December 2018 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

NMMF Conservation Medicine Team Internship
by Todd Speakman 14 Dec '18

14 Dec '18

The National Marine Mammal Foundation (NMMF) is offering an internship opportunity to train with our Charleston, South Carolina field team in conducting bottlenose dolphin studies along the South Carolina and Georgia coasts. The internship will involve a commitment of 20-30 hours per week on average extending over a 15-week period. The anticipated start date is February 4, 2019, but we have some flexibility in the start date. Duties will include participation as a member of the field team for boat-based surveys, data entry, and photo-analysis using finFindR and FinBase software. Some regional travel (within driving distance) may be required. The internship offers an excellent opportunity for qualified and motivated individuals to obtain training in photo-ID field and laboratory methods under the mentorship of experienced dolphin researchers. NMMF will provide a $3000 stipend for the duration of the internship. The intern will be responsible for their own living expenses and transportation to/from the NMMF office. Any required travel outside of the Charleston area will be covered by the NMMF. Ideal applicants will be advanced undergraduates or recent graduates of a scientifically-oriented university program in marine science, biology, or a related field. Preference will be given to applicants with well-developed computer skills and boat-based field experience. Once you apply through the NMMF website, please submit a letter of interest, transcripts of university coursework, and two letters of recommendation from professors or research supervisors who are familiar with the applicant’s scholarship, research skills, and work habits relevant to the internship to hr(a)nmmf.org. We anticipate filling this internship position by January, 11, 2019. -- Todd Speakman Biologist, Conservation Medicine National Marine Mammal Foundation 3419 Maybank Highway, Ste B Charleston, SC 29455 Ph/ 843.822.3287

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MEER practical course in cetacean research on La Gomera/Canary Islands
by Fabian Ritter; MEER e.V. 14 Dec '18

14 Dec '18

Dear Fellow Marmamers! The non-profit association M.E.E.R. announces it's next field course in behavioural biology in the Canary Islands: "Field research of the project M.E.E.R. La Gomera" from 30 March - 13 April 2019 The project M.E.E.R. La Gomera is conducting a study on the interactions between cetaceans and whale watching boats since many years. The participants of these 2-weeks practical courses will get an insight into the behavioural research conducted from whale watching boats operating off the island of La Gomera. In this area, 23 cetaceans species could be identified during the last years, representing one of the highest known species diversities in the world. A link to the list of publications that resulted from this project is given below. The course includes a full training program: theory and practice of behavioural research will be learned and profound background information on whale watching will be given. Research experience that will be gained includes sighting data recording, behavioural sampling, photo identification, data handling and more. Moreover, the research is embedded in conservation efforts aiming at the preservation and promotion of whale watching as a sustainable use of cetaceans and the establishment of an ecosystem-based marine sanctuary in the waters off La Gomera. M.E.E.R. La Gomera was honoured in 2001 with the international environmental award "Tourismus und Umwelt" by the German Association of Travel Agencies and Travel Operators (DRV). As was said during the bestowal, the project "realises new ways of co-operation of research and tourism in an exemplary and innovative way". For further information (including downloads of a detailed brochure and a booking form) please visit http://m-e-e-r.de/experience-dolphins/?lang=en http://m-e-e-r.de/experience-dolphins/practical-courses/?lang=en The price is 999.- Euro (949,- reduced; 1049.- solidary) including 7 whale watching research excursions, accommodation, full training program, scientific supervision, donation to M.E.E.R. e.V., written working material, certificate of attendance and one year M.E.E.R. e.V. membership. The journey to and from La Gomera is not included in the price. For further information, booking, or any questions please send an e-mail to info(a)m-e-e-r.de Please find a list and downloads of publications in conjunction with the work of the project M.E.E.R. La Gomera here: http://m-e-e-r.de/publications/?lang=en ********************************************************** Best greetings, Fabian Ritter M.E.E.R. e.V. Bundesallee 123, 12161 Berlin info(a)m-e-e-r.de, +49-30-644 97 230 www.m-e-e-r.de www.facebook.com/meer.ev _____________________________________________ The non-profit association M.E.E.R. is registred and based in Berlin. The objectives of the association are conservation, research and education in order to protect cetaceans in their natural habitats. Our work aims at increasing the public awareness for the oceans and to present ways how humans can deal with nature in a responsible way. Our co-operation partners are the "Gesellschaft zur Rettung der Delphine" (Munich/Germany), and "Oceano La Gomera" (whale watching operator/La Gomera).

