Welcome to the Laboratory for Applied Biotelemetry & Biotechnology
at the Department of Marine Biology at Texas A&M University Galveston!

At the Laboratory for Applied Biotelemetry & Biotechnology, we focus on the development and application of the next generation of modern research tools and technology to pursue specific questions and hypotheses related to basic science, conservation and management of marine living resources.

Current projects are tailored towards the assessment of endangered species stocks and crucial life history parameters, determining fisheries - endangered stock interactions and competitions, as well as developing new experimental paradigms and technologies to address these issues.

Focus points of our work include foraging strategies of diving animals, physiological and ontogenetic constraints and their impact on behavioral plasticity, as well as population dynamics and responses to environmental variability. Additional LABB activities include the development and refinement of electronic telemetry devices and biophysical sensors, as well as novel analytical software tools.

On these web pages we present our research, as well as a lot of relevant background information.
Check out all our activities listed under the < PROJECTS > heading in the top menu bar, and our < TECHNOLOGY > section, including 3D-models and video clips!
Confused by some of the terminology used on this site? Check out our Glossary of Telemetry, Technology & Technical Terms under the < TECHNOLOGY > section.

This image shows two young Steller sea lions swimming in the cold waters of Resurrection Bay, near the city of Seward, Alaska. Only the back of one animal can be seen, and the head of another. On the back of the one, a tracking transmitter can be seen. [D]
Two juvenile Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) in Resurrection Bay, Alaska.
The animal on the right is carrying an external satellite tracking device. Both animals also carry implanted Life History Transmitters (LHX tags).
To date four California sea lions and six Steller sea lions have been release with LHX implants.
Check out details on the LHX project in the <PROJECTS> section of our website.

"...it is sad to think that their well-intentioned actions to protect individual animals may ultimately represent the greatest threat that Steller sea lion populations have faced in recent years."
A quote from Andrew Trites, Ph.D., Research Director of the North Pacific Universities Marine Mammal Research Consortium.
What is Dr. Trites referring to as possibly the greatest recent threat to Stellers?
Read the full press release.

News Flash:

The LABB will be closing it's doors at Texas A&M University next week, after several years of exciting research.
Our projects will continue as the Pinniped Ecology Applied Research Laboratory (PEARL), as part of the Marine Mammal Program, at the Hatfield Marine Science Center, with Oregon State University.

We will keep this LABB website operational for a while, as we transition to our new location and develop a new website for the PEARL.
We are now anticipating our new website to become operational in June 2007.

We want to take this opportunity to say goodbye to our fellow Aggies, and extend our sincere thanks to Texas A&M University at Galveston, the Department of Marine Biology, and teh Texas A&M Research Foundation, for supporting our research over all these years!

In the meantime, here are some recent publications:

Mellish JE, Horning M, York AE (2007)
Seasonal and spatial blubber-depth changes in captive harbor seals (Phoca vitulina)
and Steller’s sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus).
Journal of Mammalogy 88(2): 408-414. Full txt (pdf)

Waite JN, Schrader WJ, Mellish JE, Horning M (2007)
Three-dimensional photogrammetry as a tool for estimating morphometrics and body mass
of Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus).
Canadian Journal ofFisheries & Aquatic Sciences 64: 296-303. Full text (pdf)

Cornick LA, Inglis SD, Willis K, Horning M (2006)
Effects of increased swimming costs on foraging behavior and efficiency of captive Steller sea lions:
evidence for behavioral plasticity in the recovery phase of dives.
Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 333 (2): 306-314. Full text (pdf).

Mellish JE, Calkins DG, Christen DR, Horning M, Rea, LD, Atkinson SK (2006)
Temporary Captivity as a Research Tool:
Comprehensive Study of Wild Pinnipeds Under Controlled Conditions.
Aquatic Mammals 32(1): 58-65. Full text (pdf).

Horning M, Hill RD (2005)
Designing an archival satellite transmitter for life-long deployments on oceanic vertebrates: The Life History Transmitter.
IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering, Vol. 30 (4): 807-817. Full text (pdf).

 

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Contact Information:

LABB Director: Dr. Markus Horning
Ft. Crockett Campus, Bldg 3311 annex, Galveston, TX
To request our mailing address or other information, please email us at the address listed in the following gif image:
contact electronic mail information for the LABB. The complete email address consists of the abbreviated name of the Laboratory for Applied Biotelemetry and Biotechnology - use the four capitalized letters, then the at sign, followed by the abbreviation of our university Texas A and M University at Galveston - use the five capitalized letters in lower case, followed by dot edu
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contact electronic mail information for the LABB. The complete email address consists of the abbreviated name of the Laboratory for Applied Biotelemetry and Biotechnology - use the four capitalized letters, then the at sign, followed by the abbreviation of our university Texas A and M University at Galveston - use the five capitalized letters in lower case, followed by dot edu

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