Article
Engineering, Marine
Marie-Noel R. Matthews, Darren S. Ireland, David G. Zeddies, Robert H. Brune, Cynthia D. Pyc
Summary: Concerns about environmental impacts of air gun surveys drive research on marine vibroseis systems which produce lower acoustic pressure but longer duration signals compared to air guns. Studies show more behavioral disturbance for marine mammals with MV arrays than air gun arrays.
JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Charlotte R. Findlay, Laia Rojano-Donate, Jakob Tougaard, Mark P. Johnson, Peter Teglberg Madsen
Summary: Global reductions in underwater radiated noise levels from cargo vessels are necessary to mitigate the accumulative impacts on marine wildlife. By utilizing a vessel exposure simulation model, we demonstrate that reducing vessel source levels through slowdowns and technological modifications can significantly decrease the area exposed to ship noise. Furthermore, despite the longer duration it takes for a slower vessel to pass an animal, slowdowns effectively mitigate all impacts to marine mammals. Hence, we suggest implementing speed reductions as an immediate solution to reduce cumulative noise impacts, which can be scalable from local areas to global ocean basins. Additionally, routing vessels away from critical habitats and employing technological modifications to minimize vessel noise can further supplement these efforts.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nairana Santos Fraga, Agnaldo Silva Martins, Adalto Bianchini, Derek R. Faust, Haruya Sakai, Cinthia Carneiro da Silva, A. Alonso Aguirre
Summary: Pollution poses a major threat to marine life, and trace elements are highly toxic pollutants in this environment. Zinc, an essential trace element for biota, becomes toxic at high concentrations. Sea turtles, with their longevity and widespread distribution, are good bioindicators for trace element pollution, accumulating these elements in their tissues over the years. This study compared the bioaccumulation of zinc in the liver, kidney, and muscles of 35 green sea turtles from Brazil, Hawaii, the USA (Texas), Japan, and Australia. The results showed that zinc was present in all specimens, with the highest concentrations in the liver and kidneys. The findings of equal zinc values in the liver suggest a pantropical distribution pattern for this metal, possibly due to its essential nature and bioavailability in marine environments. This study highlights the importance of understanding the distribution patterns of trace elements in marine biota for conservation purposes and suggests that green turtles can serve as useful sentinel species.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Erin L. Murphy, Leah R. Gerber, Chelsea M. Rochman, Beth Polidoro
Summary: Plastic pollution has devastating consequences for marine organisms. This study uses a trait-based framework to develop a vulnerability index for marine mammals, seabirds, and sea turtles in Hawai'i. The index ranks 63 study species based on their vulnerability to macroplastic pollution, providing valuable information for species monitoring and management priorities.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Acoustics
Mark K. Prior, Michael A. Ainslie, Michele B. Halvorsen, Iris Hartstra, Robert M. Laws, Alexander MacGillivray, Roel Mueller, Stephen Robinson, Liansheng Wang
Summary: The acoustical output of marine-seismic airguns is determined and characterized based on source waveform, energy source level, and peak source waveform metrics calculated in various frequency bands. These characterizations are used to assess the utility of the airguns for seismic image-processing and their potential effects on marine life.
JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Idoia Meaza, Jennifer H. Toyoda, John Pierce Wise Sr
Summary: Microplastics, ubiquitous pollutants in the marine environment, pose potential health risks to humans. Their toxicological profile is complex, with factors such as concentration, polymer type, size, shape, and color influencing their potential toxicity. The concentration and profile of microplastics found in marine organisms may be related to human exposure.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Analytical
Chad V. Jarolimek, Josh J. King, Simon C. Apte, Jane Hall, Anil Gautam, Megan Gillmore, Christopher Doyle
Summary: This review summarizes the available information on metal concentrations in marine mammals, birds, and turtles from Australia. Despite data gaps, the available evidence suggests that metal concentrations are similar to those found in other regions of the world.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Florian Reisch, Kumar Reddy Kakularam, Sabine Stehling, Dagmar Heydeck, Hartmut Kuhn
Summary: After 300 million years of evolution, the first land-living mammals reentered the marine environment some 50 million years ago. The genomes of marine mammals involve functional genes encoding for key enzymes of eicosanoid biosynthesis, with ALOX15 gene detected in all marine mammals tested.
