Characteristics of blubber distribution and body condition indicators for Antarctic minke whales (Balaenoptera bonaerensis)

Konishi, Kenji

doi:10.3106/1348-6160(2006)31[15:cobdab]2.0.co;2

Cited by 20 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Blubber is the most important site of energy storage in cetaceans as lipids are mobilized in times of energetic need and nutritional stress, and then deposited when food is in excess (Iverson, 2009). As a result, the direct quantification of blubber lipid content in cetacean carcasses has been used as a metric of overall energy stores and body condition in mysticetes (Ackman, Hingley, Eaton, Logan, & Odense, 1975;Aguilar & Borrell, 1990;Konishi, 2006;Lockyer, 1986), and to a lesser extent in odontocetes (Evans, Hindell, & Thiele, 2003;Gómez-Campos, Borrell, & Aguilar, 2011;Montie et al, 2008;Read, 1990). The biochemical characteristics of blubber lipids have also been extensively studied (Ackman, Eaton, & Jangaard, 1965;Litchfield et al, 1975;Lockyer, McConnell, & Waters, 1985;Varanasi & Malins, 1971), and two main lipid classes, triacylglycerols and wax esters, have been identified.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing cetacean body condition: Is total lipid content in blubber biopsies a useful monitoring tool?

Kershaw

Brownlow²,

Ramp

et al. 2019

Aquatic Conservation

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1. Measuring the energy stores, or body condition, of cetaceans is vital for monitoring population health. Cetaceans are exposed to a range of anthropogenic stressors, including, for example, noise, contaminants, habitat degradation, reduced prey availability, ship strike, and entanglement. Tools to assess body condition in these inaccessible and vulnerable animals are required to better understand the energetic consequences of anthropogenic stressors that can impact population health and, ultimately, conservation status.2. Remotely obtained, dart biopsy samples are becoming an increasingly standard method of tissue collection from live, large cetaceans. Here, the potential applicability of using total lipid content in such biopsy samples to estimate overall body condition was assessed using full-depth dorsal blubber samples from stranded ziphiids (n = 8) and balaenopterids (n = 9). First, variation in total lipid content through the blubber depth was investigated to assess the representativeness of shallow-depth dart biopsies taken from live animals. Second, how lipid content varies by species, cause of death, sex, age class, and morphometric indices of body condition was assessed to evaluate what information about individual energy stores can be gained from such analyses.3. Total lipid content in dorsal, shallow-depth blubber biopsy samples from both cetacean families provides little information on overall body condition. Stratification of lipid content through the blubber layer in the balaenopterids means that superficial biopsy samples are not representative of the lipid stores available for mobilization through the rest of the tissue. A lack of variation in blubber lipid content, both within and between the ziphiid individuals, resulted in no ability to correlate these measures with morphometrics or other health, sex, or age class covariates.4. Other potential markers in the blubber from remote biopsy sampling should be explored in order to further develop robust tools for estimating the body condition of free-ranging cetaceans.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing cetacean body condition: Is total lipid content in blubber biopsies a useful monitoring tool?

Kershaw

Brownlow²,

Ramp

et al. 2019

Aquatic Conservation

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show abstract

“…In stranded animals the degree of bloating and decomposition affects the measurement (Boyd et al, 2010b). Caon et al (2007) in franciscanas, and Konishi (2006), in minke whales, found a positive correlation between body girth and blubber weight and body weigh respectively. Lockyer (1986) found significant differences in body girth between reproductive groups, in fin whales, and similar evidence was found by George et al (2015), in bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus).…”

Section: Body Morphometrymentioning

confidence: 87%

“…When a single-site is used, it needs to be taken at the site were the blubber is most variable (Lockyer et al, 1985). Konishi (2006) reported that a single-site, medial lateral blubber thicknesses measurement in Antarctic minke whale, highly correlated with total blubber mass, thus it was a suitable body condition indicator. Nevertheless, multiple site measures has been advocated for a better representation, as it is well known that blubber thickness is not homogenous across the body surface (Lockyer et al, 1984).…”

Section: Blubber Massmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cytochrome P450 isozyme protein verified in the skin of southern hemisphere humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae): Implications for biochemical biomarker assessment

Waugh

Huston

Noad

et al. 2011

Marine Pollution Bulletin

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The ability accurately gauge the energetic reserves of free-roaming cetaceans, is of elevated importance in conservation biology as this factor has direct implications for individual fitness, survival and reproductive success. In a rapidly changing environment, monitoring individual and population energetic reserves can also offer vital insight into ecosystem health and species resilience to accelerated habitat change. The intrinsic complications of studying cetaceans, however, render direct measurement of energetic reserves impractical in these species and currently there is an absence of standardized methodologies applicable to both dead and live animals. Energetic reserves are mainly stored in the blubber of cetaceans in form of lipids and traditionally, methodological approaches for assessment have targeted either blubber measurements, body composition or, conversely, whole body morphometry. New developments and the increasing cost-efficiency of drone technology and transcriptome sequencing continue to offer new avenues for robust assessment. This paper reviews the current state of the field, the capacity and limitations of traditional approaches and evaluates new approaches for their potential to provide a standardised approach to energetic reserve assessment across life-categories and species.

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“…The most common measure of body condition is mass; however, many field studies have successfully used other measurements, such as girth, length, and blubber thickness as alternatives or in addition to mass [Doidge, 1990; Koopman et al, 1996; Konishi, 2006]. Obtaining mass measurements on belugas is difficult; thus, axillary girth and blubber thickness via ultrasound were used, and data collected in these studies were compared with a retrospective database for each animal.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of an alternative to feeding whole frozen fish in belugas (Delphinapterus leucas)

Mazzaro¹,

Richmond

Morgan³

et al. 2011

Zoo Biology

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Feeding fish to captive piscivores can be challenging owing to cost, availability, variability in nutrient, and caloric composition, as well as handling and storage concerns. This trial evaluated the response of three belugas to being fed Fish Analog, an alternative to frozen fish. Body condition, gut transit time, serum chemistry and metabolic hormone analytes, immune function, and behavioral motivation were the dependent variables. Belugas (n=3) were fed various levels of Fish Analog (0-50%) over a 6-month period, and follow-up studies were conducted to further examine several dependent variables. When provided in gradually increasing amounts, belugas consumed the Fish Analog, with only minor fecal consistency changes and without behavioral responses indicative of gastric discomfort. Axillary girth and blubber thickness were positively correlated, and did not differ significantly with changes in the percentage of Fish Analog fed. Individual animal variation in initial passage time, some serum chemistry analytes, and immune function differences were noted following feeding of Fish Analog. Feeding Fish Analog reduced blood n9 fatty acids compared with captive belugas fed no Fish Analog. Feeding a DHA-enriched Fish Analog increased several n3 fatty acids, including eicosapentaenoic acid, but not DHA, compared with whales fed no Fish Analog or non-DHA-enriched Fish Analog. Fish Analog was shown to be a viable alternative to feeding fish at up to 50% of the dietary caloric density.

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Characteristics of blubber distribution and body condition indicators for Antarctic minke whales (Balaenoptera bonaerensis)

Cited by 20 publications

References 15 publications

Assessing cetacean body condition: Is total lipid content in blubber biopsies a useful monitoring tool?

Assessing cetacean body condition: Is total lipid content in blubber biopsies a useful monitoring tool?

Cytochrome P450 isozyme protein verified in the skin of southern hemisphere humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae): Implications for biochemical biomarker assessment

Evaluation of an alternative to feeding whole frozen fish in belugas (Delphinapterus leucas)

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