Gene Expression Profiles in Two Razor Clam Populations: Discerning Drivers of Population Status.

With rapidly changing marine ecosystems, shifts in abundance and distribution are being documented for a variety of intertidal species. We examined two adjacent populations of Pacific razor clams () in lower Cook Inlet, Alaska. One population (east) supported a sport and personal use fishery, but this has been closed since 2015 due to declines in abundance, and the second population (west) continues to support commercial and sport fisheries.

Differential Progression of Lymphoma in Two Captive Steller's Eiders ().

This report details 2 different presentations of lymphoma in captive Steller's eiders (). A female Steller's eider, at least 10 years old, developed lameness and lethargy. A complete blood cell count (CBC) revealed a severely elevated total white blood cell (WBC) count with a lymphocytosis.

Non-linear effect of sea ice: Spectacled Eider survival declines at both extremes of the ice spectrum.

Understanding the relationship between environmental factors and vital rates is an important step in predicting a species' response to environmental change. Species associated with sea ice are of particular concern because sea ice is projected to decrease rapidly in polar environments with continued levels of greenhouse gas emissions. The relationship between sea ice and the vital rates of the Spectacled Eider, a threatened species that breeds in Alaska and Russia and winters in the Bering Sea, appears to be complex.

Immune parameters in different age classes of captive male Steller's eiders (Polysticta stelleri).

The immune system is important for host defense against antigens, but little is known about Steller's eider (Polysticta stelleri) immunology. This study compared hematological parameters, serum protein levels, lymphocyte proliferation, heat shock protein levels and oxidative damage in four different age classes of captive male Steller's eiders. The hatch year cohort had significantly higher total white blood cell and lymphocyte counts.

Monitoring for the Management of Disease Risk in Animal Translocation Programmes.

Monitoring is best viewed as a component of some larger programme focused on science or conservation. The value of monitoring is determined by the extent to which it informs the parent process. Animal translocation programmes are typically designed to augment or establish viable animal populations without changing the local community in any detrimental way.

Phylogenetic and pathogenic characterization of novel adenoviruses isolated from long-tailed ducks (Clangula hyemalis).

Novel adenoviruses were isolated from a long-tailed duck (Clangula hyemalis) mortality event near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska in 2000. The long-tailed duck adenovirus genome was approximately 27 kb. A 907 bp hexon gene segment was used to design primers specific for the long-tailed duck adenovirus.

The influence of year, laying date, egg fertility and incubation, individual hen, hen age and mass and clutch size on maternal immunoglobulin Y concentration in captive Steller's and spectacled eider egg yolk.

Steller's eiders and spectacled eiders are sea duck species whose populations have declined significantly and infectious diseases could influence offspring survival. Therefore, the maternal transfer of immunoglobulin Y (IgY) into yolk was investigated in captive Steller's and spectacled eiders during the 2007-2013 breeding seasons. This project had two objectives: establish baseline IgY levels in Steller's and spectacled eider yolk under controlled captive conditions and evaluate the effect of year, laying date, egg fertility, egg incubation duration, individual hen, hen age and mass, and laying order to determine which variables influenced IgY levels.

Carbon isotopic fractionation in eider adipose tissue varies with fatty acid structure: implications for trophic studies.

Carbon isotopic fractionation was investigated in fatty acids (FA) of adipose tissue and blood serum of threatened Steller's eiders (Polysticta stelleri) and spectacled eiders (Somateria fischeri) relative to the FA in their diets. Captive eiders were fed a known diet for 180 days with serum sampled at 60, 120 and 180 days immediately after a 12 fast; adipose was collected at 180 days. Essential FA (EFA) in the adipose showed varying degrees of isotope fractionation (0-4‰), depending on FA structure.

Molecular typing of Escherichia coli strains associated with threatened sea ducks and near-shore marine habitats of south-west Alaska.

In Alaska, sea ducks winter in coastal habitats at remote, non-industrialized areas, as well as in proximity to human communities and industrial activity. We evaluated prevalence and characteristics of Escherichia coli strains in faecal samples of Steller's eiders (Polysticta stelleri; n = 122) and harlequin ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus; n = 21) at an industrialized site and Steller's eiders (n = 48) at a reference site, and compared these strains with those isolated from water samples from near-shore habitats of ducks. The overall prevalence of E.

Validating quantitative fatty acid signature analysis to estimate diets of spectacled and Steller's eiders (Somateria fischeri and Polysticta stelleri).

Fatty acid (FA) signature analysis has been used to study foraging ecology and food webs in marine ecosystems. This powerful method provides information about diets over an extended time period (e.g.

Effects of ACTH, capture, and short term confinement on glucocorticoid concentrations in harlequin ducks (Histrionicus histrionicus).

Little is known about baseline concentrations of adrenal hormones and hormonal responses to stress in sea ducks, although significant population declines documented in several species suggest that sea ducks are exposed to increased levels of environmental stress. Such declines have been observed in geographically distinct harlequin duck populations. We performed an adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) challenge to evaluate adrenal function and characterize corticosterone concentrations in captive harlequin ducks and investigated the effects of capture, surgery, and short term confinement on corticosterone concentrations in wild harlequin ducks.

An adenovirus linked to mortality and disease in long-tailed ducks (Clangula hyemalis) in Alaska.

An adenovirus was isolated from intestinal samples of two long-tailed ducks (Clangula hyemalis) collected during a die-off in the Beaufort Sea off the north coast of Alaska in 2000. The virus was not neutralized by reference antiserum against known group I, II, or III avian adenoviruses and may represent a new serotype. The prevalence of the virus was determined in live-trapped long-tailed ducks at the mortality site and at a reference site 100 km away where no mortality was observed.

An adenovirus associated with intestinal impaction and mortality of male common eiders (Somateria mollissima) in the Baltic Sea.

We examined 10 common eider (Somateria mollissima) males found dead in 1998 during a die-off in the northern Baltic Sea off the southwestern coast of Finland. We diagnosed impaction of the posterior small intestine with mucosal necrosis as the cause of death in all 10 and isolated adenoviruses from cloacal samples of six birds. The adenovirus isolates were not neutralized by reference antisera to group I, II, or III avian adenoviruses.