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Parental Thermal Environment Controls The Offspring Phenotype In Brook Charr (Salvelinus Fontinalis): Insights From A Transcriptomic Study, Ghizlane Banousse, Eric Normandeau, Christine Semeniuk, Louis Bernatchez, Celine Audet May 2024

Parental Thermal Environment Controls The Offspring Phenotype In Brook Charr (Salvelinus Fontinalis): Insights From A Transcriptomic Study, Ghizlane Banousse, Eric Normandeau, Christine Semeniuk, Louis Bernatchez, Celine Audet

Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research Publications

rook charr is a cold-water species which is highly sensitive to increased water temperatures, such as those associated with climate change. Environmental variation can potentially induce phenotypic changes that are inherited across generations, for instance, via epigenetic mechanisms. Here, we tested whether parental thermal regimes (intergenerational plasticity) and offspring-rearing temperatures (within-generational plasticity) modify the brain transcriptome of Brook charr progeny (fry stage). Parents were exposed to either cold or warm temperatures during final gonad maturation and their progeny were reared at 5 or 8 °C during the first stages of development. Illumina Novaseq6000 was used to sequence the brain transcriptome …


Phenotypic Constraints At The Top Of The World: An Arctic Songbird Faces The Cumulative Cost Of Maintaining A Winter-Like Phenotype During Breeding, Audrey Le Pogam, Ryan S. O’Connor, Oliver P. Love, Kevin G. Young, Justine Drolet, Lyette Régimbald, Gabrielle Roy, Francis Robitaille, Dominique Berteaux, Andrew Tam, François Vézina Jan 2024

Phenotypic Constraints At The Top Of The World: An Arctic Songbird Faces The Cumulative Cost Of Maintaining A Winter-Like Phenotype During Breeding, Audrey Le Pogam, Ryan S. O’Connor, Oliver P. Love, Kevin G. Young, Justine Drolet, Lyette Régimbald, Gabrielle Roy, Francis Robitaille, Dominique Berteaux, Andrew Tam, François Vézina

Integrative Biology Publications

Among birds, several body composition traits typically decrease in size or mass during breeding likely as a result of competing demands during this critical life history stage. However, a recent outdoor captive study in an Arctic-breeding cold-specialist songbird (snow buntings – Plectrophenax nivalis) demonstrated that these birds maintain winter cold acclimatization during the spring and summer, despite facing summer temperatures much warmer than on their Arctic breeding grounds. This suggests that buntings may face a cumulative physiological cost during breeding: having to support a winter phenotype while also upregulating additional traits for reproduction. The current study aimed to test this …


Adverse Effects Of Microcystis Aeruginosa Exudates On The Filtration, Digestion, And Reproduction Organs Of Benthic Bivalve Corbicula Fluminea, Zijin Hong, Xinyun Chen, Junxiang Hu, Xuexiu Chang, Yu Qian Jan 2024

Adverse Effects Of Microcystis Aeruginosa Exudates On The Filtration, Digestion, And Reproduction Organs Of Benthic Bivalve Corbicula Fluminea, Zijin Hong, Xinyun Chen, Junxiang Hu, Xuexiu Chang, Yu Qian

Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research Publications

Cyanobacteria bloom and the secondary metabolites released by the microorganism are extremely harmful to aquatic animals, yet study on their adverse effects in zoobenthos is rare. Corbicula fluminea widely distributed in freshwater environment with algal blooms. It is a typical filter feeding zoobenthos that may be affected by the secondary metabolites of cyanobacteria due to its high filtering rate. In this study, C. fluminea was exposed to Microcystis aeruginosa exudates (MaE) for 96 h, which was obtained from 5 × 105 cells/mL and 2.5 × 106 cells/mL exponential stage M. aeruginosa culture solution that represented cyanobacteria cell density needs environmental …


Microcystin Aids In Cold Temperature Acclimation: Differences Between A Toxic Microcystis Wildtype And Non-Toxic Mutant, Gwendolyn F. Stark, Robbie M. Martin, Laura E. Smith, Bofan Wei, Ferdi L. Hellweger, George S. Bullerjahn, R. Michael L. Mckay, Gregory L. Boyer, Steven W. Wilhelm Nov 2023

Microcystin Aids In Cold Temperature Acclimation: Differences Between A Toxic Microcystis Wildtype And Non-Toxic Mutant, Gwendolyn F. Stark, Robbie M. Martin, Laura E. Smith, Bofan Wei, Ferdi L. Hellweger, George S. Bullerjahn, R. Michael L. Mckay, Gregory L. Boyer, Steven W. Wilhelm

Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research Publications

For Microcystis aeruginosa PCC 7806, temperature decreases from 26 °C to 19 °C double the microcystin quota per cell during growth in continuous culture. Here we tested whether this increase in microcystin provided M. aeruginosa PCC 7806 with a fitness advantage during colder-temperature growth by comparing cell concentration, cellular physiology, reactive oxygen species damage, and the transcriptomics-inferred metabolism to a non-toxigenic mutant strain M. aeruginosa PCC 7806 ΔmcyB. Photo-physiological data combined with transcriptomic data revealed metabolic changes in the mutant strain during growth at 19 °C, which included increased electron sinks and non-photochemical quenching. Increased gene expression was observed for …


