January 2018 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

River dolphin internships in the Brazilian Amazon
by Tony 08 Oct '19

08 Oct '19

RIVER DOLPHIN RESEARCH INTERNSHIPS IN BRAZIL STARTING SOON Once again, Projeto Boto is recruiting for 9-month internships in the Mamirauá Reserve, Amazon State, Brazil. We require fit, enthusiastic, hard-working fieldworkers who will carry forward our long-term study of botos (Amazon river dolphins). Due to close involvement with local communities, interns are required to have at least moderate Portuguese language skills, or to speak excellent Spanish, in addition to English. There can be no exceptions. In previous years we have received many applications from people who do not fulfil these language criteria, and this is counter-productive. Please only apply if you have the necessary skills. Projeto boto was established in 1994. To date it has hosted more than 60 interns of many different nationalities. The Project's objective is to conserve the boto, and the sympatric tucuxi, through research leading to greater understanding of the biology and ecology of these dolphins. In recent years we have also spent considerable time investigating the impacts of fisheries on these species, and especially a harpoon hunt, in which thousands of botos are killed each year for fish bait. We are seeking two people to commence work as soon as possible, and we would also like to hear from people available in mid-late 2016. Our work is centred on a floating lab/accommodation base, moored in the flooded forest. The research team comprises 3-5 people, who maintain daily observational boat-based research effort year-round. The basis of the work is the piecing together of the lives of over 600 individually recognisable dolphins, to provide publishable information on such diverse topics as growth, reproduction, habitat use, social system, seasonal movements, survival rates, causes of mortality etc. Interns are provided with free accommodation and food, and receive a small monthly stipend (approx $150 US). Transportation to the fieldsite (near the town of Tefé, Amazonas) from Manaus is provided, but interns must arrange and pay for their own transportation to Manaus. They must also have adequate medical insurance. Please do not apply unless you know that you can obtain the airfare to reach Manaus. All necessary training is provided on site. Internships offer the opportunity of a lifetime. They reward hard work and dedication with unique experiences and a chance to stand out from the crowd in subsequent applications for higher degrees and employment. Successful applicants will: be aged 21-35 speak at least moderate Portuguese or fluent Spanish, in addition to English be available for 9-12 months have completed a university degree, preferably in zoology or biology preferably have some fieldwork experience, especially in the use of photo-ID Applicants should please provide: Full CV, complete with age, nationality, linguistic skills, educational and fieldwork experience A letter explaining why you are prepared to dedicate 9 months of your life to this study. The names and email addresses of 3 referees who are familiar with you and your work. The date on which you would be available to start work in the Amazon. Send this information by email to both of the Project co-ordinators, Prof. Tony Martin (boto(a)live.co.uk) and Dr Vera da Silva (vmfdasilva(a)gmail.com) Closing date is 24 November 2015. Applications fulfilling the above criteria will be acknowledged within 4 days of the closing date, but there will be no further communication unless the applicant is short-listed. Short-listed applicants will be notified by 30 November latest.

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New publication: From the pool to the sea: Applicable isotope turnover rates and diet to skin discrimination factors for bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)
by Joan Giménez Verdugo 01 Mar '19

01 Mar '19

Dear all, We are pleased to announce the publication of the following paper in "Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology": Giménez, J., Ramírez, F., Almunia, J., Forero, M. G., de Stephanis, R. (2016) From the pool to the sea: Applicable isotope turnover rates and diet to skin discrimination factors for bottlenose dolphins (*Tursiops truncatus*). Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 475:54-61. *Abstract:*One of the most common applications in isotopic ecology is the assessment of animal's assimilated diet through mass-balance mixing models. Its applicability relies on the use of accurate diet to tissue discrimination factors and turnover rates, which are known to vary as a function of several factors including taxon or tissue type. To date, few studies have assessed isotopic discrimination factors and turnover rates in cetacean species under controlled conditions. Previous experimental studies focused on blood, a difficult sample to obtain in the wild, or on a more appropriate tissue, the skin, but assessed in short experimental trials without arriving to the isotopic equilibrium. We carried out the longest controlled feeding experiment available (350 days) in bottlenose dolphins (*Tursiops truncatus*) in order to assess discrimination factors and turnover rates in skin. Animals' isotopic composition was first stabilized by maintaining individuals under an isotopically constant diet during 172 days. Afterwards, diet was shifted and maintained during 178 days to calculate isotopic discrimination and turnover rates. Estimates for isotopic discrimination factors were 1.01 ± 0.37‰ (mean ± sd) for *δ*13C and 1.57 ± 0.52‰ for *δ*15N. Half-life turnover rates were estimated to be 24.16 ± 8.19 days for carbon and 47.63 ± 19 days for nitrogen. This is the first time that applicable values are available to assess the diet of free ranging small cetaceans through stable isotope mixing model analysis. You can download the paper in: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022098115300514 or visit my ResearchGate (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Joan_Gimenez2) Kind Regards, Joan Giménez -- *Joan Giménez Verdugo* *PhD Student* *Severo Ochoa* Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC) Department of Conservation Biology Americo Vespucio Ave, s/n 41092 Sevilla (Spain) www.ebd.csic.es --- Research Gate: Joan Giménez <https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Joan_Gimenez2> Phone: +34 619 176 849 ü Please consider the environment before printing this E-mail

