[MARMAM] New publication: A Multi-Matrix Metabolomic Approach in Ringed Seals and Beluga Whales to Evaluate Contaminant and Climate-Related Stressors

2022-08-31 Thread Antoine Simond
Hello everyone,

My co-authors and I are pleased to announce and share our recent paper
titled:

*A Multi-Matrix Metabolomic Approach in Ringed Seals and Beluga Whales to
Evaluate Contaminant and Climate-Related Stressors*

Simond, A.E., Noël, M., Loseto, L., Houde, M., Kirk, J., Elliott, A., and
Brown, T.M.

*Abstract*
As a high trophic-level species, ringed seals (*Pusa hispida*) and beluga
whales (*Delphinapterus leucas*) are particularly vulnerable to elevated
concentrations of biomagnifying contaminants, such as polychlorinated
biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and mercury (Hg).
These species also face climate-change-related impacts which are leading to
alterations in their diet and associated contaminant exposure. The
metabolomic profile of marine mammal tissues and how it changes to
environmental stressors is poorly understood. This study characterizes the
profiles of 235 metabolites across plasma, liver, and inner and outer
blubber in adult ringed seals and beluga whales and assesses how these
profiles change as a consequence of contaminants and dietary changes. In
both species, inner and outer blubber were characterized by a greater
proportion of lipid classes, whereas the dominant metabolites in liver and
plasma were amino acids, carbohydrates, biogenic amines and
lysophosphatidylcholines. Several metabolite profiles in ringed seal plasma
correlated with δ13C, while metabolite profiles in blubber were affected by
hexabromobenzene in ringed seals and PBDEs and Hg in belugas. This study
provides insight into inter-matrix similarities and differences across
tissues and suggests that plasma and liver are more suitable for studying
changes in diet, whereas liver and blubber are more suitable for studying
the impacts of contaminants.

The paper is open access and can be downloaded here:
https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1989/12/9/813

Please contact me at asim...@sfu.ca if you would like a copy of the
manuscript or if you have any questions.

Best regards,

Antoine Simond
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[MARMAM] New publication: vessel impact on the whistle parameters of two ecotypes of bottlenose dolphin in La Paz Bay, Mexico

2022-08-31 Thread Simone Antichi
Dear MARMAM community,

On behalf of my coauthors, I am pleased to share our recently published
article in the journal Diversity, special issue "Monitoring, Threat
Assessment, and Conservation Actions of Cetaceans".

Antichi S, Jaramillo-Legorreta AM, Urbán R. J, Martínez-Aguilar S, and
Viloria-Gómora L. 2022. Small Vessel Impact on the Whistle Parameters of
Two Ecotypes of Common Bottlenose Dolphin (*Tursiops truncatus*) in La Paz
Bay, Mexico. Diversity 14:712.  https://doi.org/10.3390/d14090712

Abstract
Vessel traffic is one of the major sources of underwater anthropogenic
noise. Dolphins can modify their vocal repertoire, especially whistles, in
presence of vessels to facilitate their communication. Acoustic data were
collected (sampling rate 96 kHz) in La Paz Bay, Gulf of California, Mexico.
Whistle rate and parameters of the coastal and oceanic ecotypes of common
bottlenose dolphins (*Tursiops truncatus*) were measured in absence of
vessels and in presence of moving small vessels (size 5–10 m). The peak
noise difference was calculated between the two frequency bands dominated
by the whistles (2000–20,000 Hz) and the small vessel (500–2000 Hz). In
presence of vessels the oceanic ecotype decreased whistle frequencies while
the coastal ecotype increased them. Both ecotypes raised whistle
frequencies with the decreasing of the peak noise difference. The
differences in habitat and group structure could have driven the two
ecotypes to react in a different way to the vessel presence.

