Renato Borras-Chavez
@uri.edu
Post Doctoral Researcher/ Natural Resources Science, College of the Environment and Life Sciences
University of Rhode Island
I am an integrative ecologist working in transdisciplinary sciences between foraging ecology, behavioral ecology, population ecology, and socioecology. My research explores predator-environment interactions by combining methods such as: diet estimators, geospatial analysis, computer vision, machine learning, and social sciences. With extensive field experience in Antarctica, Patagonia, and oceanic archipelagos, I aim to bridge ecological research with conservation strategies, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations with government agencies, fisheries, NGOs, and tour operators. I earned my Ph.D. at P. Universidad Católica de Chile and held postdoctoral positions in the US at Baylor University and the University of Rhode Island. I aim to establish an Integrative Ecology Lab that merges foraging behavior, physiology, species interactions, movement ecology, and human-wildlife relationships. Using advanced ecological knowledge, I hope to help build science-based monitoring programs.
EDUCATION
2020 Ph.D. (Biological Sciences), P. Catholic University of Chile, Chile
Living in the fast lane: Foraging ecology of the Antarctic fur seal at the edge of their breeding distribution
2010 M.S. (Ecology), San Diego State University, USA
Ecological and chemical responses of kelp under primitive harvesting methods: the pursuit of a sustainable method of harvesting in northern Chile
2007 B.S. (Marine Biology), Andrés Bello University, Chile
RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS
Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Animal Science and Zoology, Physiology, Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition
FUTURE PROJECTS
Foraging Ecology of Juan Fernandez Fur seals. Effective monitoring and abundance estimations of Juan Fernandez Fur Seals
I have successfully collected several types of keratin tissue (teeth and whiskers) to explore males' feeding ecology (both current and historical) and aging. In addition, after our 2021-22 expedition estimating the abundance of the species, we have a strategy to implement more effective monitoring of the species in all three islands through an associative project with the National Forestry Corporation of Chile (CONAF).
Applications Invited
Two PhD students Additional funding Collaborators
Orca-Fisheries Interactions in Southern Patagonia. Movement patterns, diet, and species-human interactions with the Patagonian toothfish industry in Southern Chile.
Orcas impacting the Patagonian toothfish fisheries are one of the least studied interactions of this species in the world (and one of the least orca ecotypes studied too). This project aims to identify new strategies and tools to reduce orca-fisheries interactions by designing novel mechanisms that could be applied to the industry and are sustainable from a species conservation point of view. By doing so, we will gather as much ecological information about the foraging behavior and movement patterns of the species using biologging instruments and dietary proxies.
Applications Invited
Two PhD students Funding Collaborators
Hormones trigger behavior. The physiology behind Antarctic fur seals' foraging behavior
Milk samples of Antarctic fur seals were obtained in Antarctica for three years at different times of the species breeding cycle. Milk samples were obtained from animals also carried instruments to understand their diving behavior. The goal is to pair female hormone cycles with foraging behavior to understand hormonal triggers of certain specific behaviors towards the pup during the breeding season.
Applications Invited
Phd Student Master student
15
Scopus Publications
123
Scholar Citations
7
Scholar h-index
5
Scholar i10-index
Scopus Publications
- CS-PHOC: weekly census counts of Southern Ocean phocids at Cape Shirreff, Livingston Island
Samuel M. Woodman, Renato Borras-Chavez, Michael E. Goebel, Daniel Torres, Anelio Aguayo, and Douglas J. Krause
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
AbstractRapid climatic warming of the Antarctic Peninsula is driving regional population declines and distribution shifts of predators and prey. Affected species include Antarctic ice seals and the southern elephant seal, all of which rely on the peninsula region for critical stages of their life cycle. However, data collection is difficult in this remote region, and therefore long-term time series with which to identify and investigate population trends in these species are rare. We present the Cape Shirreff Phocid Census (CS-PHOC) dataset: weekly counts of phocids (crabeater, leopard, southern elephant, and Weddell seals) hauled out at Cape Shirreff, Livingston Island, during most austral summers since 1997. Data from these censuses were cleaned and aggregated, resulting in robust and comparable count data from 284 censuses across 23 field seasons. The CS-PHOC dataset, which is publicly available through the SCAR Biodiversity Portal, will be updated yearly to provide important information about Southern Ocean phocids in the Antarctic Peninsula. - First paired observations of sexual behavior and calls in wild leopard seals
Sarah S. Kienle, Carolina A. Bonin, Gabriela Gómez, Michael E. Goebel, Marcelo Donke, Emily S. Sperou, Alicia I. Guerrero, and Renato Borras-Chavez
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
