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The specific objectives of this project have been: 1) to further develop the methods for accurately estimating the densities of low-frequency-calling marine mammal species using passive acoustic monitoring, with application to obtaining density estimates of transiting humpback whale populations in the Southern California (SoCal) Bight, 2) to incorporate detection theory formalism into the acoustic density estimation procedure in order to minimize the variance of the density estimates, 3) to apply the numerical modeling methods for humpback whale vocalizations to understand distortions caused by propagation of humpback calls west of Kauai, Hawaii, and 4) to conduct spatial statistical analyses and correlation analyses of marine mammal and other bioacoustic sounds in the SoCal Bight with man-made underwater sounds, with physical properties of the environment, and with fields relevant to the biological productivity of the water column. The work in this project has been heavily leveraged with other ongoing programs and efforts, as discussed in Related Projects below.

Our long-term goal is to develop transferable models of the population-level effects of anthropogenic and natural disturbances on marine mammals. Disturbances can affect the physiology or behavior of animals, which in turn may lead to changes in demographic rates and viability. Population-level effects of disturbance also may cascade among species. However, it has proven difficult to identify and model the mechanisms by which individual-level responses to disturbance might propagate to the population level. A clear, quantitative understanding of such mechanisms will inform assessment of trade-offs among potential responses of species to environmental changes and diverse human activities.

Our long-term goal is to develop transferable models of the population-level effects of anthropogenic and natural disturbances on marine mammals. Disturbances can affect the physiology or behavior of animals, which in turn may lead to changes in demographic rates and viability. Population-level effects of disturbance also may cascade among species. However, it has proven difficult to identify and model the mechanisms by which individual-level responses to disturbance might propagate to the population level. A clear, quantitative understanding of such mechanisms will inform assessment of trade-offs among potential responses of species to environmental changes and diverse human activities.

Our long-term goal is to develop transferable models of the population-level effects of anthropogenic and natural disturbances on marine mammals. Disturbances can affect the physiology or behavior of animals, which in turn may lead to changes in demographic rates and viability. Population-level effects of disturbance also may cascade among species. However, it has proven difficult to identify and model the mechanisms by which individual-level responses to disturbance might propagate to the population level. A clear, quantitative understanding of such mechanisms will inform assessment of trade-offs among potential responses of species to environmental changes and diverse human activities.

Our long-term goal is to develop transferable models of the population-level effects of anthropogenic and natural disturbances on marine mammals. Disturbances can affect the physiology or behavior of animals, which in turn may lead to changes in demographic rates and viability. Population-level effects of disturbance also may cascade among species. However, it has proven difficult to identify and model the mechanisms by which individual-level responses to disturbance might propagate to the population level. A clear, quantitative understanding of such mechanisms will inform assessment of trade-offs among potential responses of species to environmental changes and diverse human activities.

Our long-term goal is to develop transferable models of the population-level effects of anthropogenic and natural disturbances on marine mammals. Disturbances can affect the physiology or behavior of animals, which in turn may lead to changes in demographic rates and viability. Population-level effects of disturbance also may cascade among species. However, it has proven difficult to identify and model the mechanisms by which individual-level responses to disturbance might propagate to the population level. A clear, quantitative understanding of such mechanisms will inform assessment of trade-offs among potential responses of species to environmental changes and diverse human activities.

Before the 1960âs over-hunting of a variety of marine mammals had resulted in dangerously low populations of animals and, consequently, isolated pieces of protective legislation. National interest in. species preservation sparked passage of the Endangered Species Conservation Act in1969, which applied to some endangered or threatened marine mammals. However, more sweeping federal legislation was enacted in 1972 with the passage of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). Support for some form of marine mammals management/conservation came not only from "protectionist" groups, but also from commercial interests and the scientific community. Because of the diverse interests represented, the Act is especially broad piece of legislation which has been characterized as "neither purely protectionist nor purely exploitative, butâ¦almost always complex.â Adding to the complexity are the mandates of the Fishery Conservation and Management Act o f 1976 which apply to the management of several fisheries that interact with marine mammal populations. Consequently, management agencies are face with the two pronged problem of marine mammal conservation while managing other interrelated and sometimes competing marine resources. In order to appropriately compare alternative management strategies, more complete information on relevant benefits and costs is required.

