Contact Information
School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences252 O'Neill
P.O. Box 757220
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Fairbanks, AK 99775-7220
Phone: (907) 474-6825
mikec@ims.uaf.edu
Michael Castellini Professor
Affiliations
- Associate Dean
Specialties
- population health of marine mammals
- harbor seal physiology
- Steller sea lion biochemistry
- Antarctic seal diving physiology
Courses
Spring 2008
- Physiology of Marine Organisms (MSL F615)
Research Overview
Projects in our laboratory focus on many different aspects of marine mammal biology and medicine. Some of these include nutritional physiology of harbor seals and Steller sea lions in Alaska as related to their population declines and to the survival of seal and sea lions' pups. Other projects include studies on lipid metabolism in marine mammals, the biochemistry of contaminants, metal chemistry, antioxidant chemistry and immune function. These programs are conducted in the field around the world and, when possible, at the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward.
Links
- Download curriculum vita (128 kb PDF)
- Interview with Carin Bailey Stephens for the SFOS Newsletter
From spying on scorpions with a black light to studying two-ton elephant seals with sleep apnea, Mike Castellini has always wanted to know how animals adapt to their environment. One of the preeminent Weddell seal experts in the world and the associate dean of the UAF School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, Dr. Castellini’s life reads like a scientific adventure story.
Selected Publications
Castellini, M.A. History of polar whaling: insights into the physiology of the great whales. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. 126A:153-159. 2000.
Burns, J.M., J.W. Testa and MA Castellini. Movements and diving behavior of weaned Weddell seal pups. Polar Biology. 21:23-36. 1999.
Burns, J.M., S.J. Trumble, MA Castellini and J.W. Testa. The diet of Weddell seals in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica, as determined from scat collections and stable isotope analysis. Polar Biology. 19:272-282. 1998.
Rea, L.D., MA Castellini, B.S. Fadely and T.R. Loughlin. Health status of young Alaska Steller sea lion pups as indicated by blood chemistry and hematology. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. 120 A: 617-623. 1998.
Zenteno-Savin, T., and MA Castellini. 1998. Changes in the plasma levels of vasoactive hormones during apnea in seals. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. 119C: 7-12.
Zenteno-Savin, T., MA Castellini. 1998. Plasma angiotensin II, arninine vasopressin and atrial natriuretic peptide in free ranging and captive seals and sea lions. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. 119C: 1-6.
Burns, J.M., J.F. Schreer and MA Castellini. 1997. Physiological effects on individual dive patterns and foraging strategies in yearling Weddell seals. Canadian Journal of Zoology. 75:1796-1810.
Rea, L.D., Groscolas, R, Mioskowski, E., and M. Castellini. 1997. Changes in plasma fatty acids lipids indicated change in nutritional status in developing Weddell seal pups. Polar Biology. 18:351-357.
Zenteno-Savin, T., MA Castellini, L.D. Rea and B.S. Fadely. 1997. Plasma haptoglobin levels in threatened Alaskan pinniped populations. Journal Wildlife Diseases. 33(1): 64-71.
Castellini, MA and T. Zenteno-Savin. 1997. Heart rate scaling with body mass in pinnipeds. Marine Mammal Science. 13(1): 149-155.
Moss, J.M. and MA Castellini. 1996. Physiological and behavioral determinants of the aerobic dive limit in Weddell seal pups (Leptonychotes weddellii). Journal of Comparative Physiology B. 166:473-483.
Milson, W., M. Castellini, M. Harris, J. Castellini, D. Jones, R. Berger, S. Bahrma, L. Rea and D. Costa. 1996. Effects of hypoxia and hypercapnia on patterns of sleep-associated apnea in elephant seal pups. American Journal of Physiology. R271: R1017-1024.
Castellini, MA 1996. Dreaming about diving: Sleep apnea in seals. News in Physiological Sciences, American Journal of Physiology. 11:208-214.