A Colonial-Nesting Seabird Shows Limited Heart Rate Responses To Natural Variation In Threats Of Polar Bears, Erica A. Geldart, Oliver P. Love, Andrew F. Barnas, Christopher M. Harris, H. Grant Gilchrist, Christina A.D. Semeniuk Oct 2023

A Colonial-Nesting Seabird Shows Limited Heart Rate Responses To Natural Variation In Threats Of Polar Bears, Erica A. Geldart, Oliver P. Love, Andrew F. Barnas, Christopher M. Harris, H. Grant Gilchrist, Christina A.D. Semeniuk

Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research Publications

Several predator-prey systems are in flux as an indirect result of climate change. In the Arctic, earlier sea-ice loss is driving polar bears (Ursus maritimus) onto land when many colonial nesting seabirds are breeding. The result is a higher threat of nest predation for birds with potential limited ability to respond. We quantified heart rate change in a large common eider (Somateria mollissima) breeding colony in the Canadian Arctic to explore their adaptive capacity to keep pace with the increasing risk of egg predation by polar bears. Eiders displayed on average higher heart rates from baseline when polar bears were …


Rapidly Developed, Optimized, And Applied Wastewater Surveillance System For Real-Time Monitoring Of Low-Incidence, High-Impact Mpox Outbreak, Chandler H. Wong, Zhihao Zhang, Walaa Eid, Julio Plaza-Diaz, Pervez Kabir, Shen Wan, Jian Jun Jia, Elisabeth Mercier, Ocean Thakali, Lakshmi Pisharody, Nada Hegazy, Sean E. Stephenson, Wanting Fang, Tram B. Nguyen, Nathan T. Ramsay, R. Michael Mckay, Ryland Corchis-Scott, Alex E. Mackenzie Sep 2023

Rapidly Developed, Optimized, And Applied Wastewater Surveillance System For Real-Time Monitoring Of Low-Incidence, High-Impact Mpox Outbreak, Chandler H. Wong, Zhihao Zhang, Walaa Eid, Julio Plaza-Diaz, Pervez Kabir, Shen Wan, Jian Jun Jia, Elisabeth Mercier, Ocean Thakali, Lakshmi Pisharody, Nada Hegazy, Sean E. Stephenson, Wanting Fang, Tram B. Nguyen, Nathan T. Ramsay, R. Michael Mckay, Ryland Corchis-Scott, Alex E. Mackenzie

Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research Publications

Recent MPOX viral resurgences have mobilized public health agencies around the world. Recognizing the significant risk of MPOX outbreaks, large-scale human testing, and immunization campaigns have been initiated by local, national, and global public health authorities. Recently, traditional clinical surveillance campaigns for MPOX have been complemented with wastewater surveillance (WWS), building on the effectiveness of existing wastewater programs that were built to monitor SARS-CoV-2 and recently expanded to include influenza and respiratory syncytial virus surveillance in wastewaters. In the present study, we demonstrate and further support the finding that MPOX viral fragments agglomerate in the wastewater solids fraction. Furthermore, this …


A Combined Microscopy And Single-Cell Sequencing Approach Reveals The Ecology, Morphology, And Phylogeny Of Uncultured Lineages Of Zoosporic Fungi, Kensuke Seto, D. Rabern Simmons, C. Alisha Quandt, Thijs Frenken, Alden C. Dirks, Rebecca A. Clemons, Katelyn M. Mckindles, R. Michael L. Mckay, Timothy Y. James Aug 2023

A Combined Microscopy And Single-Cell Sequencing Approach Reveals The Ecology, Morphology, And Phylogeny Of Uncultured Lineages Of Zoosporic Fungi, Kensuke Seto, D. Rabern Simmons, C. Alisha Quandt, Thijs Frenken, Alden C. Dirks, Rebecca A. Clemons, Katelyn M. Mckindles, R. Michael L. Mckay, Timothy Y. James

Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research Publications

Environmental DNA analyses of fungal communities typically reveal a much larger diversity than can be ascribed to known species. Much of this hidden diversity lies within undescribed fungal lineages, especially the early diverging fungi (EDF). Although these EDF often represent new lineages even at the phylum level, they have never been cultured, making their morphology and ecology uncertain. One of the methods to characterize these uncultured fungi is a single-cell DNA sequencing approach. In this study, we established a large data set of single-cell sequences of EDF by manually isolating and photographing parasitic fungi on various hosts such as algae, …


The Circumpolar Impacts Of Climate Change And Anthropogenic Stressors On Arctic Cod (Boreogadus Saida) And Its Ecosystem, Maxime Geoffroy, Caroline Bouchard, Hauke Flores, Dominique Robert, Harald Gjøsæter, Carie Hoover, Haakon Hop, Nigel E. Hussey, Jasmine Nahrgang, Nadja Steiner, Morgan Bender, Jørgen Berge, Giulia Castellani, Natalia Chernova, Louise Copeman, Carmen L. David, Alison Deary, George Divoky, Andrey V. Dolgov, Janet Duffy-Anderson Aug 2023