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MMO/PSO Job application
by PAMOS 14 Dec '18

14 Dec '18

Dear MarMam'ers We are pleased to announce an opportunity for a MMO/PSO job application. The requirements are: Conversational Spanish Previous Experience HSE and Medical certifications up to date Full availability January to February 2019 If you are interested and fill all these requirements, please send your CV to jessica(a)pamos.ca -- Jessica Fisher, PAMOS Business Manager | Underwater Acoustics Consultancy | website: pamos.ca | email: jessica(a)pamos.ca

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New publication: Broad-scale study of the seasonal and geographic occurrence of blue and fin whales in the Southern Indian Ocean.
by Emmanuelle Leroy 13 Dec '18

13 Dec '18

Dear MARMAMers, On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to announce the publication of our last paper entitled “Broad-scale study of the seasonal and geographic occurrence of blue and fin whales in the Southern Indian Ocean.” Leroy EC, Samaran F, Stafford KM, Bonnel J, Royer JY (2018) Broad-scale study of the seasonal and geographic occurrence of blue and fin whales in the Southern Indian Ocean. Endang Species Res 37:289-300. ABSTRACT: The southern Indian Ocean is believed to be a natural territory for blue and fin whales. However, decades after commercial and illegal whaling decimated these populations, little is known about their current status, seasonal habitat or movements. Recent passive acoustic studies have described the presence of 4 acoustic populations of blue whales (Antarctic and 3 ‘pygmy’ types), but are generally limited temporally and geographically. Here, we examine up to 7 yr of continuous acoustic recordings (2010-2016) from a hydrophone network of 6 widely spaced sites in the southern Indian Ocean, looking for the presence of Antarctic and pygmy blue and fin whales. Power spectral density analyses of characteristic and distinct frequency bands of these species show seasonal and geographic differences among the different populations, and the overall patterns for each display interannual consistencies in timing and occurrence. Antarctic blue and fin whales are recorded across the hydrophone network, mainly from austral autumn to spring, with peak intensity in winter. Pygmy blue whales show spatial variation: Madagascan pygmy blue whales are mainly present in the west of the network, while the Australian call type is heard at the eastern sites. Both populations share a common seasonality, with a presence from January to June. Finally, the Sri Lankan call type is recorded only on a single site in the northeast. These results confirm the importance of the southern Indian Ocean for several populations of endangered large whales and present the first long-term assessment of fin whales in the southern Indian Ocean. This paper is available in open access : https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00927 <https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00927%0a> Alternatively e-mail me for a PDF copy, queries or comments: emmanuelle.leroy(a)unsw.edu.au<mailto:emmanuelle.leroy@unsw.edu.au> Best regards, Emmanuelle Emmanuelle LEROY -- Research Fellow MammalLab -- School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences University of New South Wales -- 2052 -- Australia emmanuelle.leroy(a)unsw.edu.au<mailto:emmanuelle.leroy@unsw.edu.au>

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Advancing in statistical modelling using R (ADVR08)
by Oliver Hooker 13 Dec '18

