May 2022 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

New publication: Planning Conservation Strategies of Guiana Dolphin
by Heloíse Pavanato 31 May '22

31 May '22

Dear colleagues, On behalf of my co-authors Daniela Godoy and Artur Andriolo, I'm pleased to share our latest publication in Frontiers in Conservation Science, section Animal Conservation, *Planning Conservation Strategies of Guiana Dolphin Related to Canal Flow and Habitat Changes in the Estuarine Lagunar Complex of Cananéia*. Here is the link to the online open access publication: http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fcosc.2022.852104/full?&utm_… <http://links.email.frontiersin.org/ls/click?upn=Dpg5ochww630xh6EMvshS4k2vZe…> Citation: Godoy DF, Pavanato H, Andriolo A. 2022. Planning Conservation Strategies of Guiana Dolphin Related to Canal Flow and Habitat Changes in the Estuarine Lagunar Complex of Cananéia. Frontiers in Conservation Science 3, 10.3389/fcosc.2022.852104. Abstract: Anthropogenic activities have altered the structure and function of coastal and estuarine ecosystems, affecting the animals that occur in these areas. Predictive models are useful to evaluate the impact of anthropogenic characteristics over species distribution. In this study, we used generalized linear models to assess the influence Valo Grande canal, which allows fresh water to enter the Estuarine Lagunar Complex of Cananéia, has on the occurrence of Guiana dolphins. A population of this species resides in the study area, which comprises many coastal and marine protected areas. Abiotic data and information on species occurrence were gathered between January 2012 and November 2014, during three fieldworks per season, covering four sectors within the estuary. The predictions resulting from generalized linear models indicated that the discharge of fresh water, which decreases salinity in the estuary, has a negative influence on the populations of dolphins in all sectors but, mainly, on sector IV, the closest to Valo Grande Canal. Thus, it is clear that Guiana dolphins presented a heterogeneous distribution within the studied estuary, and the areas of higher concentration of individuals deserve greater attention during the elaboration of conservation strategies. Please get in touch if you have any questions or would like to discuss our findings. Kind regards, Heloise Pavanato

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Job Opportunity: Supervisory Fish and Wildlife Administrator, ZP-0480-5 Honolulu, HI
by Charles Littnan - NOAA Federal 31 May '22

31 May '22

NOAA Fisheries is recruiting a Supervisory Fish and Wildlife Administrator, ZP-0480-5 (MAP) working on marine mammals, sea turtles, corals and other protected species. This position is located within the Department of Commerce (DOC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Pacific Islands Regional Office (PIRO), Protected Resources Division (PRD) with one vacancy located in Honolulu, HI.Open & closing dates 05/16/2022 to 06/06/2022 Duties As a Supervisory Fish and Wildlife Administrator, you will perform the following duties: - Serve as Assistant Regional Administrator, managing and administering the policies, procedures, and planning necessary for implementation of federal laws and regulations, and provide leadership toward accomplishment of regional goals and objectives in support of NOAA Fisheries and PIRO strategic plans. - Lead the development and implementation of plans and actions related to listing species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), by designating critical habitat, conducting ESA consultations, recovery planning, protected resources stranding response, and delisting related to regulatory mandates. - Lead conservation and recovery efforts for marine mammals through the take reduction teams, recovery teams, and other forums. - Perform the full range of supervisory duties, including planning and assigning work, developing performance standards, evaluating work performance, arranging for training and development, and resolving internal complaints and problems. Conditions of Employment - Must be a U.S. Citizen or National to apply. - - Required to pass a background investigation and fingerprint check. - - Must be suitable for Federal employment. - - Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov) - - Time-in-grade/band must be met by closing date of announcement. - - If selected, required to complete OGE Form 450 financial disclosure. For more information and to see the job posting: https://www.usajobs.gov/job/653149300 DO NOT CONTACT THE SENDER

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Dolphin research courses in Slovenia
by Nik Lupse 31 May '22

