Defining management units for cetaceans by combining genetics, morphology, acoustics and satellite tracking

Signe Sveegaard; Anders Galatius; Rune Dietz; Line Kyhn; Jens C. Koblitz; Mats Amundin; Jacob Nabe-Nielsen; Mikkel Holger Strander Sinding; Liselotte W. Andersen; Jonas Teilmann

doi:10.1016/j.gecco.2015.04.002

Defining management units for cetaceans by combining genetics, morphology, acoustics and satellite tracking

Signe Sveegaard, Anders Galatius, Rune Dietz, Line Kyhn, Jens C. Koblitz, Mats Amundin, Jacob Nabe-Nielsen, Mikkel Holger Strander Sinding, Liselotte W. Andersen, Jonas Teilmann^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

35 Citations (Scopus)

85 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Managing animal units is essential in biological conservation and requires spatial and temporal identification of such units. Since even neighbouring populations often have different conservation status and face different levels of anthropogenic pressure, detailed knowledge of population structure, seasonal range and overlap with animals from neighbouring populations is required to manage each unit separately. Previous studies on genetic structure and morphologic separation suggests three distinct populations of harbour porpoises with limited geographic overlap in the North Sea (NS), the Belt Sea (BS) and the Baltic Proper (BP) region. In this study, we aim to identify a management unit for the BS population of harbour porpoises. We use Argos satellite data and genetics from biopsies of tagged harbour porpoises as well as acoustic data from 40 passive acoustic data loggers to determine management areas with the least overlap between populations and thus the least error when abundance and population status is estimated. Discriminant analysis of the satellite tracking data from the BS and NS populations showed that the best fit of the management unit border during the summer months was an east-west line from Denmark to Sweden at latitude 56.95°N. For the border between BS and BP, satellite tracking data indicate a sharp decline in population density at 13.5°E, with 90% of the locations being west of this line. This was supported by the acoustic data with the average daily detection rate being 27.5 times higher west of 13.5°E as compared to east of 13.5°E. By using this novel multidisciplinary approach, we defined a management unit for the BS harbour porpoise population. We recommend that these boundaries are used for future monitoring efforts of this population under the EU directives. The boundaries may also be used for conservation efforts during the summer months, while seasonal movements of harbour porpoises should be considered during winter.

Original language	English
Journal	Global Ecology and Conservation
Volume	3
Pages (from-to)	839-850
Number of pages	12
ISSN	2351-9894
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2015.04.002
Publication status	Published - 2015

Keywords

Abundance estimate
Harbour porpoise
Passive acoustic monitoring
Phocoena phocoena
Population separation
Population structure

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title = "Defining management units for cetaceans by combining genetics, morphology, acoustics and satellite tracking",

abstract = "Managing animal units is essential in biological conservation and requires spatial and temporal identification of such units. Since even neighbouring populations often have different conservation status and face different levels of anthropogenic pressure, detailed knowledge of population structure, seasonal range and overlap with animals from neighbouring populations is required to manage each unit separately. Previous studies on genetic structure and morphologic separation suggests three distinct populations of harbour porpoises with limited geographic overlap in the North Sea (NS), the Belt Sea (BS) and the Baltic Proper (BP) region. In this study, we aim to identify a management unit for the BS population of harbour porpoises. We use Argos satellite data and genetics from biopsies of tagged harbour porpoises as well as acoustic data from 40 passive acoustic data loggers to determine management areas with the least overlap between populations and thus the least error when abundance and population status is estimated. Discriminant analysis of the satellite tracking data from the BS and NS populations showed that the best fit of the management unit border during the summer months was an east-west line from Denmark to Sweden at latitude 56.95°N. For the border between BS and BP, satellite tracking data indicate a sharp decline in population density at 13.5°E, with 90% of the locations being west of this line. This was supported by the acoustic data with the average daily detection rate being 27.5 times higher west of 13.5°E as compared to east of 13.5°E. By using this novel multidisciplinary approach, we defined a management unit for the BS harbour porpoise population. We recommend that these boundaries are used for future monitoring efforts of this population under the EU directives. The boundaries may also be used for conservation efforts during the summer months, while seasonal movements of harbour porpoises should be considered during winter.",

keywords = "Abundance estimate, Harbour porpoise, Passive acoustic monitoring, Phocoena phocoena, Population separation, Population structure",

author = "Signe Sveegaard and Anders Galatius and Rune Dietz and Line Kyhn and Koblitz, {Jens C.} and Mats Amundin and Jacob Nabe-Nielsen and Sinding, {Mikkel Holger Strander} and Andersen, {Liselotte W.} and Jonas Teilmann",

year = "2015",

doi = "10.1016/j.gecco.2015.04.002",

language = "English",

volume = "3",

pages = "839--850",

journal = "Global Ecology and Conservation",

issn = "2351-9894",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Defining management units for cetaceans by combining genetics, morphology, acoustics and satellite tracking

AU - Sveegaard, Signe

AU - Galatius, Anders

AU - Dietz, Rune

AU - Kyhn, Line

AU - Koblitz, Jens C.

