Trends in tagging of marine mammals: a review of marine mammal biologging studies

The number of scientific papers resulting from biologging instruments deployed on marine mammals is increasing as improved technologies result in smaller devices and improved sensor-, storage- and transmission capabilities. I undertook a comprehensive review of papers resulting from biologging deployments on free-ranging marine mammals between 1965 and 2013 (n = 620) to summarise where (e.g. on which species, as well as in which geographic areas) deployment efforts were focused, the impacts of the resulting papers, and where there are shortcomings in the literature. Species-, sex- and age-class biases were evident in terms of animals instrumented. Also, large proportions of the papers resulted from deployments on a small number of species (particularly among the pinnipeds) and were more often on adult females than other demographic classes. The mean impact of papers (as assessed using journal impact factors and numbers of citations) was consistent over time, and was influenced by the number of species studied, sample sizes and instrument capabilities. I found a paucity of papers addressing device influences on animals, as well as studies with explicit conservation and/or management implications. This review aims to increase awareness of marine mammal biologging data already collected, stimulate appropriate further studies, and encourage the reuse of existing data.     

Geographical and temporal variation in levels of organochlorine contaminants in marine mammals

The interpretation of the spatial and temporal patterns of variation in organochlorine concentrations in marine mammal populations is complex because of the lack of wide-scale, long-term surveys. Therefore the results from several surveys must be combined and this causes undesired heterogeneity due to differences in the sampling and analytical techniques used and in the biological characteristics of the individuals sampled. Moreover, information is not homogeneously distributed in either space or in time. Most research is concentrated in western Europe, northern America and certain areas of Asia, while it is extremely limited or non-existent in Africa and most regions of the southern hemisphere. Marine mammals from the temperate fringe of the northern hemisphere, particularly fish-eating species which inhabit the mid-latitudes of Europe and North America, show the greatest organochlorine loads; noteworthy are the extremely high levels found in the Mediterranean Sea and certain locations on the western coasts of the United States. Concentrations in the tropical and equatorial fringe of the northern hemisphere and throughout the southern hemisphere are low or extremely low. The polar regions of both hemispheres showed the lowest concentrations of DDTs and PCBs, although levels of HCHs, chlordanes and HCB were moderate to high in the cold waters of the North Pacific. During recent decades, concentrations have tended to decrease in the regions where pollution was initially high but they have increased in regions located far from the pollution source as a consequence of atmospheric transport and redistribution. It is expected that the Arctic and, to a lesser extent, the Antarctic, will become major sinks for organochlorines in the future; this process may already be significant for some compounds such as HCB and HCHs. Effort should be devoted to both assessment of organochlorine trends in the now highly polluted populations of the temperate fringe of the northern hemisphere and to the implementation of long-term monitoring of marine mammal populations inhabiting polar regions.     

Why management decisions involving marine mammals should include animal welfare

This paper argues the need for consideration of both animal welfare and conservation when making management decisions regarding human activities that affect marine mammals. Population level effects may take a long time to be determined, whereas animal welfare metrics can be observed in the short term, enabling problems to be addressed more rapidly. In addition, implementing current legislation in many countries related to the management of impacts on marine mammals requires animal welfare to be taken into account. Such legislation reflects societal values and public concern for individual animals. Two case studies are discussed. These are: management measures related to incidental killing in commercial fisheries, and injury or disturbance from intense sources of underwater noise from seismic surveys. Both of these threats have welfare and conservation implications for marine mammals. An increased focus on welfare would better reflect societal values including requirements under various legal regimes and could also enable more targeted and effective conservation actions.     

