Dear MARMAM colleagues, We are pleased to announce our new publication: Methion S, Giralt Paradell O, Padín XA, Corrège T, Díaz López B (2023). Group size varies with climate and oceanographic conditions in bottlenose dolphins. Marine Biology 170:7. Doi.org/10.1007/s00227-022-04154-4 AbstractAn understanding of animal grouping patterns is essential to increase knowledge about their social systems. We used a five-year continuous dataset to investigate grouping behavior in a free-ranging highly social mammal, the bottlenose dolphin. Our objective was achieved by examining the relationships between a set of oceanographic, climatic, topographic, anthropogenic and social variables and bottlenose dolphin group size. Modeling analysis revealed that bottlenose dolphin group dynamics was linked to both small-scale oceanographic variation and large-scale climatic variation. Larger groups of bottlenose dolphins were predicted with an elevated concentration of dissolved oxygen in the water column, a moderate concentration of chlorophyll-a 60 days before each encounter, and a neutral NAO index. The observed link between environmental variables and dolphin group size is likely associated to changes in dolphin prey availability. Bottlenose dolphin group dynamics are likely driven by multiple factors, and social variables may act synergistically with environmental parameters. Larger groups of bottlenose dolphins were indeed also predicted with a greater number of dependent calves, likely because of enhanced care towards the calves. This study illustrates the value of using multiple variables at different scales to explore the factors that shape animal societies. The current study therefore contributes to the growing body of literature on how environmental change, occurring at different spatio-temporal scales, is indirectly related to the social behavior of a marine top predator. The article can be found at the following link: https://rdcu.be/c1ZvL  Feel free to contact me to request a pdf or for any question regarding our work at: severine@thebdri.com Kind regards, Séverine Methion, PhDshe/her/hersBDRI Research Scientist0034 640 119 669http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Severine_Methion https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9348-2592 Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute BDRIAv. Beiramar 192, 36980, O Grove, Pontevedra, Spainwww.thebdri.comFind us on Facebook & Instagram! This email is confidential to the intended recipient(s) and the contents may be legally privileged or contain proprietary and private informations. It is intended solely for the person to whom it is addressed. If you are not an intended recipient, you may not review, copy or distribute this email. If received in error, please notify the sender and delete the message from your system immediately. Please note that neither the Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute BDRI nor the sender accept any responsibility for any viruses and it is your responsibility to scan the email and the attachments (if any).