A5082283119- Marine animal studies overview
- Animal Vocal Communication and Behavior
- Marine and fisheries research
- Cephalopods and Marine Biology
- Arctic and Antarctic ice dynamics
- Underwater Acoustics Research
- Marine and coastal plant biology
- Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies
- Marine Bivalve and Aquaculture Studies
- Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
- Human-Animal Interaction Studies
- Identification and Quantification in Food
- Avian ecology and behavior
- Maritime Navigation and Safety
- Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
- Marine Biology and Environmental Chemistry
- Ocean Acidification Effects and Responses
- Isotope Analysis in Ecology
- Fish Ecology and Management Studies
- Cryospheric studies and observations
- Fish Biology and Ecology Studies
- Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Biomedical Research
- Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Education and Technology Integration
Western Washington University
2015-2024
Texas A&M University at Galveston
1994-2023
Sonora Institute of Technology
2019
NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Southwest Fisheries Science Center
2019
University of California, Santa Cruz
2000-2002
California Academy of Sciences
2002
Golden Gate University
2002
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
2000
Cornell University
2000
Texas A&M University
1994
Many marine mammal predators, particularly pinnipeds, have increased in abundance recent decades, generating new challenges for balancing human uses with recovery goals via ecosystem-based management. We used a spatio-temporal bioenergetics model of the Northeast Pacific Ocean to quantify how predation by three species pinnipeds and killer whales (Orcinus orca) on Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) has changed since 1970s along west coast North America, compare these estimates...
SUMMARY Large body size usually extends dive duration in air-breathing vertebrates. However, the two largest predators on earth, blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) and fin (B. physalus), perform short dives for their size. Here, we test hypothesis that foraging behavior of these species (lunge-feeding) is energetically expensive limits duration. We estimated cost lunge-feeding both using an approach combined attaching time/depth recorders to seven whales eight comparing collected information...
MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout JournalEditorsTheme Sections 464:257-271 (2012) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps09880 Harbor seal diet in northern Puget Sound: implications for recovery of depressed fish stocks Monique M. Lance1,*, Wan-Ying Chang2, Steven J. Jeffries1, Scott F. Pearson3, Alejandro Acevedo-Gutiérrez4 1Washington Department Fish and Wildlife, Wildlife...
Conflicts can arise when the recovery of one protected species limits another through competition or predation. The many marine mammal populations on west coast United States has been viewed as a success; however, within Puget Sound in Washington State, increased abundance three pinniped may be adversely affecting threatened Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and endangered killer whales (Orcinus orca) region. Between 1970 2015, we estimate that annual biomass consumed by pinnipeds...
Knowing the abundance of a population is crucial component to assess its conservation status and develop effective plans. For most cetaceans, estimation difficult given their cryptic mobile nature, especially when small has transnational distribution. In Baltic Sea, number harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) collapsed since mid-20th century Proper porpoise listed as Critically Endangered by IUCN HELCOM; however, remains unknown. Here, one largest ever passive acoustic monitoring studies...
Resightings of photographically identified bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops truncatus ) were used to calculate association indices for a population free-ranging individuals occurring in the Galveston Bay system, Texas, and adjacent Gulf Mexico. Thirty-five individual with four or more sightings per year included analyses ensure likelihood identification comparability 1990 1991. The patterns weak, few strong associations between individuals. average 1991 similar; however, magnitude changed...
MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout JournalEditorsTheme Sections 329:205-210 (2007) - doi:10.3354/meps329205 Recovery of sea urchin Diadema antillarum populations is correlated increased coral and reduced macroalgal cover Sarah Myhre, Alejandro Acevedo-Gutiérrez* Department Biology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, 98225-9160, USA *Corresponding author. Email:...
Harbor seals (Phoca fvitulina) are an abundant predator along the west coast of North America, and there is considerable interest in their diet composition, especially regard to predation on valued fish stocks. Available informationon harbor seal diets, primarily derived from scat analysis, suggests that adult salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.), Pacific Herring (Clupea pallasii), gadids predominate. Because assessments based analysis may be biased, we investigated composition through quantitative...