13 Dec '18

Advancing in statistical modelling for evolutionary biologists and ecologists using R (ADVR08) https://www.prstatistics.com/course/advancing-statistical-modelling-using-r… This course will be delivered by Dr. Luc Bussiere from the 21st - 25th January 2019 in Glasgow City Centre Course Overview: This course will provide an introduction to working with real-life data typical of those encountered in the field of biology and ecology making it highly relvant to resesartchers in the filed of marine mammal ecology. This five day course will consist of series of modules (each lasting roughly half a day) covering model selection and simplification, generalised linear models, mixed effects models, and non-linear models. Along the way you will gain in depth experience in data ‘wrangling’, data and model visualisation and plotting, as well as exploring and understanding model diagnostics. Classes will comprises of a mixture 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 Programme Monday 21st – Classes from 09:30 to 17:30 Course introduction; techniques for data manipulation, aggregation, and visualisation; introduction to linear regression. Packages: {tidyr}, {dplyr}, {ggplot2} Tuesday 22nd – Classes from 09:30 to 17:30 Linear models (diagnostics, collinearity, scaling, plotting fitted values); fitting and interpreting interaction terms; model selection and simplication; general linear models and ANCOVA. Packages: {stats}, {car} Wednesday 23rd – Classes from 09:30 to 17:30 Generalized linear models (logistic and Poisson regression); predicting using model objects and visualizing model fits. Packages: {broom}, {visreg}, {ggplot2} Thursday 24th – Classes from 09:30 to 17:30 Mixed effects models in theory and practice; visualising fixed and random effects. Packages: {lme4}, {broom}, {ggplot2}, {sjPlot} Friday 85th – Classes from 09:30 to 16:00 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} Email oliverhooker(a)psstatistics.com Check out our sister sites, www.PRstatistics.com (Ecology and Life Sciences) www.PRinformatics.com (Bioinformatics and data science) www.PSstatistics.com (Behaviour and cognition) 1. January 21st – 25th 2019 STATISTICAL MODELLING OF TIME-TO-EVENT DATA USING SURVIVAL ANALYSIS: AN INTRODUCTION FOR ANIMAL BEHAVIOURISTS, ECOLOGISTS AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGISTS (TTED01) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Will Hoppitt https://www.psstatistics.com/course/statistical-modelling-of-time-to-event-… 2. January 21st – 25th 2019 ADVANCING IN STATISTICAL MODELLING USING R (ADVR08) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Luc Bussiere, Dr. Tom Houslay http://www.prstatistics.com/course/advancing-statistical-modelling-using-r-… 3. January 28th– February 1st 2019 AQUATIC ACOUSTIC TELEMETRY DATA ANALYSIS AND SURVEY DESIGN Glasgow, Scotland, VEMCO staff and affiliates https://www.prstatistics.com/course/aquatic-acoustic-telemetry-data-analysi… 4. February 4th – 8th 2019 DESIGNING RELIABLE AND EFFICIENT EXPERIMENTS FOR SOCIAL SCIENCES (DRES01) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Daniel Lakens https://www.psstatistics.com/course/designing-reliable-and-effecient-experi… 5. February 11th – 15th 2019 REPRODUCIBLE DATA SCIENCE FOR POPULATION GENETICS Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Thibaut Jombart, Dr. Zhain Kamvar https://www.prstatistics.com/course/reproducible-data-science-for-populatio… 6. 25th February – 1st March 2019 MOVEMENT ECOLOGY (MOVE02) Margam Discovery Centre, Wales, Dr. Luca Borger, Prof. Ronny Wilson, Dr Jonathan Potts https://www.prstatistics.com/course/movement-ecology-move02/ 7. March 4th – 8th 2019 BIOACOUSTICS FOR ECOLOGISTS: HARDWARE, SURVEY DESIGN AND DATA ANALYSIS (BIAC01) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Paul Howden-Leach https://www.prstatistics.com/course/bioacoustics-for-ecologists-hardware-su… 8. March 11th – 15th 2019 ECOLOGICAL NICHE MODELLING USING R (ENMR03) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Neftali Sillero http://www.prstatistics.com/course/ecological-niche-modelling-using-r-enmr0… 9. March 18th – 22nd 2019 INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICS AND R FOR EVERYONE (IRFE01) Crete, GREECE, Dr Aristides (Aris) Moustakas https://www.prstatistics.com/course/introduction-to-statistics-and-r-for-an… 10. March 25th – 29th 2019 LANDSCAPE GENETIC DATA ANALYSIS USING R (LNDG03) Glasgow, Scotland, Prof. Rodney Dyer http://www.prstatistics.com/course/landscape-genetic-data-analysis-using-r-… 11. April 1st – 5th 2019 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… 12. April 1st – 5th 2019 INDIVIDUAL BASED MODELS FOR ECOLOGSITS (IBME01) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr Aristides (Aris) Moustakas https://www.prstatistics.com/course/individual-based-models-using-r-and-net… 13. April 8th – 12th 2019 MACHINE LEARNING (MLUR01) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr Aristides (Aris) Moustakas https://www.prstatistics.com/course/machine-learning-using-r-mlur01/ 14. April 15th – 19th 2019 INTRODUCTION TO Q GIS AND SPATIAL ANALYSIS