桑沟湾大型底栖动物生物多样性研究

为了解桑沟湾大型底柄动物多样性现状,作者于2009年7月和12月对桑沟湾9个站位进行2个航次的采样,以种类组成、生物量和柄息密度为基础,采用物种多样性指数(Shannon-Wiener index)、物种丰富度指数(Species richnessindex)以及物种均匀度指数(Species evenness index)对大型底栖动物多样性及其影响因子进行了分析.结果表明:共采到大型底栖动物83种,其中多毛类45种,占种类总数的54.22％,软体动物11种(占13.25％),甲壳类23种(占27.71％),其他4种(占4.82％).各站获得平均种类数在2～28种之间,种类最少的出现在夏季的C8站,最多的出现在夏季的C4站.不同养殖区生物多样性指数差异也很大,物种多样性(H′)和物种丰富度指数(D)均以贝类养殖区最高,藻类养殖区最低,而物种均匀度指数(J′)以贝藻混养区最高,藻类养殖区最低.生物多样性除了受种的数量及其个体密度的影响外,还与多种环境因素有关,相关性分析结果表明:水温、盐度、沉积物类型和硫化物含量是影响桑沟湾大型底栖动物生物多样性的主要环境因子.     

桑沟湾大型底栖动物生物多样性研究

为了解桑沟湾大型底栖动物多样性现状,作者于2009年7月和12月对桑沟湾9个站位进行2个航次的采样,以种类组成、生物量和栖息密度为基础,采用物种多样性指数(Shannon-Wiener index)、物种丰富度指数(Species richnessindex)以及物种均匀度指数(Species evenness index)对大型底栖动物多样性及其影响因子进行了分析。结果表明:共采到大型底栖动物83种,其中多毛类45种,占种类总数的54.22%,软体动物11种(占13.25%),甲壳类23种(占27.71%),其他4种(占4.82%)。各站获得平均种类数在2～28种之间,种类最少的出现在夏季的C8站,最多的出现在夏季的C4站。不同养殖区生物多样性指数差异也很大,物种多样性(H′)和物种丰富度指数(D)均以贝类养殖区最高,藻类养殖区最低,而物种均匀度指数(J′)以贝藻混养区最高,藻类养殖区最低。生物多样性除了受种的数量及其个体密度的影响外,还与多种环境因素有关,相关性分析结果表明:水温、盐度、沉积物类型和硫化物含量是影响桑沟湾大型底栖动物生物多样性的主要环境因子。     

Persistent threats need persistent counteraction: Responding to PCB pollution in marine mammals

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a type of persistent organic pollutant (POP) that continues to pose a significant environmental threat to humans and wildlife. Recent scientific evidence shows that very high PCB concentrations are still major causes of contemporary declines in European cetacean populations, and potentially other marine apex predators globally. Currently, controls on PCBs are insufficient, on their own, to fully protect human health or to conserve wildlife. Although the Stockholm Convention provides a global framework to address PCBs, there appears to be a systemic shortfall of many parties of the Convention to provide sufficient prioritisation and resources for effective implementation. A 2015 United Nations Environment Programme assessment estimates that the vast majority of PCB-contaminated equipment and materials, around 14 million tonnes, still requires elimination. At present rates of PCB elimination or mitigation, many countries, including some European countries, will not achieve the 2025 and 2028 targets of the Stockholm Convention. It is imperative that the Conference of the Parties for the Stockholm Convention conclude article 17 negotiations on a compliance mechanism for the Convention as soon as possible. To help mobilise global efforts towards eliminating the threat from PCBs, an enforceable, effective and robust compliance mechanism should be established, along with capacity building support for developing countries. In Europe, renewed action is needed to reduce PCB contamination, in order to prevent some killer whale (Orcinus orca) and other dolphin populations from continuing to slowly decline, potentially towards extinction.     

