forum.htm Books From GIS In Ecology Staff: An Introduction To Using GIS In Marine Biology; RRP: £44.99 An Introduction To Using GIS In Marine Biology: Supplementary Workbook One - Creating Maps Of Species Distribution; RRP: £19:99 An Introduction To Using GIS In Marine Biology: Supplementary Workbook Two - Working With Raster Data Layers; RRP: £19.99 If you wish to purchase these books, visit: http://www.gisinecology.com/Book_Shop.htm To help the environment, please do not print out this email unless it is unavoidable. ================================================================================== --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus

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New book: The lives of Hawaii's dolphins and whales: natural history and conservation
by Robin Baird 13 Nov '16

13 Nov '16

A new book is available entitled The lives of Hawai'i's dolphins and whales: natural history and conservation, published by the University of Hawai'i Press. The book synthesizes our work in Hawai'i over the last 17 years, including results from satellite tagging, photo-identification and genetic analyses, as well as incorporating results from other researchers and early work on whales and dolphins in Hawaiian waters. The book includes 173 full color photographs, maps and illustrations, and retail cost in the U.S. is $24.99. It is now available through the University of Hawai'i Press web site http://www.uhpress.hawaii.edu/p-9708-9780824859985.aspx (use PACS16 for a 20% discount, available through the end of the year) and is available for pre-order on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/0824859987/ref=cm_sw_su_dp both in paperback and Kindle version The description from the publisher is below, and there are a number of examples of two-page spreads from the book at http://www.cascadiaresearch.org/Hawaii/HawaiiDolphinsandWhales.htm The full citation is: Baird, R.W. 2016. The lives of Hawai'i's dolphins and whales: natural history and conservation. University of Hawai'i Press, Honolulu, Hawai'i. 352 pages. Robin Description from the publisher Ocean currents, winds, and rainfall all work together to create a marine oasis around the Hawaiian Islands, providing a home for many species of dolphins and whales normally found in the deep oceans of the world. The Lives of Hawai'i's Dolphins and Whales provides a window into the world of these mysterious creatures with stories and observations from the author's work with Hawaiian whales and dolphins over the last seventeen years. The book includes full-color photos of each species, life history descriptions, conservation threats, and maps showing sighting locations and movements of tagged individuals among the islands and offshore. Although this work covers the well-known resident spinner dolphins and the visiting humpback whales, it particularly highlights the ten species of lesser-known open-ocean dolphins and whales that are resident to the marine slopes of the islands. These include endangered false killer whales, deep-diving Cuvier's and Blainville's beaked whales, abundant spotted dolphins, coastal bottlenose dolphins, cryptic dwarf sperm whales, family units of short-finned pilot whales, and social melon-headed whales, among others. The book also describes thirteen species of dolphins and whales that are found in offshore waters or visit the Hawaiian waters seasonally or occasionally, including killer whales, the iconic sperm whale, and even blue whales and North Pacific right whales. More is known about the social organization and natural history of many of these species in Hawai'i than anywhere else in the world. For all of these species, information from long-term photo-identification studies is given, with distinctive individuals tracked through time and space; for many of them, findings from studies using genetics and satellite tagging are also included. Information on predators and prey, social organization, diving, and night-time behavior, along with suggestions on how to tell some of the more difficult to identify species apart are also included. Conservation issues, as well as conservation success stories, are explored, as well as what can and should be done to help protect Hawai'i's unique assemblage of resident dolphins and whales. =============================================================================== Robin W. Baird, Ph.D. Research Biologist, Cascadia Research Collective Affiliate Faculty, Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology Mailing address: Cascadia Research Collective 218 1/2 W. 4th Avenue Olympia, WA 98501 USA Follow Cascadia on Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cascadia-Research-Collective/110495958982184> Cascadia on YouTube<http://youtu.be/M5L0fdMNHgw> Cascadia's Hawai'i web page<http://www.cascadiaresearch.org/hawaii.htm> New book on Hawai'i's whales and dolphins<http://www.cascadiaresearch.org/Hawaii/HawaiiDolphinsandWhales.htm>

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2017 DOLPHIN RESEARCH INTERNSHIP IN PORTUGAL
by AIMM Internships 13 Nov '16

