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1.
J Fish Biol ; 101(1): 13-25, 2022 Jul.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35446438

RESUMO

Abundances of large sharks are reported to have declined worldwide, and in response various levels of fisheries management and conservation efforts have been established. For example, marine-protected areas have been suggested as a means to protect large expanses of ocean from fishing and other industrial activities (e.g., habitat destruction), and in 2011 The Commonwealth of The Bahamas established The Bahamas Shark Sanctuary. Nonetheless, assessing the effectiveness of conservation efforts is challenging because consistent long-term data sets of shark abundances are often lacking, especially throughout the Caribbean and The Bahamas. In this study, the authors investigated the catch rates and demographics of tiger sharks Galeocerdo cuvier caught in a fishery-independent survey near Bimini, The Bahamas, from 1984 to 2019 to assess relative abundance trends following the banning of longline fishing in 1993 and the subsequent establishment of the shark sanctuary. To contextualize the relative abundance trends near Bimini, the authors compared this to the relative abundance of tiger sharks in a fishery-dependent survey from the Southeastern USA (SE USA), conducted from 1994 to 2019. The data of this study suggest that local abundance of tiger sharks has been stable near Bimini since the 1980s, including after the ban of longline fishing and the implementation of the shark sanctuary. In comparison, the abundance near the SE USA has slowly increased in the past decade, following potential declines in the decade preceding the USA Shark Management Plan. The results of this study provide some optimism that current conservation efforts in The Bahamas have been effective to maintain local tiger shark abundance within the protected area. In addition, current fisheries management in the SE USA is allowing this species to recover within those waters.


Assuntos
Tubarões , Animais , Bahamas , Ecossistema , Pesqueiros , Tubarões/fisiologia , Sudeste dos Estados Unidos , Estados Unidos
2.
J Fish Biol ; 101(4): 797-810, 2022 Oct.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36056454

RESUMO

The great hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran) is a highly mobile, large-bodied shark primarily found in coastal-pelagic and semi-oceanic waters across a circumtropical range. It is a target or by-catch species in multiple fisheries, and as a result, rapid population declines have occurred in many regions. These declines have contributed to the species being assessed as globally critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. Although conservation and management measures have yielded promising results in some regions, such as the United States, high levels of at-vessel and post-release mortality remain a major concern to the species population recovery. This examined the vertical space use and thermal range of pop-off archival satellite-tagged S. mokarran in the western North Atlantic Ocean, expanding the understanding of the ecological niche of this species and providing insight into by-catch mitigation strategies for fisheries managers. The results showed that S. mokarran predominantly used shallow depths (75% of records <30 m) and had a narrow temperature range (89% of records between 23 and 28°C). Individual differences in depth use were apparent, and a strong diel cycle was observed, with sharks occupying significantly deeper depths during the daytime. Furthermore, two individuals were confirmed pregnant with one migrating from the Bahamas to South Carolina, U.S.A., providing further evidence of regional connectivity and parturition off the U.S. East Coast. The findings suggest that S. mokarran may be vulnerable to incidental capture in the western North Atlantic commercial longline fisheries due to substantial vertical overlap between the species and the gear. The results can be incorporated into conservation and management efforts to develop and/or refine mitigation measures focused on reducing the by-catch and associated mortality of this species, which can ultimately aide S. mokarran population recovery in areas with poor conservation status.


Assuntos
Tubarões , Animais , Pesqueiros , Ecossistema , Oceano Atlântico , Oceanos e Mares
3.
J Anim Ecol ; 90(1): 260-272, 2021 01.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32720305

