435 results on '"Caniformia"'
Search Results
2. Sarcocystis neurona Transmission from Opossums to Marine Mammals in the Pacific Northwest
- Author
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O’Byrne, Alice M, Lambourn, Dyanna M, Rejmanek, Daniel, Haman, Katherine, O’Byrne, Michael, VanWormer, Elizabeth, and Shapiro, Karen
- Subjects
Infection ,Life Below Water ,Animals ,Caniformia ,Didelphis ,Northwestern United States ,Sarcocystis ,Sarcocystosis ,Sarcocystis neurona ,Marine mammals ,Transmission ,Watershed ,Groundwater ,Opossums ,Ecology ,Veterinary Sciences ,Public Health and Health Services - Abstract
Increasing reports of marine mammal deaths have been attributed to the parasite Sarcocystis neurona. Infected opossums, the only known definitive hosts, shed S. neurona sporocysts in their feces. Sporocysts can contaminate the marine environment via overland runoff, and subsequent ingestion by marine mammals can lead to fatal encephalitis. Our aim was to determine the prevalence of S. neurona in opossums from coastal areas of Washington State (USA) and to compare genetic markers between S. neurona in opossums and marine mammals. Thirty-two road-kill opossums and tissue samples from 30 stranded marine mammals meeting inclusion criteria were included in analyses. Three opossums (9.4%) and twelve marine mammals (40%) were confirmed positive for S. neurona via DNA amplification at the ITS1 locus. Genetic identity at microsatellites (sn3, sn7, sn9) and the snSAG3 gene of S. neurona was demonstrated among one harbor porpoise and two opossums. Watershed mapping further demonstrated plausible sporocyst transport pathways from one of these opossums to the location where an infected harbor porpoise carcass was recovered. Our results provide the first reported link between S. neurona genotypes on land and sea in the Pacific Northwest, and further demonstrate how terrestrial pathogen pollution can impact the health of marine wildlife.
- Published
- 2021
3. Whence the beardogs? Reappraisal of the Middle to Late Eocene ‘Miacis’ from Texas, USA, and the origin of Amphicyonidae (Mammalia, Carnivora)
- Author
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Tomiya, Susumu and Tseng, Zhijie Jack
- Subjects
Biological Sciences ,Ecology ,Evolutionary Biology ,Earth Sciences ,History ,Heritage and Archaeology ,Archaeology ,Geology ,Amphicyonidae ,Middle Eocene ,Carnivora ,phylogeny ,Miacis ,Caniformia - Abstract
The Middle to Late Eocene sediments of Texas have yielded a wealth of fossil material that offers a rare window on a diverse and highly endemic mammalian fauna from that time in the southern part of North America. These faunal data are particularly significant because the narrative of mammalian evolution in the Paleogene of North America has traditionally been dominated by taxa that are known from higher latitudes, primarily in the Rocky Mountain and northern Great Plains regions. Here we report on the affinities of two peculiar carnivoraforms from the Chambers Tuff of Trans-Pecos, Texas, that were first described 30 years ago as Miacis cognitus and M. australis. Re-examination of previously described specimens and their inclusion in a cladistic analysis revealed the two taxa to be diminutive basal amphicyonids; as such, they are assigned to new genera Gustafsonia and Angelarctocyon, respectively. These two taxa fill in some of the morphological gaps between the earliest-known amphicyonid genus, Daphoenus, and other Middle-Eocene carnivoraforms, and lend additional support for a basal caniform position of the beardogs outside the Canoidea. The amphicyonid lineage had evidently given rise to at least five rather distinct forms by the end of the Middle Eocene. Their precise geographical origin remains uncertain, but it is plausible that southern North America served as an important stage for a very early phase of amphicyonid radiation.
- Published
- 2016
4. Multi‐decadal environmental change in the Barents Sea recorded by seal teeth
- Author
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Camille de la Vega, Pearse J. Buchanan, Alessandro Tagliabue, Joanne E. Hopkins, Rachel M. Jeffreys, Anne Kirstine Frie, Martin Biuw, Joanna Kershaw, James Grecian, Louisa Norman, Sophie Smout, Tore Haug, Claire Mahaffey, University of St Andrews. School of Biology, University of St Andrews. Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St Andrews. Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews. Centre for Research into Ecological & Environmental Modelling, and University of St Andrews. Coastal Resources Management Group
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GC ,Global and Planetary Change ,Food Chain ,Ecology ,Arctic Regions ,Seals, Earless ,DAS ,Caniformia ,Atmospheric nitrogen deposition, harp seal ,Arctic ,Stable nitrogen isotopes ,Animals ,Environmental Chemistry ,GC Oceanography ,SDG 14 - Life Below Water ,Atlantification ,Ecosystem ,General Environmental Science - Abstract
This work resulted from the ARISE project (NE/P006035/1, NE/P006000/1), part of the Changing Arctic Ocean programme, jointly funded by the UKRI Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). We thank Jim Ball for his help in the isotopic lab in Liverpool University. This work resulted from the ARISE project, part of the Changing Arctic Ocean programme. Multiple environmental forcings, such as warming and changes in ocean circulation and nutrient supply, are affecting the base of Arctic marine ecosystems, with cascading effects on the entire food web through bottom-up control. Stable nitrogen isotopes (δ15N) can be used to detect and unravel the impact of these forcings on this unique ecosystem, if the many processes that affect the δ15N values are constrained. Combining unique 60-year records from compound specific δ15N biomarkers on harp seal teeth alongside state-of-the-art ocean modelling, we observed a significant decline in the δ15N values at the base of the Barents Sea food web from 1951 to 2012. This strong and persistent decadal trend emerges due to the combination of anthropogenic atmospheric nitrogen deposition in the Atlantic, increased northward transport of Atlantic water through Arctic gateways and local feedbacks from increasing Arctic primary production. Our results suggest that the Arctic ecosystem has been responding to anthropogenically induced local and remote drivers, linked to changing ocean biology, chemistry and physics, for at least 60 years. Accounting for these trends in δ15N values at the base of the food web is essential to accurately detect ecosystem restructuring in this rapidly changing environment. Publisher PDF
- Published
- 2022
5. EVALUATION OF TRACE ELEMENT CONCENTRATIONS IN THE SERUM AND VIBRISSAE OF PERUVIAN PINNIPEDS (ARCTOCEPHALUS AUSTRALIS AND OTARIA BYRONIA)
- Author
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Catherine Kooyomjian, Dimitrios Giarikos, Michael Adkesson, and Amy C. Hirons
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Male ,Manganese ,Ecology ,Fur Seals ,Arsenic ,Caniformia ,Trace Elements ,Vibrissae ,Peru ,Animals ,Female ,Copper ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Aluminum ,Cadmium - Abstract
Concentrations of 15 trace elements (aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, lead, manganese, mercury, nickel, selenium, tin, vanadium, and zinc) were determined in vibrissae (whiskers) and serum of two sympatric pinniped species, the Peruvian fur seal population (PFS; Arctocephalus australis Peruvian subpopulation) and South American sea lion (SASL; Otaria byronia) at Punta San Juan, Peru during 2011-19 sampling events. Element concentrations were 2-20 times higher in vibrissae than in serum. Vibrissae and serum concentrations of several elements, including aluminum, arsenic, and lead, suggest that environmental contaminants may affect the health of pinnipeds at Punta San Juan. Although toxicity thresholds are unknown in pinnipeds, high concentrations of some elements (especially aluminum, arsenic, and lead) may have adverse impacts on their health such as immunosuppression and impaired reproduction. Arsenic was the only element that increased in mean vibrissae concentration throughout the study period. Female SASL vibrissae contained a mean arsenic concentration three times higher than the male SASL vibrissae mean arsenic concentration, and twice as high as the arsenic mean for all PFS vibrissae. The mean male SASL vibrissae cadmium concentration was five times higher than the vibrissae cadmium mean for both PFS males and females and nearly three times higher than the vibrissae cadmium mean for SASL females. Serum concentrations of aluminum, arsenic, copper, and manganese were significantly higher during moderate to extreme El Niño years compared to La Niña years. With stronger and more frequent El Niño-Southern Oscillation events predicted in the future, it is vital to understand how these trace elements may affect pinniped population health.
- Published
- 2022
6. The northernmost haulout site of South American sea lions and fur seals in the western South Atlantic
- Author
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Enrique Alberto Crespo, Marcelo Zagonel, Guido Pavez, M. Florencia Grandi, Paulo A. C. Flores, Natalia Procksch, Paulo Henrique Ott, Karina R. Groch, Larissa Rosa de Oliveira, Murilo Guimarães, Rodrigo Machado, and Mauricio Roberto Veronez
- Subjects
Male ,0106 biological sciences ,Seals, Earless ,lcsh:Medicine ,SOUTH AMERICAN ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Article ,purl.org/becyt/ford/1 [https] ,Marine mammal ,Animals ,purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6 [https] ,lcsh:Science ,Marine biology ,Multidisciplinary ,Ecology ,biology ,Conservation biology ,Fur Seals ,010604 marine biology & hydrobiology ,Arctocephalus australis ,lcsh:R ,Otaria flavescens ,Census ,SEA LIONS ,biology.organism_classification ,Caniformia ,Sea Lions ,Southern elephant seal ,Fishery ,Geography ,Wildlife refuge ,Female ,OTARIA FLAVESCENS ,lcsh:Q ,Seasons ,Fur seal ,Zoology ,Brazil - Abstract
We present estimates of the seasonal and spatial occupation by pinnipeds of the Wildlife Refuge of Ilha dos Lobos (WRIL), based on aerial photographic censuses. Twenty aerial photographic censuses were analysed between July 2010 and November 2018. To assess monthly differences in the numbers of pinnipeds in the WRIL we used a Generalized Linear Mixed Model. Spatial analysis was carried out using Kernel density analysis of the pinnipeds on a grid plotted along the WRIL. Subadult male South American sea lions (Otaria flavescens) were the most abundant pinniped in the WRIL. Potential females of this species were also recorded during half of the census. The maximum number of pinnipeds observed in the WRIL was 304 in September 2018, including an unexpected individual southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina), and a high number of South American fur seal yearlings (Arctocephalus australis). However, there was no statistically significant difference in counts between months. In all months analysed, pinnipeds were most often found concentrated in the northern portion of the island, with the highest abundances reported in September. This study confirms the importance of the WRIL as a haulout site for pinnipeds in Brazil, recommends that land research and recreational activities occur in months when no pinnipeds are present, and encourages a regulated marine mammal-based tourism during winter and spring months. Fil: Procksch, Natália. Universidad de Vale do Rio dos Sinos; Brasil Fil: Grandi, Maria Florencia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos; Argentina Fil: Ott, Paulo Henrique. Universidade Estadual Do Rio Grande Do Sul; Brasil. Grupo de Estudos de Mamíferos Aquáticos Do Rio Grande Do Sul (GEMARS); Brasil Fil: Groch, Karina. Instituto Australis de Pesquisa E Monitoramento Ambiental. Projeto Baleia Franca; Brasil Fil: Flores, Paulo A. C.. Centro Mamíferos Aquáticos, Currently at Área de Proteção Ambiental; Brasil Fil: Zagonel, Marcelo. Universidad de Vale do Rio dos Sinos; Brasil Fil: Crespo, Enrique Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos; Argentina Fil: Machado, Rodrigo. Grupo de Estudos de Mamíferos Aquáticos Do Rio Grande Do Sul (GEMARS); Brasil Fil: Pavez, Guido. Universidad de Valparaiso; Chile Fil: Guimarães, Murilo. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; Brasil Fil: Veronez, Maurício. Universidad de Vale do Rio dos Sinos; Brasil Fil: de Oliveira, Larissa Rosa. Grupo de Estudos de Mamíferos Aquáticos Do Rio Grande Do Sul (GEMARS); Brasil. Universidad de Vale do Rio dos Sinos; Brasil
- Published
- 2020
7. Pinniped (Carnivora, Phocidae) occurrences in the Azores Archipelago (NE Atlantic)
- Author
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Luís Barcelos and João Pedro Barreiros
- Subjects
Vertebrata ,Tetrapoda ,regional inventory ,Ecology ,Sarcopterygii ,Eutheria ,Carnivora ,species list ,Amniota ,Biota ,Caniformia ,Phocidae ,Gnathostomata ,Species List ,Osteichthyes ,Theria ,Mammalia ,Animalia ,Pinnipeds ,Chordata ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Regional Inventory - Abstract
BACKGROUND: The last Pinniped species update was in 2010, as part of the list of the terrestrial and marine biota from the Azores. This list includes a chapter dedicated to marine mammals, based on previously published bibliography. NEW INFORMATION: No new species were added since that list was published. However, there were new occurrences since the last update. Funding Institutions: AZORESBIOPORTAL – PORBIOTA (Azores PO 2020 - ACORES-01-0145-FEDER-000072) TOTAL BUDGET: €299,901.83 EU Support: €254, 916.56. This project was financed by FEDER in 85% and by Azorean Public funds by 15% through the Operational Programme Azores 2020. This work is also funded by FEDER funds through the COMPETE 2020 Programme and National Funds through FCT - Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology under the Research Infrastructure PORBIOTA - Portuguese E-Infrastructure for Information and Research on Biodiversity, project number POCI-01-0145-FEDER-022127. For the period 2022-2023- Portal da Biodiversidade dos Açores (2022-2023) - PO Azores Project - M1.1.A/INFRAEST CIENT/001/2022. Open access will be supported by the project FCT-UIDB/00329/2020-2024 (Thematic Line 1 – integrated ecological assessment of environmental change on biodiversity). info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
- Published
- 2022
8. The isotopic niche of Atlantic, biting marine mammals and its relationship to skull morphology and body size
- Author
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Massimiliano Drago, Marco Signaroli, Alex Aguilar, Asunción Borrell, Luis Cardona, Meica Valdivia, and Enrique M. González
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Aquatic Organisms ,Food Chain ,Stable isotope analysis ,Science ,Niche ,Fisheries ,Mida del cos ,Biology ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Article ,Crani ,Animals ,Body Size ,Ecosystem ,Atlantic Ocean ,Trophic level ,Apex predator ,Ecological niche ,Carbon Isotopes ,Multidisciplinary ,Nitrogen Isotopes ,Ecology ,010604 marine biology & hydrobiology ,Skull ,Body size ,Feeding Behavior ,Tropical ecology ,Caniformia ,Atlàntic, Oceà ,Sympatry ,Biting ,Sympatric speciation ,Nínxol ecològic ,Marine mammals ,Predatory Behavior ,Mamífers marins ,Medicine ,Cetacea ,Fisheries management ,Niche (Ecology) - Abstract
Understanding the trophic niches of marine apex predators is necessary to understand interactions between species and to achieve sustainable, ecosystem-based fisheries management. Here, we review the stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios for biting marine mammals inhabiting the Atlantic Ocean to test the hypothesis that the relative position of each species within the isospace is rather invariant and that common and predictable patterns of resource partitioning exists because of constrains imposed by body size and skull morphology. Furthermore, we analyze in detail two species-rich communities to test the hypotheses that marine mammals are gape limited and that trophic position increases with gape size. The isotopic niches of species were highly consistent across regions and the topology of the community within the isospace was well conserved across the Atlantic Ocean. Furthermore, pinnipeds exhibited a much lower diversity of isotopic niches than odontocetes. Results also revealed body size as a poor predictor of the isotopic niche, a modest role of skull morphology in determining it, no evidence of gape limitation and little overlap in the isotopic niche of sympatric species. The overall evidence suggests limited trophic flexibility for most species and low ecological redundancy, which should be considered for ecosystem-based fisheries management.
