Unraveling the Genetic Legacy of Commercial Whaling and Population Dynamics in Arctic Bowhead Whales and Narwhals.

Assessing genetic structure and diversity in wildlife is particularly important in the context of climate change. The Arctic is rapidly warming, and endemic species must adapt quickly or face significant threats to persistence. Bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) and narwhals (Monodon monoceros) are two long-lived Arctic species with similar habitat requirements and are often seen together in the Canadian Arctic. Although their ranges overlap extensively, bowhead whales experienced significantly greater commercial whaling mortality than narwhals over several centuries. The similar habitat requirements but different harvest histories of these two species provide an opportunity to examine present-day genetic diversity and the demographic and genetic consequences of commercial whaling. We whole-genome resequenced contemporary Canadian Arctic bowhead whales and narwhals to delineate population structure and reconstruct demographic history. We found higher genetic diversity in bowhead whales compared to narwhals. However, bowhead whale effective population size sharply declined contemporaneously with the intense commercial whaling period. Narwhals, in contrast, exhibited recent growth in effective population size, likely reflecting exposure to limited opportunistic commercial harvest. Bowhead whales will likely continue to experience significant genetic drift in the future, leading to the erosion of genetic diversity. In contrast, narwhals do not seem to be at imminent risk of losing their current levels of genetic variation due to their long-term low effective population size and lack of evidence for a recent decline. This work highlights the importance of considering population trajectories in addition to genetic diversity when assessing the genetics of populations for conservation and management purposes.

Legacy persistent organic pollutants among multiple cetacean species in the Northwest Atlantic.

The historical contamination of eastern Canadian shelf waters remains an ongoing concern, predominantly stemming from anthropogenic discharges in the Great Lakes region. Although legacy persistent organic pollutants (POPs) were banned decades ago, it remains unclear whether their concentrations have sufficiently decreased to safer levels in cetaceans that feed in the continental shelf waters of the northwestern Atlantic. This study compares polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and organochlorine pesticide (OC) accumulation in six cetacean species sampled in the Northwest Atlantic from 2015 to 2022. We assessed the influence of relative trophic level and foraging habitat preferences on POP accumulations among species using stable isotopes and fatty acids as dietary tracers. We further identified the species most susceptible to the effects of these contaminants. Killer whales (Orcinus orca) exhibited the highest PCB (∼100 mg/kg lw) and OC concentrations, followed by other odontocetes, with lowest concentrations in mysticetes. Stable isotope analysis revealed an unexpected lack of correlation between δ15N values and contaminant levels. However, there was a positive correlation between δ13C values and POP concentrations. Cetaceans foraging on pelagic prey species, as indicated by elevated proportions of the FA markers 22:1n11 and 20:1n9, had lower contaminant loads compared to cetaceans with benthic/coastal FA signatures. PCB and DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) concentrations are lower now in most cetacean species than in the 1980s and 1990s, likely due to regulatory measures restricting their production and use. Although current PCB concentrations for most species are under the thresholds for high risks of immune and reproductive failure, concentrations in killer whales exceed all established toxicity thresholds, underscoring the need for further action to reduce sources of these contaminants to the continental shelf waters of the northwestern Atlantic.

Elucidating the sustainability of 700 y of Inuvialuit beluga whale hunting in the Mackenzie River Delta, Northwest Territories, Canada.

Beluga whales play a critical role in the subsistence economies and cultural heritage of Indigenous communities across the Arctic, yet the effects of Indigenous hunting on beluga whales remain unknown. Here, we integrate paleogenomics, genetic simulations, and stable δ13C and δ15N isotope analysis to investigate 700 y of beluga subsistence hunting in the Mackenzie Delta area of northwestern Canada. Genetic identification of the zooarchaeological remains, which is based on radiocarbon dating, span three time periods (1290 to 1440 CE; 1450 to 1650 CE; 1800 to 1870 CE), indicates shifts across time in the sex ratio of the harvested belugas. The equal number of females and males harvested in 1450 to 1650 CE versus more males harvested in the two other time periods may reflect changes in hunting practices or temporal shifts in beluga availability. We find temporal shifts and sex-based differences in δ13C of the harvested belugas across time, suggesting historical adaptability in the foraging ecology of the whales. We uncovered distinct mitochondrial diversity unique to the Mackenzie Delta belugas, but found no changes in nuclear genomic diversity nor any substructuring across time. Our findings indicate the genomic stability and continuity of the Mackenzie Delta beluga population across the 700 y surveyed, indicating the impact of Inuvialuit subsistence harvests on the genetic diversity of contemporary beluga individuals has been negligible.