WITH R (QGSE01) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr Luca Nelli https://www.prstatistics.com/course/introduction-to-gis-and-spatial-analyse… 15. April 22nd – 26th 2019 GIS USING R (GISR) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr Luca Nelli https://www.prstatistics.com/course/gis-using-r-gisr01/ 16. April 29th – May 3rd 2019 COMPARATIVE GENOMICS (CMGN01) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Fritz Sedlazeck, Dr. Matthias Weissensteiner https://www.prinformatics.com/course/comparative-genomics-cmgn01/ 17. May 6th – 10th 2019 INTRODUCTION TO MULTILEVEL MODELS (MIXED/HIERARCHICAL) FOR PSYCHOLOGISTS Myuna Bay, AUSTRALIA, Dr. Sean Murphy https://www.psstatistics.com/course/an-exploration-of-r-for-psychologists-f… 18. May 16th – 18th 2019 (please note this a 3-day course from Thursday to Saturday) AQUATIC MOVEMENT ECOLOGY USING R (AMER01) Myuna Bay, AUSTRALIA, Dr. Ross Dwyer, Dr. Vinay Udyawer Link to follow 19. May 16th – 19th 2019 (please note this a 4-day course from Thursday to Monday) INTRODUCTION TO R FOR EVERYONE (IRFE02) Myuna Bay, AUSTRALIA, Dr Aristides (Aris) Moustakas https://www.prstatistics.com/course/introduction-to-statistics-and-r-for-an… 20. May 20th – 24th 2019 MODEL BASE MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS OF ABUNDANCE DATA USING R (MBMV03) Myuna Bay, AUSTRALIA, Prof. David Warton https://www.prstatistics.com/course/model-based-multivariate-analysis-of-ab… 21. May 21st – 24th 2019 STATISTICAL TOOLKIT FOR ECOLOGISTS (STKE01) Myuna Bay, AUSTRALIA, Dr Aristides (Aris) Moustakas https://www.prstatistics.com/course/statistical-toolkit-for-ecologists-stke… 22. June 10th – 14th 2019 STABLE ISOTOPE MIXING MODELS USING SIAR, SIBER AND MIXSIAR (SIMM04) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Andrew Parnell, Dr. Andrew Jackson www.prstatistics.com/course/stable-isotope-mixing-models-using-r-simm04/ 23. June 17th – 21st 2019 SPATIAL MODELLING AND ANALYSIS OF ADAPTIVE GENOMIC VARIATION (SPGN01) Glasgow, Dr. Matt Fitzpatrick https://www.prstatistics.com/course/spatial-modelling-and-analysis-of-adapt… 24. June 17th – 21st 2019 INTRODUCTION TO PYTHON FOR BIOLOGISTS (IPYB06) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Martin Jones http://www.prinformatics.com/course/introduction-to-python-for-biologists-i… 25. June 24th – 28th 2019 ADVANCED PYTHON FOR BIOLOGISTS (APYB03) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Martin Jones www.prinformatics.com/course/advanced-python-biologists-apyb03/ 26. July 1st – 5th 2019 DATA VISUALISATION AND MANIPULATION USING PYTHON (DVMP01) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Martin Jones http://www.prinformatics.com/course/data-visualisation-and-manipulation-usi… 27. July 29th – August 2nd 2019 INTRODUCTION TO SPATIAL ANALYSIS OF ECOLOGICAL DATA USING R (ISPE01) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Jakub Nowosad https://www.prstatistics.com/course/introduction-to-spatial-analysis-of-eco… 28. September 16th – 20th 2019 R PACKAGE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT AND REPRODUCIBLE DATA SCIENCE FOR BIOLOGISTS (RPKG01) Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Cory Merow, Dr. Andy Rominger https://www.prstatistics.com/course/r-package-design-and-development-and-re… 29. September 30th – October 4th 2019 GEOMETRIC MORPHOMETRICS USING R (GMMR02) Glasgow, Scotland, Prof. Dean Adams, Prof. Michael Collyer, Dr. Antigoni Kaliontzopoulou http://www.prstatistics.com/course/geometric-morphometrics-using-r-gmmr02/ 30. October 7th – 11th 2019 CONSERVATION PLANNING USING PRIORITIZR : FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE (PRTZ01) Crete, GREECE, Dr Richard Schuster and Nina Morell https://www.prstatistics.com/course/conservation-planning-using-prioritizr-… 31. October 21st – 25th 2019 A COMPLETE GUIDE TO MIXED MODELS (INCLUDING TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL AUTOCORRELATION) (MMTS01) Crete, GREECE, Dr Aristides (Aris) Moustakas https://www.prstatistics.com/course/a-complete-guide-to-mixed-models-includ… 32. November 18th – 22nd 2019 INTRODUCTION TO STRUCTURED POPULATION MODELS AND DEMOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION MODELS (IIPM01) Crete, GREECE, Dr Cory Merow https://www.prstatistics.com/course/introduction-to-structured-population-m… 33. November 25th – 29th 2019 ADVANCED RANGE, NICHE, AND DISTRIBUTION MODELING (ASDM01) Crete, GREECE, Dr Cory Merow https://www.prstatistics.com/course/advanced-range-niche-and-distribution-m… -- Oliver Hooker PhD. PR statistics 2018 publications - Alternative routes to piscivory: Contrasting growth trajectories in brown trout (Salmo trutta) ecotypes exhibiting contrasting life history strategies. Ecology of Freshwater Fish. Phenotypic and resource use partitioning amongst sympatric lacustrine brown trout, Salmo trutta. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. DOI 10.1093/biolinnean/bly032 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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RESEARCH ASSISTANT (RA) POSITIONS AVAILABLE
by Michael H Smith 13 Dec '18