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Volunteer Research Assistants/Interns - Summer 2017 Florida, USA and Bimini, The Bahamas
by Kelly Melillo Sweeting 25 Feb '19

25 Feb '19

Dolphin Communication Project (DCP) - Volunteer Research Assistants/Interns - Summer 2017 Florida, USA and Bimini, The Bahamas The Dolphin Communication Project (DCP, www.dolphincommunicationproject.org) is currently seeking two interns for the summer of 2017. These internships have field and office components, both of which are mandatory, and total 9-12 weeks, depending on DCP's schedule. DCP looks at how dolphins communicate and attempts to shed more light on the meaning of their interactions. With research ongoing since 1991, our questions focus primarily on communication and behavior among dolphins. Interns will spend the field portion of this internship at our Bimini, Bahamas, research site, where we study wild Atlantic spotted and bottlenose dolphins. An abbreviated publication list is available at the end of this post. Responsibilities In the field: --Travel to and assist for approximately 6 weeks at our Bimini research site (exact dates TBD, likely beginning in late, following the office component) --Assist gathering data (general observations, photographs) during 4-6 hour/day boat excursions (weather and schedule dependent) --Complete photo-identification of dolphins from still photography and video as well as other data entry and analysis tasks --Assist with on-board and outreach education as well as web-based projects --Represent DCP in an enthusiastic, responsible, mature and respectful manner At the office: --Travel to and assist for 4-5 weeks at our Port Saint Lucie, Florida (FL) office (exact dates TBD, likely prior to field component, beginning in late May) --Process and analyze data, including, but not limited to: photo-identification of individuals from other DCP research sites, event sampling from video data for behavioral analyses, and acoustic analysis of dolphin sounds --Assist in the development and implementation of education programs for schools and the general public, as needed Requirements Successful interns must have basic computer skills and working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Current enrollment in a degree-seeking program, background in science and/or animal behavior and experience on boats and/or with photo-identification are all desired, but not necessarily required. The successful candidates will be comfortable on a boat for several hours at a time in varying conditions, including extreme heat. They will also be proficient swimmers with the desire to improve snorkeling and free-diving skills. They will be able to work as a team both in a small office and in a fairly remote and isolated field setting. Good writing and public speaking skills are a must, as is attention to details. Interns must be at least 18 years of age. Although international applicants are invited to apply, all applicants should know that interns are responsible for their own daily transportation to/from the FL office and public transportation is limited in this area; therefore, all interns should have their own transportation while in FL. Expenses and Compensation This is an unpaid internship. Interns are responsible for their own transportation to Bimini and Florida. There is a $1,100.00 fee that will cover housing in the field (on-island transportation not needed). Room, board and transportation while in Florida are the responsibility of the intern. Although assistance in finding housing may be available, the ability to find suitable housing in Florida is ultimately the interns’ responsibility. We recommend all applicants complete a preliminary housing search in advance of submitting their applications. Interested applicants should review information at this link: http://dolphincommunicationproject.org/index.php/get-involved/internships. Please read this page thoroughly before applying or emailing questions . Send a completed application (downloadable and detailed at the link above) to kelly(a)dcpmail.org. Applications are due 28 February 2017. Due to field schedules, only electronic applications will be accepted. Interviews (via telephone or Skype) will be arranged for selected candidates in early March. For more information, please contact Kelly Melillo Sweeting at kelly(a)dcpmail.org. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Selected Refereed Publications: (for a full list of publications by DCP researchers, please visit: http://www.dolphincommunicationproject.org/index.php/about-dolphins/scienti…) Dudzinski, K.M., Clark, C.W., Würsig, B. 1995. A mobile video/acoustic system for simultaneously recording dolphin behavior and vocalizations underwater. Aquatic Mammals 21(3): 187-193. Dudzinski, K.M. 1998. Contact behavior and signal exchange among Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis). Aquatic Mammals 24(3): 129-142. Dudzinski, K.M., M. Sakai, M., Masaki, K., Kogi, K., Hishii, T., Kurimoto, M. 2003. Behavioral observations of adult and sub-adult dolphins towards two dead bottlenose dolphins (one female and one male). Aquatic Mammals 29(1): 108-116. Gregg, J.D., Dudzinski, K.M., Smith, H.V. 2007. Do dolphins eavesdrop on the echolocation signals of conspecifics? International Journal of Comparative Psychology, 20: 65-88 Dudzinski, K.M., Thomas, J. Gregg, J.D. 2008. Communication. In (W.F. Perrin, B. Würsig, H.C.M. Thewissen, eds) Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals, second edition. Academic Press, Inc. Melillo, K.E., Dudzinski, K.M., Cornick, L.A. 2009. Interactions between Atlantic spotted (Stenella frontalis) and bottlenose (Tursiops truncatus) dolphins off Bimini, The Bahamas, 2003-2007. Aquatic Mammals, 35:281-291 Dudzinski, K.M., Gregg, J.D., Paulos, R.D., Kuczaj, S.A. 2010. A comparison of pectoral fin contact behaviour for three distinct dolphin populations. Behavioural Processes, 84: 559-567. Greene, W., Melillo-Sweeting, K., Dudzinski, K. 2011. Comparing object play in captive and wild dolphins. International Journal of Comparative Psychology 24(3):292-306. Dudzinski, KM, Gregg, JD, Melillo-Sweeting, K, Levengood, A, Seay, B., Kuczaj II, SA. 2012. Tactile contact exchanges between dolphins: self-rubbing versus inter-individual contact in three species from three geographies. International Journal of Comparative Psychology 25:21-43. Dudzinski, KM, Danaher-Garcia, N, Gregg, JD. 2013. Pectoral fin contact between dolphin dyads at Zoo Duisburg, with comparison to other dolphin study populations. Aquatic Mammals. 39(4): 335-343. Melillo-Sweeting, K, Turnbull, S and Guttridge, T. 2014. Evidence of shark attacks on Atlantic spotted (Stenella frontalis) and bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) off Bimini, The Bahamas. Marine Mammal Science. DOI: 10.1111/mms.12082 Melillo-Sweeting, K., Yeater, D., Dudzinski, KM. 2015. Dolphin sightings near the coast of Bimini, The Bahamas, 2003 – 2013. Aquatic Mammals 41.3: 245-251. DOI: 10.1578/AM.41.3.2015.245. _______________________________ Kelly Melillo Sweeting Bimini Research Manager Dolphin Communication Project www.dolphincommunicationproject.org

