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Wosnick N, Schneider EVC. Expanding records of occurrence of the whale shark (Rhincodon typus) in The Bahamas and a call for sustainable tourism practices. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2024; 104:1940-1946. [PMID: 38551100 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15740] [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: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
This report updates our understanding of whale shark occurrences in The Bahamas by drawing upon a variety of data sources. Our findings reveal previously unreported sighting locations, often associated with tourism activities, underscoring the pivotal role played by nontraditional data sources in addressing knowledge gaps. These revelations emphasize the ongoing necessity for monitoring efforts. Additionally, we have found cases that raise concerns related to unregulated human-shark interactions in the region, highlighting the pressing need for sustainable tourism practices within Bahamian waters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natascha Wosnick
- Cape Eleuthera Institute, Eleuthera, The Bahamas
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
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2
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Hardenstine RS, He S, Cochran JEM, Braun CD, Cagua EF, Pierce SJ, Prebble CEM, Rohner CA, Saenz‐Angudelo P, Sinclair‐Taylor TH, Skomal GB, Thorrold SR, Watts AM, Zakroff CJ, Berumen ML. Pieces in a global puzzle: Population genetics at two whale shark aggregations in the western Indian Ocean. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8492. [PMID: 35127024 PMCID: PMC8796955 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 10/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The whale shark Rhincodon typus is found throughout the world's tropical and warm-temperate ocean basins. Despite their broad physical distribution, research on the species has been concentrated at a few aggregation sites. Comparing DNA sequences from sharks at different sites can provide a demographically neutral understanding of the whale shark's global ecology. Here, we created genetic profiles for 84 whale sharks from the Saudi Arabian Red Sea and 72 individuals from the coast of Tanzania using a combination of microsatellite and mitochondrial sequences. These two sites, separated by approximately 4500 km (shortest over-water distance), exhibit markedly different population demographics and behavioral ecologies. Eleven microsatellite DNA markers revealed that the two aggregation sites have similar levels of allelic richness and appear to be derived from the same source population. We sequenced the mitochondrial control region to produce multiple global haplotype networks (based on different alignment methodologies) that were broadly similar to each other in terms of population structure but suggested different demographic histories. Data from both microsatellite and mitochondrial markers demonstrated the stability of genetic diversity within the Saudi Arabian aggregation site throughout the sampling period. These results contrast previously measured declines in diversity at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia. Mapping the geographic distribution of whale shark lineages provides insight into the species' connectivity and can be used to direct management efforts at both local and global scales. Similarly, understanding historical fluctuations in whale shark abundance provides a baseline by which to assess current trends. Continued development of new sequencing methods and the incorporation of genomic data could lead to considerable advances in the scientific understanding of whale shark population ecology and corresponding improvements to conservation policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Royale S. Hardenstine
- Division of Biological and Environmental Science and EngineeringRed Sea Research CenterKing Abdullah University of Science and TechnologyThuwalSaudi Arabia
| | - Song He
- Division of Biological and Environmental Science and EngineeringRed Sea Research CenterKing Abdullah University of Science and TechnologyThuwalSaudi Arabia
| | - Jesse E. M. Cochran
- Division of Biological and Environmental Science and EngineeringRed Sea Research CenterKing Abdullah University of Science and TechnologyThuwalSaudi Arabia
| | - Camrin D. Braun
- Biology DepartmentWoods Hole Oceanographic InstitutionWoods HoleMassachusettsUSA
| | - Edgar Fernando Cagua
- School of Biological SciencesCentre for Integrative EcologyUniversity of CanterburyChristchurchNew Zealand
- WorldFishBayan LepasMalaysia
| | | | - Clare E. M. Prebble
- Marine Megafauna FoundationTruckeeCaliforniaUSA
- National Oceanography CentreUniversity of South HamptonSouth HamtonUK
| | | | - Pablo Saenz‐Angudelo
- Facultad de CienciasInstituo de Ciencias Ambientales y EvolutivasUniversidad Austral de ChileValdiviaChile
| | | | - Gregory B. Skomal
- Massachusetts Division of Marine FisheriesNew BedfordMassachusettsUSA
| | - Simon R. Thorrold
- Biology DepartmentWoods Hole Oceanographic InstitutionWoods HoleMassachusettsUSA
| | - Alexandra M. Watts
- Marine Megafauna FoundationTruckeeCaliforniaUSA
- Ecological Genetics and Conservation LaboratoryManchester Metropolitan UniversityManchesterUK
| | - Casey J. Zakroff
- Division of Biological and Environmental Science and EngineeringRed Sea Research CenterKing Abdullah University of Science and TechnologyThuwalSaudi Arabia
| | - Michael L. Berumen
- Division of Biological and Environmental Science and EngineeringRed Sea Research CenterKing Abdullah University of Science and TechnologyThuwalSaudi Arabia
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3
