Dear MARMAM colleagues, Me and my co-author David Lusseau are happy to announce the publication of the following paper in Conservation Letters: Christiansen, F. & Lusseau, D. 2015. Linking behavior to vital rates to measure the effects of non-lethal disturbance on wildlife. Conservation letters. doi: 10.1111/conl.12166. The paper describes a PCoD type of modelling approach to evaluate long-term consequences of whalewatching behavioural disturbance on minke whales in Iceland, a feeding ground. The paper incorporates the findings of several recent studies in behavioural ecology, physiology and reproductive biology, to link behavioural changes to foetal development in pregnant females, as a possible link to reproductive success, and hence vital rates. A press release of the paper can be found on the University of Aberdeen’s webpage: http://www.abdn.ac.uk/news/7461/ Abstract: The need for managing non-lethal effects on wildlife is becoming increasingly important as global human–wildlife interactions are now more frequent and more diverse. We developed a mechanistic model for minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) to measure the effects of behavioral disturbances caused by whalewatching activities on fetal growth. The model illustrates the pathway through which behaviorally mediated effects of anthropogenic disturbance might influence female reproductive success in an iteroparous capital breeding mammal. We found that although the behavioral disruptions caused by whalewatching interactions were substantial, the cumulative exposure of individuals to whalewatching boats was low, resulting in an effect on fetal growth no different from natural variability. This highlights the importance of considering all aspects of disturbance when evaluating effects of human disturbance on wildlife. Our mechanistic model can also be used to simulate different management scenarios to predict the long-term consequence of disturbance on vital rates, to help inform management decisions. For an early view of this paper, please visit: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/conl.12166/abstract If you are unable to download the article, please contact me by email and I will be happy to send you a copy: f.christiansen@live.se. Best regards, Fredrik Christiansen Postdoctoral Research Fellow Cetacean Research Unit, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia +61 417 502 098, f.christiansen@murdoch.edu.au http://scholar.google.com.au/citations?user=vkA5Y3EAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=sra http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Fredrik_Christiansen3/?ev=hdr_xprf