Article
Acoustics
William Vickers, Ben Milner, Denise Risch, Robert Lee
Summary: This study proposes a robust system for detecting North Atlantic right whales by using deep learning to denoise noisy recordings. Evaluations show that denoising substantially improves accuracy in detecting right whales.
JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Delphine Durette-Morin, Clair Evers, Hansen D. Johnson, Katie Kowarski, Julien Delarue, Hilary Moors-Murphy, Emily Maxner, Jack W. Lawson, Kimberley T. A. Davies
Summary: This study used passive acoustic monitoring data to characterize the spatial and temporal variation in the distribution of North Atlantic right whales (NARW). The results show that the population mainly resides in temperate latitudinal ranges and the northward range shift is likely driven by energetic requirements to minimize the distance between foraging habitat and calving grounds.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Fisheries
K. A. Sorochan, S. Plourde, M. F. Baumgartner, C. L. Johnson
Summary: The study reviews the factors that promote suitable foraging habitat for the North Atlantic right whale, emphasizing the importance of prey depth, supply, and aggregation for facilitating suitable foraging habitat. It also highlights information gaps that hinder rapid and dynamic prediction of suitable foraging habitat.
ICES JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
K. A. Sorochan, S. Plourde, C. L. Johnson
Summary: In August 2019, variations in depth-integrated abundance and vertical distribution of Calanus spp. were quantified in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. While C. finmarchicus was the most abundant, the larger C. hyperboreus was prominent in the Shediac Valley, contributing a median of 55% estimated depth-integrated biomass of Calanus spp. Near-bottom aggregations of Calanus spp. occurred primarily at depths ranging from 70 to 90 m, likely due to ontogenetic and diel vertical migrations.
ICES JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Chen-Yi Wu, Douglas P. Nowacek, Anna E. Nousek-McGregor, Ross McGregor, Laurens E. Howle
Summary: This study conducted computational fluid dynamics analysis on right whales to measure drag and found several characteristics of their drag forces. At a swimming speed of 2 m/s, analyses were conducted on boundary layer thicknesses, flow regimes, and drag components at different areas of the whale's body. The study revealed specific findings on the drag coefficient of right whales at different swimming speeds.
MARINE MAMMAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Fisheries
Nathaniel Willse, Erin Summers, Yong Chen
Summary: This study examines the spatial variation in vertical line strength requirements in the Maine American lobster trap fishery. The findings suggest that inshore areas can safely use vertical lines within the recommended breaking strength to avoid entanglement of North Atlantic right whales, while the offshore lobster fishery requires additional measures to reduce the risk of entanglement and mortality.
MARINE AND COASTAL FISHERIES
(2022)
Article
Acoustics
Hansen D. Johnson, Christopher T. Taggart, Arthur E. Newhall, Ying-Tsong Lin, Mark F. Baumgartner
Summary: The study aimed to characterize the detection range of a real-time baleen whale detection system equipped on a glider and buoy. The detection function for each platform was estimated by comparing the calls localized with a hydrophone array and those detected by the glider or buoy. The probability of detection was influenced by multiple factors, including range, ambient noise level, platform depth, etc. The findings provide valuable insights for baleen whale monitoring.
JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Matus Hodul, Anders Knudby, Brigid McKenna, Amy James, Charles Mayo, Moira Brown, Delphine Durette-Morin, Stephen Bird
Summary: This study demonstrates that satellite imagery can be used to detect and confirm the presence of the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale. It provides another tool for conservation efforts, especially in areas where visual and acoustic methods are not applicable.