A software workbench for estimating the effects of cumulative sound exposure in marine mammals

The U.S. Navy has initiated a multidisciplinary research and development program to study the Effects of Sound on the Marine Environment (ESME). As part of this effort, the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) is developing a software workbench for estimating the effects of cumulative sound exposure on marine mammals. This paper describes the workbench, and presents some preliminary simulation results. The workbench integrates data sets and computer models contributed by researchers in the areas of oceanography, underwater acoustic propagation, and marine mammal physiology and behavior. Models are incorporated for simulating animal movement, for estimating the received acoustic time series along an animal's track, and for predicting temporary threshold shifts (TTSs) induced by acoustic exposure. TTS predictions are shown to be highly dependent upon both the environmental variables and the movement of the marine mammals.     

Qualitative correlation of marine mammals with physical and biological parameters in the Ligurian Sea

In support of its acoustic risk mitigation policy, NATO SACLANT Undersea Research Centre (SACLANTCEN) is sponsoring a series of sea trials, entitled "Sirena" to collect a multiyear integrated oceanographic, biological, and hydrographic data set, the goal being to explain, based on these parameters, the distribution of marine mammals found in specific locations. By understanding how ocean dynamics affects the distribution and behavior of whales and the organisms forming the food web upon which the whales feed, it may be possible to conduct acoustic exercises in areas of low cetacean density. The first two Sirena multidisciplinary cruises were conducted in the Ligurian Sea in late summer time frame during 1999 and 2000. The focus of this analysis is to determine whether remotely sensed satellite data can indicate nutrient-rich regions in areas where the oceanography is known and to determine if these regions of higher productivity, coupled with knowledge of cetacean presence from all available sources, could be used as an indicator of marine mammal presence for acoustic risk mitigation purposes. For the two years of data examined, cooler sea-surface temperature data correlated with high levels of chlorophyll production as seen by remotely sensed images. This remotely sensed data correlated well with measured subsurface values of the same parameters. Coincident sightings of three species of marine mammals indicated that fin and sperm whales generally preferred the deep, nutrient-rich portion of the basin while Cuvier's beaked whales preferred a submarine canyon where there is a frontal influence, as indicated from satellite data and historical oceanography. This paper is intended as a contribution to the longer term objective of developing the means to accurately predict cetacean presence from physical oceanographic characteristics.     

Protection of marine species diversity in China

正China has approximately 14 500 km long coastline that not only offers to dwell for human being but also exists diverse marine organisms. Nowadays, Chinese marine economy development is rapid and marvelous, while we have met very serious problem on losing marine biodiversity.     

中国海洋生物地球化学过程研究的最新进展

海洋是全球生态系统的重要组成部分,在地球系统中,其与大气、陆地紧密联系在一起,在调节全球气候等方面发挥着举足轻重的作用。全球变化引起的海洋变化十分明显,现在已经能够观测到海洋的大尺度物理、化学和生物特征的变化,其中海洋食物链结构、海岸带富营养化和珊瑚礁退化最为     

中国海洋吸虫纲物种多样性的研究

在国家908专项调查和成果集成工作的基础上,结合对海洋吸虫文献资料的收集,分析研究了中国海洋吸虫的物种多样性.其结果表明中国海洋吸虫有1 184种,其中单殖目吸虫410种,复殖目吸虫774种.单殖目的宿主都是硬骨鱼.复殖目物种成虫的宿主主要是鱼,也有爬行纲和兽纲.吸虫感染宿主有些具有专一性,但也有些具有普遍性.宿主的食性、地理分布和季节分布与吸虫感染密切相关.不同于以往70多年来主要进行的分类研究,本文主要探讨海洋吸虫的生活史及与其宿主的关系,这将为水生生物病虫害的防治和海洋物种多样性的研究提供基础资料,具有重要生物学和生态学的意义.     

A preliminary assessment of threats to arctic marine mammals and their conservation in the coming decades

Over the next several decades, arctic marine mammals will face threats from six areas of human influence: climate change, environmental contaminants, offshore oil and gas activities, shipping, hunting, and commercial fisheries. This paper reviews these factors, the nature and magnitude of the threats they pose, current scientific understanding and management of those threats, and the potential for effective conservation action. Climate change, offshore oil and gas activities, and commercial fisheries likely pose the greatest threats. Addressing the combined effects of all six factors, however, will be particularly difficult but essential to prevent declines beyond those that have already occurred.     