Article
Economics
Maarten J. Punt, Brooks A. Kaiser
Summary: Seismic surveys can enhance estimates of net private benefits from uncertain hydrocarbon deposits, while also posing uncertain damages from noise pollution on marine life. Exploration in Arctic waters is constrained by ice cover, affecting surveying and marine mammals. Spatial and temporal planning is required for damage mitigation in exploring uncertain areas.
ENVIRONMENTAL & RESOURCE ECONOMICS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lise Retailleau, Lucia Gualtieri
Summary: This study investigates the seismic signals generated by typhoons during their extra-tropical transition, comparing observed sources with theoretical sources from a numerical ocean wave model and assessing the impact of ocean resonance and coastal reflection. The location and lateral extent of the seismic source are shown to be period- and phase-dependent, providing crucial information for ambient noise imaging and complementing satellite data. The authors locate the maximum seismic energy imprint and lateral extent of seismic sources, presenting a new tool to understand the generation mechanism of secondary microseisms body waves.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Sirawich Pipatprathanporn, Frederik J. Simons
Summary: A fleet of autonomously drifting profiling floats known as mermaid monitors seismic activity using hydrophones inside oceans. The floats recorded signals from 213 global earthquakes, with only 10 automatically reported. After removing seismic and other signals, infrasonic ambient noise recorded at 1500 m depth was analyzed, showing interactions of oceanic surface gravity waves.
GEOPHYSICAL JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
A. Borrell, O. Garcia-Garin, A. Aguilar, M. Vighi, M. Valdivia, E. M. Gonzalez, D. Paez-Rosas, M. Drago
Summary: This study analyzed the aluminum concentrations in the bone of 10 species of marine mammals inhabiting different geographic areas with varying aluminum inputs. The results showed unusually high concentrations of aluminum in marine mammal bone compared to terrestrial animals, with the lowest concentrations in the Galapagos archipelago, followed by the Rio de la Plata estuary and Mauritania. The source of aluminum varied between regions, with anthropogenic sources dominating in the Rio de la Plata estuary and natural sources (wind-blown dust) in Mauritanian waters. The type of source determined the contamination levels, with anthropogenic sources being more significant for coastal species and declining with distance from the shoreline.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Brandon L. Southall, Dominic Tollit, Jennifer Amaral, Christopher W. Clark, William T. Ellison
Summary: This article presents a framework for assessing the relative risk of human activities on marine vertebrates, with emphasis on sound-producing activities. The objectives are to provide tool for managers to evaluate potential biological risk, identify data gaps, and suggest measures to reduce risk. Current regulatory assessments of human activities on marine mammals focus on generalized exposure and effects, while this framework considers spatial-temporal-spectral intersections and specific examples of offshore wind farms.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Marine
Kai Zhao, Qiuzhe Wang, Haiyang Zhuang, Zhaoyan Li, Guoxing Chen
Summary: This paper presents a fully coupled flow deformation model for characterizing the nonlinear seismic site response of liquefiable marine sediments, considering the ocean wave environment. The proposed model addresses the limitations of existing one-dimensional soil models and can capture the 3D hysteretic stress-strain behavior and volumetric deformation of soil skeleton.
Review
Behavioral Sciences
Brian K. Branstetter, Jillian M. Sills
Summary: This paper discusses the increasing threat of anthropogenic noise to marine mammals and the mechanisms of auditory masking. Laboratory hearing experiments are conducted to study tone detection in different types of noise, mechanisms for controlling masking release, the role of temporal resolution, and the differences between energetic and informational masking.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Kristian Metcalfe, Lee White, Michelle E. Lee, J. Michael Fay, Gaspard Abitsi, Richard J. Parnell, Robert J. Smith, Pierre Didier Agamboue, Jean Pierre Bayet, Jean Herve Mve Beh, Serge Bongo, Francois Boussamba, Godefroy De Bruyne, Floriane Cardiec, Emmanuel Chartrain, Tim Collins, Philip D. Doherty, Angela Formia, Mark Gately, Micheline Schummer Gnandji, Innocent Ikoubou, Judicael Regis Kema Kema, Koumba Kombila, Pavlick Etoughe Kongo, Jean Churley Manfoumbi, Sara M. Maxwell, Georges H. Mba Asseko, Catherine M. McClellan, Gianna Minton, Samyra Orianne Ndjimbou, Guylene Nkoane Ndoutoume, Jean Noel Bibang Bi Nguema, Teddy Nkizogho, Jacob Nzegoue, Carmen Karen Kouerey Oliwina, Franck Mbeme Otsagha, Diane Savarit, Stephen K. Pikesley, Philippe du Plessis, Hugo Rainey, Lucienne Ariane Diapoma Kingbell Rockombeny, Howard C. Rosenbaum, Dan Segan, Guy-Philippe Sounguet, Emma J. Stokes, Dominic Tilley, Raul Vilela, Wynand Viljoen, Sam B. Weber, Matthew J. Witt, Brendan J. Godley
Summary: The article summarizes how Gabon successfully achieved international commitments in marine conservation by establishing a comprehensive ecological network, building long-term stakeholder support, and focusing on research that guides implementation and policy. Through a four-step approach, Gabon's experience can serve as an example for other countries and donors to help meet international commitments.
