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(1 - 2 of 2)
- Title
- Chronic oiling of marine birds in California by natural petroleum seeps, shipwrecks, and other sources
- Description
- We assessed temporal and spatial patterns of chronic oiling of seabirds in California during 2005-2010, using data on: (1) live oiled birds reported to the Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN) from throughout the state, and (2) dead oiled birds found during systematic monthly beached-bird surveys in central California. A mean of 245 (±141 SD) live miscellaneous oiled birds (not associated with known oil spills) were reported to the OWCN per year, and 0.1 oiled dead birds km-1 per month were found on beach surveys in central California. Chemical fingerprinting of oiled feathers from a subset of these birds (n = 101) indicated that 89% of samples tested were likely from natural petroleum seeps off southern and central California. There was a pronounced peak during late winter in the number of oiled birds reported in southern California, which we theorize may be related to large storm waves disturbing underwater seeps. © 2013., Marine Mammals, Birds & Turtles, Article in Press
- Author
- Henkel, Nevins, Martin, Sugarman, Harvey, Ziccardi
- Date
- 2014-01-01T00:00:00Z
- Title
- Preliminary studies on the age and growth of blue (Prionace glauca), common thresher (Alopias vulpinus), and shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) sharks from California waters
- Description
- Two methods of enhancing growth bands on vertebral centra-silver nitrate impregnation and X -radiography have proven to be successful when used on centra from 130 blue, Prionace glauca, 143 common thresher, Alopias vulpinus, and 44 shortfin maim, Isurus oxyrinchus, sharks. Bands were counted and measured, and these data were used to construct growth curves based on the von Bertalanffy and logistic growth models. The problems of verification of these counts, and validation of the periodicity of band formation, have been identified and are discussed in relation to the growth curves generated for each of these three species. Our results and other available information indicate that these elasmobranchs grow relatively slowly, reaching their asymptotic lengths at 20 yr of age for blue sharks, and between 45 and 50 yr for shortfin mako and common thresher sharks. They have a large size but relatively early age of ilrst reproductive maturity, and low fecundities. This combination of traits could make them susceptible to overfishing.
- Author
- Cailliet, Martin, Harvey, Kusher, Welden, Prince, Pulos
- Date
- 1983-01-01T00:00:00Z