Habitat Utilization by Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Biscayne Bay, Florida

Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) exhibit variable distribution patterns, depending upon their geographic location. Habitat utilization patterns in Biscayne Bay, Florida, were examined using the Biscayne Bay Bottlenose Dolphin Photo-ID database obtained from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC) Miami Laboratory. Habitat coverages in Biscayne Bay were obtained from the Atlas of Marine Resources Version 1.3B CD and the Biscayne Bay National Park CD. Dolphin sightings were overlaid on the habitat coverages using GIS Arcview software. The effects of habitat, season, behavior, zone (sectioned area of Biscayne Bay), and depth on patterns of bottlenose dolphin distribution were examined by analysis of variance to determine the significance of the factors. The total number of dolphins observed during the sightings analyzed was 1,538. The number of dolphins per sighting varied from 1 to 28 dolphins, with a mean of 5.14. The average number of dolphins per survey effort was 10.32. Several significant changes in habitat have occurred between 1991-1992 to 1997. The changes in habitat had some influence on the dolphins’ behavior distribution. The highest proportion of all behavior types was found in moderately dense seagrass beds and dredge bottom areas. Habitat quality (habitat types) of Biscayne Bay influenced dolphin sightings, while habitat quantity (habitat area) influenced dolphin numbers. Analysis of variance statistics supported the strong significant effect of habitat on the variation of sightings and dolphin numbers (P \u3c 0.001). No significant difference in sightings was found between seasons or zones throughout the study period. The fall season had the lowest number of dolphins and sightings. The low number of surveys during the fall season does not account for all the influence on the dolphin numbers. Strong significant differences were observed between behaviors (P \u3c 0.001). The majority of initial behaviors included traveling, feeding, and socializing. Changes in behaviors were apparent as observations continued. It was determined that the proximity of the research vessel and the duration of observation influenced dolphin behavior. Tail slap and chuffing behavior and boat interaction doubled and quadrupled, respectively during sightings. A strong variation in the number of sightings and number of dolphins occurred between different depths (P \u3c 0.001). The majority of dolphins were observed in depths of 2.1 - 3 meters. This coincides with the fact that the majority of Biscayne Bay depths are within that range. A time series analysis was performed to determine if there was a cycle present in the pattern of dolphin distribution, and no significant cycle was found. Future analysis of dolphin composition (resident, migratory, nomadic) may yield cyclic patterns

Birds of a feather eat plastic together: high levels of plastic ingestion in Great Shearwater adults and juveniles across their annual migratory cycle

© The Author(s), 2022. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Robuck, A. R., Hudak, C. A., Agvent, L., Emery, G., Ryan, P. G., Perold, V., Powers, K. D., Pedersen, J., Thompson, M. A., Suca, J. J., Moore, M. J., Harms, C. A., Bugoni, L., Shield, G., Glass, T., Wiley, D. N., & Lohmann, R. Birds of a feather eat plastic together: high levels of plastic ingestion in Great Shearwater adults and juveniles across their annual migratory cycle. Frontiers in Marine Science, 8, (2022): 719721, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.719721.Limited work to date has examined plastic ingestion in highly migratory seabirds like Great Shearwaters (Ardenna gravis) across their entire migratory range. We examined 217 Great Shearwaters obtained from 2008–2019 at multiple locations spanning their yearly migration cycle across the Northwest and South Atlantic to assess accumulation of ingested plastic as well as trends over time and between locations. A total of 2328 plastic fragments were documented in the ventriculus portion of the gastrointestinal tract, with an average of 9 plastic fragments per bird. The mass, count, and frequency of plastic occurrence (FO) varied by location, with higher plastic burdens but lower FO in South Atlantic adults and chicks from the breeding colonies. No fragments of the same size or morphology were found in the primary forage fish prey, the Sand Lance (Ammodytes spp., n = 202) that supports Great Shearwaters in Massachusetts Bay, United States, suggesting the birds directly ingest the bulk of their plastic loads rather than accumulating via trophic transfer. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy indicated that low- and high-density polyethylene were the most common polymers ingested, within all years and locations. Individuals from the South Atlantic contained a higher proportion of larger plastic items and fragments compared to analogous life stages in the NW Atlantic, possibly due to increased use of remote, pelagic areas subject to reduced inputs of smaller, more diverse, and potentially less buoyant plastics found adjacent to coastal margins. Different signatures of polymer type, size, and category between similar life stages at different locations suggests rapid turnover of ingested plastics commensurate with migratory stage and location, though more empirical evidence is needed to ground-truth this hypothesis. This work is the first to comprehensively measure the accumulation of ingested plastics by Great Shearwaters over the last decade and across multiple locations spanning their yearly trans-equatorial migration cycle and underscores their utility as sentinels of plastic pollution in Atlantic ecosystems.This project was supported by the NOAA Fisheries National Seabird Program and the Volgenau Foundation. AR acknowledges support from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program (NOAA Award Number NA17NOS4290028), the Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation, the STEEP Superfund Research Program (NIEHS Award Number P42ES027706), and the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) program. LB was funded by INCT-Mar COI and PQ Grant No. 311409/2018-0, both by the Brazilian National Research Council (CNPq). JS was funded by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship program