MARINE MAMMAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Emmanuelle C. Leroy, Jean-Yves Royer, Abigail Alling, Ben Maslen, Tracey L. Rogers
Summary: Commercial whaling in the twentieth century pushed blue whales to the edge of extinction, with slow recovery rate in the Southern Hemisphere, where they remain endangered. Despite being the largest animals on Earth, studying blue whales in the Southern Hemisphere is challenging, leading to limited knowledge on their population structure, distribution, and migration. The discovery of the DGD-Chagos song suggests the existence of a previously unknown distinct pygmy blue whale population.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Camille H. Ross, Daniel E. Pendleton, Benjamin Tupper, David Brickman, Monica A. Zani, Charles A. Mayo, Nicholas R. Record
Summary: North Atlantic right whales are critically endangered, and climate change is predicted to decrease their habitat suitability in the Gulf of Maine by 2050, with narrow bands along the Scotian Shelf potentially becoming important habitats for the species.
ELEMENTA-SCIENCE OF THE ANTHROPOCENE
(2021)
Article
Limnology
Erin L. Meyer-Gutbrod, Kimberley T. A. Davies, Catherine L. Johnson, Stephane Plourde, Kevin A. Sorochan, Robert D. Kenney, Christian Ramp, Jean-Francois Gosselin, Jack W. Lawson, Charles H. Greene
Summary: Changes in physical oceanography in the Northwest Atlantic have impacted the foraging ecology and distribution of North Atlantic right whales. The study analyzed right whale sightings from 1990 to 2018 and found significant differences in foraging habitats over three decades. The analysis also revealed that changes in foraging habitats were driven by a decline in prey in traditional habitats, rather than an increase in prey in new habitats.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
O. O'Brien, D. E. Pendleton, L. C. Ganley, K. R. McKenna, R. D. Kenney, E. Quintana-Rizzo, C. A. Mayo, S. D. Kraus, J. Redfern
Summary: Climate change has caused prey-related changes in the distribution of the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale in the Gulf of Maine. Aerial survey data from two time periods were compared to assess trends in right whale abundance, showing an increasing number of individuals in the region. These findings highlight the importance of the habitat and the need for adaptive management options as right whales adapt to climate change.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Acoustics
Svenja Woehle, Elke Burkhardt, Ilse van Opzeeland, Elena Schall
Summary: Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) is an effective method to study the acoustic presence and behavior of cetaceans. In this study, upcalls of southern right whales were successfully distinguished from similar vocalizations of humpback whales based on call features. Measurements of slope and bandwidth were identified as the main differences between the two species. The findings provide valuable insights into the migratory behavior and temporal occurrence of southern right whales in Antarctic waters.
JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Marine
Hrvoje Kozmar, Neven Hadzic, Ivan Catipovic, Smiljko Rudan
Summary: Wind is a significant environmental load on offshore engineering structures, especially in the case of offshore wind turbines. The current international standards for wind load assessment and structural response may underestimate the actual load and response, highlighting the need for improvements and revisions.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Matthew D. Lettrich, Michael J. Asaro, Diane L. Borggaard, Dorothy M. Dick, Roger B. Griffis, Jenny A. Litz, Christopher D. Orphanides, Debra L. Palka, Melissa S. Soldevilla, Brian Balmer, Samuel Chavez, Danielle Cholewiak, Diane Claridge, Ruth Y. Ewing, Kristi L. Fazioli, Dagmar Fertl, Erin M. Fougeres, Damon Gannon, Lance Garrison, James Gilbert, Annie Gorgone, Aleta Hohn, Stacey Horstman, Beth Josephson, Robert D. Kenney, Jeremy J. Kiszka, Katherine Maze-Foley, Wayne McFee, Keith D. Mullin, Kimberly Murray, Daniel E. Pendleton, Jooke Robbins, Jason J. Roberts, Grisel Rodriguez-Ferrer, Errol I. Ronje, Patricia E. Rosel, Todd Speakman, Joy E. Stanistreet, Tara Stevens, Megan Stolen, Reny Tyson Moore, Nicole L. Vollmer, Randall Wells, Heidi R. Whitehead, Amy Whitt
Summary: Climate change and variability have significant impacts on marine mammal species, and these impacts are projected to continue in the future. A vulnerability assessment was conducted for 108 marine mammal stocks in the western North Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea. The results showed that 44% of the stocks had very high vulnerability scores, while 29% had high vulnerability scores. Temperature, ocean pH, and dissolved oxygen were identified as the primary drivers of high climate exposure.
