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Metadata: Obesogens in Scottish grey seals 2015-2018
Abstract:
The impacts of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are assessed in fat tissue (blubber) using live explant samples from young grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) on the east coast of Scotland. The data show POP levels in blubber and responses to intrinsic pollutants and experimental exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), relevant due to its applicability to other species, including humans. The study sites are located on the Isle of May (56° 10’ 58.79” N, 02° 32’ 57.56” W) between October and December 2015, 2016, and 2017, where the grey seal population had been monitored annually and from where previous POP data from blubber tissue was investigated in 2002. A second sample set was collected from yearling grey seals hauled out on the Isle of May, Moray Firth, and Culbin Sands (57° 39’10” N, 03° 43’ 15” W) and maintained in temporary captivity at the Sea Mammal Research Unit between February and August 2018. The capture and explant data includes animal identifier, moulting state (where relevant for yearlings), whether the animal was fed or fasted (where relevant for pups), body and sample tissue mass. Characteristics of the animals like sex, birth, and weaning date (where known), rate of mass change, life history stage and blubber fat content, including intrinsic blubber POP levels, were measured at the Centre for Analytical Research and Technology at the University of Liège, Belgium to be used as covariates in a Generalised Additive Mixed Model (GAMM). This analysis was undertaken after accelerated solvent extraction of the samples in hexane dichloromethane (Dionex 200 by Thermo Fisher Scientific) and the extracts were analysed using a gas chromatograph (Agilent 6890 GC) coupled to Autospec Ultima High-Res Mass Spectrometer. The response of explants was tested through measurement of gene expression (using the Stratagene Mx3000P qPCR System or StepOne Plus Real-Time PCR System), insulin signaling and glucose uptake, lactate production, oxygen consumption and lipolytic rate using Randox Monza assays. Thyroid hormones triiodothyronine (TT3) and thyroxine (TT4) were measured using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISA Fortress Diagnostics Ltd). The live explants were treated overnight with a mix of PCBs and organochlorine pesticide derivatives (DDT, DDE), which were associated with altered metabolic function symptoms such as glucose uptake and lactate production in 2015-2017. The data will facilitate an understanding of the molecular mechanisms of contaminant-induced disruption of energy balance by legacy pollutants in seals during their most vulnerable life stages. The data collection was led by Dr Kimberley Bennett from Abertay University and funded by the NERC Discovery Science project “Obesogens in a naturally obese animal: An experimental approach to assess the impact of marine pollutants on fat tissue function in seals”, parent grant reference NE/M013723/1 with child grant NE/M01357X/1.
Data holder:
British Oceanographic Data Centre
| Other details | ||
| Internal code | Internally assigned metadata identifier | 8477 |
| Title | The title is used to provide a brief and precise description of the dataset such as 'Date', 'Originating organisation/programme', 'Location' and 'Type of survey'. All acronyms and abbreviations should be reproduced in full. | Obesogens in Scottish grey seals 2015-2018 |
| Alternative title | The purpose of alternative title is to record any additional names by which the dataset may be known. | British Oceanographic Data Centre record 1048NE_M013723_1 |
| File Identifier | The File Identifier is a code, preferably a GUID, that is globally unique and remains with the same metadata record even if the record is edited or transferred between portals or tools. | f6589c51b2245d379b196603da773174 |
| Resource Identifier | This is the code assigned by the data owner. | EDMED7345 |
| Resource type | The resource type will likely be a dataset but could also be a series (collection of datasets with a common specification) or a service. | dataset |
| Start date | This describes the date the resource starts. This may only be the year if month and day are not known | 2015-10-23 |
| End date | This describes the date the resource ends. This may only be the year if month and day are not known | 2018-06-21 |
| Spatial resolution | This describes the spatial resolution of the dataset or the spatial limitations of the service. | inapplicable |
| Frequency of updates | This describes the frequency with which the resource is modified or updated i.e. a monitoring programme that samples once per year has a frequency that is described as 'annually'. | asNeeded |
