Date wrapper:
Oct
13
Talk on Marine Mammal Ecology
When
October 13, 2022 - 3:30 PM
Where
Hatfield Marine Science Center, Gladys Valley Marine Studies Building
2030 SE Marine Science Dr
Newport, OR
Two Hectors dolphins in the waters of New Zealand. /Photo courtesy of NOAA.
As part of the ongoing Research Seminars series, the Hatfield Marine Science Center (HMSC) will be hosting Dr. Keith Hernandez of Oregon State University’s Marine Mammal Institute to discuss his work in marine mammal ecology. His presentation will take place on Thursday, Oct. 6, at 3:30 p.m.
About the talk:
“Pinnipeds (seals and sea lions) are ubiquitous predators in the ecosystems they inhabit, and studies of their ecology have indicated they are sentinels of ecosystem change. Given the recovery of many species after exploitation and their largely coastal distributions in the US, pinnipeds also come into frequent contact with humans as they repopulate historical habitats and pursue similar prey resources. In this talk I'll share some of my previous and current research studying marine mammal ecology across the country and highlight how these works have led into the next project. Multiple complementary approaches used to study the diet of a recovering gray seal population revealed that they have a species-rich diet and demonstrate how these approaches can overcome method-specific limitations. Seal diet composition was dominated by taxa with little to no value relative to commercial fisheries catches in Massachusetts waters. Using 25 years of tracking, demographic and diet data, we found that reproductive success and survival of female northern elephant seals was strongly related to mass gain from foraging trips, but not other behavioral aspects of foraging. Small changes in mass gain also led to substantially increased reproductive success and longevity, which highlights the sensitivity of populations to small decreases in foraging success. I'll conclude by discussing my current research at OSU, where I am using DNA methylation data to age cetaceans of conservation concern and highlight some preliminary work aging endangered Hector's and Māui dolphins in New Zealand. ”
These talks are delivered in a hybrid fashion. The event is free, and all are welcome to attend in person in the auditorium of the Gladys Valley Marine Studies Building at the HMSC (2030 S.E. Marine Science Dr). You can also attend online. Register here to attend remotely via Zoom.
