From awerth at hsc.edu Wed Apr 1 11:27:25 2020 From: awerth at hsc.edu (Alex Werth) Date: Wed, 1 Apr 2020 18:27:25 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] new publication on baleen whale jaw biomechanics Message-ID: My coauthor Haruka Ito and I are pleased to announce the publication of our new article in the Journal of Experimental Biology, "Whale jaw joint is a shock absorber." https://jeb.biologists.org/content/223/7/jeb224642 Abstract: The non-synovial temporomandibular jaw joint of rorqual whales is presumed to withstand intense stresses when huge volumes of water are engulfed during lunge feeding. Examination and manipulation of TMJs in fresh carcasses, plus CT scans and field/lab mechanical testing of excised tissue blocks, reveals that the TMJ's fibrocartilage pad fully and quickly rebounds after shrinking up to 68-88% in compression (by axis) and stretching 176-230%. It is more extensible along the mediolateral axis and less extensible dorsoventrally, but mostly isotropic, with collagen and elastin fibers running in all directions. The rorqual TMJ pad compresses as gape increases. Its stiffness is hypothesized to damp acceleration, whereas its elasticity is hypothesized to absorb shock during engulfment; to allow for rotation or other jaw motion during gape opening/closure; and to aid in returning jaws to their closed position during filtration via elastic recoil with conversion of stored potential energy into kinetic energy. The article can be found on the JEB website, or contact me if interested in receiving a copy. Best regards, Alex _______________________________ Alexander J. Werth, Ph.D. Trinkle Professor of Biology Hampden-Sydney College Box 162, Hampden-Sydney, VA 23943 434-223-6326, fax 434-223-6374 http://www.hsc.edu/alex-werth -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From er26 at st-andrews.ac.uk Wed Apr 1 05:39:56 2020 From: er26 at st-andrews.ac.uk (Eric Rexstad) Date: Wed, 1 Apr 2020 13:39:56 +0100 Subject: [MARMAM] Interactive introductory distance sampling training, 04-15 May 2020; registration now open Message-ID: *Interactive introductory distance sampling training* The University of St Andrews has been training people in design and analysis of distance sampling studies for decades.? Perhaps you've wanted to attend but could not get permission for travel to Scotland or the scheduling of workshops in August conflicted with your field work. ??? Distance sampling skills acquired in this training are particularly useful in conducting marine mammal surveys. We are offering the training workshop in 10 two-hour blocks in early May.? You will be invited to interact in short lectures on distance sampling principles. ??? Exercises analysing data sets in R will reinforce those principles and the lecturer will be available to assist during the practical session via screen sharing.? The block will conclude with a summary of the exercise and question/answer session for both lecture and exercise. ?? You can participate in polls during the workshop to assess your comprehension of topics discussed. ? The workshop will be delivered using Zoom web conferencing software along with R-Studio "in the cloud".?? You will need (free) accounts for both pieces of software. I encourage you to experiment with Zoom (at https://zoom.us) and https://rstudio.cloud before the course begins. ???? There will be a training session prior to the first meeting on 04 May. *Companion online training workshops* We are planning additional advanced distance sampling workshops later this summer.? These workshops (spatial modelling delivery in early June and mark-recapture distance sampling delivery in late August) will require knowledge of basic distance sampling principles derived from this introductory training workshop. *Important details* ??? Workshop dates and time: 04-15 May 2020; 1700-1900 British summer time (1200-1400 EDT, 0900-1100 PDT) ?? ??? Registration deadline: 17 April 2020? ??? Enrolment limit: 15 ??? Cost: 200 British pounds ? ??? What is included: Lectures, exercises, code, data all available online? *Further details are available at the CREEM website* https://www.creem.st-andrews.ac.uk/distance-live-online-workshops/ At this page you will find a link to the St Andrews online shop where you a) register and b) make payment. Feel free to contact me with questions (eric.rexstad at st-andrews.ac.uk). Information regarding all distance sampling workshops can be found at https://www.creem.st-andrews.ac.uk/workshops/ -- Eric Rexstad Research Unit for Wildlife Population Assessment Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling University of St. Andrews St. Andrews Scotland KY16 9LZ +44 (0)1334 461833 The University of St Andrews is a charity registered in Scotland : No SC013532 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From maja.nimak-wood at cefas.co.uk Wed Apr 1 05:32:44 2020 From: maja.nimak-wood at cefas.co.uk (Maja Nimak-Wood (Cefas)) Date: Wed, 1 Apr 2020 12:32:44 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New paper on blue whales off Sri Lanka Message-ID: Dear All, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce the publication of our paper entitled: ' Blue whales off the southern coast of Sri Lanka during the southwest monsoon season' GRACE RUSSELL, MARCUS BRIDGE & MAJA NIMAK-WOOD J. CETACEAN RES. MANAGE. 21: 1-7, 2020 ABSTRACT Observations of 37 individual blue whales were recorded off the southern coast of Sri Lanka during the southwest monsoon season. Sightings were made during a scientific geophysical survey campaign conducted in July and August 2017. Whilst blue whales are regularly recorded on the continental slope of southern Sri Lanka during the northeast monsoon season (NEM) (December-March) and during the two inter-monsoonal periods (March-April and September-October), limited data are available for the SWM (May-September) mostly due to unfavourable weather conditions and a lack of survey effort. In the Northern Hemisphere, blue whales generally undertake seasonal migrations from higher latitude feeding grounds to lower latitude breeding and wintering areas. However, it has been suggested that a population of blue whales in the northern Indian Ocean (NIO) remains in lower latitudes year-round, taking advantage of the rich upwelling areas off Somalia, southwest Arabia and western Sri Lanka. Data from this study support a hypothesis that a certain number of individuals remain off the southern coast of Sri Lanka during the SWM, suggesting that the productivity in this region is sufficient to support their year-round presence. This study fills a knowledge gap on the presence and movement of blue whales in the NIO, highlighting the importance of data that can be obtained from platforms of opportunity. The paper can be access here: https://archive.iwc.int/pages/search.php?search=%21collection15&k= Best wishes Maja Maja Nimak-Wood CSci CMarSci MIMarEst Senior Marine Ecologist Pakefield Road, Lowestoft, NR33 0HT, UK Tel: +44(0) 01502 526253 | Email: maja.nimak-wood at cefas.co.uk World Class Science for the Marine and Freshwater Environment [cid:image001.png at 01D4E612.80049210] Follow us on: [cid:image001.gif at 01D09A11.D21ECDA0][cid:image002.gif at 01D09A11.D21ECDA0] ________________________________ This email and any attachments are intended for the named recipient only. Its unauthorised use, distribution, disclosure, storage or copying is not permitted. If you have received it in error, please destroy all copies and notify the sender. In messages of a non-business nature, the views and opinions expressed are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of Cefas. Communications on Cefas' computer systems may be monitored and/or recorded to secure the effective operation of the system and for other lawful purposes. All messages sent and received by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science may be monitored in line with relevant UK legislation . -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.png Type: image/png Size: 7469 bytes Desc: image001.png URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image002.gif Type: image/gif Size: 1351 bytes Desc: image002.gif URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image003.gif Type: image/gif Size: 1295 bytes Desc: image003.gif URL: From JPost at imms.org Wed Apr 1 14:00:15 2020 From: JPost at imms.org (Jessica Post) Date: Wed, 1 Apr 2020 21:00:15 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] IMMS Fall Dolphin Photo-ID Research Internship Message-ID: The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies (IMMS) Research Internship Program is designed as a way for students interested in a career in marine science to gain valuable research experience in a real-world setting. As an intern, you will be trained in all aspects of dolphin photo-ID research as well as any other current research projects at IMMS that may involve species such as: bottlenose dolphins, sea turtles, or diamondback terrapins. Interns will also participate in other operations at IMMS including: stranding response, aquarist and reptile care, and animal care. Our goal is to give interns a well-rounded experience in a variety of areas while providing expert training and experience in marine science research. Interns must: - Commit to a minimum of 12 weeks. The internship can be extended depending on work performance - Be available to work Mon-Fri and must be available for all boat-based surveys. Some field days may fall on the weekends. - Have a strong sense of responsibility, work ethic, attention to detail, and ability to admit mistakes. - Produce high quality research efforts and exhibit strong interpersonal skills Principle Duties include: data entry, learning all research protocols, cropping and sorting photo-ID fin images, learning to use photo-ID programs such as Darwin (fin matching software) and FinBase (Microsoft Access), boat based field research (21' boat), and learn how to use ArcGIS Secondary Duties include: assisting animal care staff, attending marine mammal necropsies, responding to marine mammal and sea turtle strandings, and assisting educational staff Field Days: Interns must be able to spend many hours on the water and on shore in sometimes extreme seasonal conditions. Seasonal temperatures range from over 100 ?F in summer to 30 ?F in winter. Field days typically exceed eight hours and occur at least two or three times a week. Eligibility Requirements Applicants must be 18 or older and must have a genuine interest in marine research. Applicants should be actively pursuing a college degree or be a recent graduate in oceanography, marine science/biology, biology, or a related field. Previous research experience in any capacity is a plus. Applicants must be able and willing to fulfill all duties outlined for this internship program. This is an unpaid position and interns are responsible for their own housing and transportation. Once accepted, IMMS staff will assist interns in finding rooms available to rent, usually with other staff members. The deadline to apply for the fall sessions (August 3-October 23, 2020 or September 14-December 4, 2020) is June 1, 2020. For application and full details on how to apply please visit our website at http://imms.org/internship/ Jessica Post Research Assistant Research Intern Coordinator The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies 10801 Dolphin Lane Gulfport, MS 39503 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From sfire at fit.edu Wed Apr 1 06:58:36 2020 From: sfire at fit.edu (Spencer Fire) Date: Wed, 1 Apr 2020 13:58:36 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication: HAB-associated chuffing behavior in dolphins Message-ID: Dear colleagues, My co-authors and I are pleased to share with you the following open-access publication, demonstrating evidence of changes in dolphin behavior indicative of respiratory irritation during harmful algal blooms known to produce aerosolized toxins: Fire, S. E., Miller, G. A., & Wells, R. S. (2020). Explosive exhalations by common bottlenose dolphins during Karenia brevis red tides. Heliyon, 6(3), e03525. ABSTRACT Harmful algal blooms (HABs) such as those produced by Karenia brevis have acute negative impacts on common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Florida coastal waters, frequently causing illness and death. However, much less is known about chronic, sub-acute effects on these important sentinel species. This study investigates whether bottlenose dolphin behavior in Sarasota Bay, Florida is influenced by the presence of severe red tide events, focusing on respiratory and other behaviors likely affected by abundant toxin aerosols produced during these blooms. Through focal animal behavioral follows, we observed free-ranging dolphin respiratory behavior, activity budgets, and movement patterns relative to K. brevis abundance in the study area. We compared behavior from dolphins observed during a 2005 K. brevis bloom to those observed during inter-bloom conditions where K. brevis was present at background concentrations. We found that the rate of "chuffing", an explosive type of exhalation, was significantly greater in dolphins observed during the bloom. No apparent effect on respiratory rate, heading change rate or activity budgets was observed. We propose that this chuffing behavior is analogous to symptoms of respiratory irritation observed in humans exposed to such red tide events, and suggest that this may be a type of disturbance response. With an observed increase in both the frequency and severity of HABs, such disturbance responses may have large-scale chronic impacts to the health and fitness of bottlenose dolphins in regions where such HABs are common. The article can be found at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e03525 or please contact me directly. Warm regards (from an appropriate distance), --------------- Spencer Fire, Ph.D. Asst. Professor of Biological Sciences Florida Institute of Technology 150 W. University Blvd. Melbourne, FL 32901 321.674.7138 sfire at fit.edu firelabfit.weebly.com www.instagram.com/thefirelab -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From stephanie.king at bristol.ac.uk Wed Apr 1 06:58:38 2020 From: stephanie.king at bristol.ac.uk (Stephanie King) Date: Wed, 1 Apr 2020 13:58:38 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication - acoustic coordination in bottlenose dolphins Message-ID: <68241949-A0A3-4E47-8BCA-4E5A49FE2012@bristol.ac.uk> Hi all, We are pleased to share our new publication in Proceedings B: Moore BL, Connor RC, Allen SJ, Kr?tzen M, King SL (2020). Acoustic coordination by allied male dolphins in a cooperative context. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2019.2944 Abstract Synchronous displays are hallmarks of many animal societies, ranging from the pulsing flashes of fireflies, to military marching in humans. Such displays are known to facilitate mate attraction or signal relationship quality. Across many taxa, synchronous male displays appear to be driven by competition, while synchronous displays in humans are thought to be unique in that they serve a cooperative function. Indeed, it is well established that human synchrony promotes cooperative endeavours and increases success in joint action tasks. We examine another system in which synchrony is tightly linked to cooperative behaviour. Male bottlenose dolphins form long-lasting, multi-level, cooperative alliances in which they engage in coordinated efforts to coerce single oestrus females. Previous work has revealed the importance of motor synchrony in dolphin alliance behaviour. Here, we demonstrate that allied dolphins also engage in acoustic coordination whereby males will actively match the tempo and, in some cases, synchronize the production of their threat vocalization when coercing females. This finding demonstrates that male dolphins are capable of acoustic coordination in a cooperative context and, moreover, suggests that both motor and acoustic coordination are features of coalitionary behaviour that are not limited to humans. You can access the paper here: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2019.2944 All the best, Stephanie, Bronte, Richard, Michael and Simon ---------------------------------- Dr Stephanie L. King Senior Lecturer School of Biological Sciences Life Sciences Building | 24 Tyndall Avenue University of Bristol | Bristol BS8 1TQ | U.K. +44 (0) 117 39 41191 Twitter: @_StephanieLKing website: www.slkinggroup.weebly.com website: www.sharkbaydolphins.org [signature_169810542] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 310812 bytes Desc: image001.jpg URL: From holly_morin at uri.edu Fri Apr 3 05:07:38 2020 From: holly_morin at uri.edu (Holly Morin) Date: Fri, 3 Apr 2020 08:07:38 -0400 Subject: [MARMAM] Underwater Acoustics: 2020 DOSITS Webinar Series for the International Regulatory Community Message-ID: ****apologies for cross postings**** The *Discovery of Sound in the Sea (DOSITS)* Team is pleased to announce that it will again facilitate a *free*, *four-part webinar series on underwater sound* for regulators, decision makers, public affairs officers, industry representatives, other members of the international regulatory community, and others interested in underwater acoustics. Each webinar is scheduled for approximately 60 minutes and will consist of one, focused presentation (topics listed below), followed by a period of facilitated discussion. Prior to each webinar, an outline of the presentation, with links to relevant background content on DOSITS, will be made available. *Participants are encouraged to review these outlines, as well as archived DOSITS webinars , prior to each webinar.* All webinars will be recorded and archived on the DOSITS website (Decision Makers Webinars ). New to this year, the DOSITS Team will be *offering a certificate of professional development, or the like*, in accordance with webinar participation and other activities. Details on this is forthcoming, and will be shared with those registered for the webinar series. The first two webinars of this four-part series will take place in May and June 2020; subsequent webinars will take place in fall 2020. - *Review of NMFS Regulatory Approach to Underwater Noise, Tues., May 19, 2020 at 12pm EDT* - Jolie Harrison ? Permits and Conservation Division, NMFS Office of Protected Resources - *Fundamentals of Underwater Sound, Tues., June 2, 2020 at 12pm EDT* - Tracianne Neilsen ? Department of Physics and Astronomy, Brigham Young University *Interested individuals must register in advance for these webinars. * *To register please visit: **https://dosits.org/decision-makers/webinar-series/2020-webinar-series/ .* To learn more about this webinar series or to view previous webinars, please visit the DOSITS webpage, https://dosits.org/decision-makers/webinar-series/. Associated webinars conducted in 2019, 2018, and 2015 and 2016, and their resources, have been archived here. Questions? Please contact Holly Morin at holly_morin at uri.edu. ****************** Holly Morin Marine Biologist/Education Specialist URI/GSO/ISC (401) 874-6414 holly_morin at uri.edu -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From interns at aimm-portugal.org Fri Apr 3 08:13:53 2020 From: interns at aimm-portugal.org (AIMM Internships) Date: Fri, 3 Apr 2020 16:13:53 +0100 Subject: [MARMAM] Dolphin Research Internship in Portugal Message-ID: *BACKGROUND: *The Marine Environment Research Association - AIMM, is a non-profit, non-governmental organization focused on the research and conservation of marine species, running an ongoing study of cetaceans in southern Portugal (Algarve). This project aims to obtain baseline information on species occurrence, behavior, and social structure of the local cetacean populations in order to obtain scientific data to support conservation measures and inform marine management policies. The main species observed are Short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis), Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), and Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena), although other species such as Minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) and Fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) can also be sighted. AIMM Interns are young, hard-working individuals who are willing to contribute to the association and support on-going activities, while experiencing fieldwork at sea, learning data collection and processing methodologies, and being a part of AIMM's team of researchers and marine biologists for a period of time. All team members and participants share accommodation, house tasks, knowledge and experience in an environmental friendly and multicultural environment. Interns have the additional option to enrich their time with AIMM by beginning or improving their SCUBA skills with a PADI-certified instructor. *WHERE:* Albufeira, Algarve, Portugal *WHEN:* The field season lasts from 1st of July to 31st November 2020. The minimum internship attendance is 7 days, preferably starting on a Monday. *FIELDWORK: *The field trips are conducted in AIMM's research vessel, Ketos, or in opportunistic platforms (commercial dolphin-watching boats). Fieldwork is dependent on weather conditions and seat availability in the dolphin-watching boats. Field days can be intense, especially in the peak of summer, but are fulfilling and good fun. The interns will be trained to: ? Conduct on-board surveys of marine species occurrence; ? Record effort tracks on a handheld GPS; ? Collect data on behavior, group size, species, etc.; ? Collect photos to photo-identification, acoustic recording, and underwater videos while on-board; ? Secchi disk methodology; ? Help to collect of drone footage from the marine mammals. *DATA ANALYSIS: *This will be conducted on a daily basis and will entail entering data into established databases and spreadsheets, photo-identification processing, and preliminary data interpretation. *INTERNSHIP FEES:* AIMM is a non-profit organization that relies on donations from our volunteers, partners, and conservation-minded people like you so that we may continue our important research and education programs in the Algarve. This internship requires a monetary contribution which is used to off-set the cost of accommodation and running a non-profit. For more information on internship fees for the 2020 season, please contact: interns at aimm-portugal.org *Included* in the fee is: ? Accommodation in the research house; ? Transportation to/from the marina; ? Meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner); ? Fieldwork in the research vessel or commercial dolphin-watching vessels. *Not included* in the fee is: ? Transportation to/from Albufeira; ? Meals in restaurants and snacks; ? Free time activities; ? Personal insurance (all participants should have health and/or travel insurance); ? Personal expenses. *INTERNS ARE EXPECTED TO:* ? Be above the age of 16; ? Have a mature attitude towards marine mammal research and environment; ? Be autonomous and flexible; ? Be able to live and work in an international team and mainly outdoors at sea; ? Speak English; ? Participate for minimum 7 days. *Preference will be given* to those who have: ? Relevant marine mammal field experience ? Working experience on research vessels ? Experience working from dolphin/whale watching platforms ? Experience in photo-identification ? Professional cameras that can be used for photo-ID ? Availability to stay for longer periods of time *INTERNSHIP APPLICATION: * Applicants should fill up the online application at: https://www.aimmportugal.org/application-form AIMM will send a confirmation e-mail with all the details about the internship and asking for your Resume/CV, motivation letter (small statement on which are your expectations and why do you want to work with AIMM) and the period of time that you want to do the program. OR Applicants should send an e-mail to: interns at aimm-portugal.org, with the subject ?