Conservation status of New Zealand marine mammals (suborders Cetacea and Pinnipedia), 2009

The conservation status of New Zealand (NZ) marine mammals (suborders Cetacea and Pinnipedia) is reappraised using the 2008 version of the NZ Threat Classification System. The list comprises 56 taxa (named species or subspecies, and as yet unnamed forms or types) in the following categories: Threatened—eight taxa (five Nationally Critical and three Nationally Endangered); Vagrant—six taxa; Migrant—20 taxa; and Data Deficient—13 taxa. A further nine taxa are listed as Not Threatened. Relative to the previous listing, the threat status of two species worsened: the NZ sea lion (Phocarctos hookeri) was uplisted to Nationally Critical and the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) was uplisted to Nationally Endangered. No species was considered to have an improved status. With the uplisting of the NZ sea lion and the continued listing of the Hector's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus hectori hectori) as Endangered and Maui's dolphin (C. hectori maui) as Nationally Critical, all three endemic NZ marine mammals are now considered threatened with extinction. We considered future research or management actions that would allow the downlisting of the eight taxa currently listed as Threatened.     

中国寄居蟹类区系研究

本文对产于中国的100种寄居蟹作了区系研究,并与其他国家和海区所产的寄居蟹类进行比较,作出了地理分布表。     

An overview of marine fisheries management in China

China is the world's largest country in terms of fish production, yet its fisheries management is comparatively unknown outside the country. This article gives an overview of the current management system and highlights some of its challenges. In the past 30 years, the Department of Fishery Administration has formulated and organized a series of conservation and management regimes and measures. The most important tools are minimum mesh size regulation and a range of input control measures, including seasonal closures and attempts to control fishing capacity through licensing and limiting total engine power. However, fisheries output is only controlled through a nation-wide total catch limit. Certain progress has been achieved, but there are still problems as the resource situation is poor. While the existing measures could, in principle, improve sustainability, their enforcement is insufficient, and they do not limit fishing effort in a way that would allow recovery.     

A digital acoustic recording tag for measuring the response of wild marine mammals to sound

Definitive studies on the response of marine mammals to anthropogenic sound are hampered by the short surface time and deep-diving lifestyle of many species. A novel archival tag, called the DTAG, has been developed to monitor the behavior of marine mammals, and their response to sound, continuously throughout the dive cycle. The tag contains a large array of solid-state memory and records continuously from a built-in hydrophone and suite of sensors. The sensors sample the orientation of the animal in three dimensions with sufficient speed and resolution to capture individual fluke strokes. Audio and sensor recording is synchronous so the relative timing of sounds and motion can be determined precisely. The DTAG has been attached to more than 30 northern right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) and 20 sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) with recording duration of up to 12 h per deployment. Several deployments have included sound playbacks to the tagged whale and a transient response to at least one playback is evident in the tag data.     

植物硅酸体研究在我国海洋地质学中的应用

对海岸带、浅海、半深海现代及第四纪沉积物进行的植物硅酸体研究表明,植物硅酸体可以在恢复海洋古气候、古环境的研究工作中发挥重要作用,不但可用于解决一些哑地层中的相关问题,在时间尺度上其分辨率也是较高的.     

我国植物食性海水鱼类养殖发展前景

<正>近50年来,我国水产养殖业快速发展,从过去追求养殖面积扩大和养殖产量增加,向更加注重品种结构的调整和产品质量的提高。新的养殖技术和新的养殖品种不断推出,工厂化养殖、生态健康养殖模式迅速发展,2012年我国海水鱼养殖产量为102.84万t,年增长6.66%[1],品种达80余种。养殖模式方面,工厂化养殖、网箱养殖、池塘养殖等多种