CONSERVATION LETTERS
(2022)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
H. M. Al Ameri, S. Al Harthi, A. Al Kiyumi, T. S. Al Sariri, A. S. Y. Al-Zaidan, M. Antonopoulou, A. C. Broderick, M. Chatting, H. S. Das, M. A. Hesni, A. Mancini, J. D. Miller, A. Mobaraki, M. Rezaie-Atagholipour, N. J. Pilcher, A. F. Rees, C. J. Rodriguez-Zarate, D. M. Smyth, L. K. Tanabe, F. Yaghmour, A. A. Yusuf, B. J. Godley
Summary: The northwestern Indian Ocean hosts significant marine biodiversity, with a focus on marine turtles. This study reviewed 251 publications to collate information on occurrence, nesting biology, threats, and conservation efforts across 13 countries in the region.
ENDANGERED SPECIES RESEARCH
(2022)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Casper H. van de Geer, Jerome Bourjea, Annette C. Broderick, Mayeul Dalleau, Raquel S. Fernandes, Linda R. Harris, Gelica E. Inteca, Fikiri K. Kiponda, Cristina M. M. Louro, Jeanne A. Mortimer, Daudi Msangameno, Lily D. Mwasi, Ronel Ner, Gladys M. Okemwa, Mike Olendo, Marcos A. M. Pereira, ALan F. Rees, Isabel Silva, Sonal Singh, Lindsey West, Jessica L. Williams, Brendan J. Godley
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive assessment of the distribution, nesting sites, foraging areas, connectivity, and anthropogenic threats for five marine turtle species along the continental African east coast. The findings reveal a complex pattern of nesting sites, foraging areas, and migration pathways, with areas of high importance identified in all five countries. Illegal take, bycatch, and loss of habitat were identified as the most serious threats. However, significant data gaps exist, especially for Somalia. The study emphasizes the need for stronger regional collaboration and coordination to effectively address current and future challenges in turtle conservation.
ENDANGERED SPECIES RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Paulo Catry, Cheibani Senhoury, Ebaye Sidina, Nahi El Bar, Abdallahi Samba Bilal, Francesco Ventura, Brendan J. Godley, Antonio J. Pires, Aissa Regalla, Ana R. Patricio
Summary: The Banc d'Arguin in Mauritania is a significant foraging ground for green turtles, with an estimated population of 8285 adult female turtles, representing 5.6% of the total population. The site plays a critical role in the conservation of sea turtles.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2023)
Letter
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Philip D. Doherty, Robert Enever, Lucy C. M. Omeyer, Lydia Tivenan, Grant Course, Guy Pasco, David Thomas, Ben Sullivan, Ben Kibel, Pete Kibel, Brendan J. Godley
Article
Environmental Sciences
Gaelle Darmon, Marcus Schulz, Marco Matiddi, Ana Liria Loza, Jesus Tomas, Andrea Camedda, Olfa Chaieb, Hedia A. El Hili, Mohamed N. Bradai, Laura Bray, Francoise Claro, Thomas Dellinger, Florence Dell'Amico, Giuseppe A. de Lucia, Emily M. M. Duncan, Delphine Gambaiani, Brendan Godley, Helen Kaberi, Yakup Kaska, Jessica Martin, Claudia Moreira, Patricia Ostiategui, Christopher K. Pham, Raffaella Piermarini, Ohiana Revuelta, Yasmina Rodriguez, Cecilia Silvestri, Robin Snape, Dogan Sozbilen, Catherine Tsangaris, Maria Vale, Frederic Vandeperre, Claude Miaud
Summary: Sea turtles are considered as bio-indicators to evaluate the effectiveness of restoration measures in reducing the impact of marine litter on health. This study analyzed the factors influencing litter ingestion and its relationship with individual health using data from loggerhead turtles in the Mediterranean and North-East Atlantic. The results showed that litter was found in 69.24% of the turtles, mainly consisting of single-use and fishing-related plastics. Factors such as spatial location, sex, and life history stage had a minor effect on litter ingestion. Although no relationship with health was found, the high proportion of plastics in the turtles' digestive contents could have long-term consequences on population dynamics, as suggested by mechanistic models.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Editorial Material
