Dear MARMAM Community: On behalf of and with sincere thanks to my co-authors and contributors, I would very much like to share some of our recent publications as below. If you would like to get the pdf copies, please feel free to let me know.
01. Yuan Yuan, Yaolei Zhang, Peijun Zhang, Chang Liu, Jiahao Wang, Haiyu Gao, A. Rus Hoelzel, Inge Seim, Meiqi Lv, Mingli Lin, Lijun Dong, Haoyang Gao, Zixin Yang, Francesco Caruso, Wenzhi Lin, Rute R. da Fonseca, Ding Wang, Xianyan Wang, Marianne H. Rasmussen, Mingming Liu, Jinsong Zheng, Liyuan Zhao, Paula F. Campos, Hui Kang, Maria Iversen, Yue Song, Xinyu Guo, Jiao Guo, Yating Qin, Shanshan Pan, Qiwu Xu, Lingfeng Meng, Yunga A, Shanshan Liu, Simon Ming-Yuen Lee, Xin Liu, Xun Xu, Huanming Yang, Guangyi Fan, Kun Wang, Songhai Li. (2021) Comparative genomics provides insights into the aquatic adaptations of mammals | PNAS <https://www.pnas.org/content/118/37/e2106080118> Abstract: The ancestors of marine mammals once roamed the land and independently committed to an aquatic lifestyle. These macroevolutionary transitions have intrigued scientists for centuries. Here, we generated high-quality genome assemblies of 17 marine mammals (11 cetaceans and six pinnipeds), including eight assemblies at the chromosome level. Incorporating previously published data, we reconstructed the marine mammal phylogeny and population histories and identified numerous idiosyncratic and convergent genomic variations that possibly contributed to the transition from land to water in marine mammal lineages. Genes associated with the formation of blubber (NFIA), vascular development (SEMA3E), and heat production by brown adipose tissue (UCP1) had unique changes that may contribute to marine mammal thermoregulation. We also observed many lineage-specific changes in the marine mammals, including genes associated with deep diving and navigation. Our study advances understanding of the timing, pattern, and molecular changes associated with the evolution of mammalian lineages adapting to aquatic life. 02. Lijun Dong, Francesco Caruso, Jianchen Dong, Mingming Liu, Mingli Lin, and Songhai Li. (2021) Whistle characteristics of a newly recorded Indo <https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mms.12816> �\Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis) population in waters southwest of Hainan Island, China, differ from other humpback dolphin populations - Dong - - Marine Mammal Science - Wiley Online Library Abstract: Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis) use whistles to communicate with their conspecifics. Little is known about the acoustic repertoire of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins in waters southwest of Hainan Island, China, a newly recorded population in 2014. In this study, whistles of Hainan humpback dolphin population were collected by using autonomous acoustic recorders. The fundamental frequencies and durations of whistles were in ranges of 0.71�C21.35 kHz and 0.06�C2.22 s, respectively. Significant intraspecific differences in whistles duration and frequency parameters were found between the Hainan population and the other geographically neighboring populations (in Chinese waters) or the population in Malaysia waters. Compared with other Sousa species, significant interspecific differences were also observed. On the basis of clustering analysis, the geographically neighboring populations were more similar to each other in whistle parameters. Significant differences were also found between the humpback dolphins in waters southwest of Hainan Island and those dolphins in the geographically neighboring areas, supporting the hypothesis that this population may be independent. Ambient noise measurements in waters of Hainan Island, Zhanjiang and Sanniang Bay showed that humpback dolphin populations may use whistles with longer duration, lower frequency and fewer inflection points for more effective communication to adapt to a noisier environment. 03. Mingming Liu, Mingli Lin, Lijun Dong, Peijun Zhang, and Songhai Li. (2021) Spatiotemporal variations in fine-scale habitat use of the world <https://academic.oup.com/jmammal/article/102/2/384/6149491?login=true> ’s second largest population of humpback dolphins | Journal of Mammalogy | Oxford Academic (oup.com) Abstract: We assessed habitat use by the population of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin, Sousa chinensis, in the waters off Zhanjiang, China, by performing boat-based surveys between 2013 and 2018. In total, we gathered 253 sightings of humpback dolphins. To assess habitat use of humpback dolphins within the study area, we measured two spatial metrics at each sighting site: WDT (tide-calibrated water-depth) and DS (distance to the nearest shore). Results showed that dolphins mainly were observed in shallow (WDT: 8.46 ± 5.13 m, mean ± SD) and inshore (DS: 2.17 ± 2.14 km) waters. Their preference of inhabiting shallow waters was more apparent during the wet season (April�CSeptember) than during the dry season (October�CMarch); however, they were encountered in waters much closer to shore during the dry season than the wet season. By weighting survey effort, our sighting density maps further confirmed that humpback dolphins changed their habitat use between wet and dry seasons. Such spatiotemporal variations in dolphin habitat use might be associated with spatiotemporal movements of their prey. Our findings provide insights into variations in fine-scale habitat use of inshore apex predators, and also assist to designate proper conservation measures for these vulnerable animals. 