Academic Staff - Steve Dawson

Assoc. Prof. Steve Dawson MSc(Auck) PhD(Cant) Department of Marine Science University of Otago P.O. Box 56, Dunedin New Zealand Phone 64-3-479-7468 Fax 64-3-479-8336 Email: steve.dawson@otago.ac.nz

Research Interests:

• Conservation biology of marine mammals, especially Hector's dolphin
  
• Incidental catch of marine mammals in fisheries
  
• Acoustic behaviour and communication in cetaceans
  
• Line-transect surveys for inshore cetaceans

Courses:

MARI 302 Marine Vertebrates
MARI 427 Marine Conservation Biology
MARI 480 Research Report
MARI 495 Research Proposal

Research Projects:

• Conservation biology and Ecology of Hector's dolphin
• Conservation biology of Fiordland Bottlenose dolphins
• Ecology and acoustic behaviour of sperm whales

Publications

Note Not intended to be a complete catalogue of publications

• Rowe, L.E., Currey, J.C., Dawson, S.M. and Johnson, D. Comparative assessment of epidermal condition and calf size of Fiordland bottlenose dolphin populations using dorsal fin photographs and photogrammetry. Endangered Species Research. In press.
• Slooten, E. and Dawson, S.M. Assessing the effectiveness of conservation management decisions: Likely effects of new protection measures for Hector's dolphin. Aquatic Conservation. In Press.
• Miller, B. and Dawson, S.M. A Large aperture, low-cost hydrophone array for tracking whales from small boats. Journal of the acoustical Society of America. In press.
• Childerhouse, S.J., Dawson, S.M., Fletcher, D Slooten, E., and Chilvers, L.B. Growth and reproduction of female New Zealand sea lions. Journal of Mammalogy. In press.
• Currey, R.J.C., Dawson, S.M., Schneider, K., Lusseau, D., Boisseau, O.J., Haase, P. and Slooten, E. Demographic modelling to infer trends and causal factors within a declining population of bottlenose dolphins. Marine Mammal Science. In press
• Webster, T., Dawson, S.M., and Slooten, E. A simple laser photogrammetry technique for measuring Hector's dolphins (Cephalorhynchus hectori) in the field. Marine Mammal Science. In press.
• Childerhouse, S.J., Dawson, S.M., Slooten, E., Fletcher, D and Wilkinson, I. S. Age distribution of lactating New Zealand sea lions: inter-annual and inter-site variation. Marine Mammal Science. In press.
• Rayment, W.J., Dawson, S.M. and Slooten, E. Seasonal changes in distribution of Hector's dolphin at Banks Peninsula, New Zealand: implications for protected area design. Aquatic Conservation. 2009. Published online _DOI: 10.1002/aqc.1049
• Currey, R.J.C., Dawson, S.M. and Slooten, E. Conducting a regional threat assessment under IUCN Red List criteria: the Fiordland bottlenose dolphins are critically endangered. Biological Conservation 142:1570-1579. 2009
• Webster, T., Dawson, S.M., and Slooten, E. Evidence for sex segregation in Hector's dolphins (Cephalorhynchus hectori). Aquatic Mammals. 35(2): 212-219. 2009.
• Rayment, W., Dawson, S.M., Slooten, E., Bräger, S., DuFresne, S. and Webster, T. Kernel density estimates of alongshore home range of Hector's dolphins (Cephalorhynchus hectori) at Banks Peninsula. Marine Mammal Science. 25(3): 537-556. 2009
• Rayment, W. Dawson, S.M. and Slooten, E. Trialling an automated passive acoustic detector (T-POD) with Hector's dolphins (Cephalorhynchus hectori). Journal of the Marine Biological Association. Published online doi:10.1017/S0025315409003129. 2009
• Rayment, W. Dawson, S., and Slooten E. 2009. Acoustic monitoring of Cephalorhynchus dolphins with the T-pod: a case study with hector's dolphins in a marine protected area. Endangered Species Research. Published online DOI: 10.3354/esr00189. 2009
• Rowe, L.E. and Dawson, S.M. Determining the gender of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops sp.) using dorsal fin photographs. Marine Mammal Science 25(1): 19-34. 2009
• Currey, RJ.C., Dawson, S.M., Slooten, E., Lusseau, D.L., Boisseau, O., Schneider, K. Haase, P., and Williams, J.A. Survival rates for a declining population of bottlenose dolphins in Doubtful Sound, New Zealand: an information theoretic approach to assessing the role of human impacts. Aquatic Conservation 19:658-670, 2008.
• Currey, R.J.C., Rowe, L.E., Dawson, S.M., Slooten, E. Abundance and demography of bottlenose dolphins in Dusky Sound, New Zealand, inferred from dorsal fin photographs. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 42: 439-449. 2008
• Rowe, L. E. and Dawson, S.M. Sexual dimorphism in dorsal fin size in a population of bottlenose dolphins from Fiordland, New Zealand. Australian Journal of Zoology 56: 239-248. 2008.
• Slooten, E. and Dawson, S.M. Sustainable levels of human impact for Hector's dolphin. The Open Conservation Biology Journal 2, 37-43. 2008
• Barlow, J. Rankin, S. and Dawson, S.M. A guide to constructing hydrophones and hydrophone arrays for monitoring marine mammal vocalisations. NOAA Tech Memo 417. 24pp. 2008
• Dawson, S.M., Wade, P., Slooten, E. and Barlow, J. Design and field methods for sighting surveys of cetaceans in coastal and riverine habitats. Mammal Review 38(1): 19-49. 2008
• Currey, R., Dawson, S.M. and Slooten, E.  New abundance estimates suggest Doubtful Sound bottlenose dolphins are declining. Pacific Conservation Biology. 13: 265-273. 2007
• DuFresne, S., Fletcher, D., and Dawson, S.M. Relative efficiency of line-transect survey designs for estimating abundance of inshore dolphins and porpoises. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management. 8(1): 79-85. 2006.
• Slooten, E., Dawson, S.M., and Rayment, W.J. Offshore distribution of Hector’s dolphins at Banks Peninsula: Is the Banks Peninsula Marine Mammal sanctuary large enough? NZ Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 40(2):333-343. 2006.
• Slooten, E., Dawson, S.M., Rayment, W. J. and Childerhouse, S.J. A new abundance estimate for Maui’s dolphin: What does it mean for managing this critically endangered species? Biological Conservation 128: 576-581. 2006.
  