Our goal is to build an ecological modeling framework that facilitates understanding of the way in which at-sea condition and health of various species of marine mammals changes over time. This project will develop statistical tools to allow mathematical models of the population consequences of acoustic disturbance to be fitted to data from marine mammal populations. We will work closely with Phase II of the ONR PCAD Working Group, and will provide statistical support to that group. Our scientific objectives are to build a statistical framework for understanding the way in which at-sea health varies over time for (initially) three species of marine mammals: southern and northern elephant seals, and northern right whales. Should the Working Group decide that we should address additional species, e.g. bottlenose dolphins, we will take those up in turn. For elephant seals our objective is to build and fit to data a hierarchical Bayesian model that provides daily estimates of lipid status. Maternal lipid status is a key variable in the life history of elephant seals, as it is strongly correlated with pup survival (McMahon et al. 2000). This model will use the drift dive behavior of elephant seals (Crocker et al. 1997) to provide observations on the underlying true, yet immeasurable, lipid state. For right whales, our objective is to build a model that provides spatially and temporally explicit estimates of individual health, movement, and survival. The model builds upon some of the ideas from the elephant seal project, but as the photo-identification of individual right whales is the core of the data, the model also includes many ideas concerning mark/recapture from (Clark et al. 2005).

The approach is being developed in this project has the potential for operational use by the US Navy as part of its environmental impact assessments. In future, these assessments will likely be required to provide information on the potential population-level consequences of exposure to anthropogenic noise from Navy activities as well as the number of animals that are exposed. In order to issue an incidental harassment authorization to the US Navy under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), the Office of Protected Resources must ensure that the specified activity cannot be reasonably expected to, and is not reasonably likely to, adversely affect the species or stock through effects on annual rates of recruitment or survival. Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), jeopardy decisions are made where jeopardy occurs when an action is reasonably expected, directly or indirectly, to diminish a species numbers, reproduction, or distribution so that the likelihood of survival and recovery in the wild is appreciably reduced. We have recently developed an interim protocol (Harwood et al. 2014; King, et al. 2015) that can be used to implement the framework for assessing the population consequences of acoustic disturbance for marine mammals originally developed by a panel appointed by the US National Research Council (NRC 2005). Here, we provide an insight into how the Interim PCoD approach (Harwood et al. 2014, King et al. 2015) might be used to inform the science that underpins Navy Environmental Impact Statements.

The approach is being developed in this project has the potential for operational use by the US Navy as part of its environmental impact assessments. In future, these assessments will likely be required to provide information on the potential population-level consequences of exposure to anthropogenic noise from Navy activities as well as the number of animals that are exposed. In order to issue an incidental harassment authorization to the US Navy under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), the Office of Protected Resources must ensure that the specified activity cannot be reasonably expected to, and is not reasonably likely to, adversely affect the species or stock through effects on annual rates of recruitment or survival. Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), jeopardy decisions are made where jeopardy occurs when an action is reasonably expected, directly or indirectly, to diminish a species numbers, reproduction, or distribution so that the likelihood of survival and recovery in the wild is appreciably reduced. We have recently developed an interim protocol (Harwood et al. 2014; King, et al. 2015) that can be used to implement the framework for assessing the population consequences of acoustic disturbance for marine mammals originally developed by a panel appointed by the US National Research Council (NRC 2005). Here, we provide an insight into how the Interim PCoD approach (Harwood et al. 2014, King et al. 2015) might be used to inform the science that underpins Navy Environmental Impact Statements.

The approach is being developed in this project has the potential for operational use by the US Navy as part of its environmental impact assessments. In future, these assessments will likely be required to provide information on the potential population-level consequences of exposure to anthropogenic noise from Navy activities as well as the number of animals that are exposed. In order to issue an incidental harassment authorization to the US Navy under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), the Office of Protected Resources must ensure that the specified activity cannot be reasonably expected to, and is not reasonably likely to, adversely affect the species or stock through effects on annual rates of recruitment or survival. Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), jeopardy decisions are made where jeopardy occurs when an action is reasonably expected, directly or indirectly, to diminish a species numbers, reproduction, or distribution so that the likelihood of survival and recovery in the wild is appreciably reduced. We have recently developed an interim protocol (Harwood et al. 2014; King, et al. 2015) that can be used to implement the framework for assessing the population consequences of acoustic disturbance for marine mammals originally developed by a panel appointed by the US National Research Council (NRC 2005). Here, we provide an insight into how the Interim PCoD approach (Harwood et al. 2014, King et al. 2015) might be used to inform the science that underpins Navy Environmental Impact Statements.

The approach is being developed in this project has the potential for operational use by the US Navy as part of its environmental impact assessments. In future, these assessments will likely be required to provide information on the potential population-level consequences of exposure to anthropogenic noise from Navy activities as well as the number of animals that are exposed. In order to issue an incidental harassment authorization to the US Navy under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), the Office of Protected Resources must ensure that the specified activity cannot be reasonably expected to, and is not reasonably likely to, adversely affect the species or stock through effects on annual rates of recruitment or survival. Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), jeopardy decisions are made where jeopardy occurs when an action is reasonably expected, directly or indirectly, to diminish a species numbers, reproduction, or distribution so that the likelihood of survival and recovery in the wild is appreciably reduced. We have recently developed an interim protocol (Harwood et al. 2014; King, et al. 2015) that can be used to implement the framework for assessing the population consequences of acoustic disturbance for marine mammals originally developed by a panel appointed by the US National Research Council (NRC 2005). Here, we provide an insight into how the Interim PCoD approach (Harwood et al. 2014, King et al. 2015) might be used to inform the science that underpins Navy Environmental Impact Statements.

