Assessing the effectiveness of acoustic signals in mark-recapture studies to estimate dolphins' population size.

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Auteurs principaux: Papale, Elena, Ceraulo, Maria, Gregorietti, Martina, De Vita, Clarissa, Buscaino, Giuseppa
Format: Artículo científico
Langue:en
Publié: Current zoology 2025
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author Papale, Elena
Ceraulo, Maria
Gregorietti, Martina
De Vita, Clarissa
Buscaino, Giuseppa
author_facet Papale, Elena
Ceraulo, Maria
Gregorietti, Martina
De Vita, Clarissa
Buscaino, Giuseppa
Papale, Elena
Ceraulo, Maria
Gregorietti, Martina
De Vita, Clarissa
Buscaino, Giuseppa
collection PubMed - marine biology
contents Assessing the effectiveness of acoustic signals in mark-recapture studies to estimate dolphins' population size. Papale, Elena Ceraulo, Maria Gregorietti, Martina De Vita, Clarissa Buscaino, Giuseppa Accurate estimations of animal population size are pivotal for implementing management strategies properly. Recapture technique based on sounds as a specimen identification mark has barely been used for marine mammals. However, inferring abundance estimates from acoustic methods could enhance the accuracy and precision of population size assessments. Here, we tested the possibility of using signature whistles as individual marks for estimating the size of common bottlenose dolphin () populations. Data were continuously collected for 326 days in 2015-2016, by using a fixed acoustic device located in the Sicily Strait (Italy). The SIGID method was applied to identify Signature Whistles Types (SWTs) over 7,000 h of recordings. Eighty SWTs were detected as long as their stereotyped fundamental frequency contours were repeated in bouts of at least 6 renditions. The mean SWTs monthly recording rate resulted in 0.19 ( = 0.16), with 20 SWTs recorded over 5 or more different encounters (until a maximum of 30 encounters). The Jolly-Seber model (with POPAN formulation) was run in Mark software to estimate the population size. The estimated population size resulted in 171 bottlenose dolphins (95% confidence interval = 137-215). Even if the detection and identification of signature whistles required crucial precautions, and animals could be detected differently from visual techniques, the population size estimate obtained was comparable with previous results based on physical marks data. These outcomes demonstrated that signature whistles can be considered a strongly effective tool for integrating traditional mark-recapture techniques with finely estimated dolphins' population abundances.
format Artículo científico
id pubmed_41048378
institution PubMed
language en
publishDate 2025
publisher Current zoology
record_format pubmed
spellingShingle Assessing the effectiveness of acoustic signals in mark-recapture studies to estimate dolphins' population size.
Papale, Elena
Ceraulo, Maria
Gregorietti, Martina
De Vita, Clarissa
Buscaino, Giuseppa
Assessing the effectiveness of acoustic signals in mark-recapture studies to estimate dolphins' population size. Papale, Elena Ceraulo, Maria Gregorietti, Martina De Vita, Clarissa Buscaino, Giuseppa Accurate estimations of animal population size are pivotal for implementing management strategies properly. Recapture technique based on sounds as a specimen identification mark has barely been used for marine mammals. However, inferring abundance estimates from acoustic methods could enhance the accuracy and precision of population size assessments. Here, we tested the possibility of using signature whistles as individual marks for estimating the size of common bottlenose dolphin () populations. Data were continuously collected for 326 days in 2015-2016, by using a fixed acoustic device located in the Sicily Strait (Italy). The SIGID method was applied to identify Signature Whistles Types (SWTs) over 7,000 h of recordings. Eighty SWTs were detected as long as their stereotyped fundamental frequency contours were repeated in bouts of at least 6 renditions. The mean SWTs monthly recording rate resulted in 0.19 ( = 0.16), with 20 SWTs recorded over 5 or more different encounters (until a maximum of 30 encounters). The Jolly-Seber model (with POPAN formulation) was run in Mark software to estimate the population size. The estimated population size resulted in 171 bottlenose dolphins (95% confidence interval = 137-215). Even if the detection and identification of signature whistles required crucial precautions, and animals could be detected differently from visual techniques, the population size estimate obtained was comparable with previous results based on physical marks data. These outcomes demonstrated that signature whistles can be considered a strongly effective tool for integrating traditional mark-recapture techniques with finely estimated dolphins' population abundances.
title Assessing the effectiveness of acoustic signals in mark-recapture studies to estimate dolphins' population size.
url https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41048378/