Dear colleagues, My co-authors and I are pleased to share with you our recent publication on passive acoustic monitoring of marine mammals in a proposed marine protected area of Hudson Bay. Veronica L.M. Coppolaro, Kaushik Gupta, Lisa Loseto, C.J. Mundy, and Marianne Marcoux. Seasonal and diurnal marine mammal presence in the proposed marine protected area of Southampton Island, Hudson Bay, Nunavut as revealed by passive acoustic monitoring. Arctic Science. e-First https://doi.org/10.1139/as-2023-0076 ABSTRACT Marine protected areas contribute to mitigating the effects of human activities on marine ecosystems. The waters of Southampton Island, Nunavut, Canada are under consideration to become a marine protected area, but baseline information of marine mammal presence and habitat use is lacking. This study represents the first passive acoustic monitoring of marine mammals in this area, with data collected in 2018 and 2019. Bioacoustics analyses and generalized linear models were used to investigate species seasonal and temporal vocalization trends; infer behavior and habitat use from vocal cues; and explore vocal activity correlation with sea ice. Over a diel period, bearded seals (Erignathus barbatus (Erxleben, 1777)) and walruses (Odobenus rosmarus (Linnaeus, 1758)) were found to increase their vocal activity at night, whereas belugas (Delphinapterus leucas (Pallas, 1776)) mainly vocalized during daytime. Seasonally, bearded seals were recorded only during their breeding season at sea ice break-up, while walruses vocalized consistently throughout the open-water period outside their breeding season. Beluga vocal trends suggest their use of the area as a migratory corridor during sea ice break-up and freeze-up. Finally, bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus Linnaeus, 1758) were recorded later than expected, concurrently with the onset of their mating vocal displays during the fall migration at sea ice freeze-up. Best wishes, Veronica L.M. Coppolaro ___________________________________________ Veronica Coppolaro Station Leader at "Dirigibile Italia" Arctic Research Station Istituto di Scienze Polari (ISP - CNR) PhD Candidate Centre for Earth Observation Science (CEOS) Arctic Science Partnership (ASP) 463 Wallace Building 125 Dysart Road University of Manitoba Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 [cid:5b4890c4-d46d-4364-b01a-16a53e6fa491] ___________________________________________ Our working hours may not be the same. Please don’t feel the need to respond outside of your working schedule. | Nos horaires de travail ne sont pas forcément les mêmes. Ne vous sentez pas obligé de répondre en dehors de vos heures de travail. | I nostri orari lavorativi potrebbero essere diversi. Non sentitevi obbligati a rispondere fuori dal vostro orario di lavoro.