RESUMO

Consistent individual differences in behaviour (i.e. personality) can be explained in an evolutionary context if they are favoured by life history trade-offs as conceptualized in the pace-of-life syndrome (POLS) hypothesis. Theory predicts that faster-growing individuals suffer higher mortality and that this trade-off is mediated through exploration/risk-taking personality, but empirical support for this remains limited and ambiguous. Equivocal support to the POLS hypothesis suggests that the link between life history and personality may only emerge under certain circumstances. Understanding personality-driven trade-offs would be facilitated by long-term studies in wild populations experiencing different ecological conditions. Here, we tested whether personality measured in semi-captivity was associated with a growth-mortality trade-off via risk-taking in the wild in two subpopulations of juvenile lemon sharks Negaprion brevirostris known to differ in their predator abundance. We expected stronger personality-driven trade-offs in the predator-rich environment as compared to the predator-poor environment. Sharks were captured yearly from 1995 onwards allowing us to obtain long-term data on growth and apparent survival in each subpopulation. We then used a novel open-field assay to test sharks for exploration personality yearly from 2012 to 2017. A subset of the tested sharks was monitored in the field using telemetry to document risk-taking behaviours. We tested (a) if fast explorers in captivity took more risks and grew faster in the wild and (b) if natural selection acted against more explorative, faster-growing sharks. In the subpopulation with fewer predators, more explorative sharks in captivity took more risks in the wild and grew faster. In turn, larger, fast-growing sharks had lower apparent survival. In the predator-rich subpopulation, despite finding selection on fast growth, we found no link between exploration personality and the growth-mortality trade-off. Our study demonstrates that the association between personality and life history is favoured in some ecological contexts but not in others. We identify predator and resource abundance as two main potential drivers of the personality-mediated trade-off and emphasize that future work on the POLS hypothesis would benefit from an approach integrating behaviour and life history across ecological conditions.


Assuntos
Evolução Biológica , Personalidade , Animais
4.
J Fish Biol ; 94(1): 173-177, 2019 Jan.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30393865

RESUMO

An intact and uncompromised internal acoustic transmitter was non-lethally recovered from a lemon shark Negaprion brevirostris, after 13 years at liberty. The shark, first tagged at an estimated age of 2 years old near South Bimini, Bahamas in 2004, was recaptured in 2017 with a total length of 264 cm. The tagged shark displayed typical growth rate, pregnancy, natal homing and pupping behaviour of other individuals in this population. This observation provides important evidence regarding the effects from long-term retention of implanted acoustic transmitters in a carcharhinid shark.


Assuntos
Conservação dos Recursos Naturais/métodos , Tubarões/fisiologia , Telemetria/efeitos adversos , Animais , Bahamas , Liberdade , Tubarões/cirurgia , Fatores de Tempo
5.
Hum Genet ; 136(9): 1079-1091, 2017 09.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28664341

RESUMO

The central nervous system-specific serotonin receptor 2C (5HT2C) controls key physiological functions, such as food intake, anxiety, and motoneuron activity. Its deregulation is involved in depression, suicidal behavior, and spasticity, making it the target for antipsychotic drugs, appetite controlling substances, and possibly anti-spasm agents. Through alternative pre-mRNA splicing and RNA editing, the 5HT2C gene generates at least 33 mRNA isoforms encoding 25 proteins. The 5HT2C is a G-protein coupled receptor that signals through phospholipase C, influencing the expression of immediate/early genes like c-fos. Most 5HT2C isoforms show constitutive activity, i.e., signal without ligand binding. The constitutive activity of 5HT2C is decreased by pre-mRNA editing as well as alternative pre-mRNA splicing, which generates a truncated isoform that switches off 5HT2C receptor activity through heterodimerization; showing that RNA processing regulates the constitutive activity of the 5HT2C system. RNA processing events influencing the constitutive activity target exon Vb that forms a stable double stranded RNA structure with its downstream intron. This structure can be targeted by small molecules and oligonucleotides that change exon Vb alternative splicing and influence 5HT2C signaling in mouse models, leading to a reduction in food intake. Thus, the 5HT2C system is a candidate for RNA therapy in multiple models of CNS disorders.


Assuntos
Processamento Alternativo , Éxons , Multimerização Proteica , Precursores de RNA , Receptores de Serotonina , Animais , Doenças do Sistema Nervoso Central/genética , Doenças do Sistema Nervoso Central/metabolismo , Doenças do Sistema Nervoso Central/terapia , Humanos , Camundongos , Isoformas de Proteínas/biossíntese , Isoformas de Proteínas/genética , Precursores de RNA/genética , Precursores de RNA/metabolismo , Receptores de Serotonina/biossíntese , Receptores de Serotonina/genética
6.
Proc Biol Sci ; 284(1852)2017 Apr 12.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28381626

