Correspondence Current affiliation: Ocean Research College Academy, Everett Community College, 2000 Tower Street, Everett, WA 98201. Email: jenolson@everettcc.edu Abstract Spatial analyses of marine mammal stranding data can be used to identify stranding patterns and improve surveillance and monitoring. Using ArcGIS and SaTScan, we analyzed 12 years (2002–2014) of dead beachcast marine mammals from San Juan County,Washington, to better understand patterns of carcass deposition. We plotted the locations for 631 dead marine mammals and aggregated strandings into 1,000 m segments of shoreline. “Hot spots” included beach segments with significantly higher carcass deposition according to the Getis-Ord Gi* statistic in ArcGIS or beach segments that were encompassed by significant spatial clusters using the discrete Poisson model in SatTScan. We identified 52 hot spots for harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) in ArcGIS and 62 hot spots in SaTScan with 81% agreement between methods. Carcass deposition showed a strong relationship with locations having high proximity to public pedestrian access points, suggesting increased reporting effort in those areas. Stranding frequency was also higher on beach segments with longer fetch and nearly level or gentle slopes. Beaches with these geomorphic characteristics, especially those without high proximity to public access, would be ideal locations to actively survey to improve high quality carcass collection during times of high expectedmortality and limited resources.

中文翻译：

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通过海洋哺乳动物搁浅热点的空间特征最大化监测

通讯 目前隶属关系：海洋研究学院学院，埃弗雷特社区学院，2000 Tower Street, Everett, WA 98201。电子邮件：jenolson@everettcc.edu 摘要 海洋哺乳动物搁浅数据的空间分析可用于识别搁浅模式并改进监视和监测。我们使用 ArcGIS 和 SaTScan 分析了华盛顿圣胡安县 12 年（2002 年至 2014 年）在海滩上死去的海洋哺乳动物，以更好地了解尸体沉积的模式。我们绘制了 631 只死亡海洋哺乳动物的位置，并将搁浅聚集到 1,000 m 的海岸线段中。根据 ArcGIS 中的 Getis-Ord Gi* 统计数据，“热点”包括具有明显较高尸体沉积的海滩段，或使用 SatTScan 中的离散泊松模型被重要空间集群包围的海滩段。我们在 ArcGIS 中确定了 52 个斑海豹 (Phoca vitulina) 热点，在 SaTScan 中确定了 62 个热点，方法之间的一致性为 81%。尸体沉积显示出与距离公共行人出入点很近的位置有很强的关系，这表明这些地区的报告工作有所增加。在海滩段的搁浅频率也较高，具有较长的取力和接近水平或平缓的斜坡。具有这些地貌特征的海滩，尤其是那些与公共通道不太接近的海滩，将是在高预期死亡率和资源有限时期积极调查以改善高质量尸体收集的理想地点。尸体沉积显示出与距离公共行人出入点很近的位置有很强的关系，这表明这些地区的报告工作有所增加。在海滩段的搁浅频率也较高，具有较长的取力和接近水平或平缓的斜坡。具有这些地貌特征的海滩，尤其是那些与公共通道不太接近的海滩，将是在高预期死亡率和资源有限时期积极调查以改善高质量尸体收集的理想地点。尸体沉积显示出与距离公共行人出入点很近的位置有很强的关系，这表明这些地区的报告工作有所增加。在海滩段的搁浅频率也较高，具有较长的取力和接近水平或平缓的斜坡。具有这些地貌特征的海滩，尤其是那些与公共通道不太接近的海滩，将是在高预期死亡率和资源有限时期积极调查以改善高质量尸体收集的理想地点。