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Effects of Noise on Aquatic Life 2019 conference announcement
by Christine Erbe 04 Feb '19

04 Feb '19

Dear Colleagues, We are pleased to announce the Fifth International Conference on the Effects of Noise on Aquatic Life (AN2019), which will take place during the week of 7-12 July, 2019, in Den Haag, The Netherlands. The conference will follow from, and build upon, the earlier meetings, the most recent of which took place in Dublin in 2016. We are very excited about the location and the venue. The meeting will be held at the Grand Hotel Kurhaus of Scheveningen, a building dating back to 1884. The hotel presents itself with grandeur and flair. It is right at the sea with a wonderful beach. The boardwalk features numerous restaurants and cafes. The venue is easily reached from Amsterdam. It provides exceptional accommodation, meeting rooms, and places for informal discussions. At this point we are in the early planning stages and it will be very helpful for us to have some sense of interest in the meeting from potential participants. Therefore, we have set up a short online survey to get your thoughts on the meeting and to keep a list of interested participants so that we can keep you informed of major progress in planning. In addition, please share the link with others who might be interested in attending the meeting: https://goo.gl/xY6BKr <https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/rNKaBXU9D2o6Uz?domain=goo.gl> We have also begun to develop the conference website: http://www.an-2019.org <http://www.an-2019.org/> Please visit the web site regularly so you will be aware of important information about the meeting. Also, both Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/AquaticNoise2019/ <https://www.facebook.com/AquaticNoise2019/>) and Twitter (@AquaticNoise) have been set up, so please follow us for updates. Over the coming months, we will set up our Technical Advisory Board, raise funds, and develop a tentative program. We will be announcing calls for papers as well as how to sign up to attend the meeting and make hotel reservations. We are hoping to have sufficient funding to provide some support to students and younger colleagues, and so if anyone knows of (or controls) funding opportunities please contact Christine Erbe or Joe Sisneros. Stay tuned and we’re looking forward to welcoming you to another outstanding meeting on the Effects of Noise on Aquatic Life in July, 2019. And, of course, if you have any questions and/or suggestions about AN2019, please contact any of the organizers. Christine Erbe, c.erbe(a)curtin.edu.au Tony Hawkins, a.hawkins(a)btconnect.com Paul Lepper, P.A.Lepper(a)lboro.ac.uk Art Popper, apopper(a)umd.edu Joe Sisneros, sisneros(a)uw.edu Frank Thomsen, frth(a)dhigroup.com

