Domoic Acid Poisoning as a Possible Cause of Seasonal Cetacean Mass Stranding Events in Tasmania, Australia

Nash, Susan Bengtson; Baddock, Matthew C.; Takahashi, Eri; Dawson, Amanda L.; Cropp, Roger Allan

doi:10.1007/s00128-016-1906-4

Cited by 19 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Domoic acid contamination is caused predominantly by trophic transfer; particulate material (e.g., diatoms) containing DA is consumed by zooplankton and fish or ingested by filter feeding shellfish, which are subsequently consumed by marine mammals, seabirds, and humans [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]. Toxin-producing blooms of Pseudo-nitzschia have been implicated in widespread marine mammal stranding and mortality, as well as shellfish bed and beach closures [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]. Domoic acid toxicity, also known as amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP) in humans can cause headaches, nausea, seizures, short-term memory loss, and, in more severe cases, coma and death [ 10 , 11 , 12 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Time Series of Water Column Distributions and Sinking Particle Flux of Pseudo-Nitzschia and Domoic Acid in the Santa Barbara Basin, California

Umhau

Benítez-Nelson

Anderson

et al. 2018

Toxins

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Water column bulk Pseudo-nitzschia abundance and the dissolved and particulate domoic acid (DA) concentrations were measured in the Santa Barbara Basin (SBB), California from 2009–2013 and compared to bulk Pseudo-nitzschia cell abundance and DA concentrations and fluxes in sediment traps moored at 147 m and 509 m. Pseudo-nitzschia abundance throughout the study period was spatially and temporally heterogeneous (<200 cells L−1 to 3.8 × 106 cells L−1, avg. 2 × 105 ± 5 × 105 cells L−1) and did not correspond with upwelling conditions or the total DA (tDA) concentration, which was also spatially and temporally diverse (<1.3 ng L−1 to 2.2 × 105 ng L−1, avg. 7.8 × 103 ± 2.2 × 104 ng L−1). We hypothesize that the toxicity is likely driven in part by specific Pseudo-nitzschia species as well as bloom stage. Dissolved (dDA) and particulate (pDA) DA were significantly and positively correlated (p < 0.01) and both comprised major components of the total DA pool (pDA = 57 ± 35%, and dDA = 42 ± 35%) with substantial water column concentrations (>1000 cells L−1 and tDA = 200 ng L−1) measured as deep as 150 m. Our results highlight that dDA should not be ignored when examining bloom toxicity. Although water column abundance and pDA concentrations were poorly correlated with sediment trap Pseudo-nitzschia abundance and fluxes, DA toxicity is likely associated with senescent blooms that rapidly sink to the seafloor, adding another potential source of DA to benthic organisms.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Time Series of Water Column Distributions and Sinking Particle Flux of Pseudo-Nitzschia and Domoic Acid in the Santa Barbara Basin, California

Umhau

Benítez-Nelson

Anderson

et al. 2018

Toxins

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“…Temporal and spatial patterns of whale strandings (whales dead in the water and then beached) and Mass Mortality Events (MME) can be an important marker for temporal variability in oceanographic conditions [1]. The causes of marine mammal strandings are poorly understood [2], and therefore information gained from these events represents an important resource for understanding marine mammal health and diet [3], environmental pollution [4, 5, 6], regional oceanography [7–10], social structuring [11] and climate change [4, 12]. Strandings are also a useful proxy measure of species diversity, distribution and abundance [13–15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Mass strandings have been variously attributed to navigation problems [particularly for odontocetes, e.g. [16]], unusual environmental conditions reducing prey availability [17], acute poisoning from harmful algal blooms (HAB) [10]and acoustic trauma [18–19]. Many coastal nations have mammal stranding networks, recognizing that this is a crucial means by which the health and welfare of local marine mammals can be monitored, and can provide first notice of potential marine contamination or pathogen spread [20].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using remote sensing to detect whale strandings in remote areas: The case of sei whales mass mortality in Chilean Patagonia