*DOLPHIN RESEARCH INTERNSHIP*?. You will receive and e-mail with the availability and all the other details. Applications will be accepted during all season. However, early application is recommended due to limited vacancies. The follow links are a shorts videos about the internship in Albufeira. You get a different perspective and feedback from old participants about it: https://youtu.be/hTJJQPHBdI0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zTIEQEsftA *Contacts*: interns at aimm-portugal.org | www.aimmportugal.org | -- *AIMM Portugal* - Ass. Investiga??o do Meio Marinho | Marine Environment Research Association *Website*: www.aimmportugal.org [image: AIMM Portugal | facebook] [image: AIMM Portugal | twitter] [image: AIMM Portugal | instagram] [image: AIMM Portugal | youtube] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From kkasper at ifaw.org Fri Apr 3 07:30:49 2020 From: kkasper at ifaw.org (Kasper, Kira) Date: Fri, 3 Apr 2020 14:30:49 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] IFAW Marine Mammal Stranding Internships - Fall 2020 Message-ID: The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is currently accepting applications for Fall 2020 Marine Mammal Stranding Internships. Fall Session 2020 (First week of September - Mid-January) Complete Applications due: May 1st, 2020 Program Background IFAW is an international non-profit organization. This internship is based out of our International Operations Center in Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts, USA. IFAW's Marine Mammal Rescue and Research program is a federally authorized program dedicated to marine mammal stranding response on Cape Cod and southeastern Massachusetts. Our program strives to promote the conservation of marine mammal species and their habitat by improving the rescue and humane care of stranded marine mammals, advancing stranding science, and increasing public awareness through education. Cape Cod is a marine mammal stranding "hot spot," with an average of over 251 strandings occurring each year. These strandings include live and dead seals, whales, porpoises, and dolphins. Stranding Intern Duties * Stranding hotline coverage: answer calls, document reports, educate callers, dispatch volunteers, complete associated paperwork and enter data. * Marine mammal stranding response and necropsy: assist staff with all aspects of marine mammal stranding response, including live animal health assessment and supportive care, biological data collection, post-mortem examinations and sampling in both field and laboratory settings. * Stranding / necropsy readiness: cleaning, organizing and maintaining stranding response and necropsy gear, equipment and facilities, restocking kits and supplies. * Data entry / sample processing: assist in entry of stranding data. Assist in organizing, cataloging, disseminating and archiving of photos, videos, datasheets, samples, etc. * Outreach: assist staff with training and outreach material preparation and organization, participate in opportunistic outreach at stranding sites, participate in community events. Please see the following link for the full posting and to apply: https://recruiting.ultipro.com/INT1059IFFA/JobBoard/17b588a3-808b-4bc9-aea8-c3385a35ec51/OpportunityDetail?opportunityId=1eae19e1-c87f-4bb8-a3ae-8973c2e6e4a3 Kira Kasper Stranding Technician Marine Mammal Rescue and Research 290 Summer Street Yarmouth Port, MA 02675 United States +1 508 744 2265 (office) +1 508 743 9548 (stranding hotline) www.ifaw.org [ifaw] The content of this email is intended only for the use of the above-named addressee and may contain information that is confidential, proprietary, and/or legally privileged. Please notify the sender if you received this email in error. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From rachel.groom at cdu.edu.au Thu Apr 2 17:29:16 2020 From: rachel.groom at cdu.edu.au (Rachel Groom) Date: Fri, 3 Apr 2020 00:29:16 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Observer performance and the effect of ambiguous taxon identification for fixed strip-width dugong aerial surveys In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi all My colleagues and I are pleased to announce the publication of our new article in the Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022098117303623?dgcid=author [https://ars.els-cdn.com/content/image/1-s2.0-S0022098120X00037-cov150h.gif] Observer performance and the effect of ambiguous taxon identification for fixed strip-width dugong aerial surveys Aerial survey methods for census of wildlife populations are widely used to manage species. There has been considerable research to develop methods to? www.sciencedirect.com Abstract: Aerial survey methods for census of wildlife populations are widely used to manage species. There has been considerable research to develop methods to cope with imperfect detection during aerial surveys, however misidentification remains an unresolved but significant issue. Using data from a comprehensive dugong aerial survey of the coastline of the Northern Territory, Australia, we assessed the influence of observer, sighting and environmental variables on probabilities of both observers in double-count, dual-observer teams detecting dugongs and dolphins (?duplicate sighting probability?), the confidence with which observers could distinguish between dugongs and dolphins, and the reliability of post-detection observations by comparing data between observers. Dolphin duplicate sighting probability varied dependent on group size, Beaufort sea state and the lateral position inside the strip-width transect in relation to the aircraft. Dugong duplicate sighting probability varied across dual-observer teams. Counts of individuals in dugong and dolphin groups were unreliable past ?5 individuals. Observer confidence in taxon identification varied by individual observer and throughout the duration of the survey (dolphin sightings) and potentially by the lateral position inside the transect strip-width in relation to the aircraft (dugong sightings). The probability of taxon identification disagreement between observers for duplicate dugong and dolphin sightings varied with group size, and markedly if one observer was uncertain (i.e. not 100% confident) of their assigned taxon. We believe this is predominately due to the presence of Australian snubfin dolphins (Orcaella heinsohni) in the survey area, which look like dugongs when seen from a distance, momentarily. We further show that application of different data filtering scenarios for uncertain taxonomic identifications and taxon identification disagreements between dual observers produces highly variable estimates of observer-specific dugong detection probability (ranging from 0.26 to 0.80 in a single observer) and dugong abundance (x? ? S.D., 40% ? 25%: difference between highest and lowest estimate, relative to the lowest estimate, across different data filtering scenarios). These results are particularly relevant not only to researchers conducting dugong aerial surveys, but also for other marine mammal aerial surveys in passing mode that target sympatric, morphologically similar species. We recommend development of operating procedures and analytical methods to quantify and adjust for misidentification and uncertain taxon identifications. Thanks Rachel Rachel Groom CDU-AIMS Fellowship College of Indigenous Futures, Arts & Society NORTHERN INSTITUTE T: +61 8 8946 7136 E: rachel.groom at cdu.edu.au W: cdu.edu.au Northern Institute acknowledges the traditional owners and custodians across the lands on which we live and work and we pay our respects to elders both past and present. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Simon.Goldsworthy at sa.gov.au Fri Apr 3 18:14:10 2020 From: Simon.Goldsworthy at sa.gov.au (Goldsworthy, Simon (PIRSA-SARDI)) Date: Sat, 4 Apr 2020 01:14:10 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Job Opening - Marine Mammal Ecologist at the South Australian Research and Development Institute Message-ID: Dear All, I am pleased to advise that a position for a Marine Mammal Ecologist with the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) has been advertised. The Opportunity We have an exciting opportunity for a Senior Research Scientist (Marine Mammal Ecologist) to be part of our South Australian Research and Development Institute Division, South Australian Government Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia (PIRSA). The role reports to the Principal Scientist (Ecosystem Effects of Fishing and Aquaculture SubProgram). The Senior Research Scientist (Marine Mammal Ecologist) will conduct high quality research, and ensure the timely delivery of research outcomes to Government and industry clients and the community, which are of major importance to natural resources management. The incumbent provides support to the Sub-Program Leader in undertaking and managing research projects, including project budgets, permitting and supervising technical staff and students. The Senior Research Scientist is responsible for coordinating fieldwork and undertaking data collection and analyses and report and manuscript preparation for projects principally funded by PIRSA Fisheries and Aquaculture, the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC); and the SA Department of Environment and Water (DEW) and the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC). These projects have some overlap but broadly they aim to 1) assess, monitor and mitigate seafood industry interactions with protected species; 2) population and ecological studies of marine protected species to inform conservation and management; and 3) ecological modelling as a decision support tool for fisheries and aquaculture and ecosystem-based management. The incumbent utilises exceptional scientific skills and experience to help explore funding opportunities and develop new projects, particularly related to protected marine protected species population and foraging ecology and managing their interactions with the seafood industry and ecological modelling. Application Instructions All applications must be submitted online. If you are interested in this opportunity, please submit a Covering Letter (no more than 3 pages) outlining your skills and experience in relation to the Professional and Technical Knowledge, Innovation and Initiative capabilities of the role description and a current CV (no more than 5 pages). Applicants must include the contact information of at least 2 referees with 1 being your immediate supervisor/manager and a completed "Pre-Employment Declaration in the SA Public Sector" form. Applications close: 13/04/2020 11:45 PM Attachments: - Application Guideline#2.pdf - Pre-Employment-Declaration#5.pdf - Role Description - Senior Research Scientist Marine Mammal Ecologist PO3.pdf Further information about the role including the application process can be found here: https://iworkfor.sa.gov.au/page.php?pageID=160&windowUID=0&AdvertID=505494#brs_jbcontent https://www.pir.sa.gov.au/top_menu/pirsa_careers/careers/senior_research_scientist_marine_mammal_ecologist Cheers, Simon Working days: Monday toThursday Prof Simon Goldsworthy | Principal Scientist Ecosystem Effects of Fishing & Aquaculture South Australian Research and Development Institute - SARDI | Primary Industries and Regions SA - PIRSA Government of South Australia Affiliate Professor | The University of Adelaide 2 Hamra Avenue West Beach SA 5024 PO Box 120 Henley Beach SA 5022 | DX 66760 P: (08) 8429 0268 | M: 0428 102 831 | W: www.pir.sa.gov.au Service l Professionalism l Trust l Respect l Collaboration & Engagement l Honesty & Integrity l Courage & Tenacity l Sustainability Disclaimer: The information in this e-mail may be confidential and/or legally privileged. Use or disclosure of the information by anyone other than the intended recipient is prohibited and may be unlawful. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Picture (Device Independent Bitmap) 1.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 917 bytes Desc: Picture (Device Independent Bitmap) 1.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Picture (Device Independent Bitmap) 2.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 941 bytes Desc: Picture (Device Independent Bitmap) 2.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Picture (Device Independent Bitmap) 3.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 914 bytes Desc: Picture (Device Independent Bitmap) 3.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... 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Name: Picture (Device Independent Bitmap) 7.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 979 bytes Desc: Picture (Device Independent Bitmap) 7.jpg URL: From akassamali at antioch.edu Sat Apr 4 07:47:19 2020 From: akassamali at antioch.edu (Ayshah Kassamali-Fox) Date: Sat, 4 Apr 2020 10:47:19 -0400 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication: Tour boats affect the activity patterns of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Bocas del Toro, Panama Message-ID: Dear All, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce the publication of our paper recently published in PeerJ entitled *"Tour boats affect the activity patterns of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Bocas del Toro, Panama."* This article can be freely accessed using the link below: Kassamali-Fox A, Christiansen F, May-Collado LJ, Ramos EA, Kaplin BA. 2020. Tour boats affect the activity patterns of bottlenose dolphins (*Tursiops truncatus*) in Bocas del Toro, Panama. PeerJ 8:e8804 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.8804 *Abstract* Bottlenose dolphins (*Tursiops truncatus*) of the Bocas del Toro archipelago are targeted by the largest boat-based cetacean watching operation in Panama. Tourism is concentrated in Dolphin Bay, home to a population of resident dolphins. Previous studies have shown that tour boats elicit short-term changes in dolphin behavior and communication; however, the relationship of these responses to the local population?s biology and ecology is unclear. Studying the effects of tour boats on dolphin activity patterns and behavior can provide information about the biological significance of these responses. Here, we investigated the effects of tour boat activity on bottlenose dolphin activity patterns in Bocas del Toro, Panama over 10 weeks in 2014. Markov chain models were used to assess the effect of tour boats on dolphin behavioral transition probabilities in both control and impact scenarios. Effect of tour boat interactions was quantified by comparing transition probabilities of control and impact chains. Data were also used to construct dolphin activity budgets. Markov chain analysis revealed that in the presence of tour boats, dolphins were less likely to stay socializing and were more likely to begin traveling, and less likely to begin foraging while traveling. Additionally, activity budgets for foraging decreased and traveling increased as an effect of tour boat presence. These behavioral responses are likely to have energetic costs for individuals which may ultimately result in population-level impacts. Boat operator compliance with Panamanian whale watching regulations is urgently needed to minimize potential long-term impacts on this small, genetically distinct population and to ensure the future viability of the local tourism industry. All the best, Ayshah Kassamali-Fox -- Ayshah Kassamali-Fox, M.Sc. PhD Student Department of Environmental Studies Antioch University New England Keene, New Hampshire Phone: (516) 547-7558 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From isabelaseabra.lima at gmail.com Sat Apr 4 08:01:05 2020 From: isabelaseabra.lima at gmail.com (Isabela Lima) Date: Sat, 4 Apr 2020 12:01:05 -0300 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication on Geographic variation in the whistles of bottlenosedolphins (Tursiops spp.) in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean Message-ID: Dear Colleagues We are pleased to announce the publication of the following article in Marine Mammal Science: Geographic variation in the whistles of bottlenose dolphins (*Tursiops* spp.) in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean. Marine Mammal Science, https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12690 By Isabela M. S. Lima, Rihel Venuto, Carolina Menchaca, Lilian S. Hoffmann, Luciano Dalla Rosa, Rodrigo Genoves, Pedro F. Fruet, Andrea Milanelli, Paula Laporta, Bettina Tassino, Stephanie M. Bueno, Thales R. O. Freitas, Lis Bittencourt, Jos? Lailson-Brito Jr, Alexandre F. Azevedo. We investigated the diferences among whistles of common bottlenose dolphins (*Tursiops truncatus truncatus*) recorded in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) and Lahille?s bottlenose dolphins (*Tursiops truncatus gephyreus*) in areas in southern Brazil and Uruguay. Differences were found in frequency parameters and mainly between *Tursiops truncatus truncatus* and *Tursiops truncatus gephyreus*. Simultaneously, the results point to fewer differences among the whistles of the populations of Lahille's dolphins, at a finer geographic scale. The results are in agreement with genetic and morphological studies that proposed two subspecies of Tursiops in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean, but may also indicate adaptations to ecological and environmental characteristics in the different regions. The article can be found at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mms.12690 citation: Lima IMS, Venuto R, Menchaca C, et al. Geographic variation in the whistles of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops spp.) in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean. Mar Mam Sci. 2020;1?10. https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12690 Best wishes, Isabela Maria Seabra de Lima Bi?loga - CR-BIO: 102101/02D Doutora pelo Programa de P?s-gradua??o em Ecologia e Evolu??o/UERJ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From raquelpuiglozano at gmail.com Sat Apr 4 17:44:33 2020 From: raquelpuiglozano at gmail.com (RAQUEL PUIG LOZANO) Date: Sun, 5 Apr 2020 01:44:33 +0100 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication on Traumatic Intra-Interspecific Interactions in Stranded Cetaceans - Atlantic Center for Cetacean Research, University Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), Veterinary School, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <1A0B19A6-9838-457A-B0AB-68EE3953428E@gmail.com> Dear MARMAM Colleagues, We are happy to announce our latest open access publication in Frontiers in Veterinary Science: ?Retrospective Study of Traumatic Intra-Interspecific Interactions in Stranded Cetaceans, Canary Islands? Puig-Lozano R, Fern?ndez A, Saavedra P, Tejedor M, Sierra E, De la Fuente J, Xuriach A, D?az-Delgado J, Rivero MA, Andrada M, Bernaldo de Quir?s Y and Arbelo M. Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Atlantic Center for Cetacean Research, University Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), Veterinary School, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain Abstract: Aggressive encounters involving cetacean species are widely described in the literature. However, detailed pathological studies regarding lesions produced by these encounters are scarce. From January 2000 to December 2017, 540 cetaceans stranded and were necropsied in the Canary Islands, Spain. Of them, 24 cases of eight species presented social traumatic lesions produced by cetaceans of the same or different species. All the cases presented severe multifocal vascular changes, 50% (12/24) presented fractures affecting mainly the thoracic region, 41.7% (10/24) acute tooth-rake marks, 37.5% (9/24) undigested food in the stomach, 33.3% (8/24) tracheal edema, and 12.5% (3/24) pulmonary perforation. In 10 cases with tooth-rake marks, the distance between the teeth, allowed us to further identify the aggressor species: four cases were compatible with killer whales (Orcinus orca) affecting three species [pigmy sperm whale (Kogia breviceps), Cuvier?s beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris), and short-finned pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus)] and four cases compatible with common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) affecting two species [short-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) and Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis)]. We also described two cases of intraspecific interaction in stripped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba). Microscopically, 70.8% (17/24) of the cases presented acute degenerative myonecrosis, 66.7% (14/21) presented vacuoles in the myocardiocytes, 36.8% (7/19) pigmentary tubulonephrosis, 31.6% (6/19) cytoplasmic eosinophilic globules within hepatocytes, 21.4% (3/14) hemorrhages in the adrenal gland, and 17.3% (4/23) bronchiolar sphincter contraction. The statistical analysis revealed that deep divers, in good body condition and nearby La Gomera and Tenerife were more prone to these fatal interactions. Additionally, in this period, three animals died due to an accident during predation: a false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) died because of a fatal attempt of predation on a stingray, and two Risso?s dolphins (Grampus griseus) died as a consequence of struggling while predating on large squids. Link to full text: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2020.00107/full https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2020.00107 Sincerely, Raquel Puig Lozano PhD student, Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Atlantic Center for Cetacean Research, University Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), Veterinary School, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From elizabeth.cuevas at worldcetaceanalliance.org Mon Apr 6 02:31:55 2020 From: elizabeth.cuevas at worldcetaceanalliance.org (Elizabeth Cuevas) Date: Mon, 6 Apr 2020 10:31:55 +0100 Subject: [MARMAM] ONLINE COURSE: WCA Ship Strikes Online Training Course Message-ID: Dear colleagues, We are pleased to announce that the World Cetacean Alliance (WCA), with support from the Noble Caledonia Charitable Trust, has just launched a brand new training course to help reduce the number of ship strikes on whales . This course is not only relevant for whale watching boats, but also to operators of all commercial vessels, including fishing vessels and cruise ships. The course is designed to help everybody with the ability to observe whales and dolphins at sea; including skippers, bridge crew, guides and other onboard staff. Completing this course will enable vessel crew to assess the risk of collisions occurring, understand how to plan ahead to reduce that risk and learn how to spot high risk species and behaviours at sea. The course can be found at: https://worldcetaceanalliance.thinkific.com *WCA supporters get 80%* off until 20th of April 2020 with code *wca80**.* We believe that participants can play a vital role in our collective efforts to ensure the conservation and protection of whales and dolphins and their environment, and the safety of vessels, crew and passengers. I would be more than happy to answer any questions. Best wishes, Elizabeth -- *Elizabeth Cuevas* Interim Whale Heritage Sites Manager. *World Cetacean Alliance* Studio 3, Lower Promenade Madeira Drive, Brighton, BN2 1ET, UK. t: +44 (0) 1273 355011 e: elizabeth.cuevas at worldcetaceanalliance.org *www.worldcetaceanalliance.org www.whaleheritagesites.org * The World Cetacean Alliance (WCA) is a Partnership of over 100 non-profit organisations, whale and dolphin watching tour operators and individuals in 40 countries worldwide working collaboratively to protect cetaceans and their habitats. World Cetacean Alliance, the Secretariat to the Partnership, is a UK registered Charity no. 1160484. The content of this e-mail is intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you have received this communication in error, be aware that forwarding it, copying it, or in any way disclosing its content to any other person, is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify the author by replying to this e-mail immediately. Please consider the environment before printing this email or it's attachments. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From abarreto at univali.br Mon Apr 6 12:07:11 2020 From: abarreto at univali.br (Andre Silva Barreto) Date: Mon, 6 Apr 2020 19:07:11 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication on the variation of bottlenose dolphin's skulls on different ocean basins Message-ID: Dear colleagues, Me and my co-authors are pleased to share with you the recently published paper in Journal of Morphology Skull morphology of bottlenose dolphins from different ocean populations with emphasis on South America Leandro S. L. Hohl Fernando L. Sicuro Jana??na C. Wickert Ignacio B. Moreno Oscar Rocha?\Barbosa Andr?? S. Barreto https://doi.org/10.1002/jmor.21121 Abstract The bottlenose dolphin, genus Tursiops, is cosmopolitan occurring in tropical and temperate regions, with morphological variation between and within different oceans. Since the genus' taxonomy has been under discussion for a long time, this work aimed at analyzing the cranial variability of T. truncatus from different regions of the world. Geometric Morphometrics analyses were performed in 201 skulls of adult specimens, on dorsal, ventral, and lateral views, from the Eastern North Pacific, Eastern North Atlantic, Eastern South Atlantic, and Western South Atlantic oceans. The results indicate differences between individuals that inhabit the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Within the Atlantic Ocean, there is an evident longitudinal differentiation of specimens from the eastern and western regions. A latitudinal separation was also observed, considering specimens from the North and South Atlantic Ocean. In the Western South Atlantic statistical differences were found between two morphological groups, identified as T. gephyreus (sensu Lahille, 1908) and T. truncatus, and the cross?\validation presented 98% as minimum confidence for correct classification of these two groups. The present study provides strong morphological support to consider these two lineages as separate species. Please contact me for a pdf copy if needed. Wishing good health to you all, Andr?? Barreto ________________________________ Dr. Andr?? S. Barreto Website: http://libgeo.acad.univali.br Google Scholar Profile / ORCID Lab. de Inform??tica da Biodiversidade e Geoprocessamento Setor D6, Sala 215 / EMCT, UNIVALI R. Uruguai, 458 - CEP 88302-901 - Itaja??