Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) Mortality along the Italian Coast between 1624 and 2021
The Mediterranean Sea hosts a population of fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus), the only species of Mysticete regularly occurring in the basin. Observed and inferred mortality suggests that the population is likely declining. Accordingly, understanding the causes of mortality and assessing the health...
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Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
2022
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12223111 |
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ftmdpi:oai:mdpi.com:/2076-2615/12/22/3111/ 2023-08-20T04:05:26+02:00 Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) Mortality along the Italian Coast between 1624 and 2021 Valerio Manfrini Nino Pierantonio Alessandro Giuliani Federico De Pascalis Nicola Maio Annalaura Mancia agris 2022-11-10 application/pdf https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12223111 EN eng Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute Aquatic Animals https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ani12223111 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Animals; Volume 12; Issue 22; Pages: 3111 fin whale Balaenoptera physalus strandings ship strikes mortality events anthropogenic threats Mediterranean Sea Text 2022 ftmdpi https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12223111 2023-08-01T07:17:36Z The Mediterranean Sea hosts a population of fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus), the only species of Mysticete regularly occurring in the basin. Observed and inferred mortality suggests that the population is likely declining. Accordingly, understanding the causes of mortality and assessing the health status is pivotal to the survival of this endangered population. While such studies are inherently difficult for a highly roaming species with a pelagic distribution, mortality events provide the opportunity to investigate biological and epidemiological traits linked to these events, and evaluate the footprint of human activity, especially when long-term data series exist. We present a comprehensive spatial–temporal overview of fin whale mortality events along the Italian coast encompassing four centuries (1624–2021). Time series analysis was used to highlight structural changes in the evolution of mortality through time, while spatial–temporal patterns in the distribution of mortality events were assessed through emerging hot spot analysis methods. Recent mortality events (1964–2021) were further explored to evaluate, where possible, the primary causes of mortality and to identify anthropogenic threats of conservation concerns. This long-term survey offers the basis for an understanding of the health status of this B. physalus population and provides much-needed information for developing an effective management and conservation plan for the species in the region. Text Balaenoptera physalus Fin whale MDPI Open Access Publishing Animals 12 22 3111 |
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collection |
MDPI Open Access Publishing |
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ftmdpi |
language |
English |
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fin whale Balaenoptera physalus strandings ship strikes mortality events anthropogenic threats Mediterranean Sea |
spellingShingle |
fin whale Balaenoptera physalus strandings ship strikes mortality events anthropogenic threats Mediterranean Sea Valerio Manfrini Nino Pierantonio Alessandro Giuliani Federico De Pascalis Nicola Maio Annalaura Mancia Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) Mortality along the Italian Coast between 1624 and 2021 |
topic_facet |
fin whale Balaenoptera physalus strandings ship strikes mortality events anthropogenic threats Mediterranean Sea |
description |
The Mediterranean Sea hosts a population of fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus), the only species of Mysticete regularly occurring in the basin. Observed and inferred mortality suggests that the population is likely declining. Accordingly, understanding the causes of mortality and assessing the health status is pivotal to the survival of this endangered population. While such studies are inherently difficult for a highly roaming species with a pelagic distribution, mortality events provide the opportunity to investigate biological and epidemiological traits linked to these events, and evaluate the footprint of human activity, especially when long-term data series exist. We present a comprehensive spatial–temporal overview of fin whale mortality events along the Italian coast encompassing four centuries (1624–2021). Time series analysis was used to highlight structural changes in the evolution of mortality through time, while spatial–temporal patterns in the distribution of mortality events were assessed through emerging hot spot analysis methods. Recent mortality events (1964–2021) were further explored to evaluate, where possible, the primary causes of mortality and to identify anthropogenic threats of conservation concerns. This long-term survey offers the basis for an understanding of the health status of this B. physalus population and provides much-needed information for developing an effective management and conservation plan for the species in the region. |
format |
Text |
author |
Valerio Manfrini Nino Pierantonio Alessandro Giuliani Federico De Pascalis Nicola Maio Annalaura Mancia |
author_facet |
Valerio Manfrini Nino Pierantonio Alessandro Giuliani Federico De Pascalis Nicola Maio Annalaura Mancia |
author_sort |
Valerio Manfrini |
title |
Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) Mortality along the Italian Coast between 1624 and 2021 |
title_short |
Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) Mortality along the Italian Coast between 1624 and 2021 |
title_full |
Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) Mortality along the Italian Coast between 1624 and 2021 |
title_fullStr |
Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) Mortality along the Italian Coast between 1624 and 2021 |
title_full_unstemmed |
Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) Mortality along the Italian Coast between 1624 and 2021 |
title_sort |
fin whale (balaenoptera physalus) mortality along the italian coast between 1624 and 2021 |
publisher |
Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute |
publishDate |
2022 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12223111 |
op_coverage |
agris |
genre |
Balaenoptera physalus Fin whale |
genre_facet |
Balaenoptera physalus Fin whale |
op_source |
Animals; Volume 12; Issue 22; Pages: 3111 |
op_relation |
Aquatic Animals https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ani12223111 |
op_rights |
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12223111 |
container_title |
Animals |
container_volume |
12 |
container_issue |
22 |
container_start_page |
3111 |
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1774715946232971264 |