Dietary plasticity and broad North Atlantic origins inferred from bulk and amino acid-specific δ15N and δ13C favour killer whale range expansions into Arctic waters.

Killer whales (Orcinus orca) occur seasonally in the eastern Canadian Arctic (ECA), where their range expansion associated with declining sea ice have raised questions about the impacts of increasing killer whale predation pressure on Arctic-endemic prey. We assessed diet and distribution of ECA killer whales using bulk and compound-specific stable isotope analysis (CSIA) of amino acids (AA) of 54 skin biopsies collected from 2009 to 2020 around Baffin Island, Canada. Bulk ECA killer whale skin δ15N and δ13C values did not overlap with potential Arctic prey after adjustment for trophic discrimination, and instead reflected foraging history in the North Atlantic prior to their arrival in the ECA. Adjusted killer whale stable isotope (SI) values primarily overlapped with several species of North Atlantic baleen whales or tuna. Amino acid (AA)-specific δ15N values indicated the ECA killer whales fed primarily on marine mammals, having similar glutamic acid δ15N-phenylalanine δ15N (δ15NGlx-Phe) and threonine δ15N (δ15NThr) as mammal-eating killer whales from the eastern North Pacific (ENP) that served as a comparative framework. However, one ECA whale grouped with the fish-eating ENP ecotype based δ15NThr. Distinctive essential AA δ13C of ECA killer whale groups, along with bulk SI similarity to killer whales from different regions of the North Atlantic, indicates different populations converge in Arctic waters from a broad source area. Generalist diet and long-distance dispersal capacity favour range expansions, and integration of these insights will be critical for assessing ecological impacts of increasing killer whale predation pressure on Arctic-endemic species.

Zinc-Binding Oligonucleotide Backbone Modifications for Targeting a DNA-Processing Metalloenzyme.

A series of chemically-modified oligonucleotides for targeting the DNA repair nuclease SNM1A have been designed and synthesised. Each oligonucleotide contains a modified internucleotide linkage designed to both mimic the native phosphodiester backbone and chelate to the catalytic zinc ion(s) in the SNM1A active site. Dinucleoside phosphoramidites containing urea, squaramide, sulfanylacetamide, and sulfinylacetamide linkages were prepared and employed successfully in solid-phase oligonucleotide synthesis. All the modified oligonucleotides were found to interact with SNM1A in a gel electrophoresis-based assay, demonstrating the first examples of inhibition of DNA damage repair enzymes for many of these groups in oligonucleotides. One strand containing a sulfinylacetamide-linkage was found to have the strongest interaction with SNM1A and was further tested in a real-time fluorescence assay. This allowed an IC50 value of 231 nM to be determined, significantly lower than previously reported substrate-mimics targeting this enzyme. It is expected that these modified oligonucleotides will serve as a scaffold for the future development of fluorescent or biotin-labelled probes for the in vivo study of DNA repair processes.

Nontarget and suspect screening reveals the presence of multiple plastic-related compounds in polar bear, killer whale, narwhal and long-finned pilot whale blubber from East Greenland.

The monitoring of legacy contaminants in sentinel northern marine mammals has revealed some of the highest concentrations globally. However, investigations into the presence of chemicals of emerging Arctic concern (CEACs) and other lesser-known chemicals are rarely conducted, if at all. Here, we used a nontarget/suspect approach to screen for thousands of different chemicals, including many CEACs and plastic-related compounds (PRCs) in blubber/adipose from killer whales (Orcinus orca), narwhals (Monodon monoceros), long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas), and polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in East Greenland. 138 compounds were tentatively identified mostly as PRCs, and four were confirmed using authentic standards: di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), di(2-propylheptyl) phthalate (DPHP), and one antioxidant (Irganox 1010). Three other PRCs, a nonylphenol isomer, 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol, and dioctyl sebacate, exhibited fragmentation patterns matching those in library databases. While phthalates were only above detection limits in some polar bear and narwhal, Irganox 1010, nonylphenol, and 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol were detected in >50% of all samples. This study represents the first application of a nontarget/suspect screening approach in Arctic cetaceans, leading to the identification of multiple PRCs in their blubber. Further nontarget analyses are warranted to comprehensively characterize the extent of CEAC and PRC contamination within Arctic marine food webs.

Climate change introduces threatened killer whale populations and conservation challenges to the Arctic.