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Rohner CA, Venables SK, Cochran JEM, Prebble CEM, Kuguru BL, Berumen ML, Pierce SJ. The need for long-term population monitoring of the world’s largest fish. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2022. [DOI: 10.3354/esr01177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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4
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Quintana-Rizzo E, Leiter S, Cole TVN, Hagbloom MN, Knowlton AR, Nagelkirk P, O’Brien O, Khan CB, Henry AG, Duley PA, Crowe LM, Mayo CA, Kraus SD. Residency, demographics, and movement patterns of North Atlantic right whales Eubalaena glacialis in an offshore wind energy development area in southern New England, USA. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2021. [DOI: 10.3354/esr01137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Offshore wind energy development is growing quickly around the world. In southern New England, USA, one of the largest commercial offshore wind energy farms in the USA will be established in the waters off Massachusetts and Rhode Island, an area used by the Critically Endangered North Atlantic right whale Eubalaena glacialis. Prior to 2011, little was known about the use of this area by right whales. We examined aerial survey data collected between 2011-2015 and 2017-2019 to quantify right whale distribution, residency, demography, and movements in the region. Right whale occurrence increased during the study period. Since 2017, whales have been sighted in the area nearly every month, with peak sighting rates between late winter and spring. Model outputs suggest that 23% of the species’ population is present from December through May, and the mean residence time has tripled to an average of 13 d during these months. Age and sex ratios of the individuals present in the area are similar to those of the species as a whole, with adult males the most common demographic group. Movement models showed that southern New England is an important destination for right whales, including conceptive and reproductive females, and qualitative observations included animals feeding and socializing. Implementing mitigation procedures in coordination with these findings will be crucial in lessening the potential impacts on right whales from construction noise, increased vessel traffic, and habitat disruption in this region.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Quintana-Rizzo
- Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium, Boston, MA 02110, USA
- Simmons University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - S Leiter
- Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium, Boston, MA 02110, USA
| | - TVN Cole
- Northeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - MN Hagbloom
- Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium, Boston, MA 02110, USA
| | - AR Knowlton
- Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium, Boston, MA 02110, USA
| | - P Nagelkirk
- Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium, Boston, MA 02110, USA
| | - O O’Brien
- Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium, Boston, MA 02110, USA
| | - CB Khan
- Northeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - AG Henry
- Northeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - PA Duley
- Northeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - LM Crowe
- Integrated Statistics, under contract to the Northeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - CA Mayo
- Center for Coastal Studies, Provincetown, MA 02657, USA
| | - SD Kraus
- Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium, Boston, MA 02110, USA
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5
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Tosa MI, Dziedzic EH, Appel CL, Urbina J, Massey A, Ruprecht J, Eriksson CE, Dolliver JE, Lesmeister DB, Betts MG, Peres CA, Levi T. The Rapid Rise of Next-Generation Natural History. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.698131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Many ecologists have lamented the demise of natural history and have attributed this decline to a misguided view that natural history is outdated and unscientific. Although there is a perception that the focus in ecology and conservation have shifted away from descriptive natural history research and training toward hypothetico-deductive research, we argue that natural history has entered a new phase that we call “next-generation natural history.” This renaissance of natural history is characterized by technological and statistical advances that aid in collecting detailed observations systematically over broad spatial and temporal extents. The technological advances that have increased exponentially in the last decade include electronic sensors such as camera-traps and acoustic recorders, aircraft- and satellite-based remote sensing, animal-borne biologgers, genetics and genomics methods, and community science programs. Advances in statistics and computation have aided in analyzing a growing quantity of observations to reveal patterns in nature. These robust next-generation natural history datasets have transformed the anecdotal perception of natural history observations into systematically collected observations that collectively constitute the foundation for hypothetico-deductive research and can be leveraged and applied to conservation and management. These advances are encouraging scientists to conduct and embrace detailed descriptions of nature that remain a critically important component of the scientific endeavor. Finally, these next-generation natural history observations are engaging scientists and non-scientists alike with new documentations of the wonders of nature. Thus, we celebrate next-generation natural history for encouraging people to experience nature directly.
