Skin-blubber biopsy samples and associated demographic data collected from cetaceans encountered along the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP), 2010 – present.
The collection of biopsy samples from cetaceans within the near-shore waters of the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) has been led by Dr. Ari Friedlaender starting in 2010. The Friedlaender group just recently joined the Palmer LTER in 2015, but prior collection of samples was leveraged from previou...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Dataset |
| Language: | English |
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Environmental Data Initiative
2020
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| Online Access: | https://dx.doi.org/10.6073/pasta/7c76321a5a230adda4ab475173c40928 https://portal.edirepository.org/nis/mapbrowse?packageid=knb-lter-pal.271.1 |
| Summary: | The collection of biopsy samples from cetaceans within the near-shore waters of the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) has been led by Dr. Ari Friedlaender starting in 2010. The Friedlaender group just recently joined the Palmer LTER in 2015, but prior collection of samples was leveraged from previous NSF support and existing collaborations with Antarctic tour operations. Collection methods have been kept consistent, as the research group attempts to sample every whale encountered. Our current data set consists of three targeted species for collection, the humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae), Antarctic minke whale (Balaenoptera bonaerensis), and killer whales (Orcinus orca). Sample are kept frozen at -80°C until analysis following the completion of annual field work. Collection of these samples is still ongoing. The biopsy ID is the unique identifier for each collected sample and is used as the common field among the different analyses that are conducted on the sample to look at population and individual level demographic information. From these tissue samples, we can extract nuclear and mitochondrial DNA which provides us with information on the genetic sex, genotype (gene fingerprint), as well as haplotype of the individuals sampled. Additionally, from the blubber layer of the biopsy sample, our group can now successfully detect and quantify sex-steroid hormones, one of which is progesterone, that allows us to make inference on the pregnancy status of sampled individuals. Lastly, more recent work has begun to assess the microbial communities on the skin layer of the biopsy samples. Combined, these biological analyses provide an in depth understanding of the current population demographics and dynamics in these recovering marine species. |
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