Gwénaël Beauplet

  
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My primary research focuses in functional and behavioral ecology of marine mammals in an evolutive perspective, at the individual level as well as at the population level. My doctoral thesis involved research investigating the links between the physiological ecology, the foraging ecology and the demographic features of females and offspring in order to assess the life-history traits and evolutionary ecology of a subantarctic fur seal population. I am particularly interested in long-term capture-recapture approaches in conjunction with individual characteristics (i.e. morphology, physiology, foraging tactics, behavior) to assess the impact of phenotypic traits on population dynamics. I was ultimately involved in investigating the determinants of reproductive effort, costs of reproduction, and individual quality, from an evolutive perspective.

  
   
Current Research
 
 

Life-history traits of two dusky dolphin populations in New Zealand waters
Estimate demographic parameters of the dusky dolphin populations in Kaikoura and Admiralty Bay. These populations have been studied for 10 and 6 years, respectively, and individuals have been regularly observed for individual recognition and behavioral ecology investigation purposes. Such a regular photoidentification protocol allows us to use mark-recapture analysis in order to estimate vital rates and abundance of these populations. Compare the vital rates estimated for the Kaikoura and Admiralty Bay populations.
 
Assessment of the determinants affecting the dusky dolphin population dynamics
Investigate the determinants of the demographic parameters estimated in both populations, with particular focus on environmental features and individual characteristics.
 

Peer- reviewed Publications

Beauplet G., Barbraud C., Dabin W., Küssener C. and Guinet C. (2006) ”Age-specific survival and reproductive performances in female subantarctic fur seals: evidence of senescence and individual quality.” Oikos 112 : 430-441.

Beauplet G., Barbraud C., Chambellant M. and Guinet C. (2005) “Interannual variation in the post-weaning and juvenile survival of subantarctic fur seals: influence of pup sex, growth rate, and oceanographic conditions“. Journal of Animal Ecology 74 : 1160-1172.

Guinet C., Servera N., Deville T. and Beauplet G. (2005) “Changes in subantarctic fur seal pups’ activity budget and diving behaviours throughout the rearing period.“. Canadian Journal of  Zoology 83 : 962-970.

Beauplet G., Dubroca L., Guinet C., Cherel Y., Dabin W., Gagne C. and Hindell M. (2004) “Foraging ecology of subantarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus tropicalis) breeding on Amsterdam Island: seasonal changes in relation to maternal characteristics and pup growth.” Marine Ecology Progress Series 273 : 211-225.

Dabin W., Beauplet G., Crespo E.A. and Guinet C. (2004) “Age structure, growth and demographic parameters in breeding-age subantarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus tropicalis) females”. Canadian Journal of  Zoology 82 : 1043-1050.

Beauplet G., Guinet C. and Arnould J.P.Y. (2003) “Body composition changes, metabolic fuel use and energy expenditure during extended fasting in subantarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus tropicalis) pups at Amsterdam Island“. Physiological and Biochemical  Zoology 76(2) : 262-270.

Chambellant M., Beauplet G., Guinet C. and Georges J-Y. (2003) “Long-term evaluation of pup growth and pre-weaning survival rates in subantarctic fur seals, Arctocephalus tropicalis, on Amsterdam Island”. Canadian Journal of  Zoology 81 : 1229-1239.

Dabin W., Beauplet G. and Guinet C. (2002) “Response of wild subantarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus tropicalis) females to ketamine and tiletamine-zolazepam anesthesia”. Journal of  Wildlife Diseases 38(4) : 846-850.

Ridoux V., Guinet C., Liret C., Creton P., Steenstrup R. and Beauplet G. (1997) “A video sonar as a new tool to study marine mammals in the wild. Measurements of dolphin swimming speed”. Marine Mammal Science 13(2) : 196-206.
 

Presentations to Congress

Beauplet G. and Guinet C. 2005. “Individual reproductive quality in subantarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus tropicalis) females breeding at Amsterdam Island.” – Talk presented at 16th World Marine Mammal Conference (San Diego, USA).

Beauplet G., Barbraud C., Dabin W., Chambellant M. and Guinet C. 2005. “Age-specific survival in subantarctic fur seals born in Amsterdam Island: the filters generating within-cohort selection processes.” – Talk presented at 19th Conference of the European Cetacean Society (La Rochelle, France).

Beauplet G., Dubroca L., Guinet C., Cherel Y., Dabin W. and Hindell M. 2003. “Seasonal changes in the foraging ecology of lactating subantarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus tropicalis) at Amsterdam Island, in relation to maternal characteristics and pup growth.” – Talk presented at 15th World Marine Mammal Conference (Greensboro, USA).

Dabin W., Beauplet G. and Guinet C. 2001.”Response to anesthesia of subantartic fur seal females (Arctocephalus tropicalis): Comparative study of Ketamine and Tiletamine-Zolazepam mixture.” – Poster presented at 14th World Marine Mammal Conference (Vancouver, Canada).

Beauplet G. and Acevedo A. 1998. ”Relative abundance, distribution and habitat use of offshore bottlenose dolphins at Isla del Coco, Costa Rica”. – Poster presented at 12th World Marine Mammal Conference (Monaco, France).
 

Dissertations / Thesis

Ph.D. (2005), Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé & La Rochelle University (France) “Variation in foraging and demographic performances of female subantarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus tropicalis) breeding in Amsterdam Island: Influence of individual quality and environmental conditions.”

D. V. M. (1998), National Veterinary School of Nantes (France) & MMRP (Texas, USA) “Study of the distribution features of five pelagic dolphin species in the eastern tropical Pacific. Example of the offshore bottlenose dolphin distribution around Isla del Coco, Costa Rica.”