/SC - Brasil Fone: 47-33417960 - FAX: 47-33417715 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Leilani_Stelle at redlands.edu Mon Apr 6 12:42:29 2020 From: Leilani_Stelle at redlands.edu (Stelle, Lei Lani) Date: Mon, 6 Apr 2020 19:42:29 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Advice for teaching Marine Mammal Ecology online In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Like many of you, I've suddenly transitioned to teaching my university courses online. I admit that I've just been treading water with little time to focus on pedagogy. But I am also preparing to teach a May term course online. During our May term, students take just one class for the nearly 4 week term. In lieu of my usual travel course, I will be teaching an upper-division elective course focused on Marine Mammal Ecology. Class size will be capped at 20 students, they range from sophomores to juniors and have taken at least one intro biology or environmental science course but have no background in this topic. Although I have taught the subject before, I've never taught it online so I'm looking for any advice, suggestions, and resources. I'm happy to organize any replies and share with anyone else who is interested (along with whatever I put together). Thank you in advance! Lei Lani Leilani_stelle at redlands.edu Lei Lani Stelle, Ph.D. Professor of Biology University of Redlands 1200 E. Colton Ave Redlands, CA 92373 Hedco 106; (909) 748-8628 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Patrick_Lemons at fws.gov Mon Apr 6 23:39:36 2020 From: Patrick_Lemons at fws.gov (Lemons, Patrick R) Date: Tue, 7 Apr 2020 06:39:36 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Marine Mammals Management Job Announcement Message-ID: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service?s Marine Mammals Management office in Alaska is advertising to fill two senior level positions. The Marine Mammals Management office has trust responsibility of polar bears, Pacific walruses, and northern sea otters in Alaska. Our work primarily consists of implementing mandates under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act, research and monitoring of these species to inform our management actions, implementing bilateral and international agreements, and working with Alaska Natives for co-management of subsistence use. The two positions being advertised are the Polar Bear Program Lead and the Walrus and Sea Otter Program Lead. We are looking for highly motivated and committed individuals to help guide applied research and implement policy to guide conservation of these key species at a critical time. It is a fast paced work environment and we are seeking individuals with strong scientific and policy backgrounds, experience guiding and supervising teams, and strong and proven partnering skills. Approaches to some of the key challenges we face require creativity and innovation building off a strong background of experience. More information about our programs can be found on our website (https://www.fws.gov/alaska/pages/marine-mammals). The job announcements can be found here (https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/564776400 and https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/564776500) or by searching for the following job announcement numbers on the USAJobs website (10786166 and 10786165). Questions about the positions can be sent to the Chief of our office, Dr. Patrick Lemons via phone (907-786-3668) or email (patrick_lemons at fws.gov). Patrick Lemons, Ph.D. Chief, Marine Mammals Management U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1011 E. Tudor Road Anchorage, AK 99503 Office: 907-786-3668 Mobile: 907-717-6787 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From mridula.srinivasan at noaa.gov Tue Apr 7 13:32:09 2020 From: mridula.srinivasan at noaa.gov (Mridula Srinivasan - NOAA Federal) Date: Tue, 7 Apr 2020 16:32:09 -0400 Subject: [MARMAM] NMFS Supervisory Research Biologist Vacancy Announcement Message-ID: Hi all, I am pleased to let you know that a Supervisory Research Fish Biologist position has been advertised on USAJOBS. The position will involve the supervision and administration of the Marine Mammal and Turtle Division at the NMFS Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC). The application window closes on *April 15, 2020. * Here's the link NMFS-SEFSC-2020-0027 (Direct Hire): https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/564837700 Please share it widely. Thank you, Mridula *------------------------------------------------------------------------* *Mridula Srinivasan (Mree-du-la Sree-nee-va-sun), Ph.D.* *Acting Division Director, PRBD, SEFSC* *Office: 1.305.361.4252* *Cell: 1.404.993.0428 (Primary number when teleworking)* *------------------------------------------------------------------------* *Mridula Srinivasan (Mree-du-la Sree-nee-va-sun), Ph.D.* *Acting Division Director, PRBD, SEFSC* *Office: 1.305.361.4252* *Cell: 1.404.993.0428 (Primary number when teleworking)* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From recruitment at osc.co.uk Tue Apr 7 10:30:40 2020 From: recruitment at osc.co.uk (Recruitment) Date: Tue, 7 Apr 2020 17:30:40 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] MMO, PAM and underwater noise monitoring vacancies in Taiwan In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Dear MMOs and PAMOs, OSC requires 2 x Lead MMOs and 4 x PAMOs for 60-day rotations on a windfarm construction project in Taiwan with an estimated duration of 6 months. Applicants from worldwide will be considered, but priority will be given to personnel who are already registered with OSC or have worked with OSC previously. MMO and PAM personnel will also receive training to use noise monitoring equipment, but once the project is underway, noise-monitoring duties will likely be allocated to the PAMOs. At the moment, OSC is only required to finalise the 2 x Lead MMO positions for the first rotation, as these individuals need to be incorporated into the Licence, but always helpful if MMOs have PAM knowledge and/or experience. This project is unlikely to commence until travelling restrictions are reduced or lifted altogether, so at the moment, it is impossible to indicate the mobilisation date; however, in the meantime, as much as possible will be organised, so that mobilisation can commence without delay at the earliest opportunity. If you have not worked for OSC previously or recently, we will require scans/copies of your CV, passport, degree certificate(s), MMO and PAM, survival and medical. Please ensure that your CV includes a phone number, contact email address and postal address. Kind regards, -- Recruitment Ocean Science Consulting Limited (OSC) Spott Road, Dunbar, East Lothian, EH42 1RR, Scotland, UK T: +44 (0)1368 865 722 W: www.osc.co.uk -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From michael.j.weise at navy.mil Tue Apr 7 18:55:43 2020 From: michael.j.weise at navy.mil (Weise, Michael J CIV USN ONR (USA)) Date: Wed, 8 Apr 2020 01:55:43 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] MARMAM Post - ONR 2021 Pre-proposals Message-ID: <47FF0FFA3A049548A888E09856C45AAA4C778ECB@NAEAWNYDXM31V.nadsusea.nads.navy.mil> The ONR Marine Mammals and Biology (MMB) program is requesting pre-proposals by May 29, 2020 for U.S. federal Fiscal Year 2021 that begins October 1, 2020. The MMB program supports basic and applied research and technology development related to understanding the effects of sound on marine mammals, including physiological, behavioral, ecological and population-level effects. Researchers (international researchers are welcome) with an interest in obtaining support for their research should review the MMB program topics and goals to evaluate the potential overlap between ONR MMB program goals and areas of interest and their research. The next step in assessing the potential for support is to submit a brief (two- to three-page) pre-proposal (also referred to sometimes as a planning letter or white paper) to the program. The pre-proposal is intended to be an informal document submitted directly to the program that briefly describes the rationale and nature of the work to be proposed, the approach to addressing questions posed and estimates for the research costs. Please note the deadline for pre-proposals and full proposal is earlier than previous years. For more information: https://www.onr.navy.mil/Science-Technology/Departments/Code-32/all-programs/marine-mammals-biology/Pre-Proposal-White-Paper Best Regards Michael Weise Program Manager - Marine Mammals & Biology Program Office of Naval Research - Code 32 michael.j.weise at navy.mil -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: smime.p7s Type: application/pkcs7-signature Size: 6688 bytes Desc: not available URL: From Blake.Faucett at MyFWC.com Wed Apr 8 08:04:09 2020 From: Blake.Faucett at MyFWC.com (Faucett, Blake) Date: Wed, 8 Apr 2020 15:04:09 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] manatee internship-Tequesta, FL Message-ID: The Southeast manatee field station is currently seeking candidates for one Fall 2020 internship! Interns will assist with manatee rescue, carcass salvage, necropsy and research in Tequesta, Florida. The Southeast Field lab is offering one 6-month internship for the Fall 2020 session. The expected start date for the 6 month internship will be around July 1st. Start dates will be flexible. Working hours are typically 5 days a week, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., with some nights and weekends required. To perform the duties of the position, interns will operate trucks, trailers, and boats up to 22' in length. The intern is required to complete a project and present a 10-15 minute presentation at the end of their internship. Qualifications: Junior or senior college students and recent graduates are eligible. Applicants should have some research field experience; be able to drive large trucks; be computer literate; be comfortable speaking to the public; and be proficient in the use of digital cameras, telephoto lenses, and filters. Previous animal-handling experience is desirable. Interns must possess a valid driver's license, be able to lift 50 pounds, and be able to swim. Applicants should understand that this internship will require them to be wet, dirty, and outdoors in all weather conditions. This position is unpaid and housing is not provided. Interns must provide their own transportation to and from the field station. If you are interested in applying for an internship with the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, the following information is required: ? A cover letter describing area(s) of interest and the dates, days, and hours of availability ? A r?sum? describing training and experience ? A list of three references ? An unofficial copy of your academic transcript Please send these items as e-mail attachments to: Interns at MyFWC.com Or mail hard copies to: Internship Coordinator Fish and Wildlife Research Institute 100 Eighth Avenue SE St. Petersburg, FL 33701-5020 http://myfwc.com/research/manatee/information/internships-volunteers/se-fl-intern/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From sarahtubbs123 at gmail.com Thu Apr 9 03:31:02 2020 From: sarahtubbs123 at gmail.com (Sarah Tubbs) Date: Thu, 9 Apr 2020 11:31:02 +0100 Subject: [MARMAM] New Paper on the Distribution, Behaviour and Seasonal Variation of Irrawaddy Dolphins in the Kep Archipelago, Cambodia. Message-ID: My co-authors and I are excited to share our new paper on Irrawaddy dolphins in coastal Cambodia. Tubbs, S., Keen, E., Jones, A., & Thap, R. (*In Press*). On the Distribution, Behaviour and Seasonal Variation of Irrawaddy Dolphins (*Orcaella brevirostris)* in the Kep Archipelago, Cambodia. *Raffles Bulletin of Zoology. *[online at: https://lkcnhm.nus.edu.sg/app/uploads/2020/01/RBZ-2020-0015.pdf] DOI: 10.26107/RBZ-2020-0015 Abstract: Irrawaddy dolphins (*Orcaella brevirostris*) are a globally Endangered cetacean species found in rivers, lakes, estuaries, and coastal waters across Southeast Asia. Whilst much attention has concentrated on understanding freshwater populations of the species, marine populations have received less research attention, with the majority of marine studies focusing on determining abundance and distribution. As part of The Cambodian Marine Mammal Conservation Project, the current study utilises a combination of year-long land and boat survey techniques to identify seasonal critical habitats for the species in Cambodia?s Kep Archipelago, as well as fill knowledge gaps on the species? behavioural ecology, to contribute to the design of effective and tailored regional conservation strategies. Results showed Irrawaddy dolphins to be present in the Kep Archipelago in all seasons, with the highest encounter rates in Summer Monsoon (May?September) and Post-Monsoon (October?November) seasons, and the lowest encounter rates in Pre-Monsoon season (March?April). Juveniles were present in all seasons, suggesting the region represents an important nursing ground for the population. Foraging was the most commonly observed behaviour, with significant associations found between certain behavioural states and events, group sizes and seasons, group sizes and juvenile presence, and swim styles and juvenile presence. Sarah Tubbs Founder and Coordinator of The Cambodian Marine Mammal Conservation Project Marine Conservation Cambodia m: +447403732632 e: http://www.marineconservationcambodia.org/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tim.awbery91 at gmail.com Fri Apr 10 04:23:47 2020 From: tim.awbery91 at gmail.com (Tim Awbery) Date: Fri, 10 Apr 2020 12:23:47 +0100 Subject: [MARMAM] DMAD are offering free GIS lessons to help people during the coronavirus Message-ID: Dear MARMAM community, We hope you are well during these difficult times. Like many of you we have had to decrease our operations and cancel our internships. We have heard many sad stories about people having their universities shut, missing out on dream placements and losing short-term contracts and even full-time jobs because of the virus. This not only leaves people with nothing to do but also if the virus is to persist, then it leaves the possibility of a knowledge gap in marine biology. DMAD - Marine Mammals Research Association will be offering help for people in the form of free online GIS lessons. These lessons will be using the freely available, opensource software QGIS so literally anyone with a computer can partake. The lessons and all the files used are available on our website: http://www.dmad.org.tr/qgis or the videos can be viewed from our youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZe6-gcELQiTaPQaxkaZGlQ There are currently 16 videos in the series but new videos will be added each working day whilst biologists are struggling due to coronavirus. We have been really pleased with the feedback and so far the videos have collectively had over two and a half thousand views but we know that there are many individuals who could benefit from this training so please forward this email to anyone you know that might be interested. DMAD are certainly not alone in providing support to the biology community and we want to thank each and every person that has reached out and helped. Stay positive, stay safe and keep helping each other. Kind regards, Tim *Tim Awbery* *Montenegro Operations Director and Research Associate at DMAD - Marine Mammal Research Association (**Deniz Memelileri Ara?t?rma Derne?i)* *info at dmad.org.tr * *www.dmad.org.tr * -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dcsilva at coastal.edu Sat Apr 11 20:02:09 2020 From: dcsilva at coastal.edu (Daniela Silva) Date: Sun, 12 Apr 2020 03:02:09 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] Dolphin abundance publications Message-ID: Dear Colleagues On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to share the following open-access publications on bottlenose dolphin abundance and movements: D. Silva, R.F. Young, A. Lavin, C. O?Shea and E. Murray. 2020. Abundance and seasonal distribution of the Southern North Carolina Estuarine System Stock of common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). J. Cetacean Res. Manage. 21: 33-43, available at https://archive.iwc.int/?r=13023 ABSTRACT Under the US Marine Mammal Protection Act, common bottlenose dolphins along the United States Atlantic coast are managed as a series of 17 distinct stocks. To determine the status of each stock, the Potential Biological Removal (PBR) is compared with anthropogenic removals, primarily as a result of fisheries bycatch. Estimates of abundance, with associated measures of variance, are required to generate the PBR for each stock. The objectives of the current study were to estimate abundance for the Southern North Carolina Estuarine System Stock (SNCESS) of common bottlenose dolphins and to better define the southern boundary of this stock. To meet these objectives, photo-identification surveys were conducted during the summer and winter of 2014 in estuarine and nearshore coastal waters in southern North Carolina. The surveys extended 25km South of the defined southern stock boundary, along the northern South Carolina coast. One mark and one recapture survey were conducted for each season. Each survey was completed in four or five days and covered over 300km of survey tracklines. Dorsal fin images were processed and managed using FinBase, and only images of suitable quality and distinctiveness were used for estimates of abundance. A three-step decision tree was used to assign each dolphin group to either the SNCESS or an adjacent coastal stock, based on sighting location, ranging patterns derived from matches to photo-identification catalogues and statistical modelling. Only sightings classified as SNCESS were used to estimate stock abundance. Abundance estimates were calculated using three approaches: the Chapman modification to the Lincoln-Petersen method, package Rcapture in program R and program MARK 6.2. The most parsimonious approach was the Chapman LP method yielding an estimate of 272 dolphins (95% CI 189?390, CV = 0.32) in the summer of 2014. The distribution of SNCESS dolphins shifted South in the winter and several individuals were observed up to 70km southwest of the currently recognised southern boundary. The results of this study support the current definition of the SNCESS but suggest revisions to the southern boundary. The SNCESS is the smallest bottlenose dolphin stock off the East coast of the USA and is at risk of population decline as a result of fisheries-related mortality. D. Silva, B. Tramutolo, E. DeSalvio, T. Speakman and R. Young (2019). Abundance and Movements of the Northern South Carolina Estuarine System Stock of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) (USA). JMATE 11(1): 8-18, available at http://www.oers.ca/journal/volume11/issue1/scientific.pdf ABSTRACT In the USA, federal law requires managing anthropogenic threats to bottlenose dolphins at the stock level. The Northern South Carolina Estuarine System Stock (NSCESS) lacks estimates of abundance and potential biological removal required for management. Moreover, the southern stock boundary of the NSCESS is shared with the northern boundary for the Charleston Estuarine System Stock (CESS). The goals of this study were to investigate the empirical location of the southern stock boundary and to generate the first estimate of abundance for the NSCESS. Mark-recapture photo-identification surveys including one ?mark? and two ?recapture? sessions were completed between August and early October 2016. Predefined survey tracks approximately 245 km in length covered the described range for the NSCESS and an additional 11 km southwest of the currently defined southern stock boundary. Long term movement patterns were also investigated via comparison with historical catalogs from the NSCESS and CESS regions. Observed movement patterns did not suggest a clear revision to the southern stock boundary, thus sightings within the defined NSCESS stock boundaries were used to estimate abundance. Dorsal fin photographs were scored for suitable quality and distinctiveness using the program FinBase, and stock abundance was estimated with closed population models using the package Rcapture for program R. The best fitted model, Mth, was selected based on the lowest AIC value and yielded an abundance estimate of 453 dolphins (95% CI = 265-773, CV = 0.28). This study contributes to the sustainable management of the NSCESS and informed response to anthropogenic and natural threats. Best regards, Dani Silva -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From laura.ko.smith at gmail.com Mon Apr 13 07:45:14 2020 From: laura.ko.smith at gmail.com (Laura K.O. Smith) Date: Mon, 13 Apr 2020 11:45:14 -0300 Subject: [MARMAM] 2020-2021 Antarctic research opportunity DUE Friday April 17, 2020 Message-ID: Antarctica Research Opportunity 2020-2021 Season **DUE Friday April 17,2020** Quixote Expeditions, a sailing company in Antarctica, has up to 3 bunk spaces during the 2020-2021 Antarctic Season for Guest Scientists to join us in Antarctica. The season is 1 Dec 2020 ? Mid-March 2021. Scientists can come for 15 or 19 day trips during this time period. In the past our research positions have been filled by members of the MARMAM community helping phd with projects! We hope to continue to be able to support this community. Details are below. Any questions please contact info at quixote -expeditions.com. Applications Due April 17, 2020, with decisions being made by early May *Antarctica Guest Scientist Program* Quixote Expeditions is excited to announce its 2020-2021 Guest Scientist program for our 2020-2021 season on trips to the Antarctic Peninsula. More information is on our website (http://www.quixote-expeditions.com/guest -scientist/) and below: Quixote Expeditions has a Guest Scientist Program where scientists can join any of our regularly scheduled trips in order to help them carry out their active research. This can be anyone working on a master's or PhD thesis, post-docs, professors and researchers at universities, and scientists associated with non-profits. We offer a free space onboard any of our scheduled trips for scientists to perform their research. We sail in remote places that are often hard for scientists to get to and for those with limited funding, impossible due to the expensive nature of working in remote areas. We hope that by offering these spaces, one per trip, that amazing and interesting science can be continued here at the end of the world. In exchange we ask that the scientists to contribute the following: - To involve the other guests onboard with the research and data collecting if possible (Its not always possible!). - To present some of their current or past research while onboard. - At the end of the trip to prepare a short write up about the trip and the science that will then be posted on the QuixoteExpeditions Website. - To help operate the vessel (standing watch, helping in the galley, etc). Ocean Tramp, while a large sailboat, is still small compared to a larger research vessel. We ask that all scientists chip in, along with our guests. We can offer free room and board to one scientist per trip. All other related costs are at the expense of the scientists. Please go to our website for the application and full details http://www.quixote-expedition s.com/guest-scientist/ Please feel to contact me with any questions Laura Smith info at quixote-expeditions.