MARINE MAMMAL RESEARCH UNIT - UBC

Human Impacts

How Do Human Activities Affect Marine Mammals?

Marine mammals face numerous human-induced obstacles in their physical environment, from increasing noise to loss of sea ice. We are studying how these changes affect the health, behaviour, and food requirements of individual marine mammals, and how they ultimately impact entire populations.


Projects and Recent Papers

Physiological capacities and constraints of ice-dependent Alaskan seals (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

[webref_pretty title=”Resting and swimming metabolic rates in juvenile walruses ({iOdobenus rosmarusi})”]

[webref_pretty title=”Molting strategies of Arctic seals drive annual patterns in metabolism”]

[webref_pretty title=”Physiological constraints and energetic costs of diving behaviour in marine mammals: a review of studies using trained Steller sea lions diving in the open ocean”]

[webref_pretty title=”Dive, food, and exercise effects on blood microparticles in Steller sea lions ({iEumetopias jubatusi}): exploring a biomarker for decompression sickness”]