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Andrzejaczek S, Vély M, Jouannet D, Rowat D, Fossette S. Regional movements of satellite-tagged whale sharks Rhincodon typus in the Gulf of Aden. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:4920-4934. [PMID: 33976859 PMCID: PMC8093710 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
To gain insight into whale shark (Rhincodon typus) movement patterns in the Western Indian Ocean, we deployed eight pop-up satellite tags at an aggregation site in the Arta Bay region of the Gulf of Tadjoura, Djibouti in the winter months of 2012, 2016, and 2017. Tags revealed movements ranging from local-scale around the Djibouti aggregation site, regional movements along the coastline of Somaliland, movements north into the Red Sea, and a large-scale (>1,000 km) movement to the east coast of Somalia, outside of the Gulf of Aden. Vertical movement data revealed high occupation of the top ten meters of the water column, diel vertical movement patterns, and deep diving behavior. Long-distance movements recorded both here and in previous studies suggest that connectivity between the whale sharks tagged at the Djibouti aggregation and other documented aggregations in the region are likely within annual timeframes. In addition, wide-ranging movements through multiple nations, as well as the high use of surface waters recorded, likely exposes whale sharks in this region to several anthropogenic threats, including targeted and bycatch fisheries and ship-strikes. Area-based management approaches focusing on seasonal hotspots offer a way forward in the conservation of whale sharks in the Western Indian Ocean.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - David Rowat
- Marine Conservation Society SeychellesMaheSeychelles
| | - Sabrina Fossette
- MegapteraParisFrance
- Biodiversity and Conservation ScienceDepartment of Biodiversity, Conservation and AttractionsKensingtonWAAustralia
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7
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Villon S, Mouillot D, Chaumont M, Subsol G, Claverie T, Villéger S. A new method to control error rates in automated species identification with deep learning algorithms. Sci Rep 2020; 10:10972. [PMID: 32620873 PMCID: PMC7334229 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-67573-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Processing data from surveys using photos or videos remains a major bottleneck in ecology. Deep Learning Algorithms (DLAs) have been increasingly used to automatically identify organisms on images. However, despite recent advances, it remains difficult to control the error rate of such methods. Here, we proposed a new framework to control the error rate of DLAs. More precisely, for each species, a confidence threshold was automatically computed using a training dataset independent from the one used to train the DLAs. These species-specific thresholds were then used to post-process the outputs of the DLAs, assigning classification scores to each class for a given image including a new class called “unsure”. We applied this framework to a study case identifying 20 fish species from 13,232 underwater images on coral reefs. The overall rate of species misclassification decreased from 22% with the raw DLAs to 2.98% after post-processing using the thresholds defined to minimize the risk of misclassification. This new framework has the potential to unclog the bottleneck of information extraction from massive digital data while ensuring a high level of accuracy in biodiversity assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien Villon
- MARBEC, Univ of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer, Montpellier, France. .,Research-Team ICAR, LIRMM, Univ of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France.