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From kathrynr at aisobservers.com Tue Apr 14 06:38:01 2020 From: kathrynr at aisobservers.com (Kathryn Roy) Date: Tue, 14 Apr 2020 13:38:01 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] A.I.S. Inc. Seeking Passive Acoustic Monitoring Specialist In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: A.I.S. Inc. Seeking Passive Acoustic Monitoring Specialist AIS is looking for a highly skilled Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) operator to serve as the lead offshore specialist on a high profile project which will focus on pile driving for two offshore wind turbines. AIS is seeking someone with expert level experience deploying towed arrays, troubleshooting PAM equipment, and using PAM Guard. This is a temporary role. The PAM Specialist's primary responsibility is to acoustically monitor for the presence of marine mammals during activities that have the potential to cause injury to these species through the introduction of added sound levels to the environment. This deployment is anticipated to last several weeks. It will require the PAM Specialist to travel to New York and deploy aboard a monitoring vessel for the duration of the expected work. During this project, the PAM Specialist is responsible for listening and maintaining a constant watch for marine mammals using passive acoustic monitoring equipment and software. The individual selected for this position will function as an expert in the field. Any detections of marine mammals are documented on project specific logs. Project activity, times, location, and environmental conditions are also documented. The PAM Specialist is responsible for notifying the appropriate personnel if protected species are detected approaching or within harmful range of sound producing equipment and calling for mitigation measures outlined in the project specific planning documents. Summary of essential Job Functions: * Identify marine animals using passive acoustic monitoring equipment and software * Ability to vigilantly monitor for acoustic detections of marine mammals around observation platform/vessel for up to 4 hours at a time and not more than 12 hours in a 24 hour period. * Strong ability to identify and troubleshoot any issues that may arise during a towed PAM deployment. * Expert knowledge of towed PAM deployment and PAMGuard software functionalities * Ability to follow protocol requirements and accurately record data * Ability to make decisions on own given general guidelines * Record accurate data in difficult sea and weather conditions Minimum requirements: * Must be authorized to work in the U.S. (sponsorship not provided) * Must be approved by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) as an ESO/PSO * Must provide a copy of PAM Operator training certificate obtained from a recognized PAM trainer and have a minimum of 2 years experience with operating PAM equipment * Must provide a copy of PSO training certificate obtained from NMFS/BOEM compliant course/training * Must not be affiliated with any group that may impair the objectivity or the appearance of objectivity * Willing and able to travel and deploy on trips with short notice (e.g., 24hr notice for multiday trip) * Able to work weekends and holidays * Must provide a copy of offshore safety training (BOSIET or equivalent) * Must be certified by a physician as fit for sea duty including : o Not be susceptible to chronic motion sickness o Ability to live in confined quarters o Ability to tolerate stress o Ability to lift objects up to 30 pounds o Ability to vigilantly monitor waters surrounding observation platform/vessel for up to 4 hours at a time and not more than 12 hours in a 24 hour period. o Climb and descend steep ladders at docks o Cross over from boat to boat at docks while carrying gear o Swim 100 meters Please visit https://aisobservers.com/careers/ to apply. If you have any questions, contact Kathryn Roy, the Protected Species Program Manager at kathrynr at aisobservers.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dave at ninepointeightone.net Mon Apr 13 03:07:11 2020 From: dave at ninepointeightone.net (David Lawrence Miller) Date: Mon, 13 Apr 2020 11:07:11 +0100 Subject: [MARMAM] Online course: Spatially explicit models for distance sampling data Message-ID: <2b8539da-ef66-5934-350f-54e503d53489@ninepointeightone.net> Spatially explicit models for distance sampling data: density surface modelling in practice 8-12 June 2020, 1700-1900 BST // 1200-1400 EDT // 0900-1100 PDT As a replacement for the usual advanced distance sampling workshop here in St Andrews, we're offering the components of the workshop online this year. This course will cover how to fit spatial models to distance sampling data ("density surface modelling") in R. This will include: - Brief overview of distance sampling - Generalized additive models - Fitting, checking and selecting density surface models - Predicting abundance - Making maps Examples will be based around a line transect survey of sperm whales in the western Atlantic. Format: The course will consist of 5 live sessions delivered over videoconference. Between these sessions there will be practical R exercises to complete and to assist with these practicals there will be text-based "office hours", where participants questions can be addressed. Each videoconference session will include time for lecturing and discussion of practical exercises. We are limiting enrolment to 10 for this first offering, but may run an additional course later in the year (please e-mail to register your interest, especially if this time of day doesn't suit you or if you would be interested in a point transect-focussed course). Prerequisites: You should already know about distance sampling, for example by having taken an introductory workshop in person or online (either interactively or via our free pre-recorded lectures). You should also have some basic R knowledge. Prior to the course we will running a software test meeting to ensure everyone can participate satisfactorily. Cost: ?250 Registration deadline: 4 May 2020 More information, with links to registration: http://workshops.distancesampling.org/online-dsm-2020 Feel free to contact dlm22 at st-andrews.ac.uk for more information. From f.christiansen at live.se Tue Apr 14 09:14:23 2020 From: f.christiansen at live.se (Fredrik Christiansen) Date: Tue, 14 Apr 2020 16:14:23 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New paper comparing morphological body condition (drone photogrammetry) with outer blubber lipid concentration (biopsy sampling) in humpback whales Message-ID: Dear Colleagues, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce our recent article published in JEB: Christiansen, F., Sprogis, K. R., Gross, J., Castrillon, J., Warick, H. A., Leunissen, E., & Bengtson Nash, S. (2020). Variation in outer blubber lipid concentrations does not reflect morphological body condition in humpback whales. Journal of Experimental Biology. doi: 10.1242/jeb.213769 Abstract: An animal?s body condition provides valuable information for ecophysiological studies, and is an important measure of fitness in population monitoring and conservation. While both the external body shape of an animal and its internal tissues (i.e. fat content) can be used as a measure of body condition, the relationship between the two is not always linear. We compared the morphological body condition (external metric obtained through aerial photogrammetry) of migrating humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) with their outer blubber lipid concentration (internal metric obtained through blubber biopsy sampling) off the coast of south-west Australia early and late in the breeding season (spanning ?4.5 months). The external body condition index of juvenile and adult humpback whales decreased by 26.9 (from 18.8% to ?8.1%) and 12.0 percentage points (from 8.6% to ?3.4%), respectively, between the early and late phase. In contrast, we found no intra-seasonal change in blubber lipid concentration, and no difference between reproductive classes (juveniles, adults and lactating females); however, the small sample size prevented us from effectively testing these effects. Importantly, however, in the 33 animals for which paired metrics were obtained, we found no correlation between the morphometric body condition index and the blubber lipid concentration of individual whales. The lack of a linear relationship suggests that changes in outer blubber lipid concentration do not reflect external changes in body shape, thus limiting the utility of outer blubber lipid reserves for individual body condition evaluation. The wider spectrum of change in body morphometry captured with aerial photogrammetry supports the use of body morphometry as a reliable and well-tested method. Please email for the full text and supplementary material, otherwise the full text can be downloaded here https://jeb.biologists.org/content/223/8/jeb213769 Best regards, Fredrik Christiansen Assistant Professor/Postdoctoral Research Fellow Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies Aarhus University, Denmark +4531332367 f.christiansen at aias.au.dk http://scholar.google.com.au/citations?user=vkA5Y3EAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=sra http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Fredrik_Christiansen3/?ev=hdr_xprf -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From joelle.de.weerdt at gmail.com Wed Apr 15 11:17:33 2020 From: joelle.de.weerdt at gmail.com (=?UTF-8?Q?Jo=C3=ABlle_De_Weerdt?=) Date: Wed, 15 Apr 2020 20:17:33 +0200 Subject: [MARMAM] New Publication: Northernmost record of humpback whales from Antarctica Message-ID: Dear Colleagues, On behalf of my co-author Eric Angel Ramos, Ted Cheeseman and myself, I am pleased to announce the publication of our note in Marine Mammal Science on the presence of humpback whales in Nicaragua coming from Antarctica: De Weerdt J., Ramos E. A. and Cheeseman T. 2020. Northernmost records of Southern Hemisphere humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) migrating from the Antarctic Peninsula to the Pacific coast of Nicaragua The paper can be found here: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/mms.12677 Abstract: We report the northernmost records to date of Southern Hemisphere humpback whales migrating from the Antarctica Peninsula to the Pacific coast of Nicaragua during the austral winter. From 2015 to 2018, data from opportunistic sightings of humpback whales were gathered during boat trips in Nicaragua, crowd-sourced through local citizen science efforts in the region and matched with a whale photographed in Antarctica through the citizen science program Happywhale. Sightings were made between July and October, coinciding with the occurrence of Southern Hemisphere humpback whales in their breeding areas. Whale sightings were lowest in July (6.3%), peaked in August (59.4%,), and declined in September (22.0%) and October (12.5%). The photographic recapture of one whale in Antarctica confirmed that whales migrating from the Southern Hemisphere enter Nicaraguan waters. These findings indicate either a previously unknown migratory pattern of Southern Hemisphere humpback whales, and/or a potential northward extension of their breeding grounds. Please send an email to eliscientific at gmail.com if you wish to have a pdf version of the article. Beste regards, Jo?lle De Weerdt Association ELI-S ELI-Scientific www.eli-s.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From rhtardin at gmail.com Wed Apr 15 10:58:10 2020 From: rhtardin at gmail.com (Rodrigo Tardin) Date: Wed, 15 Apr 2020 14:58:10 -0300 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication: Modeling habitat use by the Guiana dolphin, Sotalia guianensis, in southeastern Brazil: effects of environmental and anthropogenic variables, and the adequacy of current management measures Message-ID: Dear all, My colleagues and I are pleased to announce the following publication in Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems Modeling habitat use by the Guiana dolphin, *Sotalia guianensis*, in south?eastern Brazil: Effects of environmental and anthropogenic variables, and the adequacy of current management measures Rodrigo H Tardin, Israel S Maciel, Mariana A Esp?cie, Gabriel Melo?Santos, Sheila M Sim?o, Maria Alice S Alves Abstract Species distribution modelling has been used to identify critical habitats for the delimitation of Marine Protected Areas. Although Marine Protected Areas may often overlap with the distribution of key marine species, illegal human activities often continue within these areas, causing negative impacts on the local biodiversity. A generalized linear model with spatial eigenvector mapping was used to investigate, for the first time, the influence of environmental variables and anthropic activities on the number of Guiana dolphin, *Sotalia guianensis*sightings/grid, and to determine whether a Marine Reserve, in south?eastern Brazil, is adequate for the protection of the local population. Data were collected between May 2007 and October 2013 onboard a 7.5?m vessel with an inboard engine. The models for the different periods (annual, dry, and rainy seasons) all indicated that depth, the distance to seafood farms and fishing grounds, and mean sea surface temperatures influenced the distribution of the dolphins within the study area. The annual and seasonal models predicted that the dolphins prefer a continuous area between Cedro and Pico Islands, a large area that lies outside the limits of the Marine Reserve. Although the habitat of Ilha Grande bay is still much less degraded than that inhabited by other nearby Guiana dolphin populations, the results of the present study indicate that anthropic activities in this area influence habitat use by the dolphins. Less than 30% of the area used by the dolphins is protected by the Tamoios Ecological Station (ESEC Tamoios). *Sotalia guianensis* is classified as ?Vulnerable? in Brazil, although the marine reserve (ESEC Tamoios) does not protect the core area used by the local dolphin population. The results of the present study provide specific locations for the creation of a new multiple?use MPA, as suggested by the Brazilian National Action Plan for the Conservation of Small Cetaceans, or the inclusion of a special management programme for the area between Cedro and Pico islands to better protect the dolphins in the ESEC Tamoios buffer zone. The continuation of surveys to better understand the current and future impacts of human activities, and the development of a closer interaction with both the local community and local stakeholders will help to safeguard Ilha Grande Bay and the local Guiana dolphin population. Please email for the full text and supplementary material, otherwise the full text can be downloaded here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/aqc.3290 Best, Rodrigo -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From afpereira at fc.ul.pt Thu Apr 16 02:22:10 2020 From: afpereira at fc.ul.pt (Andreia Pereira) Date: Thu, 16 Apr 2020 09:22:10 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication on fin whale acoustic presence and song characteristics Message-ID: <1587028831291.23296@fc.ul.pt> Dear colleagues, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce the publication of the following article in JASA: Pereira, A., Harris, D., Tyack, P., and Matias, L. (2020). "Fin whale acoustic presence and song characteristics in seas to the southwest of Portugal," The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 147, 2235. ABSTRACT Fin whales were once abundant in the seas to the southwest of Portugal, but whaling activities decreased their numbers considerably. Acoustic data from ocean bottom seismometers provide an opportunity to detect fin whales from their notes, data that would otherwise be logistically challenging and expensive to obtain. Based on inter-note interval and frequency bandwidth, two acoustic patterns produced by fin whales were detected in the study area: pattern 1, described from fin whales in the Mediterranean Sea, and pattern 2, associated with fin whales from the northeast North Atlantic Ocean (NENA). NENA fin whales travel into the western Mediterranean Sea, but the Mediterranean population has not been documented to travel regularly into the NENA. In this study, 11?months of acoustic data recorded southwest of Portugal in the NENA were used to characterize 20-Hz fin whale notes into these patterns. Pattern 2 was the most common and occurred mostly in November-January. Pattern 1 occurred less frequently and mostly in September-December, February and April, which suggested a limited excursion of whales from the Mediterranean Sea. There were also occasions when the two patterns were recorded simultaneously. Results suggest that fin whales from the NENA and Mediterranean Sea might mix in the area during part of the year. Please contact me for the full text and supplementary material and if you have any questions. You can also find the article in the following link: https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0001066 Best wishes, Andreia Pereira -- Andreia Pereira Research Fellow IDL - Instituto Dom Luiz Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon Edif?cio C8 - Room 8.3.20 | Campo Grande | 1749-016 Lisboa | Portugal | +351966321466 ECCO Ocean https://ecco-ocean.com/ Associa??o para as Ci?ncias do Mar https://cienciasmar.wixsite.com/associacao -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From ctclark at alaska.edu Thu Apr 16 08:07:32 2020 From: ctclark at alaska.edu (Casey Clark) Date: Thu, 16 Apr 2020 08:07:32 -0700 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication: Estimating age-at-maturity in walruses using zinc in teeth Message-ID: Hello MARMAM Members, On behalf of my colleagues and myself, I am pleased to share our new paper ?Zinc concentrations in teeth of female walruses reflect the onset of reproductive maturity?, recently published in Conservation Physiology. The paper is open access, and is available here: https://bit.ly/2V9gyta Clark, C.T., L. Horstmann, and N. Misarti. 2020. Zinc concentrations in teeth of female walruses reflect the onset of reproductive maturity. Conservation Physiology: 8(1):1-13 doi:10.1093/conphys/coaa029 Abstract: Age at maturity is an important parameter in many demographic models and, for some species, can be difficult to obtain using traditional methods. Incremental growth structures act as biological archives, recording information throughout an organism?s life and possibly allowing for the reconstruction of life history events. Concentrations of zinc (Zn) in animal tissues are known to be linked to life history, physiology and reproduction and may be retained in incremental growth structures. This study reconstructed lifetime Zn concentrations in teeth (n = 93) of female Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) collected from 1932?2016. Zn displayed a characteristic pattern of accumulation, with a change point marking the beginning of a lifelong, linear increase in Zn concentrations. We hypothesized that this change point marks the onset of reproductive maturity. The age at which the change point occurred (agecp) was estimated by counting tooth cementum growth layers. These estimates closely matched literature values of timing of first ovulation in female walruses. Total number of ovulations (estimated from ovary corpora counts from paired tooth/ovary specimens) was closely related to reproductive lifespan (total lifespan ? agecp; R^2 =0.70). Further, agecp tracked changes in Pacific walrus population size as a proportion of carrying capacity, decreasing when the population was depleted by commercial hunting and peaking when carrying capacity was exceeded. This novel approach will aid walrus management, and is likely applicable to other species, offering a potentially powerful tool for research, management and conservation of wildlife populations. I am happy to provide a PDF of the article upon request. Please email me at ctclark at uw.edu if you are interested, or if you have any questions about the paper. Best regards, Casey Clark JISAO Postdoc University of Washington ctclark at uw.edu -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From sergio.cobarrubia at gmail.com Fri Apr 17 12:43:01 2020 From: sergio.cobarrubia at gmail.com (Sergio Cobarrubia) Date: Fri, 17 Apr 2020 15:43:01 -0400 Subject: [MARMAM] Bottlenose dolphin project research in Venezuela. Interns and volunteer program 2020. Message-ID: BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN PROJECT RESEARCH IN VENEZUELA. INTERNS AND VOLUNTEER PROGRAM 2020. BACKGROUND: The Laboratory of Ecosystems and Global Change (LEGC) of the Venezuelan Institute of Scientific Research (IVIC, www.ivic.gob.ve) invites the second season of internships-volunteering (2020) in the study of coastal dolphins. LEGC is a scientific team that among its research lines on the fauna of coastal and riparian ecosystems, it has established the first one on aquatic mammals in Venezuela. On the other hand, Provita is an important NGO that contributes to the research and conservation in Venezuela. This research will begin with a project focused on sociobiology (social structure, social networks and bioacoustics) of resident groups of the coastal bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) in the central coast of Venezuela. This, after an experience of 5 years in that locality studying ecological aspects of T. truncatus ( https://doi.org/10.1007/s13364-018-0401-1). The coast of Aragua not only home this species, but also the Bryde's whale (Balaenoptera edeni), the common dolphin (Delphinus sp.) and the spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris). Of which basic information is collected too. LEGC interns and volunteers are young, hard-working who are willing to contribute to research by learning as they experience fieldwork in teams, field techniques for collecting and processing data and methodologies. All team members and interns share academic space, housing in the Institute, housework in the study area, knowledge and experience in a friendly and multicultural environment. The internship consists of three weeks: The first week of theoretical-practical introduction (24 theoretical hours and 16 practicals hours) at the IVIC Ecology Center ( www.ivic.gob.ve/es/investigacion-3/centros-31/ecologia-316). The second week of seven field surveys for data collection (42 h) on the Cata Bay (Aragua state) and the third week for data processing and analysis at the IVIC Ecology Center (40 h). The volunteering consist of the second and third weeks. WHERE: Theory: LEGC, Center of Ecology (IVIC) Miranda State, Caracas (10 23 N - 66 58 W). Practice: Cata Bay, western coast of the (rain forest) National Park Henry Pittier, Aragua state (central coast of Venezuela) 150 km from Caracas (DC) (10 29 N - 67 44 W). PROGRAM: Interns (Three weeks), Volunteers (Two weeks). 1st WEEK (LEGC-Ecology Center, 40 hours. For Interns). - Monday: What is a cetacean? The cetaceans and the human in history. Origin, evolution and diversity. Adaptations for aquatic life: Anatomy and Physiology. Life histories. Biogeography Distribution. Ecology Behavior. Conservation. - Tuesday: Identification of species reported for Venezuela. Basic logistics for the study of cetaceans on the mainland, sea and air. Basic equipment to collect information. - Wednesday: How to detect cetaceans and record an effective sighting? Basic data to collect during a sighting, calibration and use of GPS. Configuration and use of the SLR cameras. Download of sightings (GIS). Download pictures and selection (software). - Thursday: Daily encounter ratio. Photo-identification as a tool for ecological and behavioral studies. Estimates of abundance. Local distribution and areas of action. - Friday: Residential patterns. Behavior (deployments, states, daily budget). Habitat use. Social structure and social networks. Bioacoustics. Saturday: Break. Sunday: Transfer to the Cata Bay. 2nd WEEK (Cata Bay-Provita, 42 hours. For Interns and Volunteers). The field surveys will be carried out in a fishing vessel of 9 m in length by 2 of beam, no roof. The field work will depend on the climatic conditions, however, the Aragua coast offers few climatic inconveniences throughout the year. There will be 7 mornings of field surveys in the week, after each survey is lunch, rest and then proceed to download the data of sightings and then interpret them preliminarily and discuss them. We recommend wearing a long-sleeved shirt, cool pants, hat and sunscreen (30-50 PF). In the field surveys, it will be implemented: - The identification and recognition of the elements of the marine landscape and the method of tracking and detection of cetaceans. - Ethical navigation mode to study cetaceans. - The basic data collection / sighting. - Use of GPS. - Use of SRL digital camera. - Counting of individuals and composition of a group. - Identification of the behavioral states that configure group behavior and its recording. - Use of hydrophone. - Identification and counting of birds. -Identification and counting of vessels and other antropic objects. In the afternoon the information of the sightings will be downloaded: - Sighting forms. - Latitude and longitude. - Photographs and their selection. - Voice recordings (behavior). - Recordings of vocalizations. - Shark whales sightings. - Birds sightings. - Vessels and anthropic objects sightings. 3rd WEEK (LEGC-Ecology Center, 40 hours. For Interns and volunteers). PRACTICAL FEES: Accommodation (IVIC students residence and apartment in Cata Bay), food and transport (airport-IVIC-Cata Bay-IVIC-airport) are paid. The cost of internships is US $ 720 for the compensation of logistical expenses of the field surveys. For more information, please contact:sergio.cobarrubia at gmail.com. There is also the opportunity for 6-week internships and two field survey sessions (1,250 USD). The logistic cost for volunteers is US $ 500. *Ask all your questions, especially to mitigate concerns regarding Venezuela. Since our nation is the object of an intense media campaign where opinion matrices project false dystopian scenarios.