Southern right whale ( Eubalaena australis) calf mortality at Península Valdés, Argentina: Are harmful algal blooms to blame?

Abstract Península Valdés ( PV ) in Argentina is an important calving ground for southern right whales ( SRW s, Eubalaena australis ). Since 2005, right whale mortality has increased at PV , with most of the deaths (~90%) being calves <3 mo old. We investigated the potential involvement of harmfu...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Published in:Marine Mammal Science
Main Authors: Wilson, Cara, Sastre, A. Viviana, Hoffmeyer, Monica, Rowntree, Victoria J., Fire, Spencer E., Santinelli, Norma H., Ovejero, Soledad Díaz, D'Agostino, Valeria, Marón, Carina F., Doucette, Gregory J., Broadwater, Margaret H., Wang, Zhihong, Montoya, Nora, Seger, Jon, Adler, Frederick R., Sironi, Mariano, Uhart, Marcela M.
Other Authors: Ocean Foundation, Wildlife Conservation Society
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2015
Subjects:
Argentina
Southern Right Whale
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/mms.12263
https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fmms.12263
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/mms.12263
Description
Summary:Abstract Península Valdés ( PV ) in Argentina is an important calving ground for southern right whales ( SRW s, Eubalaena australis ). Since 2005, right whale mortality has increased at PV , with most of the deaths (~90%) being calves <3 mo old. We investigated the potential involvement of harmful algal blooms ( HAB s) in these deaths by examining data that include: timing of the SRW deaths, biotoxins in samples from dead SRW s, abundances of the diatom, Pseudo‐nitzschia spp., and the dinoflagellate, Alexandrium tamarense , shellfish harvesting closure dates, seasonal availability of whale prey at PV and satellite chlorophyll data. Evidence of the whales' exposure to HAB toxins includes trace levels of paralytic shellfish toxins ( PST s) and domoic acid ( DA ) in tissues of some dead whales, and fragments of Pseudo‐nitzschia spp. frustules in whale feces. Additionally, whales are present at PV during both closures of the shellfish industry (due to high levels of PST s) and periods with high levels of Pseudo‐nitzschia spp. and A. tamarense . There is a positive statistical relationship between monthly Pseudo‐nitzschia densities (but not A. tamarense ) and calf deaths in both gulfs of PV.

Similar Items