| | - David Mouillot
- MARBEC, Univ of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer, Montpellier, France.,Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia
| | - Marc Chaumont
- Research-Team ICAR, LIRMM, Univ of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France.,University of Nîmes, Nîmes, France
| | - Gérard Subsol
- Research-Team ICAR, LIRMM, Univ of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Thomas Claverie
- MARBEC, Univ of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer, Montpellier, France.,CUFR Mayotte, Dembeni, France
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8
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Description and characterization of the artisanal elasmobranch fishery on Guatemala's Caribbean coast. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0227797. [PMID: 31929593 PMCID: PMC6957299 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0227797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Small-scale shark and ray fisheries are conducted throughout Central America's Caribbean coast. Yet, there is limited information regarding catch composition and diversity of these fisheries, especially in Guatemala. Surveys of catch landings were conducted in two of Guatemala's primary Caribbean coastal shark and ray fishing communities, El Quetzalito and Livingston, between January 2015 and July 2017. Biological data from 688 landed chondrichthyans were collected, with 31 species (24 sharks, six rays and one chimaera) identified. The four most frequently captured species included Carcharhinus falciformis (30.2%), Sphyrna lewini (12.7%), Hypanus guttatus (12%) and Rhizoprionodon spp. (6.7%). Landed sharks contained most size classes with a high proportion of juveniles of species with low productivity. The large-bodied species C. falciformis and S. lewini were often recorded at sizes below known maturity; 96.6% and 85.1%, of the captured individuals were immature, respectively. This study can serve as a baseline to determine future trends in the elasmobranch fisheries conducted by Guatemala's Caribbean coastal communities and support assessments on the persistence of the fisheries.
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9
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Báez JC, Barbosa AM, Pascual P, Ramos ML, Abascal F. Ensemble modeling of the potential distribution of the whale shark in the Atlantic Ocean. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:175-184. [PMID: 31988721 PMCID: PMC6972796 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Revised: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 11/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The whale shark (Rhincodon typus) is an endangered marine fish species which can be adversely affected by the fishing activities of the industrial purse seine fleet targeting tropical tuna. Tuna tend to aggregate around all types of floating objects, including whale sharks. We analyzed and modeled the spatial distribution and environmental preferences of whale sharks based on the presence and absence data from fishing observations in the Atlantic Ocean. We used a thorough multialgorithm analysis, based on a new presence-absence dataset, and endeavored to follow the most recent recommendations on best practices in species distribution modeling. First, we selected a subset of relevant variables using a generalized linear model that addressed multicollinearity, statistical errors, and information criteria. We then used the selected variables to build a model ensemble including 19 different algorithms. After eliminating models with insufficient performance, we assessed the potential distribution of whale sharks using the mean of the predictions of the selected models. We also assessed the variance among the predictions of different algorithms, in order to identify areas with the highest model consensus. The results show that several coastal regions and warm shallow currents, such as the Gulf Stream and the Canary and Benguela currents, are the most suitable areas for whale sharks under current environmental conditions. Future environmental projections for the Atlantic Ocean suggest that some of the suitable regions will shift northward, but current concentration areas will continue to be suitable for whale shark, although with less productivity, which could have negative consequences for conservation of the species. We discuss the implications of these predictions for the conservation and management of this charismatic marine species.