RESUMO

Mechanisms driving selection of body size and growth rate in wild marine vertebrates are poorly understood, thus limiting knowledge of their fitness costs at ecological, physiological and genetic scales. Here, we indirectly tested whether selection for size-related traits of juvenile sharks that inhabit a nursery hosting two dichotomous habitats, protected mangroves (low predation risk) and exposed seagrass beds (high predation risk), is influenced by their foraging behaviour. Juvenile sharks displayed a continuum of foraging strategies between mangrove and seagrass areas, with some individuals preferentially feeding in one habitat over another. Foraging habitat was correlated with growth rate, whereby slower growing, smaller individuals fed predominantly in sheltered mangroves, whereas larger, faster growing animals fed over exposed seagrass. Concomitantly, tracked juveniles undertook variable movement behaviours across both the low and high predation risk habitat. These data provide supporting evidence for the hypothesis that directional selection favouring smaller size and slower growth rate, both heritable traits in this shark population, may be driven by variability in foraging behaviour and predation risk. Such evolutionary pathways may be critical to adaptation within predator-driven marine ecosystems.


Assuntos
Comportamento Apetitivo , Comportamento Predatório , Tubarões/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Animais , Ecossistema
7.
Mol Ecol ; 23(1): 110-7, 2014 Jan.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24192204

RESUMO

Sharks are a globally threatened group of marine fishes that often breed in their natal region of origin. There has even been speculation that female sharks return to their exact birthplace to breed ('natal philopatry'), which would have important conservation implications. Genetic profiling of lemon sharks (Negaprion brevirostris) from 20 consecutive cohorts (1993-2012) at Bimini, Bahamas, showed that certain females faithfully gave birth at this site for nearly two decades. At least six females born in the 1993-1997 cohorts returned to give birth 14-17 years later, providing the first direct evidence of natal philopatry in the chondrichthyans. Long-term fidelity to specific nursery sites coupled with natal philopatry highlights the merits of emerging spatial and local conservation efforts for these threatened predators.


Assuntos
Genética Populacional , Reprodução/genética , Comportamento Sexual Animal , Tubarões/genética , Animais , Bahamas , Conservação dos Recursos Naturais , Feminino , Genótipo
8.
Anim Cogn ; 16(1): 55-64, 2013 Jan.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22933179

RESUMO

Social learning is taxonomically widespread and can provide distinct behavioural advantages, such as in finding food or avoiding predators more efficiently. Although extensively studied in bony fishes, no such empirical evidence exists for cartilaginous fishes. Our aim in this study was to experimentally investigate the social learning capabilities of juvenile lemon sharks, Negaprion brevirostris. We designed a novel food task, where sharks were required to enter a start zone and subsequently make physical contact with a target in order to receive a food reward. Naive sharks were then able to interact with and observe (a) pre-trained sharks, that is, 'demonstrators', or (b) sharks with no previous experience, that is, 'sham demonstrators'. On completion, observer sharks were then isolated and tested individually in a similar task. During the exposure phase observers paired with 'demonstrator' sharks performed a greater number of task-related behaviours and made significantly more transitions from the start zone to the target, than observers paired with 'sham demonstrators'. When tested in isolation, observers previously paired with 'demonstrator' sharks completed a greater number of trials and made contact with the target significantly more often than observers previously paired with 'sham demonstrators'. Such experience also tended to result in faster overall task performance. These results indicate that juvenile lemon sharks, like numerous other animals, are capable of using socially derived information to learn about novel features in their environment. The results likely have important implications for behavioural processes, ecotourism and fisheries.


Assuntos
Aprendizagem , Tubarões , Comportamento Social , Animais , Comportamento Alimentar
9.
MicroPubl Biol ; 20232023.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37193546

RESUMO

In the early 20th century, Calvin Bridges and Thomas Morgan identified a number of spontaneous mutations that displayed visible phenotypes in adult flies and subsequent analysis of these mutations over the past century have provided fundamental insights into subdisciplines of biology such as genetics, developmental, and cell biology. One of the mutations they identified in 1915 was named tilt ( tt ) and was described by Bridges and Morgan as having two visible phenotype characteristics in the wing. The wings were "held out at a wider angle from the body" and had a break in wing vein L3. Subsequent analysis of the tilt phenotype identified another phenotype: the wings were missing a varying number of campaniform sensilla on L3. Though Bridges and Morgan provided an ink drawing of the wing posture phenotype, only the vein and campaniform sensilla loss images have been published. Here we confirm and document the tilt phenotypes that have been previously described. We also show the penetrance of these phenotypes: the vein break and the distinct outward wing posture have decreased since its discovery.