31 May '22

Dear colleagues, Morigenos - Slovenian Marine Mammal Society is organising DolphinResearch Courses in Piran, Slovenia, between July andSeptember 2022, where interested individuals can participate infield research and help study dolphins in their natural environment. Morigenosis a non-profit NGO that aims to combine scientific research, education, publicawareness and capacity building, to achieve effective conservation of marinemammals and the marine environment. Since 2002, Morigenos has been conductinglong-term research on the ecology, behaviour and conservation of a residentpopulation of common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) inhabitingthe wider area of the Gulf of Trieste in the northern Adriatic Sea. Theresulting scientific publications arising from this work can be foundhere: https://www.morigenos.org/en/scientific-publications/ The courses, organised annually since 2003, areopen to both students and non-students, regardless of previous experience.During the 10-day course, participants will gain theoretical and practicalexperience in marine mammal research methodology, including boat- andland-based surveying, focal follows, behavioural observations,photo-identification, abundance estimation and studies of social structure.Training is provided both in the field and in the form of lectures. Accommodation is provided at Morigenos researchbase in a beautiful medieval town of Piran (Slovenia, EU), on the Adriatic Seacoast. Daily household duties are shared among participants and researchers.The course fee, which helps cover the fieldwork expenses and allows thisresearch programme to continue, is €549for students and €793 for non-students. The fee includesaccommodation, food, fieldwork and training. There is no selection. Applications are treated ona "first-come, first served" basis. WHERE: Piran, Slovenia WHEN: July-September 2022 DURATION: 10 days PRICE: students 549 EUR, non-students 793 EUR (includes accommodation, food, fieldwork and training) More information, inquiries and registration at: https://www.morigenos.org/en/dolphin-research-courses/ +386 31 77 10 77 Best wishes, Nik Lupše ____________________________________________ Morigenos - Slovenian Marine Mammal Society Kidricevo nabrezje 4 6330 Piran Slovenia www.morigenos.org www.facebook.org/morigenos twitter.com/Morigenos_org

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New publication about Amazonian manatee feeding ecology using stable isotopes
by Camila Carvalho de Carvalho 30 May '22

30 May '22

Dear MARMAM community, On behalf of my coauthors, I am pleased to share our recently published article in Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems. Carvalho, C.C., Marmontel, M., Botta, S., Emin-Lima, R., Costa, A.F., Crema, L.C. et al. (2022). Spatio-temporal, ontogenetic and sex-related patterns in resource use of Amazonian manatees across floodplains and estuaries as inferred by δ13C and δ15N isotopic values. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 1– 14. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3833 Abstract Threats to aquatic mammals may occur in isolation or in combination, leading to cumulative effects on populations and their ecosystems. Thus, conservation actions must consider the complexity of factors involved in patterns of habitat use, including feeding ecology, such as ontogenetic, spatial and temporal dietary shifts. The Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis) occurs in a variety of environments, such as várzeas and igapós (flooded areas) and estuaries. Different environments can lead to variation in the diet of manatees according to the availability and abundance of plant species. Stable isotope analysis (δ13C and δ15N) of manatee teeth was performed to assess spatio-temporal, ontogenetic and sex-related patterns in resource use. Mixing models were applied to identify the most consumed plant groups. In várzeas, there were significant interactions between sex and ontogenetic class and ontogenetic class and time series for δ13C values. For manatees sampled from 1994 to 2004, males and adults showed the highest δ15N values, and aquatic C3, followed by C4 plants, were the groups that most contributed to the species’ diet. Comparisons among the environments showed the highest δ13C values for manatees from várzeas and the lowest values for manatees from igapós. Várzeas had the highest abundance of C4 plants (high δ13C values), whereas they are scarce in igapós, leading manatees to consume mainly C3 species. The isotopic values of manatees mirrored those of the most available food sources in each environment, supporting the generalist and opportunist behaviour described for the species. Therefore, threats to the diversity, distribution and abundance of aquatic macrophytes, such as contamination, cattle raising and changes in the hydrological cycle (as a consequence of dams and climate change), will affect the diet of the manatee and should be taken into account when designing conservation strategies for the species. You can also contact me directly for a PDF copy: camilacarvalho.bio08(a)gmail.com Kind regards, Camila Carvalho -- Camila Carvalho de Carvalho Especialização em Jornalismo Científico - LabJor/Unicamp Mestre em Oceanografia Biológica - PPGOB/FURG Grupo de Pesquisa em Mamíferos Aquáticos Amazônicos - IDSM skype: camila.carvalho.de.carvalho cel: +55 15 98151-9531

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Individual-based modelling workshop at SMM2022
by Cara Gallagher 30 May '22

