February 2020 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

New publication - Distribution of foraging behaviour in Hector's Dolphins reveals drivers of fine-scale hotspots
by Tom Brough 07 Feb '20

07 Feb '20

Greetings MARMAM, My colleagues and I are pleased to announce the publication of an article in Marine Ecology Progress Series on the spatiotemporal distribution of foraging in Hector's Dolphin. Please see abstract below. The full article can be accessed (subscription only) at https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v635/p187-202/. Or feel free to email me (tom.broughnz(a)gmail.com) for a pdf. Cheers, Tom Brough *Spatiotemporal distribution of foraging in a marine predator: behavioural drivers of hotspot formation* Tom Brough, William Rayment, Elisabeth Slooten, Stephen Dawson, Many species of marine predators display defined hotspots in their distribution, although the reasons why this happens are not well understood in some species. Understanding whether hotspots are used for certain behaviours provides insights into the importance of these areas for the predators’ ecology and population viability. In this study, we investigated the spatio-temporal distribution of foraging behaviour in Hector’s dolphin Cephalorhynchus hectori, a small, endangered species from New Zealand. Passive acoustic monitoring of foraging ‘buzzes’ was carried out at 4 hotspots and 6 lower-use, ‘reference areas’, chosen randomly based on a previous density analysis of visual sightings. The distribution of buzzes was modelled among spatial locations and on 3 temporal scales (season, time of day, tidal state) with generalised additive mixed models using 82 000 h of monitoring data. Foraging rates were significantly influenced by all 3 temporal effects, with substantial variation in the importance and nature of each effect among locations. The complexity of the temporal effects on foraging is likely due to the patchy nature of prey distributions and shows how foraging is highly variable at fine scales. Foraging rates were highest at the hotspots, suggesting that feeding opportunities shape fine-scale distribution in Hector’s dolphin. Foraging can be disrupted by anthropogenic influences. Thus, information from this study can be used to manage threats to this vital behaviour in the locations and at the times where it is most prevalent.

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Bioacoustics Research Internship in the Marine Sensory and Neurobiology Lab at USCB
by MONTIE, ERIC 07 Feb '20

