November 2021 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

New Publication: Habitat Modelling on the Potential Impacts of Shipping Noise on Fin Whales (Balaenoptera physalus) in Offshore Irish Waters off the Porcupine Ridge (Kavya Ramesh)
by Kavya Ramesh 24 Nov '21

24 Nov '21

Dear all, My co-authors and I have recently published our paper in the Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (JMSE). https://www.mdpi.com/1341844 Ramesh, K.; Berrow, S.; Meade, R.; O’Brien, J. Habitat Modelling on the Potential Impacts of Shipping Noise on Fin Whales (Balaenoptera physalus) in Offshore Irish Waters off the Porcupine Ridge. J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9, 1207. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9111207 Abstract: Little is known about the ecological importance of fin whales found year-round in southwestern offshore Irish waters. Understanding their ecology is important to reduce potential harm through any spatio-temporal overlap with commercial shipping and fishing activities. This study explored the potential environmental drivers and impacts of low-frequency shipping noise on fin whale calling at Porcupine Ridge using the presence/absence of call detections as a proxy for observed changes due to possible masking. Acoustic call data was collected at a low sampling rate (2 ksps) from the end of March 2016 to June 2016 (97 days) using a bottom-moored autonomous acoustic recorder with an omni-directional hydrophone. The high zero-inflated and binary nature of the data was addressed using generalised linear models. The results of our habitat modelling predicted call detections to increase significantly during night-time (p ≤ 0.01) with sea surface height and chlorophyll-a concentration (p ≤ 0.01), implying higher prey availability may occur on Porcupine Ridge. It also indicated a significant decrease in call detections with increasing shipping noise (p ≤ 0.01). Unfortunately, the model had a type II error. To provide robust results, a longer study not limited by data on the prey, and oceanographic drivers including spatial and temporal parameters is required. This study provides the foundations on which further ecological data could be added to establish management and mitigation measures to minimize the effects of shipping noise on fin whales. Please feel free to ask if you have any questions. Kind regards, Kavya -- Kavya Ramesh (She/Her) | Community Engagement and Partnerships Cyan Planet - XR for ocean protection Graduate of International Master of Science in Marine Biological Resources *http://www.imbrsea.eu/ <http://www.imbrsea.eu/>* https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kavya_Ramesh https://www.linkedin.com/in/kavya-ramesh-194130194/

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Conservation Ecology Certificate in Homer Alaska
by K Frost 23 Nov '21

23 Nov '21

Marine Mammal Biology (Fall) /Conservation Ecology (Spring) Program and Undergraduate Internships (http://semesterbythebay.org/internships/) available this Spring and/or Fall Semesters at the University of Alaska Anchorage-KPC-KBC in Homer, Alaska. Semester by the Bay is accepting applications from students interested in hands-on placed-based study of conservation ecology (Spring Semester) and/or Marine Mammal Biology (Fall Semester) in the beautiful seaside town of Homer, Alaska that may result in the receipt of an occupational endorsement certificate. Our fall courses offer students numerous unique experiential learning opportunities in the lab and field, such as the behavioral ecology of beluga, humpback and killer whales, sea otters, Steller sea lions and harbor seals; acoustics of harbor porpoises and belugas; marine mammal skeletal articulation; seining, identification and articulation of estuarine and marine fishes; behavior of marine mammals in estuarine and nearshore environments. Spring courses center around individual conservation ecology research. Through Exploration Ecology students identify their own burning conservation questions and receive assistance designing, conducting and reporting real projects. Additionally, students in both semesters participate in community-based *internships*and/or service-learning volunteer opportunities with governmental or non-governmental researchers while studying with us at the Kachemak Bay Campus of Kenai Peninsula College. KPC offers *in-state tuition* for all US students, and many internships include free or significantly reduced housing with our community-partner agencies (USFWS, NOAA, KBNERR, AMNWR, Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies, Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game, Kachemak Bay Land Trust). Internships still available for Spring 22. Please see www.semesterbythebay.org or email semesterbythebay(a)alaska.edu for more details. -- Kim Frost Student and Enrollment Services Manager Kachemak Bay Campus/KPC/UAA This message is intended for the sole use of the individual to whom it is addressed, and may contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the addressee, you are hereby notified that you may not use, copy, disclose, or distribute to anyone the message or any information contained in the message. If you have received this item in error, please notify the original sender and destroy this item, along with any attachments.