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Affiliation(s)
- José C. Báez
- Instituto Español de OceanografíaCentro Oceanográfico de MálagaFuengirolaMálagaSpain
- Facultad de Ciencias de la SaludUniversidad Autónoma de ChileSantiago de ChileChile
| | - Ana Márcia Barbosa
- Faculdade de CiênciasCICGE ‐ Centro de Investigação em Ciências Geo‐EspaciaisObservatório Astronómico Prof. Manuel de BarrosUniversidade do PortoVila Nova de GaiaPortugal
| | - Pedro Pascual
- Instituto Español de OceanografíaCentro Oceanográfico de CanariasSanta Cruz de TenerifeSpain
| | - María Lourdes Ramos
- Instituto Español de OceanografíaCentro Oceanográfico de CanariasSanta Cruz de TenerifeSpain
| | - Francisco Abascal
- Instituto Español de OceanografíaCentro Oceanográfico de CanariasSanta Cruz de TenerifeSpain
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10
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Cochran JEM, Braun CD, Cagua EF, Campbell MF, Hardenstine RS, Kattan A, Priest MA, Sinclair-Taylor TH, Skomal GB, Sultan S, Sun L, Thorrold SR, Berumen ML. Multi-method assessment of whale shark (Rhincodon typus) residency, distribution, and dispersal behavior at an aggregation site in the Red Sea. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0222285. [PMID: 31498848 PMCID: PMC6733483 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0222285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2019] [Accepted: 08/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) are typically dispersed throughout their circumtropical range, but the species is also known to aggregate in specific coastal areas. Accurate site descriptions associated with these aggregations are essential for the conservation of R. typus, an Endangered species. Although aggregations have become valuable hubs for research, most site descriptions rely heavily on sightings data. In the present study, visual census, passive acoustic monitoring, and long range satellite telemetry were combined to track the movements of R. typus from Shib Habil, a reef-associated aggregation site in the Red Sea. An array of 63 receiver stations was used to record the presence of 84 acoustically tagged sharks (35 females, 37 males, 12 undetermined) from April 2010 to May 2016. Over the same period, identification photos were taken for 76 of these tagged individuals and 38 were fitted with satellite transmitters. In total of 37,461 acoustic detections, 210 visual encounters, and 33 satellite tracks were analyzed to describe the sharks’ movement ecology. The results demonstrate that the aggregation is seasonal, mostly concentrated on the exposed side of Shib Habil, and seems to attract sharks of both sexes in roughly equal numbers. The combined methodologies also tracked 15 interannual homing-migrations, demonstrating that many sharks leave the area before returning in later years. When compared to acoustic studies from other aggregations, these results demonstrate that R. typus exhibits diverse, site-specific ecologies across its range. Sightings-independent data from acoustic telemetry and other sources are an effective means of validating more common visual surveys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse E. M. Cochran
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- * E-mail:
| | - Camrin D. Braun
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology–Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program in Oceanography/Applied Ocean Science and Engineering, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - E. Fernando Cagua
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Michael F. Campbell
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Royale S. Hardenstine
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Alexander Kattan
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Mark A. Priest
- Marine Spatial Ecology Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Tane H. Sinclair-Taylor
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Gregory B. Skomal
- Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, New Bedford, MA, United States of America
| | - Sahar Sultan
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Lu Sun
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Key Laboratory of Science and Engineering for Marine Ecology and Environment, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Qingdao, China
| | - Simon R. Thorrold
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Michael L. Berumen
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
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11
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Rooker JR, Dance MA, Wells RJD, Ajemian MJ, Block BA, Castleton MR, Drymon JM, Falterman BJ, Franks JS, Hammerschlag N, Hendon JM, Hoffmayer ER, Kraus RT, McKinney JA, Secor DH, Stunz GW, Walter JF. Population connectivity of pelagic megafauna in the Cuba-Mexico-United States triangle. Sci Rep 2019; 9:1663. [PMID: 30733508 PMCID: PMC6367330 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-38144-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 12/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The timing and extent of international crossings by billfishes, tunas, and sharks in the Cuba-Mexico-United States (U.S.) triangle was investigated using electronic tagging data from eight species that resulted in >22,000 tracking days. Transnational movements of these highly mobile marine predators were pronounced with varying levels of bi- or tri-national population connectivity displayed by each species. Billfishes and tunas moved throughout the Gulf of Mexico and all species investigated (blue marlin, white marlin, Atlantic bluefin tuna, yellowfin tuna) frequently crossed international boundaries and entered the territorial waters of Cuba and/or Mexico. Certain sharks (tiger shark, scalloped hammerhead) displayed prolonged periods of residency in U.S. waters with more limited displacements, while whale sharks and to a lesser degree shortfin mako moved through multiple jurisdictions. The spatial extent of associated movements was generally associated with their differential use of coastal and open ocean pelagic ecosystems. Species with the majority of daily positions in oceanic waters off the continental shelf showed the greatest tendency for transnational movements and typically traveled farther from initial tagging locations. Several species converged on a common seasonal movement pattern between territorial waters of the U.S. (summer) and Mexico (winter).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jay R Rooker
- Department of Marine Biology, Texas A&M University, 1001 Texas Clipper Road, Galveston, Texas, 77554, USA. .,Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, 77843, USA.
