scholarly journals Spatial Distribution Changes and Habitat Use in Red Porgy in Waters off the Southeast U.S. Atlantic Coast

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 381-394
Author(s):  
Tracey I. Smart ◽  
Walter J. Bubley ◽  
Dawn M. Glasgow ◽  
Marcel J. M. Reichert
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Habitat Use ◽  
Atlantic Coast ◽  
Red Porgy

scholarly journals Ecological relations between mangrove leaf litter and the spatial distribution of the gastropod Melampus coffeus in a fringe mangrove forest

2015 ◽  
Vol 105 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diva S. Tavares ◽  
Rafaela C. Maia ◽  
Cristina Rocha-Barreira ◽  
Helena Matthews-Cascon
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Leaf Litter ◽  
Mangrove Forest ◽  
Atlantic Coast ◽  
Ground Surface ◽  
Mangrove Forests ◽  
Physical Presence ◽  
Ecological Relations ◽  
Melampus Coffeus ◽  
Pulmonate Gastropod

Leaf litter represents a food source to many organisms that may directly contribute to organic matter decomposition. In addition, the physical presence of these vegetal detritus contributes for the modification of some environmental areas and produce microhabitats that may act as a refuge against predators and desiccation for many animals. The pulmonate gastropod Melampus coffeus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Ellobiidae) is a very common specie in Atlantic Coast mangrove forests and feeds on fallen mangrove leaves. It was hypothesized that the spatial distribution of Melampus coffeus is directly affected by mangrove leaf litter biomass deposition. Thus, this research aimed at evaluating the spatial distribution of these gastropods in relation to the biomass of mangrove leaf litter through a twelve-month period. The study area was established in the middle estuary of Pacoti River, state of Ceará, Brazil where two adjacent zones with different topographic profiles were determined. Samples of Melampus coffeus and leaf litter were collected monthly, throughout a year, from the mangrove ground surface. The results indicated that the presence of twigs in mangrove litter favor the occupation by smaller individuals of M. coffeus, probably because smaller individuals are more susceptible to predator attacks and desiccation than larger ones, and twigs and branches may provide a safe microhabitat.

Habitat use of the introduced cane toad (Rhinella marina) and native frog species in tropical Australia

2015 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 531-540 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Mayer ◽  
Gregory P. Brown ◽  
Barbara Zimmermann ◽  
Matthew J. Greenlees ◽  
Richard Shine
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Habitat Selection ◽  
Habitat Use ◽  
Ecological Impacts ◽  
Northern Australia ◽  
Cane Toad ◽  
Rhinella Marina ◽  
Frog Species ◽  
Tropical Australia ◽  
Reducing Activity

Abstract:The ecological impacts of introduced species can reveal mechanisms underlying habitat selection and behaviour. We investigated the habitat use of native frog species and the invasive cane toads (Rhinella marina) in tropical northern Australia to measure overlap in habitat use, and to test if the presence of the cane toad influences frog behaviour. Native frog species and the cane toad both preferred habitats close to water and unvegetated holes. However, native frogs were found further from water (on average 19.4 m) than were toads (on average 12.6 m), and preferred areas with higher vegetation (8–50 cm) than did toads, which were more abundant in vegetation lower than 8 cm. For both types of anuran, the next neighbour was more often of the same type (89% in frogs, 52% in toads) than expected by chance (observed ratio: 75% frogs vs 25% toads), reflecting these differences in habitat use. Our counts of frog abundance increased on average 14.5% in areas from which we removed cane toads temporarily. This result suggests that cane toads inhibit the activity of native anurans either by inducing avoidance, or by reducing activity. By modifying the behaviour and spatial distribution of native taxa, invasive cane toads may curtail activities such as feeding and breeding.

scholarly journals Influence of environmental variation on spatial distribution and habitat-use in a benthic foraging marine predator

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cassie N. Speakman ◽  
Andrew J. Hoskins ◽  
Mark A. Hindell ◽  
Daniel P. Costa ◽  
Jason R. Hartog ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Habitat Use ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Environmental Variability ◽  
Southern Oscillation ◽  
Environmental Variation ◽  
Climate Indices ◽  
Marine Systems ◽  
Marine Predators ◽  
Eastern Australia