• Richter, C., Dawson, S.M. and Slooten, E. Impacts of commercial whale-watching on male sperm whales at Kaikoura, New Zealand. Marine Mammal Science. 22(1): 46-63. 2006.
  
• Dawson, S.M. & Slooten, E. Management of gillnet bycatch of cetaceans in New Zealand. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management. 7(1): 59-64. 2005
• Douglas, L., Dawson, S.M. and Jaquet, N. Click rates and silences in sperm whales at Kaikoura, New Zealand. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 118(1): 523-529. 2005.
  
• Gormley A., Dawson, S.M., Slooten, E. Bräger, S. Mark-recapture estimates of Hector’s dolphin abundance at Banks Peninsula, New Zealand. Marine Mammal Science. 21(2): 204-216. 2005.
  
• Dawson, S.M. and Lusseau, D. Pseudoreplication problems in studies of dolphin and porpoise reactions to pingers. Marine Mammal Science 21(1). 175-176. 2005
  
• Slooten, E., Dawson, S.M. and Rayment, W.J. Aerial surveys for coastal dolphins: Abundance of Hector’s dolphins off the South Island west coast, New Zealand. Marine Mammal Science 20(3): 477-490. 2004
  
• Dawson, S.M., Slooten, E. DuFresne, S.D., Wade, P.R. and Clement, D.M. Small-boat surveys for coastal dolphins: Line-transect surveys of Hector’s dolphins (Cephalorhynchus hectori). Fishery Bulletin 102(3): 441-451. 2004
  
• Rhinelander, M.Q. and Dawson, S.M. Measuring sperm whales from their clicks: stability of inter-pulse intervals and validation that they indicate whale length. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. 115(4): 1826-1831. 2004.
  