| | - Michael A Dance
- Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, Louisiana State University, 2255 Energy, Coast and Environment Building, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 70803, USA
| | - R J David Wells
- Department of Marine Biology, Texas A&M University, 1001 Texas Clipper Road, Galveston, Texas, 77554, USA.,Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, 77843, USA
| | - Matthew J Ajemian
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, 5600 US 1 North, Fort. Pierce, Florida, 34946, USA
| | - Barbara A Block
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, 120 Ocean View Blvd., Pacific Grove, California, 93950, USA
| | - Michael R Castleton
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, 120 Ocean View Blvd., Pacific Grove, California, 93950, USA
| | - J Marcus Drymon
- Mississippi State University, Coastal Research and Extension Center, 1815 Popps Ferry Road, Biloxi, Mississippi, 39532, USA
| | - Brett J Falterman
- Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, 2021 Lakeshore Dr., Suite 220, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70122, USA
| | - James S Franks
- Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, University of Southern Mississippi, 703 East Beach Drive Ocean Springs, Mississippi, 39564, USA
| | - Neil Hammerschlag
- Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, Florida, 33149, USA
| | - Jill M Hendon
- Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, University of Southern Mississippi, 703 East Beach Drive Ocean Springs, Mississippi, 39564, USA
| | - Eric R Hoffmayer
- NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Mississippi Laboratories, P.O. Drawer 1207, Pascagoula, Mississippi, 39568, USA
| | - Richard T Kraus
- Lake Erie Biological Station, USGS, 6100 Columbus Avenue, Sandusky, Ohio, 44870, USA
| | - Jennifer A McKinney
- Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, 2021 Lakeshore Dr., Suite 220, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70122, USA
| | - David H Secor
- Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, P.O. Box 38, Solomons, Maryland, 20688, USA
| | - Gregory W Stunz
- Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, 6300 Ocean Drive, Unit 5869, Corpus Christi, Texas, 78412, USA
| | - John F Walter
- NOAA Fisheries, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, 75 Virginia Beach Drive, Miami, Florida, 33149, USA
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12
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Copping JP, Stewart BD, McClean CJ, Hancock J, Rees R. Does bathymetry drive coastal whale shark ( Rhincodon typus) aggregations? PeerJ 2018; 6:e4904. [PMID: 29900072 PMCID: PMC5995094 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.4904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2018] [Accepted: 05/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The whale shark (Rhincodon typus) is known to aggregate in a number of coastal locations globally, however what causes these aggregations to form where they do is largely unknown. This study examines whether bathymetry is an important driver of coastal aggregation locations for R. typus through bathymetry's effect on primary productivity and prey availability. This is a global study taking into account all coastal areas within R. typus' range. METHODS R. typus aggregation locations were identified through an extensive literature review. Global bathymetric data were compared at R. typus aggregation locations and a large random selection of non-aggregation areas. Generalised linear models were used to assess which bathymetric characteristic had the biggest influence on aggregation presence. RESULTS Aggregation sites were significantly shallower than non-aggregation sites and in closer proximity to deep water (the mesopelagic zone) by two orders of magnitude. Slope at aggregation sites was significantly steeper than non-aggregation sites. These three bathymetric variables were shown to have the biggest association with aggregation sites, with up to 88% of deviation explained by the GLMs. DISCUSSION The three key bathymetric characteristics similar at the aggregation sites are known to induce upwelling events, increase primary productivity and consequently attract numerous other filter feeding species. The location of aggregation sites in these key areas can be attributed to this increased prey availability, thought to be the main reason R. typus aggregations occur, extensively outlined in the literature. The proximity of aggregations to shallow areas such as reefs could also be an important factor why whale sharks thermoregulate after deep dives to feed. These findings increase our understanding of whale shark behaviour and may help guide the identification and conservation of further aggregation sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua P. Copping
- School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Bryce D. Stewart
- Environment Department, University of York, York, United Kingdom
| | - Colin J. McClean
- Environment Department, University of York, York, United Kingdom
| | - James Hancock
- Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme, York, United Kingdom
| | - Richard Rees
- Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme, York, United Kingdom
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