- Published
- 2021
9. Ice matters: Life-history strategies of two Antarctic seals dictate climate change eventualities in the Weddell Sea
- Author
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Mia Wege, Leo Salas, and Michelle A. LaRue
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Global and Planetary Change ,geography ,geography.geographical_feature_category ,Krill ,Ecology ,biology ,Seals, Earless ,Euphausia ,Climate Change ,Climate change ,Antarctic Regions ,biology.organism_classification ,Arctic ice pack ,Caniformia ,Oceanography ,Fast ice ,Antarctic krill ,Antarctic silverfish ,Sea ice ,Environmental Chemistry ,Animals ,Ice Cover ,Ecosystem ,General Environmental Science - Abstract
The impacts of climate change in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean are not uniform and ice-obligate species with dissimilar life-history characteristics will likely respond differently to their changing ecosystems. We use a unique data set of Weddell Leptonychotes weddellii and crabeater seals' (CESs) Lobodon carcinophaga breeding season distribution in the Weddell Sea, determined from satellite imagery. We contrast the theoretical climate impacts on both ice-obligate predators who differ in life-history characteristics: CESs are highly specialized Antarctic krill Euphausia superba predators and breed in the seasonal pack ice; Weddell seals (WESs) are generalist predators and breed on comparatively stable fast ice. We used presence-absence data and a suite of remotely sensed environmental variables to build habitat models. Each of the environmental predictors is multiplied by a 'climate change score' based on known responses to climate change to create a 'change importance product'. Results show CESs are more sensitive to climate change than WESs. Crabeater seals prefer to breed close to krill, and the compounding effects of changing sea ice concentrations and sea surface temperatures, the proximity to krill and abundance of stable breeding ice, can influence their post-breeding foraging success and ultimately their future breeding success. But in contrast to the Ross Sea, here WESs prefer to breed closer to larger colonies of emperor penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri). This suggests that the Weddell Sea may currently be prey-abundant, allowing the only two air-breathing Antarctic silverfish predators (Pleuragramma antarctica) (WESs and emperor penguins) to breed closer to each other. This is the first basin-scale, region-specific comparison of breeding season habitat in these two key Antarctic predators based on real-world data to compare climate change responses. This work shows that broad-brush, basin-scale approaches to understanding species-specific responses to climate change are not always appropriate, and regional models are needed-especially when designing marine protected areas.
- Published
- 2021
10. CLINICO-PATHOLOGIC FINDINGS AND PATHOGEN SCREENING IN FUR SEALS (ARCTOCEPHALUS AUSTRALIS AND ARCTOCEPHALUS TROPICALIS) STRANDED IN SOUTHEASTERN BRAZIL, 2018
- Author
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Natalia C C dA Fernandes, Cíntia Maria Favero, Laura Reisfeld, José Luiz Catão-Dias, Priscilla Carla dos Santos-Costa, Rodrigo Albergaria Réssio, Carlos Sacristán, Kátia R. Groch, Josué Díaz-Delgado, Daniela Magalhães Drummond de Mello, and Aricia Duarte-Benvenuto
- Subjects
Male ,Ecology ,biology ,Arctocephalus australis ,Fur Seals ,Zoology ,Sarcocystis ,biology.organism_classification ,Poor body condition ,Caniformia ,Neospora ,Gammaherpesvirinae ,Juvenile ,Animals ,Fur seal ,Arctocephalus tropicalis ,Pathogen ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Brazil - Abstract
Among pinnipeds, four Otariidae species (eared seals) have been reported as occasional or frequent vagrants along the coast of Brazil, mainly in the southern region. These animals usually arrive debilitated during winter and are directed to rehabilitation. Nevertheless, available information on sanitary aspects of stranded pinnipeds in Brazil is limited. Increased fur seal strandings (n=23) were recorded during the 2018 winter season in southeast Brazil (Iguape, Ilha Comprida, and Ilha do Cardoso, Sao Paulo State) compared to 2017 (n=2). Of these 23 fur seals, two were found dead and were in a good postmortem condition, and four died during rehabilitation and were subsequently necropsied. The remaining fur seals were not analyzed due to advanced decomposition (9/23) or successful rehabilitation (8/23). Herein, we report the antemortem hematology (n=4) and postmortem pathologic, parasitologic, and molecular analysis results as well as the most likely cause of stranding and/ or death (CSD) in five free-ranging juvenile South American fur seals (Arctocephalus australis) and one free-ranging juvenile subantarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus tropicalis). All animals were males, and all but one had poor body condition. Pathologic examinations revealed a variety of lesions, predominantly hemodynamic disturbances, endoparasitism, and inflammatory disease processes of suspected infectious nature. Molecular analyses detected gammaherpesvirus infections in two South American seals and one subantarctic fur seal, Sarcocystis sp. in one subantarctic fur seal, and Neospora spp. in two South American fur seals. All seals were PCR-negative for morbillivirus, flavivirus, and Toxoplasma gondii. The most likely CSDs were: starvation (2), aspiration pneumonia (1), asphyxia (1), predator attack (1), and presumed systemic infectious disease (1). These findings expand the geographic range of various pathogens of pinnipeds and may be of value to first responders, clinicians, and diagnosticians.
- Published
- 2021
11. Sarcocystis neurona Transmission from Opossums to Marine Mammals in the Pacific Northwest
- Author
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Elizabeth VanWormer, Michael O’Byrne, Karen Shapiro, Katherine H. Haman, Dyanna M. Lambourn, Daniel Rejmanek, and Alice M. O’Byrne
- Subjects
Northwestern United States ,Sarcocystosis ,040301 veterinary sciences ,Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis ,Wildlife ,Zoology ,Biology ,0403 veterinary science ,Sarcocystis neurona ,03 medical and health sciences ,Marine mammal ,Didelphis ,biology.animal ,parasitic diseases ,Parasite hosting ,Animals ,Transmission ,Veterinary Sciences ,Groundwater ,Feces ,030304 developmental biology ,0303 health sciences ,Ecology ,Transmission (medicine) ,urogenital system ,fungi ,Sarcocystis ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,Original Contribution ,Opossums ,Watershed ,Caniformia ,Genetic marker ,Animal ecology ,Marine mammals ,Public Health and Health Services ,Porpoise ,hormones, hormone substitutes, and hormone antagonists - Abstract
Increasing reports of marine mammal deaths have been attributed to the parasite Sarcocystis neurona. Infected opossums, the only known definitive hosts, shed S. neurona sporocysts in their feces. Sporocysts can contaminate the marine environment via overland runoff, and subsequent ingestion by marine mammals can lead to fatal encephalitis. Our aim was to determine the prevalence of S. neurona in opossums from coastal areas of Washington State (USA) and to compare genetic markers between S. neurona in opossums and marine mammals. Thirty-two road-kill opossums and tissue samples from 30 stranded marine mammals meeting inclusion criteria were included in analyses. Three opossums (9.4%) and twelve marine mammals (40%) were confirmed positive for S. neurona via DNA amplification at the ITS1 locus. Genetic identity at microsatellites (sn3, sn7, sn9) and the snSAG3 gene of S. neurona was demonstrated among one harbor porpoise and two opossums. Watershed mapping further demonstrated plausible sporocyst transport pathways from one of these opossums to the location where an infected harbor porpoise carcass was recovered. Our results provide the first reported link between S. neurona genotypes on land and sea in the Pacific Northwest, and further demonstrate how terrestrial pathogen pollution can impact the health of marine wildlife.
- Published
- 2021
12. Overlap between marine predators and proposed Marine Managed Areas on the Patagonian Shelf
- Author
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Ander M. de Lecea, Juan F. Masello, Klemens Pütz, José Pedro Granadeiro, Simona Sanvito, Alastair M. M. Baylis, Ewan D. Wakefield, Rachael A. Orben, Filippo Galimberti, Marina Costa, P. Dee Boersma, Letizia Campioni, Paulo Catry, Paul Brickle, Petra Quillfeldt, Ginger A. Rebstock, Megan Tierney, Norman Ratcliffe, and Iain J. Staniland
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Marine conservation ,Aquatic Organisms ,Conservation of Natural Resources ,Foraging ,Biodiversity ,Context (language use) ,IUCN key biodiversity areas ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Birds ,Marine protected areas ,Animals ,IUCN Red List ,14. Life underwater ,Important bird and biodiversity areas ,Ecosystem ,geography ,geography.geographical_feature_category ,Ecology ,010604 marine biology & hydrobiology ,15. Life on land ,Caniformia ,Falkland Islands ,Habitat ,Archipelago ,Marine protected area - Abstract
Static (fixed-boundary) protected areas are key ocean conservation strategies, and marine higher predator distribution data can play a leading role toward identifying areas for conservation action. The Falkland Islands are a globally significant site for colonial breeding marine higher predators (i.e., seabirds and pinnipeds). However, overlap between marine predators and Falkland Islands proposed Marine Managed Areas (MMAs) has not been quantified. Hence, to provide information required to make informed decisions regarding the implementation of proposed MMAs, our aims were to objectively assess how the proposed MMA network overlaps with contemporary estimates of marine predator distribution. We collated tracking data (1999–2019) and used a combination of kernel density estimation and model-based predictions of spatial usage to quantify overlap between colonial breeding marine predators and proposed Falkland Islands MMAs. We also identified potential IUCN Key Biodiversity Areas (pKBAs) using (1) kernel density based methods originally designed to identify Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and (2) habitat preference models. The proposed inshore MMA, which extends three nautical miles from the Falkland Islands, overlapped extensively with areas used by colonial breeding marine predators. This reflects breeding colonies being distributed throughout the Falklands archipelago, and use being high adjacent to colonies due to central-place foraging constraints. Up to 45% of pKBAs identified via kernel density estimation were located within the proposed MMAs. In particular, the proposed Jason Islands Group MMA overlapped with pKBAs for three marine predator species, suggesting it is a KBA hot spot. However, tracking data coverage was incomplete, which biased pKBAs identified using kernel density methods, to colonies tracked. Moreover, delineation of pKBA boundaries were sensitive to the choice of smoothing parameter used in kernel density estimation. Delineation based on habitat model predictions for both sampled and unsampled colonies provided less biased estimates, and revealed 72% of the Falkland Islands Conservation Zone was likely a KBA. However, it may not be practical to consider such a large area for fixed-boundary management. In the context of wide-ranging marine predators, emerging approaches such as dynamic ocean management could complement static management frameworks such as MMAs, and provide protection at relevant spatiotemporal scales. Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia - FCT info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
- Published
- 2021
13. Taxonomy and Evolution of Sea Otters
- Author
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Christopher D. Marshall and Lori L. Timm-Davis
- Subjects
Monophyly ,Geography ,biology ,Sister group ,Enhydra lutris ,Ecology ,biology.animal ,Central American Seaway ,Mustelidae ,Subspecies ,biology.organism_classification ,Otter ,Caniformia - Abstract
Sea otters (Enhydra lutris) are members of the Mustelidae family, a monophyletic basal group of arctoid carnivores. They are the only member of the otter clade (subfamily Lutrinae; 13 extant species) that is fully aquatic (i.e., foraging, giving birth, raising offspring) in the marine environment, although they may occasionally rest on land. Lutrinae diverged from other mustelid lineages ~8 Mya in Eurasia. The earliest lineage to diverge from Eurasian otters ~5 Mya were the ancestors of sea otters (Enhydra). From the late Miocene to early Pliocene, a sister group of modern sea otters, Enhydritherium, was present in Eurasia. One hypothesis is that this group dispersed around the northern rim of the North Atlantic Ocean into the Gulf of Mexico. From there, E. terraenovae disseminated into the Pacific Ocean through the Central American Seaway. There it presumably gave rise to Enhydra (3–1 Mya), which is found only in the North Pacific Ocean. An alternative hypothesis is that Enhydra evolved in the North Atlantic and entered the North Pacific through the Arctic Ocean and Bering Straits. Today there exists one species of sea otter with three subspecies based on geographical and morphological differences.