Review
Zoology
C. Gomez, J. W. Lawson, A. J. Wright, A. D. Buren, D. Tollit, V. Lesage
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2016)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Tilen Genov, Tina Centrih, Andrew J. Wright, Gi-Mick Wu
MARINE MAMMAL SCIENCE
(2018)
Article
Fisheries
Andrew J. Wright, Nick Tregenza
NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF MARINE AND FRESHWATER RESEARCH
(2019)
Review
Ecology
Andrew J. Wright, Claryana Araujo-Wang, John Y. Wang, Peter S. Ross, Jakob Tougaard, Robin Winkler, Melissa C. Marquez, Frances C. Robertson, Kayleigh Fawcett Williams, Randall R. Reeves
TRENDS IN ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2020)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Emmaline Marotte, Andrew J. Wright, Heather Breeze, Jessica Wingfield, Leanna P. Matthews, Denise Risch, Nathan D. Merchant, David Barclay, Clair Evers, Jack Lawson, Veronique Lesage, Hilary Moors-Murphy, Veronique Nolet, James A. Theriault
Summary: Anthropogenic underwater noise poses a serious threat to the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale, and there is currently insufficient understanding of the specific noise sources impacting them in their Canadian habitat. This study provides recommended metrics to better characterize the types of noise of greatest concern for conservation efforts and sets the stage for more targeted research and effective management and protection of the species.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Mats Amundin, Julia Carlstrom, Len Thomas, Ida Carlen, Jonas Teilmann, Jakob Tougaard, Olli Loisa, Line A. Kyhn, Signe Sveegaard, M. Louise Burt, Iwona Pawliczka, Radomil Koza, Bartlomiej Arciszewski, Anders Galatius, Jussi Laaksonlaita, Jamie MacAuley, Andrew J. Wright, Anja Gallus, Michael Dahne, Alejandro Acevedo-Gutierrez, Harald Benke, Jens Koblitz, Nick Tregenza, Daniel Wennerberg, Katharina Brundiers, Monika Kosecka, Cinthia Tiberi Ljungqvist, Ivar Jussi, Martin Jabbusch, Sami Lyytinen, Aleksej Saskov, Penina Blankett
Summary: Knowing the abundance of a population is crucial for assessing its conservation status and developing effective conservation plans. This study estimated the abundance of the Baltic Proper harbour porpoise for the first time through passive acoustic monitoring and found that it is critically endangered. Immediate and efficient conservation actions through international cooperation are urgently needed.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Heather Breeze, Veronique Nolet, Dugald Thomson, Andrew J. Wright, Emmaline Marotte, Michelle Sanders
Summary: This article provides an overview of recent efforts in Canada to understand and reduce anthropogenic underwater noise, including programs to study noise in whale habitats, workshops on quiet ship design, and collaborative research on noise levels in specific regions. The Government of Canada is also developing a national Ocean Noise Strategy to coordinate and advance these efforts.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Review
Zoology
Andrew J. Wright, Hilary B. Moors-Murphy, Harald Yurk
Summary: Technical Guidance from the US National Marine Fisheries Service provides recommended thresholds for assessing hearing damage in marine mammals. However, the Guidance contains uncertainties due to limited data and assumptions about data representation for different species. Applying the Guidance in other jurisdictions with different legal standards, such as Canada, requires consideration of these limitations and potential adjustments to meet precautionary requirements.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Andrew J. Wright
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND SCIENCES
(2019)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Edith MacDonald, Michael Harbrow, Sandra Jack, Julie Kidd, Andrew Wright, Pieter Tuinder, Jovana Balanovic, Fabien Medvecky, Markerita Poutasi
CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE
(2019)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Andrew J. Wright
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND SCIENCES
(2019)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Andrew J. Wright, Tomonari Akamatsu, Kim N. Mouritsen, Signe Sveegaard, Rune Dietz, Jonas Teilmann
Article
Environmental Studies
A. Sitar, L. J. May-Collado, A. J. Wright, E. Peters-Burton, L. Rockwood, E. C. M. Parsons
Article
Environmental Sciences
Andrew D. Thaler, Naomi A. Rose, A. Mel Cosentino, Andrew J. Wright
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2017)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Andrew J. Wright, Mark P. Simmonds, Barbara Galletti Vernazzani
