June 2020 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

Blood and tissue gas solubility alters lung volume during diving
by Andreas Fahlman 25 Jun '20

25 Jun '20

Dear All We are happy to share our new paper that details how differences in blood and tissue gas solubility of oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen results in changes in mass-balance and ung volume during diving. The reference, url and abstract are below and anyone wanting a pdf copy of the article can send an email to: afahlman(a)whoi.edu <mailto:afahlman@whoi.edu> Thank you Andreas Reference: Fahlman, A., Sato, K., and Miller, P. (2020). Improving estimates of diving lung volume in air-breathing marine vertebrates. The Journal of Experimental Biology 223, jeb216846. DOI: 10.1242/jeb.216846 URL: https://jeb.biologists.org/content/223/12/jeb216846 <https://jeb.biologists.org/content/223/12/jeb216846> Abstract: The air volume in the respiratory system of marine tetrapods provides a store of O2 to fuel aerobic metabolism during dives; however, it canalso be a liability, as the associated N2 can increase the risk of decompression sickness. In order to more fully understand the physiological limitations of different air-breathing marine vertebrates, it is therefore important to be able to accurately estimate the air volume in the respiratory system during diving. One method that has been used to do so is to calculate the air volume from glide phases – periods of movement during which no thrust is produced by the animal – which many species conduct during ascent periods, when gases are expanding owing to decreasing hydrostatic pressure. This method assumes that there is conservation of mass in the respiratory system, with volume changes only driven by pressure. In this Commentary, we use previously published data to argue that both the respiratory quotient and differences in tissue and blood gas solubility potentially alter the mass balance in the respiratory system throughout a dive. Therefore, near the end of a dive, the measured volume of gas at a given pressure may be 12–50% less than from the start of the dive; the actual difference will depend on the length of the dive, the cardiac output, the pulmonary shunt and the metabolic rate. Novel methods and improved understanding of diving physiology will be required to verify the size of the effects described here and to more accurately estimate the volume of gas inhaled at the start of a dive.

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NEW PUBLICATION: Integrating genetic, environmental and social networks to reveal transmission pathways of a dolphin foraging innovation
by Wild, Sonja 25 Jun '20

25 Jun '20

Dear MARMAM colleagues, We are pleased to announce the publication of the following paper in Current Biology: Sonja Wild, William J.E. Hoppitt, Simon J. Allen, Michael Krützen. Integrating genetic, environmental and social networks to reveal transmission pathways of a dolphin foraging innovation. Current Biology. 25 June 2020. DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.05.069<https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2019.02.047> Summary: Cultural behavior, that transmitted among conspecifics through social learning [1], is found across various taxa [2–6]. Vertical social transmission from parent to offspring [7] is thought to be adaptive because of the parental generation being more skilled than maturing individuals. It is found throughout the animal kingdom, particularly in species with prolonged parental care e.g. [8,9]. Social learning can also occur among members of the same generation [4,10,11] or between older, non-parental individuals and younger generations [7] via horizontal or oblique transmission, respectively. Extensive work on primate culture has shown that horizontal transmission of foraging behavior is biased toward species with broad cultural repertoires [12], and those with increased levels of social tolerance [13,14], such as great apes. Vertical social transmission has been established as the primary transmission mechanism of foraging behaviors in the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) population of Shark Bay, Western Australia [6,9,15,16]. Here, we investigated the spread of another foraging strategy, ‘shelling’ [17], whereby some dolphins in this population feed on prey trapped inside large marine gastropod shells. Using a multi-network version of ‘network-based diffusion analysis’ (NBDA), we show that shelling behavior spreads primarily through non-vertical social transmission. By statistically accounting for both environmental and genetic influences, our findings thus represent the first evidence of non-vertical transmission of a foraging tactic in toothed whales. This research suggests there are multiple transmission pathways of foraging behaviors in dolphins, highlighting the similarities between cetaceans and great apes in the nature of the transmission of cultural behaviors. The article can be downloaded under: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2020.05.069 Video abstract here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9nc3-pz7Tc Want a copy? Have a question? Email me on: swild(a)ab.mpg.de Cheers, Sonja Wild & co-authors ------------------------------------------------------- Sonja Wild Postdoctoral Researcher Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour - University of Konstanz Cognitive and Cultural Ecology Lab - Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior website: <https://sites.google.com/view/sonjawild> https://sites.google.com/view/sonjawild twitter: @wild_sonja<https://twitter.com/wild_sonja>