10.
bioRxiv ; 2023 Jan 19.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36711936

RESUMO

Targeted therapies have revolutionized cancer chemotherapy. Unfortunately, most patients develop multifocal resistance to these drugs within a matter of months. Here, we used a high-throughput phenotypic small molecule screen to identify MCB-613 as a compound that selectively targets EGFR-mutant, EGFR inhibitor-resistant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells harboring diverse resistance mechanisms. Subsequent proteomic and functional genomic screens involving MCB-613 identified its target in this context to be KEAP1, revealing that this gene is selectively essential in the setting of EGFR inhibitor resistance. In-depth molecular characterization demonstrated that (1) MCB-613 binds KEAP1 covalently; (2) a single molecule of MCB-613 is capable of bridging two KEAP1 monomers together; and, (3) this modification interferes with the degradation of canonical KEAP1 substrates such as NRF2. Surprisingly, NRF2 knockout sensitizes cells to MCB-613, suggesting that the drug functions through modulation of an alternative KEAP1 substrate. Together, these findings advance MCB-613 as a new tool for exploiting the selective essentiality of KEAP1 in drug-resistant, EGFR-mutant NSCLC cells.

11.
Wien Klin Wochenschr ; 135(Suppl 4): 525-598, 2023 Jul.
Artigo em Alemão | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37555900

RESUMO

These S1 guidelines are an updated and expanded version of the S1 guidelines on long COVID differential diagnostic and management strategies. They summarize the state of knowledge on postviral conditions like long/post COVID at the time of writing. Due to the dynamic nature of knowledge development, they are intended to be "living guidelines". The focus is on practical applicability at the level of primary care, which is understood to be the appropriate place for initial access and for primary care and treatment. The guidelines provide recommendations on the course of treatment, differential diagnostics of the most common symptoms that can result from infections like with SARS-CoV-2, treatment options, patient management and care, reintegration and rehabilitation. The guidelines have been developed through an interdisciplinary and interprofessional process and provide recommendations on interfaces and possibilities for collaboration.


Assuntos
COVID-19 , Medicina , Humanos , SARS-CoV-2 , Síndrome de COVID-19 Pós-Aguda
12.
Ecol Evol ; 12(8): e9226, 2022 Aug.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36052296

RESUMO

Age information is often non-existent for most shark populations due to a lack of measurable physiological and morphological traits that can be used to estimate age. Recently, epigenetic clocks have been found to accurately estimate age for mammals, birds, and fish. However, since these clocks rely, among other things, on the availability of reference genomes, their application is hampered in non-traditional model organisms lacking such molecular resources. The technique known as Methyl-Sensitive Amplified Polymorphism (MSAP) has emerged as a valid alternative for studying DNA methylation biomarkers when reference genome information is missing, and large numbers of samples need to be processed. Accordingly, the MSAP technique was used in the present study to characterize global DNA methylation patterns in lemon sharks from three different age groups (juveniles, subadults, and adults). The obtained results reveal that, while MSAP analyses lack enough resolution as a standalone approach to infer age in these organisms, the global DNA methylation patterns observed using this technique displayed significant differences between age groups. Overall, these results confer that DNA methylation does change with age in sharks like what has been seen for other vertebrates and that MSAP could be useful as part of an epigenetics pipeline to infer the broad range of ages found in large samples sizes.