The Circumpolar Impacts Of Climate Change And Anthropogenic Stressors On Arctic Cod (Boreogadus Saida) And Its Ecosystem, Maxime Geoffroy, Caroline Bouchard, Hauke Flores, Dominique Robert, Harald Gjøsæter, Carie Hoover, Haakon Hop, Nigel E. Hussey, Jasmine Nahrgang, Nadja Steiner, Morgan Bender, Jørgen Berge, Giulia Castellani, Natalia Chernova, Louise Copeman, Carmen L. David, Alison Deary, George Divoky, Andrey V. Dolgov, Janet Duffy-Anderson

Integrative Biology Publications

Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) is the most abundant forage fish in the Arctic Ocean. Here we review Arctic cod habitats, distribution, ecology, and physiology to assess how climate change and other anthropogenic stressors are affecting this key species. This review identifies vulnerabilities for different life stages across the entire distribution range of Arctic cod. We explore the impact of environmental (abiotic and biotic) and anthropogenic stressors on Arctic cod with a regional perspective in a scenario up to the year 2050 and identify knowledge gaps constraining predictions. Epipelagic eggs and larvae are more vulnerable to climate change and stressors than …


A Comparative Analysis Of Form And Function In Centrarchidae Hearing Ability: Does Otolith Variation Affect Auditory Responsiveness?, Taylor A. Bendig, Grace M. Dycha, Elise M. Bull, Roselia Ayala-Osorio, Dennis M. Higgs Aug 2023

A Comparative Analysis Of Form And Function In Centrarchidae Hearing Ability: Does Otolith Variation Affect Auditory Responsiveness?, Taylor A. Bendig, Grace M. Dycha, Elise M. Bull, Roselia Ayala-Osorio, Dennis M. Higgs

Integrative Biology Publications

There exists a wealth of knowledge on hearing ability in individual fish species, but the role of interspecific variation, and drivers behind it, remains understudied, making it difficult to understand evolutionary drivers. The current study quantified hearing thresholds for three species of sunfish in the family Centrarchidae [bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus), pumpkinseed sunfish (Lepomis gibbosus), and rock bass (Ambloplites rupestris)] using auditory evoked potentials and behavioral trials and saccular otolith size and hair cell density. In auditory physiological experiments, 10-ms tone bursts were played and responses monitored to measure hearing. In behavioral experiments, fish were exposed to the same tone …


Monitoring Biodiversity Loss In Rapidly Changing Afrotropical Ecosystems: An Emerging Imperative For Governance And Research, A. O. Achieng, G. B. Arhonditsis, N. Mandrak, C. Febria, B. Opaa, T. J. Coffey, F. O. Masese, K. Irvine, Z. M. Ajode, K. Obiero, J. E. Barasa, B. Kaunda-Arara Jul 2023

Monitoring Biodiversity Loss In Rapidly Changing Afrotropical Ecosystems: An Emerging Imperative For Governance And Research, A. O. Achieng, G. B. Arhonditsis, N. Mandrak, C. Febria, B. Opaa, T. J. Coffey, F. O. Masese, K. Irvine, Z. M. Ajode, K. Obiero, J. E. Barasa, B. Kaunda-Arara

Integrative Biology Publications

Africa is experiencing extensive biodiversity loss due to rapid changes in the environment, where natural resources constitute the main instrument for socioeconomic development and a mainstay source of livelihoods for an increasing population. Lack of data and information deficiency on biodiversity, but also budget constraints and insufficient financial and technical capacity, impede sound policy design and effective implementation of conservation and management measures. The problem is further exacerbated by the lack of harmonized indicators and databases to assess conservation needs and monitor biodiversity losses. We review challenges with biodiversity data (availability, quality, usability and database access) as a key limiting …


First Recorded Occurrence Of The Parasitic Barnacle (Anelasma Squalicola) On A Greenland Shark (Somniosus Microcephalus) In The Canadian Arctic, Eric Ste-Marie, Henrik Glenner, David J. Rees, Nigel E. Hussey Jul 2023

First Recorded Occurrence Of The Parasitic Barnacle (Anelasma Squalicola) On A Greenland Shark (Somniosus Microcephalus) In The Canadian Arctic, Eric Ste-Marie, Henrik Glenner, David J. Rees, Nigel E. Hussey

Integrative Biology Publications

A solitary Anelasma squalicola specimen was collected from the cloaca of a Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus), the first time this association has been recorded. The specimen's identity was confirmed through morphological and genetic assessment (mitochondrial markers: COI and control region). A. squalicola is a species typically associated with deep-sea lantern sharks (Etmopteridae) and, until the present observation, had never been observed at a sexually mature size in the absence of a mating partner. Given the reported negative effects of this parasite on its hosts, monitoring Greenland sharks for additional cases is recommended.