07 Feb '20

Bioacoustics Research Internship in the Marine Sensory and Neurobiology Lab at USCB Need: Fish/marine mammal bioacoustic interns for spring / summer 2020. Organization: Marine Sensory and Neurobiology Lab, Department of Natural Sciences, University of South Carolina Beaufort (Supervisor Dr. Eric Montie). About Our Lab: Our research lab strives to understand the sensory and neurobiology of marine organisms. The more applied part of our research program focuses on studies that investigate how natural and human-made stressors impact marine life. These stressors include changes in water quality, noise pollution, and climate change. Currently, we use long-term passive acoustics to monitor estuarine soundscapes. Our research involves work with wild marine organisms like snapping shrimp, oyster toadfish, silver perch, black drum, spotted seatrout, red drum, and bottlenose dolphins. Position Information: April 1st to August 28th, 2020; Interns are expected to commit to ~30 hours per week, Monday through Friday, days and hours are flexible. There is no compensation and interns are responsible for finding their own housing and transportation to campus. The internship is designed for undergraduates or recent graduates who want to gain research experience in marine ecology with a focus on bioacoustics, fish, and marine mammals. This is a great opportunity to work with scientists and graduate students in the field and lab while gaining experience with passive acoustics, deploying/retrieving recorders, invertebrate and fish sampling, photo-identification and boat-based marine mammal surveys. USCB offers a Masters of Computational Science for those interested in bioacoustics and signal detection (https://www.uscb.edu/academics/academic_departments/school-of-science-and-m…) and Dr. Montie serves as an adjunct in the College of Charleston Graduate Program in Marine Biology (http://marinebiology.cofc.edu/about-the-program/faculty-listing/montie-eric…) Thus, successful interns may have future opportunities for graduate study at USCB or CoC. Location: This position is located at the University of South Carolina Beaufort, Bluffton campus. Bluffton, SC is located only 20 minutes from Hilton Head Island, SC. The campus is 10 minutes from the May River and 15 minutes from the Atlantic Ocean. Duties Will Include: (1) Reviewing and analyzing passive acoustic data. (2) Assisting in larval and juvenile fish sampling using seine nets. (3) Participating in bottlenose dolphin abundance, distribution, and photo-identification surveys. (4) Helping with the deployment/retrieval of instruments. (5) Assisting graduate and undergraduate students with their research projects. Qualifications: * Minimum age of 18 years old; * Recently enrolled in a college-level program in marine biology, biology, zoology, or related field; * Strong interest in passive acoustics, fish, marine mammals, and conservation; * Experience with Adobe Audition, Word, Excel, Powerpoint, ArcGIS, and MATLAB is a plus; * Boat experience is preferred but not mandatory (successful interns will be required to take an online Boating Safety Course); * Excellent verbal communication skills, fluent in English; * Enthusiastic and dedicated with a strong ability to interact with others and be professional; * Responsible with a great work ethic and attention to detail; * Works well with a team and individually; * Ability to work long days in the sun/heat/cold on a small boat; * Must be a US citizen due to challenging USC paperwork. How to Apply: Please submit an email to Dr. Eric Montie (emontie(a)uscb.edu<mailto:emontie@uscb.edu>) with the subject "USCB Internship". Please attach one pdf file to the email and name according to the following format (i.e. Lastname_USCBapp_spring 2020). The application (pdf document) should include (i) a cover letter describing why you are interested in the position, how the experience will help you meet your long-term goals, and your dates of availability (~1 page); (ii) curriculum vitae describing your relevant training and experiences as well as names and contact information of two references; and (iii) current academic transcripts (unofficial are sufficient). The application period ends on March 6th, 2020. Eric W. Montie, M.S., Ph.D. Associate Professor of Biology Director of the Marine Sensory and Neurobiology Lab & The Lowcountry Dolphin Conservation Program Department of Natural Sciences University of South Carolina Beaufort One University Boulevard Bluffton, SC 29909 Office Phone: (843) 208-8107 Fax: (843) 208-8294 Email: emontie(a)uscb.edu<mailto:emontie@uscb.edu> https://www.uscb.edu/montie http://marinebiology.cofc.edu/about-the-program/faculty-listing/montie-eric… https://www.facebook.com/MarineNeuroLabAtUSCB/

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Job Opening - Marine Mammal Advisor - Natural Resources Wales
by Stringell, Tom 07 Feb '20

07 Feb '20

Job Opening in Wales (UK) - Marine Mammal Advisor - Natural Resources Wales (NRW) We're hiring! Our marine team currently have several exciting opportunities for ambitious and passionate marine experts to join #TeamNRW as part of our new Offshore Renewable Energy Programme (OREP). This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a programme of work that is designed to support sustainable offshore renewable energy such as wind, wave and tidal power, and join our team in making a difference for Wales, our environment and energy security. Take a look at our Blog here: https://naturalresources.wales/about-us/news-and-events/blog/exciting-oppor… Specialist Advisor: Marine Mammals - As one of NRW's marine mammals specialist advisors, you'll be responsible for providing expert advice on potential impacts and management of the marine environment. You will likely have expertise in environmental assessment and be able to critically analyse technical reports and data. Advert and application information here: https://naturalresources.wales/about-us/jobs-and-placements/jobs/202442-spe… All posts are FTAs for a period of 3 years (March 2023). Salary : £34,427. The closing date for applications is 26th February. Thanks and good luck! Dr Thomas Stringell Cynghorydd Arbenigol Arweiniol: Rhywogaethau'r Môr (mamaliaid, crwbanod, pysgod) Lead Specialist Advisor: Marine Species (mammals, turtles, fish) Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru / Natural Resources Wales Ffôn /Tel: 0300 065 4912 / 07789 878284 cyfoethnaturiol.cymru / naturalresources.wales Twitter: twitter.com/NatResWales<http://www.twitter.com/NatResWales> Facebook: facebook.com/NatResWales<http://www.facebook.com/NatResWales> Flickr: flickr.com/NatResWales<http://www.flickr.com/NatResWales> Youtube: youtube.com/NatResWales<http://www.youtube.com/NatResWales> Yn falch o arwain y ffordd at ddyfodol gwell i Gymru trwy reoli'r amgylchedd ac adnoddau naturiol yn gynaliadwy. Proud to be leading the way to a better future for Wales by managing the environment and natural resources sustainably. Croesewir gohebiaeth yn Gymraeg a byddwn yn ymateb yn Gymraeg, heb i hynny arwain at oedi Correspondence in Welsh is welcomed, and we will respond in Welsh without it leading to a delay

