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    Current and novel tools in the health assessment of large whales

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    Author
    Cates, Kelly Ann
    Chair
    Atkinson, Shannon
    Committee
    Bejder, Lars
    Cunningham, Curry
    Mueter, Franz
    Straley, Janice
    Keyword
    Humpback whale
    Physiology
    Condition scoring
    Health monitoring
    Alaska
    Hawaii
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/11122/12603
    Abstract
    Alaskan marine ecosystems are undergoing unprecedented change and species are facing increasingly variable and potentially inhospitable habitats. As top predators, marine mammals serve an important role as sentinels of ecosystem health. With their high site fidelity, abundant numbers, coastal presence and role as a top predator, humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) provide a meaningful view into current ecosystem conditions and processes. In order to tap into their usefulness as bioindicators the basic physiology of humpback whales needs to be understood. Physiological indices can provide valuable information about fecundity, survival, health and population age structuring which is fundamental to cetacean research and population management. However, such information is often difficult to obtain from wild cetaceans as they surface infrequently and often live in remote or logistically challenging locations. As such, few methods currently exist for the assessment of physiological parameters of free ranging, large cetaceans. This dissertation paired existing methods of physiological examination with novel approaches in order to better understand the basic physiology and overall health of humpback whales. Specifically, six enzyme immunoassays were validated for use in humpback whales for progesterone, testosterone, cortisol, corticosterone, aldosterone and DHEA-S, an algorithm termed "Morphometer" was developed to automate the process of measuring and analyzing morphometric measurements, and hormones and body condition metrics were paired to determine whether pregnancy status can be detected from aerial photographs. This project seeks to lay the groundwork for long term monitoring of humpback whales that can provide critical information to managers. By using baseline physiological indices and tools to rapidly analyze these metrics that I developed here, managers and researchers will be able to analyze current and future samples within a longitudinal context and make management decisions based on more accurate biological information for these populations.
    Description
    Dissertation (Ph.D.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2021
    Table of Contents
    General introduction -- Chapter 1: Testosterone trends within and across seasons in male humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) from Hawaii and Alaska -- Chapter 2: Corticosterone in central north Pacific male humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae): pairing sighting histories with endocrine markers to assess stress -- Chapter 3: Automated pixel-based tool for morphometric assessment of large whale populations -- Chapter 4: Aerial sonogram: pairing endocrine markers with morphometrics to detect reproductive state in humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) -- General conclusion -- Appendix.
    Date
    2021-08
    Type
    Dissertation
    Collections
    Fisheries

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