Song Overlapping And Matching During Low-Arousal Singing And Their Relation To Visual Ornaments, Parental Care And Breeding Success In The Great Tit (Parus Major), Nina Bircher, Daniel J. Mennill, Kees Van Oers, Marc Naguib Jul 2023

Song Overlapping And Matching During Low-Arousal Singing And Their Relation To Visual Ornaments, Parental Care And Breeding Success In The Great Tit (Parus Major), Nina Bircher, Daniel J. Mennill, Kees Van Oers, Marc Naguib

Integrative Biology Publications

Eavesdropping on interactions between conspecific animals provides a low-cost method for assessing other individuals. Asymmetries in territorial counter-singing interactions in songbirds provide a rich source of information for eavesdroppers about differences between the singers. Yet, little is known about the relationship between interactive singing in a natural, low-arousal context among territorial neighbours and individual traits of males. We used a microphone array to monitor natural counter-singing interactions in great tits (Parus major) during nest building, at the onset of the breeding season. We quantified song overlapping and song matching for 30 pairs (dyads) of interacting males, singing at their nest, …


Contrasting Intra-Individual Variation In Size-Based Trophic And Habitat Shifts For Two Coastal Arctic Fish Species, Harri Pettitt-Wade, Nigel E. Hussey, Colin P. Gallagher, Ellen V. Lea, Danielle L. Orrell, Lisa L. Loseto Jul 2023

Contrasting Intra-Individual Variation In Size-Based Trophic And Habitat Shifts For Two Coastal Arctic Fish Species, Harri Pettitt-Wade, Nigel E. Hussey, Colin P. Gallagher, Ellen V. Lea, Danielle L. Orrell, Lisa L. Loseto

Integrative Biology Publications

Within and among species variation in trophic and habitat shifts with body size can indicate the potential adaptive capacity of species to ecosystem change. In Arctic coastal ecosystems, which experience dramatic seasonal shifts and are undergoing rapid change, quantifying the trophic flexibility of coastal fishes with different migratory tactics has received limited attention. We examined the relationships among body length and condition (Fulton’s K, phase angle from Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis) with trophic and habitat shifts (differences in δ15N and δ13C between blood tissues with different turnover rates) of two abundant and culturally important species, anadromous Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus, n …


Collective Action Is Needed To Build A More Just Science System, Aisling Rayne, Hitaua Arahanga-Doyle, Bethany Cox, Murray P. Cox, Catherine M. Febria, Stephanie J. Galla, Shaun C. Hendy, Kirsten Locke, Anna Matheson, Aleksandra Pawlik, Tom Roa, Emma L. Sharp, Leilani A. Walker, Krushil Watene, Priscilla M. Wehi, Tammy E. Steeves Jul 2023

Collective Action Is Needed To Build A More Just Science System, Aisling Rayne, Hitaua Arahanga-Doyle, Bethany Cox, Murray P. Cox, Catherine M. Febria, Stephanie J. Galla, Shaun C. Hendy, Kirsten Locke, Anna Matheson, Aleksandra Pawlik, Tom Roa, Emma L. Sharp, Leilani A. Walker, Krushil Watene, Priscilla M. Wehi, Tammy E. Steeves

Integrative Biology Publications

No abstract provided.


Heightened Heart Rate But Similar Flight Responses To Evolved Versus Recent Predators In An Arctic Seabird, Erica A. Geldart, Oliver P. Love, H. Grant Gilchrist, Andrew F. Barnas, Christopher M. Harris, Christina A.D. Semeniuk Jun 2023

Heightened Heart Rate But Similar Flight Responses To Evolved Versus Recent Predators In An Arctic Seabird, Erica A. Geldart, Oliver P. Love, H. Grant Gilchrist, Andrew F. Barnas, Christopher M. Harris, Christina A.D. Semeniuk

Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research Publications

Predator-prey dynamics in the Arctic are being altered with changing sea ice phenology. The increasing frequency of predation on colonial nesting seabirds and their eggs by the polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is a consequence of bears shifting to terrestrial food resources through a shortened seal-hunting season. We examined antipredator responses in a colony of nesting Common Eiders (Somateria mollissima) on East Bay Island, Nunavut, Canada, which is exposed to established nest predators, such as arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus), but also to recent increases in polar bear nest predation due to the bears’ lost on-ice hunting opportunities. Given eiders’ limited eco-evolutionary …


Sharing Across The Space: Introduction To A Special Issue On Bridging Indigenous And Non-Indigenous Knowledge Systems, A. M. Muir, A. T. Duncan, K. Almack, N. Boucher, E. S. Dunlop, C. Febria, J. T. Ives, R. Lauzon, H. Lickers, W. P. Mattes, D. Mcgregor, H. Mcgregor, A. J. Reid Jun 2023

Sharing Across The Space: Introduction To A Special Issue On Bridging Indigenous And Non-Indigenous Knowledge Systems, A. M. Muir, A. T. Duncan, K. Almack, N. Boucher, E. S. Dunlop, C. Febria, J. T. Ives, R. Lauzon, H. Lickers, W. P. Mattes, D. Mcgregor, H. Mcgregor, A. J. Reid