The paper is open access and can be downloaded at:
https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/14/9/712/htm
If you have any questions regarding our work please contact this email:
santichi...@alu.uabcs.mx

Kind regards,
Simone Antichi
--
PhD candidate
Departamento de Ciencias Marinas y Costeras, Universidad Autónoma de Baja
California Sur, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico.
email: santichi...@alu.uabcs.mx
cell: +52 612 228 5196
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[MARMAM] New article - First record of sharksucker with a young Guiana dolphin

2022-08-31 Thread Guilherme Augusto Bortolotto
Dear all,

I'm pleased to share that or new article is now published in the JMBA-UK

Souto, L., Ross, T., Sampaio, C., Reis, M., & Bortolotto, G. (2022). First
record of sharksucker Echeneis naucrates associated with a young Guiana
dolphin Sotalia guianensis in north-eastern Brazil. Journal of the Marine
Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 1-4.
doi:10.1017/S0025315422000637

Summary: We describe and discuss the rare observation of association
between a young Guiana dolphin and likely the same sharksucker for over 1.5
month.

Open access: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0025315422000637

Don't hesitate to get in touch with questions, comments and suggestions:
ga...@st-andrews.ac.uk


All the best,

Guilherme A. Bortolotto (he/him)
Research Fellow | Sea Mammal Research Unit
http://www.smru.st-andrews.ac.uk/person/gabdo/

Project TARSAN
International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration
https://thwaitesglacier.org/index.php/
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[MARMAM] Online Course - An Introduction to Basic Statistics for Biologists using R - 10th to 13th October 2022

2022-08-31 Thread cdmacleod
Data preparation and analysis is a key skill for all those working with 
marine mammals, and of the available software packages, R has rapidly 
become the most widely used. This means that a knowledge of how to 
prepare and analyse data in R is essential skill for marine 
mammalogists.


We will be running a new instructor-led online course in October 2022 
based around our book titled _An Introduction to Basic Statistics for 
Biologists using R_. It will be held over the Zoom video-conferencing 
platform and will provide all the practical knowledge and experience you 
need to get started with analysing biological data using R. As a result, 
no previous experience with R or statistical analysis is required to do 
this course.


It will run from the 10th and the 13th of October 2022. The course will 
consist of four three-hour sessions, and one session will need to be 
completed each day. However, you will have a choice of completing it 
between 10:00 and 13:00 UK Time (primarily for those living in Europe, 
Asia and Africa) or 19:00 to 22:00 UK Time (primarily for those living 
in North and South America). This choice of time slots for each session 
allows participants from as wide a range of time zones to participate in 
the course.


Attendance will be limited to a maximum of 24 people per session. The 
fees for this course are GBP 295 per person (with a discounted rate of 
GBP 245 for students, the unwaged and those working for registered 
charities). To book a place, or for more information, you can either 
email us at i...@gisinecology.con or click on the link below.


http://gisinecology.com/stats-for-biologists-1/live-online-course-an-introduction-to-basic-statistics-for-biologists-using-r/ 
[1]


ABOUT THE COURSE:

This is a practical course and it is aimed at anyone who wishes to learn 
how to carry out basic data processing and statistical analyses on 
biological data using R. This includes importing data sets into R, 
error-checking and processing them to prepare them for analysis, 
calculating basic summary statistics, creating graphs, assessing and 
transforming their distributions, and running statistical tests such as 
Shapiro-Wilk tests, t-tests, Mann-Whitney U tests, paired t-tests, 
Wilcoxon Matched Pairs tests, F-tests for equality of variance, Levene's 
tests, ANOVAs, Kruskal-Walis tests, chi-squared tests, correlations and 
linear regressions. It will also cover how to use R, how to work out how 
to do things for yourself in R and how to create annotated R script 
archives of what you have done.


Each session will consist of a series of background talks covering 
specific topics (more details are provided below), followed by related 
practical exercises based on instructions from An Introduction to Basic 
Statistics for Biologists using R. As a result, all participants will 
receive a free copy of this book shipped to their address in advance of 
the start of the course. While you are encouraged to remain online 
during the practical sessions, you can choose to go off-line as you work 
though the exercises (or if you need to take a break). However, if you 
have any questions, the course instructor will be available throughout 
the course for you to ask any questions you wish at any point.


This course will be hosted by Dr Colin D. MacLeod, one of the authors of 
_An Introduction to Basic Statistics for Biologists using R._.


