Predicting Natural Neuroprotection in Marine Mammals: Environmental and Biological Factors Affecting Vulnerability to Acoustically Mediated Tissue Trauma in Marine Species

• Main Author: Williams, Terrie M.
• Other Authors: CALIFORNIA UNIV SANTA CRUZ
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2010
• Subjects: Anatomy and Physiology; Ecology; Biological Oceanography; *NEUROLOGY; *AQUATIC ANIMALS; *DAMAGE; *TISSUES(BIOLOGY); CETACEA; WOUNDS AND INJURIES; UNDERWATER ACOUSTICS; TRAUMA; WHALES; NERVE CELLS; MARINE BIOLOGY; PROTECTION; VULNERABILITY; PHYSIOLOGY; MARINE MAMMALS; BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS; BELUGA WHALES; NEUROPROTECTION; GLOBIN PROTEINS; Beluga; Beluga*
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA541776; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA541776

The primary goal of these studies is to investigate the relative vulnerability of marine mammals to acoustically mediated trauma from emboli formation. By evaluating key environmental, behavioral and physiological factors involved in the movement of gases at the whole animal and tissue levels we intend to identify factors contributing to lipid, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide gas mobilization, and concomitant tissue damage at depth. The results of this project will enable the development of environmentally sensitive schedules for oceanic acoustic activities by identifying those species most susceptible to tissue injury.