The Arctic is the fastest-warming region on the planet, and the lengthening ice-free season is opening Arctic waters to sub-Arctic species such as the killer whale (Orcinus orca). As apex predators, killer whales can cause significant ecosystem-scale changes. Setting conservation priorities for killer whales and their Arctic prey species requires knowledge of their evolutionary history and demographic trajectory. Using whole-genome resequencing of 24 killer whales sampled in the northwest Atlantic, we first explored the population structure and demographic history of Arctic killer whales. To better understand the broader geographic relationship of these Arctic killer whales to other populations, we compared them to a globally sampled dataset. Finally, we assessed threats to Arctic killer whales due to anthropogenic harvest by reviewing the peer-reviewed and gray literature. We found that there are two highly genetically distinct, non-interbreeding populations of killer whales using the eastern Canadian Arctic. These populations appear to be as genetically different from each other as are ecotypes described elsewhere in the killer whale range; however, our data cannot speak to ecological differences between these populations. One population is newly identified as globally genetically distinct, and the second is genetically similar to individuals sampled from Greenland. The effective sizes of both populations recently declined, and both appear vulnerable to inbreeding and reduced adaptive potential. Our survey of human-caused mortalities suggests that harvest poses an ongoing threat to both populations. The dynamic Arctic environment complicates conservation and management efforts, with killer whales adding top-down pressure on Arctic food webs crucial to northern communities' social and economic well-being. While killer whales represent a conservation priority, they also complicate decisions surrounding wildlife conservation and resource management in the Arctic amid the effects of climate change.

Comparison of δ13C and δ15N of ecologically relevant amino acids among beluga whale tissues.

Ecological applications of compound-specific stable isotope analysis (CSIA) of amino acids (AAs) include 1) tracking carbon pathways in food webs using essential AA (AAESS) δ13C values, and 2) estimating consumer trophic position (TP) by comparing relative differences of 'trophic' and 'source' AA δ15N values. Despite the significance of these applications, few studies have examined AA-specific SI patterns among tissues with different AA compositions and metabolism/turnover rates, which could cause differential drawdown of body AA pools and impart tissue-specific isotopic fractionation. To address this knowledge gap, especially in the absence of controlled diet studies examining this issue in captive marine mammals, we used a paired-sample design to compare δ13C and δ15N values of 11 AAs in commonly sampled tissues (skin, muscle, and dentine) from wild beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas). δ13C of two AAs, glutamic acid/glutamine (Glx, a non-essential AA) and, notably, threonine (an essential AA), differed between skin and muscle. Furthermore, δ15N of three AAs (alanine, glycine, and proline) differed significantly among the three tissues, with glycine δ15N differences of approximately 10 ‰ among tissues supporting recent findings it is unsuitable as a source AA. Significant δ15N differences in AAs such as proline, a trophic AA used as an alternative to Glx in TP estimation, highlight tissue selection as a potential source of error in ecological applications of CSIA-AA. Amino acids that differed among tissues play key roles in metabolic pathways (e.g., ketogenic and gluconeogenic AAs), pointing to potential physiological applications of CSIA-AA in studies of free-ranging animals. These findings underscore the complexity of isotopic dynamics within tissues and emphasize the need for a nuanced approach when applying CSIA-AA in ecological research.

Emergency department presentations for chest complaints after mRNA COVID-19 vaccinations in children and adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate characteristics and management of children presenting with chest complaints to a tertiary paediatric ED post-mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. METHODS: This was a retrospective medical record review with data linkage to the Australian Immunisation Register. The study setting was the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia. Children <18 years who had a troponin blood test performed in hospital within 14 days of receiving mRNA COVID-19 vaccination were included. Elevated troponin and myocarditis or pericarditis as per Brighton criteria was the primary outcome. Vaccination status, length of stay, investigations and clinical management were secondary outcomes. RESULTS: Six hundred and ten patients had a troponin test in 13 months. After exclusion of trauma-related tests (n = 31), known cardiac patients (n = 75) and others (n = 145), 359 troponins were obtained due to chest complaints and related symptoms, with 283 troponins assessed to be mRNA vaccination-related. There was a temporal peak in presentations with a 30-fold monthly increase in troponin post-commencement of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. In those with chest complaints following mRNA vaccination, mean age was 14 years and 50.4% were female. Fourteen out of 283 (5%) vaccine-related troponins were abnormal with 14 patients assessed to have vaccine-associated myocarditis. No patients had pericarditis. CONCLUSIONS: There was a large number of possible mRNA COVID-19 vaccine-related chest complaints presenting to the ED. Few patients had abnormal troponins or myocarditis.