Biodiversity Conservation
Chris Sandbrook, Martin Fisher, Graeme S. S. Cumming, Karl L. L. Evans, Jenny Anne Glikman, Brendan J. J. Godley, Frith Jarrad, Nicholas Polunin, Carolina Murcia, Angel Perez-Ruzafa, Judit K. K. Szabo
Correction
Environmental Sciences
Lucy C. M. Omeyer, Emily M. Duncan, Kornrawee Aiemsomboon, Nicola Beaumont, Sujaree Bureekul, Bin Cao, Luis R. Carrasco, Suchana Chavanich, James R. Clark, Muhammad R. Cordova, Fay Couceiro, Simon M. Cragg, Neil Dickson, Pierre Failler, Gianluca Ferraro, Stephen Fletcher, Jenny Fong, Alex T. Ford, Tony Gutierrez, Fauziah Shahul Hamid, Jan G. Hiddink, Pham T. Hoa, Sophie I. Holland, Lowenna Jones, Nia H. Jones, Heather Koldewey, Federico M. Lauro, Charlotte Lee, Matt Lewis, Danny Marks, Sabine Matallana-Surget, Claudia G. Mayorga-Adame, John McGeehan, Lauren F. Messer, Laura Michie, Michelle A. Miller, Zeeda F. Mohamad, Nur Hazimah Mohamed Nor, Moritz Mueller, Simon P. Neill, Sarah E. Nelms, Deo Florence L. Onda, Joyce J. L. Ong, Agamuthu Pariatamby, Sui C. Phang, Richard Quilliam, Peter E. Robins, Maria Salta, Aida Sartimbul, Shiori Shakuto, Martin W. Skov, Evelyn B. Taboada, Peter A. Todd, Tai Chong Toh, Suresh Valiyaveettil, Voranop Viyakarn, Passorn Wonnapinij, Louisa E. Wood, Clara L. X. Yong, Brendan J. Godley
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Robin T. E. Snape, Damla Beton, Sophie Davey, Brendan J. Godley, Julia Haywood, Lucy C. M. Omeyer, Meryem Ozkan, Annette C. Broderick
Summary: Satellite tracking shows that adult foraging activities of the Mediterranean green turtle are mainly concentrated in a few key sites in the eastern Mediterranean. Most of the green turtles nesting at an important rookery in Cyprus forage in Lake Bardawil, Egypt. This study further emphasizes the importance of Lake Bardawil to green turtles nesting at other major rookeries on Cyprus, and highlights the increase in nest numbers at monitored beaches relying on man-made lagoon.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Lucy C. M. Omeyer, Emily M. Duncan, Neil Angelo S. Abreo, Jo Marie V. Acebes, Lea A. AngSinco-Jimenez, Sabiqah T. Anuar, Lemnuel V. Aragones, Gonzalo Araujo, Luis R. Carrasco, Marcus A. H. Chua, Muhammad R. Cordova, Lantun P. Dewanti, Emilyn Q. Espiritu, Jovanie B. Garay, Elitza S. Germanov, Jade Getliff, Eva Horcajo-Berna, Yusof S. Ibrahim, Zeehan Jaafar, Jose Isagani B. Janairo, Thanda Ko Gyi, Danielle Kreb, Cheng Ling Lim, Youna Lyons, Putu L. K. Mustika, Mei Lin Neo, Sirius Z. H. Ng, Buntora Pasaribu, Agamuthu Pariatamby, Cindy Peter, Lindsay Porter, Noir P. Purba, Ernesto T. Santa Cruz, Shahriar Shams, Kirsten F. Thompson, Daniel S. Torres, Rodney Westerlaken, Tuempong Wongtawan, Brendan J. Godley
Summary: Southeast Asia is highly biodiverse and a major contributor to global marine plastic pollution. However, knowledge about the impacts of plastic pollution on marine megafauna in the region is lacking. A literature review and expert elicitation were conducted to gather information on cases of entanglement and ingestion of plastic by various marine species in Southeast Asia. The study found a limited number of published cases, especially for seabirds, highlighting the need for additional funding and data to address this issue.