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Today's Topics:

   1. `Xcertainty` R package now available! Incorporating
      uncertainty associated with drone-based photogrammetry of marine
      mammals (Bierlich, Kevin C)
   2. Job Opening: Wildlife Biologist at Alaska Dept. of Fish and
      Game (Pearson, Linnea E (DFG))
   3. New publication: killer whale predation in the SW Indian
      Ocean (Maeva Terrapon)
   4. New publication: Stress and Reproductive Hormones of
      Free-Ranging Dolphins Across a Natural Salinity Gradient
      (Guinn, Makayla)


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Message: 1
Date: Fri, 1 Nov 2024 02:41:09 +0000
From: "Bierlich, Kevin C" <kevin.bierlich@oregonstate.edu>
To: "marmam@lists.uvic.ca" <marmam@lists.uvic.ca>
Subject: [MARMAM] `Xcertainty` R package now available! Incorporating
        uncertainty associated with drone-based photogrammetry of marine
        mammals
Message-ID:
        <CO1P222MB01139F1EEF034C16B2A308A78A562@CO1P222MB0113.NAMP222.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM>

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252"

Hey MarMam!

We are excited to announce that the Xcertainty R package is now available on CRAN!

Xcertainty is an easy-to-use R package that uses a Bayesian approach for predicting photogrammetric uncertainty in morphometric measurements of marine mammals derived from drones.

The easiest way to install Xcertainty is via CRAN:

install.packages("Xcertainty")
library(Xcertainty)

Learn more:
GitHub: https://github.com/MMI-CODEX/Xcertainty
CODEX website: https://mmi.oregonstate.edu/centers-excellence/codex/software-hardware/xcertainty
CRAN: https://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/Xcertainty/index.html
All morphological measurements derived using drone-based photogrammetry are susceptible to uncertainty. This uncertainty often varies by the drone system used. Thus, it is critical to incorporate photogrammetric uncertainty associated with measurements collected using different drones so that results are robust and comparable across studies and over long-term datasets.
The Xcertainty R package makes this simple and easy by producing a predictive posterior distribution for each measurement. This posterior distribution can be summarized to describe the measurement (i.e., mean, median) and its associated uncertainty (i.e., standard deviation, credible intervals). The posterior distributions are also useful for making probabilistic statements, such as classifying maturity or diagnosing pregnancy if a proportion of the posterior distribution for a given measurement is greater than a specified threshold (e.g., if greater than 50% of posterior distribution for total body length is > 10 m, the individual is classified as mature).
Xcertainty is based off of previously published Bayesian statistical models. In essence, measurements of known-sized objects (?calibration objects?) collected at various altitudes are used as training data to predict morphological measurements (e.g., body length) and associated uncertainty of unknown-sized objects (e.g., whales).
Xcertainty also includes functions that incorporate multiple measurements (body length and width) to estimate different body condition metrics (i.e., single widths, surface area, body volume, body area index) with associated uncertainty, as well as combine body length with age information to construct growth curves
Cheers,
KC Bierlich & Josh Hewitt


KC (Kevin) Bierlich, PhD, MEM
Assistant Professor Senior Research
Center of Drone Excellence (CODEX<https://mmi.oregonstate.edu/centers-excellence/codex>)
Marine Mammal Institute,
Dept. of Fisheries, Wildlife, & Conservation Sciences,
Oregon State University
Pronouns: he, him, his
kevin.bierlich@oregonstate.edu<mailto:kevin.bierlich@oregonstate.edu>

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Message: 2
Date: Thu, 31 Oct 2024 17:28:15 +0000
From: "Pearson, Linnea E (DFG)" <linnea.pearson@alaska.gov>
To: "marmam@lists.uvic.ca" <marmam@lists.uvic.ca>
Subject: [MARMAM] Job Opening: Wildlife Biologist at Alaska Dept. of
        Fish and Game
Message-ID:
        <BY5PR09MB5154F53DD31DB1DFAED456DCE4542@BY5PR09MB5154.namprd09.prod.outlook.com>

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

The Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game is seeking an individual to assist with monitoring and conservation research of marine mammal species within areas including Southeast Alaska, Gulf of Alaska, and Bering Sea. We are seeking someone to work Full Time, Year Round, though the listing description says Seasonal. The position will design, plan and perform scientific research for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Gulf and Bering Marine Mammal Program. The successful candidate will be an enthusiastic, thoughtful, and self-motivated biologist able to ask insightful questions, creatively solve problems, and work independently and as part of a group. The incumbent must be physically able to work outdoors in harsh weather, have experience leading field research teams, developing and implementing research projects, and as a wildlife biologist performing field work studies on marine mammals. Desired experience in ecology, population monitoring, and/or cetacean biology.
The position is based in Juneau, AK. The posting is currently open to Alaska Residents, and closes on Nov 12, 2024. The full posting can be found here:

https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/alaska/jobs/newprint/4707885