At the end of the course, all attendees will receive a certificate of 
attendance and completion. Each certificate is embossed with the GIS In 
Ecology official stamp to prevent its fraudulent reproduction. In 
addition, each certificate has its own unique identification number that 
we will record, along with your name, meaning that we can verify the 
authenticity of the certificates we issue (and the course you have 
completed) on request.


---

==
GIS IN ECOLOGY - Providing Training, Advice And Consultancy On The Use 
Of GIS In Ecology


Web: www.GISinEcology.com [2] Email: i...@gisinecology.com

Need to ask a question about using GIS? Try the GIS In Ecology Forum: 
www.GISinEcology.com/GIS_in_Ecology_forum.htm [3]


Books From GIS In Ecology Staff:

GIS For Biologists: A Practical Introduction For Undergraduates; RRP: 
£24.99
An Introduction To Integrating QGIS And R For Spatial Analysis; RRP: 
£19.99
An Introduction To Species Distribution Modelling (SDM) Using QGIS And 
R; RRP: £19:99


If you wish to purchase these books, visit: 
http://www.gisinecology.com/book-shop/


To help the environment, please do not print out this email unless it is 
unavoidable.

==

Links:
--
[1] 
http://gisinecology.com/stats-for-biologists-1/live-online-course-an-introduction-to-basic-statistics-for-biologists-using-r/

[2] http://www.GISinEcology.com
[3] http://www.GISinEcology.com/GIS_in_Ecology_forum.htm___

[MARMAM] New Publication: The Odontocete Ear Canal-Associated Lymphoid Tissue (ECALT) and Lymph Nodes

2022-08-31 Thread Steffen De Vreese
Dear all,

My co-authors and I are pleased to announce and share our recent paper titled
*The Odontocete Ear Canal-Associated Lymphoid Tissue (ECALT) and Lymph
Nodes: Morphological and Pathological Description with
Immuno-Phenotypic Characterisation*

De Vreese, S.; Centelleghe, C.; Graïc, J.-M.; Corrazola, G.;
IJsseldijk, L.L.; André, M.; Mazzariol, S. The Odontocete Ear
Canal-Associated Lymphoid Tissue (ECALT) and Lymph Nodes:
Morphological and Pathological Description with Immuno-Phenotypic
Characterisation. *Animals* *2022*, *12*, 2235.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12172235

Simple Summary:
The marine mammal immune system is of vital importance for the health of
any marine mammal. With changes in the natural environment and with
increasing anthropogenic stressors such as pollution, the immune system is
challenged to unknown extents. Dolphins and other odontocete cetaceans have
been shown to be particularly sensitive to anthropogenic influence in many
aspects. In this regard, it is important to understand how these animals
cope with novel stressors and how the immune system works and responds. In
studying parallel issues related to underwater noise pollution, we looked
at the cetacean ear canal and analysed in detail the cells of the immune
system. Like the skin, it is likely to be exposed to the external
environment and requires a local defence system as a first barrier to
incoming threats. We studied the ear-canal associated immune system and
describe the cell population using a variety of microscopic techniques. We
describe healthy and activated tissue and cases with inflammation of the
external ear canal and compare the different physiological states. As such,
this study contributes to acquiring a general understanding of the
odontocete cetacean immune system.

Abstract:
A changing marine environment with emerging natural and anthropogenic
stressors challenges the marine mammal immune system. The skin and adnexa
form a first protective barrier in the immune response, although this is
still relatively understudied in cetaceans. The cellular and tissue
morphology of the nodular and diffuse lymphoid tissue are not fully charted
and the physiological responses are not yet completely understood. The
odontocete’s external ear canal has a complex relationship with the
external environment, with an artificial lumen rendering the inside of the
canal a relatively secluded environment. In this work, we studied the
odontocete ear canal-associated lymphoid tissue (ECALT) by histo- and
immunohistochemistry (HC, IHC) with anti-CD3, anti-CD20, anti-Iba-1,
anti-HLA-DR, and anti-vimentin antibodies. The ECALT cellular composition
consists mainly of B-lymphocytes with the occasional presence of
T-lymphocytes and the dispersed distribution of the macrophages. In cases
of activation, the cellular reaction showed a similar pattern with the
occasional presence of T-cells, plasma cells, and neutrophils. Nodular
lymphoid tissue was generally in line with the description in other
odontocetes, although with abundant erythrocytes throughout the entire
organ. This study contributes to the understanding of the cellular
composition of diffuse and nodular lymphoid tissue in several species of
odontocetes, and in association with inflammation of the external ear canal.