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New publication in JASA: Finding temporal patterns in harbor seals' vocalizations
by Andrea Ravignani 31 Jan '18

31 Jan '18

Dear colleagues, JASA just published my Letter to the editor. It contains a few mathematical and conceptual perspectives on rhythmic structure in harbor seals’ vocalisations, and pinnipeds more in general. The article can be found here: http://asa.scitation.org/doi/full/10.1121/1.5021770 . If you would like to obtain a PDF, do not hesitate to contact me at: andrea.ravignani(a)gmail.com . Kind regards, Andrea Ravignani, A. (2018). Comment on “Temporal and spatial variation in harbor seal (Phoca vitulina L.) roar calls from southern Scandinavia” [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 141, 1824-1834 (2017)]. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. 143(1):504-508. Abstract. In their recent article, Sabinsky and colleagues investigated heterogeneity in harbor seals' vocalizations. The authors found seasonal and geographical variation in acoustic parameters, warning readers that recording conditions might account for some of their results. This paper expands on the temporal aspect of the encountered heterogeneity in harbor seals' vocalizations. Temporal information is the least susceptible to variable recording conditions. Hence geographical and seasonal variability in roar timing constitutes the most robust finding in the target article. In pinnipeds, evidence of timing and rhythm in the millisecond range—as opposed to circadian and seasonal rhythms—has theoretical and interdisciplinary relevance. In fact, the study of rhythm and timing in harbor seals is particularly decisive to support or confute a cross-species hypothesis, causally linking the evolution of vocal production learning and rhythm. The results by Sabinsky and colleagues can shed light on current scientific questions beyond pinniped bioacoustics, and help formulate empirically testable predictions. Andrea Ravignani Research Dpt., Sealcentre Pieterburen AI-Lab, Vrije Universiteit Brussel ravignani.wordpress.com

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Re: [MARMAM] New publication from Tift et al. for MARMAM community
by Michael Tift 30 Jan '18

30 Jan '18

We are pleased to announce the publication of the following paper in the current issue of Journal of Experimental Biology: Tift MS, Huckstadt LA, Ponganis PJ. 2018. Anterior vena caval oxygen profiles in a deep-diving California sea lion: arteriovenous shunts, a central venous oxygen store and oxygenation during lung collapse. *Journal of Experimental Biology* 221: jeb163428 URL: *http://jeb.biologists.org/content/221/1/jeb163428 <http://jeb.biologists.org/content/221/1/jeb163428>* Abstract: Deep-diving California sea lions (*Zalophus californianus*) can maintain arterial hemoglobin saturation (*S*O2) above 90% despite lung collapse (lack of gas exchange) and extremely low posterior vena caval *S*O2 in the middle of the dive. We investigated anterior vena caval *P*O2 and *S*O2 during dives of an adult female sea lion to investigate two hypotheses: (1) posterior vena caval *S*O2 is not representative of the entire venous oxygen store and (2) a well-oxygenated (arterialized) central venous oxygen reservoir might account for maintenance of arterial *S*O2 during lung collapse. During deep dives, initial anterior vena caval *S*O2 was elevated at 83.6±8.4% (*n*=102), presumably owing to arteriovenous shunting. It remained high until the bottom phase of the dive and then decreased during ascent, whereas previously determined posterior vena caval *S*O2 declined during descent and then often increased during ascent. These divergent patterns confirmed that posterior vena caval *S*O2 was not representative of the entire venous oxygen store. Prior to and early during descent of deep dives, the high *S*O2 values of both the anterior and posterior venae cavae may enhance arterialization of a central venous oxygen store. However, anterior vena caval *S*O2 values at depths beyond lung collapse reached levels as low as 40%, making it unlikely that even a completely arterialized central venous oxygen store could account for maintenance of high arterial *S*O2. These findings suggest that maintenance of high arterial *S*O2 during deep dives is due to persistence of some gas exchange at depths beyond presumed lung collapse. Please email me (mtift(a)ucsd.edu) if you would like a PDF copy of the paper. Best regards, *Michael S. Tift, PhD |**mtift(a)ucsd.edu <mtift(a)ucsd.edu>* Postdoctoral Fellow UC San Diego School of Medicine Division of Physiology ------------------- University of California San Diego *9500 Gilman Drive <https://maps.google.com/?q=9500+Gilman+Drive&entry=gmail&source=g>: Medical Teaching Facility* *Mail Code 0623A* La Jolla, CA 92093-0623 USA Phone: 858 534 4190 <(858)%20534-4190> Website <http://michaeltift.weebly.com/> ResearchGate Profile <https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Michael_Tift> Google Scholar Profile <https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=8iOn3l4AAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao>

