Dr Danielle Buss
About
Bio:
An enthusiastic, confident, and highly motivated marine ecologist, keen to use inter-disciplinary research to gain advancements in conservation and preservation of marine environments, with a particular passion for historical ecology of marine mammals. I am extremely excited to join the 4-oceans team at NTNU. My current research involves reviewing the archaeological evidence of iconic marine species to infer when and how marine populations were first exploited across the globe. I thoroughly enjoy programming and ecological statistics and look forward to advancing my abilities in both of these fields as part of my role with 4-Oceans.
In collaboration with the British Antarctic Survey, I have recently completed a PhD (2017- 2021) at the University of Cambridge using population genetics and stable isotopes to understand pre- exploitation ecology, connectivity, and diversity of baleen whales (blue, fin, humpback, and sei whales) in the western South Atlantic and eastern South Pacific. My research has contributed to ongoing population assessments by the International Whaling Commission Scientific Committee, of which I currently contribute towards four subcommittees (DNA & stock definition, Southern Hemisphere whale populations, photo identification, and human-induced mortality). The sei whale component of this work was in collaboration with Falklands Conservation, in a project to understand the present-day and historic ecology of sei whales that feed near to the Falkland Islands during the austral summer and autumn. Many of my research chapters are still in prep (due to coronavirus related laboratory closures and delays) and I look forward to sharing associated manuscripts with you shortly.
Ongoing research collaborations:
Using whalebone specimens from South Africa museums to understand the genetic identity of blue, fin, humpback and sei whale populations in South Africa during the 20th century whaling period. This project is funded by the Antarctic Science Bursary. Collaborators: Buss, D (NTNU/BAS/UoC), Lampert, S (UCT), Ingle, R (UCT), Vermeulen, E (Pretoria), and Jackson, J (BAS).
Using carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis of whalebones to understand the historic foraging ecology of blue and humpback whales in the polar South Atlantic. This project is funded by the Antarctic Science Bursary. Collaborators: Sremba, A (Oregon), Jackson, J (BAS), Stowasser, G (BAS), and Buss, D (NTNU/BAS/UoC).
Using the species360 and IUCN redlist databases to identify trends of ex-situ populations of globally threatened species across Europe and the USA since the 1950s. Collaborators: Page, M (WPT), Buss, D (NTNU/BAS/UoC), Baker, K (WPT), Brooks, G (VT), CheCastaldo, J (US F.W.S.), Hodgson, D (UoE), Mills, B (BAS), Jenkins, H (Species360/NTU), Ward, S (NTU), Staerk, J (Species360), and Conde, D (Species360).
Publications:
Calderan S., Leaper R.C., Miller B.S., Andriolo A., Buss D.L., Carroll E.L., Kennedy A.S., Stepien E.N., Jackson J.A. (2021) Southern right whale vocalizations on foraging grounds in South Georgia. JASA Express Letters 1:061202. doi: 10.1121/10.0005433
Jackson, J. Stowasser, G., Carroll, E., Christiansen, F., Baker, S., Bassoi, M., Buss, D., et al. Southern right whale population connections, trophic ecology and health on their South Georgia (Islas Georgia del Sur, SG/GS) feeding ground (2021). IWC SC/68/CMP/08.
Kennedy A.S., Carroll E., Baker C.S., Bassoi M., Buss D., Collins M.A., Calderan S., Ensor P., Fielding S., Leaper R., Macdonald D., Olsen P.A., Cheeseman T., Groch K.R., Hall A., Kelly N., Miller B.S., M. Moore., Rowntree V., Stowasser G., Trathan P., Valenzuela L.O., Vermeulen E., Zerbini A., Jackson J.A. (2020) Whales return to the epicentre of whaling? Preliminary results from the 2020 cetacean survey at South Georgia (Islas Georgias del Sur) Technical Report. IWC 2020, Annex H.
Jelbert K., Buss, D., McDonald, J. et al. Demographic amplification is a predictor of invasiveness among plants. (2019) Nature Communications, 10, 5602. Doi: 10.1038/s41467- 019-13556-w
Hosken, D., Buss, D., and Hodgson, D. Beware the F test (or, how to compare variances). Animal behaviour, 136, 119-126. (2018) Doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.12.014
Publications
2025
-
Hurk, Youri van den;
Sikström, Fanny;
Amkreutz, Luc;
Bakker, Hidde;
Buss, Danielle Lia;
Ersmark, Erik.
(2025)
Dating the first historic extirpation of a whale species: The demise of the grey whale (Eschrichtius robustus) in the eastern North Atlantic.
Quaternary Science Reviews
Academic article
-
Mills, William F.;
Buss, Danielle Lia;
Bustamante, Paco;
Ramírez, Francisco;
Forcada, Jaume;
Forero, Manuela G..
(2025)
Annual trends in mercury contamination are associated with changing trophic niches of giant petrels.
Environmental Research
Academic article
2024
-
Buss, Danielle Lia;
Dierickx, Katrien;
Falahati-Anbaran, Mohsen;
Elliot, Deirdre;
Rankin, Lisa K.;
Whitridge, Peter.
(2024)
Archaeological evidence of resource utilisation of walrus, Odobenus rosmarus, over the past two millennia: A systematic review protocol.
Open Research Europe
Academic article
2023
-
Atmore, Lane;
Buss, Danielle Lia.
(2023)
Historical land use patterns provide insight into contemporary insect diversity loss.
Molecular Ecology
Academic article
-
Buss, Danielle Lia;
Hurk, Youri van den;
Falahati-Anbaran, Mohsen;
Elliott, Deirdre;
Evans, Sally;
Frasier, Brenna A..
(2023)
Archaeological evidence of resource utilisation of the great whales over the past two millennia: A systematic review protocol.
PLOS ONE
Academic literature review
Journal publications
-
Hurk, Youri van den;
Sikström, Fanny;
Amkreutz, Luc;
Bakker, Hidde;
Buss, Danielle Lia;
Ersmark, Erik.
(2025)
Dating the first historic extirpation of a whale species: The demise of the grey whale (Eschrichtius robustus) in the eastern North Atlantic.
Quaternary Science Reviews
Academic article
-
Mills, William F.;
Buss, Danielle Lia;
Bustamante, Paco;
Ramírez, Francisco;
Forcada, Jaume;
Forero, Manuela G..
(2025)
Annual trends in mercury contamination are associated with changing trophic niches of giant petrels.
Environmental Research
Academic article
-
Buss, Danielle Lia;
Dierickx, Katrien;
Falahati-Anbaran, Mohsen;
Elliot, Deirdre;
Rankin, Lisa K.;
Whitridge, Peter.
(2024)
Archaeological evidence of resource utilisation of walrus, Odobenus rosmarus, over the past two millennia: A systematic review protocol.
Open Research Europe
Academic article
-
Atmore, Lane;
Buss, Danielle Lia.
(2023)
Historical land use patterns provide insight into contemporary insect diversity loss.
Molecular Ecology
Academic article
-
Buss, Danielle Lia;
Hurk, Youri van den;
Falahati-Anbaran, Mohsen;
Elliott, Deirdre;
Evans, Sally;
Frasier, Brenna A..
(2023)
Archaeological evidence of resource utilisation of the great whales over the past two millennia: A systematic review protocol.
PLOS ONE
Academic literature review