• Lusseau, D., Schneider, K., Boisseau, O.J., Haase, P., Slooten, E. & Dawson, S.M. The bottlenose dolphin community of Doubtful Sound features a large proportion of long-lasting associations. Can geographic isolation explain this unique trait? Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 54(4): 396-405. 2003.
  
• Pichler, F.B. Slooten, E. and Dawson, S.M. Hector’s dolphins and fisheries in NZ: a species at risk. Pp. 153-173 in Marine Mammals: Fisheries, Tourism and Management issues. N.Gales, M. Hindell & R. Kirkwood, (eds), Melbourne University Press. 2003. [ISBN 0 643 06953 4]
  
• Garcia, C. & Dawson, S.M. Distribution of pantropical spotted dolphins in Pacific coastal waters of Panama. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals 2(1): 29-38. 2003.
  
• Dawson, S.M. Dolphins and whales. Pp.336-338 in The Natural History of Southland (Darby, J.T, Fordyce, R.E, Mark, A., Probert, K., and Townsend, C.R. eds), Otago University Press. Dunedin. 2003. [ISBN 877133-51-5]
  
• Dickie, G.S, and Dawson, S.M. Age, growth and reproduction in New Zealand fur seals. Marine Mammal Science 19(1): 173-185. 2003.
  
• Dawson, S.M. Cephalorhynchus dolphins. pp. 200-203 in: “Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals” (Perrin, W.F., Würsig, B. & Thewissen, J.G.M, eds.). Academic Press. San Diego. 2002 [ISBN 0-12-551340-2]
  
• Fletcher, D., Dawson, S.M. and Slooten, E. Designing a mark-recapture study to allow for local emigration. Journal of Agricultural, Biological and Environmental Statistics 7(4): 1-8. 2002.
  
• Letteval, E., Richter, C., Jaquet, N., Slooten, E., Dawson, S.M., Whitehead, H., Christal, J. and McCall-Howard, P. Social structure and residence in aggregations of male sperm whales. Canadian Journal of Zoology 80: 1189-1196. 2002.
  
• Bräger, S., Dawson, S.M., Slooten, E., Smith, S., Stone, G.S. and Yoshinaga, A. Site fidelity and along-shore range in Hector’s dolphin, an endangered marine dolphin from New Zealand. Biological Conservation 108: 281-287. 2002.
  
• McConkey, S.D., Lalas, C., and Dawson, S.M. Moult and changes in body shape and pelage in known-age male New Zealand sea lions. New Zealand Journal of Zoology 29:53-61. 2002.
  
• Bejder, L. and Dawson, S.M. Abundance, residency and habitat utilisation of Hector's dolphins in Porpoise Bay, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 35: 277-287. 2001.
  
• Jacquet, N., Dawson, S.M., and Douglas, L. Vocal behaviour of male sperm whales: why do they click? Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 109 (5): 2254-2259. 2001.
  
• Dawson, S.M., Slooten, E. Pichler. F., Russell, K. & Baker, C.S. North Island Hector’s dolphins are threatened with extinction. Marine Mammal Science 17(2): 366-371. 2001.
  
• Jaquet, N., Dawson, S.M. and Slooten, E. Abundance, Occupancy and seasonal distribution of male sperm whales off Kaikoura, New Zealand. Canadian Journal of Zoology 78: 407-419. 2000.
  