30 May '22

Hello everyone, We would like to announce our workshop on “Individual-based models - predictive models for studying impacts of disturbance on marine mammals” which will be held on Saturday July 30th, 2022 at the Society for Marine Mammalogy's 24th Biennial Conference. The workshop will be hybrid so both in-person and virtual participation are possible. The goals of this interactive workshop are to identify key processes currently used in marine mammal individual-based models and those which should be considered in future models, define alternative approaches, and outline best practices for going forward. As part of the workshop, Drs. Peter Tyack (University of St Andrews) and Steve Railsback (Cal Poly Humboldt) will give presentations on current approaches and pitfalls in modelling the effect of various anthropogenic activities on marine mammals and the fundamentals of individual-based modelling. Find more details on the conference website here: https://t.co/2kTbk1hCGC For additional questions or to sign up for virtual attendance, please contact: Cara Gallagher (Gallagher(a)uni-potsdam.de) and Magda Chudzinska ( Mec21(a)st-andrews.ac.uk) Hope to see you in-person or virtually in Palm Beach! All the best, Cara Gallagher & Magda Chudzinska ______________________________________ *Cara Gallagher* Postdoctoral researcher Department of Plant Ecology and Conservation Biology University of Potsdam Potsdam, Germany +49 015175471396 tel.

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Published article on fin whale habitat suitability modeling
by Düngen, Diandra 30 May '22

30 May '22

Dear colleagues, my co-authors and I are pleased to share our recently published article on fin whale habitat suitability modeling in the Nordic Seas, in Marine Mammal Science. Duengen, D., Burkhardt, E., & El-Gabbas, A. (2022). Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) distribution modeling on their Nordic and Barents Seas feeding grounds. Marine Mammal Science, 1– 26. https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12943 Abstract Understanding cetacean distribution is essential for conservation planning and decision-making, particularly in regions subject to rapid environmental changes. Nevertheless, information on their spatiotemporal distribution is commonly limited, especially from remote areas. Species distribution models (SDMs) are powerful tools, relating species occurrences to environmental variables to predict the species' potential distribution. This study aims at using presence-only SDMs (MaxEnt) to identify suitable habitats for fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) on their Nordic and Barents Seas feeding grounds. We used spatial-block cross-validation to tune MaxEnt parameters and evaluate model performance using spatially independent testing data. We considered spatial sampling bias correction using four methods. Important environmental variables were distance to shore and sea ice edge, variability of sea surface temperature and sea surface salinity, and depth. Suitable fin whale habitats were predicted along the west coast of Svalbard, between Svalbard and the eastern Norwegian Sea, coastal areas off Iceland and southern East Greenland, and along the Knipovich Ridge to Jan Mayen. Results support that presence-only SDMs are effective tools to predict cetacean habitat suitability, particularly in remote areas like the Arctic Ocean. SDMs constitute a cost-effective method for targeting future surveys and identifying top priority sites for conservation measures. The full publication is available through the following link: https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12943 All the best, Diandra <>< ><> <>< <>< ><> <>< Diandra Duengen PhD student, Comparative Bioacoustics Group Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics

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Large groups of Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis) in a coastal bay
by Karina Pereira 27 May '22

27 May '22

Dear colleagues, My co-authors and I are pleased to share our recent publication in Marine Mammal Science: Pereira, K. S., Carvalho, R. R., Rosa, C. L. P., Santos-Neto, E. B., Lailson-Brito,, J. Jr., Bisi, T. L., & Azevedo, A. F. (2022). Large groups of Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis) in a coastal bay from southeastern Brazil. Marine Mammal Science, 1–11. <https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12942> The publication is available through the following link: https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12942 [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/cms/asset/c9672140-f205-4e17-a2c1-4557bc787…]<https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12942> Large groups of Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis) in a coastal bay from southeastern Brazil<https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12942> Click on the article title to read more. doi.org  Abstract The Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis) is a coastal habit species, but despite that, informations has been based on brief encounters, which limit what can be learned about the species and, in turn, constrains conservation actions. Boat-based surveys were conducted from 2017 to 2020 in a shallow water environment in southeastern Brazil. During focal-group observations, Atlantic spotted dolphin was more commonly found in depths from 20 m to 25 m with varying group size and composition. Photo-identification effort allowed us to catalogue 234 well distinct marked individuals. Population parameters estimate showed high survival varying over time (Φ = 0.94 - 1.00) corroborating site fidelity and time varying capture probability (p = 0.00 – 1.00). Open population model also indicated a abundance estimate (Nt = 397) that suggest that Ilha Grande Bay represents an important area for part of the Atlantic spotted dolphin population in the SWAO, improving knowledge for this species. Kind regards, Karina Pereira. <https://wwws.cnpq.br/cvlattesweb/PKG_MENU.menu?f_cod=0C1F12B481D6A473D38F4F…>