| Abstract | The abstract provides a clear and brief statement of the content of the resource. | The impacts of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are assessed in fat tissue (blubber) using live explant samples from young grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) on the east coast of Scotland. The data show POP levels in blubber and responses to intrinsic pollutants and experimental exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), relevant due to its applicability to other species, including humans. The study sites are located on the Isle of May (56° 10’ 58.79” N, 02° 32’ 57.56” W) between October and December 2015, 2016, and 2017, where the grey seal population had been monitored annually and from where previous POP data from blubber tissue was investigated in 2002. A second sample set was collected from yearling grey seals hauled out on the Isle of May, Moray Firth, and Culbin Sands (57° 39’10” N, 03° 43’ 15” W) and maintained in temporary captivity at the Sea Mammal Research Unit between February and August 2018. The capture and explant data includes animal identifier, moulting state (where relevant for yearlings), whether the animal was fed or fasted (where relevant for pups), body and sample tissue mass. Characteristics of the animals like sex, birth, and weaning date (where known), rate of mass change, life history stage and blubber fat content, including intrinsic blubber POP levels, were measured at the Centre for Analytical Research and Technology at the University of Liège, Belgium to be used as covariates in a Generalised Additive Mixed Model (GAMM). This analysis was undertaken after accelerated solvent extraction of the samples in hexane dichloromethane (Dionex 200 by Thermo Fisher Scientific) and the extracts were analysed using a gas chromatograph (Agilent 6890 GC) coupled to Autospec Ultima High-Res Mass Spectrometer. The response of explants was tested through measurement of gene expression (using the Stratagene Mx3000P qPCR System or StepOne Plus Real-Time PCR System), insulin signaling and glucose uptake, lactate production, oxygen consumption and lipolytic rate using Randox Monza assays. Thyroid hormones triiodothyronine (TT3) and thyroxine (TT4) were measured using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISA Fortress Diagnostics Ltd). The live explants were treated overnight with a mix of PCBs and organochlorine pesticide derivatives (DDT, DDE), which were associated with altered metabolic function symptoms such as glucose uptake and lactate production in 2015-2017. The data will facilitate an understanding of the molecular mechanisms of contaminant-induced disruption of energy balance by legacy pollutants in seals during their most vulnerable life stages. The data collection was led by Dr Kimberley Bennett from Abertay University and funded by the NERC Discovery Science project “Obesogens in a naturally obese animal: An experimental approach to assess the impact of marine pollutants on fat tissue function in seals”, parent grant reference NE/M013723/1 with child grant NE/M01357X/1. |
| Lineage | Lineage includes the background information, history of the sources of data, data quality statements and methods. | The datasets cover measurements of persistent contaminants in seal blubber in two grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) populations on the Isle of May in Moray Firth and Culbin Sands, Scotland. Captured specimens were classified depending on animal characteristics like moulting state, whether the animal was fed or fasted, body and sample tissue mass. Blubber explants were collected in 2015-2018 and tested in Liège at the Centre for Analytical Research and Technology. Samples from different specimens were used as covariates in a Generalised Additive Mixed Model to assess the impact of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) on metabolic and energy regulating functions such as thyroid hormone levels, glucose uptake and lactate production. The datasets were produced by researchers from Abertay University and funded by the NERC Discovery Science project, parent grant reference NE/M013723/1 with child grant NE/M01357X/1. The data were then provided to the British Oceanographic Data Centre (BODC) for archival and discoverability. No data quality or data processing procedures were applied by BODC.Instrument(s) used to collect data: colorimeters; spectrophotometers. |
| Related keywords | ||
| Keyword | General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Seal morphology and physiology |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Biota lipid concentrations | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Concentration of polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) in biota | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Pesticide concentrations in biota | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Seal abundance | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Concentration of other organic contaminants in biota | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Seal behaviour | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Human health and safety | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Species distribution | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | unknown | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Marine Environmental Data and Information Network | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | Natural Environment Research Council Designated Data Centres | |
| General subject area(s) associated with the resource, uses multiple controlled vocabularies | data.gov.uk | |
| Geographical coverage | ||
| North | The northern-most limit of the data resource in decimal degrees | 57.6528 |
| East | The eastern-most limit of the data resource in decimal degrees | -2.5548 |