AbstractLittle is known about the reproductive biology of the leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx), a Southern Ocean predator. Here we observed sexual behavior in wild leopard seals in Laguna San Rafael, Chile during a 2 h courtship interaction between a female and male. The female was hauled out on ice, mostly lying still (69% of the time) or moving (19%). The male was mostly under water (87%) or at the water’s surface (11%). The female made seven in-air calls (i.e., thump pulse, noseblast, blast, growl). The male produced 65 underwater calls (i.e., low- and high-double trills, unidentified trills). The underwater calls appeared to be directed toward the female. After the primary male vocalized for an hour, one or two unidentified leopard seals briefly swam near the female. After leaving the area, we heard underwater calls for another 8 h. The next day, the primary male was hauled out on ice with a swollen genital opening. The male was bleeding from a laceration caudal to the preputial opening, suggesting the male attempted to mate and that the female, or another seal, was responsible for the injury. Together, we find that leopard seal courtship involves a suite of behavioral and acoustic behaviors by both sexes, both in air and under water. This is the first description of leopard seal sexual behavior in the wild. Our study also provides the first evidence that leopard seals mate in South America. - Southern Ocean food-webs and climate change: A short review and future directions
José P. Queirós, Renato Borras-Chavez, Noémie Friscourt, Jasmin Groß, Candice B. Lewis, Georgia Mergard, and Katie O’Brien
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Food-webs are a critical feature of ecosystems and help us understand how communities will respond to climate change. The Southern Ocean is facing rapid and accelerating changes due to climate change. Though having evolved in an isolated and somewhat extreme environment, Southern Ocean biodiversity and food-webs are among the most vulnerable. Here, we review 1) current knowledge on Southern Ocean food-webs; 2) methods to study food-webs; 3) assessment of current and future impacts of climate change on Southern Ocean food-webs; 4) knowledge gaps; and 5) the role of Early Career Researchers (ECRs) in future studies. Most knowledge on Southern Ocean food-webs come from the pelagic environment, both at macro- and microbial levels. Modelling and diet studies of individual species are major contributors to the food-web knowledge. These studies revealed a short food-web, predominantly sustained by Antarctic Krill (Euphausia superba). Additionally, alternative pathways exist, involving other krill species, fish, and squid, which play equally important roles in connecting primary producers with top predators. Advantages and disadvantages of several techniques used to study Southern Ocean food-webs were identified, from the classical analyses of stomach contents, scats, or boluses to the most recent approaches such as metabarcoding and trophic-biomarkers. Observations show that climate change can impact the food-web in different ways. As an example, changes to smaller phytoplankton species can lengthen the food-web, increasing assimilation losses and/or changing nutrient cycles. Future studies need to focus on the benthic-dominated food-webs and the benthopelagic coupling. Furthermore, research during the winter season and below the ice-shelves is needed as these areas may play a crucial role in the functioning of this ecosystem. ECRs can play a significant role in advancing the study of Southern Ocean food-webs due to their willingness for interdisciplinary collaboration and proficiency in employing various methodologies, contributing to the construction of high-resolution food-webs. - Future climate-induced distribution shifts in a sexually dimorphic key predator of the Southern Ocean
Jazel Ouled‐Cheikh, David March, Renato Borras‐Chavez, Massimiliano Drago, Michael E. Goebel, José M. Fariña, Manel Gazo, Marta Coll, and Luis Cardona
Wiley
AbstractThe response to climate change in highly dimorphic species can be hindered by differences between sexes in habitat preferences and movement patterns. The Antarctic fur seal, Arctocephalus gazella, is the most abundant pinniped in the Southern Hemisphere, and one of the main consumers of Antarctic krill, Euphausia superba, in the Southern Ocean. However, the populations breeding in the Atlantic Southern Ocean are decreasing, partly due to global warming. Male and female Antarctic fur seals differ greatly in body size and foraging ecology, and little is known about their sex‐specific responses to climate change. We used satellite tracking data and Earth System Models to predict changes in habitat suitability for male and female Antarctic fur seals from the Western Antarctic Peninsula under different climate change scenarios. Under the most extreme scenario (SSP5‐8.5; global average temperature +4.4°C projected by 2100), suitable habitat patches will shift southward during the non‐breeding season, leading to a minor overall habitat loss. The impact will be more pronounced for females than for males. The reduction of winter foraging grounds might decrease the survival of post‐weaned females, reducing recruitment and jeopardizing population viability. During the breeding season, when males fast on land, suitable foraging grounds for females off the South Shetland Islands will remain largely unmodified, and new ones will emerge in the Bellingshausen Sea. As Antarctic fur seals are income breeders, the foraging grounds of females should be reasonably close to the breeding colony. As a result, the new suitable foraging grounds will be useful for females only if nearby beaches currently covered by sea ice emerge by the end of the century. Furthermore, the colonization of these new, ice‐free breeding locations might be limited by strong female philopatry. These results should be considered when managing the fisheries of Antarctic krill in the Southern Ocean. - Occurrence, residency, and habitat characterization of leopard seals in Chile
Renato Borras-Chavez, Rodrigo L. Soteres, Gabriela Gómez-González, Francisco Martínez, Nicolás Fernández-Ferrada, Matias Castillo-Aguilar, Fredy Moreno Azua, Catherine Dougnac, Cristóbal Arredondo, Nicholi Brown,et al.
