Jerome Naar

Publications (2)3.89 Total impact

• Source

  Available from: Spencer Fire

  Article: Brevetoxin exposure in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) associated with Karenia brevis blooms in Sarasota Bay, Florida

  Spencer E. Fire, Deborah Fauquier, Leanne J. Flewelling, Michael Henry, Jerome Naar, Richard Pierce, Randall S. Wells
  [show abstract] [hide abstract]
  ABSTRACT: Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) face a variety of threats, including risk of exposure to brevetoxins produced by blooms of the harmful alga Karenia brevis. This study investigated brevetoxin exposure in a population of dolphins inhabiting Sarasota Bay, Florida, USA (27°N, 82°W), utilizing tissues from dolphins recovered between 1994 and 2003. Brevetoxin levels detected by ELISA in tissues, gastric samples and excreta from dolphin carcasses (n=19) associated with K. brevis blooms were compared with with levels in carcasses (n=16) associated with background K. brevis conditions. In the K. brevis-exposed set, 84% of dolphin carcasses recovered during K. brevis blooms had detectable brevetoxin levels, with values ranging between 7 and 2,896ng PbTx-3eq g−1. Over 50% of dolphin carcasses recovered during non-bloom conditions also tested positive by ELISA for brevetoxins, with concentrations ranging from 6 to 44ng PbTx-3eq g−1. Control samples from the east coast of Florida were negative by the ELISA. Results from this study establish baseline brevetoxin body burdens in a dolphin population frequently exposed to K. brevis blooms, and data indicate that dolphin carcasses not associated with large-scale mortality events can contain levels of brevetoxins comparable to carcasses stranding during such events.
  Marine Biology 04/2012; 152(4):827-834. · 2.28 Impact Factor
• Source

  Available from: Spencer Fire

  Article: Florida red tide and brevetoxins: Association and exposure in live resident bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, U.S.A.

  Spencer E. Fire, Leanne J. Flewelling, Zhihong Wang, Jerome Naar, Michael S. Henry, Richard H. Pierce, Randall S. Wells
  [show abstract] [hide abstract]
  ABSTRACT: Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) along the Gulf of Mexico are frequently exposed to blooms of the toxic alga, Karenia brevis, and brevetoxins associated with these blooms have been implicated in several dolphin mortality events. Studies on brevetoxin accumulation in dolphins have typically focused on analyses of carcasses from large-scale die-offs; however, data are scarce for brevetoxin loads in live individuals frequently exposed to K. brevis blooms. This study investigated in vivo brevetoxin exposure in free-ranging bottlenose dolphins resident to Sarasota Bay, Florida, utilizing samples collected during health assessments performed during multiple K. brevis blooms occurring from 2003 to 2005. Brevetoxins were detected by ELISA and LC-MS in 63% of bottlenose dolphins sampled (n= 30) concurrently with a K. brevis bloom. Brevetoxins were present in urine and gastric samples at concentrations ranging from 2 to 9 ng PbTx-3 eq/g, and in feces at concentrations ranging from 45 to 231 ng PbTx-3 eq/g. Samples from individuals (n= 12) sampled during nonbloom conditions (≤1,000 cells/L) were negative for brevetoxin activity. Brevetoxin accumulation data from this study complement dolphin carcass and prey fish data from the same study area, and aid in evaluating impacts of harmful algal blooms on sentinel marine animal species along the west Florida coast.
  Marine Mammal Science 09/2008; 24(4):831 - 844. · 1.61 Impact Factor