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Observations of benthic foraging among dolphins in Louisiana, USA
by Brian Quigley 27 May '22

27 May '22

Dear MARMAM subscribers, My co-authors and I would like to share our short note recently published in *Aquatic Mammals:* Quigley, B.M., Speakman, T.R., Balmer, B.C., Europe, H.M., Gorgone, A.M., Rowles, T.K., Sinclair, C., Zolman, E.S., Schwacke, L.H. (2022). Observations of a benthic foraging behavior used by common bottlenose dolphins (*Tursiops truncatus*) in Barataria Basin, Louisiana, USA. *Aquatic Mammals 48*(2), 159-166. https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.48.2.2022.159 This publication is open access and can be downloaded for free at this link: Aquatic Mammals - Quigley et al. <https://www.aquaticmammalsjournal.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=art…> Summary: In this short note, we report on observations of "drilling," a behavior during which common bottlenose dolphins (*Tursiops truncatus*) presumably forage for prey in the bottom sediment of the Barataria Basin. We describe this behavior based on observations collected over nearly 10 years using multiple sampling methods, including boat-based photo-ID efforts and images collected via an Unoccupied Aerial System (UAS). We also compare drilling to similar foraging techniques observed in other regions and discuss some potential concerns related to the conservation of this population. We hope you all enjoy reading it! Sincerely, Brian Quigley National Marine Mammal Foundation

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New publication on rough-toothed dolphin proposed subspecies
by Renee Albertson 26 May '22

26 May '22

Dear MARMAM, On behalf of my coauthors, I am pleased to share our recently published article in Marine Mammal Science: Albertson GR, Alexander A, Archer FI, Caballero S, Martien, KK, Hemery, LG, Baird RW, Oremus M, Poole MM, Duffield DA, Brownell, Jr. RL, Kerem D, Mignucci-Gionanni AA, Baker CS 2022 Worldwide phylogeography of rough-toothed dolphins (*Steno bredanensis*) provides evidence for subspecies delimitation. Marine Mammal Science https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12933 Abstract Rough-toothed dolphins (*Steno bredanensis*) have a global tropical and subtropical distribution with oceanic, neritic, and island-associated populations. To inform conservation and management for this species, we used sequences from the mtDNA control region (*n* = 360), mitogenomes (*n* = 19), and six nuclear introns (*n* = 35) to provide multiple lines of evidence to critically evaluate the potential taxonomic status of rough-toothed dolphins. Using samples from the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic Oceans, we examined the null hypothesis that rough-toothed dolphins are one panmictic species and the alternate hypothesis of oceanic subspecies. Phylogenetic analyses of mitogenomes revealed a private Atlantic clade sister to a larger cosmopolitan clade including individuals from all tropical and subtropical oceans. We dated the split between the Atlantic clade and the cosmopolitan clade to 890,000 years ago. We determined that Atlantic rough-toothed dolphins could be correctly diagnosed with 98% accuracy with the mtDNA control region and calculated the net nucleotide divergence as 0.02. Population level analyses revealed significant genetic differentiation using mtDNA among most regions, while significant differentiation using nuclear markers occurred only between the Atlantic and the Indian/Pacific regions. Therefore, the oceanic divergence and diagnosability of rough-toothed dolphins in the Atlantic and the Indian/Pacific Oceans meet proposed criteria for recognition as two subspecies. You can also contact me directly for a PDF copy ( renee.albertson(a)oregonstate.edu) Cheers, Renee G. Renee Albertson Ph.D. Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences Marine Mammal Institute - Oregon State University Newport, Oregon, USA

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Cetacean Sessions #12 - killer whale origins
by Jared Towers 26 May '22

26 May '22

Join us on Sunday, May 29th at 4:00 pm PT for Cetacean Session #12. In this session we will discuss ancient killer whales with Jonathan Geisler and Alberto Collareta who will also provide an overview of their recent article “The origins of the killer whale ecomorph” recently published in Current Biology. Presentation and discussion will be followed by live Q&A with the audience. Please visit our Crowdcast channel to register and for more information on our upcoming and past sessions. https://www.crowdcast.io/cetaceansessions Sincerely, Jared Towers Director, Bay Cetology https://baycetology.org

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