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Leonetti FL, Bottaro M, Giglio G, Sperone E. Studying Chondrichthyans Using Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems: A Review. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1875. [PMID: 38997987 PMCID: PMC11240523 DOI: 10.3390/ani14131875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Cartilaginous fish face significant threats due to overfishing and slow reproductive rates, leading to rapid declines in their populations globally. Traditional capture-based surveys, while valuable for gathering ecological information, pose risks to the health and survival of these species. Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems (BRUVS) offer a non-invasive alternative, allowing for standardized surveys across various habitats with minimal disturbance to marine life. This study presents a comprehensive review of BRUVS applications in studying cartilaginous fish, examining 81 peer-reviewed papers spanning from 1990 to 2023. The analysis reveals a significant increase in BRUVS usage over the past three decades, particularly in Australia, South Africa, and Central America. The most common BRUVS configurations include benthic setups, mono-camera systems, and the use of fish from the Clupeidae and Scombridae families as bait. BRUVS have been instrumental in studying 195 chondrichthyan species, providing insights into up to thirteen different aspects of the life histories. Moreover, BRUVS facilitate the monitoring of endangered and data-deficient species, contributing crucial data for conservation efforts. Overall, this study underscores the value of BRUVS as a powerful tool for studying and conserving cartilaginous fish populations worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Massimiliano Bottaro
- Genoa Marine Centre, Department of Integrative Marine Ecology (EMI), Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Italian National Institute for Marine Biology, Ecology and Biotechnology, Villa del Principe, Piazza del Principe 4, 16126 Genoa, Italy
| | - Gianni Giglio
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy
| | - Emilio Sperone
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy
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2
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Goetze JS, Heithaus MR, MacNeil MA, Harvey E, Simpfendorfer CA, Heupel MR, Meekan M, Wilson S, Bond ME, Speed CW, Currey-Randall LM, Fisher R, Sherman CS, Kiszka JJ, Rees MJ, Udyawer V, Flowers KI, Clementi GM, Asher J, Beaufort O, Bernard ATF, Berumen ML, Bierwagen SL, Boslogo T, Brooks EJ, Brown JJ, Buddo D, Cáceres C, Casareto S, Charloo V, Cinner JE, Clua EEG, Cochran JEM, Cook N, D'Alberto BM, de Graaf M, Dornhege-Lazaroff MC, Fanovich L, Farabaugh NF, Fernando D, Ferreira CEL, Fields CYA, Flam AL, Floros C, Fourqurean V, Barcia LG, Garla R, Gastrich K, George L, Graham R, Hagan V, Hardenstine RS, Heck SM, Heithaus P, Henderson AC, Hertler H, Hueter RE, Johnson M, Jupiter SD, Kaimuddin M, Kasana D, Kelley M, Kessel ST, Kiilu B, Kyne F, Langlois T, Lawe J, Lédée EJI, Lindfield S, Maggs JQ, Manjaji-Matsumoto BM, Marshall A, Matich P, McCombs E, McLean D, Meggs L, Moore S, Mukherji S, Murray R, Newman SJ, O'Shea OR, Osuka KE, Papastamatiou YP, Perera N, Peterson BJ, Pina-Amargós F, Ponzo A, Prasetyo A, Quamar LMS, Quinlan JR, Razafindrakoto CF, Rolim FA, Ruiz-Abierno A, Ruiz H, Samoilys MA, Sala E, Sample WR, Schärer-Umpierre M, Schoen SN, Schlaff AM, Smith ANH, Sparks L, Stoffers T, Tanna A, Torres R, Travers MJ, Valentin-Albanese J, Warren JD, Watts AM, Wen CK, Whitman ER, Wirsing AJ, Zarza-González E, Chapman DD. Directed conservation of the world's reef sharks and rays. Nat Ecol Evol 2024; 8:1118-1128. [PMID: 38769434 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-024-02386-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Many shark populations are in decline around the world, with severe ecological and economic consequences. Fisheries management and marine protected areas (MPAs) have both been heralded as solutions. However, the effectiveness of MPAs alone is questionable, particularly for globally threatened sharks and rays ('elasmobranchs'), with little known about how fisheries management and MPAs interact to conserve these species. Here we use a dedicated global survey of coral reef elasmobranchs to assess 66 fully protected areas embedded within a range of fisheries management regimes across 36 countries. We show that conservation benefits were primarily for reef-associated sharks, which were twice as abundant in fully protected areas compared with areas open to fishing. Conservation benefits were greatest in large protected areas that incorporate distinct reefs. However, the same benefits were not evident for rays or wide-ranging sharks that are both economically and ecologically important while also threatened with extinction. We show that conservation benefits from fully protected areas are close to doubled when embedded within areas of effective fisheries management, highlighting the importance of a mixed management approach of both effective fisheries management and well-designed fully protected areas to conserve tropical elasmobranch assemblages globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan S Goetze
- Marine Science Program, Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
| | - Michael R Heithaus
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, FL, USA
| | - M Aaron MacNeil
- Ocean Frontier Institute, Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Euan Harvey
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Colin A Simpfendorfer
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Michelle R Heupel
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Mark Meekan
- The UWA Oceans Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Shaun Wilson
- Marine Science Program, Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- The UWA Oceans Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Mark E Bond
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, FL, USA
| | - Conrad W Speed
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | | | - Rebecca Fisher
- The UWA Oceans Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - C Samantha Sherman
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jeremy J Kiszka
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, FL, USA
| | - Matthew J Rees
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Centre for Sustainable Ecosystems Solutions, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Vinay Udyawer
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Kathryn I Flowers
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, FL, USA
- Ray Biology and Conservation Program, Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL, USA
| | - Gina M Clementi
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, FL, USA
| | - Jacob Asher
- Department of Environmental Protection and Regeneration, Red Sea Global, AlRaidah Digital City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Anthony T F Bernard
- South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, National Research Foundation, Makhanda, South Africa
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, Makhanda, South Africa
| | - Michael L Berumen
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Stacy L Bierwagen
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Tracey Boslogo
- Papua New Guinea Wildlife Conservation Society, Kavieng, New Ireland Province, Papua New Guinea
| | - Edward J Brooks
- Cape Eleuthera Institute, Cape Eleuthera, Eleuthera, Bahamas
| | - J Jed Brown
- Center for Sustainable Development, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Dayne Buddo
- Georgia Aquarium - Research and Conservation, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Camila Cáceres
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, FL, USA
| | - Sara Casareto
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, FL, USA
| | | | - Joshua E Cinner
- Thriving Oceans Research Hub, School of Geosciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Eric E G Clua
- Paris Sciences Lettres, Centre de Recherche Insulaire et Observatoire de l'Environnement Opunohu Bay, Papetoai, French Polynesia
- LABEX CORAIL, Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, Perpignan, France
| | - Jesse E M Cochran
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Neil Cook
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- Environmental Research Institute Charlotteville, Charlotteville, Trinidad and Tobago
| | - Brooke M D'Alberto
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- Oceans and Atmosphere, CSIRO, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Martin de Graaf
- Wageningen Marine Research, Wageningen University and Research, IJmuiden, the Netherlands
| | | | - Lanya Fanovich
- Environmental Research Institute Charlotteville, Charlotteville, Trinidad and Tobago
| | - Naomi F Farabaugh
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, FL, USA
| | | | - Carlos Eduardo Leite Ferreira
- Reef Systems Ecology and Conservation Lab, Departamento de Biologia Marinha, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Candace Y A Fields
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, FL, USA
- Cape Eleuthera Institute, Cape Eleuthera, Eleuthera, Bahamas
| | - Anna L Flam
- Marine Megafauna Foundation, Palm Beach, CA, USA
| | - Camilla Floros
- Oceanographic Research Institute, Durban, South Africa
- TRAFFIC International, Cambridge, UK
- Science Department, Georgia Jones-Ayers Middle School, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Virginia Fourqurean
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, FL, USA
| | - Laura García Barcia
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, FL, USA
| | - Ricardo Garla
- Centro de Biociências, Departmento de Botânica e Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal-RN, Brazil
- Beacon Development Department, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Kirk Gastrich
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, FL, USA
| | - Lachlan George
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | | | - Valerie Hagan
- Sharks and Rays Conservation Program, Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL, USA
| | - Royale S Hardenstine
- Department of Environmental Protection and Regeneration, Red Sea Global, AlRaidah Digital City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Stephen M Heck
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Patricia Heithaus
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, FL, USA
| | - Aaron C Henderson
- The School for Field Studies, Center for Marine Resource Studies, South Caicos, Turks and Caicos Islands
| | - Heidi Hertler
- The School for Field Studies, Center for Marine Resource Studies, South Caicos, Turks and Caicos Islands
| | - Robert E Hueter
- Sharks and Rays Conservation Program, Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL, USA
- OCEARCH, Park City, UT, USA
| | | | - Stacy D Jupiter
- Melanesia Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Suva, Fiji
| | - Muslimin Kaimuddin
- Operation Wallacea, Spilsby, Lincolnshire, UK
- Wasage Divers, Wakatobi and Buton, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia
| | - Devanshi Kasana
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, FL, USA
| | - Megan Kelley
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, FL, USA
| | - Steven T Kessel
- Daniel P. Haerther Center for Conservation and Research, John G. Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - Fabian Kyne
- University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica
| | - Tim Langlois
- The UWA Oceans Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Jaedon Lawe
- Yardie Environmental Conservationists Limited, Kingston, Jamaica
| | - Elodie J I Lédée
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | | | - Jade Q Maggs
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Auckland, New Zealand
| | | | - Andrea Marshall
- Marine Megafauna Foundation, West Palm, FL, USA
- Depto. Ecología e Hidrología, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | | | | | - Dianne McLean
- The UWA Oceans Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Llewelyn Meggs
- Yardie Environmental Conservationists Limited, Kingston, Jamaica
| | - Stephen Moore
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Sushmita Mukherji
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Ryan Murray
- Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, Philippines
- Met Eireann, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Stephen J Newman
- Western Australian Fisheries and Marine Research Laboratories, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Government of Western Australia, Hillarys, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Owen R O'Shea
- Cape Eleuthera Institute, Cape Eleuthera, Eleuthera, Bahamas
- Centre for Ocean Research and Education, Gregory Town, Eleuthera, Bahamas
| | - Kennedy E Osuka
- CORDIO East Africa, Mombasa, Kenya
- Department of Earth, Oceans and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Yannis P Papastamatiou
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, FL, USA
| | | | - Bradley J Peterson
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Fabián Pina-Amargós
- Blue Sanctuary-Avalon, Jardines de la Reina, Cuba
- Centro de Investigaciones Marinas, Universidad de La Habana, Habana, Cuba
| | - Alessandro Ponzo
- Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, Philippines
| | - Andhika Prasetyo
- Center for Fisheries Research, Ministry for Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Jakarta Utara, Indonesia
- Research Center for Conservation of Marine and Inland Water Resources, National Research and Innovation Agency, Bogor, Indonesia
| | - L M Sjamsul Quamar
- Fisheries Department, Universitas Dayanu Ikhsanuddin, Bau Bau, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia
| | - Jessica R Quinlan
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, FL, USA
| | | | - Fernanda A Rolim
- Marine Ecology and Conservation Laboratory, Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Santos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | - Melita A Samoilys
- CORDIO East Africa, Mombasa, Kenya
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Enric Sala
- Pristine Seas, National Geographic Society, Washington, DC, USA
| | - William R Sample
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, FL, USA
| | | | - Sara N Schoen
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, FL, USA
| | - Audrey M Schlaff
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Adam N H Smith
- School of Mathematical and Computational Sciences, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
| | | | - Twan Stoffers
- Aquaculture and Fisheries Group, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Rubén Torres
- Reef Check Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
| | - Michael J Travers
- Western Australian Fisheries and Marine Research Laboratories, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Government of Western Australia, Hillarys, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Jasmine Valentin-Albanese
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
- Bergen County Technical Schools, Bergen County, NJ, USA
| | - Joseph D Warren
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Alexandra M Watts
- Marine Megafauna Foundation, Truckee, CA, USA
- Department of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science Engineering, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK
| | - Colin K Wen
- Department of Life Science, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Elizabeth R Whitman
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, FL, USA
| | - Aaron J Wirsing
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Esteban Zarza-González
- GIBEAM Research Group, Universidad del Sinú, Cartagena, Colombia
- Corales del Rosario and San Bernardo National Natural Park, Bolivar, Colombia
| | - Demian D Chapman
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, FL, USA
- Sharks and Rays Conservation Program, Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL, USA
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3
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Francis FT, Burke L, Marliave J, Schultz J, Borden L, Weltman A, Dunham A. Fishing damage to cloud sponges may lead to losses in associated fish communities in Pacific Canada. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 197:106448. [PMID: 38518407 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
Glass sponge gardens are important biogenic habitats that support fish communities in Pacific Canada. However, glass sponges (class Hexactinellida) are delicate and susceptible to damage from fishing gear such as downriggers. In this study we document changes in a fish community before -and after damage from a presumed fishing event that resulted in a reduction of 58.9% of the available sponge habitat in a small cloud sponge garden in British Columbia. This habitat loss coincided with a decline of 76.9% of the relative abundance of rockfish, an economically important group of fishes, at the garden. This decline was particularly pronounced in small size classes with the disappearance of juvenile rockfish after the sponge loss. Although based on a single site, this is the first documentation of how anthropogenic damage in a sponge aggregation may impact the associated fish community. Damage from fishing gear is likely most pronounced in small sponge aggregations, like nearshore gardens, where a single event may result in a disproportionately large loss of available fish habitat. Slow regrowth of sponges suggests the habitat availability may be permanently altered at these sites and can coincide with shifts in the localized fish community that may be long lasting on a local scale. Currently sponge gardens do not have any direct spatial protections in the Pacific Northwest, and this work highlights the importance of considering them in future protection initiatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiona T Francis
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Institute of Ocean Sciences, 9860 West Saanich Road, Sidney, British Columbia, V8L 5T5, Canada.