13.
Ecol Evol ; 10(11): 4762-4772, 2020 Jun.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32551059

RESUMO

Plant-animal interactions are diverse and widespread shaping ecology, evolution, and biodiversity of most ecological communities. Carnivorous plants are unusual in that they can be simultaneously engaged with animals in multiple mutualistic and antagonistic interactions including reversed plant-animal interactions where they are the predator. Competition with animals is a potential antagonistic plant-animal interaction unique to carnivorous plants when they and animal predators consume the same prey.The goal of this field study was to test the hypothesis that under natural conditions, sundews and spiders are predators consuming the same prey thus creating an environment where interkingdom competition can occur.Over 12 months, we collected data on 15 dates in the only protected Highland Rim Wet Meadow Ecosystem in Kentucky where sundews, sheet-web spiders, and ground-running spiders co-exist. One each sampling day, we attempted to locate fifteen sites with: (a) both sheet-web spiders and sundews; (b) sundews only; and (c) where neither occurred. Sticky traps were set at each of these sites to determine prey (springtails) activity-density. Ground-running spiders were collected on sampling days. DNA extraction was performed on all spiders to determine which individuals had eaten springtails and comparing this to the density of sundews where the spiders were captured.Sundews and spiders consumed springtails. Springtail activity-densities were lower, the higher the density of sundews. Both sheet-web and ground-running spiders were found less often where sundew densities were high. Sheet-web size was smaller where sundew densities were high.The results of this study suggest that asymmetrical exploitative competition occurs between sundews and spiders. Sundews appear to have a greater negative impact on spiders, where spiders probably have little impact on sundews. In this example of interkingdom competition where the asymmetry should be most extreme, amensalism where one competitor experiences no cost of interaction may be occurring.

14.
Mol Ecol ; 18(16): 3500-7, 2009 Aug.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-19659480

RESUMO

Although many sharks begin their life confined in nursery habitats, it is unknown how rapidly they disperse away from their natal area once they leave the nursery. We examine this issue in immature lemon sharks (Negaprion brevirostris) from the time they leave the nursery (approximately age 3) at a subtropical island (Bimini, Bahamas), through to the onset of sexual maturity (approximately age 12). From 1995 to 2007 we tagged and genotyped a large fraction of the nursery-bound sharks at this location (0-3 years of age, N = 1776 individuals). From 2003 to 2007 we sampled immature sharks aged from 3 to 11 years (N = 150) living around the island and used physical/genetic tag recaptures coupled with kinship analysis to determine whether or not each of these 'large immature sharks' was locally born. We show that many island-born lemon sharks remain close to their natal area for long periods (years) after leaving the nursery; more than half of the sampled sharks up to 135 cm total length ( approximately 6 years old) were locally born. The fraction of locally born sharks gradually declined with increasing shark size, indicating that dispersal is relatively slow and does not primarily occur after sharks reach a threshold size. Local conservation measures (e.g. localized fishery closures, marine protected areas) can therefore help protect island-born lemon sharks even after they leave the nursery habitat.


Assuntos
Comportamento Animal , Genética Populacional , Tubarões/genética , Animais , Bahamas , Feminino , Genótipo , Modelos Lineares , Modelos Logísticos , Masculino , Repetições de Microssatélites , Análise de Sequência de DNA
15.
Mol Ecol ; 17(3): 783-95, 2008 Feb.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-18194167

RESUMO

Multiple mating has clear fitness benefits for males, but uncertain benefits and costs for females. We tested for indirect genetic benefits of polyandry in a natural population, by using data from a long-term genetic and demographic study of lemon sharks (Negaprion brevirostris) at Bimini, Bahamas. To do so, we followed the fates of individuals from six cohorts (450 age-0 and 254 age-1 fish) in relation to their individual level of genetic variation, and whether they were from polyandrous or monoandrous litters. We find that offspring from polyandrous litters did not have a greater genetic diversity or greater survival than did the offspring of monoandrous litters. We also find no evidence of positive associations between individual offspring genetic diversity metrics and our surrogate measure of fitness (i.e. survival). In fact, age-1 individuals with fewer heterozygous microsatellite loci and more genetically similar parents were more likely to survive to age-2. Thus, polyandry in female lemon sharks does not appear to be adaptive from the perspective of indirect genetic benefits to offspring. It may instead be the result of convenience polyandry, whereby females mate multiply to avoid harassment by males. Our inability to find indirect genetic benefits of polyandry despite detailed pedigree and survival information suggests the need for similar assessments in other natural populations.