Birds of a Feather Eat Plastic Together: High Levels of Plastic Ingestion in Great Shearwater Adults and Juveniles Across Their Annual Migratory Cycle

Limited work to date has examined plastic ingestion in highly migratory seabirds like Great Shearwaters (Ardenna gravis) across their entire migratory range. We examined 217 Great Shearwaters obtained from 2008–2019 at multiple locations spanning their yearly migration cycle across the Northwest and South Atlantic to assess accumulation of ingested plastic as well as trends over time and between locations. A total of 2328 plastic fragments were documented in the ventriculus portion of the gastrointestinal tract, with an average of 9 plastic fragments per bird. The mass, count, and frequency of plastic occurrence (FO) varied by location, with higher plastic burdens but lower FO in South Atlantic adults and chicks from the breeding colonies. No fragments of the same size or morphology were found in the primary forage fish prey, the Sand Lance (Ammodytes spp., n = 202) that supports Great Shearwaters in Massachusetts Bay, United States, suggesting the birds directly ingest the bulk of their plastic loads rather than accumulating via trophic transfer. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy indicated that low- and high-density polyethylene were the most common polymers ingested, within all years and locations. Individuals from the South Atlantic contained a higher proportion of larger plastic items and fragments compared to analogous life stages in the NW Atlantic, possibly due to increased use of remote, pelagic areas subject to reduced inputs of smaller, more diverse, and potentially less buoyant plastics found adjacent to coastal margins. Different signatures of polymer type, size, and category between similar life stages at different locations suggests rapid turnover of ingested plastics commensurate with migratory stage and location, though more empirical evidence is needed to ground-truth this hypothesis. This work is the first to comprehensively measure the accumulation of ingested plastics by Great Shearwaters over the last decade and across multiple locations spanning their yearly trans-equatorial migration cycle and underscores their utility as sentinels of plastic pollution in Atlantic ecosystems

It's about time: A synthesis of changing phenology in the Gulf of Maine ecosystem

