This book gathers the most recent research findings on ecology and conservation of marine vertebrates in Latin America, making use of high technological methods to show readers the diversity of the marine research that has been conducted in these countries over the last decades. The book brings authors from more than 23 institutions of 7 different countries developing the most diverse research aiming at ocean conservation through the ecology of different vertebrate animals, such as whales, dolphins, manatees, turtles, seabirds and fish.
This book deals with technological advances and innovation in the ecology and conservation of marine vertebrates in Latin America. This eclectic collection is broad in scope but provides detailed summaries of new methods that are deployed in the study of marine environmental conservation. Key issues revolve around the development and application of educational methodologies in the field of marine vertebrate research, which provide a rational basis for better management of marine environments using modern techniques associated with GIS, satellite tracking, aerial systems, bioacoustics, biogeochemistry, genetics, underwater videography, species photoidentification, molecular biology, trophic ecological methods, ethological methods, and behavioural ecology, among others. Discussion and elucidation of these kinds of techniques are aimed at university-level students and post-graduate researchers. The scope of this volume includes whales, sharks, rays, dolphins, tropical fishes, turtles, manatees as well as aspects of Latin American marine ecosystem conservation. Researchers in this biogeographic region, as well as others involved with marine vertebrate research, will find this work essential reading.

Presents a unique fusion of marine vertebrate ecology, conservation and technological innovation of interest to a wide audience of researchers and students Contains a rich resource of unpublished data, examples and illustrations Reflects the research of an entire continent to a diverse audience of marine sciences Gathers the participation of 50 institutions from about 12 different countries Provides scientific material to encourage new generations of Latin American researchers

Autorentext
Charles W. Finkl has edited and/or contributed to more than eight volumes in the Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. For the past 33 years he has been the Executive Director of the Coastal Education & Research Foundation and Editor-in-Chief of the international Journal of Coastal Research, In addition to these duties, he is Professor Emeritus at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida, USA. He is a graduate of the University of Western Australia (Perth) and previously worked for a wholly owned Australian subsidiary of the International Nickel Company of Canada (INCO). During his career, he acquired field experience in Australia; the Caribbean; South America; SW Pacific islands; southern Africa; Western Europe; and the Pacific Northwest, Midwest, and Southeast USA.

Inhalt
Part I Historical Development of Aquatic Mammal Research in Latin America.- Chapter 1 Mastozoology History and Perspectives in Latin America: Marine and Freshwater Mammals in Spotlight(Paulo C. Simões-Lopes).- Chapter 2 Long-Term Monitoring of Dolphins in a Large Estuarine System of Southeastern Brazil(Emygdio L. A. Monteiro Filho, Lucimary S. Deconto, Caio N. Louzada, Rebeca P. Wanderley, Daniela F. Godoy and Eric Medeiros).- Chapter 3 An Integrated Framework to Assess the Carrying Capacity of Whale-Watching Tourism in Praia do Forte, Northeastern Brazil(Luena Fernandes and Marcos R. Rossi-Santos).- Part II Technological Innovation for Marine Vertebrate Research in Latin America.- Chapter 4 Land-Based Studies of Aquatic Mammals in Latin America: Understanding Behavior for Conservation(Maria E. Morete, Daniela Abras and Cristiane C. A. Martins).- Chapter 5 Marine Mammal Bioacustics Using Towed Array Systems in the Western South Atlantic Ocean(Artur Andriolo,Franciele Rezende de Castro, Thiago Amorim, Gustavo Miranda, Juliana Di Tulio, Juliana Moron, Bruna Ribeiro, Gabriela Ramos, and Raíssa Rodrigues Mendes).- Chapter 6 Bioacoustic Techniques Applied to Odontocete Conservation and Management in Argentina(Mariana L. Melcón, Vanesa Reyes Reyes, and Miguel Iñíguez).- Chapter 7 Novel Research Techniques Provide New Insights to the Sea Turtle Life Cycle(Maria A.G. dei Marcovaldi, Guy M. Marcovaldi, Alexsandro S. Santos, Paulo H. Lara, and Milagros López-Mendilaharsu).- Chapter 8 Using Opportunistic Platforms to Study Dolphin Occurrence and Distribution in the North Coast of Bahia State, Northeastern Brazil(Mateus Souza de Carvalho, Marcos R. Rossi-Santos, Elitieri Santos-Neto, and Clarêncio G. Baracho).- Chapter 9 Using Chemical Elements to the Study of Trophic and Spatial Ecology in Marine Mammals of the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean(Elisa Seyboth, Silvina Botta, and Eduardo Secchi).- Part III Conservation Ecology of Marine Vertebrate Researchin Latin America.- Chapter 10 - Elasmobranchs Consumption in Brazil: Impacts and Consequences(Hugo Bornatowski; Raul R. Braga, and Rodrigo P. Barreto).- Chapter 11 West Indian Manatee ( Trichechus manatus ) in South America: Distribution, Ecology and Health Assessment(Ana C. O. de Meirelles, Vitor L. Carvalho, and Miriam Marmontel).- Chapter 12 Ecology and Conservation of Cetaceans of Costa Rica and Panama(Laura J. May-Collado, Marisol Amador-Caballero, José Julio Casas, Mónica P. Gamboa-Poveda, Frank Garita-Alpízar, Tim Gerrodette, Rocío González-Barrientos Gabriela Hernández-Mora, Daniel Palacios, José D. Palacios-Alfaro, Betzi Pérez, Kristen Rasmussen, Lissette Trejos, and Javier Rodríguez-Fonseca).- Chapter 13 Anthropogenic Noise and Guiana Dolphins ( Sotalia guianensis ) in Brazil: Ecological and Conservation Concerns(Fábio de Sousa Pais, Rafaela Prado Cardoso, Leonardo L. Wedekin, Dalila T.L. Martins; Flavio J.L. Silva, Emygdio L.A. Monteiro Filho, and Marcos R. Rossi-Santos).- Chapter 14 The Atlantic Goliath Grouper: Conservation Strategies for a Critically Endangered Species in Brazil(Maurício Hostim-Silva; Áthila A. Bertoncini; Maíra Borgonha; Jonas Rodrigues Leite; Matheus O. Freitas; Felippe Alexandre Daros; Leonardo S. Bueno; Ana Paula C. Farro, and Christopher C. Koenig).- Chapter 15 Spreading Message in a Noisy World: Song Behavior and Acoustic Ecology in Humpback Whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ), from the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean(Marcos R. Rossi-Santos).- Chapter 16 Conservation Advances for the Southern Right Whales in Brazil(Karina Groch).- Chapter 17 Behavior and Ecology of Endangered Species Living Together: Long-Term Monitoring of Resident Simpatric Dolphin Populations in South Brazil(Marta J. Cremer; Annelise C. Holz; Camila M. Sartori; Beatriz Schulze; Renan L. Paitach, and Paulo C. A. Simões-Lopes)