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New paper describing an approach to quantify marine mammal exposure to Navy sonar in discrete areas
by Enrico Pirotta 23 Nov '21

23 Nov '21

Dear MARMAM colleagues, We are pleased to announce that the following paper is now available online: Charlotte M. Jones-Todd, Enrico Pirotta, John W. Durban, Diane E. Claridge, Robin W. Baird, Erin A. Falcone, Gregory S. Schorr, Stephanie Watwood, Len Thomas. Continuous-time discrete-space models of marine mammal exposure to Navy sonar. Ecological Applications: e02475. Abstract: Assessing the patterns of wildlife attendance to specific areas is relevant across many fundamental and applied ecological studies, particularly when animals are at risk of being exposed to stressors within or outside the boundaries of those areas. Marine mammals are increasingly being exposed to human activities that may cause behavioral and physiological changes, including military exercises using active sonars. Assessment of the population-level consequences of anthropogenic disturbance requires robust and efficient tools to quantify the levels of aggregate exposure for individuals in a population over biologically relevant time frames. We propose a discrete-space, continuous-time approach to estimate individual transition rates across the boundaries of an area of interest, informed by telemetry data collected with uncertainty. The approach allows inferring the effect of stressors on transition rates, the progressive return to baseline movement patterns, and any difference among individuals. We apply the modelling framework to telemetry data from Blainville’s beaked whale (Mesoplodon densirostris) tagged in the Bahamas at the Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center (AUTEC), an area used by the U.S. Navy for fleet readiness training. We show that transition rates changed as a result of exposure to sonar exercises in the area, reflecting an avoidance response. Our approach will support the assessment of the aggregate exposure of individuals to sonar and the resulting population-level consequences. The approach has potential applications across many applied and fundamental problems where telemetry data are used to characterise animal occurrence within specific areas. Keywords: Aggregate exposure; area attendance; beaked whales; individual-level random effects; sonar disturbance; Template Model Builder; transition probability. A PDF copy of the paper can be downloaded for free from: https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/eap.2475 Please do not hesitate to contact me or Charlotte for any question regarding our work. Best Regards, Enrico Pirotta

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Stranding Job Opportunity
by Alexander M. Costidis 22 Nov '21

22 Nov '21

Hello Marmam Community, We are excited to announce a full-time job opportunity for a Volunteer Manager & Field Response Lead (Exhibits Technician II), at the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center. The successful candidate will be a part of a team focused on marine mammal and sea turtle stranding response, necropsy, and rehabilitation. The team also engages in numerous activities related to conservation of marine mammals and sea turtles, including research, advocacy, and consultations for federal agencies. For more information or to apply, please visit https://phg.tbe.taleo.net/phg02/ats/careers/v2/viewRequisition?org=VBGOV&cw… Kind regards, Alexander M. Costidis, Ph.D. Senior Scientist Stranding Response & Biomedical Research Phone: +1 (757) 385-6482 Cell: +1 (727) 543-6263 ACostidi(a)VirginiaAquarium.com<mailto:Email@VirginiaAquarium.com> Stranding Response Hotline: (757) 385- 7575 Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center<http://www.virginiaaquarium.com/> 717 General Booth Blvd. Virginia Beach, Virginia 23451, USA [cid:342dcebf-83c5-426d-83ca-cf08d096bb60]

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Tenure-track position in marine mammal biology at University of North Carolina Wilmington
by Tift, Michael S. 19 Nov '21