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New Publication: Humpback Whales as Sentinels of the Antarctic Sea-ice Ecosystem
by Susan Bengtson Nash 30 Jan '18

30 Jan '18

Dear MARMAM Subscribers, The *SOPOPP* team are pleased to announce the following *Global Change Biology* publication Bengtson Nash, S., J. Castrillon, P. Eisenmann, B. Fry, J. Shuker, R. Cropp, A. Dawson, A. Bignert, P. Bohlin-Nizzetto, C. A. Waugh, B. Polkinghorne, G. Dalle Luche and D. McLagan (2017). "*Signals from the South; Humpback Whales Carry Messages of Antarctic Sea-ice Ecosystem Variability*" Global *Change Biology* The Article is available via Early View at: *http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcb.14035/full <http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcb.14035/full>* *Abstract * Southern hemisphere humpback whales (*Megaptera novaeangliae*) rely on summer prey abundance of Antarctic krill (*Euphausia superba*) to fuel one of the longest-known mammalian migrations on the planet. It is hypothesized that this species, already adapted to endure metabolic extremes, will be one of the first Antarctic consumers to show measurable physiological change in response to fluctuating prey availability in a changing climate; and as such, a powerful sentinel candidate for the Antarctic sea-ice ecosystem. Here, we targeted the sentinel parameters of humpback whale adiposity and diet, using novel, as well as established, chemical and biochemical markers, and assembled a time trend spanning 8 years. We show the synchronous, inter-annual oscillation of two measures of humpback whale adiposity with Southern Ocean environmental variables and climate indices. Furthermore, bulk stable isotope signatures provide clear indication of dietary compensation strategies, or a lower trophic level isotopic change, following years indicated as leaner years for the whales. The observed synchronicity of humpback whale adiposity and dietary markers, with climate patterns in the Southern Ocean, lends strength to the role of humpback whales as powerful Antarctic sea-ice ecosystem sentinels. The work carries significant potential to reform current ecosystem surveillance in the Antarctic region. If you have any questions, or have trouble downloading the publication, please email *s.bengtsonnash(a)griffith.edu.au <s.bengtsonnash(a)griffith.edu.au>* Kind regards, -- *Associate Professor Susan Bengtson Nash* Program Director *Southern Ocean Persistent Organic Pollutants Program (SOPOPP)* Environmental Futures Research Institute (EFRI), Griffith University, Nathan Campus. 170 Kessels Road, Nathan QLD 4111 Australia. *Email*: s.bengtsonnash(a)griffith.edu.au *Phone*: +61 (0)7 3735 5062 *Mobile*: +61 (0)437 888 711 *Twitter: *@Antarctica_POPs; *Skype:* s.bengtsonnash; *Website*: http://www.griffith.edu.au/environment-planning-architecture/southern-ocean…

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EcologicalNicheModellingUsingR_ NeftaliSillero_UK_16-20October
by Oliver Hooker 29 Jan '18