The approach is being developed in this project has the potential for operational use by the US Navy as part of its environmental impact assessments. In future, these assessments will likely be required to provide information on the potential population-level consequences of exposure to anthropogenic noise from Navy activities as well as the number of animals that are exposed. In order to issue an incidental harassment authorization to the US Navy under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), the Office of Protected Resources must ensure that the specified activity cannot be reasonably expected to, and is not reasonably likely to, adversely affect the species or stock through effects on annual rates of recruitment or survival. Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), jeopardy decisions are made where jeopardy occurs when an action is reasonably expected, directly or indirectly, to diminish a species numbers, reproduction, or distribution so that the likelihood of survival and recovery in the wild is appreciably reduced. We have recently developed an interim protocol (Harwood et al. 2014; King, et al. 2015) that can be used to implement the framework for assessing the population consequences of acoustic disturbance for marine mammals originally developed by a panel appointed by the US National Research Council (NRC 2005). Here, we provide an insight into how the Interim PCoD approach (Harwood et al. 2014, King et al. 2015) might be used to inform the science that underpins Navy Environmental Impact Statements.

Our goal is to build an ecological modeling framework that facilitates understanding of the way in which at-sea condition and health of various species of marine mammals changes over time. This project will develop statistical tools to allow mathematical models of the population consequences of acoustic disturbance to be fitted to data from marine mammal populations. We will work closely with Phase II of the ONR PCAD Working Group, and will provide statistical support to that group.

Energy intake of individuals affects growth of organisms and, therefore, populations. Persistent lipophilic toxicants acquired with the energy can bioaccumulate and harm individuals. Marine mammals are particularly vulnerable because of their large energy requirements, and transfer of energy and toxicants from mothers to their young during gestation and lactation. Dynamic energy budget (DEB) models for energy assimilation and utilization, coupled with pharmacokinetic models that calculate distribution of toxicants in individuals, can help investigate the vulnerability. In this dissertation I develop the first individual DEB model tailored specifically to marine mammals and couple it to a pharmacokinetic model for lipophilic toxicants. I adapt the individual model to the right whale and use it to analyze consequences of energy availability on individual growth, reproduction, bioaccumulation, and transfer of toxicants between generations. From the coupled model, I create an individual-based model (IBM) of a marine mammal population. I use it to investigate how interactions of food availability, exposure to toxicants, and maternal transfer of toxicants affect populations. I also present a method to create matrix population models from a general DEB model to alleviate some of the drawbacks of the IBM approach.

This project has aimed to develop predictive, analytical tools to help determine the ability of marine mammal populations to respond to behavioral disturbances. These tools are to be generic and applicable in a wide range of conditions, including scenarios where data might be limited. Building on recent advances in in the field of behavioral ecology, we have focused on defining the state resilience of behavioral strategies by considering the transient dynamics of these behavioral strategies, using systems of linear equations. The aim has been to provide a framework that allows an assessment of how probable it is that disturbance events lead to population scale consequences.

The long-term goal of this project is to increase scientific understanding of cumulative effects of anthropogenic stressors, especially anthropogenic sound, on marine mammals.

Trichodesmium is a colonial, N2-fixing cyanobacterium found in tropical oceans. Species of Trichodesmium are genetically similar, but several species coexist. In order to coexist, species may occupy different niche spaces through differential utilization of resources and responses to physical characteristics. To investigate niche differentiation in Trichodesmium, I characterized cultured strains of Trichodesmium, identified and enumerated Trichodesmium clades in the field, and investigated P stress and N2 fixation in field populations. Species of Trichodesmium group into two morphologically diverse clades that are coherent with respect to pigment composition: clade I (Trichodesmium erythraeum and Trichodesmium contortum), and clade II (Trichodesmium thiebautii, Trichodesmium tenue, Trichodesmium hildebrandtii, and Trichodesmium pelagicum). I developed a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) method to distinguish between these clades and applied it to field populations in the Atlantic and Pacific. Clade II Trichodesmium spp. were more prominent than clade I in the open ocean. Neither clade correlated with nutrients, but clade I had wider temperature and depth distributions than clade II. Trichodesmium populations in the North Atlantic were more P stressed and had higher N2 fixation rates than the Pacific. Unraveling differences among Trichodesmium spp. enables us to understand their coexistence and factors controlling global N2 fixation.

