Determination of pathology in marine mammals enables us to assess conditions of animals and possible cause of death. Information collected on marine mammals include disease incidence, parasites, histopathology, morphology, reproductive status, sex, length, and other important information. The relationship of anthropogenic contaminants found in marine mammals is suspected to play a role in disease susceptibility and reproductive dysfunction. Coastal species are vulnerable to pollution and contaminant data enables us to investigate the relationship to disease and health status. Marine mammal samples obtained from live capture health assessment events, biopsies from the east coast and Gulf of Mexico, Florida Bay and from stranded SC animals are analyzed for contaminant body burdens.
Contaminant data is used in developing risk assessment models for marine mammals.
Center investigates population genetics of marine species, and uses genetic information to help in the identification of marine species ranging from fish eggs and larvae to marine mammal carcasses. These studies aid critical management and enforcement decisions for the long-term conservation and use of living marine resources. The Bioindicator Project investigates multiple measures of health at different biological levels to assess environmental stressors on resource and ecosystem health. A joint Pathobiology Project with the satellite NOS research facility in Oxford, MD investigates the effects of natural and anthropogenic factors on the occurrence and persistence of diseases, and the use and development of marine resources. The Marine Biotechnology Program is also the research and development arm of the Forensics Branch and develops assays and technology to assist forensics cases in support of law enforcement.