Assessment of persistent organic pollutants in killer whales (Orcinus orca) of the Canadian Arctic: Implications for subsistence consumption and conservation strategies.

Killer whales (Orcinus orca) historically restricted to certain Arctic regions due to extensive sea ice have recently been documented farther north and for longer durations in the Canadian Arctic. These apex predators accumulate high levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). The objective of this study was to evaluate the concentrations and profiles of POPs in killer whales of the Canadian Arctic, thus determining potential risks for Inuit communities if consumed. Biopsies were collected from 33 killer whales across areas of the Canadian Arctic between 2009 and 2021. Significant variability in POP concentrations was observed among whales. The cumulative POP concentrations ranged from 12 to >2270 mg/kg lw, representing ∼200-fold increase from the least to the most contaminated individual. The rank order of concentrations of the top five contaminant classes was ∑DDT, ∑PCB, ∑CHL, ∑Toxaphene, and Dieldrin. Several emerging Arctic contaminants were detected, including chlorpyrifos, endosulfan, pentachloroanisole, and polychlorinated naphthalenes, although at relatively lower concentrations than legacy POPs. Considering the elevated blubber POP levels in killer whales, recommended daily consumption thresholds, established based on human tolerable daily intake (TDI) values, were notably restricted for ∑PCB (<0.14 g), ∑DDT (<6.9 g), ∑CHL (<13 g), dieldrin (<8 g) and heptachlor epoxide (<5 g). Killer whales in the Canadian Arctic exhibited higher POP concentrations than other commonly hunted species such as polar bears, ringed seals, and Arctic char. We acknowledge that a more holistic risk assessment of diet is required to assess the cumulative impacts of contaminant mixtures as well as nutritional quality of tissues commonly consumed by northern communities.

Varying Diet Composition Causes Striking Differences in Legacy and Emerging Contaminant Concentrations in Killer Whales across the North Atlantic.

Lipophilic persistent organic pollutants (POPs) tend to biomagnify in food chains, resulting in higher concentrations in species such as killer whales (Orcinus orca) feeding on marine mammals compared to those consuming fish. Advancements in dietary studies include the use of quantitative fatty acid signature analysis (QFASA) and differentiation of feeding habits within and between populations of North Atlantic (NA) killer whales. This comprehensive study assessed the concentrations of legacy and emerging POPs in 162 killer whales from across the NA. We report significantly higher mean levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides, and flame retardants in Western NA killer whales compared to those of Eastern NA conspecifics. Mean ∑PCBs ranged from ∼100 mg/kg lipid weight (lw) in the Western NA (Canadian Arctic, Eastern Canada) to ∼50 mg/kg lw in the mid-NA (Greenland, Iceland) to ∼10 mg/kg lw in the Eastern NA (Norway, Faroe Islands). The observed variations in contaminant levels were strongly correlated with diet composition across locations (inferred from QFASA), emphasizing that diet and not environmental variation in contaminant concentrations among locations is crucial in assessing contaminant-associated health risks in killer whales. These findings highlight the urgency for implementing enhanced measures to safely dispose of POP-contaminated waste, prevent further environmental contamination, and mitigate the release of newer and potentially harmful contaminants.

Patterns of trace element deposition in beluga whale teeth reflect early life history.

Determination of trace element concentrations in continuously growing biological structures such as otoliths, whiskers, and teeth can provide important insight into physiological and ontogenetic processes. We examined concentrations of 11 trace elements (Li, Mg, Mn, Cu, Zn, Se, Rb, Sr, Cs, Ba, Pb) in the annual dentine growth layer groups (GLGs) of teeth of 66 Eastern Canadian Arctic belugas (Delphinapterus leucas). Several of these trace elements displayed clear and consistent patterns in early life, though few longer term trends or signals were present in trace element data for either females or males. Large changes in Sr and Ba concentrations in fetal dentine reflected in utero shifts in element deposition in the teeth of developing belugas. Marked changes in these elements during the first years after birth were likely associated with the onset of nursing and subsequent weaning. Mg, Mn, and Zn also displayed clear and consistent patterns in early life that correlated strongly with dentine stable nitrogen isotope (δ15N) data, suggesting these elements merit further study as potential tools for studying nursing and weaning. Depositional patterns of Zn and Pb, which have been linked to sexual maturation in female Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens), were inconsistent in beluga teeth. Some individuals (including males) displayed patterns strongly resembling those observed in female walruses, whereas many animals did not, perhaps because they had not yet reached sexual maturity. The lack of clear patterns in trace element deposition after the first few years of life may have resulted from pooling samples from multiple populations/regions collected across more than two decades, but may also indicate that elemental concentrations are primarily driven by other, extrinsic processes later in life, and might be useful as biomonitors of environmental element concentrations or tools for delineating population structure.