Frontiers Media SA
Leopard seals have traditionally been considered Antarctic predators with a Southern Ocean distribution. Historically, sightings north of the Antarctic Polar Front were considered extralimital. However, recent studies suggest a significant presence of leopard seals in subantarctic regions. Here, we assess the spatial occurrence, residency status, and temporal trends of leopard seals in Chile using historical records, stranding reports, standardized monitoring data, photo-identification (photo ID) catalogs, and sightings from four research expeditions. We also characterize glaciers where sightings are concentrated, identifying glaciological and geomorphic attributes that prolong iceberg residency time, which is linked to high leopard seal concentrations. Based on these attributes, we evaluated other potential suitable glacial habitats in Patagonia. We obtained 438 sighting records of leopard seals from 1927 to 2023. Over the last 15 years, we documented a 4-18% annual increase in stranding events reported to national authorities. Most sightings (75%) were concentrated in two hotspots: National Park San Rafael Lagoon, located in Northern Patagonia, and Parry Fjord in Tierra del Fuego. Using photo ID catalogs, we identified 19 resident leopard seals, including 16 multi-year residents observed between 2010-2023 (10 in San Rafael, 6 in Tierra del Fuego) and 3 potential residents (observed multiple months in the same year in Tierra del Fuego). San Rafael monitoring data showed no inter-annual trend, but seasonal trends were observed. We also provide evidence of breeding in Chile, with records of at least 14 pups born and at least two females giving birth in multiple years. Our habitat characterization suggests that calving flux, fjord sinuosity, and fjord width variation are crucial for prolonging iceberg residency in hotspot areas. Based on these attributes, we identified 13 additional fjords in Patagonia as “very likely” suitable for leopard seals. Our study confirms that Patagonia is part of the species’ breeding distribution, shifting the paradigm that leopard seals are merely visitors north of the Antarctic Polar Front. Given the limited number of suitable glaciers in Chile and the potential impacts of climate change, our assessment highlights glacial retreat as a major threat for the ecosystem of this pagophilic marine apex predator in South America. - Semi-Supervised Deep Learning for Estimating Fur Seal Numbers
Rujia Chen, Akbar Ghobakhlou, Ajit Narayanan, Matías Pérez, Roberto Orlano Chavez Oyanadel, and Renato Borras-Chavez
IEEE
Having estimates of animal species is of growing importance for conservation and ecological reasons, given the increasing concern about the impact of climate change on fauna worldwide. However, it is difficult and sometimes dangerous to count animal numbers in the wild. Counting and detecting animals from drone images can be expected to become a crucial part of conservation policies based on obtaining up-to-date estimates of population numbers. This paper proposes a deep learning approach, the Faster- RCNN algorithm, to count fur seals on the Alejandro Selkirk Island using drone images. Using a semi-supervised approach, the experimental results show the overall precision to be 0.86. This preliminary research shows that machine learning for remote sensing via drone images is helpful for estimating fur seal numbers and could be extended to other areas where it is important to quickly estimate animal populations for the purpose of ecology and conservation. - Large and in charge: cortisol levels vary with sex, diet, and body mass in an Antarctic predator, the leopard seal
Emily S. Sperou, Daniel E. Crocker, Renato Borras-Chavez, Daniel P. Costa, Michael E. Goebel, Shane B. Kanatous, Douglas J. Krause, Stephen J. Trumble, and Sarah S. Kienle
Frontiers Media SA
