Dr. Quincy Anne Gibson

 Research Scientist

Office:  Building 1, Room 2210 Phone: (904) 620-5938 E-mail: quincy.gibson@unf.edu    B.S. (Biology: Zoology) University of Maryland, College Park (2001) B.S. (Psychology) University of Maryland, College Park (2001) Ph.D. (Biology) Georgetown University (2007)

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  Research Interests: 

My primary research interests are behavioral development, maternal care strategies, individual variation, and social complexity of marine mammals.  My dissertation research was focused on the development of social patterns in wild bottlenose dolphin calves in Shark Bay, Western Australia.  In particular, I examined when sex-specific socio-ecological strategies emerge, predictors of individual variation in sociality, and the possible function(s) of sociality from the calf’s perspective.  My results indicated that calves form distinct social patterns while still dependent on their mothers. Although calf patterns of association do not yet match those of the sexually segregated adult society, early social patterns of male and female calves do differ. The observed sex-specific patterns foreshadow strategies that are likely to be successful for males (alliance formation) and females (integration in to maternal social network) in the future. By examining in detail the early social experiences of calves, this study offers comparative insight in to the challenges of developing within a complex social environment.  In addition, because reproductive success (i.e. calf survival) may be linked to social factors, the disruption of the natural social system may result in reduced fitness.  Thus, the identification of factors that affect the social patterns of the most vulnerable members of the population (i.e. calves) may therefore lead to better management practices. 

 As Director of Research for Pacific Whale Foundation (2007-2009) I led a research program primarily focused on answering management based questions.  Our long-term investigations of southern hemisphere humpback whale population dynamics, site fidelity, and migratory pathways provided critical data to government management agencies as well as the International Whaling Commission. In addition, I incorporated my interest in maternal care strategies and reproductive dynamics into our work by examining calving intervals and rates as well as the association patterns of mother-calf pairs.  This avenue of research has been largely neglected in humpback whales and maintains a clear conservation focus because reproductive dynamics drive population recovery. 

 Here at UNF, I am working with Dr. Julie Richmond to develop an interdisciplinary marine mammal research program that ties physiology and behavioral ecology together, with an emphasis on mothers and calves.  I am conducting boat-based photo-identification and behavioral surveys of bottlenose dolphins in the Jacksonville area.  Our research program will also incorporate management minded efforts to determine population abundance, distribution, and reproductive rates while also identifying potential threats to the population.

Relevant Publications:

Gibson, Q.A. & Mann, J.  2009.  Do sampling method and sample size affect basic measures of dolphin sociality?  Marine Mammal Science 25(1): 187-198.

Mann, J. Sargeant, B.L., Gibson, Q.A., Heithaus, M.R., Connor, R.C. & Patterson, E.  2008. Why do dolphins carry sponges? PLoS ONE 3(12): e3868.     Doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0003868.

Gibson, Q.A. & Mann, J.  2008.  Early social development in wild bottlenose dolphins: sex differences, individual variation and maternal influence.  Animal Behaviour 76(2): 375-387.

Gibson, Q.A. & Mann, J.  2008.  The size, composition, and function of wild bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops sp.) mother-calf groups in Shark Bay, Australia.  Animal Behaviour 76(2): 389-405.

Gibson, Q.A.  2006.  Non-lethal shark attack on a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops sp.) calf.  Marine Mammal Science 22(1): 192-198.