Samuels Amy

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Samuels
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Amy
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  • Technical Report
    A systematic approach to measuring the social behavior of bottlenose dolphins
    (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 1996-09) Samuels, Amy
    Research on cetacean social behavior is in transition from descriptive natural history to quantitative analyses. To expedite this change, an intellectual history of the field is provided, from the early whaler-naturalists to oceanarium observations, whale carcass studies, pseudo-scientific inquiries into human-dolphin communication, and longterm field studies. Subsequent chapters illustrate use of systematic methodologies to better understand bottlenose dolphin social relations. Samuels and Gifford adapted a quantitative technique from primate behavioral research to study agonism among captive dolphins. Males were dominant to females; females had stable, age-ordered dominance relations; and two males had a changeable dominance relationship. Sex differences in dominance relations generated predictions about the behavior of wild dolphins that can be tested using this technique. Samuels, Richards and Mann investigated the association of wild juvenile dolphins with their mothers after weaning. Juvenile daughters continued to associate with their mothers, whereas juvenile sons rarely did so even though they remained in the same area as their mothers. Sex differences in juvenile association patterns appeared to foreshadow adult social networks. Samuels and Spradlin applied quantitative behavioral techniques to evaluate dolphin behavior in Swim-With-Dolphins programs. Two program types were defined by presence ("Controlled") or absence (''Not-Controlled'') of explicit trainer regulation of dolphin-with-human interactions. In "Not-Controlled" programs, the behavior of dolphins and humans theatened human safety and dolphin well-being, whereas "Controlled" programs effectively minimized behaviors that posed risk to dolphins or humans.
  • Article
    Impact assessment research : use and misuse of habituation, sensitisation and tolerance in describing wildlife responses to anthropogenic stimuli
    (Inter-Research, 2009-12-03) Bejder, Lars ; Samuels, Amy ; Whitehead, Hal ; Finn, H. ; Allen, S.
    Studies on the effects of anthropogenic activity on wildlife aim to provide a sound scientific basis for management. However, misinterpretation of the theoretical basis for these studies can jeopardise this objective and lead to management outcomes that are detrimental to the wildlife they are intended to protect. Misapplication of the terms ‘habituation’, ‘sensitisation’ and ‘tolerance’ in impact studies, for example, can lead to fundamental misinterpretations of research findings. Habituation is often used incorrectly to refer to any form of moderation in wildlife response to human disturbance, rather than to describe a progressive reduction in response to stimuli that are perceived as neither aversive nor beneficial. This misinterpretation, when coupled with the widely held assumption that habituation has a positive or neutral outcome for animals, can lead to inappropriate decisions about the threats human interactions pose to wildlife. We review the conceptual framework for the use of habituation, sensitisation and tolerance, and provide a set of principles for their appropriate application in studies of behavioural responses to anthropogenic stimuli. We describe how cases of presumed habituation or sensitisation may actually represent differences in the tolerance levels of wildlife to anthropogenic activity. This distinction is vital because impact studies must address (1) the various mechanisms by which differing tolerance levels can occur; and (2) the range of explanations for habituation- and sensitisation-type responses. We show that only one mechanism leads to true behavioural habituation (or sensitisation), while a range of mechanisms can lead to changes in tolerance.