Evaluating physiological responses in the context of a species’ life history, demographics, and ecology is essential to understanding the health of individuals and populations. Here, we measured the main mammalian glucocorticoid, cortisol, in an elusive Antarctic apex predator, the leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx). We also examined intraspecific variation in cortisol based on life history (sex), morphometrics (body mass, body condition), and ecological traits (δ15N, δ13C). To do this, blood samples, life history traits, and morphometric data were collected from 19 individual leopard seals off the Western Antarctic Peninsula. We found that adult leopard seals have remarkably high cortisol concentrations (100.35 ± 16.72 μg/dL), showing the highest circulating cortisol concentration ever reported for a pinniped: 147 μg/dL in an adult male. Leopard seal cortisol concentrations varied with sex, body mass, and diet. Large adult females had significantly lower cortisol (94.49 ± 10.12 μg/dL) than adult males (120.85 ± 6.20 μg/dL). Similarly, leopard seals with higher isotope values (i.e., adult females, δ15N: 11.35 ± 0.69‰) had lower cortisol concentrations than seals with lower isotope values (i.e., adult males, δ15N: 10.14 ± 1.65‰). Furthermore, we compared cortisol concentrations across 26 closely related Arctoid taxa (i.e., mustelids, bears, and pinnipeds) with comparable data. Leopard seals had the highest mean cortisol concentrations that were 1.25 to 50 times higher than other Arctoids. More broadly, Antarctic ice seals (Lobodontini: leopard seal, Ross seal, Weddell seal, crabeater seal) had higher cortisol concentrations compared to other pinnipeds and Arctoid species. Therefore, high cortisol is a characteristic of all lobodontines and may be a specialized adaptation within this Antarctic-dwelling clade. Together, our results highlight exceptionally high cortisol concentrations in leopard seals (and across lobodontines) and reveal high variability in cortisol concentrations among individuals from a single location. This information provides the context for understanding how leopard seal physiology changes with life history, ecology, and morphology and sets the foundation for assessing their physiology in the context of a rapidly changing Antarctic environment. - Whiskers provide time-series of toxic and essential trace elements, Se:Hg molar ratios, and stable isotope values of an apex Antarctic predator, the leopard seal
Patrick Charapata, Casey T. Clark, Nathan Miller, Sarah S. Kienle, Daniel P. Costa, Michael E. Goebel, Heather Gunn, Emily S. Sperou, Shane B. Kanatous, Daniel E. Crocker,et al.
Elsevier BV - Time and behavioral adjustments to lactation: Insights from a marine predator
Renato Borras‐Chavez, Michael E. Goebel, Stella Villegas‐Amtmann, Luis A. Hückstädt, Carla Rivera‐Rebella, Daniel P. Costa, José M. Fariña, and Francisco Bozinovic
Wiley
AbstractThe energetic costs of lactation have been studied in many marine mammals, but little is known about the behavioral adjustments needed to cope with this event. By simultaneously measuring foraging behavior of lactating and nonlactating Antarctic fur seal females, we estimate the behavioral changes necessary to cope with the constraints of lactation and include the first comparative record of dive behavior between lactating and nonlactating female otariids. Nonlactating females exhibited highly variable foraging trip durations and spent long times onshore between trips. In contrast, lactating females exhibited consistently shorter trips and spent half the time hauled‐out compared to nonlactating females likely to maximize offspring provisioning. Lactating females show a reduced mean time per dive but greater percentage of time per trip spent diving compared to nonlactating animals. The reduction in time onshore and trip duration, together with modifications in dive performance suggests additional effort of lactating females to compensate for the constraints of rearing a pup, which has not been observed previously due to the lack of simultaneous comparison of lactating and nonlactating individuals. When possible, future studies of maternal investment should also include nonlactating individuals, since lactation may have a strong synergistic effect with other aspects shaping foraging behavior. - Plasticity in the morphometrics and movements of an Antarctic apex predator, the leopard seal
Sarah S. Kienle, Michael E. Goebel, Erin LaBrecque, Renato Borras-Chavez, Stephen J. Trumble, Shane B. Kanatous, Daniel E. Crocker, and Daniel P. Costa
Frontiers Media SA