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2016)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Atefeh Zendehboudi, Azam Mohammadi, Sina Dobaradaran, Gabriel E. De-la-Torre, Bahman Ramavandi, Seyed Enayat Hashemi, Reza Saeedi, Emran Moradpour Tayebi, Ahmad Vafaee, Amirhossein Darabi
Summary: This study investigated the characteristics and ecological risks of microplastics (MPs) in ballast water for the first time, and found high levels of MP pollution. These findings contribute to our understanding of the sources and risks of microplastics in marine ecosystems.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rose Boahemaa Pinto, Linda Bogerd, Martine van der Ploeg, Kwame Duah, Remko Uijlenhoet, Tim H. M. van Emmerik
Summary: Catchment-scale plastic pollution assessments provide insights into the sources, sinks, and pathways of plastic pollution. We propose an approach to quantify macroplastic transport and density in the Odaw catchment, Ghana, and find that the urban riverine zone has the highest transport, while the urban tidal zone has the highest riverbank and land macroplastic density.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Aliya Baidourela, Qian Sun, Gongxin Yang, Umut Halik, Zhongkai Dong, Kaixu Cai, Guili Sun, Wenya Zhang, Sisi Cheng
Summary: The study focused on heavy metal pollution in the green vegetation of a suburban industrial area in Tuokexun County, Xinjiang, China. The results showed that the overall level of heavy metal pollution in the soil was minor, with mercury (Hg) being the most severe contamination, likely caused by human activities. The composition of heavy metal elements in trees was more stable compared to grass and shrubs, with varying concentrations across different vegetation. Shrubbery was found to be the most effective in heavy metal restoration, and there were disparities in heavy metal enrichment among different vegetation types.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
James H. Bridson, Hayden Masterton, Beatrix Theobald, Regis Risani, Fraser Doake, Jessica A. Wallbank, Stefan D. M. Maday, Gavin Lear, Robert Abbel, Dawn A. Smith, Joanne M. Kingsbury, Olga Pantos, Grant L. Northcott, Sally Gaw
Summary: Plastic pollution has significant environmental impacts, largely due to chemical additives. However, the behavior of plastic additives in marine environments is not well understood. A marine deployment experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of weathering on the extractables profile of four types of plastics in New Zealand over a period of nine months. The concentration of additives in polyethylene and oxo-degradable polyethylene was strongly influenced by artificial weathering, while polyamide 6 and polyethylene terephthalate showed minimal change. These findings emphasize the importance of considering leaching and weathering effects on plastic composition when assessing the potential impact and risk of plastic pollution in receiving environments.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alan G. Scarlett, Francis D. Spilsbury, Steven J. Rowland, Marthe Monique Gagnon, Kliti Grice
Summary: This study used diamondoid hydrocarbon distributions to identify the sources of environmental oil contamination. A suite of 20 diamondoids was found to accumulate in fish adipose tissue. The scatter plots of indices between fish and exposure oils showed a close to ideal 1:1 relationship, which can be used to determine the origin of the oil.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shan Jiang, Mengmeng Wan, Kun Lin, Yanshan Chen, Rui Wang, Liju Tan, Jiangtao Wang
Summary: In this study, the concentration, composition, distribution, and sources of PCBs in surface seawater of the Bohai Bay were analyzed. The results showed that PCBs in the Bohai Bay had high concentrations and were primarily derived from land-based sources such as port activities and river inputs. The PCBs in the Bohai Bay may come from commercial PCBs and their incineration products, municipal landfills, wood and coal combustion, and industrial activities, etc.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Icaro S. A. Porto, Saulo V. A. Dantas, Caio S. A. Felix, Francisco A. S. Cunha, Jailson B. de Andrade, Sergio L. C. Ferreira
Summary: This study evaluated the risks of mercury levels in sardines consumed by low-income population in Salvador, Brazil. The results showed that the mercury content in the sampled sardines posed no risks to human health. This study is significant as most sardines in Salvador come from Todos os Santos Bay, which has a history of mercury contamination.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jiahui Chen, Chengyu Yuan, Guanqun Zhai, Guangcheng Chen, Heng Zhu, Jun Liu, Yong Ye