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New publication on Antarctic minke whale sounds in Antarctic and South African waters
by Fannie Shabangu 07 Feb '20

07 Feb '20

Dear MARMAM On behalf of my colleagues, I am pleased to announce the publication of our new paper in Marine Mammal Science: Shabangu FW, Stafford KM, Findlay K. 2020. Seasonal acoustic occurrence, diel‐vocalizing patterns and bioduck call‐type composition of Antarctic minke whales off the west coast of South Africa and the Maud Rise, Antarctica. Marine Mammal Science, https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12669. Abstract Seasonal occurrence, diel‐vocalizing patterns, and call‐types of Antarctic minke whales are described using bio‐acoustic recordings from the west coast of South Africa and the Maud Rise, Antarctica. In Antarctica, minke whale bioduck calls were detected in seven of nine months of hydrophone deployment (peaking in May and September) while downsweeps were only detected in June. Bioduck calls were sporadically detected in South African waters with peak calling in September/October, and no bioducks were detected from March through August. Bioduck call occurrence was high during daytime in Antarctica but there was no diel‐vocalizing pattern in South African waters. We split bioduck B call‐type into two subtypes: B1 with 13 ± 1 pulses (Dominello & Širović, 2016) and B2 with 9 ± 1 pulses (this study). Bioduck B2 was detected both in Antarctic and South African waters, with harmonics up to 2 kHz. Similar bioduck call‐types were detected in Antarctic and South African waters, with bioduck A2 being the most common. Month of the year was the most important predictor of bioduck occurrence both in Antarctic and South African waters. This is the first study to describe the seasonal occurrence, diel‐vocalizing behavior and call‐types of Antarctic minke whales off the South African west coast and eastern Weddell Sea. The paper can be downloaded from https://drive.google.com/file/d/1noymnPjoquWq8GcKOQ9waCEZVsqE6WUC/view?usp=… Best,Fannie Fannie W. Shabangu, PhD MarineBiologist Pr.Nat. Sci. (Zoological Science) SACNASP Reg. No. 400251/15PelagicResources Research Departmentof Environment, Forestry and FisheriesForeshore,Cape Town, South Africa Tel: (+27) 21 402 3553Cell: (+27) 74 220 0210 E-mailAddresses: FannieS(a)daff.gov.za, fannie.shabangu(a)yahoo.com

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New publication on the acoustic repertoire of Type C killer whales in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica.
by Bec Wellard 06 Feb '20