Integrative Biology Publications

This special issue contains 16 articles inspired from a session at the 2021 64th International Association for Great Lakes Research Annual Meeting entitled: “Bridging Knowledge Systems between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.” Four common themes associated with bridging knowledge systems emerged from the collection of articles herein. First, wise practices should form the foundation of ethical, responsive, and productive collaborations. Second, inclusive, and accessible practices can improve our ability to bridge knowledge systems. Third, celebrating and embracing diverse languages and cultures enriches our connection to and understanding of the world around us; languages and cultures are a critical aspect of ontology …


Sulfolipid Substitution Ratios Of Microcystis Aeruginosa And Planktonic Communities As An Indicator Of Phosphorus Limitation In Lake Erie, Robbie M. Martin, Maddie K. Denney, Helena L. Pound, Justin D. Chaffin, George S. Bullerjahn, R. Michael L. Mckay, Arthur Zastepa, Katarina A. Jones, Hector F. Castro, Shawn R. Campagna, Steven W. Wilhelm May 2023

Sulfolipid Substitution Ratios Of Microcystis Aeruginosa And Planktonic Communities As An Indicator Of Phosphorus Limitation In Lake Erie, Robbie M. Martin, Maddie K. Denney, Helena L. Pound, Justin D. Chaffin, George S. Bullerjahn, R. Michael L. Mckay, Arthur Zastepa, Katarina A. Jones, Hector F. Castro, Shawn R. Campagna, Steven W. Wilhelm

Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research Publications

Phosphorus (P) availability frequently limits primary production in lakes, influences the physiology of phytoplankton, shapes community structure, and can stimulate or constrain the formation of cyanobacterial blooms. Given the importance of P, numerous methods are available to assess P stress in phytoplankton communities. Marine phytoplankton are known to substitute sulfolipids for phospholipids in response to P limitation. We asked whether sulfolipid substitution might serve as an additional indicator of P stress in freshwater phytoplankton communities. The question was addressed using cultures of Microcystis aeruginosa, Lake Erie microcosms, and surveys of lipid profiles in Lake Erie during a Microcystis spp. bloom. …


Energetic Connectivity Of Diverse Elasmobranch Populations – Implications For Ecological Resilience, Oliver N. Shipley, Philip Matich, Nigel E. Hussey, Annabelle M.L. Brooks, Demian Chapman, Michael G. Frisk, Annie E. Guttridge, Tristan L. Guttridge, Lucy A. Howey, Sami Kattan, Daniel J. Madigan, Owen O’Shea, Nicholas V. Polunin, Michael Power, Matthew J. Smukall, Eric V.C. Schneider, Brendan D. Shea, Brendan S. Talwar, Maggie Winchester, Edward J. Brooks Apr 2023

Energetic Connectivity Of Diverse Elasmobranch Populations – Implications For Ecological Resilience, Oliver N. Shipley, Philip Matich, Nigel E. Hussey, Annabelle M.L. Brooks, Demian Chapman, Michael G. Frisk, Annie E. Guttridge, Tristan L. Guttridge, Lucy A. Howey, Sami Kattan, Daniel J. Madigan, Owen O’Shea, Nicholas V. Polunin, Michael Power, Matthew J. Smukall, Eric V.C. Schneider, Brendan D. Shea, Brendan S. Talwar, Maggie Winchester, Edward J. Brooks

Integrative Biology Publications

Understanding the factors shaping patterns of ecological resilience is critical for mitigating the loss of global biodiversity. Throughout aquatic environments, highly mobile predators are thought to serve as important vectors of energy between ecosystems thereby promoting stability and resilience. However, the role these predators play in connecting food webs and promoting energy flow remains poorly understood in most contexts. Using carbon and nitrogen isotopes, we quantified the use of several prey resource pools (small oceanic forage, large oceanics, coral reef, and seagrass) by 17 species of elasmobranch fishes (n = 351 individuals) in The Bahamas to determine their functional diversity …


Lower Nutritional State And Foraging Success In An Arctic Seabird Despite Behaviorally Flexible Responses To Environmental Change, Alyssa Eby, Allison Patterson, Graham Sorenson, Thomas Lazarus, Shannon Whelan, Kyle H. Elliott, H. Grant Gilchrist, Oliver P. Love Apr 2023

Lower Nutritional State And Foraging Success In An Arctic Seabird Despite Behaviorally Flexible Responses To Environmental Change, Alyssa Eby, Allison Patterson, Graham Sorenson, Thomas Lazarus, Shannon Whelan, Kyle H. Elliott, H. Grant Gilchrist, Oliver P. Love

Integrative Biology Publications

The degree to which individuals adjust foraging behavior in response to environmental variability can impact foraging success, leading to downstream impacts on fitness and population dynamics. We examined the foraging flexibility, average daily energy expenditure, and foraging success of an ice-associated Arctic seabird, the thick-billed murre (Uria lomvia) in response to broad-scale environmental conditions at two different-sized, low Arctic colonies located First, we compared foraging behavior (measured via GPS units), average daily energy expenditure (estimated from GPS derived activity budgets), and foraging success (nutritional state measured via nutritional biomarkers pre- and post- GPS deployment) of murres at two colonies, which …