Animals that display plasticity in behavioral, ecological, and morphological traits are better poised to cope with environmental disturbances. Here, we examined individual plasticity and intraspecific variation in the morphometrics, movement patterns, and dive behavior of an enigmatic apex predator, the leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx). Satellite/GPS tags and time-depth recorders were deployed on 22 leopard seals off the Western Antarctic Peninsula. Adult female leopard seals were significantly larger (454±59 kg) and longer (302±11 cm) than adult males (302±22 kg, 276±11 cm). As females were 50% larger than their male counterparts, leopard seals are therefore one of the most extreme examples of female-biased sexual size dimorphism in marine mammals. Female leopard seals also spent more time hauled-out on land and ice than males. In the austral spring/summer, three adult female leopard seals hauled-out on ice for 10+ days, which likely represent the first satellite tracks of parturition and lactation for the species. While we found sex-based differences in morphometrics and haul-out durations, other variables, including maximum distance traveled and dive parameters, did not vary by sex. Regardless of sex, some leopard seals remained in near-shore habitats, traveling less than 50 kilometers, while other leopard seals traveled up to 1,700 kilometers away from the tagging location. Overall, leopard seals were short (3.0±0.7 min) and shallow (29±8 m) divers. However, within this general pattern, some individual leopard seals primarily used short, shallow dives, while others switched between short, shallow dives and long, deep dives. We also recorded the single deepest and longest dive made by any leopard seal—1, 256 meters for 25 minutes. Together, our results showcased high plasticity among leopard seals tagged in a single location. These flexible behaviors and traits may offer leopard seals, an ice-associated apex predator, resilience to the rapidly changing Southern Ocean. - Variability in age of a Southern Ocean myctophid (Gymnoscopelus nicholsi) derived from scat-recovered otoliths
AD Klemmedson, CS Reiss, ME Goebel, RS Kaufmann, E Dorval, TB Linkowski, and R Borras-Chavez
Inter-Research Science Center - Novel penguin Avian avulaviruses 17, 18 and 19 are widely distributed in the Antarctic Peninsula
Florencia Olivares, Rodrigo Tapia, Camilo Gálvez, Fernanda Meza, Gonzalo P. Barriga, Renato Borras‐Chavez, Juan Mena‐Vasquez, Rafael A. Medina, and Victor Neira
Wiley
Three novel Avian avulavirus species were discovered and isolated during 2017 from Gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) at Kopaitic island in the Northwestern region of the Antarctic Peninsula. The viruses were officially named as Avian avulavirus 17 (AAV17), Avian avulavirus 18 (AAV18) and Avian avulavirus 19 (AAV19), collectively referred to as penguin avulaviruses (PAVs). To determine if these viruses are capable of infecting the three species of Pygoscelis spp. penguins (Gentoo, Adelie and Chinstrap) and assess its geographical distribution, serum samples were collected from seven locations across the Antarctic Peninsula and Southern Shetland Islands. The samples were tested by Hemagglutination inhibition assay using reference viruses for AAV17, AAV18 and AAV19. A total of 498 sera were tested, 40 were positive for antibodies against AAV17, 20 for AAV18 and 45 for AAV19. Positive sera were obtained for the penguin's species for each virus, however; antibodies against AAV18 were not identified in Adelie penguins. Positive penguins were identified in all regions studied. Positive locations include Ardley Island and Cape Shirreff at Livingston Island (Southern Shetland Region); Anvers Island, Doumer Island and Paradise Bay in the Central Western region; and Avian Island at Southwestern region of the Antarctic Peninsula. The lowest occurrence was observed at the Southwestern region at Lagotellerie Island, where all samples were negative. On the other hand, Cape Shirreff and Paradise Bay showed the highest antibody titers. Field samples did not evidence cross-reactivity between viruses, and detection was significantly higher for AAV19 and lower for AAV18. This is the first serologic study on the prevalence of the novel Avian avulaviruses including different locations in the white continent. The results indicate that these novel viruses can infect the three Pygoscelis spp. penguins, which extend across large distances of the Antarctic Peninsula. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. - Repetitive harvesting of Macrocystis pyrifera (Phaeophyceae) and its effects on chemical constituents of economic value