The highly dynamic nature of the marine environment can have a substantial influence on the foraging behaviour and spatial distribution of marine predators, particularly in pelagic marine systems. However, knowledge of the susceptibility of benthic marine predators to environmental variability is limited. This study investigated the influence of local-scale environmental conditions and large-scale climate indices on the spatial distribution and habitat use in the benthic foraging Australian fur seal ( Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus ; AUFS). Female AUFS provisioning pups were instrumented with GPS or ARGOS platform terminal transmitter tags during the austral winters of 2001–2019 at Kanowna Island, south-eastern Australia. Individuals were most susceptible to changes in the Southern Oscillation Index that measures the strength of the El Niño Southern Oscillation, with larger foraging ranges, greater distances travelled and more dispersed movement associated with 1-yr lagged La Niña-like conditions. Additionally, the total distance travelled was negatively correlated with the current year sea surface temperature and 1-yr lagged Indian Ocean Dipole, and positively correlated with 1-yr lagged chlorophyll- a concentration. These results suggest that environmental variation may influence the spatial distribution and availability of prey, even within benthic marine systems.

scholarly journals Effects of Groundwater Inputs to the Hydraulic Circulation, Water Residence Time, and Salinity in a Moroccan Atlantic Lagoon

2022 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 69
Author(s):  
Soukaina Elyaagoubi ◽  
Georg Umgiesser ◽  
Mehdi Maanan ◽  
Francesco Maicu ◽  
Jovita Mėžinė ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Water Level ◽  
Residence Time ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Atlantic Coast ◽  
Local Population ◽  
Element Model ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Water Residence Time ◽  
Ramsar Convention

The finite element model SHYFEM was used to study the hydrodynamics and variability of water level, salinity, temperature, and water residence time (WRT) in the Oualidia lagoon located on the Moroccan Atlantic coast. The lagoon hosts a RAMSAR convention-protected area and also offers a set of valuable ecosystem services providing the source of income for the local population. To assess the effects of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) inputs in the study area, four simulations were set up using different SGD inputs estimates in addition to tidal forcing, bathymetry, meteorological data including solar radiation, rain, and wind, in addition to boundary conditions in the Atlantic such as salinity, water level, and water temperature. The model was calibrated and validated using hydrodynamic measurements of previous studies in 2012 and 2013. The final results from the model are in good agreement with measured data. The simulation with SGD input ~0.05 m3 s−1 produced salinity values closest to the observed ones. Calculated spatial distribution of WRT, temperature, and salinity reduced to coordinates in two PCA axes is consistent with lagoon zones developed earlier using the benthic macroinvertebrate distribution. The calculated spatial distribution of WRT allowed us to evaluate the placement of oyster aquaculture farms and small-scale fisheries in relation to water quality issues existing in the lagoon.

scholarly journals Spatial distribution, abundance and habitat use of the endemic Mediterranean fan mussel Pinna nobilis in Gera Gulf, Lesvos (Greece): comparison of design-based and model-based approaches

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 642 ◽  
Author(s):  
ALEXANDROS TSATIRIS ◽  
VASILEIOS PAPADOPOULOS ◽  
DESPINA MAKRI ◽  
KONSTANSTINOS TOPOUZELIS ◽  
EVA MANOUTSOGLOU ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Population Density ◽  
Habitat Use ◽  
Additive Models ◽  
Mussel Population ◽  
Population Densities ◽  
Model Based ◽  
Pinna Nobilis ◽  
Eastern Aegean ◽  
Muddy Sediments

An important population of the endemic Mediterranean fan mussel Pinna nobilis thrives in the marine protected area of Gera Gulf (Lesvos island, north-eastern Aegean Sea, Greece), and was assessed for the first time. To estimate the abundance, spatial distribution and habitat use of fan mussels in Gera Gulf, a distance sampling underwater survey was conducted. Detectability was modelled to secure unbiased estimates of population density. Two approaches were applied to analyze survey data, a design-based and a model-based approach using generalized additive models. The first approach was based on stratified random sampling on two strata, an assumed ‘preferable’ zone close to the coastline and an assumed unsuitable habitat, with predominantly muddy sediments, in which low sampling effort was applied. For the needs of the model-based approach, a dedicated cruise was conducted to collect bathymetric data with a single-beam echo-sounder and map the bathymetry of the study area. A very high-resolution image from the Worldview-3 satellite was processed, based on an object-based image analysis, for mapping all main habitat types in the study area. The estimated abundance using the design-based approach was low-biased as the stratum of pre-assumed unsuitable habitat proved to include patches of suitable habitats with high population densities that were missed by sampling. The model-based approach provided an abundance estimate of 213300 individuals (95% confidence interval between 97600-466000 individuals), which renders the fan mussel population of Gera Gulf the largest recorded population in Greece. Population density peaked between 1.5-8 m depth and became practically zero at depths >15 m. A bathymetric segregation of fan mussel size classes was noted, with the density of small individuals peaking in shallow waters, while that of large individuals peaked deeper. The highest population densities were observed in Posidonia oceanica meadows, followed by mixed bottoms (with reefs, rocks and sandy patches), while densities were very low on sandy and zero on muddy sediments. The current assessment provides a baseline for future monitoring of the fan mussel population in Gera Gulf. In view of the current (2017-2018) ongoing mass mortality of the species in the western Mediterranean, continuous monitoring of the main fan mussel populations, such as the one in Gera Gulf, is of utmost importance.   

A meta-analysis of American black duck winter habitat use along the Atlantic Coast

2015 ◽  
Vol 79 (8) ◽  
pp. 1298-1307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin M. Ringelman ◽  
Christopher K. Williams ◽  
Patrick K. Devers ◽  
John M. Coluccy ◽  
Paul M. Castelli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Atlantic Coast ◽  
Winter Habitat ◽  
Black Duck ◽  
American Black ◽  
American Black Duck

Spatial distribution and habitat use of reed warblers Acrocephalus scirpaceus during the autumn migration

Behaviour ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 151 (6) ◽  
pp. 799-817 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miren Andueza ◽  
Juan Arizaga ◽  
Emilio Barba ◽  
Ibon Tamayo-Uria
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Habitat Use ◽  
Breeding Site ◽  
Autumn Migration ◽  
First Year ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Spatial Behaviour ◽  
Stopover Site ◽  
Stopover Sites ◽  
Acrocephalus Scirpaceus

Spatial behaviour and habitat selection at stopover sites have a strong influence on the foraging and fuelling performance of migrating birds and hence are important aspects of stopover ecology. The aim of this study was to analyse the spatial behaviour and habitat use of reed warblers Acrocephalus scirpaceus during the autumn migration. We used radio tracking data from reed warblers surveyed at a stopover site in northern Iberia and assigned to three different groups: (1) local adult birds which were still at their breeding site, (2) migrating first-year birds (originating from beyond Iberian peninsula) and (3) migrating adult birds. Overall, migrating first-year birds tended to have larger home ranges than both local and migrating adults and to move more widely in the study area. They also showed lower fat deposition rates than adults. The proportion of habitats in home ranges (reed-beds and tidal flats being the most abundant habitats) was similar amongst groups. The spatial distribution and habitat use of organisms have been theorised to follow an ideal-free or ideal-despotic distribution. However, according to our results, other complex underlying mechanisms may play an important role in shaping the spatial behaviour of birds at stopover sites.

scholarly journals Lacunarity, predictability and predictive instability of the daily pluviometric regime in the Iberian Peninsula

2007 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 109-121 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. D. Martínez ◽  
X. Lana ◽  
A. Burgueño ◽  
C. Serra
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Iberian Peninsula ◽  
Lyapunov Exponents ◽  
Atlantic Coast ◽  
Power Laws ◽  
Rain Gauge ◽  
Mediterranean Coast ◽  
Western Atlantic ◽  
Dry Spells ◽  
Dry Spell

Abstract. The complexity of the daily pluviometric regime of the Iberian Peninsula is analysed from the point of view of its lacunarity, predictability and predictive instability. The database consists of daily pluviometric records obtained from 43 rain gauges in Spain and Portugal for the period 1950–1990. Five different series are generated for every rain gauge. The first series is constituted by the consecutive daily amounts. The other four consist of dry spell lengths with respect to daily amount thresholds of 0.1, 1.0, 5.0 and 10.0 mm/day. A dry spell length is defined as the number of consecutive days with rainfall amounts below one of these thresholds. The empirical lacunarity for every rain gauge is well reproduced by two power laws, the exponents varying notably from one gauge to another. The spatial distribution of the lacunarity is characterised by a north to south or southeast gradient, thus suggesting that this parameter can be a useful tool to distinguish between different pluviometric regimes. The predictability of the five series is quantified by means of the rescaled analysis and the interpretation of the Hurst exponent. Its patterns reveal that most part of the Iberian Peninsula shows signs of persistence for the daily rainfall and the dry spell series, although persistence is only clearly manifested in some small domains. The instability of possible predictive algorithms is analysed through the Lyapunov exponents. They are only computed for the series of daily amounts and for dry lengths respect to the threshold level of 0.1 mm/day due to the short number of dry spells for larger threshold levels. The series of daily amounts depict the highest instability along the Mediterranean coast. The series of dry spells show an increasing instability from NE to SW Spain, with a relevant nucleus of high Lyapunov values in the south-western Atlantic coast. As a summary, lacunarity and Hurst and Lyapunov exponents depict a relevant spatial variation, which is in agreement with well known patterns of the pluviometric regime, such as annual amount spatial distribution and return periods of dry spells.

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