13 Dec '18

SURVEY BEGINS FEBRUARY - APPLY SOON Gray Whales Count (GWC) is seeking volunteer Research Assistants (RA) to work with Project Coordinator and team of observers to assist in our annual survey of the northbound migration of gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) migrating through the nearshore of the Santa Barbara Channel. We work from shore at Counter Point, in the Coal Oil Point Reserve, Goleta, California, USA, adjacent to the campus of the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). This position is open to citizens of the United States of America and those authorized to work in the United States with an appropriate visa in hand. The 2019 survey begins Wednesday, February 13 and continues every day through May 29, from 9 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Sunday. GWC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization for research and education. The primary goal of research is to estimate the number of gray whales and gray whale calves migrating northbound through our corridor and to share our data to complement similar sampling-studies along the California coast. A secondary goal is to document the variety and quantity of other marine mammals in the ocean area around our site, which is now a Marine Protected Area. Applicable skills learned and achieved include: > Process, concepts, and protocols of the survey, including use of equipment and data-entry. > Ability to identify a multitude of marine mammal species from a distance, including but not limited to: gray whales, humpback whales, bottlenose dolphins, common dolphins, Pacific white-sided dolphins, harbor seals, California sea lions, sea otters, etc. > Gather detailed, consistent data, with ability to teach and check others’ work > Learn about marine mammals in their natural environment and the forces that affect them, both natural and anthropogenic > Developing responsibility and a working relationship within a team Because of the training required, applicants must be willing to commit full-time to the project for the time period involved, approximately 100 days. Priority will be given to those candidates with associative career goals. Previous experience is a plus but not a condition. This is an invaluable opportunity to gain extensive experience in real-time, scientific fieldwork in an environment rich with diverse populations of marine mammals. You will work with equally diverse individuals who are caring, attentive, and curious. Gray whales are a sentinel species traveling from temperate lagoons in Mexico, along the dynamic California Current at the eastern edge of the North Pacific Ocean to the Arctic waters of northern Alaska in one of the longest marine mammal migrations. Requirements: > Even though we are situated in Southern California, you must be able to withstand harsh weather conditions. Fieldwork can be, at times, physically and mentally demanding. > Willingness to work long hours. > Commit for a minimum of 100 days, full time (minimum five days per week). > Enrolled in or completed a degree in biology, marine science, zoology, environmental science, animal behavior or a related field. > Previous field experience with marine wildlife and observation is a plus but not required. > Ability to work in a team environment to produce consistent, high quality results. We cannot stress this enough. > Be enthusiastic and possess a caring, positive attitude, with a strong desire to learn. > Be adaptable and patient. The migration is characterized by pulses rather than a steady stream; and weather is the unknown factor: wind, rain, and fog can shut us down. This is a volunteer position. The selected RAs will be responsible for their own transportation to and from Santa Barbara/Goleta, California and daily to the survey site. Recognizing that living costs are high in this area, Gray Whales Count will award a $500 stipend to assist each RA with expenses upon successful completion of the RA position. RAs will be responsible for all for living expenses while volunteering for Gray Whales Count. To apply: Please send cover letter/résumé to Project Coordinator, Michael Smith michael(a)graywhalescount.org <mailto:michael@graywhalescount.org>. We strongly recommend you look over our website: graywhalescount.org <http://www.graywhalescount.org/GWC/The_Count/The_Count.html> to familiarize yourself with our operation. In the cover letter, please address why you wish to participate in Gray Whales Count; how this particular experience will be meaningful to you; and how this might advance your career goals. There is no deadline to apply. The position will remain open until it is filled. Please consider applying early in order to arrange travel plans and to secure room and board.