19 Nov '21

Dear MARMAM community, The Department of Biology and Marine Biology at the University of North Carolina Wilmington invites applications for a 9-month tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Marine Mammal Biology, beginning in August 2022. Candidates in any area of marine mammal research are encouraged to apply. The successful applicant is expected to develop and maintain a nationally recognized, extramurally-funded research program that provides opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students, and other research team positions (such as post-doctoral researchers) as appropriate. Upon initial appointment, the successful applicant will be expected to contribute to the Department's teaching mission at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, including our course on marine mammals, as well as other courses depending on individual expertise and departmental needs. The successful applicant will also contribute to departmental and university service. Applicants must hold a Ph.D. in Biology or related discipline, have postdoctoral experience or other professional research experience at the time of appointment, and strong potential for excellence in teaching. The department is especially interested in qualified candidates who can contribute, through their teaching and service, to building and sustaining an equitable, diverse, and inclusive academic community. Candidates in any area of marine mammal research are encouraged to apply. We seek applicants able to complement existing disciplinary strengths, develop regional research, and leverage existing UNCW facilities. Applications will be accepted until 11:59 pm EST on November 30, 2021. For more information, please visit: https://jobs.uncw.edu/postings/22345 Thank you, Michael Tift, PhD (He/Him/His) Assistant Professor Department of Biology and Marine Biology University of North Carolina Wilmington 601 S. College Rd. Wilmington, NC 28403. U.S.A. Telephone: +1-(910) 962-2777 Lab Website: https://michaeltift.weebly.com/ For Shipments use: Dobo Hall 1008 4978 Cahill Drive Wilmington, NC 28403-5915 NOTICE: Emails sent and received in the course of university business are subject to the North Carolina Public Records Act (N.C.G.S. §132-1 et seq.) and may be released to the public unless an exception applies.

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New article: Population assessment for humpback whales - alternative method
by Guilherme Augusto Bortolotto 19 Nov '21

19 Nov '21

Dear all, Our new article is now published in PLoS ONE: Bortolotto GA, Thomas L, Hammond P, Zerbini AN (2021) *Alternative method for assessment of southwestern Atlantic humpback whale population status*. PLoS ONE 16(11): e0259541. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0259541 Humpback whales wintering off eastern South America were exploited almost to the point of extinction. Today, that population is recovering but the timing is uncertain. In this article, we revise a previous population status assessment and use an alternative method for model fitting (MCMC), which will hopefully be more widely accessible to ecologists. Our approach allowed us to better investigate and reflect scientific uncertainty around historical population levels. Our approach provides an accessible framework for investigating the status of depleted animal populations for which information is available on historical mortality and intermittent estimates of population size and/or trend. The detailed R code for implementing the state-space models in this article are provided in full in the supplementary material. Open access: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0259541#p… Don't hesitate to get in touch with questions, comments and/or suggestions: bortolotto.ga@gmail.com/gabdo@st-andrews.ac.uk All the best, Guilherme A. Bortolotto (he/him) Research Fellow | Sea Mammal Research Unit http://www.smru.st-andrews.ac.uk/person/gabdo/ Project TARSAN International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration https://thwaitesglacier.org/index.php/

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New publication: Salinity and Water Temperature as Predictors of Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) Encounter Rates in Upper Galveston Bay, Texas
by Kristi F 18 Nov '21

18 Nov '21

My co-author and I are pleased to share our new paper from the Galveston Bay Dolphin Research Program, available with open access through Frontiers in Marine Science, Marine Megafauna. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.754686/full Mintzer, V. J. and K. L. Fazioli (2021). "Salinity and Water Temperature as Predictors of Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) Encounter Rates in Upper Galveston Bay, Texas." Frontiers in Marine Science 8(1627). https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.754686 Abstract: Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) that inhabit urban estuaries like Galveston Bay, Texas, are exposed to cumulative stressors including pollution, fisheries, shipping, freshwater inflows, and construction operations. With continuing development, it is imperative to understand the key environmental variables that make the Galveston Bay estuary suitable habitat for this protected species. The Galveston Bay Dolphin Research Program conducted monthly photo identification surveys of bottlenose dolphins in a previously understudied 186 km2 area in upper Galveston Bay (UGB). To understand occurrence patterns in this region, we calculated monthly encounter rates of dolphins (dolphins/km) for four consecutive years (2016–2019). Using multiple linear regression models, we investigated the relationship between encounter rates, and water temperature and salinity. Monthly encounter rates ranged from 0.00 to 1.23 dolphins/km with an average of 0.34 dolphins/km (SE = 0.05). Over 80% of the variance was explained by the predictor variables water temperature and salinity (R2 = 0.820). Water temperature had a positive linear effect on encounter rates at over 23.37°C (SE = 1.42). Accordingly, higher encounter rates occurred during months with warm temperatures (May–September) compared to cooler months (November–April), indicating a predictable yearly movement pattern. Moreover, salinity was a highly significant predictor variable, with encounter rates dropping linearly with decreases in salinity. Higher numbers of dolphins are found in UGB during summer, but an exodus of dolphins occurs with low salinity levels, regardless of the time of year and water temperature. These findings should be considered during infrastructure projects (i.e., flood gate system) that may alter dolphin habitat and prey availability. Please feel free to contact us with any questions. Kristi Fazioli Research Associate Environmental Institute of Houston University of Houston - Clear Lake Galveston Bay Dolphin Research Program https://galvestonbaydolphin.org/ Fazioli(a)uhcl.edu