| | - Lily Burke
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Institute of Ocean Sciences, 9860 West Saanich Road, Sidney, British Columbia, V8L 5T5, Canada
| | - Jeff Marliave
- Raincoast Conservation Foundation, PO Box 2429, Sidney, British Columbia, V8L 3Y3, Canada
| | - Jessica Schultz
- Department of Integrative Biology, Summerlee Science Complex, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada; Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, 50 Stone Road East, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Laura Borden
- Dynamic Ocean Consulting Ltd., 1490 Union Street, Port Moody, British Columbia, V3H 3X5, Canada
| | - Amanda Weltman
- Environment and Climate Change, Government of the Northwest Territories, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, X1A 2L9, Canada
| | - Anya Dunham
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Biological Station, 3190 Hammond Bay Road, Nanaimo, BC, V9T 6N7, Canada
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4
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Clark AJ, Atkinson SR, Scarponi V, Cane T, Geraldi NR, Hendy IW, Shipway JR, Peck M. Cost-effort analysis of Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUV) and environmental DNA (eDNA) in monitoring marine ecological communities. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17091. [PMID: 38708339 PMCID: PMC11067900 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Monitoring the diversity and distribution of species in an ecosystem is essential to assess the success of restoration strategies. Implementing biomonitoring methods, which provide a comprehensive assessment of species diversity and mitigate biases in data collection, holds significant importance in biodiversity research. Additionally, ensuring that these methods are cost-efficient and require minimal effort is crucial for effective environmental monitoring. In this study we compare the efficiency of species detection, the cost and the effort of two non-destructive sampling techniques: Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUV) and environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding to survey marine vertebrate species. Comparisons were conducted along the Sussex coast upon the introduction of the Nearshore Trawling Byelaw. This Byelaw aims to boost the recovery of the dense kelp beds and the associated biodiversity that existed in the 1980s. We show that overall BRUV surveys are more affordable than eDNA, however, eDNA detects almost three times as many species as BRUV. eDNA and BRUV surveys are comparable in terms of effort required for each method, unless eDNA analysis is carried out externally, in which case eDNA requires less effort for the lead researchers. Furthermore, we show that increased eDNA replication yields more informative results on community structure. We found that using both methods in conjunction provides a more complete view of biodiversity, with BRUV data supplementing eDNA monitoring by recording species missed by eDNA and by providing additional environmental and life history metrics. The results from this study will serve as a baseline of the marine vertebrate community in Sussex Bay allowing future biodiversity monitoring research projects to understand community structure as the ecosystem recovers following the removal of trawling fishing pressure. Although this study was regional, the findings presented herein have relevance to marine biodiversity and conservation monitoring programs around the globe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice J. Clark
- Department of Ecology & Evolution, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Sophie R. Atkinson
- Department of Ecology & Evolution, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Valentina Scarponi
- Department of Ecology & Evolution, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Tim Cane
- Department of Geography, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | | | - Ian W. Hendy
- School of Biological Science, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, United Kingdom
| | - J. Reuben Shipway
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom
| | - Mika Peck
- Department of Ecology & Evolution, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom
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5
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Rees MJ, Knott NA, Astles KL, Swadling DS, West GJ, Ferguson AM, Delamont J, Gibson PT, Neilson J, Birch GF, Glasby TM. Cumulative effects of multiple stressors impact an endangered seagrass population and fish communities. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 904:166706. [PMID: 37659560 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023]
Abstract
Coastal ecosystems are becoming increasingly threatened by human activities and there is growing appreciation that management must consider the impacts of multiple stressors. Cumulative effects assessments (CEAs) have become a popular tool for identifying the distribution and intensity of multiple human stressors in coastal ecosystems. Few studies, however, have demonstrated strong correlations between CEAs and change in ecosystem condition, questioning its management use. Here, we apply a CEA to the endangered seagrass Posidonia australis in Pittwater, NSW, Australia, using spatial data on known stressors to seagrass related to foreshore development, water quality, vessel traffic and fishing. We tested how well cumulative effects scores explained changes in P. australis extent measured between 2005 and 2019 using high-resolution aerial imagery. A negative correlation between P. australis and estimated cumulative effects scores was observed (R2 = 22 %), and we identified a threshold of cumulative effects above which losses of P. australis became more likely. Using baited remote underwater video, we surveyed fishes over P. australis and non-vegetated sediments to infer and quantify how impacts of cumulative effects to P. australis extent would flow on to fish assemblages. P. australis contained a distinct assemblage of fish, and on non-vegetated sediments the abundance of sparids, which are of importance to fisheries, increased with closer proximity to P. australis. Our results demonstrate the negative impact of multiple stressors on P. australis and the consequences for fish biodiversity and fisheries production across much of the estuary. Management actions aimed at reducing or limiting cumulative effects to low and moderate levels will help conserve P. australis and its associated fish biodiversity and productivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Rees
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Marine Ecosystems, Fisheries Research, 4 Woollamia Road, Huskisson, NSW, 2540, Australia.
| | - Nathan A Knott
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Marine Ecosystems, Fisheries Research, 4 Woollamia Road, Huskisson, NSW, 2540, Australia
| | - Karen L Astles
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Fisheries Research, P.O. Box 5106, Wollongong 2520, Australia
| | - Daniel S Swadling
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, Locked Bag 1, New South Wales, 2315 Nelson Bay, Australia
| | - Greg J West
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, Locked Bag 1, New South Wales, 2315 Nelson Bay, Australia
| | - Adrian M Ferguson
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Marine Ecosystems, Fisheries Research, 4 Woollamia Road, Huskisson, NSW, 2540, Australia
| | - Jason Delamont
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Marine Ecosystems, Fisheries Research, 4 Woollamia Road, Huskisson, NSW, 2540, Australia
| | - Peter T Gibson
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, Locked Bag 1, New South Wales, 2315 Nelson Bay, Australia
| | - Joseph Neilson
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, Locked Bag 1, New South Wales, 2315 Nelson Bay, Australia
| | - Gavin F Birch
- Geocoastal Research Group, School of Geosciences, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia
| | - Tim M Glasby
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, Locked Bag 1, New South Wales, 2315 Nelson Bay, Australia
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6
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Baletaud F, Lecellier G, Gilbert A, Mathon L, Côme JM, Dejean T, Dumas M, Fiat S, Vigliola L. Comparing Seamounts and Coral Reefs with eDNA and BRUVS Reveals Oases and Refuges on Shallow Seamounts. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1446. [PMID: 37998045 PMCID: PMC10669620 DOI: 10.3390/biology12111446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Seamounts are the least known ocean biome. Considered biodiversity hotspots, biomass oases, and refuges for megafauna, large gaps exist in their real diversity relative to other ecosystems like coral reefs. Using environmental DNA metabarcoding (eDNA) and baited video (BRUVS), we compared fish assemblages across five environments of different depths: coral reefs (15 m), shallow seamounts (50 m), continental slopes (150 m), intermediate seamounts (250 m), and deep seamounts (500 m). We modeled assemblages using 12 environmental variables and found depth to be the main driver of fish diversity and biomass, although other variables like human accessibility were important. Boosted Regression Trees (BRT) revealed a strong negative effect of depth on species richness, segregating coral reefs from deep-sea environments. Surprisingly, BRT showed a hump-shaped effect of depth on fish biomass, with significantly lower biomass on coral reefs than in shallowest deep-sea environments. Biomass of large predators like sharks was three times higher on shallow seamounts (50 m) than on coral reefs. The five studied environments showed quite distinct assemblages. However, species shared between coral reefs and deeper-sea environments were dominated by highly mobile large predators. Our results suggest that seamounts are no diversity hotspots for fish. However, we show that shallower seamounts form biomass oases and refuges for threatened megafauna, suggesting that priority should be given to their protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Baletaud
- ENTROPIE, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), UR, UNC, IFREMER, CNRS, Centre IRD de Nouméa, 98848 Noumea, New Caledonia, France; (F.B.); (G.L.); (L.M.); (M.D.); (S.F.)
- GINGER SOPRONER, 98000 Noumea, New Caledonia, France;
- GINGER BURGEAP, 69000 Lyon, France;
- MARBEC, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IFREMER, 34000 Montpellier, France
| | - Gaël Lecellier
- ENTROPIE, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), UR, UNC, IFREMER, CNRS, Centre IRD de Nouméa, 98848 Noumea, New Caledonia, France; (F.B.); (G.L.); (L.M.); (M.D.); (S.F.)
- ISEA, University of New Caledonia, 98800 Noumea, New Caledonia, France
| | | | - Laëtitia Mathon
- ENTROPIE, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), UR, UNC, IFREMER, CNRS, Centre IRD de Nouméa, 98848 Noumea, New Caledonia, France; (F.B.); (G.L.); (L.M.); (M.D.); (S.F.)
- CEFE, University of Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE-PSL, IRD, 34000 Montpellier, France
| | | | | | - Mahé Dumas
- ENTROPIE, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), UR, UNC, IFREMER, CNRS, Centre IRD de Nouméa, 98848 Noumea, New Caledonia, France; (F.B.); (G.L.); (L.M.); (M.D.); (S.F.)
| | - Sylvie Fiat
- ENTROPIE, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), UR, UNC, IFREMER, CNRS, Centre IRD de Nouméa, 98848 Noumea, New Caledonia, France; (F.B.); (G.L.); (L.M.); (M.D.); (S.F.)
| | - Laurent Vigliola
- ENTROPIE, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), UR, UNC, IFREMER, CNRS, Centre IRD de Nouméa, 98848 Noumea, New Caledonia, France; (F.B.); (G.L.); (L.M.); (M.D.); (S.F.)
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Castro GM, Vargens RP, Carlos-Júnior LA, Cardoso FC, Salomon PS, Tenório MMB, Bastos AC, Oliveira N, Ghisolfi RD, Cordeiro RTS, Moura RL. Incised valleys drive distinctive oceanographic processes and biological assemblages within rhodolith beds. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0293259. [PMID: 37956173 PMCID: PMC10642839 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Continental shelves encompass gently sloped seascapes that are highly productive and intensively exploited for natural resources. Islands, reefs and other emergent or quasi-emergent features punctuate these shallow (<100 m) seascapes and are well known drivers of increased biomass and biodiversity, as well as predictors of fishing and other human uses. On the other hand, relict mesoscale geomorphological features that do not represent navigation hazards, such as incised valleys (IVs), remain poorly charted. Consequently, their role in biophysical processes remains poorly assessed and sampled. Incised valleys are common within rhodolith beds (RBs), the most extensive benthic habitat along the tropical and subtropical portions of the mid and outer Brazilian shelf. Here, we report on a multi-proxy assessment carried out in a tropical-subtropical transition region (~20°S) off Eastern Brazil, contrasting physicochemical and biological variables in IVs and adjacent RBs. Valleys interfere in near bottom circulation and function as conduits for water and propagules from the slope up to the mid shelf. In addition, they provide a stable and structurally complex habitat for black corals and gorgonians that usually occur in deeper water, contrasting sharply with the algae-dominated RB. Fish richness, abundance and biomass were also higher in the IVs, with small planktivores and large-bodied, commercially important species (e.g. groupers, snappers and grunts) presenting smaller abundances or being absent from RBs. Overall, IVs are unique and vulnerable habitats that sustain diverse assemblages and important ecosystem processes. As new IVs are detected by remote sensing or bathymetric surveys, they can be incorporated into regional marine management plans as conservation targets and priority sites for detailed in situ surveys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guilherme M. Castro
- Instituto de Biologia and SAGE/COPPE, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Rafaela P. Vargens
- Departamento de Biologia, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Lélis A. Carlos-Júnior
- Departamento de Biologia, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Fernando C. Cardoso
- Instituto de Biologia and SAGE/COPPE, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Paulo S. Salomon
- Instituto de Biologia and SAGE/COPPE, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Márcio M. B. Tenório
- Instituto de Biologia and SAGE/COPPE, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Alex C. Bastos
- Departamento de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil
| | - Natacha Oliveira
- Departamento de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil
| | - Renato D. Ghisolfi
- Departamento de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil
| | - Ralf T. S. Cordeiro
- Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo L. Moura
- Instituto de Biologia and SAGE/COPPE, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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Ferreira JA, Alberts JA, Smith G, Bernard AT, Pereira MJ, De Vos L. Seasonal changes characterise the shark and ray assemblages in a subtropical shallow sandy habitat in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, South Africa. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15636. [PMID: 37465155 PMCID: PMC10351505 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding how environmental drivers influence shark and ray spatial and temporal patterns can provide crucial knowledge for their evidence-based protection and long-term monitoring. However, information on which drivers of variation are most important for elasmobranch communities on soft sediments is limited. Using baited remote underwater stereo-video systems (stereo-BRUVs), we investigated how seasonal and environmental variables affected the elasmobranchs of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park marine protected area (MPA) in South Africa (SA). In total, 11 species were identified from 48 sites between 12 m and 33 m water depth in a sandy habitat. While species richness was similar across seasons, the total abundance of elasmobranchs recorded was higher in winter than summer. The species assemblage composition varied significantly between seasons, with the Human's whaler shark Carcharhinus humani prevalent in summer and the Critically Endangered whitespotted wedgefish Rhynchobatus djiddensis more abundant during winter. Most species were sighted throughout the entire depth range, but rays were more common in shallower waters (< 25 m depth), while C. humani and R. djiddensis were more common in the deeper depth zone of this study. This research provides baseline information about this previously unexplored sandy habitat for elasmobranchs in a site of regional and global significance. Records of species of conservation concern in the sampling area highlight the importance of protecting sand environments within an MPA.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Grant Smith
- Sharklife Conservation Group, Sodwana Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
| | - Anthony T.F. Bernard
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, Makhanda, Eastern Cape, South Africa
- SAIAB (South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity), Rhodes University, Makhanda, Eastern Cape, South Africa
| | - Mário J. Pereira
- Departamento de Biologia & CESAM (Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies), Universidade de Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
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Erickson KR, Bugnot AB, Figueira WF. Optimising sampling of fish assemblages on intertidal reefs using remote underwater video. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15426. [PMID: 37250718 PMCID: PMC10211360 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Assessing fish assemblages in subtidal and intertidal habitats is challenging due to the structural complexity of many of these systems. Trapping and collecting are regarded as optimal ways to sample these assemblages, but this method is costly and destructive, so researchers also use video techniques. Underwater visual census and baited remote underwater video stations are commonly used to characterise fish communities in these systems. More passive techniques such as remote underwater video (RUV) may be more appropriate for behavioural studies, or for comparing proximal habitats where the broad attraction caused by bait plumes could be an issue. However, data processing for RUVs can be time consuming and create processing bottlenecks. Methods Here, we identified the optimal subsampling method to assess fish assemblages on intertidal oyster reefs using RUV footage and bootstrapping techniques. We quantified how video subsampling effort and method (systematic vs random) affect the accuracy and precision of three different fish assemblage metrics; species richness and two proxies for the total abundance of fish, MaxNT and MeanCountT, which have not been evaluated previously for complex intertidal habitats. Results Results suggest that MaxNT and species richness should be recorded in real time, whereas optimal sampling for MeanCountT is every 60 s. Systematic sampling proved to be more accurate and precise than random sampling. This study provides valuable methodology recommendations which are relevant for the use of RUV to assess fish assemblages in a variety of shallow intertidal habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine R. Erickson
- Centre for Marine Science and Innovation, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Ana B. Bugnot
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Oceans and Atmosphere, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Will F. Figueira
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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10
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Merlo PJ, Venerus LA, Irigoyen AJ. Fine-scale variation in the proximity of baited remote underwater video stations (BRUVS) to rocky reefs reveals changes in the structure of temperate fish assemblages. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 185:105902. [PMID: 36736235 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2023.105902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
We investigated changes in the structure of coastal fish assemblages in Northern Patagonia, Southwestern Atlantic, by using baited remote underwater video stations (BRUVS) deployed at increasing distances from rocky reefs: 0-5 m, 15-20 m and 50-60 m. We estimated species richness and abundance (total and by preferred habitat type) and searched for diagnostic species in each distance range. We recorded 14 taxa across 11 families in 19 areas surveyed. Species richness and abundance were higher on reef ledges and decreased with distance from them, at a finer spatial scale than previously reported. Acanthistius patachonicus and Sebastes oculatus were indicative of reef ledges; they were less abundant at 15-20 m and disappeared at 50-60 m. Callorinchus callorynchus and Odontesthes spp. occurred only at distances >15-20 m from the reefs, while Galeorhinus galeus was distributed homogeneously throughout the surveyed area. Our findings have practical implications for monitoring ecotone demersal habitats with BRUVS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo J Merlo
- Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos (CESIMAR), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CCT CENPAT-CONICET), Blvd. Brown 2915, U9120ACD, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina.
| | - Leonardo A Venerus
- Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos (CESIMAR), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CCT CENPAT-CONICET), Blvd. Brown 2915, U9120ACD, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
| | - Alejo J Irigoyen
- Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos (CESIMAR), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CCT CENPAT-CONICET), Blvd. Brown 2915, U9120ACD, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
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11
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Siegfried TR, Reimer J, Roberto E, Noren C, Vidal A, Dixon K, DuBois M, Piacenza SE. Size-Mediated Sea Turtle Behavioral Responses at Artificial Habitats in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. Animals (Basel) 2022; 13:ani13010114. [PMID: 36611724 PMCID: PMC9817786 DOI: 10.3390/ani13010114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Our understanding of size-specific sea turtle behavior has lagged due to methodological limitations. However, stereo-video cameras (SVC) are an in-water approach that can link body-size and allow for relatively undisturbed behavioral observations. In this study, we conducted SVC dive surveys at local artificial reefs, piers, and jetties in the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGOM) from May 2019 to August 2021. Using SVCs, we measured sea turtle straight carapace length, documented behaviors, and quantified wariness by assessing minimum approach distance (MAD). In green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas), the observed MAD ranged from 0.72 to 5.99 m (mean 2.10 m ± 1.10 standard deviation (SD), n = 73). For loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta), the MAD ranged between 0.93 and 3.80 m (mean 2.12 m ± 0.99 SD, n = 16). Kemp's ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys kempii) were similar to loggerheads, and MAD ranged from 0.78 to 3.63 m (mean 2.35 m ± 0.99 SD, n = 8). We then evaluated what biological factors could impact the MAD observed by species, but we excluded Kemp's ridleys as the sample size was small. Using a linear mixed model and model selection based on AICc, the top ranked model for both green and loggerhead sea turtles included SCL as the most important factor influencing MAD. MAD did not vary with habitat type for either species. Our results showed that larger individuals, regardless of species, have a greater wariness response, becoming startled at greater distances than smaller individuals. The findings of our study support the use of SVC as an accessible, non-invasive tool to conduct ecologically relevant in-water surveys of sea turtles to link behavioral observations to body size.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jackson Reimer
- Department of Biology, University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL 32514, USA
| | - Emma Roberto
- Department of Biology, University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL 32514, USA
| | - Christopher Noren
- Department of Biology, University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL 32514, USA
- Darling Marine Center, University of Maine, Walpole, ME 04573, USA
| | - Alex Vidal
- Department of Biology, University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL 32514, USA
- United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Maryland Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office, Annapolis, MD 21401, USA
| | - Kristi Dixon
- Department of Biology, University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL 32514, USA
| | - Morgan DuBois
- Department of Biology, University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL 32514, USA
| | - Susan E. Piacenza
- Department of Biology, University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL 32514, USA
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
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Chaikin S, De-Beer G, Yitzhak N, Stern N, Belmaker J. The invasive silver-cheeked toadfish (Lagocephalus sceleratus) predominantly impacts the behavior of other non-indigenous species in the Eastern Mediterranean. Biol Invasions 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-022-02972-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
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13
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Bosch NE, Pessarrodona A, Filbee-Dexter K, Tuya F, Mulders Y, Bell S, Langlois T, Wernberg T. Habitat configurations shape the trophic and energetic dynamics of reef fishes in a tropical-temperate transition zone: implications under a warming future. Oecologia 2022; 200:455-470. [PMID: 36344837 PMCID: PMC9675646 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05278-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the extent to which species' traits mediate patterns of community assembly is key to predict the effect of natural and anthropogenic disturbances on ecosystem functioning. Here, we apply a trait-based community assembly framework to understand how four different habitat configurations (kelp forests, Sargassum spp. beds, hard corals, and turfs) shape the trophic and energetic dynamics of reef fish assemblages in a tropical-temperate transition zone. Specifically, we tested (i) the degree of trait divergence and convergence in each habitat, (ii) which traits explained variation in species' abundances, and (iii) differences in standing biomass (kg ha-1), secondary productivity (kg ha-1 day-1) and turnover (% day-1). Fish assemblages in coral and kelp habitats displayed greater evidence of trait convergence, while turf and Sargassum spp. habitats displayed a higher degree of trait divergence, a pattern that was mostly driven by traits related to resource use and thermal affinity. This filtering effect had an imprint on the trophic and energetic dynamics of reef fishes, with turf habitats supporting higher fish biomass and productivity. However, these gains were strongly dependent on trophic guild, with herbivores/detritivores disproportionately contributing to among-habitat differences. Despite these perceived overall gains, turnover was decoupled for fishes that act as conduit of energy to higher trophic levels (i.e. microinvertivores), with coral habitats displaying higher rates of fish biomass replenishment than turf despite their lower productivity. This has important implications for biodiversity conservation and fisheries management, questioning the long-term sustainability of ecological processes and fisheries yields in increasingly altered marine habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nestor E Bosch
- School of Biological Sciences, The UWA Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia.
| | - Albert Pessarrodona
- School of Biological Sciences, The UWA Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Karen Filbee-Dexter
- School of Biological Sciences, The UWA Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
- Institute of Marine Research, Nye Flødevigveien 20, 4817, His, Norway
| | - Fernando Tuya
- Grupo en Biodiversidad y Conservación, IU-ECOAQUA, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Crta. Taliarte S/N, 35214, Telde, Spain
| | - Yannick Mulders
- School of Biological Sciences, The UWA Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Sahira Bell
- School of Biological Sciences, The UWA Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Tim Langlois
- School of Biological Sciences, The UWA Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Thomas Wernberg
- School of Biological Sciences, The UWA Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
- Institute of Marine Research, Nye Flødevigveien 20, 4817, His, Norway
- Department of Science and Environment, Roskilde University, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark
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Alaba SY, Nabi MM, Shah C, Prior J, Campbell MD, Wallace F, Ball JE, Moorhead R. Class-Aware Fish Species Recognition Using Deep Learning for an Imbalanced Dataset. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 22:s22218268. [PMID: 36365964 PMCID: PMC9658540 DOI: 10.3390/s22218268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Fish species recognition is crucial to identifying the abundance of fish species in a specific area, controlling production management, and monitoring the ecosystem, especially identifying the endangered species, which makes accurate fish species recognition essential. In this work, the fish species recognition problem is formulated as an object detection model to handle multiple fish in a single image, which is challenging to classify using a simple classification network. The proposed model consists of MobileNetv3-large and VGG16 backbone networks and an SSD detection head. Moreover, a class-aware loss function is proposed to solve the class imbalance problem of our dataset. The class-aware loss takes the number of instances in each species into account and gives more weight to those species with a smaller number of instances. This loss function can be applied to any classification or object detection task with an imbalanced dataset. The experimental result on the large-scale reef fish dataset, SEAMAPD21, shows that the class-aware loss improves the model over the original loss by up to 79.7%. The experimental result on the Pascal VOC dataset also shows the model outperforms the original SSD object detection model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simegnew Yihunie Alaba
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, James Worth Bagley College of Engineering, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS 39762, USA
| | - M M Nabi
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, James Worth Bagley College of Engineering, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS 39762, USA
| | - Chiranjibi Shah
- Northern Gulf Institute, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS 39759, USA
| | - Jack Prior
- Northern Gulf Institute, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS 39759, USA
| | - Matthew D. Campbell
- NOAA—National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, 3209 Frederic Street, Pascagoula, MS 39567, USA
| | | | - John E. Ball
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, James Worth Bagley College of Engineering, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS 39762, USA
| | - Robert Moorhead
- Northern Gulf Institute, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS 39759, USA
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15
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Cortelezzi P, Paulet TG, Olbers JM, Harris JM, Bernard ATF. Conservation benefits of a marine protected area on South African chondrichthyans. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 319:115691. [PMID: 35839646 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Chondrichthyans are threatened worldwide due to their life-history traits combined with a plethora of anthropogenic impacts that are causing populations to collapse. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are a conservation option, but their efficacy for chondrichthyans is still unclear. Conservation efforts might be challenging especially in developing countries, due to a lack of resources and monitoring and limited data and stakeholder support. Here Baited Remote Underwater Stereo-Video systems (stereo-BRUVs) were deployed inside and outside a small partially protected MPA (Robberg MPA, Western Cape, South Africa) to assess the status of cartilaginous fishes' assemblages and to investigate the potential benefits derived from the presence of a marine reserve. Overall, 19 chondrichthyan species in 11 different families were observed. Chondrichthyans were observed in 78.5% of the sites and, of these, 89.7% of the MPA sites showed at least one chondrichthyan, while only in the 67.5% of surrounding exploited sites a cartilaginous fish was sighted. The presence of the MPA had a significant effect on the relative abundance of batoids, threatened species and local endemics, with more observations inside the MPA than outside, indicating the potential benefit of marine reserves on species that are more vulnerable to fishing pressure. Relative abundance was generally higher inside the bay than in the exposed area, and both relative abundance and species richness decreased significantly with depth. The analysis of the body length showed that the 35.5% of species had an average body length below maturity length, indicating that the area might be used as nursery ground for different species. This study provides evidence that MPAs, even though small and partially protected, can provide benefits for chondrichthyans, specifically to threatened species, endemic species and lesser-known species. Importantly, different environmental parameters must be considered to maximize the benefits an MPA can provide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Cortelezzi
- Earth and Environmental Science Department, University of Milano Bicocca, Piazza Della Scienza 1, 20126, Milano, Italy; South African Shark Conservancy (SASC), Hermanus, 7200, Western Cape, South Africa.
| | - Timothy G Paulet
- South African Shark Conservancy (SASC), Hermanus, 7200, Western Cape, South Africa
| | - Jennifer M Olbers
- Wildlands Conservation Trust, 460 Townbush Road, Pietermaritzburg, 3201, South Africa
| | - Jean M Harris
- Wildlands Conservation Trust, 460 Townbush Road, Pietermaritzburg, 3201, South Africa; Institute for Coastal and Marine Research (CMR), Nelson Mandela University, Gomeroy Avenue, Summerstrand, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa
| | - Anthony T F Bernard
- South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, Somerset Street, Makhanda, 6139, South Africa; Rhodes University, Department of Zoology and Entomology, Makhanda, 6139, South Africa
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Anderson AB, Bernardes MB, Pinheiro HT, Guabiroba HC, Pimentel CR, Vilar CC, Gomes LEO, Bernardino AF, Delfino SDT, Giarrizzo T, Ferreira CEL, Joyeux JC. Niche availability and habitat affinities of the red porgy Pagrus pagrus (Linnaeus, 1758): An important ecological player on the world's largest rhodolith beds. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2022; 101:179-189. [PMID: 35538668 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The red porgy (Pagrus pagrus) is a carnivore bottom dweller sparid, inhabiting flat sandy bottoms, rhodolith and seagrass beds of the Mediterranean Sea, the Western Atlantic (from Florida to Argentina) and the Eastern Atlantic (from Britain to Gabon). Along its native range, the red porgy is highly targeted by commercial and artisanal fisheries. In the past 40 years, the population decline of the species has been widely reported. In many locations, such as the Brazilian coast, stocks have collapsed. The central portion of the Brazilian coast harbours the largest rhodolith beds in the world and the highest levels of nektonic and benthic biodiversity. Along the rhodolith megahabitat, P. pagrus density is disproportionately higher (by 480%) than that of conspicuous benthic fishes inhabiting the same environment. Despite the ecological and economic importance of such an important species along its native range, little is known regarding its habitat use, niche availability and population responses to global warming. Here we present habitat affinities based on data sampled using baited remote stereo-video systems, and modelled niche availability and global warming populational responses. Our findings reveal that the red porgy is a species highly associated with rhodolith beds along the central portion of the Brazilian coast. The presence of a disproportional density and biomass of the red porgy, compared to other marine fish species, indicates that the species plays a key ecological role as a carnivore, mesoconsumer and prey/predator tolerant species, maintaining essential ecological functions in the habitat. In a global warming scenario, the model predicted populational niche shifts poleward and a severe niche erosion at lower latitudes as expected. Conservation initiatives (implementation of Maine Protected Areas, trawling exclusion zones, mining exclusion zones, fisheries management policies) are urgent to secure future stocks of the red porgy and also preserve the fragile rhodolith beds they inhabit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antônio B Anderson
- Laboratory of Ichthyology, Department of Oceanography, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil
- Center for Marine Biology, University of São Paulo, São Sebastião, Brazil
| | - Manuela B Bernardes
- Department of Environmental Education, V. Velha Town Hall, Vila Velha, Espírito Santo, Brazil
| | - Hudson T Pinheiro
- Center for Marine Biology, University of São Paulo, São Sebastião, Brazil
- California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Helder C Guabiroba
- Laboratory of Ichthyology, Department of Oceanography, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil
| | - Caio R Pimentel
- Laboratory of Ichthyology, Department of Oceanography, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil
| | - Ciro C Vilar
- Laboratory of Ichthyology, Department of Oceanography, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil
| | - Luiz E O Gomes
- Benthic Ecology Laboratory, Department of Oceanography, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil
| | | | - Stephanie D T Delfino
- Laboratory of Ichthyology, Department of Oceanography, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil
| | - Tommaso Giarrizzo
- Núcleo de Ecologia Aquática E Pesca da Amazonia, Grupo de Ecologia Aquática, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Carlos E L Ferreira
- LECAR-Federal Fluminense University, Department of Marine Biology, Niterói, Brazil
| | - Jean-Christophe Joyeux
- Laboratory of Ichthyology, Department of Oceanography, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitória, Brazil
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Alexander JB, Marnane MJ, Elsdon TS, Bunce M, Songploy S, Sitaworawet P, Harvey ES. Complementary molecular and visual sampling of fish on oil and gas platforms provides superior biodiversity characterisation. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 179:105692. [PMID: 35785679 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2022.105692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Offshore oil and gas platforms have the potential to provide complex refugia for fish and benthic colonisers. We compare two methods of biodiversity assessment for fish and elasmobranchs at seven decommissioned oil and gas platforms as well as five sediment sites, located 5 km from platforms, in the Gulf of Thailand. Using surveys from stereo-video ROV transects, and data from Environmental DNA (eDNA) water-column samples, we detected fish and elasmobranch taxa from 39 families and 66 genera across both platform and sediment sites with eDNA, compared with 18 families and 29 genera by stereo-ROV with platforms yielding significantly greater species richness. This study demonstrates that the combination of stereo-video ROV and eDNA provide effective, non-extractive and complementary methods to enhance data capture. This approach sets new benchmarks for evaluating fish assemblages surrounding platforms and will enhance measurements of biota to inform decisions on the fate of oil/gas infrastructure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason B Alexander
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia.
| | | | - Travis S Elsdon
- Chevron Technical Center, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Michael Bunce
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research, New Zealand
| | - Se Songploy
- Aquatic Resources Research Institute, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Euan S Harvey
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia
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18
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Abstract
The first major step in training an object detection model to different classes from the available datasets is the gathering of meaningful and properly annotated data. This recurring task will determine the length of any project, and, more importantly, the quality of the resulting models. This obstacle is amplified when the data available for the new classes are scarce or incompatible, as in the case of fish detection in the open sea. This issue was tackled using a mixed and reversed approach: a network is initiated with a noisy dataset of the same species as our classes (fish), although in different scenarios and conditions (fish from Australian marine fauna), and we gathered the target footage (fish from Portuguese marine fauna; Atlantic Ocean) for the application without annotations. Using the temporal information of the detected objects and augmented techniques during later training, it was possible to generate highly accurate labels from our targeted footage. Furthermore, the data selection method retained the samples of each unique situation, filtering repetitive data, which would bias the training process. The obtained results validate the proposed method of automating the labeling processing, resorting directly to the final application as the source of training data. The presented method achieved a mean average precision of 93.11% on our own data, and 73.61% on unseen data, an increase of 24.65% and 25.53% over the baseline of the noisy dataset, respectively.
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Bosch NE, Monk J, Goetze J, Wilson S, Babcock RC, Barrett N, Clough J, Currey‐Randall LM, Fairclough DV, Fisher R, Gibbons BA, Harasti D, Harvey ES, Heupel MR, Hicks JL, Holmes TH, Huveneers C, Ierodiaconou D, Jordan A, Knott NA, Malcolm HA, McLean D, Meekan M, Newman SJ, Radford B, Rees MJ, Saunders BJ, Speed CW, Travers MJ, Wakefield CB, Wernberg T, Langlois TJ. Effects of human footprint and biophysical factors on the body-size structure of fished marine species. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2022; 36:e13807. [PMID: 34312893 PMCID: PMC9292308 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Marine fisheries in coastal ecosystems in many areas of the world have historically removed large-bodied individuals, potentially impairing ecosystem functioning and the long-term sustainability of fish populations. Reporting on size-based indicators that link to food-web structure can contribute to ecosystem-based management, but the application of these indicators over large (cross-ecosystem) geographical scales has been limited to either fisheries-dependent catch data or diver-based methods restricted to shallow waters (<20 m) that can misrepresent the abundance of large-bodied fished species. We obtained data on the body-size structure of 82 recreationally or commercially targeted marine demersal teleosts from 2904 deployments of baited remote underwater stereo-video (stereo-BRUV). Sampling was at up to 50 m depth and covered approximately 10,000 km of the continental shelf of Australia. Seascape relief, water depth, and human gravity (i.e., a proxy of human impacts) were the strongest predictors of the probability of occurrence of large fishes and the abundance of fishes above the minimum legal size of capture. No-take marine reserves had a positive effect on the abundance of fishes above legal size, although the effect varied across species groups. In contrast, sublegal fishes were best predicted by gradients in sea surface temperature (mean and variance). In areas of low human impact, large fishes were about three times more likely to be encountered and fishes of legal size were approximately five times more abundant. For conspicuous species groups with contrasting habitat, environmental, and biogeographic affinities, abundance of legal-size fishes typically declined as human impact increased. Our large-scale quantitative analyses highlight the combined importance of seascape complexity, regions with low human footprint, and no-take marine reserves in protecting large-bodied fishes across a broad range of species and ecosystem configurations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nestor E. Bosch
- The School of Biological SciencesThe University of Western AustraliaPerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
- The UWA Oceans InstituteThe University of Western AustraliaPerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Jacquomo Monk
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic StudiesUniversity of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
| | - Jordan Goetze
- Marine Science Program, Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Department of BiodiversityConservation and AttractionsKensingtonWestern AustraliaAustralia
- School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin UniversityPerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Shaun Wilson
- The UWA Oceans InstituteThe University of Western AustraliaPerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
- Marine Science Program, Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Department of BiodiversityConservation and AttractionsKensingtonWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | | | - Neville Barrett
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic StudiesUniversity of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
| | - Jock Clough
- The UWA Oceans InstituteThe University of Western AustraliaPerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | | | - David V. Fairclough
- Western Australian Fisheries and Marine Research Laboratories, Department of Primary Industries and Regional DevelopmentGovernment of Western AustraliaNorth BeachWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Rebecca Fisher
- The UWA Oceans InstituteThe University of Western AustraliaPerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
- Australian Institute of Marine ScienceIndian Ocean Marine Research CentreCrawleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Brooke A. Gibbons
- The School of Biological SciencesThe University of Western AustraliaPerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
- The UWA Oceans InstituteThe University of Western AustraliaPerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - David Harasti
- NSW Department of Primary Industries, Fisheries ResearchPort Stephens Fisheries InstituteTaylors BeachNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Euan S. Harvey
- School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin UniversityPerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Michelle R. Heupel
- Australian Institute of Marine ScienceTownsvilleQueenslandAustralia
- Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS)University of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
| | - Jamie L. Hicks
- Department for Environment and WaterMarine ScienceAdelaideSouth AustraliaAustralia
| | - Thomas H. Holmes
- The UWA Oceans InstituteThe University of Western AustraliaPerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
- Marine Science Program, Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Department of BiodiversityConservation and AttractionsKensingtonWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Charlie Huveneers
- College of Science and EngineeringFlinders UniversityBedford ParkSouth AustraliaAustralia
| | - Daniel Ierodiaconou
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative EcologyDeakin UniversityWarrnamboolVictoriaAustralia
| | - Alan Jordan
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic StudiesUniversity of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
- NSW Department of Primary Industries, Fisheries ResearchPort Stephens Fisheries InstituteTaylors BeachNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Nathan A. Knott
- Fisheries ResearchNSW Department of Primary IndustriesCoffs HarbourNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Hamish A. Malcolm
- Fisheries ResearchNSW Department of Primary IndustriesCoffs HarbourNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Dianne McLean
- The UWA Oceans InstituteThe University of Western AustraliaPerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
- Australian Institute of Marine ScienceIndian Ocean Marine Research CentreCrawleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Mark Meekan
- The UWA Oceans InstituteThe University of Western AustraliaPerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
- Australian Institute of Marine ScienceIndian Ocean Marine Research CentreCrawleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Stephen J. Newman
- Western Australian Fisheries and Marine Research Laboratories, Department of Primary Industries and Regional DevelopmentGovernment of Western AustraliaNorth BeachWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Ben Radford
- The UWA Oceans InstituteThe University of Western AustraliaPerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
- Australian Institute of Marine ScienceIndian Ocean Marine Research CentreCrawleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
- School of Agriculture and EnvironmentThe University of Western AustraliaPerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Matthew J. Rees
- Fisheries ResearchNSW Department of Primary IndustriesCoffs HarbourNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Benjamin J. Saunders
- School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin UniversityPerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Conrad W. Speed
- Australian Institute of Marine ScienceIndian Ocean Marine Research CentreCrawleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Michael J. Travers
- Western Australian Fisheries and Marine Research Laboratories, Department of Primary Industries and Regional DevelopmentGovernment of Western AustraliaNorth BeachWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Corey B. Wakefield
- Western Australian Fisheries and Marine Research Laboratories, Department of Primary Industries and Regional DevelopmentGovernment of Western AustraliaNorth BeachWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Thomas Wernberg
- The School of Biological SciencesThe University of Western AustraliaPerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
- The UWA Oceans InstituteThe University of Western AustraliaPerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
- Institute of Marine ResearchHisNorway
| | - Tim J. Langlois
- The School of Biological SciencesThe University of Western AustraliaPerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
- The UWA Oceans InstituteThe University of Western AustraliaPerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
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20
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Brown K, Monk J, Williams J, Carroll A, Harasti D, Barrett N. Depth and benthic habitat influence shallow and mesophotic predatory fishes on a remote, high-latitude coral reef. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0265067. [PMID: 35324946 PMCID: PMC8947262 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Predatory fishes on coral reefs continue to decline globally despite playing key roles in ecosystem functioning. Remote atolls and platform reefs provide potential refugia for predator populations, but quantitative information on their spatial distribution is required to establish accurate baselines for ongoing monitoring and conservation management. Current knowledge of predatory fish populations has been derived from targeted shallow diver-based surveys (<15 m). However, the spatial distribution and extent of predatory fishes on outer mesophotic shelf environments has remained under described. Middleton Reef is a remote, high-latitude, oceanic platform reef that is located within a no-take area in the Lord Howe Marine Park off eastern Australia. Here we used baited remote underwater stereo video to sample predatory fishes across lagoon and outer shelf habitats from depths 0–100 m, extending knowledge on use of mesophotic depths and habitats. Many predatory fish demonstrated clear depth and habitat associations over this depth range. Carcharhinid sharks and Carangid fishes were the most abundant predators sampled on Middleton Reef, with five predatory fishes accounting for over 90% of the predator fish biomass. Notably, Galapagos shark (Carcharhinus galapagensis) and the protected black rockcod (Epinephelus daemelii) dominated the predator fish assemblage. A higher richness of predator fish species was sampled on reef areas north and south of the lagoon. The more exposed southern aspect of the reef supported a different suite of predator fish across mesophotic habitats relative to the assemblage recorded in the north and lagoonal habitats, a pattern potentially driven by differences in hard coral cover. Biomass of predatory fishes in the more sheltered north habitats was twice that of other areas, predominantly driven by high abundances of Galapagos shark. This work adds to the growing body of literature highlighting the conservation value of isolated oceanic reefs and the need to ensure that lagoon, shallow and mesophotic habitats in these systems are adequately protected, as they support vulnerable ecologically and economically important predator fish assemblages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristy Brown
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Jacquomo Monk
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Joel Williams
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
- Fisheries Research, Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Taylors Beach, NSW, Australia
| | | | - David Harasti
- Fisheries Research, Port Stephens Fisheries Institute, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Taylors Beach, NSW, Australia
| | - Neville Barrett
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
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21
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Haupt T, Ceasar J, Stefanoudis P, von der Meden C, Payne R, Adams L, Anders D, Bernard A, Coetzer W, Florence W, Janson L, Johnson A, Juby R, Kock A, Langenkämper D, Nadjim A, Parker D, Samaai T, Snyders L, Upfold L, van der Heever G, Williams L. The WIO Regional Benthic Imagery Workshop: Lessons from past IIOE-2 expeditions. RESEARCH IDEAS AND OUTCOMES 2022. [DOI: 10.3897/rio.8.e81563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Originating from the Second International Indian Ocean Expedition (IIOE-2), the main goal of the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) Regional Benthic Imagery Workshop, was to provide information and training on the use of various underwater imagery platforms in benthic research. To date, attempts made to explore the bottom of the ocean range from simple diving bells to more advanced camera systems, and the rapidly expanding field of underwater image-based research has supported marine exploration in many forms, from biodiversity surveys, spatial analyses and temporal studies, to monitoring schemes. Alongside the increasing use of underwater camera systems worldwide, there is an evident need to improve training and access to these techniques for students and researchers from institutes within the WIO. The week-long virtual event was conducted between 30 August and 3 September 2021 with 266 participants. Sessions consisted of lessons, practical demonstrations and interactive discussions which covered the steps required to conduct underwater imagery surveys, taking participants through elements of sampling design, data acquisition and processing, considerations for statistical analysis and, effective managment of data. The session recordings from the workshop are available online as a teaching aid which has the potential to reach marine researchers both regionally and globally. It is crucial that we build on this momentum by continuing to develop and strengthen the network established through this initiative for standardised benthic-image-based research within the WIO.
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22
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Osuka KE, Stewart BD, Samoilys M, McClean CJ, Musembi P, Yahya S, Hamad AR, Mbugua J. Depth and habitat are important drivers of abundance for predatory reef fish off Pemba Island, Tanzania. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 175:105587. [PMID: 35196583 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2022.105587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Coral reefs across the world face significant threats from fishing and climate change, which tends to be most acute in shallower waters. This is the case off Pemba Island, Tanzania, yet the effects of these anthropogenic stressors on the distribution and abundance of economically and ecologically important predatory reef fish, including how they vary with depth and habitat type, is poorly understood. Thus, we deployed 79 baited remote underwater videos (BRUVs) in variable water depths and habitats off Pemba Island, and modeled the effects of depth and habitat on abundance of predatory reef fish. Predatory reef fish types/taxa were significantly predicted by depth and habitat types. Habitats in relatively deeper waters and dominated by hard and soft corals hosted high species richness and abundance of predatory reef fish types/taxa compared to mixed sandy and rubble habitats. The findings add to the growing evidence that deep waters around coral reefs are important habitats for predatory reef fish. Thus, careful management, through effective area and species protection measures, is needed to prevent further depletion of predatory reef-associated fish populations and to conserve this biologically important area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kennedy E Osuka
- Department of Environment and Geography, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5NG, United Kingdom; Coastal Oceans Research and Development - Indian Ocean (CORDIO East Africa), 9 Kibaki Flats P.O. Box 10135-80101, Mombasa, Kenya.
| | - Bryce D Stewart
- Department of Environment and Geography, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5NG, United Kingdom
| | - Melita Samoilys
- Coastal Oceans Research and Development - Indian Ocean (CORDIO East Africa), 9 Kibaki Flats P.O. Box 10135-80101, Mombasa, Kenya
| | - Colin J McClean
- Department of Environment and Geography, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5NG, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Musembi
- Coastal Oceans Research and Development - Indian Ocean (CORDIO East Africa), 9 Kibaki Flats P.O. Box 10135-80101, Mombasa, Kenya
| | - Saleh Yahya
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Tanzania
| | - Ali R Hamad
- Department of Fisheries Development, Zanzibar, Tanzania
| | - James Mbugua
- Coastal Oceans Research and Development - Indian Ocean (CORDIO East Africa), 9 Kibaki Flats P.O. Box 10135-80101, Mombasa, Kenya
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23
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Parsons MJG, Lin TH, Mooney TA, Erbe C, Juanes F, Lammers M, Li S, Linke S, Looby A, Nedelec SL, Van Opzeeland I, Radford C, Rice AN, Sayigh L, Stanley J, Urban E, Di Iorio L. Sounding the Call for a Global Library of Underwater Biological Sounds. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.810156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Aquatic environments encompass the world’s most extensive habitats, rich with sounds produced by a diversity of animals. Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) is an increasingly accessible remote sensing technology that uses hydrophones to listen to the underwater world and represents an unprecedented, non-invasive method to monitor underwater environments. This information can assist in the delineation of biologically important areas via detection of sound-producing species or characterization of ecosystem type and condition, inferred from the acoustic properties of the local soundscape. At a time when worldwide biodiversity is in significant decline and underwater soundscapes are being altered as a result of anthropogenic impacts, there is a need to document, quantify, and understand biotic sound sources–potentially before they disappear. A significant step toward these goals is the development of a web-based, open-access platform that provides: (1) a reference library of known and unknown biological sound sources (by integrating and expanding existing libraries around the world); (2) a data repository portal for annotated and unannotated audio recordings of single sources and of soundscapes; (3) a training platform for artificial intelligence algorithms for signal detection and classification; and (4) a citizen science-based application for public users. Although individually, these resources are often met on regional and taxa-specific scales, many are not sustained and, collectively, an enduring global database with an integrated platform has not been realized. We discuss the benefits such a program can provide, previous calls for global data-sharing and reference libraries, and the challenges that need to be overcome to bring together bio- and ecoacousticians, bioinformaticians, propagation experts, web engineers, and signal processing specialists (e.g., artificial intelligence) with the necessary support and funding to build a sustainable and scalable platform that could address the needs of all contributors and stakeholders into the future.
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24
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Drivers of variation in occurrence, abundance, and behaviour of sharks on coral reefs. Sci Rep 2022; 12:728. [PMID: 35031666 PMCID: PMC8760336 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-04024-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Quantifying the drivers of population size in reef sharks is critical for the development of appropriate conservation strategies. In north-west Australia, shark populations inhabit coral reefs that border growing centres of human population, industry, and tourism. However, we lack baseline data on reef sharks at large spatial scales (hundreds of km) that might enable managers to assess the status of shark populations in the face of future development in this region. Here, we examined the occurrence, abundance and behaviour of apex (Galeocerdo cuvier, Carcharhinus plumbeus) and reef (C. amblyrhynchos, C. melanopterus, Triaenodon obesus) sharks using > 1200 deployments of baited remote underwater stereo-video systems (stereo-BRUVs) across > 500 km of coastline. We found evidence for species-specific influences of habitat and fishing activities on the occurrence (probability of observation), abundance (MaxN) and behaviour of sharks (time of arrival to the stereo-BRUVs and likelihood of feeding). Although the presence of management zoning (No-take areas) made little difference to most species, C. amblyrhynchos were more common further from boat ramps (a proxy of recreational fishing pressure). Time of arrival for all species was also influenced by distance to boat ramp, although patterns varied among species. Our results demonstrate the capacity for behavioural metrics to complement existing measures of occurrence and abundance in assessing the potential impact of human activities on shark populations.
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25
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Pelletier D, Rouxel J, Fauvarque O, Hanon D, Gestalin JP, Lebot M, Dreano P, Furet E, Tardivel M, Le Bras Y, Royaux C, Leguen G. KOSMOS: An Open Source Underwater Video Lander for Monitoring Coastal Fishes and Habitats. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 21:7724. [PMID: 34833799 PMCID: PMC8619907 DOI: 10.3390/s21227724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Monitoring the ecological status of coastal ecosystems is essential to track the consequences of anthropogenic pressures and assess conservation actions. Monitoring requires periodic measurements collected in situ, replicated over large areas and able to capture their spatial distribution over time. This means developing tools and protocols that are cost-effective and provide consistent and high-quality data, which is a major challenge. A new tool and protocol with these capabilities for non-extractively assessing the status of fishes and benthic habitats is presented here: the KOSMOS 3.0 underwater video system. METHODS The KOSMOS 3.0 was conceived based on the pre-existing and successful STAVIRO lander, and developed within a digital fabrication laboratory where collective intelligence was contributed mostly voluntarily within a managed project. Our suite of mechanical, electrical, and software engineering skills were combined with ecological knowledge and field work experience. RESULTS Pool and aquarium tests of the KOSMOS 3.0 satisfied all the required technical specifications and operational testing. The prototype demonstrated high optical performance and high consistency with image data from the STAVIRO. The project's outcomes are shared under a Creative Commons Attribution CC-BY-SA license. The low cost of a KOSMOS unit (~1400 €) makes multiple units affordable to modest research or monitoring budgets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominique Pelletier
- Ifremer, Unité Ecologie et Modèles Pour l’Halieutique, Centre Atlantique, F-44311 Nantes, France
| | - Justin Rouxel
- Ifremer, Laboratoire Détection Capteurs et Mesures, Centre Bretagne, F-29280 Plouzané, France; (J.R.); (O.F.); (M.T.)
| | - Olivier Fauvarque
- Ifremer, Laboratoire Détection Capteurs et Mesures, Centre Bretagne, F-29280 Plouzané, France; (J.R.); (O.F.); (M.T.)
| | - David Hanon
- Konk Ar Lab, F-29900 Concarneau, France; (D.H.); (J.-P.G.); (P.D.); (E.F.); (G.L.)
| | - Jean-Paul Gestalin
- Konk Ar Lab, F-29900 Concarneau, France; (D.H.); (J.-P.G.); (P.D.); (E.F.); (G.L.)
| | | | - Paul Dreano
- Konk Ar Lab, F-29900 Concarneau, France; (D.H.); (J.-P.G.); (P.D.); (E.F.); (G.L.)
| | - Enora Furet
- Konk Ar Lab, F-29900 Concarneau, France; (D.H.); (J.-P.G.); (P.D.); (E.F.); (G.L.)
| | - Morgan Tardivel
- Ifremer, Laboratoire Détection Capteurs et Mesures, Centre Bretagne, F-29280 Plouzané, France; (J.R.); (O.F.); (M.T.)
| | - Yvan Le Bras
- Pôle National de Données de Biodiversité, UMS 2006 PatriNat, Station Marine de Concarneau, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, F-29900 Concarneau, France; (Y.L.B.); (C.R.)
| | - Coline Royaux
- Pôle National de Données de Biodiversité, UMS 2006 PatriNat, Station Marine de Concarneau, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, F-29900 Concarneau, France; (Y.L.B.); (C.R.)
| | - Guillaume Leguen
- Konk Ar Lab, F-29900 Concarneau, France; (D.H.); (J.-P.G.); (P.D.); (E.F.); (G.L.)
