Space use patterns of sharks in relation to boat activity in an urbanized coastal waterway
-
2021
-
Source Marine Environmental Research, 172, 105489
Details
-
Journal Title:Marine Environmental Research
-
Personal Author:
-
NOAA Program & Office:
-
Description:Aquatic ecosystems face numerous anthropogenic threats associated with coastal urbanization, with boat activity being among the most prevalent. The present study aimed to evaluate a potential relationship between boat activity and shark space use in Biscayne Bay, Florida (USA), a coastal waterway exposed to high levels of boating. Spatiotemporal patterns in boat density and traffic were determined from aerial surveys and underwater acoustic recorders, respectively. These data were then compared with residency patterns of bull (Carcharhinus leucas), nurse (Ginglymostoma cirratum) and great hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran) sharks quantified through passive acoustic telemetry. Results were mixed, with no detectable relationship between boat density and shark residency for any of the species. Hourly presence of G. cirratum decreased with increasing boat traffic, a relationship not seen in the other two species. Explanations for these results include habituation of sharks to the high levels of chronic boat activity in the study area and interspecific differences in hearing sensitivity.
-
Keywords:
-
Source:Marine Environmental Research, 172, 105489
-
DOI:
-
ISSN:0141-1136
-
Format:
-
Publisher:
-
Document Type:
-
Rights Information:Accepted Manuscript
-
Compliance:Library
-
Download URL:
-
File Type:
-
Collection(s):
-
Main Document Checksum:urn:sha256:8c782ad3c6687a0c8446aaddae70e9bfc198210b4c118c9622c81f5f39bbf05b
The NOAA IR serves as an archival repository of NOAA-published products including scientific findings, journal articles,
guidelines, recommendations, or other information authored or co-authored by NOAA or funded partners. As a repository, the
NOAA IR retains documents in their original published format to ensure public access to scientific information.
You May Also Like
COLLECTION
NOAA General Documents