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Marine Animal Response Internships in Hawaii
by elisabeth.bogle＠h-mar.org 23 Jun '20

23 Jun '20

JOIN OUR FIELD RESPONSE TEAM on the beautiful island of Oahu in the State of Hawaii. We are accepting applications for interns for our Fall 2020 internship period. The deadline is July 31st, however, applications will be reviewed as they come in, and positions will be assigned as responses are received so apply soon. Here is more detail about this opportunity. ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION Hawaii Marine Animal Response (HMAR) is the field operations arm of Hawaii Marine Mammal Alliance Inc. and is the largest Hawaii-based non-profit marine species conservation and response organization. We cover nearly 300 miles of coastline on the islands of Oahu and Molokai with our team of volunteers, interns and staff. We are a U.S. based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation, conservation and stewardship of Hawaii's protected marine species and our ocean ecosystem. We focus our work on marine species whose natural behaviors and habitat put animals in close proximity to and are therefore most affected by human impacts. These species include the endangered Hawaiian monk seal, the threatened green sea turtle, the endangered hawksbill sea turtle and several vulnerable seabird species. HMAR is supported by private donations, corporate funding and government grants and operates under partnerships with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the State of Hawaii and others. More information about HMAR is available at http://h-mar.org. FIELD OUTREACH AND SUPPORT (FSO) TEAM INTERN DUTIES: -Responding to sightings of endangered or threatened marine species such as Hawaiian monk seals and sea turtles to provide shoreline response to haul-outs and strandings. -Perform or assist in field escalations, interventions, stranding support and rescues. -Report on animal behavior, provide animal assessment information, provide photo-documentation and other important data used in protected marine species research, health management and species recovery efforts. -Perform outreach to the public to teach sustainable human interaction and fishery behaviors and encourage stewardship of protected marine species and the ocean ecosystem. -Participate in dispatch and reporting activity such as the taking and documenting phone call reports of marine species activity, coordinating field response activity, data entry and generating reports. LOCATION: These positions require on-island travel throughout the island of Oahu in the State of Hawaii. FIELD SUPPORT AND OUTREACH (FSO) INTERN GENERAL REQUIREMENTS: -This is an un-paid internship that requires the intern to live on the island of Oahu in the State of Hawaii for the period beginning 2 weeks prior to the start of the internship until the end of the internship. The intern is responsible for all lodging, living and transportation costs associated with the internship. -U.S. citizenship or possession of a passport and all applicable visas and work permits are needed prior to and during the internship period. -18 or more years of age. -English language fluency. -Must be a degree-seeking student or a graduate of a college or university program associated with one of the following courses of study: marine biology, marine ecology, conservation, environmental science or a related field. -Minimum grade point average (GPA). For college/university graduates, a 2.7 cumulative GPA prior to the internship. For current students, a 2.7 cumulative GPA prior to and during the internship. -If college credit for this internship is desired it is the responsibility of the intern to obtain necessary approvals from the applicable college or university. -Ability to walk in sandy, rocky and unstable shoreline conditions for 2 miles. - Ability to work outdoors in a sunny, rainy, windy and hot climate. -Ability to lift and carry a minimum of 75 pounds for 100 feet in shoreline beach and rocky conditions. -Ability to swim required. -Ability to maintain a calm demeanor in potentially stressful conditions. -Possess a team-based work ethic and attitude. -Acceptance of our Intern Policies, Waivers, Releases and Indemnifications agreement. -Attend mandatory in-field or classroom training sessions as required. - Possess an interest in and a desire to engage with the public. - Must have access to a reliable car or truck (truck preferred) during the internship period. Motorcycles or scooters will not be sufficient. -Possession of a valid driver's license. -Proof of automobile insurance carrying Hawaii minimum liability coverage levels. -Access to a cellular phone with 4G data service and camera. -Access to a digital camera (not a smartphone) with at least a 35X zoom lens and Wi-Fi capability. If it does not have wifi capability, you can buy an adapter. FIELD SUPPORT AND OUTREACH INTERNSHIP ACTIVITY EXPECTATIONS: - Internship term: Minimum of 3 months (may be extended for up to 1 year upon mutual agreement). Start date for 3-month minimum internship is somewhat flexible, but must be between August 15th and September 30th, 2020. Interns must be on Oahu, settled and ready to begin training at least 2 weeks prior to the internship start date. -Hours per week: 20 hours minimum, however, due to the unpredictable nature of marine animal response, the intern may sometimes be required to work beyond, or outside of, their normal scheduled hours. Work hours flexibility is required. Travel time to and from training and field response locations is not included in these minimum hours. The intern must be able and willing to work flexible hours including weekends and holidays. -The intern must be available for response anywhere on the Island of Oahu in the State of Hawaii. FIELD SUPPORT AND OUTREACH INTERNSHIP DEADLINE AND APPLICATION PROCESS: The deadline for Fall 2020 internships is July 31, 2020, however, applications will be reviewed as they come in and internship positions will be assigned as they are received so apply soon. To apply, please go to http://h-mar.org/jointheteam/ and complete the online application. IN ADDITION to completion of the online application, please submit the following information via email to elisabeth.bogle(a)h-mar.org A cover letter of interest, maximum of 1 page, including your dates of availability. Confirmation that you have, or will have, access to a reliable car or truck during the internship period (truck preferred). A resume describing your training, experience, relevant skills and GPA (maximum of 2 pages). Names and contact information for three references. Your application cannot be considered unless both the online application and the required documents listed above are received. We look forward to receiving your application and thank you for your interest in Hawaii Marine Animal Response (HMAR). Elisabeth Pendergrass Bogle Field Support & Outreach Lead Internship Manager Hawaii Marine Animal Response elisabeth.bogle(a)h-mar.org Direct: 404-323-6318 Sighting Hotline: (808) 220-7802‬