29 Jan '18

Ecological niche modelling using R (ENMR02) Delivered by Dr. Neftali Sillero http://www.prstatistics.com/course/ecological-niche-modelling-using-r-enmr0… This course will run from 12th – 16th March 2018 at SCENE field station, Loch Lomond national park, Scotland The course will cover the base theory of ecological niche modelling and its main methodologies. By the end of this 5-day practical course, attendees will have the capacity to perform ecological niche models and understand their results, as well as to choose and apply the correct methodology depending on the aim of their type of study and data making this course highly relevant to people studying the distribution of marine mammals. Ecological niche, species distribution, habitat distribution, or climatic envelope models are different names for similar mechanistic or correlative models, empirical or mathematical approaches to the ecological niche of a species, where different types of ecogeographical variables (environmental, topographical, human) are related with a species physiological data or geographical locations, in order to identify the factors limiting and defining the species' niche. ENMs have become popular due to the need for efficiency in the design and implementation of conservation management. The course will be mainly practical, with some theoretical lectures. All modelling processes and calculations will be performed with R, the free software environment for statistical computing and graphics (http://www.r-project.org/) Attendees will learn to use modelling algorithms like Maxent, Bioclim, Domain, and logistic regressions, and R packages for computing ENMs like Dismo and Biomod2. Also, students will learn to compare different ecological niche models using the Ecospat package. Course content is as follows Monday 12th Elementary concepts on Ecological Niche Modelling Module 1: Introduction to ENM theory. Definition of ecological niche model; introduction to species ecological niche theory, types of ecological niches, types of ENM, diagram BAM, ENMs as approximations to species’ niches. Module 2: Problems and limitations on ENM. Assumptions and uncertainties, equilibrium concept, niche conservatism, autocorrelation and intensity, sample size, correlation of environmental variables, size and form of study area, thresholds, model validation, model projections. Module 3: Methods on ENM. Mechanistic and correlative models. Overlap Analysis, Biomod, Domain, Habitat, Distance of Mahalanobis, ENFA, GARP, Maxent, Logistic regression, Generalised Linear Models, Generalised Additive Models, Generalised Boosted Regression Models, Random Forest, Support Vector Machines, Artificial Neural Network. Module 4: Conceptual and practice steps to calculate ENM. How to make an ENM step-by-step. Module 5: Applications of ENM. Ecological niche identification, Identification of contact zones, Integration with genetical data, Species expansions, Species invasions, Dispersion hypotheses, Species conservation status, Prediction of future conservation problems, Projection to future and past climate change scenarios, Modelling past species, Modelling species richness, Road-kills, Diseases, Windmills, Location of protected areas. Tuesday 13th Prepare environmental variables and run ecological niche models with dismo package. Module 6: Preparing variables. Choosing environmental data sources, Downloading variables, Clipping variables, Aggregating variables, Checking pixel size, Checking raster limits, Checking NoData, Correlating variables. Module 7: Dismo practice. How to run an ENM using the R package dismo. Wednesday 14th Run ecological niche models with Biomod2 package and Maxent. Module 8: Biomod2 practice. How to run an ENM using the R package Biomod2. Module 9: Maxent practice. How to run an ENM using the R packages dismo and Biomod2 as well as Maxent software. Thursday 15th Compare ecological niche models with ecospat. Module 10: Ecospat practice. Compare statistically two different ecological niche models using the R package Ecospat. Module 11: Students’ talks. Attendees will have the opportunity to present their own data and analyse which is the best way to successfully obtain an ENM. Friday 26th Run ecological niche models with your own data. Module 12: Final practical. In this practical, the students will run ENM with their own data or with a new dataset, applying all the methods showed during the previous days. 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 Our other courses -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. January 29th – February 2nd 2018 INTRODUCTION TO BAYESIAN HIERARCHICAL MODELLING (IBHM02) SCENE, Scotland, Dr. Andrew Parnell http://www.prstatistics.com/course/introduction-to-bayesian-hierarchical-mo… 2. January 29th – February 2nd 2018 PHYLOGENETIC DATA ANALYSIS USING R (PHYL02) SCENE, Scotland, Dr. Emmanuel Paradis https://www.prstatistics.com/course/introduction-to-phylogenetic-analysis-w… -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. February 19th – 23rd 2018 MOVEMENT ECOLOGY (MOVE01) Margam Discovery Centre, Wales, Dr Luca Borger, Dr Ronny Wilson, Dr Jonathan Potts https://www.prstatistics.com/course/movement-ecology-move01/ 4. February 19th – 23rd 2018 GEOMETRIC MORPHOMETRICS USING R (GMMR01) Margam Discovery Centre, Wales, Prof. Dean Adams, Prof. Michael Collyer, Dr. Antigoni Kaliontzopoulou http://www.prstatistics.com/course/geometric-morphometrics-using-r-gmmr01/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. March 5th - 9th 2018 SPATIAL PRIORITIZATION USING MARXAN (MRXN01) Margam Discovery Centre, Wales, Jennifer