13 Nov '16

*BACKGROUND: *The Marine Environment Research Association is a non-profit, non-governmental organization focused on the research and conservation of marine species, running an ongoing study of cetaceans in southern Portugal (Algarve). This project aims to obtain baseline information on species occurrence, behavior, and social structure of the local cetacean populations in order to obtain scientific data to support conservation measures and inform marine management policies. The main species observed are short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis), common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), and harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena), although other psecies such as minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) and fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) can also be sighted. AIMM Interns are young, hard-working individuals who are willing to contribute to the association and support on-going activities, while experiencing fieldwork at sea, learning data collection and processing methodologies, and being a part of AIMM's team of researchers and marine biologists for a period of time. All team members and participants share accommodation, house tasks, knowledge and experience in an environmental friendly and multicultural environment. Interns have the additional option to enrich their time with AIMM by beginning or improving their SCUBA skills with a PADI-certified instructor. *WHERE:* Albufeira, Algarve, Portugal *WHEN:* The field season lasts from May 1 - October 31, 2017. The minimum internship attendance in 7 days, preferably starting on a Monday. *FIELDWORK: *The field trips are conducted in AIMM's research vessel, Ketos, or in opportunistic platforms (commercial dolphin-watching boats). Fieldwork is dependent on weather conditions and seat availability in the dolphin-watching boats. Field days can be intense, especially in the peak of summer, but are fulfilling and good fun. The interns will be trained to: · Conduct on-board surveys of marine species occurrence; · Record effort tracks on a handheld GPS; · Collect data on behavior, group size, species, etc.; · Utilize photo-identification, acoustic recording, and underwater videos while on-board. *DATA ANALYSIS: *This will be conducted on a daily basis and will entail entering data into established databases and spreadsheets, photo-identification processing, and preliminary data interpretation. *INTERNSHIP FEES:* AIMM is a non-profit organization that relies on donations from our volunteers, partners, and conservation-minded people like you so that we may continue our important research and education programs in the Algarve. This internship requires a monetary contribution which is used to off-set the cost of accommodation and running a non-profit. For more information on internship fees for the 2016 season, please contact: interns(a)aimm-portugal.org *Included* in the fee is: · Accommodation in the research house; · Transportation to/from the marina; · Meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner); · Fieldwork in the research vessel or commercial dolphin-watching vessels. *Not included* in the fee is: · Transportation to/from Albufeira; · Meals in restaurants and snacks; · Free time activities; · Personal insurance (all participants should have health and/or travel insurance); · Personal expenses. *INTERNS ARE EXPECTED TO:* · Be above the age of 16; · Have a mature attitude towards marine mammal research and environment; · Be autonomous and flexible; · Be able to live and work in an international team and mainly outdoors at sea; · Speak English; · Participate for minimum 7 days. *Preference will be given* to those who have: · Relevant marine mammal field experience · Working experience on research vessels · Experience working from dolphin/whale watching platforms · Experience in photo-identification · Professional cameras that can be used for photo-ID · Availability to stay for longer periods of time *INTERNSHIP APPLICATION: * Applicants should fill up the online application at: http://www.aimmportugal.org/#!internship-aimm/cw7b After the confirmation e-mail, send your Resume/CV with updated photo and personal statement on which are your expectations and why do you want to work with AIMM to: interns(a)aimm-portugal.org with the subject “Internship 2017”. Applicants will be contacted to arrange internship dates and details. Applications will be accepted during all season, however, early application is recommended due to limited vacancies. *Contacts*: interns(a)aimm-portugal.org | www.aimmportugal.org | -- AIMM - Associação para Investigação do Meio Marinho / *Marine Environment Research Association* w <http://aimm-marineresearch.blogspot.pt/>ww.aimmportugal.org

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PAM Operators for Australasia
by Recruitment 13 Nov '16

13 Nov '16

Dear Marmam readers, PAM operators are required on a 3D marine seismic survey in Australasian waters. The survey is due to start mid to late December and last some 70 days, so relief scheduling will be required and three or more candidates are preferred. Interested candidates should respond urgently with their rates/CVs/points of origin, etc. If you are suitably qualified and experienced, we will put you forward for consideration. If you are unavailable, but have friends/colleagues looking for work, please put them in touch soonest with details requested above. Kind regards, -- Recruitment Ocean Science Consulting Limited (OSC) Spott Road, Dunbar, East Lothian, EH42 1RR, Scotland, UK T: +44 (0)1368 865 722 W: www.osc.co.uk

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New Publication on Humpback Whale Song and Sad News on its Author Dr. Louis M. Herman
by Adam Pack 12 Nov '16