The paper can be accessed here: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/17/2235

Best regards,

Steffen De Vreese
-- 
Steffen De Vreese, MVM, PhD
Dipartimento di Biomedicina Comparata e Alimentazione (BCA) -
Università degli Studi di Padova (It)
Laboratori d'Aplicacions Bioacústiques (LAB) - Universitat Politécnica
de Catalunya (Es)
Linkedin.com/in/steffen-de-vreese-033a5994
Researchgate.net/profile/Steffen_De_Vreese
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[MARMAM] FWC Manatee Photo-identification Internship - Deadline extended (Sept 9th)

2022-08-31 Thread Johnson, Jennifer
Manatee Photo-identification Internship - Deadline extended (Sept 9th)

The manatee photo-identification program is based in St. Petersburg, Florida at 
the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI). FWRI is the research arm of 
the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), a state agency. 
For more information about FWRI, please visit: https://myfwc.com/research/. 
FWRI's manatee photo-identification research focuses on long-term monitoring of 
Florida manatees in southwest Florida. The program's primary goal is to 
document individual manatees, which allows us to estimate annual adult survival 
and reproductive rates and to model population dynamics for state and federal 
assessments of Florida manatee status and recovery. Photo-identification data 
also provide insight regarding manatee movements, site fidelity, habitat use 
and behavior.

Interns will primarily assist staff members with photographing manatees and 
collecting behavioral and environmental data at sites around Tampa Bay. Interns 
will also be responsible for a number of lab-based photo-identification tasks, 
such as downloading images, entering information into databases, scanning data 
sheets and matching images to known animals. Interns often collect data 
independently in the field, thus responsible, detail oriented applicants are 
encouraged to apply. Most field work is land-based; however, during the winter 
session opportunities are available to assist with boat-based manatee 
photo-identification. Other responsibilities may include but are not limited to 
data entry, assisting with manatee genetics research, special projects and 
outreach activities. This internship provides a great opportunity to gain 
valuable field and lab experience at a government agency.

Two positions are available each year: one in winter (November to March) and 
one in summer (May to September). Start and end dates are flexible; however, a 
minimum commitment of four weekdays per week for four months is required. Work 
hours are typically 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. There is no compensation for these 
internship positions and successful applicants will be responsible for their 
own housing and transportation to and from the institute. Positions are open 
until filled, and priority will be given to candidates who can commit for 
longer periods.

Qualifications:
* Computer proficiency; Microsoft Access literacy preferred.
* Working knowledge of SLR digital cameras, filters and lenses 
preferred but not required.
* The ability to lift approximately 50 pounds of equipment.
* A valid U.S. Driver's License.
* Enthusiasm and willingness to learn field and lab based research 
methods.

If you are interested in applying for an internship with the Fish and Wildlife 
Research Institute, the following information is required:
* A cover letter describing the internship you are applying for; 
area(s) of academic/research interest; and the dates, days, and hours of 
availability.
* A resume (or curriculum vitae) describing your relevant training and 
experience.
* Current academic transcripts. (unofficial are sufficient)
* Names and contact information for three references.
Please submit application items as an e-mail attachment to: 
inte...@myfwc.com

If electronic submission is not possible, hard copies can be mailed to:
Internship Coordinator
FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute
100 Eighth Avenue SE
St. Petersburg, FL 33701-5020

We are still accepting applications for our winter internship for the 2022/2023 
winter season (November-March). If interested, please apply by Friday, 
September 9th, 2022.

Applicants may contact FWRI's Manatee Photo-identification Project Intern 
Manager, Jennifer Johnson, 
(jennifer.john...@myfwc.com, 727-502-4735) 
with questions regarding the internship.
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