• Darby, J.T. and Dawson, S.M. Incidental bycatch of yellow-eyed penguins (Megadyptes antipodes) in gillnets in New Zealand waters 1979-1997. Biological Conservation 93(3): 327-332. 2000
  
• Bräger, S., Chong, A., Dawson, S.M., Slooten, E. and Würsig, B. A combined stereo-photogrammetry and underwater-video system to study group composition of dolphins. Helgol. Mar. Res. 53 (2): 122-128. 1999
  
• Jones, P.D., Hannah, D.J., Buckland, S.J., van Maanen, R., Leathem, S.V., Dawson, S., Slooten, E., van Helden, A. and Donoghue, M. Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls in New Zealand cetaceans. J. Cetacean Res. Manage. (Spec. Issue 1): 157-167. 1999
  
• Bejder, L., Dawson, S.M. & Harraway, J. Responses of Hector’s dolphins to boats and swimmers in Porpoise Bay, New Zealand. Marine Mammal Science 15 (3): 738-750. 1999.
  
• Cameron, C., Barker, R., Fletcher, D., Slooten, E. and Dawson, S. Modelling survival of Hector’s dolphins around Banks Peninsula, New Zealand. Journal of Agricultural, Biological and Environmental Statistics 4(2): 126-135. 1999
  
• Martien, K.K., Taylor, B.L., Slooten, E. & Dawson, S.M. A sensitivity analysis to guide research and management for Hector’s dolphin. Biological Conservation 90: 183-191. 1999
  
• Dawson, S.M., Read, A.J. & Slooten, E. Pingers, porpoises and power: Uncertainties with using pingers to reduce bycatch of small cetaceans. Biological Conservation 84(2):141-146. 1998.
  
• Pichler, F., Dawson, S.M., Slooten, E. & Baker, C.S. Geographic isolation of Hector’s dolphin populations described by Mitochondrial DNA sequences. Conservation Biology. 12(3): 676-682. 1998.
  
• Dawson, S.M., Barlow, J. and Ljungblad, D.K. Sounds recorded from Baird’s beaked whales Berardius bairdi. Marine Mammal Science. 14(2): 335-344. 1998.
  
• Schneider, K., Baird, R.B., Dawson, S.M., Visser, I. and Childerhouse, S.J. Reactions of bottlenose dolphins to tagging attempts using a remotely-deployed suction-cup tag. Marine Mammal Science. 14(2): 316-324. 1998.
  
• Parsons, S., Thorpe, C.W. and Dawson, S.M. Echolocation calls of the long-tailed bat (Chalinolobus tuberculatus): a quantitative description and analysis of call type. Journal of Mammalogy. 79 (3): 964-976. 1997.
  
• Dawson, S.M. and Slooten, E. The Downunder Dolphin: the story of Hector’s Dolphin. Canterbury University Press, Christchurch. 60pp. (1996). [ISBN 0-908812-50-7]
  
• Childerhouse, S. Dawson, S.M., and Slooten, E. Stability of fluke marks used in individual photo-identification of sperm whales at Kaikoura, New Zealand. Marine Mammal Science 12(3): 447-451. 1996
  
• Jones, P. D., Leathem, S. V., Hannah, D.J., Day, P.J., Dye, E.A., Hoffman, K.A., Lister, A.R., Porter, L.J. van Maanen, T., Symons, R.K., van Helden, A., Buckland, S.J., Slooten, E.,
• Dawson, S.M. and Donoghue, M. Biomagnification of PCBs and 2,3,7,8-substituted polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in New Zealand's Hector's dolphin. Organohalogen Compounds 29: 108-113. 1996
  
• Slooten, E. and Dawson, S.M. Conservation of New Zealand Marine Mammals. Pacific Conservation Biology 2(1): 64-76. 1995
  
• Childerhouse, S.J., Dawson, S.M. and Slooten, E. Abundance and seasonal residence of sperm whales at Kaikoura, New Zealand. Canadian Journal of Zoology 73: 723-731. 1995
  
• Dawson, S.M., Chessum, C.J., Hunt, P. and Slooten, E. An inexpensive, stereo-photographic technique to measure sperm whales from small boats. Reports of the International Whaling Commission 45: 431-436. 1995