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Paolo Casale, Gaspard Abitsi, Pierre Didier Agamboue, Eric Augowet, Jean Pierre Bayet, Alexis Billes, Abdon Bitsindou, Tim Collins, Phil D. Doherty, Francois Edgard Faure, Jacques Fretey, Philippe du Plessis, Alain Gibudi, Brendan J. Godley, Judicael Regis Kema Kema, Brice D. Koumba D. Mabert, Francois Lamou Boussamba, Pierre Brice Maganga, Jean Churley Manfoumbi, Bienvenue Ondo Ndong, Kristian Metcalfe, Gianna Minton, Gil Avery Mounguengui, Solange Ngouessono, Jacob Nzegoue, Carmen Karen Kouerey Oliwina, Richard J. Parnell, Sandrine Ricois, Dominique Roumet, Guy-Philippe Sounguet, Dominic Tilley, Hilde van Leeuwe, Bas Verhage, Lee White, Matthew J. Witt, Wynand Viljoen, Angela Formia
Summary: Assessing population trends and reproductive parameters is important for sea turtles. A 21-year study in central Africa found a decline in body size and low survival probability in leatherback and olive ridley sea turtles. However, the estimated annual number of nesting females did not show a clear decline. The study recommends continued monitoring of nesting activity, nest counts, and cross-border cooperation for effective conservation.
AQUATIC CONSERVATION-MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Liz Clark, Rebecca Allen, Zara L. R. Botterell, Beatriz Callejo, Brendan J. Godley, Clare Henry, David Santillo, Sarah E. Nelms
Summary: Citizen science is a valuable tool for collecting data on plastic pollution and although it is commonly used, there are few studies that focus on water-borne plastic debris. In this study, citizen scientists used a standardized methodology to sample sea-surface debris off the Cornish coast in the UK. The study provides important baseline data on the abundance and distribution of floating plastic debris in this region, contributing to the understanding of plastic pollution worldwide.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Elizabeth Campbell, Joanna Alfaro-Shigueto, Jeffrey C. Mangel, Jose Luis Mena, Ruth H. Thurstan, Brendan J. Godley, David March
Summary: Based on satellite tracking data, this study demonstrates that the Amazon River dolphin occupies various habitat types and has different sizes of core areas and home range areas. The research shows that the dolphins overlapped with fisheries by 89% and were found at relatively far distances from proposed dam and dredging sites. The findings highlight the need for consideration of negative effects on other riverine species and further tracking programs to understand the movement patterns of the species.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Willemien de Kock, Meaghan Mackie, Max Ramsoe, Morten E. Allentoft, Annette C. Broderick, Julia C. Haywood, Brendan J. Godley, Robin T. E. Snape, Phil J. Bradshaw, Hermann Genz, Matthew von Tersch, Michael W. Dee, Per J. Palsboll, Michelle Alexander, Alberto J. Taurozzi, Canan Cakirlar
Summary: By combining bioarchaeology with contemporary data, researchers have found that Mediterranean green turtles have been using the same North African seagrass meadows for at least 5,000 years, highlighting the significance of protecting these critical coastal habitats.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Helen S. Chadwick, James E. F. Barnett, Abby Crosby, Anthea Hawtrey-Collier, Victoria J. Hobson, Lucy C. M. Omeyer, Ruth Williams, Brendan J. Godley
Summary: Changes in grey seal strandings in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly over a 21-year period indicate a significant increase in abundance. The observed seasonality of strandings coincided with important life phases, and most strandings occurred on the north coast of Cornwall. Long-term citizen science data proved valuable for assessing the distribution and abundance of marine top predators.
JOURNAL OF THE MARINE BIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED KINGDOM
(2023)