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New article on harbour porpoise field metabolic rate
by Laia Rojano Doñate 13 Dec '18

13 Dec '18

Dear MARMAM, On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to announce our new paper investigating the controversial field metabolic rate of harbour porpoises using a combination of captive and wild data: Rojano-Doñate, L., McDonald, B. I., Wisniewska, D. M., Johnson, M., Teilmann, J., Wahlberg, M., Højer-Kristensen, J. and Madsen, P. T. (2018). High field metabolic rates of wild harbour porpoises. Journal of Experimental Biology. https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.185827 Abstract: Reliable estimates of field metabolic rates (FMRs) in wild animals are essential for quantifying their ecological roles, as well as for evaluating fitness consequences of anthropogenic disturbances. Yet, standard methods for measuring FMR are difficult to use on free ranging cetaceans whose FMR may deviate substantially from scaling predictions using terrestrial mammals. Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) are among the smallest marine mammals, and yet they live in cold, high-latitude waters where their high surface-to volume ratio suggests high FMRs to stay warm. However, published FMR estimates of harbour porpoises are contradictory, with some studies claiming high FMRs and others concluding that the energetic requirements of porpoises resemble those of similar-sized terrestrial mammals. Here, we address this controversy using data from a combination of captive and wild porpoises to estimate the FMR of wild porpoises. We show that FMRs of harbour porpoises are up to two times greater than for similar-sized terrestrial mammals, supporting the hypothesis that small, carnivorous marine mammals in cold water have elevated FMRs. Despite the potential cost of thermoregulation in colder water, harbour porpoise FMRs are stable over seasonally changing water temperatures. Varying heat loss seems to be managed via cyclical fluctuations in energy intake, which serve to build up a blubber layer that largely offsets the extra costs of thermoregulation during winter. Such high FMRs are consistent with the recently reported high feeding rates of wild porpoises and highlight concerns about the potential impact of human activities on individual fitness and population dynamics. The paper is available via the following link: http://jeb.biologists.org/content/221/23/jeb185827?ijkey=a81c32632395fc8e76… Please email me on laia.rojano.donate(a)gmail.com<mailto:laia.rojano.donate@gmail.com> for a pdf copy. Best regards, Laia Rojano-Doñate -------------------------------------------- Laia Rojano-Doñate PhD Fellow Zoophysiology - Department of Bioscience Aarhus University C.F. Møllers Allé 3, Building 1130 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark e-mail: laiard(a)bios.au.dk<mailto:laiard@bios.au.dk> tlf: +45 8715 4318 www.marinebioacoustics.com<http://www.marinebioacoustics.com>

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Now Available: Webinar Recording for Saving Vaquita: Considerations in the Race Against Extinction
by Jen Hawse 12 Dec '18