© The Author(s), 2019. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Staudinger, M. D., Mills, K. E., Stamieszkin, K., Record, N. R., Hudak, C. A., Allyn, A., Diamond, A., Friedland, K. D., Golet, W., Henderson, M. E., Hernandez, C. M., Huntington, T. G., Ji, R., Johnson, C. L., Johnson, D. S., Jordaan, A., Kocik, J., Li, Y., Liebman, M., Nichols, O. C., Pendleton, D., Richards, R. A., Robben, T., Thomas, A. C., Walsh, H. J., & Yakola, K. It's about time: A synthesis of changing phenology in the Gulf of Maine ecosystem. Fisheries Oceanography, 28(5), (2019): 532-566, doi: 10.1111/fog.12429.The timing of recurring biological and seasonal environmental events is changing on a global scale relative to temperature and other climate drivers. This study considers the Gulf of Maine ecosystem, a region of high social and ecological importance in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean and synthesizes current knowledge of (a) key seasonal processes, patterns, and events; (b) direct evidence for shifts in timing; (c) implications of phenological responses for linked ecological‐human systems; and (d) potential phenology‐focused adaptation strategies and actions. Twenty studies demonstrated shifts in timing of regional marine organisms and seasonal environmental events. The most common response was earlier timing, observed in spring onset, spring and winter hydrology, zooplankton abundance, occurrence of several larval fishes, and diadromous fish migrations. Later timing was documented for fall onset, reproduction and fledging in Atlantic puffins, spring and fall phytoplankton blooms, and occurrence of additional larval fishes. Changes in event duration generally increased and were detected in zooplankton peak abundance, early life history periods of macro‐invertebrates, and lobster fishery landings. Reduced duration was observed in winter–spring ice‐affected stream flows. Two studies projected phenological changes, both finding diapause duration would decrease in zooplankton under future climate scenarios. Phenological responses were species‐specific and varied depending on the environmental driver, spatial, and temporal scales evaluated. Overall, a wide range of baseline phenology and relevant modeling studies exist, yet surprisingly few document long‐term shifts. Results reveal a need for increased emphasis on phenological shifts in the Gulf of Maine and identify opportunities for future research and consideration of phenological changes in adaptation efforts.This work was supported by the Department of the Interior Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center (G14AC00441) for MDS, AJ, and KY; the National Science Foundation's Coastal SEES Program (OCE‐1325484) for KEM, ACT, MEH, and AA; the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NNX16 AG59G) for ACT, KEM, NRR, and KSS; the USGS Climate Research and Development Program for TGH; National Science & Engineering Research Council of Canada, University of New Brunswick, Environment Canada, Sir James Dunn Wildlife Research Centre, and New Brunswick Wildlife Trust Fund for AD. We also thank the Regional Association for Research on the Gulf of Maine for support, and the Gulf of Maine Research Institute for hosting and providing in kind resources for a two day in‐person workshop in August 2016. We greatly appreciate contributions from K. Alexander, G. Calandrino, C. Feurt, I. Mlsna, N. Rebuck, J. Seavey, and J. Sun for helping shape the initial scope of the manuscript. We thank J. Weltzin and two anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments. The contents of this paper are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, Fisheries and Oceans Canada or the US Environmental Protection Agency. This manuscript is submitted for publication with the understanding that the United States Government is authorized to reproduce and distribute reprints for Governmental purposes. None of the authors have conflicts of interest to declare in association with the contents of this manuscript

The Preventing Alzheimer\u27s with Cognitive Training (PACT) randomized clinical trial

BACKGROUND: To address the rising prevalence of Alzheimer\u27s disease and related dementias, effective interventions that can be widely disseminated are warranted. The Preventing Alzheimer\u27s with Cognitive Training study (PACT) investigates a commercially available computerized cognitive training program targeting improved Useful Field of View Training (UFOVT) performance. The primary goal is to test the effectiveness of UFOVT to reduce incidence of clinically defined mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia with a secondary objective to examine if effects are moderated by plasma β-amyloid level or apolipoprotein E e4 (APOE e4) allele status. METHODS/DESIGN: This multisite study utilizes a randomized, controlled experimental design with blinded assessors and investigators. Individuals who are 65 years of age and older are recruited from the community. Eligible participants who demonstrate intact cognitive status (Montreal Cognitive Assessment score \u3e 25) are randomized and asked to complete 45 sessions of either a commercially available computerized-cognitive training program (UFOVT) or computerized games across 2.5 years. After three years, participants are screened for cognitive decline. For those demonstrating decline or who are part of a random subsample, a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment is completed. Those who perform below a pre-specified level are asked to complete a clinical evaluation, including an MRI, to ascertain clinical diagnosis of normal cognition, MCI, or dementia. Participants are asked to provide blood samples for analyses of Alzheimer\u27s disease related biomarkers. DISCUSSION: The PACT study addresses the rapidly increasing prevalence of dementia. Computerized cognitive training may provide a non-pharmaceutical option for reducing incidence of MCI or dementia to improve public health. REGISTRATION: The PACT study is registered at http://Clinicaltrials.govNCT03848312