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New publication: Compound-specific isotope analyses of harp seal teeth
by Joanna Kershaw 18 Nov '21

18 Nov '21

Dear colleagues, On behalf of the team, I am pleased to share our new publication “Compound-specific isotope analyses of harp seal teeth: tools for trophic ecology reconstruction” published in Marine Ecology Progress Series. The paper is available here: DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps13867 ABSTRACT: As sentinels of ecosystem health, high trophic level predators integrate information through all levels of the food web. Their tissues can be used to investigate spatiotemporal variability in foraging behaviour, and with the appropriate analytical methods and tools, archived samples can be used to reconstruct past trophic interactions. Harp seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus) teeth collected in the 1990s from the Northwest Atlantic were analysed for bulk stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes (δ13Cbulk and δ15Nbulk), and compound-specific stable nitrogen isotopes of amino acids (δ15NAA) for the first time. We developed a fine-scale, annual growth layer group (GLG) dentine sub-sampling method corresponding to the second and third year of life. In accordance with previous diet studies, while there was individual variability in δ15Nbulk, δ13Cbulk and δ15NAA measurements, we did not detect significant differences in isotopic niche widths between males and females, or between GLGs. Relative trophic position was calculated as the baseline-corrected δ15NAA values using trophic (glutamic acid) and source (phenylalanine and glycine) amino acids. Variability was measured between individuals in their relative trophic position, but within-individual variability was low, suggesting that they fed at the same trophic level over these 2 years of life. These novel δ15NAA data may therefore suggest individual, specialist harp seal foraging behaviour in sub-adults. Our findings show that compound-specific stable isotope signatures of archived, inert predator tissues can be used as tools for the retrospective reconstruction of trophic interactions on broad spatiotemporal scales. Best wishes, Jo Kershaw

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MMO & PAM positions globally
by Recruitment 18 Nov '21

18 Nov '21

Dear MMOs & PAMOs, Ocean Science Consulting Limited (OSC) has opportunities regularly for Marine Mammal Observers (MMOs), Passive Acoustic Monitoring Operators (PAMOs), Protected Species Observers (PSOs), etc., globally and would like to invite you to register on our online contractor portal for future projects. If you are already a certified MMO/PAMO/PSO and would like to work with OSC, or have worked with us previously and not yet registered, please create an account to provide us with your contact details and offshore documents. Being a part of our database means you will be first to hear of offshore opportunities and enables our recruitment team to easily identify suitable opportunities for you given your experience and qualifications. Please ensure you keep your documents and contact details up to date. Contractor portal: https://contractors.osc.co.uk/ For further details about OSC: https://www.osc.co.uk/ If you are interested in research, internship opportunities, or a different aspect of our work, please contact recruitment(a)osc.co.uk<mailto:recruitment@osc.co.uk> Best wishes, Recruitment Ocean Science Consulting Limited (OSC) Spott Road, Dunbar, East Lothian, EH42 1RR, Scotland, UK T: +44 (0)1368 865 722 W: www.osc.co.uk<http://www.osc.co.uk/> MMO or PAM requirement? We wrote the book. Now available on Amazon: www.marinemammalobserverhandbook.com<http://www.marinemammalobserverhandbook.com/>

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Introductory distance sampling training workshop 10-21 January 2022, registration open for another two weeks
by Eric Rexstad 18 Nov '21

18 Nov '21

Marmam members: The introductory workshop, conducted via Zoom, 10-21 January 2022 is beginning to fill. If you would like to participate in discussion of distance sampling methods and implementation as well as carry out analyses in R weekdays 1500-1730 UK time, be sure to register before the registration deadline on 06 December. Distance sampling methodology is widely used around the world in population assessment work with marine mammals. Complete details and a link to the registration page http://workshops.distancesampling.org/intro-jan-2022.html At the webpage above, you will find a link to the St Andrews online shop where payment is made. After registration, I will contact you with additional details regarding workshop electronic materials, etc. Feel free to contact me with questions and share this announcement with interested colleagues. Eric Rexstad Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling University of St Andrews Registered Charity in Scotland SC013532

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