Assuntos
Comportamento Sexual Animal/fisiologia , Tubarões/genética , Alelos , Animais , Animais Recém-Nascidos , DNA/química , DNA/genética , Repetições de Dinucleotídeos , Feminino , Variação Genética , Genótipo , Modelos Logísticos , Masculino , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase , Tubarões/fisiologia , Análise de Sobrevida
16.
Mol Ecol ; 17(14): 3337-51, 2008 Jul.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-18564083

RESUMO

We here employ 11 microsatellite markers and recently developed litter reconstruction methods to infer mating system parameters (i.e. polyandry and breeding-site fidelity) at a lemon shark nursery site in Marquesas Key, Florida. Four hundred and eight juvenile or subadult sharks were genotyped over eight complete breeding seasons. Using this information, we were able to infer family structure, as well as fully or partially reconstruct genotypes of 46 mothers and 163 fathers. Multiple litter reconstruction methods were used, and novel simulations helped define apparent bias and precision of at least some mating system parameters. For Marquesas Key, we find that adult female lemon sharks display high levels of polyandry (81% of all litters sampled) and stronger fidelity to the nursery site than do males. Indeed, few male sharks sired offspring from more than one litter during the course of the study. These findings were quite similar to previous results from another lemon shark nursery site (Bimini, Bahamas), suggesting conserved mating system parameters despite significant variation in early life-history traits (i.e. body size and growth) among sites. The finding of at least some site fidelity in females also supports the need for careful conservation of each nursery.


Assuntos
Comportamento Sexual Animal/fisiologia , Tubarões/fisiologia , Animais , Cruzamento , Feminino , Florida , Masculino , Repetições de Microssatélites/genética , Reprodução/genética , Reprodução/fisiologia , Tubarões/genética
17.
Evolution ; 58(10): 2332-42, 2004 Oct.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-15562694

RESUMO

Because sharks possess an unusual suite of reproductive characteristics, including internal fertilization, sperm storage, relatively low fecundity, and reproductive modes that range from oviparity to viviparity, they can provide important insight into the evolution of mating systems and sexual selection. Yet, to date, few studies have characterized behavioral and genetic mating systems in natural populations of sharks or other elasmobranchs. In this study, highly polymorphic microsatellite loci were used to examine breeding biology of a large coastal shark, the lemon shark, Negaprion brevirostris, at a tropical lagoon nursery. Over six years, 910 lemon sharks were sampled and genotyped. Young were assigned into sibling groups that were then used to reconstruct genotypes of unsampled adults. We assigned 707 of 735 young sharks to one of 45 female genotypes (96.2%), and 485 (66.0%) were assigned to a male genotype. Adult female sharks consistently returned to Bimini on a biennial cycle to give birth. Over 86% of litters had multiple sires. Such high levels of polyandry raise the possibility that polyandry evolved in viviparous sharks to reduce genetic incompatibilities between mother and embryos. We did not find a relationship between relatedness of mates and the number of offspring produced, indicating that inbreeding avoidance was probably not driving pre- or postcopulatory mate choice. Adult male sharks rarely sired more than one litter at Bimini and may mate over a broader geographic area.


Assuntos
Comportamento de Retorno ao Território Vital/fisiologia , Reprodução/fisiologia , Seleção Genética , Comportamento Sexual Animal/fisiologia , Tubarões/fisiologia , Fatores Etários , Animais , Bahamas , Feminino , Genótipo , Geografia , Masculino , Repetições de Microssatélites/genética , Fatores Sexuais , Tubarões/genética
18.
Proc Biol Sci ; 269(1501): 1655-61, 2002 Aug 22.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-12204125

RESUMO

Surprisingly little is known about the reproductive behaviour and breeding biology of most shark species, especially in natural populations. Here, we characterize reproductive patterns and use of a natal nursery at Bimini, Bahamas by lemon sharks, Negaprion brevirostris. We systematically and exhaustively sampled young lemon sharks at Bimini annually from 1995 to 2000 and opportunistically sampled adults over the same period. Out of the 897 young sharks sampled, 119 could be assigned to five sampled mothers using microsatellite genotyping. Reproductive females showed strong philopatry to the nursery, returning to Bimini every two years to give birth. Each of these females may rely entirely on the Bimini nursery for recruitment. The protection of known nursery grounds should therefore figure prominently in conservation efforts for large coastal shark species. The reconstruction of paternal genotypes indicates that litters are sired by multiple males, and females mate with different males nearly every breeding cycle. The ubiquitous polyandry reported here raises the possibility that genetic incompatibility and post-copulatory paternity-biasing mechanisms may operate in viviparous sharks.


