Dataset Information

Pathogen Exposure in White Whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in Svalbard, Norway.

ABSTRACT: The Svalbard white whale (Delphinapterus leucas) population is one of the smallest in the world, making it particularly vulnerable to challenges such as climate change and pathogens. In this study, serum samples from live captured (2001−2016) white whales from this region were investigated for influenza A virus (IAV) antibodies (Abs) (n = 27) and RNA (n = 25); morbillivirus (MV) Abs (n = 3) and RNA (n = 25); Brucella spp. Abs; and Toxoplasma gondii Abs (n = 27). IAV Abs were found in a single adult male that was captured in Van Mijenfjorden in 2001, although no IAV RNA was detected. Brucella spp. Abs were found in 59% of the sample group (16/27). All MV and T. gondii results were negative. The results show that Svalbard white whales have been exposed to IAV and Brucella spp., although evidence of disease is lacking. However, dramatic changes in climate and marine ecosystems are taking place in the Arctic, so surveillance of health parameters, including pathogens, is critical for tracking changes in the status of this vulnerable population.

SUBMITTER: Nymo IH

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9864568 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Pathogen Exposure in White Whales (<i>Delphinapterus leucas</i>) in Svalbard, Norway.

Nymo Ingebjørg H IH Siebert Ursula U Baechlein Christine C Postel Alexander A Breines Eva M EM Lydersen Christian C Kovacs Kit M KM Tryland Morten M

Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) 20221229 1

The Svalbard white whale (Delphinapterus leucas) population is one of the smallest in the world, making it particularly vulnerable to challenges such as climate change and pathogens. In this study, serum samples from live captured (2001−2016) white whales from this region were investigated for influenza A virus (IAV) antibodies (Abs) (n = 27) and RNA (n = 25); morbillivirus (MV) Abs (n = 3) and RNA (n = 25); Brucella spp. Abs; and Toxoplasma gondii Abs (n = 27). IAV Abs were found in a single ad ...[more]

PMID: 36678406

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Project description:BackgroundThe Arctic is experiencing rapid reductions in sea ice and in some areas tidal glaciers are melting and retracting onto land. These changes are occurring at extremely rapid rates in the Northeast Atlantic Arctic. The aim of this study was to investigate the impacts of these environmental changes on space use by white whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in Svalbard, Norway. Using a unique biotelemetry data set involving 34 animals, spanning two decades, habitat use and movement patterns were compared before (1995-2001) and after (2013-2016) a dramatic change in the regional sea ice regime that began in 2006.ResultsWhite whales were extremely coastal in both study periods, remaining near the islands within the Svalbard Archipelago, even when winter sea ice formation pushed them offshore somewhat (later in the year in the recent period), into areas with drifting sea ice (concentrations up to 90%). In both periods, the whales followed the same basic patterns seasonally; they occupied the west coast in summer and shifted to the east coast as winter approached. However, space use did change between the two periods, with the whales spending less time close to tidal glacier fronts in the second period compared to the first (2nd-36% vs 1st-51%), a habitat characterized by low swimming speeds and high turning angles, and more time out in the fjords (2nd-26% vs1st-10%). Use of coastal transit corridors remained the same in both periods; the whales appear to minimize time spent moving between fjords.ConclusionsGlacier fronts have previously been shown to be important foraging areas for white whales in Svalbard and the movement metrics documented in this study confirms that this is still the case. However, use of the Fjords habitat in summer and fall (frequency of occupancy and movement metrics) seen in the recent period suggests that the white whales might now also be feeding on Atlantic prey that is increasingly common in the fjords, concomitant with influxes of Atlantic Water along the west coast of Svalbard. Such behavioural flexibility, if confirmed by further diet studies, would likely be important for white whales in adapting to new conditions in Svalbard.

Project description:The annual return of beluga whales, Delphinapterus leucas, to traditional seasonal locations across the Arctic may involve migratory culture, while the convergence of discrete summering aggregations on common wintering grounds may facilitate outbreeding. Natal philopatry and cultural inheritance, however, has been difficult to assess as earlier studies were of too short a duration, while genetic analyses of breeding patterns, especially across the beluga's Pacific range, have been hampered by inadequate sampling and sparse information on wintering areas. Using a much expanded sample and genetic marker set comprising 1,647 whales, spanning more than two decades and encompassing all major coastal summering aggregations in the Pacific Ocean, we found evolutionary-level divergence among three geographic regions: the Gulf of Alaska, the Bering-Chukchi-Beaufort Seas, and the Sea of Okhotsk (Φst = 0.11-0.32, Rst = 0.09-0.13), and likely demographic independence of (Fst-mtDNA = 0.02-0.66), and in many cases limited gene flow (Fst-nDNA = 0.0-0.02; K = 5-6) among, summering groups within regions. Assignment tests identified few immigrants within summering aggregations, linked migrating groups to specific summering areas, and found that some migratory corridors comprise whales from multiple subpopulations (PBAYES = 0.31:0.69). Further, dispersal is male-biased and substantial numbers of closely related whales congregate together at coastal summering areas. Stable patterns of heterogeneity between areas and consistently high proportions (~20%) of close kin (including parent-offspring) sampled up to 20 years apart within areas (G = 0.2-2.9, p>0.5) is the first direct evidence of natal philopatry to migration destinations in belugas. Using recent satellite telemetry findings on belugas we found that the spatial proximity of winter ranges has a greater influence on the degree of both individual and genetic exchange than summer ranges (rwinter-Fst-mtDNA = 0.9, rsummer-Fst-nDNA = 0.1). These findings indicate widespread natal philopatry to summering aggregation and entire migratory circuits, and provide compelling evidence that migratory culture and kinship helps maintain demographically discrete beluga stocks that can overlap in time and space.

Dataset Information

Pathogen Exposure in White Whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in Svalbard, Norway.

Publications

Pathogen Exposure in White Whales (<i>Delphinapterus leucas</i>) in Svalbard, Norway.

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