Unusual Mortality Events of Harbor Porpoise Strandings in North Carolina, 1997–2009
A marked increase in the frequency of harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) stranded in North Carolina in 2005 was declared as an Unusual Mortality Event (UME). Strandings occurred in January through May when harbor porpoises are seasonally present. Increased stranding rates were measured relative to...
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fthindawi:oai:hindawi.com:10.1155/2013/289892 2023-05-15T17:59:11+02:00 Unusual Mortality Events of Harbor Porpoise Strandings in North Carolina, 1997–2009 Aleta A. Hohn David S. Rotstein Barbie L. Byrd 2013 https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/289892 en eng Journal of Marine Biology https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/289892 Copyright © 2013 Aleta A. Hohn et al. Research Article 2013 fthindawi https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/289892 2019-05-26T04:06:27Z A marked increase in the frequency of harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) stranded in North Carolina in 2005 was declared as an Unusual Mortality Event (UME). Strandings occurred in January through May when harbor porpoises are seasonally present. Increased stranding rates were measured relative to a threshold to determine that the UME was occurring. The threshold analysis also revealed elevated strandings during 1999, an undeclared UME year. Recovered carcasses during 1999 and 2005 accounted for 39% of 261 strandings during 1997–2009. During 2005, of 43 strandings, primary or secondary causes of mortality included fishery interactions, emaciation, and interspecific aggression. Apart from small but significant differences in timing and condition of strandings, composition of strandings during UME and non-UME years was similar, with most being young-of-the-year and occurring during March and April, north of Cape Hatteras. Porpoises had high levels of parasitic infestation typical for this species. However, no indication of infectious disease and no cause of the 2005 event were found from gross and histologic findings. Response to UMEs is challenging, particularly along the expanses of North Carolina beaches, requiring additional effort to obtain carcasses in sufficiently fresh condition to determine the cause of these events. Article in Journal/Newspaper Phocoena phocoena Hindawi Publishing Corporation Journal of Marine Biology 2013 1 13 |
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Open Polar |
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Hindawi Publishing Corporation |
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fthindawi |
language |
English |
description |
A marked increase in the frequency of harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) stranded in North Carolina in 2005 was declared as an Unusual Mortality Event (UME). Strandings occurred in January through May when harbor porpoises are seasonally present. Increased stranding rates were measured relative to a threshold to determine that the UME was occurring. The threshold analysis also revealed elevated strandings during 1999, an undeclared UME year. Recovered carcasses during 1999 and 2005 accounted for 39% of 261 strandings during 1997–2009. During 2005, of 43 strandings, primary or secondary causes of mortality included fishery interactions, emaciation, and interspecific aggression. Apart from small but significant differences in timing and condition of strandings, composition of strandings during UME and non-UME years was similar, with most being young-of-the-year and occurring during March and April, north of Cape Hatteras. Porpoises had high levels of parasitic infestation typical for this species. However, no indication of infectious disease and no cause of the 2005 event were found from gross and histologic findings. Response to UMEs is challenging, particularly along the expanses of North Carolina beaches, requiring additional effort to obtain carcasses in sufficiently fresh condition to determine the cause of these events. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Aleta A. Hohn David S. Rotstein Barbie L. Byrd |
spellingShingle |
Aleta A. Hohn David S. Rotstein Barbie L. Byrd Unusual Mortality Events of Harbor Porpoise Strandings in North Carolina, 1997–2009 |
author_facet |
Aleta A. Hohn David S. Rotstein Barbie L. Byrd |
author_sort |
Aleta A. Hohn |
title |
Unusual Mortality Events of Harbor Porpoise Strandings in North Carolina, 1997–2009 |
title_short |
Unusual Mortality Events of Harbor Porpoise Strandings in North Carolina, 1997–2009 |
title_full |
Unusual Mortality Events of Harbor Porpoise Strandings in North Carolina, 1997–2009 |
title_fullStr |
Unusual Mortality Events of Harbor Porpoise Strandings in North Carolina, 1997–2009 |
title_full_unstemmed |
Unusual Mortality Events of Harbor Porpoise Strandings in North Carolina, 1997–2009 |
title_sort |
unusual mortality events of harbor porpoise strandings in north carolina, 1997–2009 |
publisher |
Journal of Marine Biology |
publishDate |
2013 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/289892 |
genre |
Phocoena phocoena |
genre_facet |
Phocoena phocoena |
op_relation |
https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/289892 |
op_rights |
Copyright © 2013 Aleta A. Hohn et al. |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/289892 |
container_title |
Journal of Marine Biology |
container_volume |
2013 |
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1 |
op_container_end_page |
13 |
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1766167955492569088 |