06 Feb '20

On behalf of my co-authors, I am happy to announce the publication of our new article regarding the acoustic repertoire of Ross Sea killer whales in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. Reference: Wellard R, Pitman RL, Durban J, Erbe C. (2020) Cold call: the acoustic repertoire of Ross Sea killer whales (Orcinus orca, Type C) in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. R. Soc. open sci. 7: 191228. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.191228. Abstract: Killer whales (Orcinus orca) are top marine predators occurring globally. In Antarctic waters, five ecotypes have been described, with Type C being the smallest form of killer whale known. Acoustic recordings of nine encounters of Type C killer whales were collected in 2012 and 2013 in McMurdo Sound, Ross Sea. In a combined 3.5 h of recordings, 6386 killer whale vocalizations were detected and graded based on their signal-to-noise ratio. Spectrograms of the highest-quality calls were examined for characteristic patterns yielding a catalogue of 28 call types (comprising 1250 calls). Acoustic parameters of each call were measured and summarized by call type. Type C killer whales produced complex calls, consisting of multiple frequency-modulated, amplitude-modulated and pulsed components. Often, two components occurred simultaneously, forming a biphonation; although the biphonic components did not necessarily start and end together, with one component lasting over several others. The addition and deletion of components yielded call subtypes. Call complexity appears stable over time and may be related to feeding ecology. Characterization of the Type C acoustic repertoire is an important step for the development of passive acoustic monitoring of the diverse assemblage of killer whale ecotypes in Antarctica's rapidly changing marine ecosystems. This article is available via open access and a PDF copy can be downloaded via this link: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.191228?fbclid=IwAR2lzkT… Best regards, Rebecca Wellard. -- Centre for Marine Science and Technology Department of Physics Curtin University Tel | +61 8 9266 1782 Email | rebecca.wellard(a)postgrad.curtin.edu.au

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New publication on the ultrasonic vocalizations of Antillean manatees in Belize
by Eric Angel Ramos 06 Feb '20

06 Feb '20

Greetings MARMAM, I am pleased to announce the publication of our most recent article titled “The Antillean manatee produces broadband vocalizations with ultrasonic frequencies” in JASA Express Letters. Ramos EA, Collom KC, Brady B, Gerstein E, Magnasco MO, Reiss D. 2020. The Antillean manatee produces broadband vocalizations with ultrasonic frequencies. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 147, EL80. doi.org/10.1121/10.0000602 ABSTRACT Antillean manatees produce vocalizations reported to be important for communication, but their vocal behavior throughout their geographic range is poorly understood. A SoundTrap recorder (sample rates: 288/576 kHz) was deployed in Belize to record vocalizations of wild manatees in a seagrass channel and of a young rehabilitated and released manatee in a shallow lagoon. Spectral analysis revealed broadband vocalizations with frequencies up to 150 kHz and a high proportion of calls with ultrasonic components. Ultrasonic frequency components appear prevalent in their vocal repertoire and may be important to manatee communication. The article is Open Access and can be download free online at the following link: https://asa.scitation.org/doi/10.1121/10.0000602 If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at: eric.angel.ramos(a)gmail.com Cheers, *********************************************** Eric Angel Ramos Ph.D. Candidate Animal Behavior & Comparative Psychology The Graduate Center, City University of New York E-mail: eric.angel.ramos(a)gmail.com Cell: 1(347) 336-5567 Student Member-at-Large Board of the Society for Marine Mammalogy On Thu, Feb 6, 2020 at 2:07 PM <marmam-request(a)lists.uvic.ca> wrote: > Send MARMAM mailing list submissions to > marmam(a)lists.uvic.ca > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > https://lists.uvic.ca/mailman/listinfo/marmam > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > marmam-request(a)lists.uvic.ca > > You can reach the person managing the list at > marmam-owner(a)lists.uvic.ca > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of MARMAM digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. New publication on the role of morphology and body size in > heat conservation and dissipation (Stephanie Adamczak) > 2. Interdisciplinary PhD Position: Marine Mammal Ecology & One > Health (University of Maine) (Kristina Cammen) > 3. Information on Cetacean Data Collection or Research done in > Colombian (Carole V) > 4. Invitation to Present at ICUA2020 (GMail) > 5. New paper about effects of multiple exposures to pile driving > noise on harbor porpoise hearing during simulated flights > (Schaffeld, Tobias) > 6. New paper on the identification of a humpback whale breeding > ground in the Mariana Archipelago (Marie Hill - NOAA Affiliate) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Tue, 4 Feb 2020 12:39:29 -0800 > From: Stephanie Adamczak <sadamcza(a)ucsc.edu> > To: marmam(a)lists.uvic.ca > Subject: [MARMAM] New publication on the role of morphology and body > size in heat conservation and dissipation > Message-ID: > <CAOwUxehdhyzAs8mPY+jjsRQTNZ8FKKmsB8UiXHkK= > wjFekV5cQ(a)mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > Dear MARMAM, > > My colleagues and I are excited to announce our new publication assessing > the role that body and appendage morphology plays in heat dissipation and > conservation in pilot whales and implications for ecogeographic roles. The > article has been published in the Journal of Biogeography, available here > https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jbi.13796. > > Please feel free to contact me at sadamcza(a)ucsc.edu if you have any > questions. > > Abstract > Aim > The aim of this study was to determine if marine mammals follow > ecogeographic rules. We examined Bergmann's rule and Allen's rule in two > pilot whale species with contrasting latitudinal distributions. > > Location > Northwest Atlantic Ocean. > > Taxon > *Globicephala *spp. > > Methods > We analysed morphometric data collected from strandings of short? and > long?finned pilot whales in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean to assess > intraspecific and interspecific variation in surface area to volume ratios > (SA:V) of the body core and appendage surface area relative to body core SA > (normalized appendage SA) using a novel 3D modelling method. > > Results > Our results suggest that ecogeographic variation in morphometrics between > the two pilot whale species is consistent with morphological adaptations > required to balance heat conservation and heat dissipation. Interspecific > differences in morphology supported Bergmann's rule for fully grown > individuals: the more temperate long?finned pilot whale had a larger body > size and lower body core SA:V than the short?finned pilot whale, which has > a more tropical distribution. Allen's rule was not supported; when all > appendages were considered together, long?finned pilot whales had larger > normalized SA than short?finned pilot whales. However, the pectoral > flippers were the primary driver of this relationship; while long?finned > pilot whales had proportionally larger pectoral flippers, short?finned > pilot whales had proportionally larger dorsal fins and flukes. In addition, > larger long?finned pilot whales (i.e. males and mature individuals) had > proportionally larger pectoral flippers than smaller long?finned pilot > whales. > > Main Conclusions > Pilot whales follow Bergmann's rule but do not follow Allen's rule when > fully mature. Thinly insulated appendages in marine mammals can be used to > dissipate heat as the core warms, and larger and better insulated marine > mammals may require relatively larger appendages in order to offload heat > and thermoregulate effectively. Our results provide novel insight into > ecogeographic rules and suggest that species in higher latitude climates > towards the poles will demonstrate tradeoffs between core body heat > conservation and appendage heat dissipation. > -- > _______________________ > Stephanie K. Adamczak, M.S. > Ph.D. Student, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology > University of California Santa Cruz >