Assuntos
Reprodução , Tubarões/fisiologia , Clima Tropical , Animais , Animais Recém-Nascidos , Bahamas , Feminino , Variação Genética , Genótipo , Masculino , Repetições de Microssatélites , Gravidez , Comportamento Sexual Animal , Tubarões/genética
19.
Biol Direct ; 9(1): 23, 2014 Nov 18.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25403640

RESUMO

BACKGROUND: Long-lived marine megavertebrates (e.g. sharks, turtles, mammals, and seabirds) are inherently vulnerable to anthropogenic mortality. Although some mathematical models have been applied successfully to manage these animals, more detailed treatments are often needed to assess potential drivers of population dynamics. In particular, factors such as age-structure, density-dependent feedbacks on reproduction, and demographic stochasticity are important for understanding population trends, but are often difficult to assess. Lemon sharks (Negaprion brevirostris) have a pelagic adult phase that makes them logistically difficult to study. However, juveniles use coastal nursery areas where their densities can be high. RESULTS: We use a stage-structured, Markov-chain stochastic model to describe lemon shark population dynamics from a 17-year longitudinal dataset at a coastal nursery area at Bimini, Bahamas. We found that the interaction between delayed breeding, density-dependence, and demographic stochasticity accounts for 33 to 49% of the variance in population size. CONCLUSIONS: Demographic stochasticity contributed all random effects in this model, suggesting that the existence of unmodeled environmental factors may be driving the majority of interannual population fluctuations. In addition, we are able to use our model to estimate the natural mortality rate of older age classes of lemon sharks that are difficult to study. Further, we use our model to examine what effect the length of a time series plays on deciphering ecological patterns. We find that-even with a relatively long time series-our sampling still misses important rare events. Our approach can be used more broadly to infer population dynamics of other large vertebrates in which age structure and demographic stochasticity are important. REVIEWERS: This article was reviewed by Yang Kuang, Christine Jacob, and Ollivier Hyrien.


Assuntos
Modelos Biológicos , Tubarões/fisiologia , Animais , Bahamas , Feminino , Cadeias de Markov , Densidade Demográfica , Dinâmica Populacional , Processos Estocásticos
20.
PLoS One ; 9(2): e88470, 2014.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24586329

RESUMO

Resolving the geographic extent and timing of coastal shark migrations, as well as their environmental cues, is essential for refining shark management strategies in anticipation of increasing anthropogenic stressors to coastal ecosystems. We employed a regional-scale passive acoustic telemetry array encompassing 300 km of the east Florida coast to assess what factors influence site fidelity of juvenile lemon sharks (Negaprion brevirostris) to an exposed coastal nursery at Cape Canaveral, and to document the timing and rate of their seasonal migrations. Movements of 54 juvenile lemon sharks were monitored for three years with individuals tracked for up to 751 days. While most sharks demonstrated site fidelity to the Cape Canaveral region December through February under typical winter water temperatures, historically extreme declines in ocean temperature were accompanied by rapid and often temporary, southward displacements of up to 190 km along the Florida east coast. From late February through April each year, most sharks initiated a northward migration at speeds of up to 64 km day(-1) with several individuals then detected in compatible estuarine telemetry arrays in Georgia and South Carolina up to 472 km from release locations. Nineteen sharks returned for a second or even third consecutive winter, thus demonstrating strong seasonal philopatry to the Cape Canaveral region. The long distance movements and habitat associations of immature lemon sharks along the US southeast coast contrast sharply with the natal site fidelity observed in this species at other sites in the western Atlantic Ocean. These findings validate the existing multi-state management strategies now in place. Results also affirm the value of collaborative passive arrays for resolving seasonal movements and habitat preferences of migratory coastal shark species not easily studied with other tagging techniques.


Assuntos
Migração Animal , Ecossistema , Tubarões/fisiologia , Acústica , Animais , Oceano Atlântico
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