- Published
- 2021
14. Diet-driven mercury contamination is associated with polar bear gut microbiota
- Author
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Sarah E. Perkins, Todd C. Atwood, Heidi C. Hauffe, Matthew J. Bull, Sophie E. Watson, Melissa A. McKinney, and Massimo Pindo
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DNA, Bacterial ,Male ,Ursus maritimus ,Science ,Zoology ,chemistry.chemical_element ,Biology ,Gut flora ,DNA, Ribosomal ,Article ,Microbial ecology ,Settore BIO/05 - ZOOLOGIA ,Arctic ecology ,RNA, Ribosomal, 16S ,biology.animal ,Large carnivore ,Animals ,Phylogeny ,Apex predator ,Trophic level ,Multidisciplinary ,Bacteria ,Ecology ,Conservation biology ,Host (biology) ,Metataxonomics ,High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ,Mercury ,Sequence Analysis, DNA ,biology.organism_classification ,Animal Feed ,Bacteroidales ,Caniformia ,Gastrointestinal Microbiome ,Mercury (element) ,chemistry ,Microbiodiversity ,Medicine ,Female ,Alpha diversity ,Molecular ecology ,Conservation genetics ,Ursidae - Abstract
The gut microbiota may modulate the disposition and toxicity of environmental contaminants within a host but, conversely, contaminants may also impact gut bacteria. Such contaminant-gut microbial connections, which could lead to alteration of host health, remain poorly known and are rarely studied in free-ranging wildlife. The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is a long-lived, wide-ranging apex predator that feeds on a variety of high trophic position seal and cetacean species and, as such, is exposed to among the highest levels of biomagnifying contaminants of all Arctic species. Here, we investigate associations between mercury (THg; a key Arctic contaminant), diet, and the diversity and composition of the gut microbiota of polar bears inhabiting the southern Beaufort Sea, while accounting for host sex, age class and body condition. Bacterial diversity was negatively associated with seal consumption and mercury, a pattern seen for both Shannon and Inverse Simpson alpha diversity indices (adjusted R2 = 0.35, F1,18 = 8.00, P = 0.013 and adjusted R2 = 0.26, F1,18 = 6.04, P = 0.027, respectively). No association was found with sex, age class or body condition of polar bears. Bacteria known to either be involved in THg methylation or considered to be highly contaminant resistant, including Lactobacillales, Bacillales and Aeromonadales, were significantly more abundant in individuals that had higher THg concentrations. Conversely, individuals with higher THg concentrations showed a significantly lower abundance of Bacteroidales, a bacterial order that typically plays an important role in supporting host immune function by stimulating intraepithelial lymphocytes within the epithelial barrier. These associations between diet-acquired mercury and microbiota illustrate a potentially overlooked outcome of mercury accumulation in polar bears.
- Published
- 2021
15. Longitudinal analysis of pinnipeds in the northwest Atlantic provides insights on endemic circulation of phocine distemper virus
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Wendy B. Puryear, Deborah Fauquier, Thomas B. Waltzek, Iben Stokholm, Alexa D. Foss, Lisa Becker, Kaitlin Sawatzki, Andrea L. Bogomolni, Allison D. Tuttle, Thaís C.S. Rodrigues, Lynda Doughty, Jonathan A. Runstadler, Kuttichantran Subramaniam, Ashley Stokes, Mainity Batista Linhares, Misty Niemeyer, Ole Nielsen, Manjunatha Belaganahalli, Tracey Goldstein, Tracy A. Romano, Nichola J. Hill, and Morten Tange Olsen
- Subjects
seal ,wildlife disease ,Seals, Earless ,Wildlife disease ,General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology ,Viral genetics ,Morbillivirus ,Phocine distemper virus ,Animals ,viral genetics ,Distemper ,Research Articles ,Distemper Virus, Phocine ,Phylogeny ,General Environmental Science ,Ecology ,General Immunology and Microbiology ,biology ,General Medicine ,biology.organism_classification ,Virology ,Caniformia ,virology ,morbillivirus ,Western europe ,unusual mortality event ,General Agricultural and Biological Sciences - Abstract
Phocine distemper virus (PDV) is a morbillivirus that circulates within pinnipeds in the North Atlantic. PDV has caused two known unusual mortality events (UMEs) in western Europe (1988, 2002), and two UMEs in the northwest Atlantic (2006, 2018). Infrequent cross-species transmission and waning immunity are believed to contribute to periodic outbreaks with high mortality in western Europe. The viral ecology of PDV in the northwest Atlantic is less well defined and outbreaks have exhibited lower mortality than those in western Europe. This study sought to understand the molecular and ecological processes underlying PDV infection in eastern North America. We provide phylogenetic evidence that PDV was introduced into northwest Atlantic pinnipeds by a single lineage and is now endemic in local populations. Serological and viral screening of pinniped surveillance samples from 2006 onward suggest there is continued circulation of PDV outside of UMEs among multiple species with and without clinical signs. We report six full genome sequences and nine partial sequences derived from harbour and grey seals in the northwest Atlantic from 2011 through 2018, including a possible regional variant. Work presented here provides a framework towards greater understanding of how recovering populations and shifting species may impact disease transmission.
- Published
- 2021
16. Genetic and demographic history define a conservation strategy for earth’s most endangered pinniped, the Mediterranean monk seal Monachus monachus
- Author
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Alexander Kopatz, Tomaž Skrbinšek, Panagiotis Dendrinos, Astrid Vik Stronen, Stephen J. Gaughran, Panagiotis Kasapidis, George Amato, and Alexandros A. Karamanlidis
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,0301 basic medicine ,Conservation of Natural Resources ,Seals, Earless ,Science ,Population Dynamics ,Population ,Zoology and botany: 480 [VDP] ,Endangered species ,Monachus monachus ,DNA, Mitochondrial ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Article ,03 medical and health sciences ,Critically endangered ,Effective population size ,Mediterranean Sea ,Genetics ,Animals ,Flagship species ,Genetic Testing ,education ,Zoologiske og botaniske fag: 480 [VDP] ,Ecosystem ,Demography ,Population Density ,education.field_of_study ,Multidisciplinary ,Greece ,Ecology ,biology ,Population size ,Endangered Species ,Genetic Variation ,History, 20th Century ,biology.organism_classification ,Caniformia ,Environmental sciences ,030104 developmental biology ,Geography ,Medicine ,Philopatry ,Animal Distribution ,Zoology - Abstract
The Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) is a flagship species for marine conservation, but important aspects of its life history remain unknown. Concerns over imminent extinction motivated a nuclear DNA study of the species in its largest continuous subpopulation in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Despite recent evidence of partial subpopulation recovery, we demonstrate that there is no reason for complacency, as the species still shares several traits that are characteristic of a critically endangered species: Mediterranean monk seals in the eastern Mediterranean survive in three isolated and genetically depauperate population clusters, with small effective population sizes and high levels of inbreeding. Our results indicated male philopatry over short distances, which is unexpected for a polygynous mammal. Such a pattern may be explained by the species’ unique breeding behavior, in which males defend aquatic territories near breeding sites, while females are often forced to search for new pupping areas. Immediate action is necessary to reverse the downward spiral of population decline, inbreeding accumulation and loss of genetic diversity. We propose concrete conservation measures for the Mediterranean monk seal focusing on reducing anthropogenic threats, increasing the population size and genetic diversity, and thus improving the long-term prospects of survival.
- Published
- 2021
17. Seal body condition and atmospheric circulation patterns influence polar bear body condition, recruitment, and feeding ecology in the Chukchi Sea
- Author
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Jeffrey F. Bromaghin, Lori T. Quakenbush, Karyn D. Rode, Ryan R. Wilson, Justin A. Crawford, Eric V. Regehr, and Michelle St. Martin
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Male ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,Ursus maritimus ,Seals, Earless ,Effects of global warming on oceans ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Predation ,Marine mammal ,biology.animal ,Sea ice ,Environmental Chemistry ,Animals ,Ice Cover ,Ecosystem ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,General Environmental Science ,Global and Planetary Change ,geography ,geography.geographical_feature_category ,Ecology ,biology ,Arctic Regions ,biology.organism_classification ,Caniformia ,Pusa hispida ,Arctic oscillation ,Erignathus barbatus ,Female ,Ursidae - Abstract
Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are experiencing loss of sea ice habitats used to access their marine mammal prey. Simultaneously, ocean warming is changing ecosystems that support marine mammal populations. The interactive effects of sea ice and prey are not well understood yet may explain spatial-temporal variation in the response of polar bears to sea ice loss. Here, we examined the potential combined effects of sea ice, seal body condition, and atmospheric circulation patterns on the body condition, recruitment, diet, and feeding probability of 469 polar bears captured in the Chukchi Sea, 2008-2017. The body condition of ringed seals (Pusa hispida), the primary prey of females and subadults, was related to dietary proportions of ringed seal, feeding probability, and the body condition of females and cubs. In contrast, adult males consumed more bearded seals (Erignathus barbatus) and exhibited better condition when bearded seal body condition was higher. The litter size, number of yearlings per adult female, and the condition of dependent young were higher following winters characterized by low Arctic Oscillation conditions, consistent with a growing number of studies. Body condition, recruitment, and feeding probability were either not associated or negatively associated with sea ice conditions, suggesting that, unlike some subpopulations, Chukchi Sea bears are not currently limited by sea ice availability. However, spring sea ice cover declined 2% per year during our study reaching levels not previously observed in the satellite record and resulting in the loss of polar bear hunting and seal pupping habitat. Our study suggests that the status of ice seal populations is likely an important factor that can either compound or mitigate the response of polar bears to sea ice loss over the short term. In the long term, neither polar bears nor their prey are likely robust to limitless loss of their sea ice habitat.
- Published
- 2020
18. Adaptations to cursoriality and digit reduction in the forelimb of the African wild dog (Lycaon pictus)
- Author
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Rahul Koshy, Aryeh Grossman, Heather F. Smith, Ryan Alwiel, and Brent Adrian
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Flexor Carpi Ulnaris ,medicine.medical_treatment ,Zoology ,lcsh:Medicine ,Wrist ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Cursorial ,Biochemistry ,General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology ,03 medical and health sciences ,Digit reduction ,Forelimb ,Genetics ,medicine ,Molecular Biology ,Reduction (orthopedic surgery) ,030304 developmental biology ,Canidae ,0303 health sciences ,Functional morphology ,Ecology ,biology ,General Neuroscience ,lcsh:R ,Biodiversity ,General Medicine ,Anatomy ,biology.organism_classification ,Lycaon ,Evolutionary Studies ,Numerical digit ,Lycaon pictus ,Caniformia ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Myology ,Brachialis ,General Agricultural and Biological Sciences ,Biotechnology - Abstract
BackgroundThe African wild dog (Lycaon pictus), an endangered canid native to southern and eastern Africa, is distinct among canids in being described as entirely tetradactyl and in its nomadic lifestyle and use of exhaustive predation to capture its prey instead of speed, strength, or stealth. These behavioral and morphological traits suggest a potentially unique set of adaptations.MethodsHere, we dissected the forelimbs of an adult maleL. pictusspecimen and performed detailed descriptions and quantitative analyses of the musculoskeletal anatomy.ResultsStatistical comparisons of muscle masses and volumes revealed thatL. pictushas relatively smaller wrist rotators (mm. pronator teres, pronator quadratus, supinator) than any other included carnivoran taxon, suggesting adaptive pressures for antebrachial stability over rotatory movement in the carpus ofL. pictus. While a complete digit I is absent inL. pictus, a vestigial first metacarpal was discovered, resulting in changes to insertions of mm. extensor digiti I et II, abductor (et opponens) digiti I and flexor digiti I brevis. Mm. anconeus, brachialis and flexor carpi ulnaris caput ulnare all have more extensive origins inL. pictusthan other canids suggesting an emphasis on posture and elbow stability. M. triceps brachii caput laterale has a larger origin inL. pictusand m. triceps brachii caput longum has an additional accessory head. Electromyographic studies have shown this muscle is active during the stance phase of trotting and galloping and is important for storing elastic energy during locomotion. We interpret these differences in size and attachments of muscles inL. pictusas adaptations for long distance running in this highly cursorial species, likely important for exhaustive predation. Absence of a full digit I inL. pictusmay increase speed and stride length; however, the retention of a vestigial digit permits the attachment of reduced pollical muscles which may provide additional stability and proprioception to the carpus.
