Peter Evans - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Peter Evans

The Exploitation of Mammal Populations, 1996

... Berlin, pp. 717-750. Kruse, S.(1991) The interactions between killer whales and boats in John... more ... Berlin, pp. 717-750. Kruse, S.(1991) The interactions between killer whales and boats in Johnstone Strait, British Columbia, in Dolphin Societies,(eds K. Pryor and K. Norris), Univ. of California Press, Berkeley, pp. 149-159. Kryter ...

Journal of Zoology, 1990

Fourteen species of reptiles have been recorded from the island of Dominica, Lesser Antilles. As ... more Fourteen species of reptiles have been recorded from the island of Dominica, Lesser Antilles. As part of a larger study of the ecology of Dominica's forests, the distribution, density and biomass of three widespread lizard species (Anolis oculatus, Ameiva fuscata and Mabuya mabouya) were estimated in all major vegetation types. No consistent differences between seasons occurred for any of the three species, and at no site was a definite breeding season detected. Densities, estimated mainly by plot counts, were highest in coastal woodlands where mean densities reached 2148 Anolis per hectare, 379 Ameiva per hectare, and 751 Mabuya per hectare. Densities in rain forest sites were often very low. Combined biomass for the three species also reached a maximum in coastal woodlands of 44.7 kg/ha. This value is amongst the highest recorded for terrestrial reptile assemblages, and suggests that Dominica's coastal woodlands are unusually favourable habitats for reptiles.Previous studi...

European …, 2000

... Academic Press Inc, San Diego, USA. Simmonds, M. &amp; Lopez-Jurado, LF (1991). Whale... more ... Academic Press Inc, San Diego, USA. Simmonds, M. &amp; Lopez-Jurado, LF (1991). Whales and the military. ... Figures are in ship days and high figures reflect multiple vessel exercises) LOCATION SUBMARINE ACTIVITY SURFACE ACTIVITY Rona North 52 days 45 days ...

Marine Ecology Progress Series, 2022

Europe has set ambitious green energy targets, to which offshore renewable developments (ORDs) wi... more Europe has set ambitious green energy targets, to which offshore renewable developments (ORDs) will make a significant contribution. Governments are legally required to deliver ORDs sustainably; however, they may have detrimental impacts on wildlife, especially those already experiencing declines due to climate change. Population viability analysis (PVA) is the standard method for forecasting population change in ORD assessments, but PVAs do not currently account for climate effects. We quantified climate effects on seabird breeding success for 8 UK species breeding in the North Sea. We assessed the potential for seabirds to mitigate climate-driven changes in breeding success by accessing wider resources through increased foraging ranges around colonies. We demonstrate strong links between breeding success and climate in 5 species. In 4 of these species, future climate projections indicated large declines in breeding success relative to current rates. Only one species was predicted ...

The humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) has a cosmopolitan distribution: it occurs in all oce... more The humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) has a cosmopolitan distribution: it occurs in all oceans and in many seas. Remarkably, the species was missing from the southern North Sea until recently. Even strandings of dead animals have always been very rare but from the 1990s onward this started to change. A trickle of dead humpback whales was the first sign that things were about to change, followed by sightings of live whales from 2001 on. Many of the first whales to arrive in the southern North Sea did not survive, and stranded, but this too has changed. Today, humpback whales visit the region every year in small numbers and both adults and juveniles are involved. The whales rarely fluke in the shallow coastal waters where they are mostly seen but a few wellmarked individuals have been seen in different years and some stayed up to several months in the area. It remains unclear what might have triggered this range extension. Numbers of humpback whales in the Atlantic are increasin...

Entanglement in static fishing gear, especially shellfish creels (pots), is a known source of mor... more Entanglement in static fishing gear, especially shellfish creels (pots), is a known source of mortality and injury for humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) with an apparent rise in recent entanglements of this species in Scottish coastal waters. All available sighting records in Scottish waters from 1992 to 2016 were collated to determine the distribution of the species. A subset of sightings with associated boat-based search effort from the west of Scotland indicated the relative abundance of humpback whales in this region was very low (just four sightings from 86,000 km of search effort). Of the 213 incidental sighting records from 1992 to 2016, 5.6 % (n = 12) comprised known entanglements. For the five most recent years (2012 to 2016), this proportion was higher 7.5 % (n = 10). Over half of the known entanglements (n = 7) involved creels, three others were of ropes consistent with creels, and one involved an aquaculture (salmon) pen. Rescue responses to six of the 12 entangle...

Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 2019

1. The short-beaked common dolphin is one of the most numerous cetacean species in the NorthEast ... more 1. The short-beaked common dolphin is one of the most numerous cetacean species in the NorthEast Atlantic and plays a key functional role within the ecosystem as a top predator. However, in 2013, its conservation status for the European Marine Atlantic, under Article 17 of the Habitats Directive, was assessed as 'Unfavourable-Inadequate'. Of key concern for this species is fishery bycatch, with pollution also being an issue. There are, however, major knowledge gaps concerning the extent of the effects of such pressures on the species. 2. Implementation of national observer bycatch programmes and bycatch mitigation measures under EC Regulation 812/2004 has been important. The responsibility for this is currently being transferred to the EU fisheries Data Collection Framework and Technical Measures Framework, the potential advantages and disadvantages of which are discussed. Collection of data and samples through national stranding schemes in some countries has enabled assessments of life-history parameters, dietary requirements, and the effects of stressors such as pollutants. 3. Nevertheless, in order to improve the conservation status of the NorthEast Atlantic population, a number of key actions are still required. These include the implementation of a species action plan, finalization of a management framework procedure for bycatch, and coordination between member states of monitoring programmes. It is important that there is monitoring of the state of the common dolphin population in the NorthEast Atlantic management unit through regular surveys spanning the range of the management unit, as well as continued assessment of the independent and interactive effects of multiple stressors. Above all, conservation status would be improved through application and enforcement of existing legislation in European waters. 4. This paper provides a summary of the current state of our knowledge of common dolphins in the NorthEast Atlantic along with recommendations for conservation management that may also be relevant to the species in the Mediterranean Sea.

ICES Journal of Marine Science, 2017

As harbour porpoises Phocoena phocoena are abundant within tidal stream environments, mitigating ... more As harbour porpoises Phocoena phocoena are abundant within tidal stream environments, mitigating population-level impacts from tidal stream energy extraction is considered a conservation priority. An understanding of their spatial and temporal occupancy of these habitats at a regional-scale will help steer installations towards locations which maximize energy returns but reduce the potential for interactions with populations. This study quantifies and compares relationships between the presence of harbour porpoise and several hydrodynamic characteristics across four tidal stream environments in Anglesey, UK—a region that has been earmarked for extensive industrial development. Within sites (0.57–1.13 km2), encounters with animals were concentrated in small areas (<200 m2) and increased during certain tidal states (ebb vs. flood). In sites showing relatively high maximum current speeds (2.67–2.87 ms−1), encounters were strongly associated with the emergence of shear-lines. In site...

Term of reference Addressed in this report a) Review and report on any new information on seal an... more Term of reference Addressed in this report a) Review and report on any new information on seal and cetacean population abundance, population/stock structure, management frameworks (including indicators and targets for MSFD assessments), and anthropogenic threats to individual health and population status; Yes b) Review and update information on the ecological role of marine mammals, e.g. influence on structure, function and transfer of energy (and of parasites) in marine foodwebs; Yes c) Review additional aspects of marine mammal fishery interactions not covered by WGBYC. Details of this ToR to be agreed with WGBYC; Yes d) Review the population-level effect of cumulative human impacts on marine mammals and further develop and/or update the threats matrix; Yes e) Update the database for seals. Yes Swedish Museum of Nat. Hist.,

Ongoing field studies of Cuvier’s, Ziphius cavirostris, and Blainville’s beaked

Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 2019

Mapping the distribution of seabirds at sea is fundamental to understanding their ecology and mak... more Mapping the distribution of seabirds at sea is fundamental to understanding their ecology and making informed decisions on their conservation. Until recently, estimates of at-sea distributions were generally derived from boat-based visual surveys. Increasingly however, seabird tracking is seen as an alternative but each has potential biases. To compare distributions from the two methods, we carried out simultaneous boat-based surveys and GPS tracking in the Minch, western Scotland, in June 2015. Over 8 days, boat transect surveys covered 950 km, within a study area of ∼6,700 km 2 centered on the Shiant Islands, one of the main breeding centers of razorbills, and guillemots in the UK. Simultaneously, we GPS-tracked chick-rearing guillemots (n = 17) and razorbills (n = 31) from the Shiants. We modeled counts per unit area from boat surveys as smooth functions of latitude and longitude, mapping estimated densities. We then used kernel density estimation to map the utilization distributions of the GPS tracked birds. These two distribution estimates corresponded well for razorbills but were lower for guillemots. Both methods revealed areas of high use around the focal colony, but over the wider region, differences emerged that were likely attributable to the influences of neighboring colonies and the presence of non-breeding birds. The magnitude of differences was linked to the relative sizes of these populations, being larger in guillemots. Whilst boat surveys were necessarily restricted to the hours of daylight, GPS data were obtained equally during day and night. For guillemots, there was little effect of calculating separate night and day distributions from GPS records, but for razorbills the daytime distribution matched boat-based distributions better. When GPS-based distribution estimates were restricted to the exact times when boat surveys were carried out, similarity with boat survey distributions decreased, probably due to reduced sample sizes. Our results support the use of tracking data for defining seabird distributions around tracked birds' home colonies, but only when nearby colonies are neither large nor numerous. Distributions of animals around isolated colonies can be determined using GPS loggers but that of animals around aggregated colonies is best suited to at-sea surveys or multi-colony tracking.

Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 2020

Over the last 25 years, the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) has made a significant return to... more Over the last 25 years, the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) has made a significant return to the Southern Bight of the North Sea and the English Channel due to a shift in distribution from northerly regions. Although the ecological drivers of this return are unclear, this species faces multiple threats in the region, including by-catch and habitat degradation. Ferry-based surveys were conducted year-round between November 2011 and June 2014 to assess the influence of environmental parameters upon the spatiotemporal distribution and relative abundance of harbour porpoises in the Southern Bight of the North Sea. A total of 1450 sightings of harbour porpoises were recorded during the 100 round-trip surveys carried out between Dunkirk (France) and Dover (England). Inter-annual and monthly variations in group size were observed, with largest groups recorded in 2014 (mean = 2.02) and in January (mean = 2.32). The relative abundance showed significant seasonal variation, with peaks re...

Investigating the effects of man made noise on marine mammals 6.4 Effects of seismic noise 6.5 Ma... more Investigating the effects of man made noise on marine mammals 6.4 Effects of seismic noise 6.5 Marine mammals in a three dimensional environment: the particular vulnerability of deep divers 6.6 Zones of influence 6.7 Biological significance of possible effects of seismic pulses for individuals and populations 6.8 Are behavioural responses to noise always adaptive? 6.9 Soft starts 6.10 Spatial and temporal scales 6.11 Economic significance of seismic disturbance of marine mammals 6.12 Implications for management 6.

HELEN B. ANDERSON, PETER G. H. EVANS, JACQUELINE M. POTTS, MICHAEL P. HARRIS & SARAH WANLESS* Ins... more HELEN B. ANDERSON, PETER G. H. EVANS, JACQUELINE M. POTTS, MICHAEL P. HARRIS & SARAH WANLESS* Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, 23 St Machar Drive, Aberdeen AB24 3UU, UK School of Ocean Sciences, University of Bangor, Menai Bridge, Anglesey LL59 5AB, UK Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen AB15 8QH, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian EH26 0QB, UK

INTRODUCTION As noted in the previous review (Evans and Shepherd, 2001), Liverpool Bay and the wa... more INTRODUCTION As noted in the previous review (Evans and Shepherd, 2001), Liverpool Bay and the waters adjacent to the northern Irish Sea are not rich areas for cetaceans compared with other parts of the United Kingdom. No new species have been recorded since 2001, so that the total number of species of cetaceans recorded since 1975 in near-shore waters remains at fifteen (Evans, 1996b; Reid et al., 2003; Evans et al., 2003). These include six species which are either present at any time of the year or recorded annually as seasonal visitors: minke whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata, longfinned pilot whale Globicephala melas, Risso’s dolphin Grampus griseus, bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus, common dolphin Delphinus delphis, and harbour porpoise Phocoena phocoena. Other cetacean species that have been recorded only casually in the region include: fin whale Balaenoptera physalus, sei whale Balaenoptera borealis, sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus, northern bottlenose whale Hyperoodo...

Frontiers in Marine Science, 2021

Marine mammals have been proposed as ecosystem sentinels due to their conspicuous nature, wide ra... more Marine mammals have been proposed as ecosystem sentinels due to their conspicuous nature, wide ranging distribution, and capacity to respond to changes in ecosystem structure and functioning. In southern European Atlantic waters, their response to climate variability has been little explored, partly because of the inherent difficulty of investigating higher trophic levels and long lifespan animals. Here, we analyzed spatio-temporal patterns from 1994 to 2018 of one of the most abundant cetaceans in the area, the common dolphin (Delphinus delphis), in order to (1) explore changes in its abundance and distribution, and (2) identify the underlying drivers. For that, we estimated the density of the species and the center of gravity of its distribution in the Bay of Biscay (BoB) and tested the effect of three sets of potential drivers (climate indices, oceanographic conditions, and prey biomasses) with a Vector Autoregressive Spatio Temporal (VAST) model that accounts for changes in samp...

Dyfyniad o'r fersiwn a gyhoeddwyd / Citation for published version (APA): Nuuttila, H. K., Br... more Dyfyniad o'r fersiwn a gyhoeddwyd / Citation for published version (APA): Nuuttila, H. K., Brundiers, K., Dahne, M., Koblitz, J. C., Thomas, L., Courtene-Jones, W., ... Hiddink, J. G. (2018). Estimating effective detection area of passive, static acoustic data loggers from playback experiments with cetacean vocalisations. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 9(12), 2362-2371. https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.13097