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new publication on marine mammal eDNA surveys
by Elena Agnese Valsecchi 06 Feb '20

06 Feb '20

Dear MARMAM readers, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce the publication of our new article in Environmental DNA: Novel universal primers for metabarcoding environmental DNA surveys of marine mammals and other marine vertebrates Elena Valsecchi, Jonas Bylemans, Simon J. Goodman, Roberto Lombardi, Ian Carr, Laura Castellano, Andrea Galimberti, Paolo Galli (2020) https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.72 Link to open access https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/edn3.72 *Abstract*: Metabarcoding studies using environmental DNA (eDNA) and high throughput sequencing (HTS) are rapidly becoming an important tool for assessing and monitoring marine biodiversity, detecting invasive species, and supporting basic ecological research. Several barcode loci targeting teleost fish and elasmobranchs have previously been developed, but to date primer sets focusing on other marine megafauna, such as marine mammals have received less attention. Similarly, there have been few attempts to identify potentially ‘universal’ barcode loci which may be informative across multiple marine vertebrate Orders. Here we describe the design and validation of two new sets of primers targeting hypervariable regions of the vertebrate mitochondrial 12S and 16S rRNA genes, which have conserved priming sites across virtually all cetaceans, pinnipeds, elasmobranchs, boney fish, sea turtles and birds, and amplify fragments with consistently high levels of taxonomically diagnostic sequence variation. ‘*In silico*’ validation using the OBITOOLS software showed our new barcode loci outperformed most existing vertebrate barcode loci for taxon detection and resolution. We also evaluated sequence diversity and taxonomic resolution of the new barcode loci in 680 complete marine mammal mitochondrial genomes demonstrating that they are effective at resolving amplicons for most taxa to the species level. Finally, we evaluated the performance of the primer sets with eDNA samples from aquarium communities with known species composition. These new primers will potentially allow surveys of complete marine vertebrate communities in single HTS metabarcoding assessments, simplifying workflows, reducing costs, and increasing accessibility to a wider range of investigators. ⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁⌁ Elena Valsecchi, PhD *Marine eDNA Group, MaRHE Center (**http://www.marhe.unimib.it/ <http://www.marhe.unimib.it/>**)* *Adjunct Professor of Marine Vertebrate Zoology * *Department of Environmental and Earth Sciences (**https://www.disat.unimib.it/en <https://www.disat.unimib.it/en>**), * *University of Milano-Bicocca. Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milan, Italy*