Exposure And Behavioral Responses Of Tagged Beluga Whales (Delphinapterus Leucas) To Ships In The Pacific Arctic, Morgan J. Martin, William D. Halliday, Luke Storrie, John J. Citta, Jackie Dawson, Nigel E. Hussey, Francis Juanes, Lisa L. Loseto, Shannon A. Macphee, Lisa Moore, Adrian Nicoll, Gregory O'Corry-Crowe, Stephen J. Insley Apr 2023

Exposure And Behavioral Responses Of Tagged Beluga Whales (Delphinapterus Leucas) To Ships In The Pacific Arctic, Morgan J. Martin, William D. Halliday, Luke Storrie, John J. Citta, Jackie Dawson, Nigel E. Hussey, Francis Juanes, Lisa L. Loseto, Shannon A. Macphee, Lisa Moore, Adrian Nicoll, Gregory O'Corry-Crowe, Stephen J. Insley

Integrative Biology Publications

Arctic marine mammals face a multitude of challenges linked to climate change, including increasing anthropogenic noise from ship traffic. The beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas), a predominately Arctic endemic cetacean, relies heavily on acoustic communication, with documented overlap between their vocalizations and hearing range and ship noise. Some belugas migrate through areas with the highest levels of ship traffic in the Pacific Arctic and exposure to ship noise is highly probable. Here, we document the responses of nine satellite-tagged Eastern Beaufort Sea belugas to encounters with ships in the Beaufort, Chukchi, and Bering Seas during July–December 2018. We report 177 occasions …


Tracing Carbon Flow And Trophic Structure Of A Coastal Arctic Marine Food Web Using Highly Branched Isoprenoids And Carbon, Nitrogen And Sulfur Stable Isotopes, Rémi Amiraux, C. J. Mundy, Marie Pierrejean, Andrea Niemi, Kevin J. Hedges, Thomas A. Brown, Jens K. Ehn, Kyle H. Elliott, Steven H. Ferguson, Aaron T. Fisk, Grant Gilchrist, Les N. Harris, Katrin Iken, Kevin B. Jacobs, Kelsey F. Johnson, Z. A. Kuzyk, Audrey Limoges, Tracey N. Loewen, Oliver P. Love, Cory J.D. Matthews Mar 2023

Tracing Carbon Flow And Trophic Structure Of A Coastal Arctic Marine Food Web Using Highly Branched Isoprenoids And Carbon, Nitrogen And Sulfur Stable Isotopes, Rémi Amiraux, C. J. Mundy, Marie Pierrejean, Andrea Niemi, Kevin J. Hedges, Thomas A. Brown, Jens K. Ehn, Kyle H. Elliott, Steven H. Ferguson, Aaron T. Fisk, Grant Gilchrist, Les N. Harris, Katrin Iken, Kevin B. Jacobs, Kelsey F. Johnson, Z. A. Kuzyk, Audrey Limoges, Tracey N. Loewen, Oliver P. Love, Cory J.D. Matthews

Integrative Biology Publications

Climate-driven alterations of the marine environment are most rapid in Arctic and subarctic regions, including Hudson Bay in northern Canada, where declining sea ice, warming surface waters and ocean acidification are occurring at alarming rates. These changes are altering primary production patterns that will ultimately cascade up through the food web. Here, we investigated (i) the vertical trophic structure of the Southampton Island marine ecosystem in northern Hudson Bay, (ii) the contribution of benthic and pelagic-derived prey to the higher trophic level species, and (iii) the relative contribution of ice algae and phytoplankton derived carbon in sustaining this ecosystem. For …


Molecular Ecology Of The Sleeper Shark Subgenus Somniosus (Somniosus) Reveals Genetic Homogeneity Within Species And Lack Of Support For S. Antarcticus, Laura E. Timm, Cindy Tribuzio, Ryan P. Walter, Wesley A. Larson, Brent W. Murray, Nigel E. Hussey, Sharon Wildes Mar 2023

Molecular Ecology Of The Sleeper Shark Subgenus Somniosus (Somniosus) Reveals Genetic Homogeneity Within Species And Lack Of Support For S. Antarcticus, Laura E. Timm, Cindy Tribuzio, Ryan P. Walter, Wesley A. Larson, Brent W. Murray, Nigel E. Hussey, Sharon Wildes

Integrative Biology Publications

Inferences made from molecular data support regional stock assessment goals by providing insights into the genetic population dynamics of enigmatic species. Population genomics metrics, such as genetic diversity and population connectivity, serve as useful proxies for species health and stability. Sleeper sharks (genus Somniosus) are ecologically important deep-sea predators, estimated to reach ages of 250 to 300 yr and taking decades to reach sexual maturity. The subgenus Somniosus (Somniosus) is comprised of 3 species: S. pacificus, S. microcephalus, and S. antarcticus. Given the life history strategy of somniosids, they are vulnerable to overfishing and population declines. Further, data to assess …