Renato Borras-Chavez, Matthew S. Edwards, Dora Luz Arvizu-Higuera, Yoloxochitl Elizabeth Rodríguez-Montesinos, Gustavo Hernández-Carmona, and Diego Briceño-Domínguez
Walter de Gruyter GmbH
Abstract Kelp harvesting has increased globally in recent decades and is expected to continue rising as the demand for kelp-derived products for use in aquaculture and industrial applications increases. In response, numerous studies have examined how harvesting impacts kelp populations and their associated communities, but the effects of repeated harvesting of the same individuals on the chemical properties for which they are extracted remain poorly understood. This knowledge gap may be especially crucial in areas where the same kelps are necessarily harvested multiple times per year due to their overall low abundance. To address this, we examined how repetitive harvesting of the same individuals of giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera, over a 3-month period influences tissue chemical properties (i.e. alginate yield, viscosity and strength, nutritional quality, such as protein, carbohydrate, lipid, crude fiber, ash and energy content, and tissue carbon/nitrogen ratios). Our results indicate that, while these properties vary over time, presumably due to variability in oceanographic conditions, repetitive harvesting of the same individuals does not significantly impact these properties. - Morphological, ultrastructural, and genetic characterization of coalescence in the intertidal and shallow subtidal kelps Lessonia spicata and L. berteroana (Laminariales, Heterokontophyta)
A. V. González, R. Borras-Chavez, J. Beltrán, V. Flores, J. A. Vásquez, and B. Santelices
Springer Science and Business Media LLC - Testing sustainable management in Northern Chile: Harvesting Macrocystis pyrifera (Phaeophyceae, Laminariales). A case study
Renato Borras-Chavez, Matthew Edwards, and Julio A. Vásquez
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
RECENT SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
- Individual Specialization in a Generalist Apex Predator: The Leopard Seal
E Sperou, D Krause, R Borras-Chavez, P Charapata, D Costa, D Crocker, ...
Authorea Preprints 2024 - Occurrence, residency, and habitat characterization of leopard seals in Chile
R Borras-Chavez, RL Soteres, G Gmez-Gonzlez, F Martnez, ...
Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 12, 1448098 2024 - First paired observations of sexual behavior and calls in wild leopard seals
SS Kienle, CA Bonin, G Gmez, ME Goebel, M Donke, ES Sperou, ...
Polar Biology 47 (10), 1025-1037 2024 - CS-PHOC: weekly census counts of Southern Ocean phocids at Cape Shirreff, Livingston Island
SM Woodman, R Borras-Chavez, ME Goebel, D Torres, A Aguayo, ...
Scientific Data 11 (1), 895 2024 - Image-Based Leopard Seal Recognition: Approaches and Challenges in Current Automated Systems
JY Salazar, P Rivas, R Borras-Chavez, S Kienle
arXiv preprint arXiv:2408.07269 2024 - Southern Ocean food-webs and climate change: A short review and future directions
JP Queirs, R Borras-Chavez, N Friscourt, J Gro, CB Lewis, G Mergard, ...
PLOS Climate 3 (3), e0000358 2024 - Future climate‐induced distribution shifts in a sexually dimorphic key predator of the Southern Ocean
J Ouled‐Cheikh, D March, R Borras‐Chavez, M Drago, ME Goebel, ...
Global Change Biology 30 (3), e17191 2024 - Semi-supervised deep learning for estimating fur seal numbers
R Chen, A Ghobakhlou, A Narayanan, M Prez, ROC Oyanadel, ...
2023 38th International Conference on Image and Vision Computing New Zealand 2023 - Large and in charge: cortisol levels vary with sex, diet, and body mass in an Antarctic predator, the leopard seal
ES Sperou, DE Crocker, R Borras-Chavez, DP Costa, ME Goebel, ...
Frontiers in Marine Science 10, 1179236 2023 - Hot off the stress: Leopard seals exhibit high levels of cortisol, driven by sex, diet, and mass
E Sperou, D Crocker, D Costa, M Goebel, R Borras-Chavez, S Kanatous, ...
INTEGRATIVE AND COMPARATIVE BIOLOGY 63, S436-S437 2023 - Phenotypic plasticity across the species range of a Southern Ocean apex predator, the leopard seal
S Kienle, R Borras-Chavez, C Bonin-Lewallen, S Trumble, E Sperou, ...
INTEGRATIVE AND COMPARATIVE BIOLOGY 63, S240-S240 2023 - Whiskers provide time-series of toxic and essential trace elements, Se: Hg molar ratios, and stable isotope values of an apex Antarctic predator, the leopard seal
P Charapata, CT Clark, N Miller, SS Kienle, DP Costa, ME Goebel, ...
