April 2016 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

RARE MARINE MAMMAL BOOKS/MONOGRAPHS AVAILABLE
by Thomas Jefferson 20 Apr '16

20 Apr '16

RARE MARINE MAMMAL BOOKS/MONOGRAPHSAVAILABLE The following is a partial list of items available. All funds go to ¡VIVA Vaquita! (a collaboration of five 501(3)c non-profits), forresearch and conservation of the World’s most endangered marine mammal species,the vaquita (Phocoena sinus). Go to www.vivavaquita.orgfor more details. Costs listed are suggested minimum donations. Allen, G.M. (1916) The whalebone whales of New England.Memoirs of the Boston Society of Natural History, 8, 107-322. HC/Clothbound. $65. Arseniev, V.A. & Panin, K.I. (1971) Pinnipeds of theNorth Pacific. 274 pp. VNIRO. PB. $20. Berzin, A.A. (1972) The Sperm Whale (kashalot), IsraelProgram for Scientific Translations. PB. $22. Gaskin, D.E. (1972) Whales, Dolphins, and Seals, WithSpecial Reference to the New Zealand Region, Heineman Educational Books. HC. $23. Goode, G.B. (1884) The Fisheries and Fishery Industries ofthe United States. {Sections on whales, marine mammals, and whaling}. Pp. 1-136, 131-491. Government PrintingOffice. HC/Clothbound. $95. Mitchell, E. editor. (1975)Review of biology and fisheries for smaller cetaceans. Journal of the FisheriesResearch Board of Canada, pp. 879-1242. PB. $23. Norris, K.S. & Prescott, J.H. (1961) Observations on Pacificcetaceans of Californian and Mexican waters. University of CaliforniaPublications in Zoology, 63, 291-402. PB. $26. Norris, K.S. (1966) Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises. 789 pp.University of California Press, Berkeley. HC. $62. Ridgway, S.H. (1972) Mammals of the Sea: Biology and Medicine.812 pp. Charles C. Thomas. HC. $215. Truitt, D. (1974) Dolphins and Porpoises: A ComprehensiveAnnotated Bibliography of the Smaller Cetacea, Gale Research Co. HC. $44. Turner, W. (1912) The Marine Mammals in the AnatomicalMuseum of the University of Edinburgh, MacMillan and Co. HC. $38. All items are in good-excellent condition, unless otherwisestated; HC=hardcover, PB=paperback. Preference will be given to domestic USAorders. Donations can be made in cash orwith checks in US dollars. Email Tom Jefferson<sclymene(a)aol.com> questions, and your postal address for the items to besent to (please type your name and address exactly as they would appear on amailing label). Shipping isincluded. Orders will be sent out onlyafter payment and ‘mailing label’ are received.

1 0

New publication on dietary estimates for franciscanas, Pontoporia blainvillei, using the stable isotope approach.
by Genyffer Troina 20 Apr '16

20 Apr '16

Dear all, my co-authors and I are pleased to announce a new publication on dietary estimates for franciscanas, Pontoporia blainvillei, using the stable isotope approach. Troina, G., Botta, S., Secchi, E. R., and Dehairs, F. 2016. *Ontogenetic and sexual characterization of the feeding habits of franciscanas, **Pontoporia blainvillei**, based on tooth dentin carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes. *Marine Mammal Science. DOI: 10.1111/mms.12316 ABSTRACT: We assessed the feeding habits of franciscanas (*Pontoporia blainvillei*) from southern Brazil through carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes measured in the tooth dentin of dolphins from different age classes. Generalized additive models were fitted to assess whether sex, age, and total body length explained changes in franciscanas isotope ratios. Bayesian isotope mixing models were applied to estimate the contributions of prey items, selected based on stomach content analysis (SCA), to franciscanas' diet. Different trophic enrichment factors (TEF) were applied and the results were compared using Bhattachayya's coefficient index to test for differences in model outputs and to define the best TEF for franciscanas. We found different relative importance of the main prey between the methods, and the contribution by squids could be lower than suggested by SCA. Because the dentin deposited during nursing seems to influence the isotopic ratios of juveniles, caution is recommended when interpreting dietary estimates based on whole tooth samples. This study is the first to characterize ontogenetic shifts in franciscanas' feeding habits using stable isotope analysis (SIA) and testing different TEF values. SIA and SCA complement each other in dietary studies, mitigating potential biases resulting from the use of each method separately. The article is available for download on http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mms.12316/abstract Or a PDF can be provided via email request: genyffertroina(a)gmail.com Cheers, Genyffer -- MSc. Genyffer Troina Doutoranda no Programa de Pós Graduação em Oceanografia Biológica Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação da Megafauna Marinha (ECOMEGA) Instituto de Oceanografia – IO/Universidade Federal do Rio Grande - FURG Rio Grande/RS (CEP 96201900), CP 474, BRAZIL Analytical, Environmental and Geo-Chemistry Department, Earth System Sciences Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium Phone: (+55) 53 81189816/(+32)491/897081 genyffertroina(a)gmail.com CV: http://lattes.cnpq.br/3997346742040354 <https://wwws.cnpq.br/cvlattesweb/PKG_MENU.menu?f_cod=95BCF6774B1701C4C08659…>