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New paper on the identification of a humpback whale breeding ground in the Mariana Archipelago
by Marie Hill - NOAA Affiliate 06 Feb '20

06 Feb '20

On behalf of my co-authors, I am happy to announce the publication of our new article in Endangered Species Research entitled "Found: a missing breeding ground for endangered western North Pacific humpback whales in the Mariana Archipelago." It is open access and can be downloaded here: https://doi.org/10.3354/esr01010. We prepared a web story with the highlights of the study: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/international-whales-mystery-u… . Reference:Marie C. Hill*, Amanda L. Bradford, Debbie Steel, C. Scott Baker, Allan D. Ligon, Adam C. Ü, Jo Marie V. Acebes, Olga A. Filatova, Siri Hakala, Nozomi Kobayashi, Yukari Morimoto, Haruna Okabe, Ryosuke Okamoto, Julie Rivers, Takayuki Sato, Olga V. Titova, Robert K. Uyeyama, Erin M. Oleson ABSTRACT: Humpback whales *Megaptera novaeangliae* that breed in the western North Pacific (WNP) are listed as endangered under the US Endangered Species Act. Previous research in the WNP concluded that the full extent of humpback whale breeding areas is unknown. Recovering this endangered population requires identifying all associated breeding grounds and potential threats in those locations. Prior to 2015, humpback whales were known to occur in the Mariana Archipelago (within the WNP), but their population identity and habitat use there were unknown. To determine the population identity of humpback whales in the Mariana Archipelago and whether the area serves as a breeding ground for these whales, small-boat photo-identification and biopsy sampling surveys were conducted in the southern portion of the archipelago during February and March 2015-2018. A total of 14 mother-calf pairs and 27 other non-calf whales were encountered. Seven non-calves were re-sighted in multiple years, including 4 females associated with calves in one or more years. Competitive behavior was observed in multiple years. Comparisons with other North Pacific humpback whale catalogs resulted in matches to breeding (Japan and Philippines) and feeding (Russia) grounds in the WNP. DNA profiling of 28 biopsy samples identified 24 individuals (14 females, 10 males) representing 7 mitochondrial DNA haplotypes. The haplotype frequencies from the Mariana Archipelago showed the greatest identity with the Ogasawara breeding ground and Commander Islands feeding ground in the WNP. This study establishes the Mariana Archipelago as a breeding area for endangered WNP humpback whales, which should be considered in ongoing research and conservation efforts. Please contact me with questions or help with the files. ________________ Marie C. Hill Joint Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Protected Species Division - Cetacean Research Program 1845 Wasp Blvd., Bldg. 176, Honolulu, HI 96818 marie.hill(a)noaa.gov 808-725-5710

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New paper about effects of multiple exposures to pile driving noise on harbor porpoise hearing during simulated flights
by Schaffeld, Tobias 06 Feb '20