Investigating the Relationship Between Body Shape and Life History Traits in Toothed Whales: Can Body Shape Predict Fast-Slow Life Histories?

A widespread pattern in vertebrate life-history evolution is for species to evolve towards either fast or slow life histories; however, the underlying causes of this pattern remain unclear. Toothed whales (Odontoceti) are a diverse group with a range of body sizes and life histories, making them an ideal model to investigate potential drivers of this dichotomy. Using ancestral reconstruction, we identified that certain groups of odontocetes evolved more-streamlined, presumably faster, body shapes around the same time that killer whales (Orcinus orca) evolved into whale predators approximately 1 Mya during the Pleistocene. This suggests that the evolution of a streamlined body shape may have been an adaptation to escape killer whale predation, leading to longer life-history events. To test this hypothesis, we performed a cluster analysis of odontocete whales and confirmed the dual pattern of life-history traits, with one group referred to as 'reproducers' characterized by early age of maturity, short gestation, short interbirth interval, and short lifespan, and the other group referred to as 'bet-hedgers' exhibiting the opposite pattern. However, we found that life history grouping was relatively unrelated to whale shape (i.e., more streamlined or less streamlined). Therefore, we incorporated principal component results into mixed effects models, and the model results indicated that body shape was positively related to neonate length (a measure of investment in progeny), but not significantly related to the temporal life-history traits. Thus, whale body shape is not a sufficient explanation for the evolution of fast-slow life histories in odontocete whales. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11692-023-09605-4.

Mercury accumulation, biomagnification, and relationships to δ13C, δ15N and δ34S of fishes and marine mammals in a coastal Arctic marine food web.

Combining mercury and stable isotope data sets of consumers facilitates the quantification of whether contaminant variation in predators is due to diet, habitat use and/or environmental factors. We investigated inter-species variation in total Hg (THg) concentrations, trophic magnification slope between δ15N and THg, and relationships of THg with δ13C and δ34S in 15 fish and four marine mammal species (249 individuals in total) in coastal Arctic waters. Median THg concentration in muscle varied between species ranging from 0.08 ± 0.04 µg g-1 dw in capelin to 3.10 ± 0.80 µg g-1 dw in beluga whales. Both δ15N (r2 = 0.26) and δ34S (r2 = 0.19) best explained variation in log-THg across consumers. Higher THg concentrations occurred in higher trophic level species that consumed more pelagic-associated prey than consumers that rely on the benthic microbial-based food web. Our study illustrates the importance of using a multi-isotopic approach that includes δ34S when investigating trophic Hg dynamics in coastal marine systems.

A Review of Circumpolar Arctic Marine Mammal Health-A Call to Action in a Time of Rapid Environmental Change.

The impacts of climate change on the health of marine mammals are increasingly being recognised. Given the rapid rate of environmental change in the Arctic, the potential ramifications on the health of marine mammals in this region are a particular concern. There are eleven endemic Arctic marine mammal species (AMMs) comprising three cetaceans, seven pinnipeds, and the polar bear (Ursus maritimus). All of these species are dependent on sea ice for survival, particularly those requiring ice for breeding. As air and water temperatures increase, additional species previously non-resident in Arctic waters are extending their ranges northward, leading to greater species overlaps and a concomitant increased risk of disease transmission. In this study, we review the literature documenting disease presence in Arctic marine mammals to understand the current causes of morbidity and mortality in these species and forecast future disease issues. Our review highlights potential pathogen occurrence in a changing Arctic environment, discussing surveillance methods for 35 specific pathogens, identifying risk factors associated with these diseases, as well as making recommendations for future monitoring for emerging pathogens. Several of the pathogens discussed have the potential to cause unusual mortality events in AMMs. Brucella, morbillivirus, influenza A virus, and Toxoplasma gondii are all of concern, particularly with the relative naivety of the immune systems of endemic Arctic species. There is a clear need for increased surveillance to understand baseline disease levels and address the gravity of the predicted impacts of climate change on marine mammal species.

Quantitative fatty acid signature analysis reveals a high level of dietary specialization in killer whales across the North Atlantic.

