Lizabeth Bowen

Movements of Sea Otters in the Santa Barbara Channel

These data are .csv files of tagged sea otter re-sighting locations (henceforth, resights) collected in the field using a combination of VHF radio telemetry and direct observation using high powered (80x) telescopes. Sea otters were tracked by shore or boat-based observers from the date of tagging until the time of radio battery failure, the animal’s death, or the end of the project, whichever comes first. The frequency of re-sighting was opportunistic, depending on logistical factors such as coastal access, but generally ranged from daily to weekly. Location coordinates are reported latitude and longitude as well as X and Y coordinates in the projection/datum California Teale-Albers NAD 1927. The file contains...

Categories: Data; Types: Citation; Tags: California, Santa Barbara Channel Islands, Santa Barbara County, Southern sea otter, movement patterns, All tags... population dynamics, sea otter demographics, Fewer tags

The current study was designed to provide critical information for resource managers (specifically the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, henceforth BOEM, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, henceforth USFWS) about the spatial ecology, population status, and potential population threats to sea otters in Santa Barbara Channel, with particular reference to exposure to manmade structures and sources of oil and natural gas. Our four primary research objectives were: 1. Determine the extent of movements and spatial use patterns by sea otters along the southern California coast 2. Identify important sea otter resting and foraging areas adjacent to manmade structures 3. Assess sea otter distribution, behavior and...

Tags: California, Santa Barbara Channel Islands, Santa Barbara County, Southern sea otter, USGS Science Data Catalog (SDC), All tags... movement patterns, population dynamics, sea otter demographics, Fewer tags

Demographics of Sea Otters in the Santa Barbara Channel

These data are .csv files of capture data from tagged sea otters in the Santa Barbara Channel Study. Sea otters were captured using highly specialized techniques employed by a team a rebreather divers and were processed by a shore team and veterinary crew at a mobile vet lab. Overall health assessments and morphometric data were collected, and the otters received colored flipper tags (for visual identification in the field) as well as VHF radio transmitter implants (for locating and "re-sighting" individuals) and time-depth recorder instruments (for archival logging of dive records and core body temperature for individual sea otters). Fields include an individual otter identification number, capture date, general...

Categories: Data; Types: Citation; Tags: California, Santa Barbara Channel Islands, Santa Barbara County, Southern sea otter, movement patterns, All tags... population dynamics, sea otter demographics, Fewer tags

Data for Gene Transcription Patterns in Response to Low Level Petroleum Contaminants in Mytilus trossulus from Field Sites and Harbors in Southcentral Alaska

Marine mussels are a ubiquitous and crucial component of the nearshore environment, and new genomic technologies exist to quantify molecular responses of individual mussels to stimuli, including exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). We used gene-based assays of exposure and physiological function to assess lingering oil damage from the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill using the Pacific blue mussel, Mytilus trossulus. We developed a diagnostic gene transcription panel to investigate exposure to PAHs and other contaminants and their effects on mussel physiology and health. Mussels were collected annually from 2012 through 2015 at five field sites (mussel beds) in western Prince William Sound: Herring Bay,...

Categories: Data; Tags: Aquatic Biology, Exxon Valdez oil spill, Genetics, Gulf Watch Alaska, Mussels, All tags... Mytilus trossulus, PAH, Prince William Sound, USGS Science Data Catalog (SDC), Wildlife Biology, gene expression, Fewer tags

Ecological and Disease Data for Induced Immune Responses and Antibody Levels for Mycoplasma spp. in Captive and Wild Mojave Desert Tortoises (Gopherus agassizii)

This product consists of multiple tabular datasets and associated metadata for clinical status, gene transcripts, and lab results related to presence of Mycoplasma spp. in desert reptiles. To better understand immune responses to pathogenic infections, we conducted an experiment to quantify innate and induced immune responses using gene transcript profiles and measured induced antibody levels for Mycoplasma spp. in Mojave Desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii). Data consists of: ​ - Clinical Status Data - Clinical status of presence or absence of nasal discharge, eroded nares, or labored respiration in 15 captive tortoises classified as naive, exposed, or infected. - Gene Transcript Data - Gene transcription values...

Categories: Data; Tags: Nevada, USGS Science Data Catalog (SDC), Wildlife Biology, bacteria, biota, All tags... capturing (animals), desert ecosystems, ecology, immunology, reptiles, Fewer tags