06 Feb '20

Dear MarMam community and colleagues, My Co-Authors and I are pleased to advertise our recent publication. We investigated the potential for a temporary threshold shift in harbour porpoises from the reception of multiple pile driving strikes during simulated flights. We present a novel and easy to apply evaluation tool, which sheds a light on a gap in current protective regulations. This evaluation tool can be easily tested and adjusted for other scenarios by the provided code, written in R. Citation: Tobias Schaffeld, Joseph G. Schnitzler, Andreas Ruser, Benno Woelfing, Johannes Baltzer and Ursula Siebert (2019). “Effects of multiple exposure to pile-driving noise on harbor porpoise hearing during simulated flights - an evaluation tool,” J. Acoust. Soc. Am., Vol. 147, Issue 2, 4288–4298. Download link: https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0000595 Abstract: Exploitation of renewable energy from offshore wind farms is substantially increasing worldwide. The majority of wind turbines are bottom mounted, causing high levels of impulsive noise during construction. To prevent temporary threshold shifts (TTS) in harbor porpoise hearing, single strike sound exposure levels (SELSS) are restricted in Germany by law to a maximum of 160 dB re 1 μPa2s at a distance of 750 m from the sound source. Underwater recordings of pile driving strikes, recorded during the construction of an offshore wind farm in the German North Sea, were analyzed. Using a simulation approach, it was tested whether a TTS can still be induced under current protective regulations by multiple exposures. The evaluation tool presented here can be easily adjusted for different sound propagation, acoustic signals, or species and enables one to calculate a minimum deterrence distance. Based on this simulation approach, only the combination of SELSS regulation, previous deterrence, and soft start allow harbor porpoises to avoid a TTS from multiple exposures. However, deterrence efficiency has to be monitored.. Do not hesitate to contact me for further questions. Thanks for your interest! With kind regards Tobias Schaffeld ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Tobias Schaffeld Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research (ITAW) University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation Werftstr. 6 / 25761 Büsum / Germany Tel +49 511 856 8164 / Fax +49 511 856-8181 http://www.tiho-hannover.de/kliniken-institute/institute/institut-fuer-terr… --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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New publication on female bottlenose dolphin social behaviour
by Fernando Diaz-Aguirre 05 Feb '20

05 Feb '20

Dear MARMAM readers, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce the publication of our new article in Scientific Reports: Diaz-Aguirre F., Parra G. J., Passadore C. and Möller L*.* Kinship and reproductive condition correlate with affiliation patterns in female southern Australian bottlenose dolphins. *Sci Rep* *10, *1891 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-58800-2 Link to open access https://rdcu.be/b1eJU <http://em.rdcu.be/ls/click?upn=1VX9wGiUV7k-2FG8imEHteF3wc5Bt15iTXFJU-2FWUDk…> Abstract: Social relationships in female mammals are usually determined by an interplay among genetic, endogenous, social and ecological factors that ultimately affect their lifetime reproductive success. However, few studies have attempted to control for, and integrate these factors, hampering our understanding of drivers underlying female sociality. Here, we used generalized affiliation indices, combined with social networks, reproductive condition, and genetic data to investigate drivers of associations in female southern Australian bottlenose dolphins. Our analysis is based on photo-identification and genetic data collected through systematic boat surveys over a two-year study period. Female dolphins formed preferred associations and social clusters which ranged from overlapping to discrete home ranges. Furthermore, matrilineal kinship and biparental relatedness, as well as reproductive condition, correlated with the strength of female affiliations. In addition, relatedness for both genetic markers was also higher within than between social clusters. The predictability of resources in their embayment environment, and the availability of same-sex relatives in the population, may have favoured the formation of social bonds between genetically related females and those in similar reproductive condition. This study highlights the importance of genetic, endogenous, social and ecological factors in determining female sociality in coastal dolphins. Best wishes, Fernando Diaz-Aguirre, PhD. Cetacean Ecology, Behaviour and Evolution Lab College of Science & Engineering Flinders University http://www.cebel.org.au/ http://www.molecularecology.flinders.edu.au/

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