| South | The southern-most limit of the data resource in decimal degrees | 56.1827 |
| West | The western-most limit of the data resource in decimal degrees | -3.7208 |
| Regional sea | Cromarty Firth | |
| Responsible organisations | ||
| Role | The point of contact is person or organisation with responsibility for the creation and maintenance of the metadata for the resource. | pointOfContact |
| Organisation name | British Oceanographic Data Centre | |
| Individual name | Polly Hadziabdic | |
| Position name | Head of Enquiries | |
| Delivery point | Joseph Proudman Building, 6 Brownlow Street | |
| Postal code | L3 5DA | |
| City | Liverpool | |
| Administrative area | Merseyside | |
| Country | United Kingdom | |
| enquiries@bodc.ac.uk | ||
| URL | https://www.bodc.ac.uk/ | |
| Role | The owner is the person or organisation that owns the resource. | owner |
| Organisation name | Sea Mammal Research Unit | |
| Individual name | Unknown | |
| Position name | Unknown | |
| Phone | +44 (0)1334 463446 | |
| Delivery point | University of St Andrews Gatty Marine Laboratory | |
| Postal code | KY16 8LB | |
| City | St Andrews | |
| Administrative area | Fife | |
| Country | United Kingdom | |
| smru@st-andrews.ac.uk | ||
| URL | http://www.smru.st-andrews.ac.uk/ | |
| Role | The originator is the person or organisation who created, collected or produced the resource. | originator |
| Organisation name | Sea Mammal Research Unit | |
| Individual name | Unknown | |
| Position name | Unknown | |
| Phone | +44 (0)1334 463446 | |
| Delivery point | University of St Andrews Gatty Marine Laboratory | |
| Postal code | KY16 8LB | |
| City | St Andrews | |
| Administrative area | Fife | |
| Country | United Kingdom | |
| smru@st-andrews.ac.uk | ||
| URL | http://www.smru.st-andrews.ac.uk/ | |
| Role | The custodian is the person or organisation that accepts responsibility for the resource and ensures appropriate care and maintenance. If a dataset has been lodged with a Data Archive Centre for maintenance then this organisation is be entered here. | custodian |
| Organisation name | British Oceanographic Data Centre | |
| Position name | Director | |
| Delivery point | Joseph Proudman Building, 6 Brownlow Street | |
| Postal code | L3 5DA | |
| City | Liverpool | |
| Administrative area | Merseyside | |
| Country | United Kingdom | |
| enquiries@bodc.ac.uk | ||
| URL | https://www.bodc.ac.uk/ | |
| Role | The distributor is the person or organisation that distributes the resource. | distributor |
| Organisation name | British Oceanographic Data Centre | |
| Position name | Director | |
| Delivery point | Joseph Proudman Building, 6 Brownlow Street | |
| Postal code | L3 5DA | |
| City | Liverpool | |
| Administrative area | Merseyside | |
| Country | United Kingdom | |
| enquiries@bodc.ac.uk | ||
| URL | https://www.bodc.ac.uk/ | |
| Resource locators | ||
| Locator URL | Web address (URL) that links to the resource | https://www.bodc.ac.uk/about/contact_us/contact_details/ |
| Locator name | Name of the web resource | Enquiries contact details |
| Locator function | Code that describes the function of the resource. ISO function code chosen from ISO 19115-1 Codelist | offlineAccess |
| Dataset constraints | ||
| 20.1 Limitations on Public Access - Access constraints | This states `otherRestrictions` from ISO vocabulary RestrictionCode and is an INSPIRE/GEMINI requirement. | otherRestrictions |
| 20.2 Limitations on Public Access - Other constraints | No limitations apply | |
| This states any limitations on access to the data. Multiple occurences are allowed here. One entry shall be from the INSPIRE Metadata registry and the other free text should be part of the resource `Have specific limitations`. | Data are freely available to all following agreement to the terms and conditions of a Data Licence | |
| 21.1 Conditions for Access and Use - Use constraints | This states `otherRestrictions` from ISO vocabulary RestrictionCode and is an INSPIRE/GEMINI requirement. | otherRestrictions |
| 21.2 Conditions for Access and Use - Other constraints | This states any constraints on use of the data. Multiple conditions can be recorded for different parts of the data resource. If no conditions apply, then `No condtions apply` is recorded. This uses free text. | Usage restrictions are specified in the terms of the licence |
| Available data formats | ||
| Data format | Format in which digital data can be provided for transfer | Delimited |
| Version info | ||
| Date of publication | The publication date of the resource or if previously unpublished the date that the resource was made publicly available via the MEDIN network. | 2024-07-05 |
| Date of last revision | The most recent date that the resource was revised. | 2026-03-12 |
| Date of creation | The date that the resource was created. | 2024-07-05 |
| Harvest date | The date which this record has been (re)harvested from the provider. | 2026-04-19 |
| Metadata date | The date when the content of this metadata record was last updated. | 2026-03-12 |
| Metadata standard name | The name of the metadata standard used to create this metadata | MEDIN |
| Metadata standard version | The version of the MEDIN Discovery Metadata Standard used to create the metadata record | 3.1.2 |