Science of the Total Environment 854, 158651 2023 - Time and behavioral adjustments to lactation: Insights from a marine predator
R Borras‐Chavez, ME Goebel, S Villegas‐Amtmann, LA Hckstdt, ...
Marine Mammal Science 39 (1), 131-150 2023 - Plasticity in the morphometrics and movements of an Antarctic apex predator, the leopard seal
SS Kienle, ME Goebel, E LaBrecque, R Borras-Chavez, SJ Trumble, ...
Frontiers in Marine Science 9, 976019 2022 - Variability in age of a Southern Ocean myctophid (Gymnoscopelus nicholsi) derived from scat-recovered otoliths
AD Klemmedson, CS Reiss, ME Goebel, RS Kaufmann, E Dorval, ...
Marine Ecology Progress Series 633, 55-69 2020 - Living in the fast lane: for aging ecology of the Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella) at the edge of their breeding distribution
RF Borrs Chvez
2020 - Novel penguin Avian avulaviruses 17, 18 and 19 are widely distributed in the Antarctic Peninsula
F Olivares, R Tapia, C Glvez, F Meza, GP Barriga, R Borras‐Chavez, ...
Transboundary and emerging diseases 66 (6), 2227-2232 2019 - Life in the fast lane: differences in foraging behavior between lactating and non-lactating Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella) at high latitude
BC Renato, ME Goebel, S Villegas-Amtmann, DP Costa, J Miguel
Book of Abstracts, 281 2017 - Repetitive harvesting of Macrocystis pyrifera (Phaeophyceae) and its effects on chemical constituents of economic value
R Borras-Chavez, MS Edwards, DL Arvizu-Higuera, ...
Botanica Marina 59 (1), 63-71 2016 - Morphological, ultrastructural, and genetic characterization of coalescence in the intertidal and shallow subtidal kelps Lessonia spicata and L. berteroana (Laminariales
AV Gonzlez, R Borras-Chavez, J Beltrn, V Flores, JA Vsquez, ...
Journal of Applied Phycology 26, 1107-1113 2014
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
- Morphological, ultrastructural, and genetic characterization of coalescence in the intertidal and shallow subtidal kelps Lessonia spicata and L. berteroana (Laminariales
AV Gonzlez, R Borras-Chavez, J Beltrn, V Flores, JA Vsquez, ...
Journal of Applied Phycology 26, 1107-1113 2014
Citations: 23 - Testing sustainable management in Northern Chile: harvesting Macrocystis pyrifera (Phaeophyceae, Laminariales). A case study
R Borras-Chavez, M Edwards, JA Vsquez
Journal of Applied Phycology 24, 1655-1665 2012
Citations: 23 - Repetitive harvesting of Macrocystis pyrifera (Phaeophyceae) and its effects on chemical constituents of economic value
R Borras-Chavez, MS Edwards, DL Arvizu-Higuera, ...
Botanica Marina 59 (1), 63-71 2016
Citations: 19 - Novel penguin Avian avulaviruses 17, 18 and 19 are widely distributed in the Antarctic Peninsula
F Olivares, R Tapia, C Glvez, F Meza, GP Barriga, R Borras‐Chavez, ...
Transboundary and emerging diseases 66 (6), 2227-2232 2019
Citations: 13 - Variability in age of a Southern Ocean myctophid (Gymnoscopelus nicholsi) derived from scat-recovered otoliths
AD Klemmedson, CS Reiss, ME Goebel, RS Kaufmann, E Dorval, ...
Marine Ecology Progress Series 633, 55-69 2020
Citations: 12 - Whiskers provide time-series of toxic and essential trace elements, Se: Hg molar ratios, and stable isotope values of an apex Antarctic predator, the leopard seal
P Charapata, CT Clark, N Miller, SS Kienle, DP Costa, ME Goebel, ...
Science of the Total Environment 854, 158651 2023
Citations: 9 - Plasticity in the morphometrics and movements of an Antarctic apex predator, the leopard seal
SS Kienle, ME Goebel, E LaBrecque, R Borras-Chavez, SJ Trumble, ...
Frontiers in Marine Science 9, 976019 2022
Citations: 7 - Large and in charge: cortisol levels vary with sex, diet, and body mass in an Antarctic predator, the leopard seal
ES Sperou, DE Crocker, R Borras-Chavez, DP Costa, ME Goebel, ...