- Published
- 2020
19. On the morphology of the astragalus and calcaneus of the amphicyonids (Carnivora, Mammalia) from the Paleogene of Europe: implications for the ecology of the European bear-dogs
- Author
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Valentin Fischer, Morgane Fournier, Sandrine Ladevèze, Robert P. Speijer, Floréal Solé, Kévin Le Verger, Centre de Recherche en Paléontologie - Paris (CR2P), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), and University of Zurich
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Systematics ,010506 paleontology ,Plantigrade ,Ecology (disciplines) ,Carnivora ,Postcrania ,[SDV.BID]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Biodiversity ,Biology ,10125 Paleontological Institute and Museum ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Cynodictis ,Animalia ,Chordata ,1907 Geology ,ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Taxonomy ,Ecology ,[SDV.BA]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Animal biology ,Paleontology ,Geology ,Digitigrade ,Biodiversity ,biology.organism_classification ,Caniformia ,1911 Paleontology ,Taxon ,560 Fossils & prehistoric life ,Mammalia ,Amphicyonidae ,[SDU.STU.PG]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Paleontology - Abstract
The Paleogene mammals of Europe are rarely known from partial or complete skeletons. As a result, their systematics and ecology are often solely based on dental characters and postcranial remains, when available, are usually neglected. This explains why the locomotion of mammals of the Eocene-Oligocene transition, the “Grande Coupure”, is poorly known. The aim of this study is to describe the tarsal bones (astragali and calcanei) and characterize the locomotion of amphicyonid carnivorans, one of the most abundant mammalian predator groups from the Phosphorites du Quercy (France) sites. The identification of taxa and the characterization of both posture and locomotion were carried out using four criteria: relative abundance (in comparison with dental data), morphology, size, and body mass. Seven morphotypes, four among astragali and three among calcanei, are identified as Amphicyonidae and show various postures: plantigrade, semi-digitigrade, and digitigrade. One morphotype of the astragalus and one of the calcaneus are identified as Cynodictis lacustrisGervais, 1852, which exhibits a digitigrade posture. The study of postcranial bones, such as tarsals, allows for a better understanding of the ecology of these animals and deserves more interest in future morphological and phylogenetic studies.
- Published
- 2020
20. Unchartered waters: Climate change likely to intensify infectious disease outbreaks causing mass mortality events in marine mammals
- Author
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Claire E. Sanderson and Kathleen A. Alexander
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,Climate Change ,Climate change ,Zoology ,Biology ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Disease Outbreaks ,Marine mammal ,medicine ,Environmental Chemistry ,Animals ,Ecosystem ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,General Environmental Science ,Trophic level ,El Nino-Southern Oscillation ,Mammals ,Global and Planetary Change ,Ecology ,Obligate ,Outbreak ,Seasonality ,medicine.disease ,Caniformia ,Habitat ,Infectious disease (medical specialty) - Abstract
Infectious disease emergence has increased significantly over the last 30 years, with mass mortality events (MMEs) associated with epizootics becoming increasingly common. Factors influencing these events have been widely studied in terrestrial systems, but remain relatively unexplored in marine mammals. Infectious disease-induced MMEs (ID MMEs) have not been reported ubiquitously among marine mammal species, indicating that intrinsic (host) and/or extrinsic (environmental) ecological factors may influence this heterogeneity. We assess the occurrence of ID MMEs (1955-2018) across extant marine mammals (n = 129) in relation to key life-history characteristics (sociality, trophic level, habitat breadth) and environmental variables (season, sea surface temperature [SST] anomalies, El Nino occurrence). Our results show that ID MMEs have been reported in 14% of marine mammal species (95% CI 9%-21%), with 72% (n = 36; 95% CI 56%-84%) of these events caused predominantly by viruses, primarily morbillivirus and influenza A. Bacterial pathogens caused 25% (95% CI 14%-41%) of MMEs, with only one being the result of a protozoan pathogen. Overall, virus-induced MMEs involved a greater number of fatalities per event compared to other pathogens. No association was detected between the occurrence of ID MMEs and host characteristics, such as sociality or trophic level, but ID MMEs did occur more frequently in semiaquatic species (pinnipeds) compared to obligate ocean dwellers (cetaceans; χ2 = 9.6, p = .002). In contrast, extrinsic factors significantly influenced ID MMEs, with seasonality linked to frequency (χ2 = 19.85, p = .0002) and severity of these events, and global yearly SST anomalies positively correlated with their temporal occurrence (Z = 3.43, p = 2.7e-04). No significant association was identified between El Nino and ID MME occurrence (Z = 0.28, p = .81). With climate change forecasted to increase SSTs and the frequency of extreme seasonal weather events, epizootics causing MMEs are likely to intensify with significant consequences for marine mammal survival.
- Published
- 2020
21. Energetic tradeoffs control the size distribution of aquatic mammals
- Author
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Jonathan L. Payne, William Gearty, and Craig R. McClain
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,0301 basic medicine ,Cetacea ,Distribution (economics) ,Biology ,Models, Biological ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Sirenia ,03 medical and health sciences ,Species Specificity ,Commentaries ,Animals ,Body Size ,Phylogeny ,Artiodactyla ,Multidisciplinary ,Fossil Record ,Fossils ,Ecology ,business.industry ,Water ,Feeding Behavior ,Phylogenetic comparative methods ,Thermal Diffusion ,biology.organism_classification ,Biological Evolution ,Size increase ,Caniformia ,030104 developmental biology ,Aquatic mammal ,Mammal ,Basal Metabolism ,Energy Metabolism ,business ,Body Temperature Regulation ,Otters - Abstract
Four extant lineages of mammals have invaded and diversified in the water: Sirenia, Cetacea, Pinnipedia, and Lutrinae. Most of these aquatic clades are larger bodied, on average, than their closest land-dwelling relatives, but the extent to which potential ecological, biomechanical, and physiological controls contributed to this pattern remains untested quantitatively. Here, we use previously published data on the body masses of 3,859 living and 2,999 fossil mammal species to examine the evolutionary trajectories of body size in aquatic mammals through both comparative phylogenetic analysis and examination of the fossil record. Both methods indicate that the evolution of an aquatic lifestyle is driving three of the four extant aquatic mammal clades toward a size attractor at ∼500 kg. The existence of this body size attractor and the relatively rapid selection toward, and limited deviation from, this attractor rule out most hypothesized drivers of size increase. These three independent body size increases and a shared aquatic optimum size are consistent with control by differences in the scaling of energetic intake and cost functions with body size between the terrestrial and aquatic realms. Under this energetic model, thermoregulatory costs constrain minimum size, whereas limitations on feeding efficiency constrain maximum size. The optimum size occurs at an intermediate value where thermoregulatory costs are low but feeding efficiency remains high. Rather than being released from size pressures, water-dwelling mammals are driven and confined to larger body sizes by the strict energetic demands of the aquatic medium.
- Published
- 2018
22. Spring fasting behavior in a marine apex predator provides an index of ecosystem productivity
- Author
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Andrew E. Derocher, Ian Stirling, Kristin S. Simac, Nicholas W. Pilfold, Vanessa Muhlenbruch, Karyn D. Rode, Todd C. Atwood, Steven C. Amstrup, George M. Durner, Ryan R. Wilson, Eric V. Regehr, Evan S. Richardson, Anthony M. Pagano, Michelle St. Martin, and David C. Douglas
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Food Chain ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,Climate Change ,Population Dynamics ,Population ,Biology ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Sea ice ,Animals ,Environmental Chemistry ,Ice Cover ,Marine ecosystem ,education ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,General Environmental Science ,Apex predator ,Trophic level ,Global and Planetary Change ,education.field_of_study ,geography ,geography.geographical_feature_category ,Ecology ,Arctic Regions ,Reproduction ,Arctic ice pack ,Caniformia ,Diet ,Fishery ,Arctic ,Productivity (ecology) ,Seasons ,Ursidae - Abstract
The effects of declining Arctic sea ice on local ecosystem productivity are not well understood but have been shown to vary inter-specifically, spatially, and temporally. Because marine mammals occupy upper trophic levels in Arctic food webs, they may be useful indicators for understanding variation in ecosystem productivity. Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are apex predators that primarily consume benthic and pelagic-feeding ice-associated seals. As such, their productivity integrates sea ice conditions and the ecosystem supporting them. Declining sea ice availability has been linked to negative population effects for polar bears but does not fully explain observed population changes. We examined relationships between spring foraging success of polar bears and sea ice conditions, prey productivity, and general patterns of ecosystem productivity in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas (CSs). Fasting status (≥7 days) was estimated using serum urea and creatinine levels of 1,448 samples collected from 1,177 adult and subadult bears across three subpopulations. Fasting increased in the Beaufort Sea between 1983-1999 and 2000-2016 and was related to an index of ringed seal body condition. This change was concurrent with declines in body condition of polar bears and observed changes in the diet, condition and/or reproduction of four other vertebrate consumers within the food chain. In contrast, fasting declined in CS polar bears between periods and was less common than in the two Beaufort Sea subpopulations consistent with studies demonstrating higher primary productivity and maintenance or improved body condition in polar bears, ringed seals, and bearded seals despite recent sea ice loss in this region. Consistency between regional and temporal variation in spring polar bear fasting and food web productivity suggests that polar bears may be a useful indicator species. Furthermore, our results suggest that spatial and temporal ecological variation is important in affecting upper trophic-level productivity in these marine ecosystems.
- Published
- 2017
23. Quantifying variability in stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios within the skeletons of marine mammals of the suborder Caniformia
- Author
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Casey T. Clark, Nicole Misarti, and Lara Horstmann
- Subjects
010506 paleontology ,Archeology ,Crania ,060102 archaeology ,Enhydra lutris ,biology ,Ecology ,Stable isotope ratio ,06 humanities and the arts ,biology.organism_classification ,01 natural sciences ,Phoca ,Otter ,Caniformia ,Pusa hispida ,biology.animal ,0601 history and archaeology ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Isotope analysis - Abstract
Stable isotope ratios of bone collagen are commonly used to investigate foraging and movement of human and animal populations. This technique is especially valuable for archaeological and paleoecological applications, as bones are among the few tissues that are commonly preserved in archaeological and assemblages. Selection of skeletal elements for stable isotope analysis is typically driven by sample sizes and convenience, with the assumption that each bone is equally likely to be representative of the entire skeleton. This study investigated the degree of variability in stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios (δ 13 C and δ 15 N) within the skeletons of individual marine mammals to determine whether any systematic differences in δ 13 C and δ 15 N exist among skeletal elements. We measured δ 13 C and δ 15 N in paired crania and mandibles from 11 Pacific walruses ( Odobenus rosmarus divergens ), as well as representative elements from the skeletons of three marine mammals: an adult ringed seal ( Pusa hispida , n = 10), a juvenile seal of the genus Phoca ( Phoca sp., n = 9), and an adult sea otter ( Enhydra lutris , n = 8). Differences among the walrus cranium/mandible pairs were not significant, mostly falling within analytical error. Variability across the skeletons of the seals and sea otter was greater, exceeding 1.0‰ in some cases. Hierarchical cluster analysis indicated systematic differences within all three skeletons, with the distal appendicular bones (metatarsal, phalanx, calcaneus) separating from the rest of the skeleton in the two seals, and the scapula and vertebra distinct from all other bones in the sea otter. Removing these bones from analysis greatly reduced overall variability in all three animals. Further study is required to determine whether the patterns observed in this study are consistent across individuals and taxa as sample sizes increase.
- Published
- 2017
24. Blood cadmium and metallothionein concentrations in females of two sympatric pinnipeds species
- Author
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Agustín Costas, P. Polizzi, Sandra Karina Medici, Diego Rodríguez, M.B. Romero, Marcela Silvia Gerpe, A. Ponce de León, and L.N. Chiodi Boudet
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Zoology ,chemistry.chemical_element ,010501 environmental sciences ,Aquatic Science ,Biology ,Oceanography ,01 natural sciences ,Ciencias de la Tierra y relacionadas con el Medio Ambiente ,CADMIUM ,Internal medicine ,Blood plasma ,medicine ,Animals ,Metallothionein ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,computer.programming_language ,SASL ,Cadmium ,Hematology ,PLASMA ,METALLOTHIONEIN ,Ecology ,010604 marine biology & hydrobiology ,Arctocephalus australis ,fungi ,Aquatic animal ,South America ,Otaria flavescens ,biology.organism_classification ,ARCTOCEPHALUS AUSTRALIS ,Pollution ,Caniformia ,Zinc ,chemistry ,Metals ,BLOOD CELLULAR FRACTION ,Female ,OTARIA FLAVESCENS ,Meteorología y Ciencias Atmosféricas ,computer ,Water Pollutants, Chemical ,CIENCIAS NATURALES Y EXACTAS - Abstract
Otaria flavescens (SASL) and Arctocephalus australis (SAFS) are endemic of South America. The aims were to assess Cd concentrations in red blood cells (RBC) and plasma from free living females of both species; and to establish metallothioneins (MT) levels in blood fractions and the possible relationship between MTs and Cd. Blood of fifteen SASL and eight SAFS females from Isla de Lobos were analyzed (years 2010–2011). All animals showed Cd levels above the detection limit. Cd concentrations on SAFS were higher than those of SASL, however, no significant differences were observed on metal concentrations between cell fractions by species. Metal levels were associated with a natural presence and ecological-trophic habits of the prey items. On SASL the MT concentrations between fractions were similar; whereas, SAFS plasma concentrations were higher than RBC. The results reported constitute the first information on Cd and MT blood levels in these species. Fil: Polizzi, Paula Sabrina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; Argentina Fil: Romero, María Belén. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; Argentina Fil: Chiodi Boudet, Leila Natalia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; Argentina Fil: Ponce de León, A.. Ministerio de Ganadería, Agricultura y Pesca; Uruguay Fil: Medici, Sandra Karina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Laboratorio de Análisis Fares Taire; Argentina Fil: Costas, A.. Laboratorio de Análisis Fares Taire; Argentina Fil: Rodriguez, Diego Horacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; Argentina Fil: Gerpe, Marcela Silvia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; Argentina
- Published
- 2017
25. Marine mammal cell cultures: To obtain, to apply, and to preserve
- Author
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A.V. Boroda
- Subjects
Mammals ,0301 basic medicine ,Conservation of Natural Resources ,Ecology ,Oceans and Seas ,fungi ,Cell Culture Techniques ,Zoology ,General Medicine ,Aquatic Science ,Biology ,Oceanography ,Pollution ,Toxic waste ,Caniformia ,03 medical and health sciences ,030104 developmental biology ,Marine mammal ,Habitat ,Animals ,Cetacea ,Animal species ,Ecosystem - Abstract
The world's oceans today have become a place for the disposal of toxic waste, which leads to the degradation of marine mammal habitats and populations. Marine mammal cell cultures have proven to be a multifunctional tool for studying the peculiarities of the cell physiology and biochemistry of these animals as well as the destructive effects of anthropogenic and natural toxicants. This review describes the sources of marine mammal live tissues and the methods required for establishing cell cultures, their use, and long-term storage. Approaches to conserving rare animal species by applying cell biology methodologies are also discussed.