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Last Call - Bycatch mitigation research equipment competition
by Lydia Tivenan 23 Jun '20

23 Jun '20

*LAST CALL 1 week left to apply - Chance to win marine acoustic equipment for bycatch mitigation research!* To celebrate the recent publication, "Assessing the Effects of Banana Pingers as Bycatch Mitigation Device for Harbour Porpoises *(Phocoena phocoena)"* by Omeyer et al., 2020, Fishtek Marine in collaboration with Chelonia LTD are running an exciting competition, for marine mammals scientists working in bycatch mitigation research. We are giving away $8000 of marine acoustic equipment (x2 C-PODs, x1 cycling Banana pinger). *Who should apply?* Anyone working with fisheries with the aim of reducing cetacean bycatch and ideally with the ability to publish scientific research. Applicants should demonstrate a drive and strategy to achieve a conservation outcome on a regional scale in the next 3 years. We would also welcome Government regulators and fisheries authorities looking to comply with the new Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) import provisions to apply. Preference for those working in the gill, drift and set net fisheries with cetacean bycatch issues and those working with Narrow Band High Frequency species (NBHF) and protected species. **Deadline for applications 30th June 2020** Read Omeyer et al., 2020 (open access) paper: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2020.00285/full For more information about Fishtek Marine and how to apply: https://www.fishtekmarine.com/competition/ Find out more about Chelonia LTD: https://www.chelonia.co.uk/ Many thanks, Lydia *Lydia Tivenan – *Bycatch Mitigation Assistant, Fishtek Marine Ltd. Unit 1a Webbers Way, Dartington, Devon. TQ9 6JY. United Kingdom. *t.* +44 (0)1803 225253 *t.* +44 (0)7963 161736 *e.* lydia.tivenan(a)fishtekmarine.com *w.* http://www.fishtekmarine.com <https://www.fishtekmarine.com/> <https://www.facebook.com/fishtekmarine> <https://www.linkedin.com/company/10968828> <https://twitter.com/FishtekMarine>

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Postdoc in Machine Learning and Killer Whale Acoustics
by Ruth Joy 22 Jun '20

