Life history, reproductive, and demographic parameters for bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Sarasota Bay, Florida
Studies of the resident community of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) of Sarasota Bay, Florida, have been conducted for more than 50 years. Detailed histories have been collected for resident individuals through integrated observations, systematic photographic identification surveys, tagging...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Marine Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2025.1531528/full |
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| author | Randall S. Wells Aleta A. Hohn Michael D. Scott Jay C. Sweeney Forrest I. Townsend Jason B. Allen Aaron A. Barleycorn Katherine A. McHugh Kim Bassos-Hull Gretchen N. Lovewell Deborah A. Duffield Cynthia R. Smith A. Blair Irvine |
| author_facet | Randall S. Wells Aleta A. Hohn Michael D. Scott Jay C. Sweeney Forrest I. Townsend Jason B. Allen Aaron A. Barleycorn Katherine A. McHugh Kim Bassos-Hull Gretchen N. Lovewell Deborah A. Duffield Cynthia R. Smith A. Blair Irvine |
| author_sort | Randall S. Wells |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Studies of the resident community of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) of Sarasota Bay, Florida, have been conducted for more than 50 years. Detailed histories have been collected for resident individuals through integrated observations, systematic photographic identification surveys, tagging and tracking, catch-and-release health assessments, remote biopsy sampling, and stranding response. This has produced a unique dataset documenting life history milestones and vital rates of a small cetacean. Analyses of data from 482 resident Sarasota Bay dolphins have revealed estimated maximum life spans of 67 years for females and 52 years for males. For females, predicted age at sexual maturation is 8.5 years, with a predicted age at first reproduction of 9.6 years. Females were observed to give birth when 6-48 years of age, and have been documented with as many as 12 calves, with 45% observed post-separation. Ten percent of females were considered to be reproductively senescent, having gone >13 years without producing a calf. For males, predicted age at sexual maturation is 10 years. Males 10-43 years old sired calves, producing up to 7 calves each. The average calving interval was 3.5 years, albeit with effects due to mother’s age, birth order, and calf survival. Seasonal reproduction was evident, with 81% of births occurring during May-July. Mean annual birth rate was 0.071. Mean annual fecundity was 0.182 births/adult female (defined as females 6 yrs or older). Recruitment rate through reproduction was estimated to be 0.050 based on calves surviving their first year. Immigration was infrequent, with an estimated annual rate of 0.003-0.013. Estimated mean annual maximum loss rate, from mortality, emigration, and changed identification characteristics, was 0.072. Periods of increased loss rates were related to environmental events, and factors that may be important to long-term population resilience were suggested. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-6e3e20d999654248a1f848a3293621ae |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2296-7745 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Marine Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-6e3e20d999654248a1f848a3293621ae2025-02-10T05:16:21ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Marine Science2296-77452025-02-011210.3389/fmars.2025.15315281531528Life history, reproductive, and demographic parameters for bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Sarasota Bay, FloridaRandall S. Wells0Aleta A. Hohn1Michael D. Scott2Jay C. Sweeney3Forrest I. Townsend4Jason B. Allen5Aaron A. Barleycorn6Katherine A. McHugh7Kim Bassos-Hull8Gretchen N. Lovewell9Deborah A. Duffield10Cynthia R. Smith11A. Blair Irvine12Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, Brookfield Zoo Chicago, c/o Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL, United StatesNational Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Beaufort, NC, United StatesDolphin Biology Research Institute, San Diego, CA, United StatesDolphin Quest, Inc., San Diego, CA, United StatesAuburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn, AL, United StatesSarasota Dolphin Research Program, Brookfield Zoo Chicago, c/o Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL, United StatesSarasota Dolphin Research Program, Brookfield Zoo Chicago, c/o Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL, United StatesSarasota Dolphin Research Program, Brookfield Zoo Chicago, c/o Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL, United StatesSarasota Dolphin Research Program, Brookfield Zoo Chicago, c/o Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL, United StatesStranding Investigations Program, Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL, United StatesDepartment of Biology, Portland State University, Portland, OR, United StatesNational Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, CA, United StatesDolphin Biology Research Institute, Eugene, OR, United StatesStudies of the resident community of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) of Sarasota Bay, Florida, have been conducted for more than 50 years. Detailed histories have been collected for resident individuals through integrated observations, systematic photographic identification surveys, tagging and tracking, catch-and-release health assessments, remote biopsy sampling, and stranding response. This has produced a unique dataset documenting life history milestones and vital rates of a small cetacean. Analyses of data from 482 resident Sarasota Bay dolphins have revealed estimated maximum life spans of 67 years for females and 52 years for males. For females, predicted age at sexual maturation is 8.5 years, with a predicted age at first reproduction of 9.6 years. Females were observed to give birth when 6-48 years of age, and have been documented with as many as 12 calves, with 45% observed post-separation. Ten percent of females were considered to be reproductively senescent, having gone >13 years without producing a calf. For males, predicted age at sexual maturation is 10 years. Males 10-43 years old sired calves, producing up to 7 calves each. The average calving interval was 3.5 years, albeit with effects due to mother’s age, birth order, and calf survival. Seasonal reproduction was evident, with 81% of births occurring during May-July. Mean annual birth rate was 0.071. Mean annual fecundity was 0.182 births/adult female (defined as females 6 yrs or older). Recruitment rate through reproduction was estimated to be 0.050 based on calves surviving their first year. Immigration was infrequent, with an estimated annual rate of 0.003-0.013. Estimated mean annual maximum loss rate, from mortality, emigration, and changed identification characteristics, was 0.072. Periods of increased loss rates were related to environmental events, and factors that may be important to long-term population resilience were suggested.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2025.1531528/fullbottlenose dolphinTursiops truncatuslife historydemographicsreproductionsexual maturation |
| spellingShingle | Randall S. Wells Aleta A. Hohn Michael D. Scott Jay C. Sweeney Forrest I. Townsend Jason B. Allen Aaron A. Barleycorn Katherine A. McHugh Kim Bassos-Hull Gretchen N. Lovewell Deborah A. Duffield Cynthia R. Smith A. Blair Irvine Life history, reproductive, and demographic parameters for bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Sarasota Bay, Florida Frontiers in Marine Science bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus life history demographics reproduction sexual maturation |
| title | Life history, reproductive, and demographic parameters for bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Sarasota Bay, Florida |
| title_full | Life history, reproductive, and demographic parameters for bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Sarasota Bay, Florida |
| title_fullStr | Life history, reproductive, and demographic parameters for bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Sarasota Bay, Florida |
| title_full_unstemmed | Life history, reproductive, and demographic parameters for bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Sarasota Bay, Florida |
| title_short | Life history, reproductive, and demographic parameters for bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Sarasota Bay, Florida |
| title_sort | life history reproductive and demographic parameters for bottlenose dolphins tursiops truncatus in sarasota bay florida |
| topic | bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus life history demographics reproduction sexual maturation |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2025.1531528/full |
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