1 0

Re: [MARMAM] Honours Project opportunity (Dolphin Health/Molecular Biology) in Western Australia
by Nahiid Stephens 19 Apr '16

19 Apr '16

Dear MARMAM members - Due to our previously successful applicant withdrawing for personal reasons prior to commencement, we are looking for a full-time Honours student (with an undergraduate degree in either Biomedical or Veterinary Science or similar BSc; as well as familiarity and/or experience with PCR-based molecular techniques) to start in the middle of this year (end: mid 2017) at Murdoch University (Perth, Western Australia). The project title is "Identification and characterisation of viruses associated with genital mucosal lesions in a bottlenose (Tursiops sp) dolphin from Western Australia," and the project objectives are: * Develop expertise in PCR and gene/genome sequencing. * Identification, sequencing and genomic characterisation of any herpesviruses, papillomaviruses and/or novel viruses that may be present. * Conduct phylogenetic analyses of any viruses found. The project description can be viewed at http://www.murdoch.edu.au/School-of-Veterinary-and-Life-Sciences/Our-course… (under the Veterinary Biology discipline heading). Potential candidates can contact me by email (see details below) regarding eligibility (University fees apply to international students). Best Wishes - Nahiid Stephens. Nahiid Stephens BSc BVMS (Hons) MANZCVSc (VetPath) Lecturer in Pathology School of Veterinary and Life Sciences Murdoch University Murdoch WA 6150 Phone: +61 8 9360 2666 Email: N.Stephens(a)murdoch.edu.au<https://mail.murdoch.edu.au/owa/UrlBlockedError.aspx> (Please note I work part-time and am only on campus on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. There will be delays in my response to emails on other days. If your query concerns our diagnostic service, please call our Duty Pathologist on 0420 277 743)

1 0

LAMLA Reminder: early bird registration and abstract submission deadlines approaching!
by LAMLA Workshop 19 Apr '16

19 Apr '16

Dear colleagues, we would like to remind you of important dates concerning the upcoming LAMLA Workshop: *April 30th is the last day to register with early bird discount. * *Visit our website to register and submit your abstract: www.lamla2016.com <http://www.lamla2016.com/>* *Abstract submission deadline is May 5th, 2016.* Join us in order to: · assess the effort to study sounds from all aquatic mammal species* that occur in Latin America*; · share scientific information and methodologies between research groups; · enhance conservation efforts, locally and internationally; · define a platform for launching new partnerships, activities or projects. If you need more information, please contact us at lamlameeting(a)gmail.com Looking forward to see you in Natal! Best wishes -- Organizing Committee LAMLA Workshop - Listening for Aquatic Mammals in Latin America www.lamla2016.com

1 0

Call for American Cetacean Society-San Francisco Bay Chapter Student Research Grant proposals
by Lynette Koftinow 19 Apr '16

19 Apr '16

Dearcolleagues, TheAmerican Cetacean Society-San Francisco Bay Chapter ( ACS-SF Bay )would like to encourage students to apply for our upcoming 2016 StudentResearch Grants. ACS- SF BAY Guidelines for Student Research Grant:The SanFrancisco Bay American Cetacean Society chapter Grants-in-Aid ofResearch fund offers small research grants for direct costs of scientific,field-based projects focusing on cetaceans. The Society invites proposalsfrom all cetacean-related disciplines, including the social sciences,which focus on cetaceans and/or their habitats. SF BayACS chapter particularly welcomes applications from early-careerresearchers such as graduate students and researchers with less than 10years’ post-doctoral experience, and researchers whose work focuseson cetaceans on the West Coast of North American, with emphasis in the BayArea. The SF Bay American Cetacean Society chapter has a long-standing commitment toproviding young scientists with ‘seed money’ for research projectsin cetacean-related disciplines. Currently, SFBay ACS chapter grant awards range from $100 to $1,000; theSociety highly encourages funds to be used in a ‘match’ program tomaximize funding potential. Fundingis available to applicants who are themselves active (dues-paying) SFBay ACS chapter members. SF Bay ACS chapter fundsare intended to strengthen conservation efforts through appliedfield-based research and opportunities outside of the laboratory. Funds may not be used for salaries, stipends, honoraria, or other compensatoryexpenses. The National American Cetacean Society and other chapters of ACS alsoparticipate in grant-making initiatives and will also submit Request ForProposals (RFPs) coincident with their funding cycles. Forinformation about specific chapters and their grant-making programs,please visit the Chapter page of the National American CetaceanSociety website: www. acsonline.org. Proposals should include: 1. Application cover sheet, with title of proposal, field researchgroup, contact information (email, phone and departmental contacts) forthe faculty lead or principle investigator (PI), second PI (if applicable)and any proposed graduate student participant list (with contactinformation). 2. A brief narrative (1-2 pages, single-spaced) describing theresearch program, overall purpose, specific research objectives/questions,study timeline and benchmarks, significance of the research in advancingour understanding the biology and conservation of cetaceans and/or their habitats, and how the research can or does advance conservationefforts aimed at a particular taxa, species, or habitat. 3. An itemized, one-year budget, including estimated costs for supplies,equipment,travel, etc. Costs should be kept reasonable. A budget justification should be included. Budget should not exceedrequested funding amount; however, details of additional funding sourcessupporting the research and how those funds will be used are helpful inevaluating applications. 4. CurriculumVitae (CV) for each principle investigator. Theapplication deadline for the 2016 San Francisco Bay American CetaceanSociety chapter Small Grants-in-Aid of Research Program is Friday,September 23rd 2016, and will cover proposed field work to beundertaken through winter of 2017. Funding is limited and proposals willbe peer-reviewed for scientific rigor, conservation benefit and costeffectiveness. Awards will be announced on Monday, October 10, 2016. Applicationsshould be sent by email to Lynette R. Koftinow: acs.sfbay(a)gmail.comPresidentSan Francisco Bay American Cetacean Society chapterQuestionsregarding the program may also be directed to her. Respectfully, Lynette R. Koftinow San Francisco Bay Chapter American Cetacean Society acs.sfbay(a)gmail.com

1 0

New publication on prey sharing behaviour of resident killer whales
by Brianna Wright 19 Apr '16

19 Apr '16

Dear colleagues, We are pleased to announce the publication of a new paper on kin-selective prey sharing behaviour by 'resident' killer whales of the northeast Pacific: * Wright, B.M., Stredulinsky, E.H., Ellis, G.M., and Ford, J.K.B. 2016. Kin-directed food sharing promotes lifetime natal philopatry of both sexes in a population of fish-eating killer whales, Orcinus orca. Animal Behaviour 115:81-95.* ABSTRACT: The vast majority of social animals exhibit sex-biased dispersal as a strategy to reduce kin competition and avoid inbreeding. Piscivorous ‘resident’ killer whales, *Orcinus orca*, of the eastern North Pacific, however, are unusual in that both sexes remain philopatric throughout life, forming highly stable, multigeneration matrilines that are closed to immigration. We conducted a 12-year study documenting extensive cooperative prey sharing within these matrilines, and hypothesized that extreme natal philopatry in resident killer whales arose due to inclusive fitness benefits gained by provisioning maternal kin. We found that prey sharing was nonreciprocal, and even though whales routinely foraged in mixed associations containing multiple matrilines, prey sharing among individuals belonging to different matrilines was very infrequent. Furthermore, maternal relatedness was a significant predictor of the frequency of prey sharing between individuals, with close maternal kin sharing more often than distant relatives or nonkin. Adult females were much more likely to share prey than adult males or subadults, probably because they mainly provisioned their offspring. However, food sharing was not limited solely to maternal care; all age–sex classes engaged in this behaviour by sharing with close maternal relatives, such as siblings and mothers. We also investigated the frequency of prey sharing between mothers and their offspring as a function of offspring sex and age, and found that maternal food sharing with daughters declined after daughters reached reproductive maturity, which could help to explain matriline fission events. The evolution of kin-directed food sharing requires the ability to reliably discriminate kin, which resident killer whales likely achieve through social familiarity and vocal dialect recognition. We propose that lifetime philopatry of both sexes has been selectively favoured in this population due to the inclusive fitness benefits of kin-directed food sharing, a cooperative behaviour that may also inhibit dispersal by reducing resource competition among kin. This paper is an Open Access publication and is freely available for download at the following link: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003347216000737 <https://legacy.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.sciencedi…> Or a PDF can be provided via email request: Brianna.Wright(a)dfo-mpo.gc.ca Cheers, - Brianna Brianna Wright, M.Sc. Marine Mammal Research Technician Fisheries and Oceans Canada Pacific Biological Station 3190 Hammond Bay Rd. Nanaimo, BC V9T 6N7 CANADA phone: (250) 756-7253 Brianna.Wright(a)dfo-mpo.gc.ca