A Non-Racial Approach To Assessing Group Membership Of Victims In A Mass Grave Using Cranial Data, John Albanese, Alyssa Di Iorio Mar 2023

A Non-Racial Approach To Assessing Group Membership Of Victims In A Mass Grave Using Cranial Data, John Albanese, Alyssa Di Iorio

Integrative Biology Publications

In some jurisdictions, race, ancestry, or population affinity have been used for historical and po-litical, rather than biological, reasons in forensic anthropology when identifying individuals. The approach persists even though the genetic and skeletal data clearly demonstrate that human variation does not cluster into these groups. For over 60 years, these methods have consistently performed poorly when independently tested using large samples. By racializing the deceased, these methods have further marginalized the living. However, there is a need in the investigation of genocide and human rights violations to demonstrate that a specific group was targeted. Without relying on the outdated …


Spatio-Temporal Connectivity Of The Aquatic Microbiome Associated With Cyanobacterial Blooms Along A Great Lake Riverine-Lacustrine Continuum, Sophie Crevecoeur, Thomas A. Edge, Linet Cynthia Watson, Susan B. Watson, Charles W. Greer, Jan J.H. Ciborowski, Ngan Diep, Alice Dove, Kenneth G. Drouillard, Thijs Frenken, Robert Michael Mckay, Arthur Zastepa, Jérôme Comte Feb 2023

Spatio-Temporal Connectivity Of The Aquatic Microbiome Associated With Cyanobacterial Blooms Along A Great Lake Riverine-Lacustrine Continuum, Sophie Crevecoeur, Thomas A. Edge, Linet Cynthia Watson, Susan B. Watson, Charles W. Greer, Jan J.H. Ciborowski, Ngan Diep, Alice Dove, Kenneth G. Drouillard, Thijs Frenken, Robert Michael Mckay, Arthur Zastepa, Jérôme Comte

Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research Publications

Lake Erie is subject to recurring events of cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cHABs), but measures of nutrients and total phytoplankton biomass seem to be poor predictors of cHABs when taken individually. A more integrated approach at the watershed scale may improve our understanding of the conditions that lead to bloom formation, such as assessing the physico-chemical and biological factors that influence the lake microbial community, as well as identifying the linkages between Lake Erie and the surrounding watershed. Within the scope of the Government of Canada’s Genomics Research and Development Initiative (GRDI) Ecobiomics project, we used high-throughput sequencing of the …


Interactions Between Chytrids Cause Variable Infection Strategies On Harmful Algal Bloom Forming Species, Katelyn M. Mckindles, R. Michael L. Mckay, George S. Bullerjahn, Thijs Frenken Feb 2023

Interactions Between Chytrids Cause Variable Infection Strategies On Harmful Algal Bloom Forming Species, Katelyn M. Mckindles, R. Michael L. Mckay, George S. Bullerjahn, Thijs Frenken

Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research Publications

Cyanobacteria have a great diversity of natural enemies, such as herbivores and pathogens, including fungal pathogens within the Chytridiomycota (chytrids). While these pathogens have been previously described on a select number of cyanobacterial hosts and are suspected to play a significant ecological role, little is understood about species interactions and how competition between parasites can affect epidemic development and bloom formation. Here, three Planktothrix agardhii isolates from Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie (OH, USA) were challenged in monoculture and polyculture against infection by three isolates (C1, C2, C10) of their obligate chytrid fungal pathogen, Rhizophydiales sp. The chytrid isolates were inoculated …


Alebion Carchariae (Copepod: Caligidae) Host Plasticity And Distribution: A New Host And Locality Record From Ascension Island, Danielle L. Orrell, Jennifer M. Questel, Caitlin A. Smoot, Tiffany Simpson, Nigel E. Hussey Jan 2023

Alebion Carchariae (Copepod: Caligidae) Host Plasticity And Distribution: A New Host And Locality Record From Ascension Island, Danielle L. Orrell, Jennifer M. Questel, Caitlin A. Smoot, Tiffany Simpson, Nigel E. Hussey

Integrative Biology Publications

The first record of the parasite Alebion carchariae in the waters of Ascension Island collected from Galapagos sharks, Carcharhinus galapagensis (Carcharhinidae), is described. No previous record of this parasite exists for Ascension Island, nor have Galapagos sharks previously been listed as a host. Specimens of A. carchariae were identified using morphological techniques and DNA barcoding of the cytochrome c oxidase I subunit (COI) gene. This study provides the first COI barcodes for this species and a brief review of known hosts. We recommend further research to understand the life cycle of this parasite, its plasticity in terms of host/habitat selection, …


Comparative Metabolomic Analysis Of Exudates Of Microcystin-Producing And Microcystin-Free Microcystis Aeruginosa Strains, Yuan Zhou, Jun Xu, Hugh J. Macisaac, Robert Michael Mckay, Runbing Xu, Ying Pei, Yuanyan Zi, Jiaojiao Li, Yu Qian, Xuexiu Chang Jan 2023