McGowan https://www.prstatistics.com/course/introduction-to-marxan-mrxn01/ 6. March 12th - 16th 2018 ECOLOGICAL NICHE MODELLING USING R (ENMR02) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Neftali Sillero http://www.prstatistics.com/course/ecological-niche-modelling-using-r-enmr0… 7. March 19th – 23rd 2018 BEHAVIOURAL DATA ANALYSIS USING MAXIMUM LIKLIHOOD IN R (BDML01) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr William Hoppitt http://www.psstatistics.com/course/behavioural-data-analysis-using-maximum-… -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8. April 9th – 13th 2018 NETWORK ANAYLSIS FOR ECOLOGISTS USING R (NTWA02 Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Marco Scotti https://www.prstatistics.com/course/network-analysis-ecologists-ntwa02/ 9. April 16th – 20th 2018 INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICAL MODELLING FOR PSYCHOLOGISTS USING R (IPSY01) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Dale Barr, Dr Luc Bussierre http://www.psstatistics.com/course/introduction-to-statistics-using-r-for-p… 10. April 23rd – 27th 2018 MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS OF ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITIES USING THE VEGAN PACKAGE (VGNR01) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Peter Solymos, Dr. Guillaume Blanchet https://www.prstatistics.com/course/multivariate-analysis-of-ecological-com… 11. April 30th – 4th May 2018 QUANTITATIVE GEOGRAPHIC ECOLOGY: MODELING GENOMES, NICHES, AND COMMUNITIES (QGER01) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Dan Warren, Dr. Matt Fitzpatrick https://www.prstatistics.com/course/quantitative-geographic-ecology-using-r… -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12. May 7th – 11th 2018 ADVANCES IN MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS OF SPATIAL ECOLOGICAL DATA USING R (MVSP02) CANADA (QUEBEC), Prof. Pierre Legendre, Dr. Guillaume Blanchet https://www.prstatistics.com/course/advances-in-spatial-analysis-of-multiva… 13. May 14th - 18th 2018 INTRODUCTION TO MIXED (HIERARCHICAL) MODELS FOR BIOLOGISTS (IMBR01) CANADA (QUEBEC), Prof Subhash Lele https://www.prstatistics.com/course/introduction-to-mixed-hierarchical-mode… 14. May 21st - 25th 2018 INTRODUCTION TO PYTHON FOR BIOLOGISTS (IPYB05) SCENE, Scotland, Dr. Martin Jones http://www.prinformatics.com/course/introduction-to-python-for-biologists-i… 15. May 21st - 25th 2018 INTRODUCTION TO REMOTE SENISNG AND GIS FOR ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS (IRMS01) Glasgow, Scotland, Prof. Duccio Rocchini, Dr. Luca Delucchi https://www.prinformatics.com/course/introduction-to-remote-sensing-and-gis… 16. May 28th – 31st 2018 STABLE ISOTOPE MIXING MODELS USING SIAR, SIBER AND MIXSIAR (SIMM04) CANADA (QUEBEC) Dr. Andrew Parnell, Dr. Andrew Jackson https://www.prstatistics.com/course/stable-isotope-mixing-models-using-r-si… 17. May 28th – June 1st 2018 ADVANCED PYTHON FOR BIOLOGISTS (APYB02) SCENE, Scotland, Dr. Martin Jones https://www.prinformatics.com/course/advanced-python-biologists-apyb02/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18. June 12th - 15th 2018 SPECIES DISTRIBUTION MODELLING (DBMR01) Myuna Bay sport and recreation, Australia, TBC https://www.prstatistics.com/course/species-distribution-models-using-r-sdm… 19. June 18th – 22nd 2018 STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELLING FOR ECOLOGISTS AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGISTS USING R (SEMR02) Myuna Bay sport and recreation, Australia, TBC https://www.prstatistics.com/course/structural-equation-modelling-for-ecolo… -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20. July 2nd - 5th 2018 SOCIAL NETWORK ANALYSIS FOR BEHAVIOURAL SCIENTISTS USING R (SNAR01) Glasgow, Scotland, Prof James Curley http://www.psstatistics.com/course/social-network-analysis-for-behavioral-s… 21. July 8th – 12th 2018 MODEL BASE MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS OF ABUNDANCE DATA USING R (MBMV02) Glasgow, Scotland, Prof David Warton https://www.prstatistics.com/course/model-base-multivariate-analysis-of-abu… 22. July 16th – 20th 2018 PRECISION MEDICINE BIOINFORMATICS: FROM RAW GENOME AND TRANSCRIPTOME DATA TO CLINICAL INTERPRETATION (PMBI01) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr Malachi Griffith, Dr. Obi Griffith https://www.prinformatics.com/course/precision-medicine-bioinformatics-from… 23. July 23rd – 27th 2018 EUKARYOTIC METABARCODING (EUKB01) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Owen Wangensteen http://www.prinformatics.com/course/eukaryotic-metabarcoding-eukb01/ Oliver Hooker PhD. PR statistics 2017 publications - Ecosystem size predicts eco-morphological variability in post-glacial diversification. Ecology and Evolution. In press. The physiological costs of prey switching reinforce foraging specialization. Journal of animal ecology. prstatistics.com facebook.com/prstatistics/ twitter.com/PRstatistics groups.google.com/d/forum/pr-statistics-post-course-forum prstatistics.com/organiser/oliver-hooker/ 3/1, 128 Brunswick Street Glasgow G1 1TF +44 (0) 7966500340 -- Oliver Hooker PhD. PR statistics 2017 publications - Ecosystem size predicts eco-morphological variability in post-glacial diversification. Ecology and Evolution. In press. The physiological costs of prey switching reinforce foraging specialization. Journal of animal ecology. prstatistics.com facebook.com/prstatistics/ twitter.com/PRstatistics groups.google.com/d/forum/pr-statistics-post-course-forum prstatistics.com/organiser/oliver-hooker/ 6 Hope Park Crescent Edinburgh EH8 9NA +44 (0) 7966500340

