Conor Ryan

Accounting for the effects of lipids in stable isotope (δ13C and δ15N values) analysis of skin and blubber of balaenopterid whales

RATIONALE Stable isotope values (δ(13)C and δ(15)N) of darted skin and blubber biopsies can shed light on habitat use and diet of cetaceans, which are otherwise difficult to study. Non-dietary factors affect isotopic variability, chiefly the depletion of (13)C due to the presence of (12)C-rich lipids. The efficacy of post hoc lipid-correction models (normalization) must be tested. METHODS For tissues with high natural lipid content (e.g., whale skin and blubber), chemical lipid extraction or normalization is necessary. C:N ratios, δ(13)C values and δ(15)N values were determined for duplicate control and lipid-extracted skin and blubber of fin (Balaenoptera physalus), humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae) and minke whales (B. acutorostrata) by continuous-flow elemental analysis isotope ratio mass spectrometry (CF-EA-IRMS). Six different normalization models were tested to correct δ(13)C values for the presence of lipids. RESULTS Following lipid extraction, significant increases in δ(13)C values were observed for both tissues in the three species. Significant increases were also found for δ(15)N values in minke whale skin and fin whale blubber. In fin whale skin, the δ(15)N values decreased, with no change observed in humpback whale skin. Non-linear models generally out-performed linear models and the suitability of models varied by species and tissue, indicating the need for high model specificity, even among these closely related taxa. CONCLUSIONS Given the poor predictive power of the models to estimate lipid-free δ(13)C values, and the unpredictable changes in δ(15)N values due to lipid-extraction, we recommend against arithmetical normalization in accounting for lipid effects on δ(13)C values for balaenopterid skin or blubber samples. Rather, we recommend that duplicate analysis of lipid-extracted (δ(13)C values) and non-treated tissues (δ(15)N values) be used.

Intelligent Hybrid Control Model for Lighting Systems Using Constraint-Based Optimisation

Lighting systems consume a considerable proportion of total energy budgets, particularly for retail and public-office applications, and hence their optimisation can save considerable amounts of energy. This paper proposes an intelligent control strategy to operate the office luminance in order to enhance user comfort and reduce energy consumption. The strategy is applied to an open office scenario, where the controller and the environments are modelled using a hybrid/multi-agent platform. The developed controller uses a constraint-based optimisation technique to compute the optimal settings.We describe the different modelling steps, including the optimisation technique, and outline the simulation results and potential energy benefits of the proposed controller.

A longitudinal study of humpback whales in Irish waters

conor ryan, pa’draig whooley, simon d. berrow, colin barnes, nick massett, wouter j. strietman, fredrik broms, peter t. stevick, thomas w. fernald jr and christian schmidt Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, Merchant’s Quay, Kilrush, Co. Clare, Ireland, Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, 28 Main Street, Tobermory, Isle of Mull, PA75 6NU, UK, Marine and Freshwater Research Centre, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Dublin Road, Galway, Ireland, Cork Whale Watch, Reen Pier, Union Hall, Co. Cork, Ireland, Stichting Rugvin, Jeruzalem 31A, 6881 JL Velp, the Netherlands, Akvaplan-Niva AS, Fram Centre, 9296 Tromso, Norway, Allied Whale, College of the Atlantic, 105 Eden Street, Bar Harbor, Maine 04609, USA, Husavik Whale Museum, Hafnarstett, PO Box 172, 640 Husavik, Iceland

There and back again : Multiple and return exchange of humpback whales between breeding habitats separated by an ocean basin

In species that aggregate for reproduction, the social and fitness costs of movement between groups frequently lead to restricted exchange between breeding areas. We report on four individual humpback whales identified in both the Cape Verde Islands and Guadeloupe; locations separated by an ocean basin and >4000 km. This rate of exchange is rarely encountered between such geographically discrete breeding areas. Two individuals returned to the area where they were originally identified. In contrast, no individuals from the Cape Verde Islands were resighted to the much larger sample from the Dominican Republic, though the migratory distances from the feeding areas are comparable between these areas. The social factors driving the stark difference between groups that is observed here are not clear. Effective conservation requires an understanding of the extent and pattern of movement between population units. The findings presented here suggest that there may well be more than one behaviourally distinct group within the West Indies. More broadly, they argue that considerable caution is warranted in assumptions made regarding the number, boundaries and status of population units based solely on spatial separation or proximity.

Short note: the first confirmed successful refloat of a stranded bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) in Ireland and subsequent resighting with a neonate

Marine and Freshwater Research Centre, Department of Life Science, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Galway, Ireland E-mail: joanne.obrien@gmit.ie Shannon Dolphin and Wildlife Foundation, Merchants Quay, Kilrush, Co. Clare, Ireland Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, Merchants Quay, Kilrush, Co. Clare, Ireland National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Custom House, Flood Street, Galway, Ireland

Predicting Occupant Locations Using Association Rule Mining

Heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) systems are significant consumers of energy, however building management systems do not typically operate them in accordance with occupant movements. Due to the delayed response of HVAC systems, prediction of occupant locations is necessary to maximize energy efficiency. In this paper we present two approaches to occupant location prediction based on association rule mining which allow prediction based on historical occupant movements and any available real time information, or based on recent occupant movements. We show how association rule mining can be adapted for occupant prediction and evaluate both approaches against existing approaches on two sets of real occupants.