22 Jun '20

Dear MARMAM-Users, We are pleased to announce the following position for a Postdoctoral Researcher. We welcome all applicants, however due to COVID travel restrictions, if you are not in Canada already, please check if you are able to obtain a work permit and travel provisions for Canada. The project Only 72 Southern Resident Killer Whale individuals remain as of February 2020, the population cannot risk any injuries or mortalities from ships that transit through their habitat. The goal is to automatically detect whale sounds from underwater acoustic signals so as to alert ships of their presence to reduce the risk of collisions. The research goals involve development of machine learning tools for under-water acoustic signals and extend into uncertainty quantification and sequential experimental design. A deep learning approach will be used to develop a whale detector from a catalog of labelled sounds from different killer whale types and ambient sounds. In order to validate and improve the whale detector, an active learning (human-in-the-loop) approach will be developed to prioritize new annotation tasks for the human analyst. The end result will be integrated into open-source software, including a plug-in for PAMGuard for use by people working in marine mammal acoustics. There is room for applied and methodological research. The team: Ruth Joy, Department of Statistics and Actuarial Sciences and the School of Environmental Science, Simon Fraser University Dave Campbell, School of Mathematics and Statistics, Carleton University. Oliver Kirsebom, Marine Environmental Research Infrastructure for Data Integration and Application Network (MERIDIAN), Dalhousie University Fabio Frazao, Institute for Big Data Analytics, Dalhousie University *Steven Bergner*, Big Data Centre, Simon Fraser University *Scott Veirs*, Orcasound open-source software project What the supervisors are offering: The intent is to build your research program, boost your employability, and build your professional network, while saving the whales. This post-doctoral opening is designed to ensure collaborative and networking opportunities for the candidate. There is a clear target research project, but the candidate will have academic freedom to become involved in other research projects that align with their career goals. Opportunities to Build Academic Collaborations Across Canada: When travel becomes realistic once again, the project has funding for the candidate to spend collaborative time at Simon Fraser University, as well as Dalhousie University. We want to help you to develop career connections across Canada. While being hosted in Ottawa, the candidate will be introduced to a network of collaborators at government research labs such as the National Research Council of Canada and Department of Fisheries and Oceans, as well as other academic institutions. Details Salary: $65,000 per year plus travel. Project duration: 2 years Location: Carleton University, Ottawa but we understand the world is strange these days and needs some flexibility. Qualifications: - The candidate must have experience working with real data. - The candidate must have strong computing skills in R and/or python. - The candidate should have a skillset emphasizing computational statistics, statistical computing, and/or machine learning. - The candidate would ideally have interests / strengths in some of: statistical algorithms, high performance computing, audio signal processing, ecological modelling, computational statistics, state space modelling, Bayesian sampling algorithms, or hierarchical modelling. To Apply Send an email to: RuthJoy <rjoy(a)sfu.ca> and DaveCampbell <davecampbell(a)math.carleton.ca> With the subject “Postdoc: Save the Whales”, please include your potential start date in your cover letter. Deadline: July 15th, 2020, or until the position is filled. For any questions do not hesitate to contact me. Best regards, Ruth Joy.

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First confirmed stranding of a True's beaked whale (Mesoplodon mirus) in the UK
by Mariel ten Doeschate 22 Jun '20

22 Jun '20

Dear all, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce the publication of this short note on the first confirmed stranding of a *True’s beaked whale* (*Mesoplodon mirus*) in Britian, which was published in Mammal Communications earlier this month. The 490cm long female stranded on a rocky shore at Kearvaig Bay, in the north-west of Scotland, on the 29th January 2020. This finding adds a fourth new cetacean species to strand on the UK shoreline since stranding surveillance schemes began in 1990. The paper is freely available and can be downloaded via the following link: https://www.mammal.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/MC2003_TruesBeakedWhal… Corresponding author: Andrew Kitchener, (a.kitchener(a)nms.ac.uk) Many thanks, Mariel *Mariel ten Doeschate MSc* Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme Department of Veterinary and Animal Science Northern Faculty, SRUC An Lòchran, 10 Inverness Campus Inverness, IV2 5NA www.strandings.org +44 (0) 7990513589

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Recent publication on the acoustic presence of fin whales in the Bering Strait region
by Erica Escajeda 22 Jun '20