04. Mingli Lin, Mingming Liu, Sovan Lek, Lijun Dong, Peijun Zhang, Rodolphe E. Gozlan, Songhai Li. (2021) Modelling habitat suitability of the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin using artificial neural network: The influence of shipping - ScienceDirect <https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1574954121000650?via%3Di hub> Abstract: The distribution of cetaceans is generally studied on the basis of their visual locations. However, the absence of observations does not exclude the presence of dolphins and not allow to distinguish habitats favourable to the species but where it would be currently absent due to anthropic disturbances. The modelling of ecological niches represents a powerful alternative choice and intensive computer modelling has been increasingly used to reveal the complexity of the relationships between cetaceans and their habitat. Here, we predicted the presence/absence of the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis), an endangered species, using the artificial neural network model of back-propagation (BP-ANN) with eight environmental variables. The BP-ANN model had a higher success rate for correct prediction (74%) compared to linear discriminant analysis (67%), especially for the prediction of the presence of S. chinensis (63% to 31%), indicating its potential application in cetacean habitat research. In the model output map, three suitable habitats were predicted without S. chinensis sightings identified. However, only one was confirmed by subsequent field surveys, the other two being located in a strong shipping area. Therefore, we suggest that the traditional assessment of the baseline habitat based on visual sighting may miss the identification of some suitable habitats due to anthropogenic disturbance. We have also highlighted the importance of ecological modelling research for cetacean conservation. In addition, among the eight environmental variables studied, distance from shore, fish abundance and salinity proved to be the most important factors for the distribution of S. chinensis, indicating that coastal construction, sea recovery and overfishing would be key constraints for its conservation. 05. Mingming Liu, Mingli Lin, David Lusseau, and Songhai Li. (2021) Frontiers | Intra-Population Variability in Group Size of Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphins (Sousa chinensis) | Marine Science (frontiersin.org) <https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.671568/full> Abstract: Group size is a key social trait influencing population dynamics of group-living animals. The Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (IPHDs), Sousa chinensis, a shallow water delphinid species, display a fission-fusion social system. Yet little is known about how social organization of this species vary with temporal scales and behavioral state. In this study, we sampled group size estimates from the world’s second largest population of humpback dolphins (Sousa spp.), which inhabit the eastern waters of Zhanjiang, China. IPHD group sizes changed seasonally and inter-annually, but not with tidal phases. Group sizes also changed with behavioral state of IPHD groups and with number of mother-calf pairs present. IPHDs formed larger groups in the autumn than in other seasons, which might be related to seasonal changes in food availability and reproductive cycle. Of the groups observed, we recorded the presence of mother-calf pair in 85 groups (i.e., nursery groups: 47 ones with one pair, 25 ones with two pairs, and others with three pairs). Notably, nursery groups were about 2�C4 times larger than non-nursery groups. In addition, group sizes greatly increased with the number of mother-calf pairs. Living in relatively large groups, more protection, food, and resources might be available for IPHD mothers and calves, and such social strategy provide higher reproduction efficiency and survival success for this species. During our observations, feeding (45.5%) and traveling (25.2%) represented the majority of IPHD’s behavioral budget, while socializing (8.4%) and resting/milling (6.8%) were not frequently observed. Resting/milling groups were approximately 50% smaller than feeding, traveling, or socializing groups, while the latter three types had a similar mean group size. Large groups when IPHDs foraged, traveled, or socialized, might provide more added group benefits. For the first time, our findings clearly revealed intra-population variability in IPHD group sizes across different behavioral and temporal variables, and provided a better understanding of IPHDs’ adaptations to various biological processes and ecological constraints. 06. Mingming Liu, Wenzhi Lin, Mingli Lin, Binshuai Liu, Lijun Dong, Peijun Zhang, Zixin Yang, Kexiong Wang, Liang Dai, and Songhai Li. (2021) JMSE | Free Full-Text | The First Attempt of Satellite Tracking on Occurrence and Migration of Bryde <https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/9/8/796> ’s Whale (Balaenoptera edeni) in the Beibu Gulf (mdpi.com) Abstract: Satellite-tagging is increasingly becoming a powerful biotelemetry approach to obtain remote measurement through tracking free-living cetaceans, which can fill knowledge gaps on cetaceans and facilitate conservation management. Here, we made a first biologging attempt on baleen whales in Chinese waters. An adult Bryde’s whale in the Beibu Gulf was tagged to investigate potential occurrence areas and migration routes of this poorly studied species. The whale was satellite-tracked for ~6 days with 71 filtered Argos satellite locations, resulting in a linear movement distance of 464 km. At each satellite-tracking location, the water depth was measured as 42.1 ± 24.8 m on average. During the satellite-tracking period, the whale’s moving speed was estimated at 5.33 ± 4.01 km/h. These findings expanded the known distribution areas of Bryde’s whales in the Beibu Gulf and provided an important scientific basis for the regional protection of this species. We suggest that fine-scale movements, habitat use, and migratory behavior of Bryde’s whales in the Beibu Gulf need more biotelemetry research, using long-term satellite-tracking tags and involving enough individuals. Furthermore, the genetic relationship and possible connectivity of Bryde’s whales in the Beibu Gulf and adjacent waters should be examined. Best Regards Songhai ------------------------------------------------------------------- Songhai Li Ph.D. & Prof. Marine Mammal and Marine Bioacoustics Laboratory Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering Chinese Academy of Sciences 28 Luhuitou Road, Sanya, 572000, China Phone: +86-898-88222393 Email: <mailto:l...@sidsse.ac.cn> l...@idsse.ac.cn http://www.idsse.cas.cn/yjsgk2015/zzjg2015/yftx2015/shkxyjb2015/hybrdwyhysws xyjz2015/ <http://www.cetacean.csdb.cn/> http://www.cetacean.csdb.cn/
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