12 Nov '16

Aloha Colleagues, It is my honor to let you know that Dr. Louis M. Herman’s final solo paper entitled “The multiple functions of male song within the humpback whale (*Megaptera novaeangliae*) mating system: review, evaluation, and synthesis,” has just been published in an on-line early view form in the journal *Biological Reviews*. Below, please find the full citation and abstract. To obtain a pdf of the paper, you can email me at pack(a)hawaii.edu. It is also with profound sadness that I must report to you that Dr. Herman passed away on August 3, 2016. Dr. Herman was a Professor Emeritus at University of Hawaii at Manoa, Founder and Director of the world-renowned Kewalo Basin Marine Mammal Laboratory, and President of the non-profit organization, The Dolphin Institute, dedicated to dolphins and whales through research, education and conservation. A memorial service for Dr. Herman was held at Punchbowl National Cemetery in Honolulu on August 26. Over 100 family members, friends, colleagues and students attended the service to bid Dr. Herman a final *aloha* and *mahalo*, and to pay their respects to his wife Hannah and daughter Elia. Dr. Herman was considered by many in marine mammal science to be a “giant” in the fields of dolphin cognition and humpback whale behavior. Together with his countless graduate students, undergraduates, interns and colleagues, Dr. Herman helped characterize many aspects of dolphin visual and auditory sensory perception, mapped out dolphin short-term memory skills and processes, described a host of dolphin cognitive abilities, and demonstrated that dolphins could comprehend sentences within acoustically and visually-based language systems. Also, in 1976, Dr. Herman pioneered the scientific study of humpback whales in Hawaiian waters and together with his students and colleagues created one of the longest continuous scientific studies of any whale species. Research carried out both in Hawaii and Alaska shed new light on humpback whale habitat use, migratory patterns, social organization, competitive behavior, feeding ecology, and song. Across Dr. Herman’s distinguished research career he edited two books and published over 160 papers on marine mammals. His discoveries on dolphins and whales were featured in more than 230 media articles, television and radio programs, and documentary films. In 2015, former students and staff from around the world gathered in Honolulu to celebrate Dr. Herman’s many accomplishments at a surprise “Festschrift.” An “In Memoriam” paper on Dr. Herman’s life and numerous scientific contributions is currently in press in the journal *Marine Mammal Science*. Dr. Herman’s passing is a tragic loss for his family and friends, for the scientific community, and for the broader public, many of whom were introduced to the intelligence of dolphins and the behavior of humpback whales through media presentations on Dr. Herman’s groundbreaking discoveries. After his passing, an article on Dr. Herman’s life and achievements appeared in the *New York Times* (see http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/13/science/louis-herman-who-talked-with-dolp…) and in numerous other media outlets around the world. In Dr. Herman’s memory, the Herman family has established the Louis M. Herman Scholarship Fund to support students engaged in cognitive and behavioral research of whales or dolphins. Contributions to the scholarship fund should be made out to *The Dolphin Institute* and addressed to The Dolphin Institute, P.O. Box 6279, Hilo, HI 96720, Attention: Louis M. Herman Scholarship Fund. For additional information, please contact Dr. Adam A. Pack at pack(a)hawaii.edu. Wishing you all a peaceful and happy holiday season, Adam A. Pack, Ph.D. Professor, University of Hawaii at Hilo Vice President and Director, The Dolphin Institute Herman, L. M. (2016). The multiple functions of male song within the humpback whale (*Megaptera novaeangliae*) mating system: review, evaluation, and synthesis. *Biological Reviews. *doi: 10.1111/brv.12309 ABSTRACT Humpback whales (*Megaptera novaeangliae*) are seasonal breeders, annually migrating from high-latitude summer feeding grounds to low-latitude winter breeding grounds. The social matrix on the winter grounds is a loose network of interacting individuals and groups and notably includes lone males that produce long bouts of complex song that collectively yield an asynchronous chorus. Occasionally, a male will sing while accompanying other whales. Despite a wealth of knowledge about the social matrix, the full characterization of the mating system remains unresolved, without any firm consensus, as does the function of song within that system. Here, I consider and critically analyse three proposed functions of song that have received the most attention in the literature: female attraction to individual singers, determining or facilitating male–male interactions, and attracting females to a male aggregation within the context of a lekking system. *Female attraction *suggests that humpback song is an advertisement and invitation to females, but field observations and song playback studies reveal that female visits to individual singers are virtually absent. Other observations suggest instead that females might convey their presence to singers (or to other males) through the percussive sounds of flipper or tail slapping or possibly through vocalizations. There is some evidence for *male–male interactions, both dominance and affiliative*: visits to singers are almost always other lone males not singing at that time. The joiner may be seeking a coalition with the singer to engage cooperatively in attempts to obtain females, or may be seeking to disrupt the song or to affirm his dominance. Some observations support one or the other intent. However, other observations, in part based on the brevity of most pairings, suggest that the joiner is prospecting, seeking to determine whether the singer is accompanying a female, and if not soon departs. In the *lekking hypothesis*, the aggregation of vocalizing males on a winter ground and the visits there by non-maternal females apparently for mating meet the fundamental definition of a lekking system and its role though communal display in attracting females to the aggregation, although not to an individual singer. Communal singing is viewed as a form of by-product mutualism in which individuals benefit one another as incidental consequences of their own selfish actions. Possibly, communal singing may also act to stimulate female receptivity. Thus, there are both limitations and merit in all three proposals. Full consideration of song as serving multiple functions is therefore necessary to understand its role in the mating system and the forces acting on the evolution of song. I suggest that song may be the prime vector recruiting colonists to new winter grounds pioneered by vagrant males as population pressures increase or as former winter grounds become unavailable or undesirable, with such instances documented relatively recently. Speculatively, song may have evolved historically as an aggregating call during the dynamic ocean conditions and resulting habitat uncertainties in the late Miocene–early Pliocene epochs when *Megaptera *began to proliferate. Early song may have been comprised of simpler precursor sounds that through natural selection and ritualization evolved into complex song. -- Adam A. Pack, Ph.D. Professor and Chair (Psychology) Departments of Psychology and Biology University of Hawai'i at Hilo 200 West Kawili Street Hilo, Hawai'i 96720 (Office Voice): 808-932-7076 (Email): pack(a)hawaii.edu "Do or do not; there is no try." Yoda

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