A model life table for bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) from the Indian River Lagoon System, Florida, USA

    Authors

    M. K. Stolen;J. Barlow

    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Mar. Mamm. Sci.

    Keywords

    life table; demography; mortality; survival; bottlenose dolphin; Tarsiops; life history; survivorship; population growth; longevity; STENELLA-FRONTALIS; TRICHECHUS-MANATUS; MARINE MAMMALS; SEA OTTERS; MORTALITY; AGE; GROWTH; ATLANTIC; REPRODUCTION; CALIFORNIA; Marine & Freshwater Biology; Zoology

    Abstract

    Data gathered from 220 stranded bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Indian River Lagoon system, Florida, were used to derive a life table. Survivorship curves were fit to the data using Siler's competing-risk model and a maximum likelihood approach. Population growth was estimated to be between r = 0.0 and 0.046 based on the observed numbers of stranded dolphins. Variance in survival rates was estimated using an individual-based, age-structured population projection model. We estimate that the overall annual mortality rate for this population was 9.8% per year. Sex-specific differences in survivorship were apparent with females outliving males. The overall mortality Curve resembles that of other large mammals, with high calf mortality and an exponentially increasing risk of senescent mortality. The inclusion of live-capture removals of individuals from this population did not significantly affect the estimation of survival parameters for most age classes.

    Journal Title

    Marine Mammal Science

    Volume

    19

    Issue/Number

    4

    Publication Date

    1-1-2003

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    630

    Last Page

    649

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000185934500002

    ISSN

    0824-0469

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