Summary: This study investigated the combined influences of species selection and site elevation on greenhouse gas fluxes from restored mangrove soils. The results suggest that Avicennia marina should be selected for mangrove restoration to minimize carbon release and reduce the influence of greenhouse gas fluxes on the global greenhouse effect.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Emmanuel Onyeabor, Uju Obuka
Summary: The Gulf of Guinea region in Africa is a significant area for coastal countries, playing a vital role in their economic and environmental development. This study aims to reduce marine plastic pollution in the region by utilizing legal instruments.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yuanli Liu, Stephan Luttjohann, Alvise Vianello, Claudia Lorenz, Fan Liu, Jes Vollertsen
Summary: Large area attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (LAATR-FTIR) is a novel technique for detecting small microplastics, with limited accuracy for large microplastics. However, it shows promise in homogeneous matrices. The spectra quality is comparable between transmission mode and LAATR mode.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Phuc T. D. Le, Andrew M. Fischer, Britta D. Hardesty, Heidi J. Auman, Chris Wilcox
Summary: This study explores the relationship between ocean currents and the accumulation of floating marine debris (FMD) and finds that higher concentrations of FMD are associated with frontal frequencies (FF). FMD is primarily trapped in accumulation zones between fronts and the coastline, which have high biodiversity value.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rosa Sawan, Perine Doyen, Florence Viudes, Rachid Amara, Celine Mahfouz
Summary: Few studies have examined the impact of urbanization and meteorological events on microplastics discharged into the sea through rivers. Surface water samples were collected from two Lebanese rivers, with differing degrees of urbanization, during dry and wet periods. The results showed that the most industrialized river had a significantly higher abundance of microplastics compared to the less-industrialized river. There was also a correlation between particle contamination and the season at each site, with microplastic concentrations highest on the first day of the wet season. These findings highlight the importance of considering meteorological events in accurately assessing plastic pollution influx into coastal waters.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Katherine R. Shaw, Jonathan L. Whitney, Eileen M. Nalley, Madeline C. Schmidbauer, Megan J. Donahue, Jesse Black, Raquel N. Corniuk, Kellie Teague, Rachel Sandquist, Catherine Pirkle, Rachel Dacks, Max Sudnovsky, Jennifer M. Lynch
Summary: This study examines the ingestion of plastic in reef fish in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Plastic particles were found in the gastrointestinal tracts of multiple fish species. However, further analysis revealed that these particles were actually natural materials and posed no threat to human consumers.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Revati Hardikar, C. K. Haridevi, Shantaj Deshbhratar
Summary: This study investigated the variability in phytoplankton functional structure using a trait-based approach and explored the relationship between species traits and environmental factors, as well as their impact on ecosystem functioning. The results revealed that morphological traits, temperature, and ammonia played a decisive role in the seasonal succession of phytoplankton species. It was found that certain traits favored higher biomass production but might hinder energy transfer efficiency. The strong correlation between environmental variables and phytoplankton functional structure supports the practical implementation of a trait-based approach in studying phytoplankton community dynamics under different environmental conditions.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Engki A. Kisnarti, Nining Sari Ningsih, Mutiara R. Putri, Nani Hendiarti, Bernhard Mayer
Summary: This study examines the movement patterns of plastic marine debris in Indonesian waters, revealing that Indonesia contributes significantly to transboundary marine debris in the Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, and the South China Sea. Most of the debris remains in Indonesian waters and moves back and forth due to the influence of monsoon currents.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2024)