- Published
- 2017
26. Diving physiology of seabirds and marine mammals: Relevance, challenges and some solutions for field studies
- Author
-
Manfred R. Enstipp and Russel D. Andrews
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Aquatic Organisms ,Environmental change ,Physiology ,Diving ,Ecology (disciplines) ,Context (language use) ,Biology ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Biochemistry ,Animals ,Telemetry ,Relevance (information retrieval) ,Molecular Biology ,Biotelemetry ,Mammals ,Ecology ,010604 marine biology & hydrobiology ,Aptenodytes ,biology.organism_classification ,Spheniscidae ,Caniformia ,Variety (cybernetics) ,Cetacea ,Conservation biology ,human activities - Abstract
To fully understand how diving seabirds and marine mammals balance the potentially conflicting demands of holding their breath while living their lives underwater (and maintaining physiological homeostasis during exercise, feeding, growth, and reproduction), physiological studies must be conducted with animals in their natural environments. The purpose of this article is to review the importance of making physiological measurements on diving animals in field settings, while acknowledging the challenges and highlighting some solutions. The most extreme divers are great candidates for study, especially in a comparative and mechanistic context. However, physiological data are also required of a wide range of species for problems relating to other disciplines, in particular ecology and conservation biology. Physiological data help with understanding and predicting the outcomes of environmental change, and the direct impacts of anthropogenic activities. Methodological approaches that have facilitated the development of field-based diving physiology include the isolated diving hole protocol and the translocation paradigm, and while there are many techniques for remote observation, animal-borne biotelemetry, or "biologging", has been critical. We discuss issues related to the attachment of instruments, the retrieval of data and sensing of physiological variables, while also considering negative impacts of tagging. This is illustrated with examples from a variety of species, and an in-depth look at one of the best studied and most extreme divers, the emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri). With a variety of approaches and high demand for data on the physiology of diving seabirds and marine mammals, the future of field studies is bright.
- Published
- 2016
27. Determinants of genetic variation across eco-evolutionary scales in pinnipeds
- Author
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David Aurioles-Gamboa, Saurabh D. Pophaly, Larissa Rosa de Oliveira, Kit M. Kovacs, Claire R. Peart, Chi-Chih Wu, Aaron B. A. Shafer, Mervi Kunnasranta, Christian Lydersen, Simona Sanvito, Joseph I. Hoffman, Neil J. Gemmell, Mia Valtonen, Tommi Nyman, Jaume Forcada, Sergio Tusso, John W. Bickham, Jochen B. W. Wolf, Amy B. Baird, Filippo Galimberti, Fidel Botero-Castro, and Anthony J. Orr
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,0301 basic medicine ,Demographic history ,Population ,Biology ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Coalescent theory ,Population genomics ,03 medical and health sciences ,Effective population size ,Genetic variation ,Animals ,education ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Population Density ,education.field_of_study ,Genome ,Ecology ,Population size ,Genetic Variation ,Biological Evolution ,Caniformia ,030104 developmental biology ,Demographic change - Abstract
The effective size of a population (Ne), which determines its level of neutral variability, is a key evolutionary parameter. Ne can substantially depart from census sizes of present-day breeding populations (NC) as a result of past demographic changes, variation in life-history traits and selection at linked sites. Using genome-wide data we estimated the long-term coalescent Ne for 17 pinniped species represented by 36 population samples (total n = 458 individuals). Ne estimates ranged from 8,936 to 91,178, were highly consistent within (sub)species and showed a strong positive correlation with NC ( $${R}_{\mathrm{adj}}^2$$ = 0.59; P = 0.0002). Ne/NC ratios were low (mean, 0.31; median, 0.13) and co-varied strongly with demographic history and, to a lesser degree, with species’ ecological and life-history variables such as breeding habitat. Residual variation in Ne/NC, after controlling for past demographic fluctuations, contained information about recent population size changes during the Anthropocene. Specifically, species of conservation concern typically had positive residuals indicative of a smaller contemporary NC than would be expected from their long-term Ne. This study highlights the value of comparative population genomic analyses for gauging the evolutionary processes governing genetic variation in natural populations, and provides a framework for identifying populations deserving closer conservation attention. Using comparative population genomics across pinnipeds, this study explores how demographic change and life-history traits are correlated to the effective size of a population and conservation status.
- Published
- 2019
28. Tracking arctic marine mammal resilience in an era of rapid ecosystem alteration
- Author
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Sue E. Moore and Randall R. Reeves
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Aquatic Organisms ,Glaciology ,Marine and Aquatic Sciences ,Social Sciences ,Global Warming ,01 natural sciences ,Marine Conservation ,Homing Behavior ,Oceans ,Psychology ,Ice Cover ,Biology (General) ,Conservation Science ,Mammals ,Marine Ecosystems ,education.field_of_study ,Ecology ,Animal Behavior ,Arctic Regions ,General Neuroscience ,Sea Ice ,Eukaryota ,Caniformia ,Habitat ,Perspective ,Vertebrates ,General Agricultural and Biological Sciences ,Ursidae ,Marine conservation ,Conservation of Natural Resources ,QH301-705.5 ,Population ,Marine Biology ,Bears ,Biology ,010603 evolutionary biology ,Ecosystems ,General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology ,Marine mammal ,Animals ,Marine ecosystem ,Ecosystem ,Marine Mammals ,education ,Population Density ,Behavior ,General Immunology and Microbiology ,010604 marine biology & hydrobiology ,Ecology and Environmental Sciences ,Endangered Species ,Global warming ,Organisms ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Bodies of Water ,Arctic ,Amniotes ,Sentinel Species ,Earth Sciences ,Animal Migration ,Cetacea ,Zoology - Abstract
Global warming is significantly altering arctic marine ecosystems. Specifically, the precipitous loss of sea ice is creating a dichotomy between ice-dependent polar bears and pinnipeds that are losing habitat and some cetaceans that are gaining habitat. While final outcomes are hard to predict for the many and varied marine mammal populations that rely on arctic habitats, we suggest a simplified framework to assess status, based upon ranking a population's size, range, behavior, and health. This basic approach is proposed as a means to prioritize and expedite conservation and management efforts in an era of rapid ecosystem alteration.
- Published
- 2018
29. Historic variation of trace elements in pinnipeds with spatially segregated trophic habits reveals differences in exposure to pollution
- Author
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Carlos Eduardo de Rezende, José Marcus Godoy, Javier García-Alonso, Diana Szteren, Maite De María, Rodrigo A. Gonçalves, and Francisco R. Barboza
- Subjects
Environmental Engineering ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,Byronia ,Population ,010501 environmental sciences ,01 natural sciences ,Habits ,Metals, Heavy ,Animals ,Environmental Chemistry ,Ecosystem ,14. Life underwater ,education ,Waste Management and Disposal ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Trophic level ,Isotope analysis ,education.field_of_study ,biology ,Ecology ,Arctocephalus australis ,Pelagic zone ,biology.organism_classification ,Pollution ,Caniformia ,Trace Elements ,13. Climate action ,Benthic zone ,Environmental science ,Water Pollutants, Chemical ,Environmental Monitoring - Abstract
Marine mammals and the ecological functions they provide to coastal and pelagic ecosystems are increasingly threatened by the intensification of anthropogenic impacts. The Uruguayan coastline throughout the 20th century, like other coastal environments worldwide, has been the sink of a variety of trace metals derived from the rapid urbanization and industrialization of related land areas. This coastline is inhabited by two species of pinnipeds trophically and spatially segregated. Otaria byronia feeds in coastal environments while Arctocephalus australis preysmainly offshore. The present study aimed to analyze historic changes in concentrations of trace elements in teeth of both species from 1941 to the present day. We analyzed the dentin of 94 canine teeth using stable isotope analysis (delta C-13) and ICP-MS to determine their feeding areas and the concentration of 10 trace elements (Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) respectively. The concentration of Cr was significantly higher during '70-'80s, in both species coinciding with tannery industry development. Both species of pinnipeds have been differentially exposed to trace elements depending on their feeding area. A pelagic diet, possibly based on squid, increased the concentration of Cd in A. australis, while O. byronia has been more exposed to anthropogenic Pb and Cu associated to a costal and more benthic diet. Our results highlight dentin as a reliable matrix for historic studies on the exposure to trace elements. In light of our results, the O. byronia's declining population could be the result of the synergistic effects of trace elements together with other ecological pressures faced in their environment.
- Published
- 2021
30. Hundreds of Genes Experienced Convergent Shifts in Selective Pressure in Marine Mammals
- Author
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Maria Chikina, Joseph D. Robinson, and Nathan L. Clark
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Aquatic Organisms ,Scale (anatomy) ,Sensory system ,Biology ,Sirenia ,Evolution, Molecular ,03 medical and health sciences ,Mutation Rate ,Convergent evolution ,Genetics ,Animals ,Selection, Genetic ,Molecular Biology ,Gene ,Phylogeny ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Loss function ,Ecology ,Adaptation, Physiological ,Biological Evolution ,Phenotype ,Caniformia ,030104 developmental biology ,Evolutionary biology ,Fast Track ,Gene-Environment Interaction ,Mammal ,Cetacea ,Adaptation - Abstract
Mammal species have made the transition to the marine environment several times, and their lineages represent one of the classical examples of convergent evolution in morphological and physiological traits. Nevertheless, the genetic mechanisms of their phenotypic transition are poorly understood, and investigations into convergence at the molecular level have been inconclusive. While past studies have searched for convergent changes at specific amino acid sites, we propose an alternative strategy to identify those genes that experienced convergent changes in their selective pressures, visible as changes in evolutionary rate specifically in the marine lineages. We present evidence of widespread convergence at the gene level by identifying parallel shifts in evolutionary rate during three independent episodes of mammalian adaptation to the marine environment. Hundreds of genes accelerated their evolutionary rates in all three marine mammal lineages during their transition to aquatic life. These marine-accelerated genes are highly enriched for pathways that control recognized functional adaptations in marine mammals, including muscle physiology, lipid-metabolism, sensory systems, and skin and connective tissue. The accelerations resulted from both adaptive evolution as seen in skin and lung genes, and loss of function as in gustatory and olfactory genes. In regard to sensory systems, this finding provides further evidence that reduced senses of taste and smell are ubiquitous in marine mammals. Our analysis demonstrates the feasibility of identifying genes underlying convergent organism-level characteristics on a genome-wide scale and without prior knowledge of adaptations, and provides a powerful approach for investigating the physiological functions of mammalian genes.
- Published
- 2016
31. IDENTIFICATION OF RESPIRATORY AND GASTROINTESTINAL PARASITES OF THREE SPECIES OF PINNIPEDS (ARCTOCEPHALUS AUSTRALIS, ARCTOCEPHALUS GAZELLA, ANDOTARIA FLAVESCENS) IN SOUTHERN BRAZIL
- Author
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Valeria Ruoppolo, Juliana Marigo, Kristy Jacobus, Florina S. Tseng, Silvia Bainy Gastal, José Luiz Catão-Dias, and Sueli Akemi Taniwaki
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,General Veterinary ,Ecology ,Parasitic Diseases, Animal ,Arctocephalus australis ,Arctocephalus gazella ,Zoology ,Parasitism ,General Medicine ,030108 mycology & parasitology ,Biology ,Otaria flavescens ,biology.organism_classification ,Caniformia ,Feces ,03 medical and health sciences ,Metastrongyloidea ,030104 developmental biology ,Genus ,Animals ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Fur seal ,PARASITOLOGIA VETERINÁRIA ,Brazil - Abstract
In order to improve understanding of parasitism in South American pinnipeds, respiratory and gastrointestinal samples were collected from 12 Arctocephalus australis (South American fur seal), one Arctocephalus gazella (Antarctic fur seal), and one Otaria flavescens (South American sea lion). Ova and larvae were microscopically identified from fecal samples and respiratory secretions collected from live A. australis undergoing rehabilitation at Centro de Recuperação de Animais Marinhos (CRAM-FURG) in Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil during June-July 2012. Adult parasites were collected from the lungs and gastrointestinal tracts of animals that died while undergoing treatment or were found dead along the southern Brazil coast. Parasites were identified by polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing, microscopic examination, comparison with keys, and histologic examination of tissues. Lung parasites of the Parafilaroides genus (Metastrongyloidea, Filaroididae) were identified at necropsy in both A. australis and A. gazella and gastrointestinal parasites were found in all three species of pinniped studied. Gastrointestinal parasites identified in A. australis included the nematodes Contracaecum sp. and Pseudoterranova cattani, the cestodes Adenocephalus pacificus (previously Diphyllobothrium pacificum), one from the Tetrabothridae family and one undetermined, and the acanthocephalans Corynosoma sp. and Bolbosoma sp.; from A. gazella the nematode Contracaecum sp. and the acanthocephalan Corynosoma sp.; and from O. flavescens the acanthocephalan Corynosoma sp. Ova from fecal samples from A. australis represent ascarid nematodes, Parafilaroides sp., Adenocephalus pacificus, acanthocephalans, and an egg determined either to be a trematode or pseuophyllidean cestode. With limited information surrounding parasitism, these findings are an important contribution to knowledge of the health of Southern Hemisphere pinnipeds.
- Published
- 2016
32. Toxoplasma gondii in stranded marine mammals from the North Sea and Eastern Atlantic Ocean: Findings and diagnostic difficulties
- Author
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van de Velde, Norbert, Devleesschauwer, Brecht, Leopold, Mardik, Begeman, Lineke, IJsseldijk, Lonneke, Hiemstra, Sjoukje, IJzer, Jooske, Brownlow, Andrew, Davison, Nicholas, Haelters, Jan, Jauniaux, Thierry, Siebert, Ursula, Dorny, Pierre, De Craeye, Stéphane, dPB I&I, Applied Veterinary Research, Veterinair Pathologisch Diagnostisch Cnt, Virology, dPB I&I, Applied Veterinary Research, and Veterinair Pathologisch Diagnostisch Cnt
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Aquatic Organisms ,Antibodies, Protozoan ,Fluorescent Antibody Technique ,Seroprevalence ,Polymerase Chain Reaction ,0403 veterinary science ,Seroepidemiologic Studies ,Direct agglutination test ,Parasite hosting ,Atlantic Ocean ,Mammals ,biology ,Ecology ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,General Medicine ,030108 mycology & parasitology ,Haemolysis ,Caniformia ,PCR ,MAT ,ELISA ,North Sea ,Lutra ,Toxoplasma ,IFA ,040301 veterinary sciences ,Zoology ,Toxoplasma gondii ,Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ,Phocoena ,03 medical and health sciences ,Onderzoeksformatie ,Agglutination Tests ,biology.animal ,parasitic diseases ,Animals ,SDG 14 - Life Below Water ,General Veterinary ,Diagnostic Tests, Routine ,DNA, Protozoan ,biology.organism_classification ,Toxoplasmosis, Animal ,Marine mammals ,Parasitology ,Cetacea ,Porpoise ,Otters - Abstract
The occurrence of the zoonotic protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii in marine mammals remains a poorly understood phenomenon. In this study, samples from 589 marine mammal species and 34 European otters (Lutra lutra), stranded on the coasts of Scotland, Belgium, France, The Netherlands and Germany, were tested for the presence of T. gondii. Brain samples were analysed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of parasite DNA. Blood and muscle fluid samples were tested for specific antibodies using a modified agglutination test (MAT), a commercial multi-species enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and an immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Out of 193 animals tested by PCR, only two harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) cerebrum samples, obtained from animals stranded on the Dutch coast, tested positive. The serological results showed a wide variation depending on the test used. Using a cut-off value of 1/40 dilution in MAT, 141 out of 292 animals (41%) were positive. Using IFA, 30 out of 244 tested samples (12%) were positive at a 1/50 dilution. The commercial ELISA yielded 7% positives with a cut-off of the sample-to-positive (S/P) ratio ≥ 50; and 12% when the cut-off was set at S/P ratio ≥ 20. The high number of positives in MAT may be an overestimation due to the high degree of haemolysis of the samples and/or the presence of lipids. The ELISA results could be an underestimation due to the use of a multispecies conjugate. Our results confirm the presence of T. gondii in marine mammals in The Netherlands and show exposure to the parasite in both the North Sea and the Eastern Atlantic Ocean. We also highlight the limitations of the tests used to diagnose T. gondii in stranded marine mammals.
- Published
- 2016
33. Apex marine predators and ocean health: Proactive screening of halogenated organic contaminants reveals ecosystem indicator species
- Author
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Kerri Danil, David W. Weller, Eunha Hoh, Nathan G. Dodder, Jennifer M. Cossaboon, Keith A. Maruya, and Susan J. Chivers
- Subjects
Environmental Engineering ,Common dolphin ,Range (biology) ,Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis ,Dolphins ,Oceans and Seas ,0208 environmental biotechnology ,02 engineering and technology ,010501 environmental sciences ,01 natural sciences ,California ,Article ,Marine mammal ,Blubber ,Biomonitoring ,Environmental Chemistry ,Animals ,Ecosystem ,Organic Chemicals ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Retrospective Studies ,biology ,Ecology ,Hydrocarbons, Halogenated ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,General Medicine ,General Chemistry ,biology.organism_classification ,Pollution ,020801 environmental engineering ,Caniformia ,Indicator species ,Environmental science ,Harbor seal ,Water Pollutants, Chemical ,Environmental Monitoring - Abstract
Despite decades-long bans on the production and use of certain chemicals, many halogenated organic compounds (HOCs) are persistent and can bioaccumulate in the marine environment with the potential to cause physiological harm to marine fauna. Highly lipid-rich tissue (e.g., marine mammal blubber) functions as a reservoir for HOCs, and selecting ideal indicator species is a priority for retrospective and proactive screening efforts. We selected five marine mammal species as possible indicators for the Southern California Bight (SCB) and applied a non-targeted analytical method paired with an automated data reduction strategy to catalog a broad range of known, known but unexpected, and unknown compounds in their blubber. A total of 194 HOCs were detected across the study species (n = 25 individuals), 81% of which are not routinely monitored, including 30 halogenated natural products and 45 compounds of unknown structure and origin. The cetacean species (long-beaked common dolphin, short-beaked common dolphin, and Risso's dolphin) averaged 128 HOCs, whereas pinnipeds (California sea lion and Pacific harbor seal) averaged 47 HOCs. We suspect this disparity can be attributed to differences in life history, foraging strategies, and/or enzyme-mediated metabolism. Our results support proposing (1) the long- and short-beaked common dolphin as apex marine predator sentinels for future and retrospective biomonitoring of the SCB ecosystem and (2) the use of non-targeted contaminant analyses to identify and prioritize emerging contaminants. The use of a sentinel marine species together with the non-targeted analytical approach will enable a proactive approach to environmental contaminant monitoring.
- Published
- 2018
34. Demographic histories and genetic diversity across pinnipeds are shaped by human exploitation, ecology and life-history
- Author
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Simon D. Goldsworthy, T. Pastor, Emily Humble, Jennifer K. Schultz, A.J. Paijmans, Jochen B. W. Wolf, Filippo Galimberti, Simona Sanvito, Karina Acevedo-Whitehouse, Hazel J. Nichols, Aaron B. A. Shafer, Neil J. Gemmell, S. Negro, Amy J. Osborne, Oliver Krüger, B. L. Chilvers, Joseph I. Hoffman, Bradford C. Dickerson, Bruce C. Robertson, Martin A. Stoffel, Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), Universität Bielefeld = Bielefeld University, British Antarctic Survey (BAS), Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Massey University, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Elephant Seal Research Group, Partenaires INRAE, Department of Anatomy, University of Otago [Dunedin, Nouvelle-Zélande], South Australian Research and Development Institute, Génétique Quantitative et Evolution - Le Moulon (Génétique Végétale) (GQE-Le Moulon), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-AgroParisTech-Université Paris-Sud - Paris 11 (UP11)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), School of biological Sciences [Christchurch], University of Canterbury [Christchurch], EUROPARC Federation, Trent Univ, Forens Sci & Environm Life Sci, Peterborough, ON K9J 7B8, Canada, Uppsala University, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, German Research Foundation (DFG) [HO 5122/3-1, HO 5122/5-1, SFB TRR 212], Liverpool John Moores University, and Hoffman, Joseph. I.
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,0301 basic medicine ,bottleneck ,Genotyping Techniques ,genetic structures ,[SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio] ,Population Dynamics ,Biodiversity ,Endangered species ,General Physics and Astronomy ,Population genetics ,northern elephant seal ,History, 18th Century ,biological conservation ,01 natural sciences ,allele frequency data ,IUCN Red List ,r package ,lcsh:Science ,education.field_of_study ,GE ,Multidisciplinary ,Ecology ,extinction ,approximate bayesian computation ,effective population-size ,sexual selection ,inference ,History, 19th Century ,Caniformia ,Geography ,Conservation biology ,Conservation of Natural Resources ,Science ,Population ,macromolecular substances ,History, 21st Century ,010603 evolutionary biology ,Article ,General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology ,03 medical and health sciences ,Genetics ,Animals ,Humans ,[SDV.BV]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Vegetal Biology ,natural sciences ,14. Life underwater ,Genetik ,education ,Ecosystem ,Genetic diversity ,Models, Statistical ,Genetic Variation ,General Chemistry ,social sciences ,History, 20th Century ,15. Life on land ,030104 developmental biology ,Population bottleneck ,lcsh:Q ,human activities ,Microsatellite Repeats - Abstract
A central paradigm in conservation biology is that population bottlenecks reduce genetic diversity and population viability. In an era of biodiversity loss and climate change, understanding the determinants and consequences of bottlenecks is therefore an important challenge. However, as most studies focus on single species, the multitude of potential drivers and the consequences of bottlenecks remain elusive. Here, we combined genetic data from over 11,000 individuals of 30 pinniped species with demographic, ecological and life history data to evaluate the consequences of commercial exploitation by 18th and 19th century sealers. We show that around one third of these species exhibit strong signatures of recent population declines. Bottleneck strength is associated with breeding habitat and mating system variation, and together with global abundance explains much of the variation in genetic diversity across species. Overall, bottleneck intensity is unrelated to IUCN status, although the three most heavily bottlenecked species are endangered. Our study reveals an unforeseen interplay between human exploitation, animal biology, demographic declines and genetic diversity., Historical hunting has caused documented declines in pinnipeds, but the extent to which hunting caused genetic bottlenecks among species was unknown. Here, the authors show evidence of severe bottlenecks in several pinniped species, particularly those that breed on land.
- Published
- 2018
35. Seabird and pinniped shape soil bacterial communities of their settlements in Cape Shirreff, Antarctica
- Author
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Julieta Orlando, Margarita Carú, Lía Ramírez-Fernández, and Nicole Trefault
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Biogeochemical cycle ,Nitrogen ,Science ,Antarctic Regions ,Biology ,complex mixtures ,01 natural sciences ,Birds ,03 medical and health sciences ,Soil ,Nutrient ,Marine bacteriophage ,Marine vertebrate ,Animals ,Ecosystem ,Soil Microbiology ,030304 developmental biology ,0303 health sciences ,Multidisciplinary ,Bacteria ,Ecology ,010604 marine biology & hydrobiology ,Edaphic ,Phosphorus ,Caniformia ,Soil water ,Medicine ,Soil microbiology - Abstract
Seabirds and pinnipeds play an important role in biogeochemical cycling by transferring nutrients from aquatic to terrestrial environments. Indeed, soils rich in animal depositions have generally high organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus contents. Several studies have assessed bacterial diversity in Antarctic soils influenced by marine animals; however most have been conducted in areas with significant human impact. Thus, we chose Cape Shirreff, Livingston Island, an Antarctic Specially Protected Area designated mainly to protect the diversity of marine vertebrate fauna, and selected sampling sites with different types of animals coexisting in a relatively small space, and where human presence and impact are negligible. Using 16S rRNA gene analyses through massive sequencing, we assessed the influence of animal concentrations, via their modification of edaphic characteristics, on soil bacterial diversity and composition. The nutrient composition of soils impacted by Antarctic fur seals and kelp gulls was more similar to that of control soils (i.e. soils without visible presence of plants or animals), which may be due to the more active behaviour of these marine animals compared to other species. Conversely, the soils from concentrations of southern elephant seals and penguins showed greater differences in soil nutrients compared to the control. In agreement with this, the bacterial communities of the soils associated with these animals were most different from those of the control soils, with the soils of penguin colonies also possessing the lowest bacterial diversity. However, all the soils influenced by the presence of marine animals were dominated by bacteria belonging to Gammaproteobacteria, particularly those of the genus Rhodanobacter. Therefore, we conclude that the modification of soil nutrient composition by marine vertebrates promotes specific groups of bacteria, which could play an important role in the recycling of nutrients in terrestrial Antarctic ecosystems.