Trichodesmium is a colonial, N2-fixing cyanobacterium found in tropical oceans. Species of Trichodesmium are genetically similar, but several species coexist. In order to coexist, species may occupy different niche spaces through differential utilization of resources and responses to physical characteristics. To investigate niche differentiation in Trichodesmium, I characterized cultured strains of Trichodesmium, identified and enumerated Trichodesmium clades in the field, and investigated P stress and N2 fixation in field populations. Species of Trichodesmium group into two morphologically diverse clades that are coherent with respect to pigment composition: clade I (Trichodesmium erythraeum and Trichodesmium contortum), and clade II (Trichodesmium thiebautii, Trichodesmium tenue, Trichodesmium hildebrandtii, and Trichodesmium pelagicum). I developed a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) method to distinguish between these clades and applied it to field populations in the Atlantic and Pacific. Clade II Trichodesmium spp. were more prominent than clade I in the open ocean. Neither clade correlated with nutrients, but clade I had wider temperature and depth distributions than clade II. Trichodesmium populations in the North Atlantic were more P stressed and had higher N2 fixation rates than the Pacific. Unraveling differences among Trichodesmium spp. enables us to understand their coexistence and factors controlling global N2 fixation.

Trichodesmium is a colonial, N2-fixing cyanobacterium found in tropical oceans. Species of Trichodesmium are genetically similar, but several species coexist. In order to coexist, species may occupy different niche spaces through differential utilization of resources and responses to physical characteristics. To investigate niche differentiation in Trichodesmium, I characterized cultured strains of Trichodesmium, identified and enumerated Trichodesmium clades in the field, and investigated P stress and N2 fixation in field populations. Species of Trichodesmium group into two morphologically diverse clades that are coherent with respect to pigment composition: clade I (Trichodesmium erythraeum and Trichodesmium contortum), and clade II (Trichodesmium thiebautii, Trichodesmium tenue, Trichodesmium hildebrandtii, and Trichodesmium pelagicum). I developed a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) method to distinguish between these clades and applied it to field populations in the Atlantic and Pacific. Clade II Trichodesmium spp. were more prominent than clade I in the open ocean. Neither clade correlated with nutrients, but clade I had wider temperature and depth distributions than clade II. Trichodesmium populations in the North Atlantic were more P stressed and had higher N2 fixation rates than the Pacific. Unraveling differences among Trichodesmium spp. enables us to understand their coexistence and factors controlling global N2 fixation.

This project aims to develop new prospective analytical tools to determine the ability of marine mammal populations to compensate for behavioural disturbances. We aim for these tools to be generic and applicable in data-poor situations. To do so, we will extend on recent advances in behavioral ecological modelling in which behavioral strategies are defined using hierarchical models where behavior is a state emerging from a number of hidden processes. This hidden process is formalised as a system of linear equations in which motivations and condition influences behavior and behavior feeds back on motivation levels and condition. We focus on defining the state resilience of behavioral strategies by analyzing the transient dynamics of those behavioral strategies (system of linear equations). This will provide a framework to inform the propensity for population consequences to emerge from behavioral disturbances.

The long-term goal of this project is to develop transferable models of the population-level effects of anthropogenic and natural disturbances on marine mammals. Disturbances can affect the physiology or behavior of animals, which in turn may lead to changes in demographic rates and viability. Population-level effects of disturbance also may cascade among species. However, it has proven difficult to identify and model the mechanisms by which individual-level responses to disturbance might propagate to the population level. A clear, quantitative understanding of such mechanisms will inform assessment of trade-offs among potential responses of species to environmental changes and diverse human activities.

The long-term goal of this project is to develop transferable models of the population-level effects of anthropogenic and natural disturbances on marine mammals. Disturbances can affect the physiology or behavior of animals, which in turn may lead to changes in demographic rates and viability. Population-level effects of disturbance also may cascade among species. However, it has proven difficult to identify and model the mechanisms by which individual-level responses to disturbance might propagate to the population level. A clear, quantitative understanding of such mechanisms will inform assessment of trade-offs among potential responses of species to environmental changes and diverse human activities.

The long-term goal of this project is to develop transferable models of the population-level effects of anthropogenic and natural disturbances on marine mammals. Disturbances can affect the physiology or behavior of animals, which in turn may lead to changes in demographic rates and viability. Population-level effects of disturbance also may cascade among species. However, it has proven difficult to identify and model the mechanisms by which individual-level responses to disturbance might propagate to the population level. A clear, quantitative understanding of such mechanisms will inform assessment of trade-offs among potential responses of species to environmental changes and diverse human activities.