AU - Amundin, Mats

AU - Nabe-Nielsen, Jacob

AU - Sinding, Mikkel Holger Strander

AU - Andersen, Liselotte W.

AU - Teilmann, Jonas

PY - 2015

Y1 - 2015

N2 - Managing animal units is essential in biological conservation and requires spatial and temporal identification of such units. Since even neighbouring populations often have different conservation status and face different levels of anthropogenic pressure, detailed knowledge of population structure, seasonal range and overlap with animals from neighbouring populations is required to manage each unit separately. Previous studies on genetic structure and morphologic separation suggests three distinct populations of harbour porpoises with limited geographic overlap in the North Sea (NS), the Belt Sea (BS) and the Baltic Proper (BP) region. In this study, we aim to identify a management unit for the BS population of harbour porpoises. We use Argos satellite data and genetics from biopsies of tagged harbour porpoises as well as acoustic data from 40 passive acoustic data loggers to determine management areas with the least overlap between populations and thus the least error when abundance and population status is estimated. Discriminant analysis of the satellite tracking data from the BS and NS populations showed that the best fit of the management unit border during the summer months was an east-west line from Denmark to Sweden at latitude 56.95°N. For the border between BS and BP, satellite tracking data indicate a sharp decline in population density at 13.5°E, with 90% of the locations being west of this line. This was supported by the acoustic data with the average daily detection rate being 27.5 times higher west of 13.5°E as compared to east of 13.5°E. By using this novel multidisciplinary approach, we defined a management unit for the BS harbour porpoise population. We recommend that these boundaries are used for future monitoring efforts of this population under the EU directives. The boundaries may also be used for conservation efforts during the summer months, while seasonal movements of harbour porpoises should be considered during winter.

AB - Managing animal units is essential in biological conservation and requires spatial and temporal identification of such units. Since even neighbouring populations often have different conservation status and face different levels of anthropogenic pressure, detailed knowledge of population structure, seasonal range and overlap with animals from neighbouring populations is required to manage each unit separately. Previous studies on genetic structure and morphologic separation suggests three distinct populations of harbour porpoises with limited geographic overlap in the North Sea (NS), the Belt Sea (BS) and the Baltic Proper (BP) region. In this study, we aim to identify a management unit for the BS population of harbour porpoises. We use Argos satellite data and genetics from biopsies of tagged harbour porpoises as well as acoustic data from 40 passive acoustic data loggers to determine management areas with the least overlap between populations and thus the least error when abundance and population status is estimated. Discriminant analysis of the satellite tracking data from the BS and NS populations showed that the best fit of the management unit border during the summer months was an east-west line from Denmark to Sweden at latitude 56.95°N. For the border between BS and BP, satellite tracking data indicate a sharp decline in population density at 13.5°E, with 90% of the locations being west of this line. This was supported by the acoustic data with the average daily detection rate being 27.5 times higher west of 13.5°E as compared to east of 13.5°E. By using this novel multidisciplinary approach, we defined a management unit for the BS harbour porpoise population. We recommend that these boundaries are used for future monitoring efforts of this population under the EU directives. The boundaries may also be used for conservation efforts during the summer months, while seasonal movements of harbour porpoises should be considered during winter.

KW - Abundance estimate

KW - Harbour porpoise

KW - Passive acoustic monitoring

KW - Phocoena phocoena

KW - Population separation

KW - Population structure

U2 - 10.1016/j.gecco.2015.04.002

DO - 10.1016/j.gecco.2015.04.002

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:84937836063

SN - 2351-9894

VL - 3

SP - 839

EP - 850

JO - Global Ecology and Conservation

JF - Global Ecology and Conservation

ER -

Defining management units for cetaceans by combining genetics, morphology, acoustics and satellite tracking

Abstract

Keywords

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