Report
Age determination and establishment of reproductive condition from marine mammal biopsy sampling. DOC Science Internal Series 133
New Zealand Department of Conservation
2003
Abstract
Management of marine mammals is often constrained by limited knowledge of reproductive variables and / or age-specific survival rates. I reviewed the use of analyses of tissue samples obtained through biopsy sampling to determine reproductive condition or age of marine mammals, free-ranging cetaceans in particular. Literature searches show that reproductive condition has been successfully determined from blubber biopsies for one species, while no study used such biopsies to determine ages of individuals. I suggest that hormonal assays using muscle or blubber tissue obtained from biopsies could easily be used to determine reproductive condition. However, a study needs to be conducted to define age-related changes in selected hormones if hormonal assays of tissues obtained from biopsies are to be used in marine mammal age determination.
Details
- Title
- Age determination and establishment of reproductive condition from marine mammal biopsy sampling. DOC Science Internal Series 133
- Authors
- Anne-Marie Smit (Author) - EcoRAP, New Zealand
- Publication details
- 13
- Publisher
- New Zealand Department of Conservation
- Date published
- 2003
- ISBN
- 0478224737
- Organisation Unit
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; Forest Industries Research Centre
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99450994702621
- Output Type
- Report
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