The long term goal of this research is to build an ecological modeling framework that facilitates understanding of the at-sea condition and health of various species of marine mammals. We will use the results from these models to explore and quantify the impact of different types of disturbance (both environmental and anthropogenic) on these species. Modeling will be within a Bayesian framework, which will allow us to fully account for the uncertainty in the data, the biological processes, and in model output. Our scientific objectives are to build a statistical framework for understanding the at-sea health of (initially) three species of marine mammals: southern and northern elephant seals, and northern right whales. lipid status, as lipid status of the mother is directly linked to pup survival (McMahon et al. 2000). This model will use the drift dive behavior of elephant seals (Crocker et al. 1997) as the link to the underlying true, yet immeasurable, lipid state. For right whales, our scientific objective is to build a model that provides spatially and temporally explicit estimates of individual health, movement, and survival. The model builds upon some of the ideas from the elephant seal project, but as the photo-identification of individual right whales is the core of the data, the model also includes many ideas concerning mark/recapture from (Clark et al. 2005).

Government Publishing Office U.S. Congress House of Representatives Committee on Resources MARINE MAMMAL PROTECTION ACT OF 1972: THE ESCALATION OF INTERACTIONS BETWEEN THE GROWING POPULATIONS OF MARINE MAMMALS AND HUMAN ACTIVITIES ON THE WEST COAST Date(s) Held: 2003-08-19, 2003-08-29 108th Congress, 1st Session GPO Document Source: CHRG-108hhrg88940 Superintendents of Documents ID: Y 4.R 31/3 Witnesses: Anderson, Carl, Director of Public Facilities, City of Monterey, California Brown, Robin F., Program Leader, Marine Mammal Research, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Emerson, Frank T., Fishermen's Alliance of California Everingham, Roy R. ''Buck'' Jr., Everingham Bros. Bait Co Fletcher, Robert C., President, Sportfishing Association of California Hanan, Dr. Doyle A., President, Hanan & Associates, Inc Lecky, James, Assistant Regional Administrator for Protected Resources, Southwest Region, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce Merryweather, Melinda, Town Councilmember, La Jolla, California Rebuck, Steven L., Member, Sea Otter Technical Consultant Group, Southern Sea Otter Recovery Team Stewart, Dr. Brent S., Senior Research Biologist, Hubbs- SeaWorld Research Institute Related Items: United States House Bill 2693 (108th Congress) Public Law 99-65 Public Law 99-625 Public Law 103-238 Congressional Serial No. 108-50

The long-term goal is to build an ecological modeling framework that facilitates understanding of the at-sea condition and health of various species of marine mammals. We will use the results from these models to explore and quantify the impact of different types of disturbance (both environmental and anthropogenic) on these species. Modeling will be within a Bayesian framework, which will allow us to fully account for uncertainty in the data, the biological processes, and in model output. Our scientific objectives are to build a statistical framework for understanding the at-sea health of (initially) three species of marine mammals: southern and northern elephant seals, and northern right whales. For elephant seals our goal is to build a hierarchical Bayesian model that provides daily estimates of lipid status, as lipid status of the mother is directly linked to pup survival (McMahon et al. 2000). This model will use the drift dive behavior of elephant seals (Crocker et al. 1997) as the link to the underlying true, yet immeasurable, lipid state. For right whales, our scientific objective is to build a model that provides spatially and temporally explicit estimates of individual health, movement, and survival. The model builds upon some of the ideas from the elephant seal project, but as the photo-identification of individual right whales is the core of the data, the model also includes many ideas concerning mark/recapture from (Clark et al. 2005).

The long-term goals of this research effort are to improve the Navy s passive underwater acoustic monitoring of marine mammal populations. A major focus in this project is on further enhancing the ability to estimate environmentally-calibrated calling density (calls per unit area per unit time) obtained from raw detections of calls in underwater acoustic recordings. The efforts in this program also will support the Ph.D. research of a graduate student in marine bioacoustics and ocean acoustics at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

Our long-term goal is to develop transferable models of the population-level effects of anthropogenic and natural disturbances on marine mammals. Disturbances can affect the physiology or behavior of animals, which in turn may lead to changes in demographic rates and viability. Population-level effects of disturbance also may cascade among species. However, it has proven difficult to identify and model the mechanisms by which individual-level responses to disturbance might propagate to the population level. A clear, quantitative understanding of such mechanisms will inform the assessment of trade-offs among potential responses of species to environmental changes and diverse human activities. The specific objectives of this project are as follows: (1) translate conceptual models of the effects of disturbance on behavior or physiology, health, vital rates, and population dynamics into quantitative models for different taxa; (2) prioritize data collection for estimation of population-level effects of different types of disturbance on marine mammals with different life-history attributes; (3) examine the extent to which the collection of high-priority data currently is feasible in terms of time, money, and technology; (4) examine inferences about effects of disturbance on individuals and populations that can be drawn on the basis of limited empirical information or with expert elicitation; and (5) compare inferences about population-level effects of disturbance that are based on extensive empirical data to those based on expert elicitation.