1 0

update on initial services for Stan Kuczaj
by Hill, Heather 18 Apr '16

18 Apr '16

Greetings from soggy Texas. We would like to provide some additional information regarding the memorial services for Dr. Stan Kuczaj, who passed away on April 14, 2016. A memorial service will be held this Saturday, April 23rd @11:00 a.m. at St. Thomas Catholic Church, 3117 W 4th St, Hattiesburg, MS 39401 followed by a gathering at the Parish Hall afterwards. More information regarding different ways respects may be paid will be shared as it becomes available. A second celebration of Stan's life is also expected to be held in Texas sometime in the near future. Finally, we are hoping to commemorate Stan's legacy and accomplishments at a special symposium in a venue to be determined. Many thanks to everyone who has contacted us to share special stories and comments about Stan's generosity and the significant impact he had on their lives. It is truly amazing how one person can touch the lives of so many, and each story that has been shared reminds me of how much he accomplished in his life and how much he still had left to accomplish. Once again, please contact Heather Hill at hdolphin18(a)gmail.com<mailto:hdolphin18@gmail.com> for specific questions or comments.

1 0

New publication on postpartum signature whistle use in bottlenose dolphins
by Stephanie King 18 Apr '16

18 Apr '16

Dear All, We are placed to announce our new publication: King S.L., Guarino E., Donegan K., Hecksher J., Jaakkola, K. (2016) Further insights into postpartum signature whistle use in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Marine Mammal Science. DOI: 10.1111/mms.12317 Summary: Individual vocal signatures play an important role in facilitating maternal care in many animals. In those species where neonates are precocial immediately following parturition, the need for individual recognition between mother and offspring is paramount. In bottlenose dolphins such acoustic recognition signals, termed signature whistles, have been shown to be pivotal in mother-offspring recognition. Here we explored how female bottlenose dolphins used their signature whistle in the weeks leading up to and following the birth of their calves. We show that females significantly increased signature whistle production immediately after the birth of their female calves (LMER, P < 0.0001). Average signature whistle rate increased from 0.14 whistles/min to 0.78 whistles/min, representing a > five-fold increase in postpartum signature whistle production, with rates remaining high for four weeks after birth. Our findings complement those of Fripp and Tyack (2008), and offer further support to the imprinting hypothesis, where calves imprint on their mothers’ signature whistles immediately after parturition. The increase in maternal signature whistle use facilitates the calf’s recognition of its mother’s call before mother-calf separations occur. These results highlight the importance of postpartum signature whistle use in aiding mother-calf recognition in bottlenose dolphins and provide insight into one of the underlying mechanisms that aids mother-offspring recognition in species with precocial young. You can access the paper here: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mms.12317/full Or email me directly for a copy: stephanie.king(a)uwa.edu.au<mailto:stephanie.king@uwa.edu.au> cheers, Stephanie ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Stephanie L. King, PhD Society in Science - Branco Weiss Fellow Centre for Evolutionary Biology School of Animal Biology University of Western Australia 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009 Ph +61 864881773 (W) +61 447 265840 (M) www.sharkbaydolphins.org<http://www.sharkbaydolphins.org> [cid:EA808840-1096-4F91-BFF3-9187312B10F9] Please visit my homepage<http://www.slking.weebly.com> to find out more about my research. “Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain.” — Jack Kerouac

1 0

Deadline Friday - Northwest Student Chapter of the Society for Marine Mammalogy 2016 Annual Meeting
by Jessica Rhian Hale 18 Apr '16