Comparative Metabolomic Analysis Of Exudates Of Microcystin-Producing And Microcystin-Free Microcystis Aeruginosa Strains, Yuan Zhou, Jun Xu, Hugh J. Macisaac, Robert Michael Mckay, Runbing Xu, Ying Pei, Yuanyan Zi, Jiaojiao Li, Yu Qian, Xuexiu Chang

Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research Publications

Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (cHABs) dominated by Microcystis aeruginosa threaten the ecological integrity and beneficial uses of lakes globally. In addition to producing hepatotoxic microcystins (MC), M. aeruginosa exudates (MaE) contain various compounds with demonstrated toxicity to aquatic biota. Previously, we found that the ecotoxicity of MaE differed between MC-producing and MC-free strains at exponential (E-phase) and stationary (S-phase) growth phases. However, the components in these exudates and their specific harmful effects were unclear. In this study, we performed untargeted metabolomics based on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to reveal the constituents in MaE of a MC-producing and a MC-free strain at …


Targeting A Free Viral Fraction Enhances The Early Alert Potential Of Wastewater Surveillance For Sars-Cov-2: A Methods Comparison Spanning The Transition Between Delta And Omicron Variants In A Large Urban Center, Liang Zhao, Qiudi Geng, Ryland Corchis-Scott, Robert Michael Mckay, John Norton, Irene Xagoraraki Jan 2023

Targeting A Free Viral Fraction Enhances The Early Alert Potential Of Wastewater Surveillance For Sars-Cov-2: A Methods Comparison Spanning The Transition Between Delta And Omicron Variants In A Large Urban Center, Liang Zhao, Qiudi Geng, Ryland Corchis-Scott, Robert Michael Mckay, John Norton, Irene Xagoraraki

Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research Publications

Introduction: Wastewater surveillance has proven to be a valuable approach to monitoring the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Recognizing the benefits of wastewater surveillance as a tool to support public health in tracking SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory pathogens, numerous wastewater virus sampling and concentration methods have been tested for appropriate applications as well as their significance for actionability by public health practices. Methods: Here, we present a 34-week long wastewater surveillance study that covers nearly 4 million residents of the Detroit (MI, United States) metropolitan area. Three primary concentration methods were compared with respect …


Multi-Year Molecular Quantification And ‘Omics Analysis Of Planktothrix-Specific Cyanophage Sequences From Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie, Katelyn M. Mckindles, Makayla Manes, Michelle Neudeck, Robert Michael Mckay, George S. Bullerjahn Jan 2023

Multi-Year Molecular Quantification And ‘Omics Analysis Of Planktothrix-Specific Cyanophage Sequences From Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie, Katelyn M. Mckindles, Makayla Manes, Michelle Neudeck, Robert Michael Mckay, George S. Bullerjahn

Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research Publications

Introduction: Planktothrix agardhii is a microcystin-producing cyanobacterium found in Sandusky Bay, a shallow and turbid embayment of Lake Erie. Previous work in other systems has indicated that cyanophages are an important natural control factor of harmful algal blooms. Currently, there are few cyanophages that are known to infect P. agardhii, with the best-known being PaV-LD, a tail-less cyanophage isolated from Lake Donghu, China. Presented here is a molecular characterization of Planktothrix specific cyanophages in Sandusky Bay. Methods and Results: Putative Planktothrix-specific viral sequences from metagenomic data from the bay in 2013, 2018, and 2019 were identified by two approaches: homology …


Actionable Wastewater Surveillance: Application To A University Residence Hall During The Transition Between Delta And Omicron Resurgences Of Covid-19, Ryland Corchis-Scott, Qiudi Geng, Abdul Monem Al Riahi, Amr Labak, Ana Podadera, Kenneth K.S. Ng, Lisa A. Porter, Yufeng Tong, Jess C. Dixon, Sherri Lynne Menard, Rajesh Seth, R. Michael Mckay Jan 2023

Actionable Wastewater Surveillance: Application To A University Residence Hall During The Transition Between Delta And Omicron Resurgences Of Covid-19, Ryland Corchis-Scott, Qiudi Geng, Abdul Monem Al Riahi, Amr Labak, Ana Podadera, Kenneth K.S. Ng, Lisa A. Porter, Yufeng Tong, Jess C. Dixon, Sherri Lynne Menard, Rajesh Seth, R. Michael Mckay

Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research Publications

Wastewater surveillance has gained traction during the COVID-19 pandemic as an effective and non-biased means to track community infection. While most surveillance relies on samples collected at municipal wastewater treatment plants, surveillance is more actionable when samples are collected “upstream” where mitigation of transmission is tractable. This report describes the results of wastewater surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 at residence halls on a university campus aimed at preventing outbreak escalation by mitigating community spread. Another goal was to estimate fecal shedding rates of SARS-CoV-2 in a non-clinical setting. Passive sampling devices were deployed in sewer laterals originating from residence halls at a …