The long-term goals of this research effort are to improve the Navy s passive underwater acoustic monitoring of marine mammal populations. A major focus in this project is on further enhancing the ability to estimate environmentally-calibrated calling density (calls per unit area per unit time) obtained from raw detections of calls in underwater acoustic recordings. The efforts in this program also will support the Ph.D. research of a graduate student in marine bioacoustics and ocean acoustics at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

This project has aimed to develop predictive, analytical tools to help determine the ability of marine mammal populations to respond to behavioral disturbances. These tools are to be generic and applicable in a wide range of conditions, including scenarios where data might be limited. Building on recent advances in the field of behavioral ecology, we have focussed on defining the state resilience of behavioral strategies by considering the transient dynamics of these behavioral strategies, using systems of linear equations. The aim has been to provide a framework that allows an assessment of how probable it is that disturbance events lead to population scale consequences.

This project has aimed to develop predictive, analytical tools to help determine the ability of marine mammal populations to respond to behavioral disturbances. These tools are to be generic and applicable in a wide range of conditions, including scenarios where data might be limited. Building on recent advances in the field of behavioral ecology, we have focussed on defining the state resilience of behavioral strategies by considering the transient dynamics of these behavioral strategies, using systems of linear equations. The aim has been to provide a framework that allows an assessment of how probable it is that disturbance events lead to population scale consequences.

This project has aimed to develop predictive, analytical tools to help determine the ability of marine mammal populations to respond to behavioral disturbances. These tools are to be generic and applicable in a wide range of conditions, including scenarios where data might be limited. Building on recent advances in the field of behavioral ecology, we have focussed on defining the state resilience of behavioral strategies by considering the transient dynamics of these behavioral strategies, using systems of linear equations. The aim has been to provide a framework that allows an assessment of how probable it is that disturbance events lead to population scale consequences.

This project has aimed to develop predictive, analytical tools to help determine the ability of marine mammal populations to respond to behavioral disturbances. These tools are to be generic and applicable in a wide range of conditions, including scenarios where data might be limited. Building on recent advances in the field of behavioral ecology, we have focussed on defining the state resilience of behavioral strategies by considering the transient dynamics of these behavioral strategies, using systems of linear equations. The aim has been to provide a framework that allows an assessment of how probable it is that disturbance events lead to population scale consequences.

This project has aimed to develop predictive, analytical tools to help determine the ability of marine mammal populations to respond to behavioral disturbances. These tools are to be generic and applicable in a wide range of conditions, including scenarios where data might be limited. Building on recent advances in the field of behavioral ecology, we have focussed on defining the state resilience of behavioral strategies by considering the transient dynamics of these behavioral strategies, using systems of linear equations. The aim has been to provide a framework that allows an assessment of how probable it is that disturbance events lead to population scale consequences.

In its 2000 report, Marine Mammals and Low-frequency Sound, the National Research Council recommended that the Marine Mammal Protection Act definition of Level B harassment should be limited to meaningful disruption of biologically significant activities that could affect demographically important variables such as reproduction and longevity. Recognizing that the term biologically significant is increasingly used in resource management and conservation plans, this study will further describe the scientific basis of the term in the context of marine mammal conservation and management related to ocean noise. Based on input from a scientific workshop, consideration of the relevant literature, and other sources, the committee will produce a brief report that reviews and characterizes the current scientific understanding of when animal behavior modifications induced by transient and non-transient ocean acoustic sources, individually or cumulatively affect individuals in ways that have negative consequences for populations.

The approach that will be developed in this project has the potential for operational use by the US Navy as part of its environmental impact assessments. In future, these assessments will likely be required to provide information on the potential population-level consequences of exposure to anthropogenic noise from Navy activities as well as the number of animals that are exposed. In order to issue an incidental harassment authorization to the US Navy under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Office of Protected Resources must ensure that the specified activity cannot be reasonably expected to, and is not reasonably likely to, adversely affect the species or stock through effects on annual rates of recruitment or survival . We have recently developed an interim protocol (Harwood et al. 2014) that can be used to implement the framework for assessing the population consequences of acoustic disturbance for marine mammals originally developed by a panel appointed by the US National Research Council (NRC 2005). However, the interim protocol was designed to assess the potential impact of disturbance associated with the construction and operation of offshore renewable energy developments on marine mammal populations in UK waters.

LONG-TERM GOALS: To build an ecological modeling framework that facilitates understanding of the at-sea condition and health of various species of marine mammals. This project will develop statistical tools to allow mathematical models of the population consequences of acoustic disturbance to be fitted to data from marine mammal populations. We will work closely with Phase II of the ONR PCAD Working Group, and will provide statistical support to that group.