18 Apr '16

Hello Northwest Marine Mammalogy Students! The deadline is approaching for abstract submission,* Friday April 22nd*. Registration will be accepted up to the day of the meeting. Register and submit your abstract at: http://bit.ly/20Mn9EB. Registration is FREE, and will include breakfast, snacks, and lunch on Saturday May 21st. *Meeting information:* The 20th Annual Meeting of the Northwest Student Chapter of the Society for Marine Mammalogy (NWSSMM) will take place at the University of Washington (UW) in Seattle on May 21-22, 2016! The conference will be held at the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences (located here <https://www.google.com/maps/place/1122+NE+Boat+St,+Seattle,+WA+98105/@47.65…> ). The purpose of the annual meeting is to cultivate community among students studying marine mammals by creating a relaxed atmosphere to share research ideas, tribulations, and triumphs. It is an opportunity to meet other students across the region, collaborate, and generally have a good time in a supportive and informal setting. *Schedule:* Saturday May 21st will involve a full day of student oral and poster presentations, followed by a group dinner. On Sunday May 22nd we will be offering a FREE behind the scenes tour of the marine mammal collection at the Burke Museum <http://www.burkemuseum.org/> on the UW campus. Follow along on the Facebook event page <https://www.facebook.com/events/1716450525237777/>. Limited housing with student hosts will be available on a first-come first-serve basis. Please indicate on your registration form if you would like to be considered for accommodations and contact us if you have any questions. Even if you are not presenting, we suggest registering by this Friday - housing requests will be accepted until Friday *April 22nd*. We look forward to seeing you in Seattle! Erica Escajeda (escajeda(a)uw.edu) and Jessie Hale (jrh33(a)uw.edu) NWSSMM 20th Annual Meeting Student Organizers

1 0

Stats course - Advancing in Statistics using R
by Oliver Hooker 18 Apr '16

18 Apr '16

Can you please post the following stats course aimed at biologists ot the marmam list please. Thank you in advance Oliver Hooker "Advancing in Statistical Modelling using R" Delivered by Dr. Luc Bussiere and Dr. Tom Houslay http://prstatistics.com/course/advancing-in-statistical-modelling-using-r-a… This course will run from 2nd – 6th May 2016 at Malhamtarn Field Station, North Yorkshire, England This is an introduction to model selection and simplification, mixed effects models, generalised linear models and non-linear models. The course is aimed at biologists with a basic to moderate knowledge in R. The course content is designed to bridge the gap between basic R coding and more advanced statistical modelling. This five day course will consist of series of modules, each lasting roughly half a day and comprised of lectures and practicals designed to either build required skills for future modules or to perform a family of analyses that is frequently encountered in the biological literature. Course content is as follows Day 1 Course introduction • Techniques for data manipulation, aggregation, and visualisation; introduction to linear regression. Packages: {tidyr}, {dplyr}, {ggplot2} Day 2 Linear models • Diagnostics, collinearity, scaling, plotting fitted values); fitting and interpreting interaction terms; model selection and simplification; general linear models and ANCOVA. Packages: {stats}, {car} Day 3 Generalized linear models • Logistic and Poisson regression; predicting using model objects and visualizing model fits. Packages: {broom}, {visreg}, {ggplot2} Day 4 Mixed effects models • Theory and practice of mixed effect models; visualising fixed and random effects. Packages: {lme4}, {broom}, {ggplot2}, {sjPlot} Day 5 Fitting nonlinear functions • Polynomial & Mechanistic models; brief introduction to more advanced topics & combining methods (e.g., generalised linear mixed effects, nonlinear mixed effects, and zero-inflated and zero-altered models). Packages: {nlsTools}. • Afternoon to discuss own data if time permits Please email any inquiries to oliverhooker(a)prstatistics.com or visit our website www.prstatistics.com Please feel free to distribute this material anywhere you feel is suitable Upcoming courses - email for details oliverhooker(a)prstatistics.com SPATIAL ANALYSIS OF ECOLOGIC AL DATA USING R (APRIL) TIMES SERIES DATA ANALYSIS FOR ECOLOGISTS AND CLIMATOLOGISTS (May) INTRODUCTION TO PYTHON FOR BIOLOGISTS (May) ADVANCES IN DNA TAXONOMY USING R (August) GENETIC DATA ANALYSIS USING R (August) INTRODUCTION TO BAYESIAN HIERARCHICAL MODELLING (August) MODEL BASED MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS OF ECOLOGICAL DATA USING R (October) LANDSCAPE (POPULATION) GENETIC DATA ANALYSIS USING R (October) APPLIED BAYESIAN MODELLING FOR ECOLOGISTS AND EPIDEMIOLOGISTS (October) Dates still to be confirmed - email for details oliverhooker(a)prstatistics.com STABLE ISOTOPE MIXING MODELS USING SIAR, SIBER AND MIXSIAR USING R INTRODUCTION TO R AND STATISTICS FOR BIOLOGISTS PHYLOGENETIC DATA ANALYSIS USING R BIOINFORMATICS FOR GENETICISTS AND BIOLOGISTS Oliver Hooker PR statistics 3/1 128 Brunswick Street Glasgow G1 1TF +44 (0) 7966500340 www.prstatistics.com www.prstatistics.com/organiser/oliver-hooker/

1 0