Frontiers in Marine Science 10, 1179236 2023
Citations: 5 - Southern Ocean food-webs and climate change: A short review and future directions
JP Queirs, R Borras-Chavez, N Friscourt, J Gro, CB Lewis, G Mergard, ...
PLOS Climate 3 (3), e0000358 2024
Citations: 4 - Time and behavioral adjustments to lactation: Insights from a marine predator
R Borras‐Chavez, ME Goebel, S Villegas‐Amtmann, LA Hckstdt, ...
Marine Mammal Science 39 (1), 131-150 2023
Citations: 3 - Future climate‐induced distribution shifts in a sexually dimorphic key predator of the Southern Ocean
J Ouled‐Cheikh, D March, R Borras‐Chavez, M Drago, ME Goebel, ...
Global Change Biology 30 (3), e17191 2024
Citations: 2 - First paired observations of sexual behavior and calls in wild leopard seals
SS Kienle, CA Bonin, G Gmez, ME Goebel, M Donke, ES Sperou, ...
Polar Biology 47 (10), 1025-1037 2024
Citations: 1 - Semi-supervised deep learning for estimating fur seal numbers
R Chen, A Ghobakhlou, A Narayanan, M Prez, ROC Oyanadel, ...
2023 38th International Conference on Image and Vision Computing New Zealand 2023
Citations: 1 - Living in the fast lane: for aging ecology of the Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella) at the edge of their breeding distribution
RF Borrs Chvez
2020
Citations: 1
Publications
Additional conference proceedings
Borras-Chavez R, Goebel ME, Villegas-Amtmann, S, Costa D P, Fariña J M & Bozinovic F (2017). Moms on the edge. Exploring foraging behavior and the cost of lactation under extreme environments. The case of the Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella). In “Visiones sobre Ciencias Antártica”. Proceeding of IX Congreso Latinoamericano de Ciencia Antártica, pp 94-97.
Technical & Government Reports
Pardo, E., D. Krause, Borras-Chavez R., & H. McGovern (2024). CCAMLR protocols for pinniped identification, sexing, and length
Measurement. WG-IMAF-2023/08 CCAMLR.
Borras-Chavez R., Castillo-González V., Vergara V., Rivera-Rebella C. Goebel E.M., Lastra J., González M, Castillo-Aguilar M., & Hiriart-Bertrand L. (2022). Informe Final FIPA N° 2021-19. Censo del lobo fino de Juan Fernández Arctocephalus philippii en el archipiélago de Juan Fernández. ONG Costa Humboldt y Centro de Ecología Aplicada y Sustentabilidad (CAPES). 246 páginas + Anexos.
Others
Borras-Chavez (2018).“Biologging: Revelando conductas ocultas” Boletin Antártico Chileno (37), pp 74-77.
GRANT DETAILS
Grants over 1,000 USD
Awarded
$897,000 National Sciences Foundation Office of Polar Programs, USA (2022-2025)
$115,000 National Fisheries and Aquaculture Grant, Chile (2021)
$50,000 National Association of Research & Development PhD Scholarship, Chile (2013-2017)
$48,360 NOAA Antarctic Marine Living Resources Support Grant for Doctoral Research in Antarctica, USA (2014-2017)
$48,000 Collaborator, Public Sciences Program Grant. Sciences Ministry of Chile. Outreach products for public sciences (2022)
$30,000 National Commission of Scientific Investigation and Technology. Bicentennial Masters Scholarship, Chile (2009–2010)
$23,000 Academic Vice-Chancellor Grant for Research Internship, Chile (2017)
$15,000 Chilean Antarctic Institute (INACH) Antarctic Thesis Doctoral Support Grant, Chile (2015-2017)
$2,500 NSF Travel Grant for SCAR Biology conference, New Zealand (2023)
$2,500 NSF Travel Grant for SCAR Ocean Science conference, Chile (2024)
$1,000 SRP State of the Antarctic Ecosystem Travel Grant SCAR Biology Symposium (2017)
$1,000 Tinker Foundation Tinker-Muze Prize for Science & Policy in Antarctica (2019)
RESEARCH OUTPUTS (PATENTS, SOFTWARE, PUBLICATIONS, PRODUCTS)
Documentary (co-producer): "Antarctica; Searching for Adaptation" (2023)
co-creator Boardgame: "ILAN; Exploring the Antarctic Biodiversity" (2022)