* WHEN: During the year there will be 6 internships-volunteering sessions (February, April, June, August, October, November). For interns, second, third and fourth week of the months scheduled. For volunteers, third and fourth week of the scheduled months. VACANTS: 4 people / session. Not included in the rate: - Meals in restaurants - Free time activities - Personal insurance (all participants must have health and / or travel insurance) - Personal expenses. INTEREST IS EXPECTED: - Being over 18 years - Iterns: Preference will be given to undergraduate students and professional students (biology, marine biology, environmental, conservation and plus). - Volunteer: No preferences. - Have a mature attitude towards the investigation of marine mammals and environment. - Be autonomous and flexible. - To be able to live and work in an international team and mainly outdoors in the sea - Speak Spanish, English or Portuguese. ACADEMIC CREDITS: The LEGC will certify the work performed by intern or volunteer through a diploma with the recognition of the hours (academic-practical) worked. APPLICATION AND QUESTIONS: Applicants must write to sergio.cobarrubia at gmail.com with the subject "DOLPHINS PROJECT_Name". You will be sent a confirmation email with all the details about the study area and the species present, the practices and requesting your CV resume, motivation letter (small statement about what your expectations are and why you want to work with LEGC) and the internship month of your choice. Applications will be accepted throughout the year, however, early application is recommended due to limited vacancies. PLUS: The possibility of making one-day expedition to the pelagic habitat is opened, this other expedition will allow us to watch Atlantic spotted dolphins, spinner dolphins or pilot whales. -- *Sergio Enrique Cobarrubia Russo* Laboratorio de Ecosistemas y Cambio Global Centro de Ecolog?a Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Cient?ficas Venezuela. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From cdmacleod at gisinecology.com Fri Apr 17 05:59:27 2020 From: cdmacleod at gisinecology.com (cdmacleod at gisinecology.com) Date: Fri, 17 Apr 2020 13:59:27 +0100 Subject: [MARMAM] New Online Training Course: An Introduction To Integrating QGIS/GIS And R For Spatial Analysis - 6th to 8th May 2020 Message-ID: <2499c76e3598d992a632882d524fe382@gisinecology.com> We will be running a new online training course called 'An Introduction To Integrating QGIS/GIS and R For Spatial Analysis' between the 6th and 8th of May 2020. It will be held via the Zoom video-conferencing platform. This course is aimed at those who wish to learn how to use and integrate QGIS (the leading freely available GIS software package) and R (the leading freely available data analysis software package) for spatial analysis. It will be taught by Dr. Colin D. MacLeod, the author of 'An Introduction To Integrating QGIS And R for Spatial Analysis [1]' (Pictish Beast Publications) and a renowned expert in using GIS in biological and ecological research. He is also a co-author of the recenntly publised 'An Introduction To Basic Statistics For Biologists Using R [2]', which is a practical guide to carrying out the analysis of biological data in R. The course assumes no prior knowledge of either QGIS/GIS or R, and so is open to complete beginners as well as those how know how to use one of these software packages, and wish to learn how to integrate it with the other. Attendance will be limited to a maximum of 16 people. The course for this three day course will cost GBP 395 per person (with a discounted rate of GBP 300 for students, the unwaged and those working for registered charities). To book a place, or for more information, visit http://gisinecology.com/online-course-an-introduction-to-integrating-qgis-gis-and-r-for-spatial-analysis/ or email info at GISinEcology.com. GIS and statistical analysis are two of the most fundamental software tools for marine mammalogists wishing to conduct spatial analyses, which is, itself, a cornerstone for the management and conservation of marine mammal species. However, GIS and statistical analyses have their own sets of software packages, and sometimes it can be difficult to know how to integrate the two. This course will provide an introduction to the integration of QGIS (the leading freely available GIS software package) and R (the leading data analysis software packages used by biologists) to create a combined tool set that makes the most of the strengths of each of these individual software packages. It will consist of a series of background sessions on using GIS and R for spatial analysis, mixed in with practical sessions where you will learn how to use QGIS, how to use R, and how to integrate two to complete a spatial analysis project. This last part will include working through an example project, starting with creating a high quality map for publication through creating raster data layers of environmental variables, joining data together based on their spatial relationships and analysing the combined data set using R (including creating summary statistics, conducting linear regressions and conducting generalised additive modelling - GAMs). While it will primarily be based around QGIS, this course is taught using software-independent approach, and it is also open to those who wish to learn how to use ArcGIS to do biological GIS. When you attend this course you will receive a free copy of An Introduction To Integrating QGIS And R for Spatial Analysis [1] (GIS For Biologists Workbooks) as the practical exercises in that course are based on the ones contained in that book. NOTE: If you wish to use ArcGIS software for this course, alternative materials will be provided for the practical sessions. ================================================================================== GIS IN ECOLOGY - Providing Training, Advice And Consultancy On The Use Of GIS In Ecology Web: www.GISinEcology.com Email: info at GISinEcology.com Need to ask a question about using GIS? Try the GIS In Ecology Forum: www.GISinEcology.com/GIS_in_Ecology_forum.htm Books From GIS In Ecology Staff: GIS For Biologists: A Practical Introduction For Undergraduates; RRP: ?24.99 An Introduction To Using GIS In Marine Biology; RRP: ?44.99 An Introduction To Using GIS In Marine Biology: Supplementary Workbook One - Creating Maps Of Species Distribution; RRP: ?19:99 If you wish to purchase these books, visit: http://www.gisinecology.com/Book_Shop.htm To help the environment, please do not print out this email unless it is unavoidable. ================================================================================== Links: ------ [1] http://gisinecology.com/an-introduction-to-integrating-qgis-and-r-for-spatial-analysis-gis-for-biologists-workbooks-series/ [2] http://gisinecology.com/stats-for-biologists-1 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From ann.osiecka at gmail.com Thu Apr 16 03:15:53 2020 From: ann.osiecka at gmail.com (Anna Osiecka) Date: Thu, 16 Apr 2020 12:15:53 +0200 Subject: [MARMAM] Request: Survey on difficulties and abuse faced by early career marine environmentalists In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Dear MARMAM Subscribers, Me and my colleagues are preparing a report on the situation of early career marine environmentalists. We want to understand the nature and extent of the hardships faced by these starting in our field, with a special focus on time and monetary investment in work and education. Marine mammalogy is one of the fields with many "work opportunities" abusing current legal regulations, thus it is extremely important to document this situation. The aim of the report, which we will make publicly available, is to show clearly the most burning issues and help to solve them. We hope to shed some light on the various forms of abuse experienced by young marine professionals, but all stories are valid, and we also ask people who have never faced any hardships to share their experiences. We are mostly interested in the experiences of current students, PhD candidates and those who graduated within the last 5 years. There is no deadline, though we hope to close the questionnaire at the beginning of May 2020. Link to survey: https://forms.gle/TC6ruUc8E82vut3p8 Thank you for your time and honesty, Anna N Osiecka -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From oliverhooker at psstatistics.com Thu Apr 16 15:44:24 2020 From: oliverhooker at psstatistics.com (Oliver Hooker) Date: Thu, 16 Apr 2020 23:44:24 +0100 Subject: [MARMAM] =?utf-8?q?ONLINE_COURSE_=E2=80=93_Python_for_data_scienc?= =?utf-8?q?e=2C_machine_learning=2C_and_scientific_computing?= Message-ID: ONLINE COURSE ? Python for data science, machine learning, and scientific computing (PDMS02) This course will be delivered live https://www.psstatistics.com/course/python-for-data-science-machine-learning-and-scientific-computing-pdms02/ Dates 4 - 8 May 2020 Time zone - UK (GMT) Please email oliverhooker at psstatistics.com with any questions Course Overview: Python is one of the most widely used and highly valued programming languages in the world, and is especially widely used in data science, machine learning, and in other scientific computing applications. This course provides both a general introduction to programming with Python and a comprehensive introduction to using Python for data science, machine learning, and scientific computing. The skills learnt will be of value to any marine a mammal researcher handling large data sets. The major topics that we will cover include the following: the fundamentals of general purpose programming in Python; using Jupyter notebooks as a reproducible interactive Python programming environment; numerical computing using numpy; data processing and manipulations using pandas; data visualization using matplotlib, seaborn, ggplot, bokeh, altair, etc; symbolic mathematics using sympy; data science and machine learning using scikit-learn, keras, and tensorflow; Bayesian modelling using PyMC3 and PyStan; high performance computing with Cython, Numba, IPyParallel, Dask. Overall, this course aims to provide a solid introduction to Python generally as a programming language, and to its principal tools for doing data science, machine learning, and scientific computing. (Note that this course will focus on Python 3 exclusively given that Python 2 has now reached it end of life). Monday 4th ? Classes from 09:30 to 17:30 ? Topic 1: The What and Why of Python. In order to provide some general background and context, we will describe Python where came from, what its major design principles and intended use was originally, and where and how it is now currently used. We will see that Python is now extremely widely used, especially in powering the web, in data science and machine learning, and system level programming. Here, we also compare and contrast Python and R, given that both are extremely widely used in data science. ? Topic 2: Installing and setting up Python. There are many ways to write and execute code in Python. Which to use depends on personal preference and the type of programming that is being done. Here, we will explore some of the commonly used Integrated Development Environments (IDE) for Python, which include Spyder and PyCharm. Here, we will also mention and briefly describe Jupyter notebooks, which are widely used for scientific applications of Python, and are an excellent tool for doing reproducible interactive work. We will cover Jupyter more extensively starting on Day 3. Also as part of this topic, we will describe how to use virtual environments and package installers such as pip and conda. ? Topic 3: Introduction to Python: Data Structures. We will begin our coverage of programming with Python by introducing its different data structures.and operations on data structures This will begin with the elementary data types such as integers, floats, Booleans, and strings, and the common operations that can be applied to these data types. We will then proceed to the so-called collection data structures, which primarily include lists, dictionaries, tuples, and sets. ? Topic 4: Introduction to Python: Programming. Having introduced Python?s data types, we will now turn to how to program in Python. We will begin with iteration, such as the for and while loops. We will then cover conditionals and functions. Tuesday 5th ? Classes from 09:30 to 17:30 ? Topic 5: Modules, packages, and imports. Python is extended by hundreds of thousands of additional packages. Here, we will cover how to install and import these packages, and also how to write our own modules and packages. ? Topic 6: Numerical programming with numpy. Although not part of Python?s official standard library, the numpy package is the part of the de facto standard library for any scientific and numerical programming. Here we will introduce numpy, especially numpy arrays and their built in functions (i.e. ?methods?). ? Topic 7: Data processing with pandas. The pandas library provides means to represent and manipulate data frames. Like numpy, pandas can be see as part of the de facto standard library for data oriented uses of Python. ? Topic 8: Object Oriented Programming. Python is an object oriented language and object oriented programming in Python is extensively used in anything beyond the very simplest types of programs. Moreover, compared to other languages, object oriented programming in Python is relatively easy to learn. Here, we provide a comprehensive introduction to object oriented programming in Python. ? Topic 9: Other Python programming features. In this section, we will cover some important features of Python not yet covered. These include exception handling, list and dictionary comprehensions, itertools, advanced collection types including defaultdict, anonymous functions, decorators, etc. Wednesday 6th ? Classes from 09:30 to 17:30 ? Topic 10: Jupyter notebooks and Jupyterlab. Although we have already introduced Jupyter notebooks, here we will explore them properly. Jupyter notebooks are reproducible and interactive computing environment that support numerous programming languages, although Python remains the principal language used in Jupyter notebooks. Here, we?ll explore their major features and how they can be shared easily using GitHub and Binder. ? Topic 11: Data Visualization. Python provides many options for data visualization. The matplotlib library is a low level plotting library that allows for considerable control of the plot, albeit at the price of a considerable amount of low level code. Based on matplotlib, and providing a much higher level interface to the plot, is the seaborn library. This allows us to produce complex data visualizations with a minimal amount of code. Similar to seaborn is ggplot, which is a direct port of the widely used R based visualization library. In this section, we will also consider a set of other visualization libraries for Python. These include plotly, bokeh, and altair. ? Topic 12: Symbolic mathematics. Symbolic mathematics systems, also known as computer algebra systems, allow us to algebraically manipulate and solve symbolic mathematical expression. In Python, the principal symbolic mathematics library is sympy. This allows us simplify mathematical expressions, compute derivatives, integrals, and limits, solve equations, algebraically manipulate matrices, and more. ? Topic 13: Statistical data analysis. In this section, we will describe how to perform widely used statistical analysis in Python. Here we will start with the statsmodels package, which provides linear and generalized linear models as well as many other widely used statistical models. We will also introduce the scikit-learn package, which we will more widely use on Day 4, and use it for regression and classification analysis. Thursday 7th ? Classes from 09:30 to 17:30 ? Topic 14: Machine learning. Python is arguably the most widely used language for machine learning. In this section, we will explore some of the major Python machine learning tools that are part of the scikit-learn package. This section continues our coverage of this package that began in Topic 12 on Day 3. Here, we will cover machine learning tools such as support vector machines, decision trees, random forests, k-means clustering, dimensionality reduction, model evaluation, and cross-validation. ? Topic 15: Neural networks and deep learning. A popular subfield of machine learning involves the use of artificial neural networks and deep learning methods. In this section, we will explore neural networks and deep learning using the keras library, which is a high level interface to neural network and deep learning libraries such as Tensorflow, Theano, or the Microsoft Cognitive Toolkit (CNTK). Examples that we will consider here include image classification and other classification problems taken from, for example, the UCI Machine Learning Repository. Friday 8th ? Classes from 09:30 to 16:00 ? Topic 16: Bayesian models. Two probabilistic programming languages for Bayesian modelling in Python are PyMC3 and PyStan. PyMC3 is a Python native probabilistic programming language, while PyStan is the Python interface to the Stan programming language, which is also very widely used in R. Both PyMC3 and PyStan are extremely powerful tools and can implement arbitrary probabilistic models. Here, we will not have time to explore either in depth, but will be able to work through a number of nontrivial examples, which will illustrate the general feature and usage of both languages. ? Topic 17: High performance Python. The final topic that we will consider in this course is high performance computing with Python. While many of the tools that we considered above extremely quickly because they interface with compiled code written in C/C++ or Fortran, Python itself is a high level dynamically typed and interpreted programming language. As such, native Python code does not execute as fast as compiled languages such as C/C++ or Fortran. However, it is possible to achieve compiled language speeds in Python by compiling Python code. Here, we will consider Cython and Numba, both of which allow us achieve C/C++ speeds in Python with minimal extensions to our code. Also, in this section, we will consider parallelization in Python, in particular using IPyParallel and Dask, both of which allow easy parallel and distributed processing using Python. -- Oliver Hooker PhD. PS statistics 2020 publications; Parallelism in eco-morphology and gene expression despite variable evolutionary and genomic backgrounds in a Holarctic fish. PLOS GENETICS (2020). IN PRESS www.PSstatistics.com facebook.com/PSstatistics/ twitter.com/PSstatistics 53 Morrison Street Glasgow G5 8LB +44 (0) 7966500340 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From nlubcker at gmail.com Fri Apr 17 02:46:44 2020 From: nlubcker at gmail.com (Nico Lubcker) Date: Fri, 17 Apr 2020 11:46:44 +0200 Subject: [MARMAM] MARMAM submission, New Publication: Fasting affects amino acid nitrogen isotope values: a new tool for identifying nitrogen balance of free-ranging mammals Message-ID: Dear Marmamers, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce our new publication in *Oecologia*. L?bcker, N., Whiteman, J.P., Millar, R.P. et al. Fasting affects amino acid nitrogen isotope values: a new tool for identifying nitrogen balance of free-ranging mammals. Oecologia (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-020-04645-5 Please take care of yourselves and each other during this difficult time. Abstract Changes in the nutritional status of free-ranging animals have a strong influence on individual fitness, yet it remains challenging to monitor longitudinally. Nitrogen (?15N) and carbon (?13C) isotope values measured chronologically along the length of metabolically inert keratinous tissues can be used as a nutritional biomarker to retrospectively reconstruct the foraging ecology and eco-physiology of consumers. We quantitatively describe the physiological effects of fasting on amino acid metabolism using sequentially measured bulk tissue and amino acid ?15N values along the length of whiskers sampled from free-ranging juvenile, subadults, adult female, and male southern elephant seals (SES; Mirounga leonina) on Marion Island in the Southern Ocean. For both juveniles and adult females, whisker segments representing fasting had significantly higher bulk tissue ?15N values of 0.6 ? 0.5? and 1.3?1.8?, respectively, in comparison to segments unaffected by fasting. We also found a large increase (2?6?) in ?15N values for most glucogenic amino acids and a simultaneous depletion (2?3?) of alanine in segments reflecting fasting, which enabled us to accurately predict (74%) the nutritional status of our model species. We hypothesize that the glucose-alanine cycle is the mechanism driving the observed depletion of alanine ?15N values during fasting. We demonstrated that keratinaceous tissues can be used as a longitudinal nutritional biomarker to detect changes in the nitrogen balance of an individual. Moreover, it is evident that physiological factors have an important influence on tissue ?15N values and can lead to erroneous bulk tissue or amino acid isotope-based reconstructions of foraging habits. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340684991_Fasting_affects_amino_acid_nitrogen_isotope_values_a_new_tool_for_identifying_nitrogen_balance_of_free-ranging_mammals Thank you Sincerely, Nico Lubcker PhD. Zoology Candidate Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Nico_Luebcker marionseals.com/people/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From nlubcker at gmail.com Fri Apr 17 02:54:05 2020 From: nlubcker at gmail.com (Nico Lubcker) Date: Fri, 17 Apr 2020 11:54:05 +0200 Subject: [MARMAM] =?utf-8?q?MARMAM_submission=2C_New_Publication=3A_What?= =?utf-8?q?=E2=80=99s_in_a_whisker=3F_High-throughput_analysis_of_t?= =?utf-8?q?wenty-eight_C19_and_C21_steroids_in_mammalian_whiskers_b?= =?utf-8?q?y_ultra-performance_convergence_chromatography-tandem_ma?= =?utf-8?q?ss_spectrometry?= Message-ID: Dear Marmamers, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce our new publication in *Journal of Chromatography B*. L?bcker N, Bloem LM, du Toit T, Swart P, de Bruyn PN, Swart AC, Millar RP. What?s in a whisker? High-throughput analysis of twenty-eight C19 and C21 steroids in mammalian whiskers by ultra-performance convergence chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Journal of Chromatography B. 2020 Mar 15;1141:122028. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jchromb.2020.122028 Please take care and shout if I can be of assistance. *Highlights* ? We developed a high-throughput assay to quantify 28 steroids from single whiskers. ?This UPC2-MS/MS method enabled the first quantification of a suite of steroids detectable in mammalian whiskers. ?Sensitive and accurate quantification method at reduced cost and time. ?Whiskers provides biomatrix for longitudinal steroid hormones monitoring. ?Applicable to free-ranging mammals with cryptic life cycles. *Abstract* Obtaining longitudinal endocrinological data from free-ranging animals remains challenging. Steroid hormones can be extracted sequentially from non-invasively sampled biologically inert keratinous tissues, such as feathers, nails, hair and whiskers. However, uncertainty regarding the type and levels of steroids incorporated into such tissues complicates their utility in wildlife studies. Here, we developed a novel, comprehensive method to analyze fourteen C19 and fourteen C21 steroids deposited chronologically along the length of seal whiskers in a single, 6-minute chromatographic step, using ultra-performance convergence chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The limits of detection and quantification ranged from 0.01 to 2 ng/mL and from 0.1 to 10 ng/mL, respectively. The accuracy and precision were within acceptable limits for steroids at concentrations ?2 ng/mL. The recovery (mean = 107.5% at 200 ng/mL), matrix effect and process efficiency of steroids evaluated, using blanked whisker matrix samples, were acceptable. The method was applied to the analysis of steroid hormone levels in adult female whisker segments obtained from southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina), n = 10, and two fur seal species, Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella; n = 5) and subantarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus tropicalis; n = 5), sampled between 2012 and 2017. In the whisker subsamples analyzed (n = 71), the median concentration of steroid hormones detected above the LOQ ranged from 2.0 to 273.7 pg/mg. This was the first extraction of multiple C19 and C21 steroids, including their C11-oxy metabolites, from the whiskers of mammals. Measuring hormones sequentially along the whisker lengths can contribute to our understanding of the impact of stress associated with environmental/climate changes that affect the health, survival of organisms, as well as to delineate the reproductive cycles of free-living mammals with cryptic life stages. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339227340_What's_in_a_whisker_High-throughput_analysis_of_twenty-eight_C19_and_C21_steroids_in_mammalian_whiskers_by_ultra-performance_convergence_chromatography-tandem_mass_spectrometry Thank you Sincerely, Nico Lubcker PhD. Zoology Candidate Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Nico_Luebcker marionseals.com/people/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From admin at marinemammalscience.org Mon Apr 20 19:40:39 2020 From: admin at marinemammalscience.org (Katherina Audley) Date: Mon, 20 Apr 2020 19:40:39 -0700 Subject: [MARMAM] 2020 Louis M Herman Research Scholarship Winner Message-ID: <98F64F01-0E6F-4C2C-8B00-7518F50A6AC8@marinemammalscience.org> In 2020, the Louis M. Herman Research Scholarship received over 20 proposals from Australia, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, Germany, Hong Kong SAR, Madagascar, New Zealand, Scotland and the United States. The quality of submissions was extremely high and the Awards Committee is delighted to announce that the successful proposal, "Do Bryde's Whales Smell?" was submitted by April Ettington of the University of Auckland, New Zealand. Visit: https://marinemammalscience.org/jobs-grants/awards-and-scholarships/louis-m-herman-research-scholarship/2020-louis-m-herman-scholarship-winner/ to read April's winning abstract and to find out more. We are wishing a warm congratulations and a successful project to April Ettington and her colleagues at the Marine Mammal Ecology Group at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. Lindsay Porter, Chair of SMM Awards Committee and Katherina Audley, SMM Information and Technology Manager -- Katherina Audley Information and Technology Manager Society for Marine Mammalogy http://www.marinemammalscience.org admin at marinemammalscience.org Telephone: 415-847-7295 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From ll at osc.co.uk Tue Apr 21 03:57:15 2020 From: ll at osc.co.uk (Laura Lazar) Date: Tue, 21 Apr 2020 10:57:15 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication: Underwater Visual Records of Marine Megafauna Around Offshore Anthropogenic Structures Message-ID: Hello fellow MARMAM members, We are excited to announce the publication of our newest 2020 paper entitled: 'Underwater Visual Records of Marine Megafauna Around Offshore Anthropogenic Structures' , in a special issue titled 'Seafloor heterogeneity: artificial structures and marine ecosystem dynamics' of the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Marine Science. In this study, we investigated how archived video data collected routinely by the offshore industry can be re-analysed for scientific purposes. Using recordings collected by Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) and commercial divers can provide additional insights into the unknown interactions of marine megafauna with anthropogenic infrastructure. Todd, V.L.G., Lazar, L., Williamson, L.D., Peters, I., Hoover, A.L., Cox, S.E., Todd, I.B., Macreadie, P.I., and McLean, D.L. (2020): Underwater visual records of marine megafauna around offshore anthropogenic structures. Frontiers in Marine Science 7, 230. Link to open-source publication: https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.00230, Link to press release: https://www.osc.co.uk/oscs-newest-publication-on-underwater-visual-records-of-marine-megafauna-around-offshore-anthropogenic-structures-has-been-released-today/?fbclid=IwAR2XuxricaKLciGuxwp7TkWwcT4eufVzZbRUMZXsGmAGMSElCpsp7-zNy0U Abstract: In oceans and seas worldwide, an increasing number of end-of-life anthropogenic offshore structures (e.g., platforms, pipelines, manifolds, windfarms, etc.) are facing full or partial removal. As part of the decommissioning process, studies on potential importance of subsea infrastructure to marine megafauna (defined as: cetaceans, pinnipeds, sirenians, large fish - such as sharks, rays, billfishes, and tuna, as well as marine reptiles, and seabirds) are lacking. Dedicated scientific Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) surveys around offshore installations are rare, but there is a wealth of archived industrial data and noteworthy species sightings posted publicly on various social media platforms. This study used routine, incidentally collected ROV (n = 73) and commercial diver (n = 9) video recordings spanning 1998-2019 globally. Data were gathered directly from industrial partners (n = 36) and the public domain (YouTube; n = 46) to provide an account of marine megafauna presence and potential feeding behavior in the near-visible vicinity of subsea anthropogenic structures. A total of 79 video clips and 3 still images of marine megafauna near offshore structures were examined, resulting in 67 individual sightings and 16 sub-sightings (in which an individual was recorded within the same day). At least 178 individuals were identified to a minimum of 17 species of marine megafauna, amounting to a total (combined) sighting duration of 01:09:35 (hh:mm:ss). Results demonstrated proximate presence of marine megafauna (many of which are threatened species) to anthropogenic structures, with most animals displaying foraging or interaction behaviors with the structures. Observations included the deepest (2,779 m) confirmed record of a sleeper shark (Somniosus spp.) and the first confirmed visual evidence of seals following pipelines. These ROV observations demonstrate a latent source of easily accessible information that can expand understanding of marine megafauna interactions with offshore anthropogenic infrastructure. Consequently, other workers in this field should be encouraged to re-analyze archived datasets, commence further collaborative research projects with industrial partners, and/or expand Internet search terms to additional species assemblages, in a bid to quantitatively elucidate relationships between offshore infrastructure and marine species. Kind regards, -- Laura Lazar Research Assistant Ocean Science Consulting Limited (OSC) Spott Road, Dunbar, East Lothian, EH42 1RR, Scotland, UK M: +44 (0)7746 309 855 T: +44 (0)1368 865 722 W: www.osc.co.uk . MMO or PAM requirement? We wrote the book. Now available on Amazon: www.marinemammalobserverhandbook.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tiago.marques at st-andrews.ac.uk Tue Apr 21 06:14:12 2020 From: tiago.marques at st-andrews.ac.uk (Tiago Marques) Date: Tue, 21 Apr 2020 13:14:12 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] acoustic cue rate production and its drivers - introducing ACCURATE and request for references Message-ID: Dear MARMAMers, This email is intended to introduce to the MARMAM community a multi-institution effort (University of St Andrews, Syracuse University, Texas A&M University Galveston, University of California San Diego, NOAA, SMRU Consulting) starting a new project ACCURATE ? ACoustic CUe RATEs for passive acoustics density estimation. The project, running from late 2019 to 2023, is funded by the US Navy Living Marine resources program. A very short description can be found below and a few additional details can be found at https://www.researchgate.net/project/ACCURATE-ACoustic-CUe-RATEs-for-passive-acoustics-density-estimation but please do reach out at ?tiago.marques at st-andrews.ac.uk? if you would like to know more. ACCURATE does not involve any field work nor any dedicated data collection, leveraging on some previously identified existing datasets for its core tasks. Nonetheless, one of its initial tasks was to identify additional datasets that might be considered for further insights on the broad topic of acoustic cue rate production and estimation. Therefore, at this point we would like to: (1) Identify projects and or bibliographic references that might be included in our literature review. We would be very happy to receive from the MARMAM community references on acoustic cue production on all marine mammal species, including papers a. describing sounds that could be used for PAM density estimation, b. their production rates, and c. factors that might affect these production rates. If you happen to be or have been involved on research on that topic, it would be outstanding to receive your feedback and potential references or grey literature on the topic. Please do so by sending us an email at ?Papers4AccurateReview at gmail.com?. A reference will be good, a pdf will be great, and the more the better! (2) Identify projects including data sets that might be relevant in this context. If you are conducting research on the topic or that might be collecting data that could be leveraged upon for the topic we would love to hear from you. This would include any dataset that allows one to estimate cue rate production, specifically (but not exclusively) animal borne tags with onboard acoustic recorders. Please do so via ?tiago.marques at st-andrews.ac.uk? On behalf of the ACCURATE team, looking forward to hear from the MARMAM community Tiago Marques In short, The ACCURATE project aims to deliver a comprehensive, quantitative synthesis of the current state of knowledge on acoustic cue rates and cue stability for marine mammal density estimation from passive acoustics. The ultimate goal is to determine the most appropriate cue rates to use in a particular setting (considering different contextual settings). To achieve this, the project will include (1) identifying, reviewing, compiling and providing open access to all data available on cue rates (and their variability) across deep-diving and baleen whale species; (2) developing methods to estimate cue rates from different data types (e.g. time depth-data) and for different taxa; (3) applying these methods to species of interest for the Navy (including both deep divers and baleen whales); (4) exploring the factors that determine cue rate variability over time and space; (5) evaluating impacts of cue rate variability on density estimates from cue-based methods. This information will be made publicly available to the wider community interested in estimating density from passive acoustics. Finally, we will deliver a comprehensive set of recommendations of the most appropriate means by which to advance this field to meet Navy needs. __________________________________________ Tiago Andr? Marques email (St Andrews): tiago.marques at st.andrews.ac.uk email (FCUL): tamarques at ciencias.ulisboa.pt email (personal): tiagoandremarques at gmail.com Mobile (personal): 00351919651628 Twitter: @TiagoALOMarques Skype: talomar __________________________________________ Google Scholar SHqH7fMAAAAJ ORCID 0000-0002-2581-1972 ResearcherID A-5530-2010 Scopus ID 6603703024 __________________________________________ University of St Andrews Senior Research Fellow School of Mathematics and Statistics Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling The Observatory, Buchanan Gardens, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9LZ, Scotland Phone: 00441334461842 Fax: 00441334461800 The University of St Andrews is a charity registered in Scotland : No SC013532 http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/profile/tam2 __________________________________________ Universidade de Lisboa Professor Auxiliar Convidado Departamento de Biologia Animal Centro de Estat?stica e Aplica??es Faculdade de Ci?ncias da Universidade de Lisboa Bloco C6, Piso 4, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, PORTUGAL FCUL: 00351217500170 (my usual office) https://ciencias.ulisboa.pt/pt/perfil/tamarques __________________________________________ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From uaa_kbcrecruitment at alaska.edu Tue Apr 21 12:32:20 2020 From: uaa_kbcrecruitment at alaska.edu (UAA KBC Semester by the Bay) Date: Tue, 21 Apr 2020 11:32:20 -0800 Subject: [MARMAM] Semester By the Bay (Homer, AK) Internships still available! Message-ID: Environmental Studies Program and Internships ( http://semesterbythebay.org/internships/) available for this Fall Semester at the University of Alaska Anchorage-KPC-KBC in Homer, Alaska. Semester by the Bay is still accepting applications for undergraduate students interested in studying marine mammals, marine biology, ecology, and environmental sciences this fall semester, August 23-December 12, 2020, in the beautiful seaside town of Homer, Alaska. Our courses (e.g., Marine Mammal Biology, Marine Biology, Behavioral Ecology of Marine Mammals, Ichthyology, etc.) offer students numerous unique experiential learning opportunities in the lab and field, such as the behavioral ecology of beluga, humpback and killer whales, sea otters, Steller sea lions and harbor seals; acoustics of harbor porpoises and belugas; marine mammal skeletal articulation; seining, identification and articulation of estuarine and marine fishes; behavior of marine mammals in estuarine and nearshore environments. Additionally, most students participate in community-based *internships*and/or service-learning volunteer opportunities with governmental or non-governmental researchers while studying with us at the Kachemak Bay Campus of Kenai Peninsula College. KPC offers *in-state tuition* for all US students, and many internships include free or significantly reduced housing with our community-partner agencies (USFWS, NOAA, KBNERR, AMNWR, Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies, Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game, Kachemak Bay Land Trust). Internships still available: Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies - Marine Debris Intern Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies - Environmental Educator Intern *NEW* Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies & Oregon Coast Aquarium - Environmental Education & Digital Learning Kachemak Heritage Land Trust - Land Steward Intern Alaska Department of Fish & Game - Fisheries Intern Please see www.semesterbythebay.org or email semesterbythebay at alaska.edu for more details. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dawn.barlow at oregonstate.edu Wed Apr 22 09:55:08 2020 From: dawn.barlow at oregonstate.edu (Barlow, Dawn Renee) Date: Wed, 22 Apr 2020 16:55:08 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication: Insight into the kinematics of blue whale surface foraging through drone observations and prey data Message-ID: Dear MARMAM community, On behalf of my coauthors, I am pleased to announce our recent publication in PeerJ: Torres LG, Barlow DR, Chandler TE, Burnett JD. 2020. Insight into the kinematics of blue whale surface foraging through drone observations and prey data. PeerJ 8:e8906 http://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.8906 ABSTRACT: To understand how predators optimize foraging strategies, extensive knowledge of predator behavior and prey distribution is needed. Blue whales employ an energetically demanding lunge feeding method that requires the whales to selectively feed where energetic gain exceeds energetic loss, while also balancing oxygen consumption, breath holding capacity, and surface recuperation time. Hence, blue whale foraging behavior is primarily driven by krill patch density and depth, but many studies have not fully considered surface feeding as a significant foraging strategy in energetic models. We collected predator and prey data on a blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) foraging ground in New Zealand in February 2017 to assess the distributional and behavioral response of blue whales to the distribution and density of krill prey aggregations. Krill density across the study region was greater toward the surface (upper 20 m), and blue whales were encountered where prey was relatively shallow and more dense. This relationship was particularly evident where foraging and surface lunge feeding were observed. Furthermore, New Zealand blue whales also had relatively short dive times (2.83 ? 0.27 SE min) as compared to other blue whale populations, which became even shorter at foraging sightings and where surface lunge feeding was observed. Using an unmanned aerial system (UAS; drone) we also captured unique video of a New Zealand blue whale's surface feeding behavior on well-illuminated krill patches. Video analysis illustrates the whale's potential use of vision to target prey, make foraging decisions, and orient body mechanics relative to prey patch characteristics. Kinematic analysis of a surface lunge feeding event revealed biomechanical coordination through speed, acceleration, head inclination, roll, and distance from krill patch to maximize prey engulfment. We compared these lunge kinematics to data previously reported from tagged blue whale lunges at depth to demonstrate strong similarities, and provide rare measurements of gape size, and krill response distance and time. These findings elucidate the predator-prey relationship between blue whales and krill, and provide support for the hypothesis that surface feeding by New Zealand blue whales is an important component to their foraging ecology used to optimize their energetic efficiency. Understanding how blue whales make foraging decisions presents logistical challenges, which may cause incomplete sampling and biased ecological knowledge if portions of their foraging behavior are undocumented. We conclude that surface foraging could be an important strategy for blue whales, and integration of UAS with tag-based studies may expand our understanding of their foraging ecology by examining surface feeding events in conjunction with behaviors at depth. The full article is open access, and available online: https://peerj.com/articles/8906/ Please feel free to contact Leigh.Torres at oregonstate.edu with any questions or to request a PDF copy. Cheers, Dawn Dawn Barlow PhD Student Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Marine Mammal Institute Oregon State University, Hatfield Marine Science Center Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Lab dawn.barlow at oregonstate.edu -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From k.indeck at uq.edu.au Tue Apr 21 18:46:23 2020 From: k.indeck at uq.edu.au (Katherine Indeck) Date: Wed, 22 Apr 2020 01:46:23 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication: Female-calf humpback whale communication Message-ID: Hi all, My co-authors and I are pleased to share our new publication in Bioacoustics: Indeck, K.L., Girola, E., Torterotot, M., Noad, M.J. & Dunlop, R.A. (2020) Adult female-calf acoustic communication signals in migrating east Australian humpback whales. Bioacoustics. DOI: 10.1080/09524622.2020.1742204 ABSTRACT Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) calf survival during migration is dependent upon them maintaining contact with their mothers, and acoustics likely plays a significant role in this. Here, we analysed calls (n = 255) produced by migrating humpback whale adult female-calf pairs (n = 15) off the east coast of Australia. First, we identified nine common call types that were then quantitatively separated into two distinct clusters. One cluster contained calls that were considerably longer in duration, lower in frequency, and narrower in bandwidth than those in the second cluster. These are proposed to have been produced by the adult females and calves, respectively. We then compared acoustic features within presumed age class. Minimum, peak, and maximum frequencies were significantly different across both adult females and calves (Kruskal-Wallis, p < 0.05), suggesting that their calls encode socially relevant information regarding physical signaller attributes (i.e. age and body size). This study established a baseline adult female-calf call repertoire produced during the migration of east Australian humpback whales. Potential vocal masking from anthropogenic noise is of particular concern for communications between adult females and their calves, as it may put calves at risk of becoming separated from their mothers. You can access the paper here: https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/PCZXIJPNGIRC8PBDP6AR/full?target=10.1080/09524622.2020.1742204 Cheers, Kate Dr Katherine Indeck BSc, PhD Cetacean Ecology and Acoustics Laboratory Moreton Bay Research Station University of Queensland Dunwich, QLD 4183, Australia Mob: 0413 933 922 Email: k.indeck at uq.edu.au CEAL website: https://ceal.lab.uq.edu.au/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From MarieLouis17 at hotmail.com Wed Apr 22 03:00:44 2020 From: MarieLouis17 at hotmail.com (Marie Louis) Date: Wed, 22 Apr 2020 10:00:44 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New article on phylogeography and demographic history of narwhals Message-ID: Dear all, We are pleased to share our publication: Louis. M., Skovrind M., Castruita J.A.S., Garilao C., Kaschner K., Gopalakrishnan S., Haile J., Lydersen C., Kovacs K.M., Garde E., Heide-J?rgensen M.P., Postma L., Ferguson S.H., Willerslev E., Lorenzen E.D. 2020. Influence of past climate change on phylogeography and demographic history of narwhals, Modonon monoceros. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. doi: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2019.2964 Abstract The Arctic is warming at an unprecedented rate, with unknown consequences for endemic fauna. However, Earth has experienced severe climatic oscillations in the past, and understanding how species responded to them might provide insight into their resilience to near-future climatic predictions. Little is known about the responses of Arctic marine mammals to past climatic shifts, but narwhals (Monodon monoceros) are considered one of the endemic Arctic species most vulnerable to environmental change. Here, we analyse 121 complete mitochondrial genomes from narwhals sampled across their range and use them in combination with species distribution models to elucidate the influence of past and ongoing climatic shifts on their population structure and demographic history. We find low levels of genetic diversity and limited geographic structuring of genetic clades. We show that narwhals experienced a long-term low effective population size, which increased after the Last Glacial Maximum, when the amount of suitable habitat expanded. Similar post-glacial habitat release has been a key driver of population size expansion of other polar marine predators. Our analyses indicate that habitat availability has been critical to the success of narwhals, raising concerns for their fate in an increasingly warming Arctic. The article is available at: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2019.2964 On behalf of all co-authors, Eline and Marie -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From intern at sealrescueireland.org Wed Apr 22 07:29:17 2020 From: intern at sealrescueireland.org (Gale Loescher) Date: Wed, 22 Apr 2020 15:29:17 +0100 Subject: [MARMAM] Seal Rescue Ireland Internships! Message-ID: [image: SRI Logo.png] Seal Rescue Ireland: Animal Care and Education Internship Seal Rescue Ireland (SRI) is a charity organisation which operates a busy marine animal rescue and rehabilitation centre located in Courtown, Co. Wexford. As the only facility that fully rehabilitates seals within the Republic of Ireland, SRI responds to strandings nationwide. Most reports are for young grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) and common seal (Phoca vitulina) pups found sick, injured or orphaned across the Irish coastline. In addition, SRI pursues understanding and public engagement of ocean conservation and sustainability through education, community outreach and research programmes. SRI is currently accepting applications for their dual focus Animal Care and Education Internship programme for next year. With rolling start dates year round, this high paced, full-time position is for a minimum of 12 weeks, but longer time commitments are encouraged. After completion of initial training, interns who excel may be invited to stay longer and offered higher levels of responsibility. Reports to: Animal Care Manager Job Summary: This position provides the intern with a well rounded experience of both hands-on marine mammal rescue and rehabilitation work, and promoting public understanding of marine conservation as a whole. The candidate?s time will be split between assisting in the daily care of the animals and hospital operations, and providing educational tours to the public, assisting with fundraising projects, and assisting with administrative duties. The variation of responsibilities provide interns with excellent understanding of what it takes to successfully operate the many different aspects of a wildlife charity. Additionally, each intern gets the opportunity to independently plan one fundraiser project, to learn leadership and organisational skills. Interns that excel may be offered additional levels of responsibility to pursue specialized skill sets. Requirements: For consideration, applicants must have a background in areas of study such as Pre-Vet, Biology, Zoology, Marine Biology, Conservation Biology, Environmental Science or other animal related field. Applicants must be able to follow written and oral instructions, possess effective communication skills, and be passionate about marine animals and their environment. Applicants should be agile with a good sense of balance in order to maneuver around enclosures, and must be physically fit and able to lift 25 kg. Applicants must possess the ability to adapt in a fast paced, ever changing environment and have a positive, purposeful attitude. They must be willing to work long hours, nights, weekends and holidays. Previous animal care and handling experience as well as public speaking skills are preferred, however interns will receive training to develop these skills. Applicants must be fluent in English, since clear communication is essential when working around wild animals. For non-native English speakers coming from European countries, we require a C1 level of English. Duties Include: - Daily animal diet preparations and routine cleaning of enclosures and work areas. - Assist with rescue and release of stranded animals. - Take shifts overseeing the stranding hotline and coordinate seal rescue and transport. - Assist in the care of seals (feeding, restraining, medical treatment, daily care). - Help ensure that the clinical areas are stocked, hygienic and prepared to receive animals. - Maintain and update medical records. - Provide assistance to management and rehabilitation staff as needed. - Assist with fundraisers and educational events. - Assist with clerical duties and office work as needed - Participate in educational talks and tours. - Complete