A5015313746- Marine animal studies overview
- Toxic Organic Pollutants Impact
- Arctic and Antarctic ice dynamics
- Mercury impact and mitigation studies
- Marine and fisheries research
- Ocean Acidification Effects and Responses
- Underwater Acoustics Research
- Aquaculture disease management and microbiota
- Marine Toxins and Detection Methods
- Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances research
- Oil Spill Detection and Mitigation
- Effects and risks of endocrine disrupting chemicals
- Meat and Animal Product Quality
- Water Quality Monitoring Technologies
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Avian ecology and behavior
- Isotope Analysis in Ecology
- Identification and Quantification in Food
- Marine and coastal ecosystems
- Environmental Toxicology and Ecotoxicology
- Fatty Acid Research and Health
- Pregnancy and preeclampsia studies
- Bartonella species infections research
- Animal Disease Management and Epidemiology
- Protist diversity and phylogeny
National Marine Mammal Foundation
2018-2024
Marine Mammal Commission
2022-2024
NOAA National Ocean Service
2010-2023
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
2011-2023
NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service
2013-2023
University of North Carolina Wilmington
2023
NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science
2009-2019
NCCOS Hollings Marine Laboratory
2007-2017
United States Navy
2013
Morehead State University
2013
The oil spill resulting from the explosion of Deepwater Horizon drilling platform initiated immediate concern for marine wildlife, including common bottlenose dolphins in sensitive coastal habitats. To evaluate potential sublethal effects on dolphins, health assessments were conducted Barataria Bay, Louisiana, an area that received heavy and prolonged oiling, a reference site, Sarasota Florida, where was not observed. Dolphins temporarily captured, veterinary examination, then released....
The stock structure of western North Atlantic bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) is complex, with seasonally migratory stocks often overlapping year-round resident stocks. High rates exchange between northernmost sites have been documented but movement and seasonal fluctuation in abundance among along the southern portion US coast not well understood. To better understand abundance, a three-year mark-recapture study coastal estuarine waters near Charleston, South Carolina, USA was...
Three unusual mortalities events involving bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus Montagu 1821) occurred along Florida’s northern Gulf of Mexico coast between 1999 and 2006. The causes these events, in which over 300 are known to have died, still under investigation. impact mortality cannot be fully evaluated, because little prior information on dolphin abundance distribution patterns exist this region. Thus, the goals study were estimate seasonal abundance, develop site-fidelity indices,...
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), persistent chemicals widely used for industrial purposes, have been banned in most parts of the world decades. Owing to their bioaccumulative nature, PCBs are still found high concentrations marine mammals, particularly those that occupy upper trophic positions. While PCB-related health effects well-documented some studies among dolphins and whales limited. We conducted evaluations bottlenose ( Tursiops truncatus ) near a site on Georgia, United States coast...
High levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been reported in the tissues some species marine mammals. The high concentrations are concern because a growing body experimental evidence links PCBs to deleterious effects on reproduction, endocrine homeostasis, and immune system function. Much recent research has focused determining exposure mammal populations PCBs, but very little effort devoted actual risk assessments that needed determine expected impacts documented exposures. We...
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) including legacy POPs (PCBs, chlordanes, mirex, DDTs, HCB, and dieldrin) polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants were determined in 300 blubber biopsy samples from coastal near shore/estuarine male bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) sampled along the U.S. East Gulf of Mexico coasts Bermuda. Samples 14 locations urban rural estuaries a Superfund site (Brunswick, Georgia) contaminated with PCB formulation Aroclor 1268. All classes...
Common bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops truncatus ) inhabit bays, sounds and estuaries across the Gulf of Mexico. Following Deepwater Horizon oil spill, studies were initiated to assess potential effects on these ecologically important apex predators. A previous study reported disease conditions, including lung impaired stress response, for 32 that temporarily captured given health assessments in Barataria Bay, Louisiana, USA. Ten sampled determined be pregnant, with expected due dates...
Epigenetic age estimation has the potential to influence conservation approaches for wildlife. DNA extracted from a small skin sample can be analyzed methylation changes, which related chronological through an epigenetic clock obtain DNA-based estimate (DNAm age). For wide range of cetacean species, samples obtained remotely using dart biopsy. We tested multiple modeling (elastic net regression, random forest and hybrid elastic classification) data 426 observed-age wild bottlenose dolphins...
Marine mammals are susceptible to the effects of anthropogenic contaminants. Here we examine effect different polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) accumulation scenarios on potential population growth rates using, as an example, data obtained for bottlenose dolphins from Sarasota Bay, Florida. To achieve this goal, developed individual-based model framework that simulates PCBs in and modifies first-year calf survival based maternal blubber PCB levels. In our example current estimated annual rate...
Biomonitoring surveys of wild cetaceans commonly utilize blubber as a means to assess exposure persistent organic pollutants (POPs), but the relationship between concentrations in and those blood, better indicator target organ exposure, is poorly understood. To define this relationship, matched plasma samples (n = 56) were collected from free-ranging bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) analyzed for 61 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, 5 polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) 13...
Abstract Objective —To develop robust reference intervals for hematologic and serum biochemical variables by use of data derived from free-ranging bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops truncatus ) examine potential variation in distributions clinicopathologic values related to sampling sites' geographic locations. Animals —255 dolphins. Procedures —Data samples collected during multiple dolphin capture-release projects conducted at 4 southeastern US coastal locations 2000 through 2006 were combined...
Skin disease occurs frequently in many cetacean species across the globe; methods to categorize lesions have relied on photo-identification (photo-id), stranding, and by-catch data. The current study used photo-id data from four sampling months during 2009 estimate skin lesion prevalence type occurring bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) three sites along southeast United States coast [Sarasota Bay, FL (SSB); near Brunswick Sapelo Island, GA (BSG); Charleston, SC (CHS)]. of was highest...
In the Florida Panhandle region, bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) have been highly susceptible to large-scale unusual mortality events (UMEs) that may result of exposure blooms dinoflagellate Karenia brevis and its neurotoxin, brevetoxin (PbTx). Between 1999 2006, three dolphin UMEs occurred in region. The primary objective this study was determine if these were due brevetoxicosis. Analysis over 850 samples from 105 associated prey items analyzed for algal toxins provided details on...
Assessing cumulative effects of human activities on ecosystems is required by many jurisdictions, but current science cannot meet regulatory demands. Regulations define them as effect(s) one action combined with other actions. Here we argue for an approach that evaluates the risk multiple stressors protected wildlife populations within their ecosystems. Monitoring each stressor necessary not sufficient to estimate how interact affect populations. Examining mechanistic pathways, from cellular...