Quantifying the diet composition of apex marine predators such as killer whales (Orcinus orca) is critical to assessing their food web impacts. Yet, with few exceptions, the feeding ecology of these apex predators remains poorly understood. Here, we use our newly validated quantitative fatty acid signature analysis (QFASA) approach on nearly 200 killer whales and over 900 potential prey to model their diets across the 5000 km span of the North Atlantic. Diet estimates show that killer whales mainly consume other whales in the western North Atlantic (Canadian Arctic, Eastern Canada), seals in the mid-North Atlantic (Greenland), and fish in the eastern North Atlantic (Iceland, Faroe Islands, Norway). Nonetheless, diet estimates also varied widely among individuals within most regions. This level of inter-individual feeding variation should be considered for future ecological studies focusing on killer whales in the North Atlantic and other oceans. These estimates reveal remarkable population- and individual-level variation in the trophic ecology of these killer whales, which can help to assess how their predation impacts community and ecosystem dynamics in changing North Atlantic marine ecosystems. This new approach provides researchers with an invaluable tool to study the feeding ecology of oceanic top predators.

Connaître en détails la composition du régime alimentaire des grands prédateurs marins tels que les orques (Orcinus orca) est primordial afin d'évaluer leurs impacts sur les écosystèmes. Pourtant, à quelques exceptions près, l'écologie alimentaire de ces super-prédateurs reste mal comprise. Ici, nous utilisons notre nouvelle approche d'analyse quantitative des signatures d'acides gras (QFASA) sur près de 200 orques et plus de 900 proies potentielles pour modéliser leur régime alimentaire à travers l'Atlantique Nord. Les estimations de leurs régimes alimentaires montrent que les orques consomment principalement d'autres baleines dans l'ouest de l'Atlantique Nord (Arctique canadien, Est du Canada), des phoques dans le milieu de l'Atlantique Nord (Groenland) et des poissons dans l'est de l'Atlantique Nord (Islande, îles Féroé, Norvège). Néanmoins, ces estimations varient considérablement d'un individu à l'autre dans la plupart des régions. Cette variation alimentaire importante entre les individus doit être prise en compte dans les futures études écologiques qui s'intéressent aux orques de l'Atlantique Nord et d'ailleurs. Ces estimations révèlent des variations remarquables dans l'écologie trophique des orques tant au niveau des population que de l'individu, ce qui peut aider à évaluer l'impact de leur prédation sur la dynamique des communautés et des écosystèmes dans un contexte de changements climatiques en l'Atlantique Nord. Cette nouvelle approche fournit aux chercheurs un outil inestimable pour étudier l'écologie alimentaire des super-prédateurs océaniques.

DNA methylation-based biomarkers for ageing long-lived cetaceans.

Epigenetic approaches for estimating the age of living organisms are revolutionizing studies of long-lived species. Molecular biomarkers that allow age estimates from small tissue biopsies promise to enhance studies of long-lived whales, addressing a fundamental and challenging parameter in wildlife management. DNA methylation (DNAm) can affect gene expression, and strong correlations between DNAm patterns and age have been documented in humans and nonhuman vertebrates and used to construct "epigenetic clocks". We present several epigenetic clocks for skin samples from two of the longest-lived cetaceans, killer whales and bowhead whales. Applying the mammalian methylation array to genomic DNA from skin samples we validate four different clocks with median errors of 2.3-3.7 years. These epigenetic clocks demonstrate the validity of using cytosine methylation data to estimate the age of long-lived cetaceans and have broad applications supporting the conservation and management of long-lived cetaceans using genomic DNA from remote tissue biopsies.

Linking movement and dive data to prey distribution models: new insights in foraging behaviour and potential pitfalls of movement analyses.

BACKGROUND: Animal movement data are regularly used to infer foraging behaviour and relationships to environmental characteristics, often to help identify critical habitat. To characterize foraging, movement models make a set of assumptions rooted in theory, for example, time spent foraging in an area increases with higher prey density. METHODS: We assessed the validity of these assumptions by associating horizontal movement and diving of satellite-telemetered ringed seals (Pusa hispida)-an opportunistic predator-in Hudson Bay, Canada, to modelled prey data and environmental proxies. RESULTS: Modelled prey biomass data performed better than their environmental proxies (e.g., sea surface temperature) for explaining seal movement; however movement was not related to foraging effort. Counter to theory, seals appeared to forage more in areas with relatively lower prey diversity and biomass, potentially due to reduced foraging efficiency in those areas. CONCLUSIONS: Our study highlights the need to validate movement analyses with prey data to effectively estimate the relationship between prey availability and foraging behaviour.