Background Worldwide, adult harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) typically limit their movements and activity to <50 km from primary haul-out site. As a result, the ecological impact of is viewed as limited relatively small spatial scales. Harbor in Pacific Northwest are believed remain <30 site, one several contributing factors current stock designation. However, movement patterns within region not well understood because previous studies have used radio-telemetry, which has range limitations. Our...
Sex-specific diet information is important in the determination of predator impacts on prey populations. Unfortunately, males and females can be difficult to describe, particularly when they are marine predators. We combined two molecular techniques describe haul-out use preferences male female harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) from Comox Cowichan Bay (Canada) during 2012-2013. DNA metabarcoding quantified proportions comprised species seal scat, qPCR determined sex individual that deposited...
We examined the hypothesis that dolphins increase their rate of sound production during feeding events to recruit new individuals. recorded 135.5 min underwater sounds from bottlenose (Tursiops truncatus) near Isla del Coco, Costa Rica. Data were collected eight groups and three nonfeeding groups. classified as whistles, click trains, or pulse bursts. The number whistles per dolphin was higher in than More trains bursts produced when feeding. On other hand, there no difference proportion...
MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout JournalEditorsTheme Sections 441:225-239 (2011) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps09370 Harbor seal foraging response a seasonal resource pulse, spawning Pacific herring Austen C. Thomas1,3,*, Monique M. Lance2, Steven J. Jeffries2, Benjamin G. Miner1, Alejandro Acevedo-Gutiérrez1 1Western Washington University, Department of Biology,...
Understanding the variability of foraging behavior within a population predators is important for determining their role in ecosystem and how they may respond to future changes. However, such has seldom been studied harbor seals on fine spatial scale (<30 km). We used combination standard Bayesian generalized linear mixed models explore environmental variables influenced dive seals. Time-depth recorders were deployed from two haul-out sites Salish Sea 2007 (n = 18) 2008 11). Three behavioral...
Marine trophic ecology data are in high demand as natural resource agencies increasingly adopt ecosystem-based management strategies that account for complex species interactions. Harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) diet of particular interest because the is an abundant predator northeast Pacific Ocean and Salish Sea ecosystem consumes salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.). A multi-agency effort was therefore undertaken to produce harbour on scale using, 1) a standardized set scat collection analysis...
Abstract Effective management of threatened and endangered species requires an understanding how conservation concern are distributed spatially, as well the spatial distribution risks to population, such predation or human impacts (fishing, pollution, loss habitat). Identifying high‐risk areas is particularly important when designing reserves protected areas. Our novel approach incorporates data on distribution, movement, diet a generalist marine predator (harbor seals) identify map “hot...
A bstract We tested the hypothesis that spatial arrangement and movements of bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops truncatus ) are related to their prey. From 65 groups we: (1) classified feeding behavior according individuals; (2) assessed location prey from direct observations, numbers associated seabirds, echosounder recordings; (3) Four categories were defined cluster principal component analyses: moving rapidly with no diving, milling diving in several locations, (4) one location. These
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration established a buffer zone around marine mammals to prevent harassment. varies by species listing status geographic area. However, it is unknown the extent which vessels comply with these zones. We selected harbor seals ( Phoca vitulina L., 1758) as case study describe compliance zone. conducted land-based observations from Yellow Island, Washington State, in area where 91 m (100 yards), estimate vessel distance hauled-out evaluate seal...
MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout JournalEditorsTheme Sections 526:213-225 (2015) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps11230 Stable isotope mixing models elucidate sex and size effects on diet of a generalist marine predator Rhema H. Bjorkland1,5,*, Scott F. Pearson2, Steve J. Jeffries2, Monique M. Lance2, Alejandro Acevedo-Gutiérrez3, Eric Ward4 1Fisheries Resource...
During breeding season, male harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) produce underwater calls used in sexual competition and advertisement. Call characteristics vary among populations, within-population differences are thought to represent individual variation. However, vocalizations have not been described for several populations of this widely-distributed genetically diverse species. This study describes the vocal repertoire from British Columbia, Canada. Underwater recordings were made near Hornby...