and arrange a personal fundraiser project in aid of the center. This is an unpaid position. Intern housing may be offered to successful applicants for 90 Euro/week (including food). Interns are responsible for their own travel expenses. Application Deadlines: 1st of June, 2020 for October, November, and December, 2020 start dates 1st of September, 2020 for January, February, March and April, 2021 start dates 2nd of January, 2021 for May, June, July, and August, 2021 start dates 1st of May, 2020 for September, October, November, and December, 2021 start dates Please visit our website at (http://www.sealrescueireland.org/internships/) to download the application form. Then send completed with your resume and cover letter to: intern at sealrescueireland.org Attention: Animal Care and Education Internship Seal Rescue Ireland offers three other exciting internship opportunities! *Marketing and Media Internship* - provides the intern with experience in producing quality media content to help Seal Rescue Ireland promote our mission, ocean conservation, and our fundraising efforts. *Education Internship* - provides the intern with experience in developing and presenting educational programs and activities for groups of all ages that focus on ocean conservation and sustainability. *Community Engagement Internship* - provides the intern with experience in community outreach to raise awareness of SRI and ocean conservation, event planning, and fundraising to support our centre. Due to Covid-19, all offers of internship positions with Seal Rescue Ireland may be subject to change depending on government regulations and advice, and well as SRI?s decisions on what is best for the health and wellbeing of our team. We thank everyone for their flexibility and understanding during this crisis. Registered Charity: RCN 20108519 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: SRI Logo.png Type: image/png Size: 187126 bytes Desc: not available URL: From f.christiansen at live.se Thu Apr 23 06:14:43 2020 From: f.christiansen at live.se (Fredrik Christiansen) Date: Thu, 23 Apr 2020 13:14:43 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New paper: Population comparison of right whale body condition reveals poor state of the North Atlantic right whale Message-ID: Dear colleagues, My co-authors and I are happy to announce the publication of the following paper in Marine Ecology Progress Series: Christiansen, F., Dawson, S.M., Durban, J.W., Fearnbach, H., Miller, C.A., Bejder, L., Uhart, M., Sironi, M., Corkeron, P., Rayment, W., Leunissen, E., Haria, E., Ward, R., Warick, H.A., Kerr, I., Lynn, M.S., Pettis, H.M., Moore, M.J. 2020. Population comparison of right whale body condition reveals poor state of the North Atlantic right whale. Marine Ecology Progress Series 640: 1-16. ABSTRACT: The North Atlantic right whale Eubalaena glacialis (NARW), currently numbering <410 individuals, is on a trajectory to extinction. Although direct mortality from ship strikes and fishing gear entanglements remain the major threats to the population, reproductive failure, resulting from poor body condition and sublethal chronic entanglement stress, is believed to play a crucial role in the population decline. Using photogrammetry from unmanned aerial vehicles, we conducted the largest population assessment of right whale body condition to date, to determine if the condition of NARWs was poorer than 3 seemingly healthy (i.e. growing) populations of southern right whales E. australis (SRWs) in Argentina, Australia and New Zealand. We found that NARW juveniles, adults and lactating females all had lower body condition scores compared to the SRW populations. While some of the difference could be the result of genetic isolation and adaptations to local environmental conditions, the magnitude suggests that NARWs are in poor condition, which could be suppressing their growth, survival, age of sexual maturation and calving rates. NARW calves were found to be in good condition. Their body length, however, was strongly determined by the body condition of their mothers, suggesting that the poor condition of lactating NARW females may cause a reduction in calf growth rates. This could potentially lead to a reduction in calf survival or an increase in female calving intervals. Hence, the poor body condition of individuals within the NARW population is of major concern for its future viability. The paper is the feature article of MEPS, and hence open-access. Here is a link to the feature article: https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v640/feature/ Here is a link to the full article: https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v640/p1-16/ Best regards, Fredrik Christiansen Assistant Professor/Postdoctoral Research Fellow Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies Aarhus University, Denmark +4531332367 f.christiansen at aias.au.dk http://scholar.google.com.au/citations?user=vkA5Y3EAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=sra http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Fredrik_Christiansen3/?ev=hdr_xprf -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From gabrielsky22 at gmail.com Thu Apr 23 13:47:33 2020 From: gabrielsky22 at gmail.com (Machovsky Capuska Gabriel) Date: Fri, 24 Apr 2020 06:47:33 +1000 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication: Linking metal accumulation to nutritional intake in common dolphins Message-ID: Dear MARMAM community, On behalf of my coauthors, I am pleased to announce our recent article published in Environmental Pollution: Linking cadmium and mercury accumulation to nutritional intake in common dolphins (*Delphinus delphis*) from Patagonia, Argentina Machovsky-Capuska GE, von Haeften G, Romero MA, Rodriguez DH, Gerpe MS. Bioaccumulation of Hg and Cd from food is a complex ecological process that has been oversimplified in the past. Common dolphins (*Delphinus delphis*) provide a powerful model to biomonitor metal concentrations in marine environments worldwide. We combined proportions-based nutritional geometry with metal analysis, stomach content analysis and the proximate composition of prey, to yield novel insights into the accumulation of Hg and Cd. Our analysis showed an age-related accumulation trend for Cd and Hg in kidney and liver, with highest concentrations found at 18 years of age. When viewed through the lens of nutritional ecology, Argentine anchovy (58.1 Mass %) and South American longfinned squid (22.7 Mass %), provided most of the dietary intake of protein (P) and lipids (L) (P:L ratio= 2.6:1.0) and also represented the main source for Cd and Hg levels accumulated in their bodies.This study presents unprecedented evidence on metal accumulation in relation to age and nutritional intake in a marine predator. The full article is available online: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114480 Please don't hesitate to contact me (g.machovsky at sydney.edu.au) if you have any queries regarding to this article or to request a PDF copy. Best, Gabriel -- https://gabrielmachovsky.wordpress.com/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From guido.p at archipelago.gr Thu Apr 23 11:16:07 2020 From: guido.p at archipelago.gr (Dr. Guido Pietroluongo) Date: Thu, 23 Apr 2020 21:16:07 +0300 Subject: [MARMAM] New Publication: Density and Abundance of Delphinus delphis in Waters South of Samos Island, Greece (Eastern Mediterranean Sea) Message-ID: Dear MARMAM community, on behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to announce the publication of our recent study: "Density and Abundance of *Delphinus delphis* in Waters South of Samos Island, Greece (Eastern Mediterranean Sea)" Pietroluongo, G.; Cipriano, G.; Ashok, K.; Antichi, S.; Carlier, H.; Miliou, A.; Maglietta, R.; Fanizza, C.; Carlucci, R. Density and Abundance of *Delphinus delphis* in Waters South of Samos Island, Greece (Eastern Mediterranean Sea). Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 2020, 8, 218. doi:10.3390/jmse8030218 *ABSTRACT*The Mediterranean subpopulation of short-beaked common dolphin *Delphinus delphis* is ranked as endangered on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List because it has sharply declined during the last decades, resulting in sparse and decreasing populations. Monitoring the conservation status of this endangered dolphin species is particularly relevant to fulfil targets under the range of several international agreements. Moreover, estimating the abundance of *D. delphis* is essential to verify the effectiveness of conservation action to maintain safe population levels in the Mediterranean Sea and to suggest appropriate modifications to limit potential threats. In this regard, a monitoring program of the short-beaked common dolphin in Samos Island (Greece) was carried out from 2016 to 2019, adopting a random line transect sampling method. The overall density and abundance estimates of *D. delphis*, obtained by applying conventional distance sampling (CDS) on sighting data, were 0.15 individuals/km2 (CV = 13.27%; 95% CI = 0.11?0.19 individuals/km2) and 51 individuals (CV = 13.27%; 95% CI = 40-66 individuals), respectively. Although a longer time series of sighting data should be collected and a larger area should be investigated to better understand the population trend of *D. delphis* and its residency pattern, the results contribute to setting up a baseline reference for future assessment of its population in the Eastern Aegean Sea. The article is available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/8/3/218/htm Please, feel free to contact me for any inquiries. With my warmest wishes in these uncertain days Dr Guido Pietroluongo Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation, Greece www.archipelago.gr info at archipelago.gr guido.p at archipelago.gr [image: Archipelagos] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From arecalde at gmail.com Fri Apr 24 00:50:31 2020 From: arecalde at gmail.com (Angela Paola Recalde) Date: Fri, 24 Apr 2020 02:50:31 -0500 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication: Non-song vocalizations of humpback whales in Western Australia Message-ID: Dear MARMAM community, My co-authors and I are pleased to share our newest paper entitled: "Non-song Vocalizations of Humpback Whales in Western Australia". Recalde-Salas A, Erbe C, Salgado Kent C, Parsons M (2020). Non-song Vocalizations of Humpback Whales in Western Australia. *Frontiers in Marine Science*, 7:141. DOI: doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.00141 ABSTRACT This study presents non-song vocalizations of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) from two migratory areas off the Western Australian coast: Geographe Bay and Port Hedland. A total of 220 sounds were identified as non-song sounds in 193 h of recordings reviewed. Of those, 68 were measured and qualitatively classified into 17 groups using their spectral features. One group (HW-02) had a high level of variation in terms of spectral slope. However, further classification using statistical classification methods was not possible because of the small sample size. Non-song sound frequencies varied from 9 Hz to 6 kHz, with the majority of sounds under 200 Hz. The duration of non-song sounds varied between 0.09 and 3.59 s. Overall, the use of spectral features allowed general classification of humpback whale sounds in a low sample size scenario that was not conducive to using quantitative methods. However, for highly variable groups, quantitative statistical classification methods (e.g., random forests) are needed to improve classification accuracy. The identification and accurate classification of a species? acoustic repertoire is key to effectively monitor population status using acoustic techniques and to better understand the vocal behavior of the species. The results of this study improve the monitoring of humpback whales by standardizing the classification of sounds and including them in the species? repertoire. The inclusion of non-song sounds in passive acoustic monitoring of humpback whales will add females and calves to the detection counts of otherwise only singing males. The article is open access and available at: https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmars.2020.00141 Cheers, Angela Angela Recalde-Salas. MSc. PhD. Researcher | Centre for Marine Science and Technology (CMST) Data analyst | Centre for Digital Agriculture Curtin University, Perth - Western Australia Email | angela.recaldesalas at uqconnect.edu.au, angela.recaldesalas at curtin.edu.au Project Web | http://souwest.org/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From gduboysdelavigerie at yahoo.com Fri Apr 24 05:48:25 2020 From: gduboysdelavigerie at yahoo.com (Guillaume Duboys De Lavigerie) Date: Fri, 24 Apr 2020 14:48:25 +0200 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication: New Pliocene right whale from Belgium informs balaenid phylogeny and function Message-ID: <202004241248.03OCmU3m009885@sicklefin.comp.uvic.ca> Dear MARMAM community, On behalf of my coauthors, I am pleased to announce our recent article published?in The Journal of Systematic Palaeontology New Pliocene right whale from Belgium informs balaenid phylogeny and function Guillaume Duboys de Lavigerie, Mark Bosselaers, Stijn Goolaerts, Travis Park, Olivier Lambert & Felix G. Marx ABSTRACT Right whales (Balaenidae) are the most distinctive family of extant baleen whales, thanks to their highly arched rostrum, tall lips and robust body shape. They are also the oldest, originating as much as 20 million years ago (Ma). Nevertheless, their fossil record is patchy and frequently understudied, obscuring their evolution. Here, we describe anew stem balaenid, Antwerpibalaena liberatlas, from northern Belgium, adding to the rich but historically problematic baleen whale assemblage of the Pliocene North Sea. Within right whales, Antwerpibalaena forms a clade with two previously described extinct genera, Balaenella and Balaenula. The holotype preserves much of the postcranial skeleton, and informs the emergence of typical balaenid traits like fused neck vertebrae and paddle-shaped flippers. Its size is intermediate between that of extant right whales and most of their extinct forebears revealing a more complex pattern of balaenid size evolution than previously thought Provenance?: Courrier pour Windows 10 -- L'absence de virus dans ce courrier ?lectronique a ?t? v?rifi?e par le logiciel antivirus Avast. https://www.avast.com/antivirus -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From zsmith at nrdc.org Thu Apr 23 16:57:35 2020 From: zsmith at nrdc.org (Smith, Zak) Date: Thu, 23 Apr 2020 23:57:35 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] NOAA Fisheries Draft List of Foreign Fisheries--Deadline for Comments Approaching Message-ID: Hello all, I am writing this email to call your attention to the fact (or remind you) that the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is seeking comments on its draft List of Foreign Fisheries-a tool it is using to implement the US ban on imports of fish and fish products from foreign fisheries that do not meet US standards for marine mammal protection as required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Comments are due by May 1, 2020. NOAA has created a fact sheet that provides an overview of the process, and you can find more detailed information on the List of Foreign Fisheries, its development, and how it will be used on the NOAA Fisheries website: List of Foreign Fisheries. The main purpose of the List of Foreign Fisheries is to classify all fisheries exporting fish and fish products to the United States as either "exempt" or "export" based on the frequency and likelihood of incidental mortality and serious injury of marine mammals. The resulting classification will determine the kind of fishery-specific information that countries must provide to NOAA Fisheries in order for a foreign fishery to obtain a "comparability finding," which will allow its exports to enter the United States. Proper classification is crucial as only export fisheries must submit extensive information about the operations of its fisheries and their interactions with marine mammals and the status of those marine mammal populations in order to determine whether those fisheries are meeting US standards for marine mammal protection. Please consider reviewing the draft List of Foreign Fisheries and submitting comments directly to NOAA Fisheries if you have information that would help it correctly classify particular fisheries. For example, you may have information indicating that a fishery NOAA has preliminarily designated as "exempt," actually has a high likelihood of bycatch and should be reviewed as a potential "export" fishery. You may also reach out to myself Zak Smith (zsmith at nrdc.org) or my colleagues, Sarah Uhlemann (suhlemann at biologicaldiversity.org) and Kate O'Connell (kate.oconnell at balaena.org) as we prepare our comments. While the list is long (NMFS classified nearly 2,900 foreign fishery operations), you can easily focus in on fisheries you are familiar with to see if NMFS got it right or if it should reconsider its classification based on information you provide. Thank you for your time. Best, Zak Zak Smith Senior Attorney Director, International Wildlife Conservation Nature Program *Admitted in California Natural Resources Defense Council 317 E Mendenhall STREET, Suite D Bozeman, MT 59715 T 406.556.9305 zsmith at nrdc.org NRDC.ORG -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From fsucunza at gmail.com Sat Apr 25 12:41:44 2020 From: fsucunza at gmail.com (Federico Sucunza) Date: Sat, 25 Apr 2020 16:41:44 -0300 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication: Distribution, habitat use and abundance of the Franciscana Message-ID: Dear MARMAM community, On behalf of my coauthors, I am pleased to announce our recent article Federico Sucunza, Daniel Danilewicz, Artur Andriolo, Alexandre F. Azevedo, Eduardo R. Secchi, Alexandre N. Zerbini . *Distribution, habitat use, and abundance of the endangered franciscana in southeastern and southern Brazil. Marine Mammal Science, v. 36, 421-435. * Abstract The franciscana (*Pontoporia blainvillei*) is endemic to coastal waters from Brazil to Argentina. The species is regarded as one of the most threatened cetaceans in South America due to high bycatch levels. Four management units (FMAs) were defined throughout the species? range. FMA II includes states along southeastern and southern Brazil, and represents one of the least known units. Recently, genetic analysis proposed that FMA II comprises two distinct populations and its range should be divided into FMA IIa and IIb. In December 2008 and January 2009 aerial surveys were conducted to assess the distribution and to estimate abundance of franciscanas off FMA II. A total of 54 groups were seen (average group size = 2.76, *SE* = 0.17) in shallow (mean depth = 7.15 m, *SE* = 7.08) coastal habitats (average distance from the shore = 6.48 km, *SE* = 6.28). Abundance corrected for perception and availability bias was estimated at 6,827 (*CV* = 0.26) franciscanas in FMA II, and at 1,915 (*CV* = 0.32) and 4,353 (*CV* = 0.24) franciscanas in FMA IIa and FMA IIb, respectively. This study indicates that, at least during the summer, franciscanas aggregate in shallow coastal habitats. Current estimates of incidental mortality in FMA II correspond to 4.4%?7.3% of the estimated stock size, suggesting high, likely unsustainable bycatch. The full article is available online: https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12650 Please do not hesitate to contact me (fsucunza at gmail.com) if you have any queries regarding to this article or to request a PDF copy. Best regards, Federico Sucunza Virus-free. www.avast.com <#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2> -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From S.L.Dwyer at massey.ac.nz Sat Apr 25 19:56:32 2020 From: S.L.Dwyer at massey.ac.nz (Dwyer, Sarah) Date: Sun, 26 Apr 2020 02:56:32 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication: Modelling habitat use suggests static spatial exclusion zones are a non-optimal management tool for a highly mobile marine mammal Message-ID: Dear MARMAM community, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce our recent publication in Marine Biology: Dwyer SL, Pawley MDM, Clement DM, Stockin KA. 2020. Modelling habitat use suggests static spatial exclusion zones are a non-optimal management tool for a highly mobile marine mammal. Marine Biology 167:62. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-020-3664-4 Abstract: Understanding how animals use the space in which they are distributed is important for guiding management decisions in conservation, especially where human disturbance can be spatially managed. Here we applied distribution modelling to examine common dolphin (Delphinus sp.) habitat use in the Hauraki Gulf (36?S, 175?E), New Zealand. Given the known importance of the area for foraging and nursing, we assessed which variables affect Delphinus occurrence based on generalised additive models (GAMs), and modelled probability of encounter. Behavioural information was included to assess habitat use by feeding and nursing groups and determine whether persistent hotspots for such activities could be identified and meaningfully used as a spatial management tool. Using data collected from dedicated boat surveys during 2010?2012, depth and sea surface temperature (SST) were frequently identified as important variables. Overall, seasonal predictive occurrence maps for the larger population resembled predictive maps of feeding groups more than nursery groups, suggesting prey availability has important implications for the distribution of Delphinus in this region. In this case, static spatial exclusions would not be the best management option as the core areas of use identified for these activities were large and shifted temporally. It appears that at the scale examined, most of the Hauraki Gulf is important for feeding and nursing rather than specific smaller regions being used for these functions. In cases where static management is not the optimal tool, as suggested here for a highly mobile species, a dynamic approach requires more than a boundary line on a map. The article is available at https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00227-020-3664-4 or please contact me (s.l.dwyer at massey.ac.nz) for a PDF. Best wishes, Sarah ------------------------------------- Sarah Dwyer, PhD Coastal-Marine Research Group School of Natural and Computational Sciences Massey University Private Bag 102 904 North Shore Auckland 0745 New Zealand Mob: +64 (0) 21 035 4749 Email: s.l.dwyer at massey.ac.nz http://cmrg.massey.ac.nz -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From oobrien at neaq.org Sun Apr 26 12:37:29 2020 From: oobrien at neaq.org (Orla O'Brien) Date: Sun, 26 Apr 2020 19:37:29 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New Publication: Alliance-specific habitat selection by male Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins in Shark Bay, Western Australia Message-ID: Dear Marmam, My coauthors and I are pleased to announce our new publication in Animal Behaviour: O'Brien, O., Allen, S. J., Kr?tzen, M. & Connor, R. C. (2020). Alliance-specific habitat selection by male Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins in Shark Bay, Western Australia. Animal Behaviour, 164, 39-49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.03.014. ABSTRACT: Individuals and groups within the same population may differ in their use of resources. Also referred to as niche specialization, such differences can be documented through direct or indirect observation of resource or habitat use. Here, we examined selective habitat use in alliance-forming male Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops aduncus, in Shark Bay, Western Australia. Using 6 years of sighting data (2001?2006), we calculated the home ranges of 17 male alliances (comprising 3?14 individuals each). We defined five habitat types in the study area and measured the proportion of each habitat type in the home range of each alliance. Habitat selectivity was examined using selection ratios of used and available habitat within alliance home ranges. Since home range is also a form of habitat selection, we also examined selection ratios of alliances within defined subareas within the study area. Subareas were the combined home ranges of subsets of alliances that were linked by general location, distinctive habitat features and seasonal movement patterns. During each sighting, the predominant group behaviour was recorded. We analysed data from all sightings (which included all behavioural types: resting, travelling, socializing and foraging), as well as a restricted set of foraging groups only. For all sightings, alliances were selective of habitat within each of three subareas (northern, central, southern), and 14 alliances were selective of habitat within their home range. For foraging sightings, alliances within all three subareas were selective with respect to foraging habitat, and seven alliances showed significant selection of foraging habitat within their respective home ranges. Some alliances with broadly overlapping ranges foraged in different habitats. Alliance-specific habitat use may be influenced by ecological and social factors. Our results raise the possibility that the considerable variation in alliance size within this population may be influenced by the distribution of food as well as the distribution of females. Article can be found here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0003347220300828?via%3Dihub. Best wishes, Orla O?Brien Assistant Scientist Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life at the New England Aquarium Central Wharf, Boston, MA 02110 o: 617-973-5236 This electronic message contains information from the New England Aquarium which may be privileged and confidential. The information is intended to be for the use of the addressee only. If you have received this communication in error, do not read or circulate it. Please delete it from your system without copying it or saving any attachments and notify the sender by reply e-mail. Thank you. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From violaine.dulau at globice.org Mon Apr 27 01:59:43 2020 From: violaine.dulau at globice.org (Violaine Dulau) Date: Mon, 27 Apr 2020 12:59:43 +0400 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication: abundance & fidelity pattern of bottlenose dolphin off a remote oceanic island (Reunion, SW Indian Ocean) Message-ID: Dear all, We are pleased to share our new publication: Estrade V, Dulau V. 2020. Abundance and site fidelity of bottlenose dolphins off a remote oceanic island (Reunion, southwest Indian Ocean). Marine Mammal Science, 2020:1-26. *Abstract* This study represents the first comprehensive assessment of the population dynamics and residency of common bottlenose dolphin around Reunion Island (southwest Indian Ocean). Understanding dynamics and movement patterns of this local population is essential to guide effective conservation efforts, notably in a context of growing dolphin watching activities. Dedicated surveys based on photoidentification methods were conducted over 6 years (2010?2015). The species was present year-round, in groups of 25 individuals on average (1?150). Jolly-Seber mark-recapture models resulted in a population estimate of 254 individuals (95% CI = 191?337) and an apparent annual survival rate of 0.83. The population was almost equally split into three residency patterns: residents (33.1%), long-term visitors (32.6%), and short-term visitors (34.3%, including transients, i.e., individuals only seen once [14.9%]), suggesting that the majority of the population showed a moderate-to-high level of residency in the study area. Individuals from the three residency patterns associated randomly, mixing together and forming a single community. Models based on the lagged identification rate indicated emigration and reimmigration to the survey area, with some individuals occupying the study area for about 2 years (832 days), and remaining outside for an average of 276 days, probably exhibiting larger home ranges and extensive movement behavior. Available at : _https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12693_ For a pdf copy, please contact: vanessa.estrade at globice.org All the best, Violaine Dulau GLOBICE-Reunion www.globice.org -- L'absence de virus dans ce courrier ?lectronique a ?t? v?rifi?e par le logiciel antivirus Avast. https://www.avast.com/antivirus -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From lahuckst at ucsc.edu Mon Apr 27 11:41:15 2020 From: lahuckst at ucsc.edu (Luis Huckstadt) Date: Mon, 27 Apr 2020 14:41:15 -0400 Subject: [MARMAM] New paper on crabeater seal habitat modeling Message-ID: Dear MARMaMers: My colleagues and I are pleased to announce the publication of the following paper in Nature Climate Change: H?ckst?dt, L.A., Pi?ones, A., Palacios, D.M. *et al.* Projected shifts in the foraging habitat of crabeater seals along the Antarctic Peninsula. *Nat. Clim. Chang.* (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-020-0745-9 Abstract: Crabeater seals exhibit extreme dietary specialization, feeding almost exclusively on Antarctic krill. This specialization has inextricably linked habitat use, life history and evolution of this pinniped species to the distribution of its prey. Therefore, the foraging habitat of crabeater seals can be used to infer the distribution of Antarctic krill. Here, we combined seal movements and diving behaviour with environmental variables to build a foraging habitat model for crabeater seals for the rapidly changing western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP). Our projections show that future crabeater seal foraging habitat and, by inference, krill distribution will expand towards offshore waters and the southern WAP in response to changes in circulation, water temperature and sea ice distribution. Antarctic krill biomass is projected to be negatively affected by the environmental changes, which are anticipated to manifest as a decrease in krill densities in coastal waters, with impacts on the land-/ice-based krill predator community, particularly in the northern WAP. Please, contact me at lahuckst at udec.cl for a pdf copy if needed. All the best, ---------------------------------------- Luis A. Huckstadt, Ph.D. Assistant Researcher Institute of Marine Sciences University of California Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA 95060 Ph: (831) 239-5762 http://lahuckst.wixsite.com/welcome -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From lahuckst at ucsc.edu Mon Apr 27 15:40:29 2020 From: lahuckst at ucsc.edu (Luis Huckstadt) Date: Mon, 27 Apr 2020 18:40:29 -0400 Subject: [MARMAM] Correction - New paper on crabeater seal habitat modeling In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: CORRECTION contact the author at lahuckst at ucsc.edu Dear MARMaMers: > > My colleagues and I are pleased to announce the publication of the > following paper in Nature Climate Change: > > H?ckst?dt, L.A., Pi?ones, A., Palacios, D.M. *et al.* Projected shifts in > the foraging habitat of crabeater seals along the Antarctic Peninsula. *Nat. > Clim. Chang.* (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-020-0745-9 > > Abstract: > Crabeater seals exhibit extreme dietary specialization, feeding almost > exclusively on Antarctic krill. This specialization has inextricably linked > habitat use, life history and evolution of this pinniped species to the > distribution of its prey. Therefore, the foraging habitat of crabeater > seals can be used to infer the distribution of Antarctic krill. Here, we > combined seal movements and diving behaviour with environmental variables > to build a foraging habitat model for crabeater seals for the rapidly > changing western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP). Our projections show that > future crabeater seal foraging habitat and, by inference, krill > distribution will expand towards offshore waters and the southern WAP in > response to changes in circulation, water temperature and sea ice > distribution. Antarctic krill biomass is projected to be negatively > affected by the environmental changes, which are anticipated to manifest as > a decrease in krill densities in coastal waters, with impacts on the > land-/ice-based krill predator community, particularly in the northern WAP. > > Please, contact me at *lahuckst at ucsc.edu * for a pdf > copy if needed. > > All the best, > ---------------------------------------- > Luis A. Huckstadt, Ph.D. > Assistant Researcher > Institute of Marine Sciences > University of California Santa Cruz > Santa Cruz, CA 95060 > Ph: (831) 239-5762 > http://lahuckst.wixsite.com/welcome > > > -- ???????????????? Luis H?ckst?dt, PhD Institute of Marine Sciences University of California Santa Cruz Long Marine Lab 115 McAllister Way Santa Cruz, CA 95060 https://lahuckst.wixsite.com/welcome -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From awerth at hsc.edu Tue Apr 28 11:47:33 2020 From: awerth at hsc.edu (Alex Werth) Date: Tue, 28 Apr 2020 18:47:33 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] new paper on baleen growth and erosion Message-ID: Dear MamMam colleagues, My coauthors and I are pleased to announce our new publication in Polar Biology: Werth, A.J., Sformo, T.L., Lysiak, N., Rita, D., George, J.C. Baleen turnover and gut transit in mysticete whales and its environmental implications. Polar Biol (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-020-02673-8 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00300-020-02673-8#citeas Abstract: Baleen, a unique oral ?-keratin, has flat cortical layers enclosing hollow horn tubules. Baleen grows continuously to replace erosive loss from feeding-related wear. This is essential for maintaining efficient filtration over a whale's long life history. Baleen fragments are seen in stomach contents and feces. We focused on fin (Balaenoptera physalus) and bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) but examined eleven mysticete species. Histological features including variably-sized tubules plus differential growth along plate axes (growing faster along the medial fringed edge) and between plates of a rack (central plates growing faster than others) relate to baleen strength and flexibility. Sheet-like cortical layers provide strength and probably hinder erosive shedding, whereas medullary (tubular/intertubular) keratin provides flexibility and likely promotes shedding. To calculate amounts of grown/lost baleen we considered both erosive wear and basal growth, recognizing that each plate represents several years of growth. We estimate average annual loss of 70-100,000 cm2 (20-40,000 cm3) of baleen in balaenids and 25-50,000 cm2 (7-14,000 cm3) in balaenopterids. Baleen growth rates depend on age, size, and other life history parameters; the most reliable calculations come from morphometric data with plate dimensions measured along full racks. We argue that baleen turnover has been underrated and baleen growth rates underestimated in published literature. Baleen turnover maintains filter integrity/porosity while gut passage possibly clears gastrointestinal tracts of endoparasites. Large volumes of shed keratin hold potential ecological consequences by providing food for microbial decomposers and detritivores throughout ocean ecosystems, especially in polar regions where most mysticete feeding occurs. Best regards, Alex Werth _______________________________ Alexander J. Werth, Ph.D. Trinkle Professor of Biology Hampden-Sydney College Box 162, Hampden-Sydney, VA 23943 434-223-6326, fax 434-223-6374 http://www.hsc.edu/alex-werth -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From francesco at idsse.ac.cn Wed Apr 29 05:05:44 2020 From: francesco at idsse.ac.cn (Francesco Caruso) Date: Wed, 29 Apr 2020 20:05:44 +0800 (GMT+08:00) Subject: [MARMAM] Monitoring of a Nearshore Small Dolphin Species Using Passive Acoustic Platforms and Supervised Machine Learning Techniques Message-ID: <145c4051.46baf.171c5d41b3f.Coremail.francesco@idsse.ac.cn> Dear MARMAM readers, we are pleased to announce the publication of our Methods Article in Frontiers in Marine Science - Section: Marine Megafauna. Caruso F, Dong L, Lin M, Liu M, Gong Z, Xu W, Alonge G and Li S (2020). Monitoring of a Nearshore Small Dolphin Species Using Passive Acoustic Platforms and Supervised Machine Learning Techniques. Front. Mar. Sci. 7:267. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2020.00267 ABSTRACT: Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) is increasingly being adopted as a non-invasive method for the assessment of ocean ecological dynamics. PAM is an important sampling approach for acquiring critical information about marine mammals, especially in areas where data are lacking and where evaluations of threats for vulnerable populations are required. The Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (IPHD, Sousa chinensis) is a coastal species which inhabits tropical and warm-temperate waters from the eastern Indian Ocean throughout Southeast Asia to central China. A new population of this species was recently discovered in waters southwest of Hainan Island, China. An array of passive acoustic platforms was deployed at depths of 10?20 m (the preferred habitat of humpback dolphins), across sites covering more than 100 km of coastline. In this study, we explored whether the acoustic data recorded by the array could be used to classify IPHD echolocation clicks, with the aim of investigating the spatiotemporal patterns of distribution and acoustic behavior of this species. A number of supervised machine learning algorithms were trained to automatically classify echolocation clicks from the different types of short-broadband pulses recorded. The best performance was reported by a cubic support vector machine (Cubic SVM), which was applied to 19,215 5-min recordings (?4.2 TB), collected over a period of 75 days at six locations. Subsequently, using spectrogram visualization and audio listening, human operators confirmed the presence of clicks within the selected files. Additionally, other dolphin vocalizations (including whistles, buzzes, and burst pulses) and different sound sources (soniferous fishes, snapping shrimps, human activities) were also reported. The detection range of IPHD clicks was estimated using a transmission loss (TL) model and the performance of the trained classifier was compared with data synchronously collected by an acoustic data logger (A-tag). This study demonstrates that the distribution and habitat use of a coastal and resident dolphin species can be monitored over a large spatiotemporal scale, using an array of passive acoustic platforms and a data analysis protocol that includes both machine learning techniques and spectrogram inspection. The article is available at: https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.00267. Best regards, Francesco Francesco Caruso, Ph.D. - Postdoctoral Researcher Marine Mammal and Marine Bioacoustics Laboratory Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering Chinese Academy of Sciences 28 Luhuitou Road, Sanya, 572000, China -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: image/png Size: 43103 bytes Desc: not available URL: From Jamie_Womble at nps.gov Wed Apr 29 18:04:52 2020 From: Jamie_Womble at nps.gov (Womble, Jamie N) Date: Thu, 30 Apr 2020 01:04:52 +0000 Subject: [MARMAM] New Publication: Calibrating and adjusting counts of harbor seals in a tidewater glacier fjord to estimate abundance and trends 1992 to 2017 Message-ID: Dear MARMAM community, On behalf of my colleagues and co-authors, I am pleased to announce a new publication, Calibrating and adjusting counts of harbor seals in a tidewater glacier fjord to estimate abundance and trends 1992-2017, that was recently published in the journal Ecosphere. Womble, J. N., Ver Hoef, J. M., Gende, S. M., and Mathews, E. A. 2020. Calibrating and adjusting counts of harbor seals in a tidewater glacier fjord to estimate abundance and trends 1992 to 2017. Ecosphere 11(4): e03111. 10.1002/ecs2.3111 Abstract: Long?\term monitoring for understanding status and trend of species of conservation concern is undeniably valuable, yet monitoring methods often evolve over time due to the development of new technology, fluctuations in funding, logistical constraints, and innovations in sampling methods or analytical approaches. Consequently, valuable insights into annual or decadal?\scale trends can be lost unless calibration between historical and current methods is developed. Glacier Bay National Park, in southeastern Alaska, hosts an important regional population of harbor seals, with the majority of seals pupping and molting on icebergs calved from a tidewater glacier in Johns Hopkins Inlet. Monitoring efforts to assess abundance and trends of harbor seals used counts of seals by shore?\based observers from 1992 to 2002, but transitioned to aerial photographic surveys in 2007 through 2017. To produce a rigorous long?\term evaluation of abundance and trends of harbor seals, we (1) conducted concurrent shore?\based counts and aerial photographic surveys in 2007 and 2008; (2) developed an analytical calibration between the two monitoring methods; (3) developed a haul?\out model to estimate the number of harbor seals in the water at the time of counts; and (4) estimated abundance and trends of harbor seals from 1992 to 2017 from the adjusted counts. Our calibration analysis revealed that during the pupping season in June, counts of harbor seals by observers from shore were consistently lower than counts from aerial surveys. During the molting season, counts by shore?\based observers were only slightly less than aerial photographic surveys, and there was an interaction between survey method and season. After calibrating methods, we found important decadal?\scale changes in trend. Over the 26?\yr period (1992?C2017), the estimated trend was negative; however, trends computed for rolling 10?\yr time intervals showed steep and significant declines ending around 2011, with leveling off and possibly some subsequent recovery. The most recent shorter?\term (2013?C2017) trends are negative again, rivaling the steepest decreases over the 26?\yr period. Our calibration between two monitoring methods improved continuity for long?\term monitoring for a species of conservation concern by taking advantage of new sampling methods and innovations in analytical approaches. The publication is Open Access and is available online at: https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ecs2.3111 Please feel free to contact Jamie_Womble at nps.gov with questions or to request a PDF of the publication. Thank you, Jamie Jamie N. Womble, Ph.D. Biologist National Park Service, Glacier Bay Field Station Southeast Alaska Inventory & Monitoring Network Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve 3100 National Park Road Juneau, Alaska 99801 USA 907.364.1577 (phone) 907.957.1563 (mobile) 907.364.2606 (fax) https://www.nps.gov/articles/jamie-womble.htm https://www.nps.gov/glba/learn/nature/seal.htm https://www.nps.gov/im/sean/seaotters.htm -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tbouveroux at disl.org Wed Apr 29 12:53:30 2020 From: tbouveroux at disl.org (Thibaut Bouveroux) Date: Wed, 29 Apr 2020 14:53:30 -0500 Subject: [MARMAM] New publication: Modelling fine-scale distribution and relative abundance of harbour porpoises in the Southern Bight of the North Sea using platform-of-opportunity data Message-ID: Dear Marmam, My coauthors and I are pleased to announce our new paper: Bouveroux, Th., Waggitt, J .J. , Belhadjer, A., Cazenave, P. W., Evans, P. G. H., and Kiszka, J. J. Modelling fine-scale distribution and relative abundance of harbour porpoises in the Southern Bight of the North Sea using platform-of-opportunity data. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. The paper is available online under First View at http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0025315420000326 . ABSTRACT: Over the last 25 years, the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) has made a significant return to the Southern Bight of the North Sea and the English Channel due to a shift in distribution from northerly regions. Although the ecological drivers of this return are unclear, this species faces multiple threats in the region, including by-catch and habitat degradation. Ferry-based surveys were conducted year-round between November 2011 and June 2014 to assess the influence of environmental parameters upon the spatiotemporal distribution and relative abundance of harbour porpoises in the Southern Bight of the North Sea. A total of 1450 sightings of harbour porpoises were recorded during the 100 round-trip surveys carried out between Dunkirk (France) and Dover (England). Inter-annual and monthly variations in group size were observed, with largest groups recorded in 2014 (mean = 2.02) and in January (mean = 2.32). The relative abundance showed significant seasonal variation, with peaks recorded during winter months. An inter-annual increasing relative abundance was recorded during the study period. There was a seasonally dependent association with environmental variables, particularly depth, seabed roughness and current speed. Finally, predictions suggest large increases of the relative abundance in offshore habitats during winter months and over the study period. Please do not hesitate to contact me (tbouveroux at gmail.com ) if you have any queries regarding to this article or to request a PDF copy. All the best, -------------------------------------- Thibaut Bouveroux, PhD Postdoctoral Fellow University of South Alabama Dauphin Island Sea Lab 101 Bienville Blvd Dauphin Island, AL 36528 +1 (251) 895 3090 tbouveroux at disl.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From intern at sealrescueireland.org Wed Apr 29 09:08:55 2020 From: intern at sealrescueireland.org (Gale Loescher) Date: Wed, 29 Apr 2020 17:08:55 +0100 Subject: [MARMAM] Seal Rescue Ireland hiring for Education Manager Message-ID: Seal Rescue Ireland: Education Manager Seal Rescue Ireland (SRI) is a charity organisation which operates a busy marine animal rescue and rehabilitation centre located in Courtown, Co. Wexford. As the only facility that fully rehabilitates seals within the Republic of Ireland, SRI responds to strandings nationwide. Most reports are for young grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) and common seal (Phoca vitulina) pups found sick, injured or orphaned across the Irish coastline. In addition, SRI pursues understanding and public engagement of ocean conservation and sustainability through education, community outreach and research programmes. SRI is currently accepting applications for their Education Manager position. This high paced, full-time position is for a minimum of 6 months, but longer time commitments are encouraged. This is an unpaid position to start, although compensation is provided in the form of all housing, food, utilities and basic necessities. After the initial training period, there is the opportunity for an additional performance based stipend. Seal Rescue Ireland is looking to fill this position as soon as possible. Applications are due on the 15th of May, 2020. Reports to: Operations Manager Job Summary: The Education Manager will be responsible for overseeing and developing SRI?s marine conservation and sustainability focused education programs for various audiences and groups of visitors. The Education Manager will need to be able to plan, develop and deliver educational programs, activities, games, and materials which are tailored to each group?s specific needs, ages, interests and curriculum. They will plan/attend community outreach events, school visits, birthday parties, fundraisers and networking events to promote awareness of SRI?s mission of marine conservation and wildlife rehabilitation. They will also give daily educational tours of the Centre and animal hospital, as well as providing customer care in the gift shop, and training interns on these duties. There may also be involvement in assisting with animal husbandry and maintenance of rehabilitation animals if desired. Requirements: Applicants must have a background and dedicated interest in areas of study such as Education, Child Development, Marine Biology, Environmental Science, Conservation, or a related field. Background knowledge of marine mammals is preferred but not required. Applicants must be organized, personable, self-motivated, resourceful and have experience facilitating events and lessons for large groups. Great networking and public speaking skills are a must. The successful candidate will be expected to maintain a high level of professionalism and diplomacy whenever they are representing Seal Rescue Ireland. We are looking for a candidate that works well as a team and is comfortable around individuals of all ages, ability levels, and backgrounds. Finally, applicants must possess the ability to adapt to an ever-changing work environment, and be available to work nights, weekends and holidays. Applicants must be fluent in English, as this position will require the successful applicant to speak in front of large groups. For non-native English speakers coming from European countries, we require a C1 level of English. Duties Include: - Manage and build on SRI?s education programs - Lead groups of children and adults in educational activities - Give educational tours of the facility to visitors and school groups to promote marine conservation - Create educational plans, events, activities and materials - Attend community outreach events to represent SRI?s mission - Plan and assist with fundraisers - Provide customer service to visitors in the gift shop and education centre - Train interns to give educational tours, lead activities, and provide customer service - Assist in the care and maintenance of the Center?s rehabilitation animals (if interested) - Provide assistance to the hospital staff as needed - Performs other duties relating to the SRI?s goals and mission statement as required. Application Deadline: 15th May, 2020 Please visit our website at (http://www.sealrescueireland.org/internships/) to download the application form. Then send completed with your resume, and cover letter to: intern at sealrescueireland.org Attention: Education Manager Registered Charity: RCN 20108519 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: