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Lubitz N, Bradley M, Sheaves M, Hammerschlag N, Daly R, Barnett A. The role of context in elucidating drivers of animal movement. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9128. [PMID: 35898421 PMCID: PMC9309038 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite its consequences for ecological processes and population dynamics, intra-specific variability is frequently overlooked in animal movement studies. Consequently, the necessary resolution to reveal drivers of individual movement decisions is often lost as animal movement data are aggregated to infer average or population patterns. Thus, an empirical understanding of why a given movement pattern occurs remains patchy for many taxa, especially in marine systems. Nonetheless, movement is often rationalized as being driven by basic life history requirements, such as acquiring energy (feeding), reproduction, predator-avoidance, and remaining in suitable environmental conditions. However, these life history requirements are central to every individual within a species and thus do not sufficiently account for the high intra-specific variability in movement behavior and hence fail to fully explain the occurrence of multiple movement strategies within a species. Animal movement appears highly context dependent as, for example, within the same location, the behavior of both resident and migratory individuals is driven by life history requirements, such as feeding or reproduction, however different movement strategies are utilized to fulfill them. A systematic taxa-wide approach that, instead of averaging population patterns, incorporates and utilizes intra-specific variability to enable predictions as to which movement patterns can be expected under a certain context, is needed. Here, we use intra-specific variability in elasmobranchs as a case study to introduce a stepwise approach for studying animal movement drivers that is based on a context-dependence framework. We examine relevant literature to illustrate how this context-focused approach can aid in reliably identifying drivers of a specific movement pattern. Ultimately, incorporating behavioral variability in the study of movement drivers can assist in making predictions about behavioral responses to environmental change, overcoming tagging biases, and establishing more efficient conservation measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Lubitz
- College of Science and EngineeringJames Cook UniversityTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
| | - Michael Bradley
- Marine Data Technology HubCollege of Science and EngineeringJames Cook UniversityTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
| | - Marcus Sheaves
- Marine Data Technology HubCollege of Science and EngineeringJames Cook UniversityTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
| | - Neil Hammerschlag
- Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric ScienceUniversity of MiamiMiamiFloridaUSA
| | - Ryan Daly
- Oceanographic Research InstituteDurbanSouth Africa
- South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB)MakhandaSouth Africa
| | - Adam Barnett
- Marine Data Technology HubCollege of Science and EngineeringJames Cook UniversityTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
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Stuthmann LE, Castellanos‐Galindo GA, Robertson DR. The functional ecology of mangrove fishes across the Isthmus of Panama. DIVERS DISTRIB 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Gustavo A. Castellanos‐Galindo
- Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT) Bremen Germany
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) Panama City Panama
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Sheaves M, Waltham NJ, Benham C, Bradley M, Mattone C, Diedrich A, Sheaves J, Sheaves A, Hernandez S, Dale P, Banhalmi-Zakar Z, Newlands M. Restoration of marine ecosystems: Understanding possible futures for optimal outcomes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 796:148845. [PMID: 34274664 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Accelerating declines in the extent, quality and functioning of the world's marine ecosystems have generated an upsurge in focus on practical solutions, with ecosystem restoration becoming an increasingly attractive mitigation strategy for systems as diverse as coral reefs, mangroves and tidal flats. While restoration is popular because it promises positive outcomes and a return to something approaching unimpacted condition and functioning, it involves substantial public and private investment, both for the initial restoration activity and for on-going maintenance of the restored asset. This investment often affords one big chance to get things right before irretrievable damage is done. As a result, precise, well considered and accountable decision-making is needed to determine the specific focus for restoration, the scale of restoration, the location for deploying restoration activities, and indeed whether or not restoration is necessary or even possible. We explore the environmental/ecological considerations and constraints governing optimal decisions about the nature, location and prioritisation of restoration activities in marine ecosystems, and in particular the constraints on achieving understanding of possible futures and the likelihood of achieving them. We conclude that action must be informed by a context-specific understanding of the historical situation, the current situation, the constraints on change, the range of potential outcome scenarios, and the potential futures envisioned.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Sheaves
- Marine Data Technology Hub, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Queensland 4811, Australia.
| | - N J Waltham
- Marine Data Technology Hub, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Queensland 4811, Australia; Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research (TropWATER), College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Queensland 4811, Australia
| | - C Benham
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4067, Australia
| | - M Bradley
- Marine Data Technology Hub, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Queensland 4811, Australia
| | - C Mattone
- Marine Data Technology Hub, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Queensland 4811, Australia
| | - A Diedrich
- Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Queensland 4811, Australia
| | - J Sheaves
- Marine Data Technology Hub, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Queensland 4811, Australia
| | - A Sheaves
- Marine Data Technology Hub, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Queensland 4811, Australia
| | - S Hernandez
- Marine Data Technology Hub, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Queensland 4811, Australia
| | - P Dale
- School of Environment and Science, Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland 4011, Australia
| | - Z Banhalmi-Zakar
- Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Queensland 4811, Australia
| | - M Newlands
- College of Arts, Society and Education, James Cook University, Queensland 4811, Australia
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Local Environmental Context Structures Animal-Habitat Associations Across Biogeographic Regions. Ecosystems 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-021-00651-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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