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Marine Education Summer Internship - Center for Coastal Studies, Provincetown, MA USA
by Stephanie Richardson 29 Jan '18

29 Jan '18

*Summer 2018 Internship Opportunity* The Center for Coastal Studies is a non-profit organization dedicated to conducting scientific research with emphasis on marine mammals of the western North Atlantic and on the coastal and marine habitats and resources of the Gulf of Maine. CCS has been conducting research and marine and coastal educational programs on Cape Cod for 42 years. *Education Responsibilities*- Intern will assist with environmental education programs, including on-site programs, off-site programs, and festivals, including CCS’s signature summer week of events: Whale Week: A Celebration of the Sea, and Whale Camp. Interns will assist in staffing the Center’s Hiebert Marine Science Hall; designing and delivering presentations, answering questions about CCS, marine mammals and ocean conservation issues, and other general duties. Interns must have their own transportation, and housing is not provided. A small stipend is provided. *Qualifications-* - The internship is open to students who are currently enrolled in, or recently graduated from an accredited college or university. - Preference will be given to students or recent graduates working towards environmental studies, education, marine science, biology or other related fields. - Intern should demonstrate strong written and verbal communication skills. - Intern should be a self-starter able to take responsibility for completing projects. - Students that are adaptable, responsible, hard working, willing to learn, and have attention to detail are encouraged to apply. - Must be able to work independently and as part of a team. - Must be comfortable working with all ages. - Must be comfortable working outside in all conditions. - Must be comfortable working with and handling marine species. - Interns must be able to commit to at least two-three months; preferred start date-end date mid June to mid August, but dates are flexible based on school schedules. - Interns must work a minimum of 20 hours per week. - Schedule is flexible but intern may have to work some weekends and evenings. - Preference will be given to students with secured housing on Cape Cod. To Apply- Send your resume, cover letter, and one letter of reference to Stephanie Richardson at srichardson(a)coastalstudies.org or 5 Holway Ave, Provincetown, Massachusetts 02657. Applications must be received by March 16, 2018.

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Research expedition opportunity on R/V Song of the Whale from the Falkland Islands to Portugal, spring 2018
by Anna Moscrop 29 Jan '18

29 Jan '18

Dear Marmam subscribers, Marine Conservation Research are offering an exciting opportunity for participants to join the Song of the Whale team on a marine research expedition, sailing on R/V Song of the Whale from the Falkland Islands via Uruguay, Brazil and the Azores to Portugal, departing in early March 2018. This is an 8-9 week voyage. The team will be undertaking visual and passive acoustic surveys for cetaceans, to contribute to ongoing conservation focused research on the presence and distribution of various species, as well as marine plastics trawls and other studies which are part of ongoing marine conservation projects being undertaken by the SOTW team and collaborators. Participants who joined the team for the trip south to the Falklands at the end of last year had a fantastic trip, combining exciting offshore sailing, port stops in remote locations, with a wide range of cetacean sightings and detections, from southern right whale, sperm and humpbacks, to rough toothed and southern right whale dolphins. It was described as 'the trip of a life time'. To read the teams blogs from the last voyage, see http://www.marineconservationresearch.co.uk/expeditions/uk-to-falkland-blogs -201718/ For further information about the forthcoming expedition, see http://www.marineconservationresearch.co.uk/expeditions/falkland-islands-to- portugal-via-the-azores-expedition-spring-2018/ Several berths are still available for people interested in joining the team for this voyage; Please contact <mailto:MCRinfo@mcr-team.org> MCRinfo(a)mcr-team.org for further details. Thanks and best wishes, Anna Anna Moscrop Song of the Whale team Marine Conservation Research International t. +44 1376 573071 m. +44 7801 613 539 e. amoscrop(a)mcr-team.org www.marineconservationresearch.org

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