- Guillaume Leguen, F-29900 Concarneau, France
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26
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Jones R, Wakeford M, Currey-Randall L, Miller K, Tonin H. Drill cuttings and drilling fluids (muds) transport, fate and effects near a coral reef mesophotic zone. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 172:112717. [PMID: 34385023 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The study was conducted to improve knowledge and provide guidance on reducing uncertainty with impact predictions when drilling near sensitive environments. Near/Far-field hindcast modelling of cuttings/drilling fluid (mud) discharges from a floating platform was conducted, based on measured discharge amounts and durations and validated by ROV-based plume and seabed sampling. The high volume, concentration, and discharge rate water-based drilling mud discharges (mud pit dumps) were identified as the most significant dispersal risk, but longer-range movement was limited by the generation of jet-like plumes on release, which rapidly delivered muds to the seabed (80 m). Effects to the sparse benthic filter feeder communities close to the wells were observed, but no effects were seen on the epibenthic or demersal fish assemblages across the nearby mesophotic reef. For future drilling near sensitive environments, the study emphasized the need to better characterise drilling fluid discharges (volumes/discharge rates) to reduce uncertainty in modelling outputs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ross Jones
- Australian Institute of Marine Science Perth (Western Australia), Townsville, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Mary Wakeford
- Australian Institute of Marine Science Perth (Western Australia), Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Leanne Currey-Randall
- Australian Institute of Marine Science Perth (Western Australia), Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Karen Miller
- Australian Institute of Marine Science Perth (Western Australia), Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Hemerson Tonin
- Australian Institute of Marine Science Perth (Western Australia), Townsville, Queensland, Australia
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27
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Lester EK, Langlois TJ, McCormick MI, Simpson SD, Bond T, Meekan MG. Relative influence of predators, competitors and seascape heterogeneity on behaviour and abundance of coral reef mesopredators. OIKOS 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.08463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Emily K. Lester
- School of Biological Sciences and the UWA Oceans Inst., Univ. of Western Australia Crawley WA Australia
- Australian Inst. of Marine Science, UWA Oceans Inst. Crawley WA Australia
| | - Tim J. Langlois
- School of Biological Sciences and the UWA Oceans Inst., Univ. of Western Australia Crawley WA Australia
| | - Mark I. McCormick
- Coastal Marine Field Station, School of Science, Univ of Waikato Tauranga New Zealand
| | | | - Todd Bond
- School of Biological Sciences and the UWA Oceans Inst., Univ. of Western Australia Crawley WA Australia
| | - Mark G. Meekan
- Australian Inst. of Marine Science, UWA Oceans Inst. Crawley WA Australia
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28
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Nondestructive Monitoring of Soft Bottom Fish and Habitats Using a Standardized, Remote and Unbaited 360° Video Sampling Method. FISHES 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/fishes6040050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Lagoon soft-bottoms are key habitats within coral reef seascapes. Coral reef fish use these habitats as nurseries, feeding grounds and transit areas. At present, most soft-bottom sampling methods are destructive (trawling, longlining, hook and line). We developed a remote, unbaited 360° video sampling method (RUV360) to monitor fish species assemblages in soft bottoms. A low-cost, high-definition camera enclosed in a waterproof housing and fixed on a tripod was set on the sea floor in New Caledonia from a boat. Then, 534 videos were recorded to assess the efficiency of the RUV360. The technique was successful in sampling bare soft-bottoms, seagrass beds, macroalgae meadows and mixed soft-bottoms. It is easy to use and particularly efficient, i.e., 88% of the stations were sampled successfully. We observed 10,007 fish belonging to 172 species, including 45 species targeted by fishermen in New Caledonia, as well as many key species. The results are consistent with the known characteristics of the lagoon soft bottom fish assemblages of New Caledonia. We provide future users with general recommendations and reference plots to estimate the proportion of the theoretical total species richness sampled, according to the number of stations or the duration of the footage.
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29
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Lahoz-Monfort JJ, Magrath MJL. A Comprehensive Overview of Technologies for Species and Habitat Monitoring and Conservation. Bioscience 2021; 71:1038-1062. [PMID: 34616236 PMCID: PMC8490933 DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biab073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The range of technologies currently used in biodiversity conservation is staggering, with innovative uses often adopted from other disciplines and being trialed in the field. We provide the first comprehensive overview of the current (2020) landscape of conservation technology, encompassing technologies for monitoring wildlife and habitats, as well as for on-the-ground conservation management (e.g., fighting illegal activities). We cover both established technologies (routinely deployed in conservation, backed by substantial field experience and scientific literature) and novel technologies or technology applications (typically at trial stage, only recently used in conservation), providing examples of conservation applications for both types. We describe technologies that deploy sensors that are fixed or portable, attached to vehicles (terrestrial, aquatic, or airborne) or to animals (biologging), complemented with a section on wildlife tracking. The last two sections cover actuators and computing (including web platforms, algorithms, and artificial intelligence).
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Affiliation(s)
- José J Lahoz-Monfort
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michael J L Magrath
- Wildlife Conservation and Science, Zoos Victoria and with the School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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30
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Langlois TJ, Wakefield CB, Harvey ES, Boddington DK, Newman SJ. Does the benthic biota or fish assemblage within a large targeted fisheries closure differ to surrounding areas after 12 years of protection in tropical northwestern Australia? MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 170:105403. [PMID: 34271482 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2021.105403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
A large (~2450 km2) offshore (~75 km) targeted fisheries closure (TFC) area was implemented on the North West Shelf of Australia (NWS) in 1998 as part of a suite of management controls to address overfishing concerns, and in the process to potentially mitigate any impacts of trawling to benthic habitats. Twelve years later, the benthic biota and fish assemblages in the TFC were assessed using stereo-video and compared with adjacent areas that have been consistently fished with a range of commercial fishing methods. The remote nature of the region has meant that these areas would be inaccessible to recreational fishers. After 12 years of protection there were significant differences between the TFC and comparable fished areas in both the composition and the height of biogenic structures, however the magnitude of these differences were subtle, except for branching soft corals, which were significantly taller in the TFC area. Despite the relatively young age of the TFC, significant differences in the fish abundance and biomass compositions were driven by the slower growing, longer lived and inherently less productive fishery target species. The abundance of Lutjanus sebae (red emperor) and Epinephelus multinotatus (Rankin cod), and the associated biomass of L. sebae and Pristipomoides multidens (goldband snapper) were all greater within the TFC. However, neither the abundance or biomass of the relatively shorter lived and more productive fishery species (e.g. the bluespotted emperor Lethrinus punctulatus and the brownstripe snapper Lutjanus vitta) were greater within the TFC. Growth rates of benthic biota across the NWS are unknown, however the limited detectable differences in benthic biota between the TFC and fished areas, suggests that either recovery of the benthic biota is slow and may not yet be at a threshold for detection and/or alternatively that current fishing activities are not causing adverse impacts to biogenic structures. These large, offshore targeted fishery closures provide a useful reference point to examine the natural variability, growth and recovery of benthic biota and fish assemblages after the cessation of fishing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim J Langlois
- Western Australian Fisheries and Marine Research Laboratories, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Government of Western Australia, P.O. Box 20, North Beach, WA, 6920, Australia; The UWA Oceans Institute and School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia.
| | - Corey B Wakefield
- Western Australian Fisheries and Marine Research Laboratories, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Government of Western Australia, P.O. Box 20, North Beach, WA, 6920, Australia; School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA, 6845, Australia
| | - Euan S Harvey
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA, 6845, Australia
| | - Dion K Boddington
- Western Australian Fisheries and Marine Research Laboratories, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Government of Western Australia, P.O. Box 20, North Beach, WA, 6920, Australia; School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA, 6845, Australia
| | - Stephen J Newman
- Western Australian Fisheries and Marine Research Laboratories, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Government of Western Australia, P.O. Box 20, North Beach, WA, 6920, Australia; School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA, 6845, Australia
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31
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Goetze JS, Wilson S, Radford B, Fisher R, Langlois TJ, Monk J, Knott NA, Malcolm H, Currey‐Randall LM, Ierodiaconou D, Harasti D, Barrett N, Babcock RC, Bosch NE, Brock D, Claudet J, Clough J, Fairclough DV, Heupel MR, Holmes TH, Huveneers C, Jordan AR, McLean D, Meekan M, Miller D, Newman SJ, Rees MJ, Roberts KE, Saunders BJ, Speed CW, Travers MJ, Treml E, Whitmarsh SK, Wakefield CB, Harvey ES. Increased connectivity and depth improve the effectiveness of marine reserves. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:3432-3447. [PMID: 34015863 PMCID: PMC8360116 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Marine reserves are a key tool for the conservation of marine biodiversity, yet only ~2.5% of the world's oceans are protected. The integration of marine reserves into connected networks representing all habitats has been encouraged by international agreements, yet the benefits of this design has not been tested empirically. Australia has one of the largest systems of marine reserves, providing a rare opportunity to assess how connectivity influences conservation success. An Australia-wide dataset was collected using baited remote underwater video systems deployed across a depth range from 0 to 100 m to assess the effectiveness of marine reserves for protecting teleosts subject to commercial and recreational fishing. A meta-analytical comparison of 73 fished species within 91 marine reserves found that, on average, marine reserves had 28% greater abundance and 53% greater biomass of fished species compared to adjacent areas open to fishing. However, benefits of protection were not observed across all reserves (heterogeneity), so full subsets generalized additive modelling was used to consider factors that influence marine reserve effectiveness, including distance-based and ecological metrics of connectivity among reserves. Our results suggest that increased connectivity and depth improve the aforementioned marine reserve benefits and that these factors should be considered to optimize such benefits over time. We provide important guidance on factors to consider when implementing marine reserves for the purpose of increasing the abundance and size of fished species, given the expected increase in coverage globally. We show that marine reserves that are highly protected (no-take) and designed to optimize connectivity, size and depth range can provide an effective conservation strategy for fished species in temperate and tropical waters within an overarching marine biodiversity conservation framework.
