Mortality of inshore marine mammals in eastern Australia is predicted by freshwater discharge and air temperature.

ABSTRACT: Understanding environmental and climatic drivers of natural mortality of marine mammals is critical for managing populations effectively and for predicting responses to climate change. Here we use a 17-year dataset to demonstrate a clear relationship between environmental forcing and natural mortality of inshore marine mammals across a subtropical-tropical coastline spanning a latitudinal gradient of 13° (>2000 km of coastline). Peak mortality of inshore dolphins and dugongs followed sustained periods of elevated freshwater discharge (9 months) and low air temperature (3 months). At a regional scale, these results translated into a strong relationship between annual mortality and an index of El Niño-Southern Oscillation. The number of cyclones crossing the coastline had a comparatively wea

SUBMITTER: Meager JJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3989247 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature