Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) in the North Atlantic: Biological parameters
Biological parameters for harbour porpoises are reviewed throughout their range in the NorthAtlantic. Most information is based on studies of a combination of directed catches, bycatchesand strandings. All these sources are valuable for providing biological information, but each carriessome bias whe...
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ftunitroemsoe:oai:ojs.henry.ub.uit.no:article/2740 2023-05-15T17:33:16+02:00 Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) in the North Atlantic: Biological parameters Lockyer, Christina 2003-07-01 application/pdf https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/NAMMCOSP/article/view/2740 https://doi.org/10.7557/3.2740 eng eng Septentrio Academic Publishing https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/NAMMCOSP/article/view/2740/2588 https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/NAMMCOSP/article/view/2740 doi:10.7557/3.2740 Copyright (c) 2003 Christina Lockyer http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ CC-BY NAMMCO Scientific Publications; Vol 5: Harbour porpoises in the North Atlantic; 71-89 2309-2491 1560-2206 10.7557/3.5 harbour porpoises biological parameters info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion 2003 ftunitroemsoe https://doi.org/10.7557/3.2740 https://doi.org/10.7557/3.5 2021-08-16T16:39:00Z Biological parameters for harbour porpoises are reviewed throughout their range in the NorthAtlantic. Most information is based on studies of a combination of directed catches, bycatchesand strandings. All these sources are valuable for providing biological information, but each carriessome bias when it comes to interpretation of parameters, especially those involving age structure.Information on age-related parameters, reproduction and growth is presented and assessed byregion and/or population, of which there may be 14 throughout the North Atlantic. Among age relatedparameters, maximum longevity recorded is 24 years; maximal rate of population growth is probably 9.4% but in the range 5-10%; mortality is highest in year 1, and <5% of the populationlive beyond 12 years; an estimate of 0.867 with a maximum age of 23 years has been givenfor survival. Among reproductive parameters, age at sexual maturation falls between 3-4 yearsfor both sexes; age at first parturition is probably 4-5 years; age at first ovulation is >3 years; ovulationrates fall in the range 0.64 - 0.988 corpus per year, and reproductive interval is 1.01-1.57years; pregnancy rates are generally in the range 0.74 - 0.986 per year, meaning that not all femalesproduce a calf every year; there is seasonal breeding/mating in the period June–August; gestationlasts 10-11 months; parturition generally occurs between mid-May to mid-July; duration oflactation is uncertain, but is probably at least 8 months; size at birth is usually in the range 65-75 cm with a maximum size of about 80 cm. Sex ratio is biased to males throughout life: 1.1-1.2males : 1.0 females in the foetal stage, and 1.1-1.7 males : 1.0 females post-natal. Growth parametersindicate an asymptotic length and weight that varies with population, but usually falls inthe range 153-163 cm and 55-65 kg for females and 141-149 cm and 46-51 kg for males. Growthmodels used for length and weight are typically based on von Bertalanffy and Gompertz models.Length at sexual maturity also varies with population, but is usually in the range138-147 cm for females and 127-135 cm for males. There is no information based on vertebralepiphyseal fusion to indicate age at physical maturity. Foetal growth appears normal, but there isuncertainty about the existence of embryonic diapause. Size/age at weaning are uncertain, but sizemay be <115 cm and at an age >8 months; however, entirely independent feeding may not occuruntil about 10 months. Article in Journal/Newspaper North Atlantic Phocoena phocoena University of Tromsø: Septentrio Academic Publishing NAMMCO Scientific Publications 5 71 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Tromsø: Septentrio Academic Publishing |
op_collection_id |
ftunitroemsoe |
language |
English |
topic |
harbour porpoises biological parameters |
spellingShingle |
harbour porpoises biological parameters Lockyer, Christina Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) in the North Atlantic: Biological parameters |
topic_facet |
harbour porpoises biological parameters |
description |
Biological parameters for harbour porpoises are reviewed throughout their range in the NorthAtlantic. Most information is based on studies of a combination of directed catches, bycatchesand strandings. All these sources are valuable for providing biological information, but each carriessome bias when it comes to interpretation of parameters, especially those involving age structure.Information on age-related parameters, reproduction and growth is presented and assessed byregion and/or population, of which there may be 14 throughout the North Atlantic. Among age relatedparameters, maximum longevity recorded is 24 years; maximal rate of population growth is probably 9.4% but in the range 5-10%; mortality is highest in year 1, and <5% of the populationlive beyond 12 years; an estimate of 0.867 with a maximum age of 23 years has been givenfor survival. Among reproductive parameters, age at sexual maturation falls between 3-4 yearsfor both sexes; age at first parturition is probably 4-5 years; age at first ovulation is >3 years; ovulationrates fall in the range 0.64 - 0.988 corpus per year, and reproductive interval is 1.01-1.57years; pregnancy rates are generally in the range 0.74 - 0.986 per year, meaning that not all femalesproduce a calf every year; there is seasonal breeding/mating in the period June–August; gestationlasts 10-11 months; parturition generally occurs between mid-May to mid-July; duration oflactation is uncertain, but is probably at least 8 months; size at birth is usually in the range 65-75 cm with a maximum size of about 80 cm. Sex ratio is biased to males throughout life: 1.1-1.2males : 1.0 females in the foetal stage, and 1.1-1.7 males : 1.0 females post-natal. Growth parametersindicate an asymptotic length and weight that varies with population, but usually falls inthe range 153-163 cm and 55-65 kg for females and 141-149 cm and 46-51 kg for males. Growthmodels used for length and weight are typically based on von Bertalanffy and Gompertz models.Length at sexual maturity also varies with population, but is usually in the range138-147 cm for females and 127-135 cm for males. There is no information based on vertebralepiphyseal fusion to indicate age at physical maturity. Foetal growth appears normal, but there isuncertainty about the existence of embryonic diapause. Size/age at weaning are uncertain, but sizemay be <115 cm and at an age >8 months; however, entirely independent feeding may not occuruntil about 10 months. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Lockyer, Christina |
author_facet |
Lockyer, Christina |
author_sort |
Lockyer, Christina |
title |
Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) in the North Atlantic: Biological parameters |
title_short |
Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) in the North Atlantic: Biological parameters |
title_full |
Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) in the North Atlantic: Biological parameters |
title_fullStr |
Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) in the North Atlantic: Biological parameters |
title_full_unstemmed |
Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) in the North Atlantic: Biological parameters |
title_sort |
harbour porpoises (phocoena phocoena) in the north atlantic: biological parameters |
publisher |
Septentrio Academic Publishing |
publishDate |
2003 |
url |
https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/NAMMCOSP/article/view/2740 https://doi.org/10.7557/3.2740 |
genre |
North Atlantic Phocoena phocoena |
genre_facet |
North Atlantic Phocoena phocoena |
op_source |
NAMMCO Scientific Publications; Vol 5: Harbour porpoises in the North Atlantic; 71-89 2309-2491 1560-2206 10.7557/3.5 |
op_relation |
https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/NAMMCOSP/article/view/2740/2588 https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/NAMMCOSP/article/view/2740 doi:10.7557/3.2740 |
op_rights |
Copyright (c) 2003 Christina Lockyer http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ |
op_rightsnorm |
CC-BY |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.7557/3.2740 https://doi.org/10.7557/3.5 |
container_title |
NAMMCO Scientific Publications |
container_volume |
5 |
container_start_page |
71 |
_version_ |
1766131721097445376 |