Our top goal is to build a coherent statistical framework for modeling the effects of disturbance, particularly acoustic disturbance, on different species of marine mammals. We wish to quantify each of the transfer functions outlined in New et al. (2014) in order to link the disturbance to a change in health or behaviour and in turn to a change in vital rates. In addition, we aim to build statistical tools that can be applied to real-world management situations in addition to the case studies we have considered here.

Our top goal is to build a coherent statistical framework for modeling the effects of disturbance, particularly acoustic disturbance, on different species of marine mammals. We wish to quantify each of the transfer functions outlined in New et al. (2014) in order to link the disturbance to a change in health or behaviour and in turn to a change in vital rates. In addition, we aim to build statistical tools that can be applied to real-world management situations in addition to the case studies we have considered here.

Our top goal is to build a coherent statistical framework for modeling the effects of disturbance, particularly acoustic disturbance, on different species of marine mammals. We wish to quantify each of the transfer functions outlined in New et al. (2014) in order to link the disturbance to a change in health or behaviour and in turn to a change in vital rates. In addition, we aim to build statistical tools that can be applied to real-world management situations in addition to the case studies we have considered here.

Our scientific objectives are to build a statistical framework for understanding the at-sea health of (initially) three species of marine mammals: southern and northern elephant seals, and northern right whales. For elephant seals our goal is to build a hierarchical Bayesian model that provides daily estimates of lipid status, as lipid status of the mother is directly linked to pup survival. This model will use the drift dive behavior of elephant seals (Crocker et al. 1997) as the link to the underlying true, yet unmeasurable, lipid state. We are just starting to analyze the right whale data, but our initial scientific objective is to build a demographic model that provides spatially and temporally explicit estimates of individual survival and calving.

Our scientific objectives are to build a statistical framework for understanding the at-sea health of (initially) three species of marine mammals: southern and northern elephant seals, and northern right whales. For elephant seals our goal is to build a hierarchical Bayesian model that provides daily estimates of lipid status, as lipid status of the mother is directly linked to pup survival. This model will use the drift dive behavior of elephant seals (Crocker et al. 1997) as the link to the underlying true, yet unmeasurable, lipid state. We are just starting to analyze the right whale data, but our initial scientific objective is to build a demographic model that provides spatially and temporally explicit estimates of individual survival and calving.

Our scientific objectives are to build a statistical framework for understanding the at-sea health of (initially) three species of marine mammals: southern and northern elephant seals, and northern right whales. For elephant seals our goal is to build a hierarchical Bayesian model that provides daily estimates of lipid status, as lipid status of the mother is directly linked to pup survival. This model will use the drift dive behavior of elephant seals (Crocker et al. 1997) as the link to the underlying true, yet unmeasurable, lipid state. We are just starting to analyze the right whale data, but our initial scientific objective is to build a demographic model that provides spatially and temporally explicit estimates of individual survival and calving.

Our scientific objectives are to build a statistical framework for understanding the at-sea health of (initially) three species of marine mammals: southern and northern elephant seals, and northern right whales. For elephant seals our goal is to build a hierarchical Bayesian model that provides daily estimates of lipid status, as lipid status of the mother is directly linked to pup survival. This model will use the drift dive behavior of elephant seals (Crocker et al. 1997) as the link to the underlying true, yet unmeasurable, lipid state. We are just starting to analyze the right whale data, but our initial scientific objective is to build a demographic model that provides spatially and temporally explicit estimates of individual survival and calving.

Our scientific objectives are to build a statistical framework for understanding the at-sea health of (initially) three species of marine mammals: southern and northern elephant seals, and northern right whales. For elephant seals our goal is to build a hierarchical Bayesian model that provides daily estimates of lipid status, as lipid status of the mother is directly linked to pup survival. This model will use the drift dive behavior of elephant seals (Crocker et al. 1997) as the link to the underlying true, yet unmeasurable, lipid state. We are just starting to analyze the right whale data, but our initial scientific objective is to build a demographic model that provides spatially and temporally explicit estimates of individual survival and calving.

Our scientific objectives are to build a statistical framework for understanding the at-sea health of (initially) three species of marine mammals: southern and northern elephant seals, and northern right whales. For elephant seals our goal is to build a hierarchical Bayesian model that provides daily estimates of lipid status, as lipid status of the mother is directly linked to pup survival. This model will use the drift dive behavior of elephant seals (Crocker et al. 1997) as the link to the underlying true, yet unmeasurable, lipid state. We are just starting to analyze the right whale data, but our initial scientific objective is to build a demographic model that provides spatially and temporally explicit estimates of individual survival and calving.

