21
COM Outlook . Winter 2014
NSU
OVERVIEW
NSU Researchers Uncover
Genetic Surprises in Florida’s
Bottlenose Dolphins
Bottlenose dolphins
are the most common and well known of
their kind—famous in TV and movies. While one bottlenose dolphin might
look similar to another, when you take a closer look at them (really close,
as in genetically,) there are differences. In fact, a recently published study
in the
Journal of Heredity
by a collaborative, including researchers from
NSU’s Oceanographic Center
, focused on groups of these animals
that live in specific areas along the eastern seaboard of the United States,
comparing them to other bottlenose dolphins that live offshore, in the
northwest Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean.
This first-of-its-kind collaborative study revealed that within the Indian
River Lagoon (IRL), there are two different and distinct populations of
Dr. Richard Davis to Lead Regional
Campuses and Online Education
Richard Davis, Ed.D.
, who served
as founding dean of NSU’s College of
Health Care Sciences, was recently
named as vice president of the uni-
versity’s regional campus network
and online education. In this role, he
will provide overall leadership and
strategic direction in the planning,
development, and enrollment man-
agement of NSU’s nine regional cam-
puses and its online education programs. NSU has regional campuses
throughout Florida in Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Miami-Kendall, Miramar,
Orlando, Palm Beach, and Tampa as well as in Nassau, Bahamas, and
San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Dr. Davis joined NSU in 1998 as director of the university’s Physi-
cian Assistant Program and has since held multiple leadership posi-
tions. “Throughout his 15-year tenure at NSU, Dr. Davis has modeled
success and innovation in the creation and evaluation of traditional
classroom and distance-education programs, including the develop-
ment and implementation of more than 20 new programs at NSU,” said
George L. Hanbury II, Ph.D., NSU president and CEO.
bottlenose dolphins living in the waters. After the data were analyzed,
researchers were able to determine that these two genetically different
groups were divided along a north-south geographic area of the IRL.
Along with identifying genetic differences in the animals within the IRL,
when compared to bottlenose dolphins that live in other areas, including
the open oceanic waters, additional differences were found.
While there were many findings identified, this study also provides im-
portant management implications, since it’s clear the role of the habitat and
subsequent modifications can directly shape bottlenose dolphin structure.
