Space use patterns of sharks in relation to boat activity in an urbanized coastal waterway

Rider, Mitchell J.; Kirsebom, Oliver S.; Gallagher, Austin J.; Staaterman, Erica; Ault, Jerald S.; Sasso, Christopher R.; Jackson, Tom; Browder, Joan A.; Hammerschlag, Neil

doi:10.1016/j.marenvres.2021.105489

i

Space use patterns of sharks in relation to boat activity in an urbanized coastal waterway

2021
By Rider, Mitchell J. ; Kirsebom, Oliver S. ; Gallagher, Austin J. ; ...

Details

Journal Title:

Marine Environmental Research
Personal Author:

Rider, Mitchell J. ; Kirsebom, Oliver S. ; Gallagher, Austin J. ; Staaterman, Erica ; Ault, Jerald S. ; Sasso, Christopher R. ; Jackson, Tom ; Browder, Joan A. ; Hammerschlag, Neil
NOAA Program & Office:

NOAA General Documents
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:

Aquatic Science General Medicine Oceanography Pollution
Source:

Marine Environmental Research, 172, 105489
DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2021.105489
ISSN:

0141-1136
Format:

PDF
Publisher:

Elsevier BV
Document Type:

Journal Article
Rights Information:

Accepted Manuscript
Compliance:

Library
Main Document Checksum:

urn:sha256:8c782ad3c6687a0c8446aaddae70e9bfc198210b4c118c9622c81f5f39bbf05b
Download URL:

https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/57502/noaa_57502_DS1.pdf
File Type:

[PDF - 1.59 MB ]

ON THIS PAGE

Details

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.