[MARMAM] Categorising C-POD click trains to increase taxonomic resolution

[Kaitlin Palmer]

Dear Colleagues;

My co-authors and I are pleased to announce the publication of our
paper,* Categorizing
click trains to increase taxonomic precision in echolocation click loggers.*


As this research is in its early stages, we would especially like to offer
our categorisation model to any colleagues who have with visually validated
C-POD data. Otherwise, anyone wishing to use or build on these methods may
obtain the R model from this study via GitHub repository
https://github.com/JPalmerK/C-POD-encounter-classification


Warm Regards,

Kaitlin Palmer



http://asa.scitation.org/doi/10.1121/1.4996000

Passive acoustic monitoring is an efficient way to study acoustically
active animals but species identification remains a major challenge. C-PODs
are popular logging devices that automatically detect odontocete
echolocation clicks. However, the accompanying analysis software does not
distinguish between delphinid species. Click train features logged by
C-PODs were compared to frequency spectra from adjacently deployed
continuous recorders. A generalized additive model was then used to
categorize C-POD click trains into three groups: broadband click trains,
produced by bottlenose dolphin (*Tursiops truncatus*) or common
dolphin (*Delphinus
delphis*), frequency-banded click trains, produced by Risso's (*Grampus
griseus*) or white beaked dolphins (*Lagenorhynchus albirostris*), and
unknown click trains. Incorrect categorization rates for broadband and
frequency banded clicks were 0.02 (SD 0.01), but only 30% of the click
trains met the categorization threshold. To increase the proportion of
categorized click trains, model predictions were pooled within acoustic
encounters and a likelihood ratio threshold was used to categorize
encounters. This increased the proportion of the click trains meeting
either the broadband or frequency banded categorization threshold to 98%.
Predicted species distribution at the 30 study sites matched well to visual
sighting records from the region.

-- 

Kaitlin Palmer
MASTS PhD student (masts.ac.uk)
E-mail: k...@st-andrews.ac.uk 
Twitter: @ProcrastinatehD
School of Biology, University of St. Andrews
Sir Harold Mitchell Building,
St. Andrews, Fife
KY16 9TH
U.K.

The University of St Andrews is a charity registered in Scotland (SC013532)
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[MARMAM] DOLPHIN RESEARCH IN MONTENEGRO - VOLUNTEERS RECRUITMENT

[Elisa Gaggioli]

*VOLUNTEER AND INTERN RECRUITMENT FOR THE MONTENEGRO DOLPHIN PROJECT (SOUTH
ADRIATIC SEA)*

*OUR PROJECT*

The Montenegro Dolphin Project is a scientific project born from the
partnership between the Marine Mammals Research Association (DMAD) and the
Natural History Association of Montenegro. Our study is the first long term
research study of marine mammals in Montenegrin coastal waters. We aim to
address questions about marine mammal abundance, distribution and behavior,
define critical habitats and investigate the impact of major threats. Our
wider attention focuses on the promotion and implementation of awareness
initiatives targeted at the local community, particularly youth.

*WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR*

We offer several volunteering and internship positions: this is an
extremely valuable opportunity for graduates, that wish to gain experience
in the marine mammal research field, and undergraduates, that would like to
obtain internship academic credits. It could be used to develop a
scientific project for *BSc *and* MSc thesis. *However, we are also open to
accept applications from anyone whose love for dolphins is strong and
sincere.

Opportunities are available between *SEPTEMBER – DECEMBER 2017*. The
minimum duration of the placements is *2 MONTHS*, with possible exceptions
for skilled candidates.

*REQUIREMENTS*

-True interest for marine conservation, self-motivation, maturity and
ability to work responsibly;

-Ability to cohabit in a dynamic and multicultural environment;

-Respect for the organization's rules and willingness to follow standards
and procedures;

-Proven experience of working effectively as part of a team;

-Fluent English (both spoken and written) and good communication skills;

-High computer literacy and willingness to learn new software applications.

Background in marine biology and previous fieldwork experience are an
advantage.

*FIELD WORK AND RESPONSIBILITIES*

-Performing land-based surveys at least three times a week, including
sunrise and sunset hours;

-Performing boat-based surveys at least once a week: boat surveys can be
long and often tiring, so you are expected to feel comfortable on board and
prepared to handle motion sickness.

-Collecting dolphins sighting and behavior data, as well as environmental
and anthropogenic data;

-Operating theodolite and managing its software Pythagoras;

-Data entry and analysis;

-Cataloging and matching individuals of target species for photo-ID studies
via Discovery software;

-Raising stakeholder awareness.