Our scientific objectives are to build a statistical framework for understanding the at-sea health of (initially) three species of marine mammals: southern and northern elephant seals, and northern right whales. For elephant seals our goal is to build a hierarchical Bayesian model that provides daily estimates of lipid status, as lipid status of the mother is directly linked to pup survival. This model will use the drift dive behavior of elephant seals (Crocker et al. 1997) as the link to the underlying true, yet unmeasurable, lipid state. We are just starting to analyze the right whale data, but our initial scientific objective is to build a demographic model that provides spatially and temporally explicit estimates of individual survival and calving.

Les aires marines protégées sont un outil important de gestion et de conservation de la biodiversité marine. Elles fournissent des services écosystémiques indispensables au bien-être humain, particulièrement pour les populations locales. Cependant, la méconnaissance des services écosystémiques fournis par les écosystèmes marins et côtiers par les populations locales, est une des conséquences de la dégradation, de la surexploitation et de la pollution des ressources. Cette étude vise à déterminer la perception des populations sur l’aire marine protégée, à identifier les principaux services écosystémiques qu’elle fournit et à estimer la valeur économique des services d’approvisionnement. Les données qualitatives et quantitatives ont été obtenues sur un échantillon de 152 personnes, constituées des usagers directs et indirects des services écosystémiques. Les résultats montrent que plus de la moitié des personnes enquêtées (73%) connaissent l’existence de l’aire marine protégées de Kayar dont la majorité sont les pêcheurs (100%), les mareyeurs (88%) et les femmes transformatrices de ressources halieutiques (67%). Plus de la moitié de celles qui connaissent l’existence de l’AMP, affirment que les ressources halieutiques sont devenues moins abondantes depuis la création de l’aire marine protégée contrairement à la situation avant sa création. Les raisons évoquées sont la surexploitation des ressources halieutiques autour de l’aire marines protégées, la persistance des mauvaises pratiques de pêche et les contraintes organisationnelles, de gestion et de surveillance. Quatre catégories de services écosystémiques ont été identifiés : services d’approvisionnement (68%), services de régulation (21%), services culturels (13%) et services de soutien (1%). Les ressources halieutiques constituent les principaux services d’approvisionnement fournis par l’AMP. La lutte contre l’érosion des sols, la fixation des dunes de sable, le maintien de la qualité de l’aire sont les services de régulation les plus mentionnés par les populations. Parmi les services culturels cités figurent la détente, les loisirs, les pratiques culturelles et l’éco-tourisme. La valeur économique des services d’approvisionnement est estimée à 17 126 741 270 FCFA. L’aire marine protégée de Kayar joue un rôle important dans l’économie locale, l’alimentation des populations, la gestion durable des ressources naturelles et la conservation de la biodiversité.

Les aires marines protégées sont un outil important de gestion et de conservation de la biodiversité marine. Elles fournissent des services écosystémiques indispensables au bien-être humain, particulièrement pour les populations locales. Cependant, la méconnaissance des services écosystémiques fournis par les écosystèmes marins et côtiers par les populations locales, est une des conséquences de la dégradation, de la surexploitation et de la pollution des ressources. Cette étude vise à déterminer la perception des populations sur l’aire marine protégée, à identifier les principaux services écosystémiques qu’elle fournit et à estimer la valeur économique des services d’approvisionnement. Les données qualitatives et quantitatives ont été obtenues sur un échantillon de 152 personnes, constituées des usagers directs et indirects des services écosystémiques. Les résultats montrent que plus de la moitié des personnes enquêtées (73%) connaissent l’existence de l’aire marine protégées de Kayar dont la majorité sont les pêcheurs (100%), les mareyeurs (88%) et les femmes transformatrices de ressources halieutiques (67%). Plus de la moitié de celles qui connaissent l’existence de l’AMP, affirment que les ressources halieutiques sont devenues moins abondantes depuis la création de l’aire marine protégée contrairement à la situation avant sa création. Les raisons évoquées sont la surexploitation des ressources halieutiques autour de l’aire marines protégées, la persistance des mauvaises pratiques de pêche et les contraintes organisationnelles, de gestion et de surveillance. Quatre catégories de services écosystémiques ont été identifiés : services d’approvisionnement (68%), services de régulation (21%), services culturels (13%) et services de soutien (1%). Les ressources halieutiques constituent les principaux services d’approvisionnement fournis par l’AMP. La lutte contre l’érosion des sols, la fixation des dunes de sable, le maintien de la qualité de l’aire sont les services de régulation les plus mentionnés par les populations. Parmi les services culturels cités figurent la détente, les loisirs, les pratiques culturelles et l’éco-tourisme. La valeur économique des services d’approvisionnement est estimée à 17 126 741 270 FCFA. L’aire marine protégée de Kayar joue un rôle important dans l’économie locale, l’alimentation des populations, la gestion durable des ressources naturelles et la conservation de la biodiversité.