12 Dec '18

Hosted by Island Press on November 8, 2018 and moderated by Dr. Tom Jefferson, this webinar brought together a global audience of 513 registrants from 22 countries on 6 continents. The one-hour program explores the plight of the world's most endangered marine mammal, the vaquita (Phocoena sinus), through a presentation and Q&A with wildlife researcher and author Brooke Bessesen. ACCESS THE RECORDING: here<https://islandpress.org/video/saving-vaquita-considerations-race-against-ex…> As Bessesen writes in her new book, Vaquita: Science, Politics, and Crime in the Sea of Cortez<https://islandpress.org/books/vaquita>, "Conservation is messy business." Economic, cultural, political, and legislative forces all come into play when considering protection strategies for an at-risk species. And, frustratingly, the best approach for victory isn't always clear. By examining the economic, cultural, and legislative aspects of vaquita conservation, Bessesen and Jefferson encourage viewers to consider the universal goals and challenges related to disappearing species worldwide. Please share this link with anyone exploring solutions-based strategies for conservation crises. Watch today!<https://islandpress.org/video/saving-vaquita-considerations-race-against-ex…> Jen Hawse | Partnerships Manager Island Press 2000 M St NW, Suite 650 Washington, DC 20036 202.232.7933 fax 202.234.1328 http://www.islandpress.org<http://www.islandpress.org/> +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+- This e-mail and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the addressee and may not be disclosed to or used by anyone other than the addressee. If you have received this e-mail in error, please advise the sender immediately and delete the email (and all attachments) from your computer system. Thank you.

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New publication describing minke whale vocalizations on the west coast of Canada
by katrinan＠uvic.ca 12 Dec '18

12 Dec '18

Hello MarMam subscribers, My co-author and I are excited to announce a new publication describing the vocalizations of minke whales on a summer feeding ground in British Columbia, Canada. The article was published in Bioacoustics this month. Abstract is below. Please contact the corresponding author (katrinan(a)uvic.ca) for more information or for a full-text PDF copy of the article. Citation: Katrina Nikolich & Jared R. Towers (2018): Vocalizations of common minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) in an eastern North Pacific feeding ground, Bioacoustics, DOI: 10.1080/09524622.2018.1555716 Link to the article: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09524622.2018.1555716 Abstract: The minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) is a small species of baleen whale with a cosmopolitan distribution. Despite extensive study on the vocalizations of other balaenopterids, the acoustic repertoire of minke whales is not well known. Individuals of the North Pacific subspecies (B. acutorostrata scammoni) produce unique vocalizations (boings) during their putative breeding season from fall to spring. However, no vocalizations have been previously reported for this subspecies in any eastern North Pacific feeding ground. We present two call types recorded in the presence of six minke whales, two of which were confirmed as female, in Cormorant Channel, British Columbia, Canada, during the summer of 2012. The calls consist of downsweeps and pulse chains. These call types share some characteristics with calls described elsewhere, although they are not identical to similar call types observed for other populations. Calling rates for minke whales in this study region are very low compared to those reported for this subspecies on its putative breeding grounds, as well as for other subspecies on their feeding grounds. We propose predation risk, sexual segregation and acoustic masking as potential causes of the low calling rates observed for minke whales in Cormorant Channel. Thanks and have a great holiday season! Kat Nikolich PhD Student, Biology University of Victoria Victoria, British Columbia 250-208-9374 katrinan(a)uvic.ca

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A nutritional perspective on plastic ingestion in wildlife
by gabrielsky22 Machovsky Capuska 11 Dec '18

11 Dec '18

> Dear MARMAN members >> >> On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to announce the publication of our article: >> >> Machovsky-Capuska GE, Amiot C, Denuncio P, Grainger R, Raubenheimer D. A nutritional perspective on plastic ingestion in wildlife. Science of the Total Environment. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.11.418. >> >> >> Abstract >> >> Although the perils of plastics to living organisms including humans have been neglected for decades, they have recently been recognized as a major environmental problem worldwide. Little progress has been made on understanding the factors that drive species’ and populations’ susceptibilities to the ingestion of plastic. Here, we propose using nutritional ecology as a multidisciplinary framework for bridging the gaps that link nutrition, behavior, plastics, physiology and ecology. We show that nutritional niches of Franciscana dolphins are tightly linked to plastic ingestion, illustrating the application of our framework in the context of nutritional niche theory, habitat-specific foraging from species to populations, and transfer patterns in food webs. >> >> Article free access (until 25th Jan 2019): https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1YAo1B8ccghVR >> >> Please don't hesitate to contact me is you have any queries: g.machovsky(a)sydney.edu.au >> >> We welcome contacts for potential lines of collaboration. >> >> Regards, >> Gabriel

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