22 Jun '20

Dear MARMAM Community, It is with great pleasure that I, along with my co-authors, announce our recent publication: Variability in fin whale (*Balaenoptera physalus*) occurrence in the Bering Strait and southern Chukchi Sea in relation to environmental factors *Abstract*: Fin whales (*Balaenoptera physalus*) are common summer visitors to the Pacific Arctic, migrating through the Bering Strait and into the southern Chukchi Sea to feed on seasonally-abundant prey. The abundance and distribution of fin whales in the Chukchi Sea varies from year-to-year, possibly reflecting fluctuating environmental conditions. We hypothesized that fin whale calls were most likely to be detected in years and at sites where productive water masses were present, indicated by low temperatures and high salinities, and where strong northward water and wind velocities, resulting in increased prey advection, were prevalent. Using acoustic recordings from three moored hydrophones in the Bering Strait region from 2009–2015, we identified fin whale calls during the open-water season (July–November) and investigated potential environmental drivers of interannual variability in fin whale presence. We examined near-surface and near-bottom temperatures (T) and salinities (S), wind and water velocities through the strait, water mass presence as estimated using published T/S boundaries, and satellite-derived sea surface temperatures and sea-ice concentrations. Our results show significant interannual variability in the acoustic presence of fin whales with the greatest detections of calls in years with contrasting environmental conditions (2012 and 2015). Colder temperatures, lower salinities, slower water velocities, and weak southward winds prevailed in 2012 while warmer temperatures, higher salinities, faster water velocities, and moderate southward winds prevailed in 2015. Most detections (96%) were recorded at the mooring site nearest the confluence of the nutrient-rich Anadyr and Bering Shelf water masses, ~35 km north of Bering Strait, indicating that productive water masses may influence the occurrence of fin whales. The disparity in environmental conditions between 2012 and 2015 suggests there may be multiple combinations of environmental factors or other unexamined variables that draw fin whales into the Pacific Arctic. *Citation*: Escajeda, E., K. M. Stafford, R. A. Woodgate, and K. L. Laidre. 2020. Variability in fin whale (*Balaenoptera physalus*) occurrence in the Bering Strait and southern Chukchi Sea in relation to environmental factors. Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 104782, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2020.104782. Please feel free to contact me for a .pdf copy. Wishing you all health and happiness, Erica Escajeda -- PhD Student Laidre Lab <https://staff.washington.edu/klaidre/> School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences University of Washington ericaescajeda.weebly.com

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Remote Internship
by Selina Brouwer 22 Jun '20

22 Jun '20

Dear all, *Please find below details of our Remote Internship with DMAD* The borders of many countries remain closed and it is currently almost impossible to travel safe due to the outbreak of COVID-19, but that doesn't mean that you can't benefit from our knowledge and develop your career or get help with your thesis remotely. You can receive both research and public outreach experience working with the DMAD team. http://www.dmad.org.tr/remote-internships WHO ARE DMAD AND WHAT DO WE DO? DMAD - Marine Mammals Research Association have scientific projects running in Turkey, Montenegro and Albania. We conduct long-term studies of marine mammals in Istanbul, Antalya, the Levantine Sea, Montenegrin coastal waters and the northern coastline of Albania. We aim to address questions about marine mammal abundance, distribution and behaviour, define critical habitats and investigate the impact of major threats, ranging from tourism to hydrocarbon exploration. Our wider attention focuses on the promotion and implementation of awareness initiatives targeted at the local community. More details on the projects can be found here: http://www.dmad.org.tr/our-projects ABOUT THE INTERNSHIP: The DMAD team provides lectures and training as well as constant support. You will be given the chance to learn the most popular methodologies used in marine mammal research including: -Cetacean species identification within the Mediterranean -Population statuses and threats to marine mammals within the Mediterranean -Software used in the field (Pythagoras, Logger 2010) -Data analysis using GIS, R, Distance, Mark -Passive Acoustic Monitoring using PamGuard -Residency Pattern Analysis -Scientific support on manuscript and technical report writing including thesis supervision-Population PARTICIPATION FEE: The internship is for 2 months and is about 100 hours and requires a contribution fee of 380euro, which fully goes to supporting the project. WHATS INCLUDED IN THE FEE: -PDF copies of the training and lectures -Audio recordings -Scientific support through weekly Skype calls -Real data and practical examples to work through -Certification HOW TO APPLY Our next Remote Internship starts on the 20th of July 2020 and has a limited number of places. Email your CV and cover letter to info(a)dmad.org.tr, explaining the subject of your thesis in the cover letter. If you wish to have more info about our other internships and work please take a look at some of our web pages and social media: Our research: http://www.dmad.org.tr/our-projects Our remote internships: http://www.dmad.org.tr/remote-internships Our publications: http://www.dmad.org.tr/our-publications Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marinemammalsresearch/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DMADforNature/ All the best, DMAD team *info(a)dmad.org.tr <info(a)dmad.org.tr>* *www.dmad.org.tr <http://www.dmad.org.tr/>*

