Strandings of cetaceans on the Espírito Santo coast, southeast Brazil, 1975–2015
Espírito Santo state is located on the eastern margin of Brazil, in a transitional tropical-subtropical area (18°S–21°S) dominated by oligotrophic waters. With the exception of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), the cetacean community of Espírito Santo has been understudied. In addition to th...
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ftpensoft:10.3897/zookeys.948.50468 2023-05-15T17:10:52+02:00 Strandings of cetaceans on the Espírito Santo coast, southeast Brazil, 1975–2015 Mayorga,Luis Felipe Vanstreels,Ralph Bhering,Renata Mamede,Natália Costa,Luiz Pinheiro,Flavia Reis,Luciano Trazzi,Alessandro Meirelles,Wilson Ribeiro,Alan Siciliano,Salvatore 2020 text/html https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.948.50468 https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/50468/ en eng Pensoft Publishers info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/eissn/1313-2970 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/pissn/1313-2989 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess ZooKeys 948: 129-152 Atlantic Ocean coast estuary Doce River Odontoceti Mysticeti South America Research Article 2020 ftpensoft https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.948.50468 2022-03-01T12:43:45Z Espírito Santo state is located on the eastern margin of Brazil, in a transitional tropical-subtropical area (18°S–21°S) dominated by oligotrophic waters. With the exception of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), the cetacean community of Espírito Santo has been understudied. In addition to the chronic impacts from fisheries, marine pollution, urban development, and coastal habitat degradation, in November 2015 the cetacean communities of Espírito Santo were challenged by the greatest environmental disaster in Brazil’s history. The Mariana dam disaster caused 60 million cubic meters of mining waste to be washed into the Doce River, which ultimately flowed to the coastal waters of Espírito Santo, with a high concentration of heavy metals. This study reviews and updates information on cetacean strandings in the state of Espírito Santo (excluding humpback whales) prior to this disaster. From 1975 to September 2015, there were 461 recorded cetacean strandings, representing 20 species. An average 1.18 strandings per 100 km per month were recorded since a state-wide daily beach survey program was implemented in October 2010, contrasting with the 0.14 strandings per 100 km per month in previous years. Six species comprised the majority (94.7%) of stranding events: Guiana dolphin (Sotalia guianensis), Franciscana (Pontoporia blainvillei), rough-toothed dolphin (Steno bredanensis), bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), and melon-headed whale (Peponocephala electra). Oceanic cetaceans stranded most frequently on the southern portion of Espírito Santo, where the continental platform is narrower, whereas the strandings of coastal cetaceans such as Guiana dolphins and Franciscanas were concentrated near estuaries, especially the Doce River. This is particularly concerning in face of the Mariana dam disaster, which drastically altered the estuarine and coastal environment associated with the Doce River. Article in Journal/Newspaper Megaptera novaeangliae Physeter macrocephalus Sperm whale Pensoft Publishers ZooKeys 948 129 152 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Pensoft Publishers |
op_collection_id |
ftpensoft |
language |
English |
topic |
Atlantic Ocean coast estuary Doce River Odontoceti Mysticeti South America |
spellingShingle |
Atlantic Ocean coast estuary Doce River Odontoceti Mysticeti South America Mayorga,Luis Felipe Vanstreels,Ralph Bhering,Renata Mamede,Natália Costa,Luiz Pinheiro,Flavia Reis,Luciano Trazzi,Alessandro Meirelles,Wilson Ribeiro,Alan Siciliano,Salvatore Strandings of cetaceans on the Espírito Santo coast, southeast Brazil, 1975–2015 |
topic_facet |
Atlantic Ocean coast estuary Doce River Odontoceti Mysticeti South America |
description |
Espírito Santo state is located on the eastern margin of Brazil, in a transitional tropical-subtropical area (18°S–21°S) dominated by oligotrophic waters. With the exception of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), the cetacean community of Espírito Santo has been understudied. In addition to the chronic impacts from fisheries, marine pollution, urban development, and coastal habitat degradation, in November 2015 the cetacean communities of Espírito Santo were challenged by the greatest environmental disaster in Brazil’s history. The Mariana dam disaster caused 60 million cubic meters of mining waste to be washed into the Doce River, which ultimately flowed to the coastal waters of Espírito Santo, with a high concentration of heavy metals. This study reviews and updates information on cetacean strandings in the state of Espírito Santo (excluding humpback whales) prior to this disaster. From 1975 to September 2015, there were 461 recorded cetacean strandings, representing 20 species. An average 1.18 strandings per 100 km per month were recorded since a state-wide daily beach survey program was implemented in October 2010, contrasting with the 0.14 strandings per 100 km per month in previous years. Six species comprised the majority (94.7%) of stranding events: Guiana dolphin (Sotalia guianensis), Franciscana (Pontoporia blainvillei), rough-toothed dolphin (Steno bredanensis), bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), and melon-headed whale (Peponocephala electra). Oceanic cetaceans stranded most frequently on the southern portion of Espírito Santo, where the continental platform is narrower, whereas the strandings of coastal cetaceans such as Guiana dolphins and Franciscanas were concentrated near estuaries, especially the Doce River. This is particularly concerning in face of the Mariana dam disaster, which drastically altered the estuarine and coastal environment associated with the Doce River. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Mayorga,Luis Felipe Vanstreels,Ralph Bhering,Renata Mamede,Natália Costa,Luiz Pinheiro,Flavia Reis,Luciano Trazzi,Alessandro Meirelles,Wilson Ribeiro,Alan Siciliano,Salvatore |
author_facet |
Mayorga,Luis Felipe Vanstreels,Ralph Bhering,Renata Mamede,Natália Costa,Luiz Pinheiro,Flavia Reis,Luciano Trazzi,Alessandro Meirelles,Wilson Ribeiro,Alan Siciliano,Salvatore |
author_sort |
Mayorga,Luis Felipe |
title |
Strandings of cetaceans on the Espírito Santo coast, southeast Brazil, 1975–2015 |
title_short |
Strandings of cetaceans on the Espírito Santo coast, southeast Brazil, 1975–2015 |
title_full |
Strandings of cetaceans on the Espírito Santo coast, southeast Brazil, 1975–2015 |
title_fullStr |
Strandings of cetaceans on the Espírito Santo coast, southeast Brazil, 1975–2015 |
title_full_unstemmed |
Strandings of cetaceans on the Espírito Santo coast, southeast Brazil, 1975–2015 |
title_sort |
strandings of cetaceans on the espírito santo coast, southeast brazil, 1975–2015 |
publisher |
Pensoft Publishers |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.948.50468 https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/50468/ |
genre |
Megaptera novaeangliae Physeter macrocephalus Sperm whale |
genre_facet |
Megaptera novaeangliae Physeter macrocephalus Sperm whale |
op_source |
ZooKeys 948: 129-152 |
op_relation |
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/eissn/1313-2970 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/pissn/1313-2989 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.948.50468 |
container_title |
ZooKeys |
container_volume |
948 |
container_start_page |
129 |
op_container_end_page |
152 |
_version_ |
1766067533404700672 |