Fretwell

Jackson

Encina³

et al. 2019

PLoS ONE

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We test the ability of Very High Resolution satellite (VHR) imagery to detect stranded whales using both manual and automated methods. We use the 2015 mass mortality event in the Gulf of Penas locality, central Patagonia, Chile, as an initial case study. This event was the largest known mass mortality of baleen whales, with at least 343 whales, mainly sei whales (Balaenoptera borealis), documented as stranding. However, even with such a large number of whales, due to the remote location of the gulf the strandings went unrecorded for several weeks. Aerial and boat surveys of the area were conducted two to four months after the mortality event. In this study we use 50cm resolution WorldView2 imagery to identify and count strandings from two archival images acquired just after the stranding event and two months before the aerial and ground surveys, and to test manual and automated methods of detecting stranded whales. Our findings show that whales are easily detected manually in the images but due to the heterogeneous colouration of decomposing whales, spectral indices are unsuitable for automatic detection. Our satellite counts suggest that, at the time the satellite images were taken, more whales were stranded than recorded in the aerial survey, possibly due to the non-comprehensive coverage of the aerial survey or movement of the carcases between survey acquisition. With even higher resolution imagery now available, satellite imagery may be a cost effective alternative to aerial surveys for future assessment of the extent of mass whale stranding events, especially in remote and inaccessible areas.

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“…filtrating mussels, zooplankton, and smaller fish. This can cause intoxication and mortality of secondary consumers like marine mammals, seabirds and humans (Teitelbaum et al, 1990;Lefebvre et al, 2016;Nash et al, 2017). Furthermore, HABs have large economic effects on the mussel industry and fisheries, due to closure of the fishery, lost revenue and discard of already harvested mussels (Fehling et al, 2006;McCabe et al, 2016;Bates et al, 2018).…”

Section: Pseudo-nitzschia Toxicity -Impact and Inductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The impact of urea on toxic diatoms – Potential effects of fertilizer silo breakdown on a Pseudo-nitzschia bloom

et al. 2020

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In spring 2016, two silos containing liquid nitrogen-containing fertilizer collapsed on a harbor in Fredericia, Denmark. More than 2,750 tons of fertilizer spilled into inner Danish waters. A bloom of Pseudo-nitzschia occurred approximately one month after the incident. The bloom caused a 5-week quarantine of numerous musselharvesting areas along the eastern coast of Jutland. The levels of domoic acid measured up to 49 mg kg −1 in mussel meat after the bloom. In the months following the event, the species diversity of phytoplankton was low, while the abundance was high comprising few dominant species including Pseudo-nitzschia. The main part of the liquid nitrogen-containing compound was urea, chemically produced for agricultural use.To investigate the potential impact of urea on Pseudo-nitzschia, four strains, including one strain of P. delicatissima, two of P. seriata and one of P. obtusa, were exposed each to three concentrations of urea in a batch culture experiment: 10 μM, 20 μM and 100 μM N urea, and for comparison one concentration of nitrate (10 μM). Nitrate, ammonium, and urea were metabolized at different rates. Pseudo-nitzschia obtusa produced domoic acid and grew best at low urea concentrations. Both P. seriata strains had a positive correlation between urea concentration and growth rate, and the highest growth rate in the nitrate treatment. One strain of P. seriata produced domoic acid peaking at low N loads (10 µM N urea and 10 µM N nitrate). In conclusion, the ability to adapt to the available nitrogen source and retain a high growth rate was exceedingly varying and not only species-specific but also strain specific.

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Domoic Acid Poisoning as a Possible Cause of Seasonal Cetacean Mass Stranding Events in Tasmania, Australia

Cited by 19 publications

References 29 publications

A Time Series of Water Column Distributions and Sinking Particle Flux of Pseudo-Nitzschia and Domoic Acid in the Santa Barbara Basin, California

A Time Series of Water Column Distributions and Sinking Particle Flux of Pseudo-Nitzschia and Domoic Acid in the Santa Barbara Basin, California

Using remote sensing to detect whale strandings in remote areas: The case of sei whales mass mortality in Chilean Patagonia

The impact of urea on toxic diatoms – Potential effects of fertilizer silo breakdown on a Pseudo-nitzschia bloom

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