- Published
- 2017
36. Assessment of neurotoxic effects of mercury in beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas), ringed seals (Pusa hispida), and polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from the Canadian Arctic
- Author
-
Sonja K. Ostertag, Hing Man Chan, and Anke Krey
- Subjects
Canada ,Environmental Engineering ,Seals, Earless ,Ursus maritimus ,Zoology ,chemistry.chemical_element ,010501 environmental sciences ,Nervous System ,01 natural sciences ,03 medical and health sciences ,biology.animal ,Animals ,Environmental Chemistry ,14. Life underwater ,Waste Management and Disposal ,Leucas ,030304 developmental biology ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,0303 health sciences ,biology ,Arctic Regions ,Ecology ,Mercury ,biology.organism_classification ,Pollution ,Caniformia ,Mercury (element) ,Pusa hispida ,chemistry ,Arctic ,13. Climate action ,Indicator species ,Toxicity ,Beluga Whale ,Ursidae ,Water Pollutants, Chemical ,Environmental Monitoring - Abstract
Marine mammals are indicator species of the Arctic ecosystem and an integral component of the traditional Inuit diet. The potential neurotoxic effects of increased mercury (Hg) in beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas), ringed seals (Pusa hispida), and polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are not clear. We assessed the risk of Hg-associated neurotoxicity to these species by comparing their brain Hg concentrations with threshold concentrations for toxic endpoints detected in laboratory animals and field observations: clinical symptoms (6.75 mg/kg wet weight (ww)), neuropathological signs (4 mg/kg ww), neurochemical changes (0.4 mg/kg ww), and neurobehavioral changes (0.1mg/kg ww). The total Hg (THg) concentrations in the cerebellum and frontal lobe of ringed seals and polar bears were0.5mg/kg ww, whereas the average concentration in beluga whale brain was3mg/kg ww. Our results suggest that brain THg levels in polar bears are below levels that induce neurobehavioral effects as reported in the literature, while THg concentrations in ringed seals are within the range that elicit neurobehavioral effects and individual ringed seals exceed the threshold for neurochemical changes. The relatively high THg concentration in beluga whales exceeds all of the neurotoxicity thresholds assessed. High brain selenium (Se):Hg molar ratios were observed in all three species, suggesting that Se could protect the animals from Hg-associated neurotoxicity. This assessment was limited by several factors that influence neurotoxic effects in animals, including: animal species; form of Hg in the brain; and interactions with modifiers of Hg-associated toxicity, such as Se. Comparing brain Hg concentrations in wildlife with concentrations of appropriate laboratory studies can be used as a tool for risk characterization of the neurotoxic effects of Hg in Arctic marine mammals.
- Published
- 2015
37. Reply to Comment on 'Terrestrial Scavenging of Marine Mammals: Cross-Ecosystem Contaminant Transfer and Potential Risks to Endangered California Condors (Gymnogyps californianus)'
- Author
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Joseph Brandt, Victoria J. Bakker, Myra E. Finkelstein, Jennie Jones Scherbinski, Joe Burnett, Holly E. Copeland, and Carolyn M. Kurle
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Ecology ,Endangered species ,General Chemistry ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,California ,010605 ornithology ,Caniformia ,Birds ,Geography ,Environmental Chemistry ,Animals ,Ecosystem ,Scavenging - Abstract
Author(s): Finkelstein, Myra E; Bakker, Victoria J; Copeland, Holly; Burnett, Joe; Jones Scherbinski, Jennie; Brandt, Joseph; Kurle, Carolyn M
- Published
- 2017
38. ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A NOVEL MARINE BRUCELLA FROM A SOUTHERN SEA OTTER (ENHYDRA LUTRIS NEREIS), CALIFORNIA, USA
- Author
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Melissa A. Miller, Tristan L. Burgess, Barbara A. Byrne, Woutrina A. Smith, Jack C. Rhyan, Erin Dodd, Frances M. D. Gulland, Cara L. Field, Michael J. Murray, Sharon Toy-Choutka, Inga F. Sidor, Spencer S. Jang, and Patricia A. Conrad
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Pathology ,040301 veterinary sciences ,030106 microbiology ,Animals, Wild ,Brucella ,Otter ,California ,0403 veterinary science ,Lesion ,03 medical and health sciences ,Brucella sp ,biology.animal ,parasitic diseases ,medicine ,Animals ,Nereis ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Wildlife rehabilitation ,Ecology ,biology ,Enhydra lutris ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,Anatomy ,biology.organism_classification ,Caniformia ,Histopathology ,medicine.symptom ,Otters - Abstract
We characterize Brucella infection in a wild southern sea otter ( Enhydra lutris nereis) with osteolytic lesions similar to those reported in other marine mammals and humans. This otter stranded twice along the central California coast, US over a 1-yr period and was handled extensively at two wildlife rehabilitation facilities, undergoing multiple surgeries and months of postsurgical care. Ultimately the otter was euthanized due to severe, progressive neurologic disease. Necropsy and postmortem radiographs revealed chronic, severe osteoarthritis spanning the proximal interphalangeal joint of the left hind fifth digit. Numerous coccobacilli within the joint were strongly positive on Brucella immunohistochemical labelling, and Brucella sp. was isolated in pure culture from this lesion. Sparse Brucella-immunopositive bacteria were also observed in the cytoplasm of a pulmonary vascular monocyte, and multifocal granulomas were observed in the spinal cord and liver on histopathology. Findings from biochemical characterization, 16S ribosomal DNA, and bp26 gene sequencing of the bacterial isolate were identical to those from marine-origin brucellae isolated from cetaceans and phocids. Although omp2a gene sequencing revealed 100% homology with marine Brucella spp. infecting pinnipeds, whales, and humans, omp2b gene sequences were identical only to pinniped-origin isolates. Multilocus sequence typing classified the sea otter isolate as ST26, a sequence type previously associated only with cetaceans. Our data suggest that the sea otter Brucella strain represents a novel marine lineage that is distinct from both Brucella pinnipedialis and Brucella ceti. Prior reports document the zoonotic potential of the marine brucellae. Isolation of Brucella sp. from a stranded sea otter highlights the importance of wearing personal protective equipment when handling sea otters and other marine mammals as part of wildlife conservation and rehabilitation efforts.
- Published
- 2017
39. Mercury in the ecosystem of Admiralty Bay, King George Island, Antarctica: Occurrence and trophic distribution
- Author
-
Caio V.Z. Cipro, Rosalinda Carmela Montone, Paco Bustamante, LIttoral ENvironnement et Sociétés - UMRi 7266 (LIENSs), Université de La Rochelle (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Instituto Oceanográfico, and Universidade de São Paulo (USP)
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Food Chain ,mercury ,Colobanthus quitensis ,Antarctic Regions ,stable isotopes ,Bryophyta ,010501 environmental sciences ,Aquatic Science ,Oceanography ,01 natural sciences ,Birds ,Animals ,Ecosystem ,14. Life underwater ,Lichen ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Trophic level ,Islands ,biology ,food web ,Ecology ,010604 marine biology & hydrobiology ,Fishes ,15. Life on land ,biology.organism_classification ,Pollution ,Invertebrates ,Food web ,Caniformia ,Antarctic krill ,Bays ,13. Climate action ,Antarctica ,[SDV.TOX.ECO]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Toxicology/Ecotoxicology ,Fur seal ,Bay ,Water Pollutants, Chemical ,Environmental Monitoring - Abstract
International audience; Mercury (Hg) can reach the environment through natural and human-related sources, threatening ecosystems all over the planet due to its well-known deleterious effects. Therefore, Antarctic trophic webs, despite being relatively isolated, are not exempt of its influence. To evaluate Hg concentrations in an Antarctic ecosystem, different tissues from 2 species of invertebrates, 2 of fish, 8 of birds, 4 of pinnipeds and at least 5 of vegetation were investigated (n=176). For animals, values ranged from 0.018 to 48.7 μg g−1 dw (whole Antarctic krill and Antarctic Fur Seal liver). They were generally correlated to trophic position (assessed by δ15N and δ13C) but also to cephalopods and myctophids consumption. For vegetation, values ranged from 0.014 to 0.227 μg g−1 dw (Colobanthus quitensis and an unidentified lichen), with lichens presenting significantly higher values than mosses, likely due to year-round exposure and absorption of animal derived organic matter, as hypothesized by literature.
- Published
- 2017
40. Influenza Virus Infection of Marine Mammals
- Author
-
Olga Munoz, Marco De Nardi, Sasan Fereidouni, and Sophie Von Dobschuetz
- Subjects
Primates ,0301 basic medicine ,viruses ,Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis ,Ecology (disciplines) ,Biology ,medicine.disease_cause ,Virus ,Disease Outbreaks ,Birds ,03 medical and health sciences ,Marine mammal ,Orthomyxoviridae Infections ,Influenza, Human ,Pandemic ,medicine ,Influenza A virus ,Animals ,Humans ,Phylogeny ,Ecology ,Transmission (medicine) ,Whales ,virus diseases ,Virology ,Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 ,Caniformia ,Influenza B virus ,030104 developmental biology ,Animal ecology ,Influenza in Birds - Abstract
Interspecies transmission may play a key role in the evolution and ecology of influenza A viruses. The importance of marine mammals as hosts or carriers of potential zoonotic pathogens such as highly pathogenic H5 and H7 influenza viruses is not well understood. The fact that influenza viruses are some of the few zoonotic pathogens known to have caused infection in marine mammals, evidence for direct transmission of influenza A virus H7N7 subtype from seals to man, transmission of pandemic H1N1 influenza viruses to seals and also limited evidence for long-term persistence of influenza B viruses in seal populations without significant genetic change, makes monitoring of influenza viruses in marine mammal populations worth being performed. In addition, such monitoring studies could be a great tool to better understand the ecology of influenza viruses in nature.
- Published
- 2014
41. Occurrence and genotypic analysis of Trichinella species in Alaska marine-associated mammals of the Bering and Chukchi seas
- Author
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J.A. Lopez, C. Rosa, Larissa Horstmann-Dehn, and J. Seymour
- Subjects
Male ,Aquatic Organisms ,Genotype ,Ursus maritimus ,Oceans and Seas ,Trichinella ,Foxes ,Artificial digestion ,biology.animal ,parasitic diseases ,Prevalence ,Animals ,Parasite hosting ,General Veterinary ,biology ,Ecology ,Incidence ,fungi ,Trichinellosis ,General Medicine ,biology.organism_classification ,Caniformia ,Pusa hispida ,Erignathus barbatus ,Female ,Parasitology ,Eumetopias jubatus ,Trichinella nativa ,Alaska ,Ursidae - Abstract
The zoonotic parasite Trichinella is the causative agent of trichinellosis outbreaks in the circumpolar Arctic. Subsistence communities are particularly prone to trichinellosis due to traditional meat preparation methods and regional presence of a freeze-tolerant Trichinella species (Trichinella nativa). This study is the first application of a validated artificial digestion method in determining incidence of Trichinella sp. in Alaskan mammals. Infection incidence in pinniped species (Erignathus barbatus, Eumetopias jubatus, Odobenus rosmarus divergens, and Pusa hispida) was low, with only 1/57 ringed seals infected. Polymerase Chain Reaction assays indicate T. nativa as the only species present in northern Alaska. Analysis of an archived polar bear (Ursus maritimus) muscle sample shows freeze-tolerance and longevity for T. nativa to -20°C for 10 years and short-term freeze resistance to -80°C when morphology was used to determine presence of live larvae. However, larval motility suggests 0% survival. An approach that combines artificial digestion with PCR based species identification has excellent potential for Trichinella sp. detection and identification of archived tissues. Overall, Trichinella in Alaskan mammals, particularly marine mammals of subsistence importance, appears to be a minor problem. These modern diagnostic techniques provide accurate insight into the presence of Trichinella in the Alaskan marine environment.
- Published
- 2014
42. Identifying key habitats to conserve the threatened brown bear in the Himalaya
- Author
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Jon E. Swenson, Jodie Martin, and Muhammad Nawaz
- Subjects
Ecological niche ,education.field_of_study ,biology ,Ecology ,National park ,Population ,Vegetation ,biology.organism_classification ,Caniformia ,Geography ,Habitat ,Threatened species ,Rangeland ,education ,human activities ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Nature and Landscape Conservation - Abstract
The threatened Himalayan brown bear has a fragmented range in the Himalayas. However, its habitat has never been documented, which hinders conservation efforts. The Deosai Plateau in northern Pakistan has long been recognized as the core area for this subspecies in the country. To provide knowledge to help conserve the remnant populations in the Himalayan region, and especially in protected areas, we investigated habitat selection of brown bears and the influence of human presence on brown bear distribution in Deosai National Park, Pakistan. We used an Ecological Niche Factor Analysis to assess brown bear habitat selection, using scats sampled along transect routes throughout the park as location data. Habitat use based on 137 observations of brown bears during monitoring confirmed that differential scat detectability did not bias our results. Only 65% of the park area had productive vegetation. Our analyses indicated that brown bears avoided higher elevations and steeper slopes and selected more productive parts of the park (marshy, grassy, and stony vegetation types). The marshy vegetation was the most preferred habitat, probably because it had the highest forage production and density of golden marmots. Brown bears tolerated human infrastructures, like roads and camps, but strongly avoided grazing areas with high livestock density. The habitat suitability map generally followed the biomass productivity patterns of the park. It indicated the central part as suitable, and classified half of the park, mainly peripheral areas, as unsuitable for brown bears. The vegetation and habitat suitability maps also provide an objective criterion for evaluating present and future developments in the park. Until recently, communities seem to have used the park’s resources without significantly affecting the brown bear population. However, in recent years a large influx of nomadic communities with their livestock has become a challenge, which needs urgent attention to continue the present brown bear population recovery and to secure its habitat. We recommend monitoring the livestock and conducting a detailed inventory of the rangeland to understand grazing dynamics in the park and to maintain sustainable stocking rates.