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New publication: Influence of acoustic habitat variation on Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis) in shallow waters of Hainan Island, China
by Francesco Caruso 22 Jun '20

22 Jun '20

Dear MARMAM readers, we are pleased to share the publication of our Article in The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. Francesco Caruso, Lijun Dong, Mingli Lin, Mingming Liu, Wanxue Xu, and Songhai Li. Influence of acoustic habitat variation on Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis) in shallow waters of Hainan Island, China. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 147:6, 3871-3882. https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0001384. ABSTRACT: The Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (IPHD, Sousa chinensis) is a coastal species inhabiting tropical and warm-temperate waters. The presence of this vulnerable dolphin was recently discovered in shallow waters southwest of Hainan Island, China. The influence of the acoustic habitat on the distribution and behavior of IPHD was investigated using an array of passive acoustic platforms (n=6) that spanned more than 100 km of coastline during a 75-day monitoring period. Its presence was assessed within 19 215 five-min recordings by classifying echolocation clicks using machine learning techniques. Spectrogram analysis was applied to further investigate the acoustic behavior of IPHD and to identify other prominent sound sources. The variation in the ambient noise levels was also measured to describe the spatiotemporal patterns of the acoustic habitat among the different sampling sites. Social and feeding sounds of IPHD (whistles and click-series of pulsed sounds) were identified together with other biological sources (finless porpoise, soniferous fishes, and snapping shrimps) and anthropogenic activities (ship noise, explosions, and sonars). Distribution, acoustic behavior, and habitat use of this nearshore dolphin species were strongly influenced by the abundance of soniferous fishes, and under similar conditions, the species was more acoustically active in locations with lower noise levels. Best regards, Francesco Francesco Caruso, Ph.D. - Postdoctoral Researcher Marine Mammal and Marine Bioacoustics Laboratory Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering Chinese Academy of Sciences 28 Luhuitou Road, Sanya, 572000, China

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New publication: No evidence of microplastics in Antarctic fur seal scats
by Odei Garcia-Garin 22 Jun '20

22 Jun '20

Dear MARMAM list members, On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to share our recent study: No evidence of microplastics in Antarctic fur seal scats from a hotspot of human activity in Western Antarctica Garcia-Garin, O., García-Cuevas, I., Drago, M., Rita, D., Parga, M., Gazo, M., Cardona, L. (2020). No evidence of microplastics in Antarctic fur seal scats from a hotspot of human activity in Western Antarctica. Science of the Total Environment, 737, 140210. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140210 Abstract: Microplastics are present in almost all seas and oceans, including the Southern Ocean. To the south of the Antarctic Polar Front, microplastics are present mainly west to the Antarctic Peninsula, but information is scarce about their impact on the pelagic food web. Here, we analysed 42 scats of male Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella) collected in late summer at Deception Island (South Shetland Islands), which allowed us to assess the presence of microplastics in the pelagic food web of the Bransfield Strait (Western Antarctica). Furthermore, we analysed the hard remains of prey in the scats to characterize the diet of fur seals. Hard remains recovered from the scats revealed that male Antarctic fur seals foraged on krill and myctophid fishes during late summer. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) revealed that none of the seven fragments and three fibres recovered from their scats were microplastics, but rather were silicate minerals and chitin. These results suggest that the levels of microplastic pollution in the pelagic food web of the Bransfield Strait are extremely low. The paper can be accessed using the following link: https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1bHCAB8ccoHEV Or send me an e-mail (odei.garcia(a)ub.edu) for the full text. All the best, Odei Garcia-Garin -- Odei Garcia-Garin, PhD student Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia, Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, 08028. +34 695100641

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