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32
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Friedlander AM, Goodell W, Giddens J, Easton EE, Wagner D. Deep-sea biodiversity at the extremes of the Salas y Gómez and Nazca ridges with implications for conservation. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0253213. [PMID: 34191822 PMCID: PMC8244922 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0253213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The Salas y Gómez and Nazca ridges are underwater mountain chains that stretch across 2,900 km in the southeastern Pacific and are recognized for their high biodiversity value and unique ecological characteristics. Explorations of deep-water ecosystems have been limited in this region, and elsewhere globally. To characterize community composition of mesophotic and deep-sea demersal fauna at seamounts in the region, we conducted expeditions to Rapa Nui (RN) and Salas y Gómez (SyG) islands in 2011 and Desventuradas Islands in 2013. Remote autonomous baited-cameras were used to conduct stationary video surveys between 150-1,850 m at RN/SyG (N = 20) and 75-2,363 m at Desventuradas (N = 27). Individual organisms were identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level and relative abundance was quantified with the maximum number of individuals per frame. Deployments were attributed with associated environmental variables (temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, nitrate, silicate, phosphate, chlorophyll-a, seamount age, and bathymetric position index [BPI]). We identified 55 unique invertebrate taxa and 66 unique fish taxa. Faunal community structure was highly dissimilar between and within subregions both for invertebrate (p < 0.001) and fish taxa (p = 0.022). For fishes, dogfish sharks (Squalidae) accounted for the greatest dissimilarity between subregions (18.27%), with mean abundances of 2.26 ± 2.49 at Desventuradas, an order of magnitude greater than at RN/SyG (0.21 ± 0.54). Depth, seamount age, broad-scale BPI, and nitrate explained most of the variation in both invertebrate (R2 = 0.475) and fish (R2 = 0.419) assemblages. Slightly more than half the deployments at Desventuradas (N = 14) recorded vulnerable marine ecosystem taxa such as corals and sponges. Our study supports mounting evidence that the Salas y Gómez and Nazca ridges are areas of high biodiversity and high conservation value. While Chile and Peru have recently established or proposed marine protected areas in this region, the majority of these ridges lie outside of national jurisdictions and are under threat from overfishing, plastic pollution, climate change, and potential deep-sea mining. Given its intrinsic value, this region should be comprehensively protected using the best available conservation measures to ensure that the Salas y Gómez and Nazca ridges remain a globally unique biodiversity hotspot.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan M. Friedlander
- Pristine Seas, National Geographic Society, Washington, DC, United States of America
- Hawaiʿi Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaiʿi, Kāneʻohe, Hawaiʿi, United States of America
| | - Whitney Goodell
- Pristine Seas, National Geographic Society, Washington, DC, United States of America
- Exploration Technology Lab, National Geographic Society, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Jonatha Giddens
- Exploration Technology Lab, National Geographic Society, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Erin E. Easton
- Ecology and Sustainable Management of Oceanic Islands, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
- School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, Texas, United States of America
| | - Daniel Wagner
- Conservation International, Center for Oceans, Arlington, VA, United States of America
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33
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Smith SM, Malcolm HA, Marzinelli EM, Schultz AL, Steinberg PD, Vergés A. Tropicalization and kelp loss shift trophic composition and lead to more winners than losers in fish communities. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:2537-2548. [PMID: 33694271 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Climate-mediated species redistributions are causing novel interactions and leading to profound regime shifts globally. For species that expand their distribution in response to warming, survival depends not only on their physiological capacity, but also on the ability to coexist or be competitive within the established community. In temperate marine reefs from around the world, the range expansion of tropical species, known as 'tropicalization', has been linked to the disappearance of temperate habitat-forming kelps and shifts to dominance by low-biomass turfing algae. The consequences of these range expansions and habitat changes on resident fish communities are, however, unclear. Here, we use data derived from baited remote underwater video (BRUV) surveys to analyse changes in diversity and abundance of marine fishes over a 17-year period in warming reefs that have experienced kelp loss (occurring c. 2009). Despite the loss of kelp, we found that species richness and overall abundance of fishes (measured as probability of occurrence and relative abundance), including both tropical and temperate species, increased through time. We also found dramatic shifts in the trophic composition of fish assemblages. Tropical herbivorous fish increased most markedly through time, and temperate-associated planktivores were the only group that declined, a potential consequence of tropicalization not previously identified. At the species level, we identified 22 tropical and temperate species from four trophic guilds that significantly increased in occurrence, while only three species (all temperate associated) declined. Morphological trait space models suggest increases in fish diversity and overall occurrence are unlikely to be driven by uniqueness of traits among tropical range expanders. Our results show more winners than losers and suggest that pathways of energy flow will change in tropicalized systems, as planktonic inputs become less important and a higher proportion of algal productivity gets consumed locally by increasingly abundant herbivores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannen M Smith
- Centre of Marine Science and Innovation, Ecology and Evolution Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Hamish A Malcolm
- Fisheries Research, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Coffs Harbour, NSW, Australia
| | - Ezequiel M Marzinelli
- Faculty of Science, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Coastal and Marine Ecosystems, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Mosman, NSW, Australia
| | - Arthur L Schultz
- Fisheries Research, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Coffs Harbour, NSW, Australia
| | - Peter D Steinberg
- Centre of Marine Science and Innovation, Ecology and Evolution Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Mosman, NSW, Australia
| | - Adriana Vergés
- Centre of Marine Science and Innovation, Ecology and Evolution Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Mosman, NSW, Australia
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34
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Birt MJ, Cure K, Wilson S, Newman SJ, Harvey ES, Meekan M, Speed C, Heyward A, Goetze J, Gilmour J. Isolated reefs support stable fish communities with high abundances of regionally fished species. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:4701-4718. [PMID: 33976841 PMCID: PMC8093692 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic impacts at isolated and inaccessible reefs are often minimal, offering rare opportunities to observe fish assemblages in a relatively undisturbed state. The remote Rowley Shoals are regarded as one of the healthiest reef systems in the Indian Ocean with demonstrated resilience to natural disturbance, no permanent human population nearby, low visitation rates, and large protected areas where fishing prohibitions are enforced. We used baited remote underwater video systems (BRUVS) to quantify fish assemblages and the relative abundance of regionally fished species within the lagoon, on the slope and in the mesophotic habitat at the Rowley Shoals at three times spanning 14 years and compared abundances of regionally fished species and the length distributions of predatory species to other isolated reefs in the northeast Indian Ocean. Fish assemblage composition and the relative abundance of regionally fished species were remarkably stable through time. We recorded high abundances of regionally fished species relative to other isolated reefs, including globally threatened humphead Maori wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus) and bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum). Length distributions of fish differed among habitats at the Rowley Shoals, suggesting differences in ontogenetic shifts among species. The Cocos (Keeling) Islands typically had larger-bodied predatory species than at the Rowley Shoals. Differences in geomorphology, lagoonal habitats, and fishing history likely contribute to the differences among remote reefs. Rowley Shoals is a rare example of a reef system demonstrating ecological stability in reef fish assemblages during a time of unprecedented degradation of coral reefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J. Birt
- The Australian Institute of Marine ScienceIndian Ocean Marine Research Centre, Cnr of Fairway and Service Road 4PerthWA6009Australia
| | - Katherine Cure
- The Australian Institute of Marine ScienceIndian Ocean Marine Research Centre, Cnr of Fairway and Service Road 4PerthWA6009Australia
| | - Shaun Wilson
- Marine Science ProgramDepartment of Biodiversity, Conservation and AttractionsGovernment of Western Australia17 Dick Perry AveKensingtonWA6151Australia
- Oceans InstituteThe University of Western AustraliaIndian Ocean Marine Research Centre, Cnr of Fairway and Service Road 4PerthWA6009Australia
| | - Stephen J. Newman
- Western Australian Fisheries and Marine Research LaboratoriesDepartment of Primary Industries and Regional DevelopmentGovernment of Western AustraliaP.O Box 20North BeachWA6920Australia
| | - Euan S. Harvey
- School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin UniversityPerthWAAustralia
| | - Mark Meekan
- The Australian Institute of Marine ScienceIndian Ocean Marine Research Centre, Cnr of Fairway and Service Road 4PerthWA6009Australia
| | - Conrad Speed
- The Australian Institute of Marine ScienceIndian Ocean Marine Research Centre, Cnr of Fairway and Service Road 4PerthWA6009Australia
| | - Andrew Heyward
- The Australian Institute of Marine ScienceIndian Ocean Marine Research Centre, Cnr of Fairway and Service Road 4PerthWA6009Australia
- Oceans InstituteThe University of Western AustraliaIndian Ocean Marine Research Centre, Cnr of Fairway and Service Road 4PerthWA6009Australia
| | - Jordan Goetze
- Marine Science ProgramDepartment of Biodiversity, Conservation and AttractionsGovernment of Western Australia17 Dick Perry AveKensingtonWA6151Australia
- School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin UniversityPerthWAAustralia
| | - James Gilmour
- The Australian Institute of Marine ScienceIndian Ocean Marine Research Centre, Cnr of Fairway and Service Road 4PerthWA6009Australia
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35
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Knott NA, Williams J, Harasti D, Malcolm HA, Coleman MA, Kelaher BP, Rees MJ, Schultz A, Jordan A. A coherent, representative, and bioregional marine reserve network shows consistent change in rocky reef fish assemblages. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- N. A. Knott
- Fisheries Research NSW Department of Primary Industries Huskisson New South Wales2540Australia
| | - J. Williams
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries Port Stephens Fisheries Institute Taylors Beach Road Taylors Beach New South Wales2316Australia
| | - D. Harasti
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries Port Stephens Fisheries Institute Taylors Beach Road Taylors Beach New South Wales2316Australia
| | - H. A. Malcolm
- Fisheries Research NSW Department of Primary Industries Coffs Harbour New South Wales2800Australia
| | - M. A. Coleman
- Fisheries Research NSW Department of Primary Industries Coffs Harbour New South Wales2800Australia
| | - B. P. Kelaher
- National Marine Science Centre and Marine Ecology Research Centre Southern Cross University Coffs Harbour New South Wales2450Australia
| | - M. J. Rees
- Fisheries Research NSW Department of Primary Industries Huskisson New South Wales2540Australia
| | - A. Schultz
- Fisheries Research NSW Department of Primary Industries Coffs Harbour New South Wales2800Australia
| | - A. Jordan
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries Port Stephens Fisheries Institute Taylors Beach Road Taylors Beach New South Wales2316Australia
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36
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White JW, Yamane MT, Nickols KJ, Caselle JE. Analysis of fish population size distributions confirms cessation of fishing in marine protected areas. Conserv Lett 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/conl.12775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- J. Wilson White
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station Oregon State University Newport Oregon USA
| | - Mark T. Yamane
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station Oregon State University Newport Oregon USA
- Department of Marine Science Eckerd College St. Petersburg Florida USA
| | - Kerry J. Nickols
- Department of Biology California State University Northridge California USA
| | - Jennifer E. Caselle
- Marine Science Institute University of California Santa Barbara California USA
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