Linnea E. Pearson, Ph.D. (she/her)
Wildlife Biologist
Lead, Gulf and Bering Sea Marine Mammal Program
ADF&G- Division of Wildlife Conservation

linnea.pearson@alaska.gov
Office: 907-465-4313


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Message: 3
Date: Wed, 30 Oct 2024 15:48:52 +0000
From: Maeva Terrapon <maeva.terrapon@gmail.com>
To: marmam@lists.uvic.ca
Subject: [MARMAM] New publication: killer whale predation in the SW
        Indian Ocean
Message-ID:
        <CA+w4b+6Mi4mKYKzdhOt7ExrCnrTFfnd=+-=YyqMZv=vFa9zbAQ@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

Dear colleagues,

My co-authors and I are pleased to share our new publication, a Short
Communication in the African Journal of Ecology:

Terrapon, M., Venables, S., Lokker, A., Bertrand, N., Hooker, S. and
Marshall, A. (2024), Killer Whale Predation on a Giant Manta Ray (*Mobula
birostris*), a Sicklefin Devil Ray (*Mobula tarapacana*) and a Tiger
Shark (*Galeocerdo
cuvier*) in the Southwest Indian Ocean. Afr J Ecol, 62: e13342.
https://doi.org/10.1111/aje.13342

Abstract:
Knowledge of killer whale (*Orcinus orca*) feeding ecology in tropical
waters is scarce. In the southwest Indian Ocean, opportunistic sightings
provide a valuable source of information to better understand their
behaviour, diet and distribution. Here, we compile existing records of
killer whale predation on elasmobranchs in the southwest Indian Ocean,
including sightings of three undescribed prey species regionally: a giant
manta ray (*Mobula birostris*), a sicklefin devil ray (*Mobula tarapacana*)
and a tiger shark (*Galeocerdo cuvier*). Documenting such observations is
important to increase knowledge on killer whale ecology in the tropics and
the cascading impact they might have on prey populations.

You can download this Open Access paper here:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/aje.13342

Do not hesitate to reach out at maeva.terrapon@gmail.com if you would like
to discuss this work.

Many thanks,

Maeva Terrapon
PhD Candidate
SMRU, University of St Andrews
St Andrews, Fife, KY16 8LB

Twitter: @MTerrapon

The University of St Andrews is a charity registered in Scotland: No
SC013532
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Message: 4
Date: Thu, 31 Oct 2024 14:09:10 +0000
From: "Guinn, Makayla" <mguinn1@islander.tamucc.edu>
To: "marmam@lists.uvic.ca" <marmam@lists.uvic.ca>
Subject: [MARMAM] New publication: Stress and Reproductive Hormones of
        Free-Ranging Dolphins Across a Natural Salinity Gradient
Message-ID:
        <SA0PR06MB68767FD6FB1AC18B2112C8D2AE552@SA0PR06MB6876.namprd06.prod.outlook.com>

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="gb2312"

Dear MARMAM community,



On behalf of all authors, we are pleased to announce our recent publication in ACS Omega:



Guinn, M. A., Elliott, J. Y., Wittmaack, C. S., Sinclair, C., Abdulla, H. A., & Orbach, D. N. (2024). Stress and Reproductive Hormones of Free-Ranging Dolphins Across a Natural Salinity Gradient. ACS Omega. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.4c05466



ABSTRACT: Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) inhabit environments with variable natural salinities and experience physiological imbalances from extreme salinity fluctuations. Low salinity exposure (?10) disrupts osmoregulation and increases the production of steroid hormones aldosterone (electrolyte balance) and cortisol (stress response). The effect(s) of high salinity exposure (>35) on steroid hormone production in bottlenose dolphins has not previously been assessed. We measured stress hormones (aldosterone, corticosterone, cortisol, and cortisone) and reproductive hormones (progesterone and testosterone) in three stocks of free-ranging bottlenose dolphins inhabiting different natural salinities across the Gulf of Mexico (0?30, 22?35, 36+). Hormones were extracted from the blubber of 82 remotely biopsied dolphins and quantified using ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled with Orbitrap Fusion mass spectrometry. A positive correlation was found between cortis!
 ol (10.38 ? 0.8 ng/g, n = 13) and salinity (r = 0.62). Aldosterone (58.9 ? 17.2 ng/g, n = 5) was quantified in dolphin blubber for the first time and was detected across the salinity gradient but was not significantly related to salinity levels. Concentrations of testosterone were seasonally variable. This study enhances our understanding of how climate changes and extensive anthropogenic stressors challenge homeostasis in a marine bioindicator species.



Open access to the article is available at: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsomega.4c05466



Do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

Best,

Makayla Guinn, M.S.
Ph.D. Student
FABEMM Lab <https://jrich40.wixsite.com/tcbdolphinproject>
NRT STAGES<https://www.tamucc.edu/science/departments/physical-sciences/coastal-marine/nsf-research-traineeship.php> Alum
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
Tidal Hall 354

[cid:156dad38-b3cb-4571-a3c8-57919224541a]
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