*TRAINING*

The Montenegro Dolphin Project team will provide lectures and field work
training as well as constant mentoring.

You will be given the chance to learn the most popular methodologies used
in marine mammals research such as:

-Theodolite operation and Pythagoras software;

-Photo-ID and Discovery software;

-Data entry and analysis;

-ArcGIS

*PROJECT PARTICIPATION FEE*

The positions are unpaid and require a contribution fee of* 600 euros /
month *which includes:

-Accommodation and expenses

-Internet access

-Training and lectures

-Scientific support

-Field work

-Use of the equipment

Applicants are responsible for their transportation to/from Montenegro,
meals, insurance (all participants should have health and/or travel
insurance) and personal expenses.

*HOW TO APPLY*

Email your CV and cover letter to ad...@dmad.org.tr (Elisa Gaggioli)
explaining why you are the perfect asset for our team and which goals you
hope to achieve with us! Please mention the PERIOD OF INTEREST AND DURATION
OF AVAILABILITY!

If you wish to have more info about our work and get to know us better
follow our websites:

*www.montenegrodolphinproject.org
*

*www.dmad.org.tr *

*www.naturalhistoryassociationofmontenegro.weebly.com
*

Facebook page:

*www.facebook.com/DMADforNature/ *
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[MARMAM] New publication: "Simulated seal scarer sounds scare porpoises, but not seals"

[Lonnie Mikkelsen]

Dear MARMAM readers

We are pleased to announce the recent publication of the following article in 
Royal Society Open Science:

"Simulated seal scarer sounds scare porpoises, but not seals: species-specific 
responses to 12 kHz deterrence sounds".

By: Lonnie Mikkelsen, Line Hermannsen, Kristian Beedholm, Peter Teglberg Madsen 
and Jakob Tougaard.
R. Soc. open sci. 2017 4 170286; DOI: 10.1098/rsos.170286

Open access: http://rsos.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/4/7/170286

Abstract:

Acoustic harassment devices (AHD) or 'seal scarers' are used extensively, not 
only to deter seals from fisheries, but also as mitigation tools to deter 
marine mammals from potentially harmful sound sources, such as offshore pile 
driving. To test the effectiveness of AHDs, we conducted two studies with 
similar experimental set-ups on two key species: harbour porpoises and harbour 
seals. We exposed animals to 500 ms tone bursts at 12 kHz simulating that of an 
AHD (Lofitech), but with reduced output levels (source peak-to-peak level of 
165 dB re 1 μPa). Animals were localized with a theodolite before, during and 
after sound exposures. In total, 12 sound exposures were conducted to porpoises 
and 13 exposures to seals. Porpoises were found to exhibit avoidance reactions 
out to ranges of 525m from the sound source. Contrary to this, seal 
observations increased during sound exposure within 100m of the loudspeaker. We 
thereby demonstrate that porpoises and seals respond very differently to AHD 
sounds. This has important implications for application of AHDs in 
multi-species habitats, as sound levels required to deter less sensitive 
species (seals) can lead to excessive and unwanted large deterrence ranges on 
more sensitive species (porpoises).

For any questions, please feel free to contact me at: 
l...@bios.au.dk

Cheers

Lonnie



Lonnie Mikkelsen, PhD Student
Aarhus University - Department of Bioscience
Frederiksborgvej 399
DK - 4000 Roskilde
Tlf.: +45 87158716
Mobil: +45 20450260
Mail: l...@bios.au.dk





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[MARMAM] Upcoming workshop at SMM Biennial in Halifax

[Aaron N. Rice]

Dear Colleagues,

We are organizing a workshop on “Assessing the responses of marine mammals to 
anthropogenic acoustic disturbance” at the SMM Conference in Halifax, Nova 
Scotia, Canada on Saturday 28th October 2017. We will focus on four main 
themes: 1) Baseline data and models, 2) Assessing individual responses to 
anthropogenic sounds, 3) Modeling population-level and cumulative effects of 
acoustic disturbance, 4) Application to best management practices. A summary of 
the workshop and draft agenda can be provided upon request.

If your research would be relevant, and you are interested in participating, 
there are still spaces available to give a 15-minute talk at the workshop.

Please let us know by 1st  September if you are interested. If you have any 
questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Many thanks,
Helen Bailey (hbai...@umces.edu) and Aaron Rice (ar...@cornell.edu)


--
Aaron N. Rice, Ph.D.
Bioacoustics Research Program
Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology
Cornell University
159 Sapsucker Woods Rd.
Ithaca, NY 14850-1999

Email: ar...@cornell.edu
Web: http://www.nbb.cornell.edu/neurobio/aaronrice
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