- Published
- 2014
43. Foraging plasticity in a highly specialized carnivore, the endangered black-footed ferret
- Author
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Katrina M. Brickner, Jonathan N. Pauli, Martin B. Grenier, and Adrienne E. Crosier
- Subjects
biology ,Ecology ,Foraging ,Mustelidae ,Zoology ,Prairie dog ,biology.organism_classification ,Predation ,Caniformia ,Mustela nigripes ,biology.animal ,Cynomys leucurus ,Carnivore ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Nature and Landscape Conservation - Abstract
The extirpation of black-footed ferrets ( Mustela nigripes ) from the wild resulted from the rangewide decline of prairie dogs ( Cynomys spp.) brought about by poisoning campaigns, the arrival of an exotic disease, and habitat loss. It is widely accepted that ferrets are an obligate, near monophagous, dietary specialist of prairie dogs and that high-density prairie dog colonies are necessary for effective recovery. To test the extent to which ferrets are dietary specialists, we measured the stable isotopic values of 321 ferrets of known age and sex as well as of their potential prey (e.g., prairie dogs, mice, ground squirrels, and rabbits). Our results confirmed that prairie dogs are the most common diet item for ferrets, although ferrets possessed greater foraging plasticity than previously reported, consuming substantial quantities of other species. The degree to which ferrets were specialized on prairie dogs differed between age–sex groups. Adult male and juvenile ferrets had equivalent diets, with prairie dogs constituting nearly 75% of their assimilated diet. In contrast, adult females obtained over one third of their diet from other species, notably mice. However, female ferrets appeared to have provisioned prairie dogs to their dependent offspring. Conservation of ferrets, one of North America’s most endangered mammals, will require prairie dogs, not just as prey, but also for the prey-rich habitat that their colonies provide.
- Published
- 2014
44. Oldest record of monk seals from the North Pacific and biogeographic implications
- Author
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Ana M. Valenzuela-Toro and Jorge Vélez-Juarbe
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Mediterranean climate ,010506 paleontology ,biology ,Fossils ,Seals, Earless ,Ecology ,Palaeontology ,Crown (botany) ,biology.organism_classification ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Agricultural and Biological Sciences (miscellaneous) ,California ,Caniformia ,Animals ,Biological dispersal ,General Agricultural and Biological Sciences ,Phylogeny ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences - Abstract
True seals (crown Phocidae) originated during the late Oligocene–early Miocene (approx. 27–20 Ma) in the North Atlantic/Mediterranean region, with later (middle Miocene, approx. 16–11 Ma) dispersal events to the South Atlantic and South Pacific. Contrasting with other pinnipeds, the fossil record of phocids from the North Pacific region is scarce and restricted to the Pleistocene. Here we present the oldest fossil record of crown phocids, monachines (monk seals), from the North Pacific region. The specimens were collected from the upper Monterey Formation in Southern California and are dated to 8.5–7.1 Ma, predating the previously oldest known record by at least 7 Ma. This record provides new insights into the early biogeographic history of phocids in the North Pacific and is consistent with a northward dispersal of monk seals (monachines), which has been recognized for other groups of marine mammals. Alternatively, this finding may correspond with a westward dispersal through the Central American Seaway of some ancestor of the Hawaiian monk seal. This record increases the taxonomic richness of the Monterey pinniped assemblage to five taxa, making it a fairly diverse fossil assemblage, but also constitutes the oldest record of sympatry among all three extant pinniped crown clades.
- Published
- 2019
45. Accommodating species identification errors in transect surveys
- Author
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Michael F. Cameron, Erin E. Moreland, Devin S. Johnson, Brett T. McClintock, Paul B. Conn, and Peter L. Boveng
- Subjects
Population Density ,Conservation of Natural Resources ,Abundance estimation ,Distance sampling ,Arctic Regions ,Ecology ,Oceans and Seas ,Conservation of Energy Resources ,Inference ,Statistical model ,Biology ,Caniformia ,Species Specificity ,Prior probability ,Animals ,Survey data collection ,Quadrat ,Transect ,Ecosystem ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Demography - Abstract
Ecologists often use transect surveys to estimate the density and abundance of animal populations. Errors in species classification are often evident in such surveys, yet few statistical methods exist to properly account for them. In this paper, we examine biases that result from species misidentification when ignored, and we develop statistical models to provide unbiased estimates of density in the face of such errors. Our approach treats true species identity as a latent variable and requires auxiliary information on the misclassification process (such as informative priors, experiments using known species, or a double-observer protocol). We illustrate our approach with simulated census data and with double-observer survey data for ice-associated seals in the Bering Sea. For the seal analysis, we integrated misclassification into a model-based framework for distance-sampling data. The simulated data analysis demonstrated reliable estimation of animal density when there are experimental data to inform misclassification rates; double-observer protocols provided robust inference when there were "unknown" species observations but no outright misclassification, or when misclassification probabilities were symmetric and a symmetry constraint was imposed during estimation. Under our modeling framework, we obtained reasonable apparent densities of seal species even under considerable imprecision in species identification. We obtained more reliable inferences when modeling variation in density among transects. We argue that ecologists should often use spatially explicit models to account for differences in species distributions when trying to account for species misidentification. Our results support using double-observer sampling protocols that guard against species misclassification (i.e., by recording uncertain observations as "unknown").
- Published
- 2013
46. Wolverines (Gulo gulo luscus) on the Rocky Mountain slopes: natural heterogeneity and landscape alteration as predictors of distribution
- Author
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J.T. Fisher, S. Bradbury, B. Anholt, L. Nolan, L. Roy, J.P. Volpe, and M. Wheatley
- Subjects
Habitat fragmentation ,Ecology ,business.industry ,Fragmentation (computing) ,Mustelidae ,Distribution (economics) ,Biology ,biology.organism_classification ,Population density ,Natural (archaeology) ,Caniformia ,Habitat ,Animal Science and Zoology ,business ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics - Abstract
A species’ occurrence can be influenced by natural and anthropogenic factors; disentangling these is a precursor to understanding the mechanisms of distribution. Anthropogenic factors may be especially important at contracting range edges. We test this premise for wolverines (Gulo gulo luscus L., 1758) at the edge of their Rocky Mountain range in Alberta, Canada, a mosaic of natural heterogeneity and extensive landscape development. As wolverines have a suspected negative response to human activity, we hypothesized their occurrence on the Rockies’ slopes is predicted by a combination of natural and anthropogenic features. We surveyed wolverines at 120 sites along a natural and anthropogenic gradient using hair trapping and noninvasive genetic tagging. We used abundance estimation, generalized linear, and hierarchical models to determine whether abundance and occurrence was best predicted by natural land cover, topography, footprint, or a combination. Wolverines were more abundant in rugged areas protected from anthropogenic development. Wolverines were less likely to occur at sites with oil and gas exploration, forest harvest, or burned areas, even after accounting for the effect of topography. The relative paucity of wolverines in human-impacted portions of this range edge suggests that effective conservation requires managing landscape development, and research on the proximal mechanisms behind this relationship.
- Published
- 2013
47. Otariodibacter oris and Bisgaardia Genomospecies 1 Isolated from Infections in Pinnipeds
- Author
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Anders Miki Bojesen, Vanessa Fravel, Frances M. D. Gulland, Martha A. Delaney, Mie Johanne Hansen, and Mads F. Bertelsen
- Subjects
Male ,Pathology ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Zalophus californianus ,Phoca ,California ,Microbiology ,Arcanobacterium phocae ,Fatal Outcome ,medicine ,Animals ,Abscess ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Ecology ,biology ,Osteomyelitis ,Pasteurellaceae ,biology.organism_classification ,medicine.disease ,rpoB ,Caniformia ,Sea Lions ,Harbor seal ,Female ,Pasteurellaceae Infections - Abstract
We document the first associations of two recently described species of Pasteurellaceae bacteria with lesions in wild pinnipeds in rehabilitation. Samples were collected from nine lesions in four California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) and two Pacific harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) during necropsy or admission examinations at a rehabilitation facility in northern California. Seven Pasteurellaceae isolates were identified using phenotypic tests and partial rpoB gene sequencing. Six strains of Otariodibacter oris were isolated from California sea lions. Otariodibacter oris was isolated in pure culture from four abscesses, an affected lymph node, and a bone lesion consistent with osteomyelitis. Otariodibacter oris was also cultured with Arcanobacterium phocae and β-hemolytic streptococci. A pure culture of Bisgaardia genomospecies 1 was obtained from an abscess in a harbor seal. This is the first time, to our knowledge, that O. oris has been associated with infection. Isolation of these bacteria in pure culture from abscesses and osteomyelitis strongly indicates a pathogenic potential of this organism. Likewise, the isolation of Bisgaardia genomospecies 1 in pure culture from an abscess in a harbor seal implies causality.
- Published
- 2013
48. Increase in Antimicrobial Resistance in Bacteria Isolated from Stranded Marine Mammals of the Northwest Atlantic
- Author
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Philip O. Yund, Courtney C. Wallace, Keith Matassa, Timothy E. Ford, and Anna L. Bass
- Subjects
Northwestern United States ,Ecology ,biology ,Resistance (ecology) ,Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis ,biology.organism_classification ,Antimicrobial ,medicine.disease_cause ,Caniformia ,Microbiology ,Antibiotic resistance ,Marine mammal ,Enterobacteriaceae ,Bacterial isolate ,Animal ecology ,Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial ,medicine ,Animals ,Escherichia coli ,Bacteria - Abstract
Studies on marine mammals can inform our understanding of the environmental health of the ocean. To evaluate the potential for changes in antimicrobial resistance, we analyzed a database spanning 2004-2010 that consisted of bacterial isolate identity and antimicrobial sensitivity for stranded pinnipeds in the Northwest Atlantic. Samples (n = 170) from treated animals yielded 310 bacterial isolates representing 24 taxa. We evaluated changes in antimicrobial class resistance from 2004 to 2010 for eight taxa. Escherichia coli displayed a significant increase in resistance to several antimicrobial classes. Other taxa displayed significant increases in resistance to aminoglycosides, and/or fluoroquinolones. In addition, we observed a significant increase in multiple antimicrobial resistance in cultures from untreated animals. These results demonstrate an increase in resistance among common bacterial pathogens of marine mammals over a time span of 6 years.
- Published
- 2013
49. Origins and genetic structure of black bears in the Interior Highlands of North America
- Author
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Lori S. Eggert, Joseph D. Clark, Kaitlyn M. Faries, Jeff Beringer, Don White, and Thea V. Kristensen
- Subjects
education.field_of_study ,Ecology ,biology ,Population ,Population structure ,Population genetics ,biology.organism_classification ,Caniformia ,Geography ,Genetic structure ,Genetics ,Wildlife refuge ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Ursus ,education ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Nature and Landscape Conservation - Abstract
Although black bears (Ursus americanus) were believed to be extirpated from the Interior Highlands of North America by the early 1900s, populations have recently recovered, aided in part by reintroductions in Arkansas. Today black bears can be found in the Ozark and Ouachita National Forests of northern and western Arkansas, the White River National Wildlife Refuge in eastern Arkansas, and the Ozark region of southern Missouri. Previous genetic studies have investigated the effects of translocating black bears from Minnesota and Manitoba, Canada, into the Ozark and Ouachita National Forests between 1958 and 1968, with differing results. We used nuclear microsatellite loci to infer the genetic structure of black bears across the Interior Highlands and to investigate the sources of bears found today in southern Missouri. Our results suggest that the Ozark population was strongly influenced by the reintroductions, whereas the Ouachita population was influenced to a lesser degree. Although the majority of bears in the Ozark region of Arkansas and Missouri represent a single genetic unit, bears in Webster County, Missouri, may represent a remnant of the historical population of the region. Our results confirm that the bear population in the White River National Wildlife Refuge is strongly differentiated genetically from other Arkansas populations and support previous reports that the Ouachita bear population may have resulted from an admixture of a remnant population and reintroduced bears.
- Published
- 2013
50. Criteria and case definitions for serious injury and death of pinnipeds and cetaceans caused by anthropogenic trauma
- Author
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Paul Jepson, Kathleen M. T. Moore, Alexander M. Costidis, Michael J. Moore, Stephen Raverty, Julie van der Hoop, Frances M. D. Gulland, William A. McLellan, and Susan G. Barco
- Subjects
Ecology ,Fisheries ,Public concern ,Context (language use) ,Aquatic Science ,Biology ,Caniformia ,Cause of Death ,Environmental health ,Animals ,Wounds and Injuries ,Human Activities ,Cetacea ,Human safety ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Cause of death - Abstract
Post-mortem examination of dead and live stranded beach-cast pinnipeds and cetaceans for determination of a cause of death provides valuable information for the management, mitigation and prosecution of unintentional and sometimes malicious human impacts, such as vessel collision, fishing gear entanglement and gunshot. Delayed discovery, inaccessibility, logistics, human safety concerns, and weather make these events challenging. Over the past 3 decades, in response to public concern and federal and state or provincial regulations mandating such investigations to inform mitigation efforts, there has been an increasing effort to objectively and systematically investigate these strandings from a diagnostic and forensic perspective. This Theme Section provides basic investigative methods, and case definitions for each of the more commonly recognized case presentations of human interactions in pinnipeds and cetaceans. Wild animals are often adversely affected by factors such as parasitism, anthropogenic contaminants, biotoxins, subclinical microbial infections and competing habitat uses, such as prey depletion and elevated background and episodic noise. Understanding the potential contribution of these subclinical factors in predisposing or contributing to a particular case of trauma of human origin is hampered, especially where putrefaction is significant and resources as well as expertise are limited. These case criteria descriptions attempt to acknowledge those confounding factors to enable an appreciation of the significance of the observed human-derived trauma in that broader context where possible.
- Published
- 2013
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