Assessing the spatial ecology and resource use of a mobile and endangered species in an urbanized landscape using satellite telemetry and DNA faecal metabarcoding

Ibis ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 159 (2) ◽  
pp. 390-405 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Groom ◽  
Nicole E. White ◽  
Nicola Mitchell ◽  
J. Dale Roberts ◽  
Peter Mawson
Keyword(s):  
Endangered Species ◽  
Resource Use ◽  
Spatial Ecology ◽  
Satellite Telemetry

scholarly journals Spatial ecology of loggerhead turtles: Insights from stable isotope markers and satellite telemetry

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 368-381 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia C. Haywood ◽  
Wayne J. Fuller ◽  
Brendan J. Godley ◽  
Dimitris Margaritoulis ◽  
Jamie D. Shutler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stable Isotope ◽  
Spatial Ecology ◽  
Satellite Telemetry ◽  
Loggerhead Turtles

scholarly journals West Indian manatee movements reveal novel occupancy and distribution patterns in the northern Gulf of Mexico

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allen Aven ◽  
Ruth H. Carmichael ◽  
Elizabeth E Hieb ◽  
Monica Ross
Keyword(s):  
Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Spatial Ecology ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Satellite Telemetry ◽  
West Indian ◽  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
Habitat Associations ◽  
Movement Model ◽  
Functional Movement ◽  
Northern Gulf Of Mexico

Since the 1980s, West Indian manatees (Trichechus manatus) have been reported more frequently along the northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) coast in areas that were recently considered to be outside the species' normal areas of occupancy. The ecological importance of the northern GOM region to manatees is currently unclear, but knowledge of the spatial ecology, population linkages, and habitat associations of individuals occupying the fringes of their known range is vital to bring context and improve understanding of demographic trends and potential threats to the species, rangewide. We tracked regional-scale movements of 13 manatees documented in Mobile Bay, AL using satellite telemetry and mark-recapture methods. We determined movement and occupancy patterns including origins, seasonal dispersal and site fidelity, and functional movement modes of those individuals during the tracking period. Focal manatees moved along the GOM coast between Tampa Bay, FL and Lake Pontchartrain, LA, and consistently returned to discrete locations in both the northern GOM and within the species' core range in peninsular FL. Functional movement model fits confirmed that most relatively long-range seasonal movements were migratory in nature, suggesting that consistently occupied migratory endpoints contain relatively important seasonal habitat for manatees and diminishing the possibility that tracked manatees were nomads or transient within the study area. These results provide evidence of shifting seasonal manatee distribution in the US, and highlight repeatedly used locations that may increase in importance to the species if manatee abundance in the northern GOM increases.

Foraging and overwintering behavior of loggerhead sea turtles Caretta caretta in the western North Atlantic

2020 ◽  
Vol 641 ◽  
pp. 209-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Braun McNeill ◽  
L Avens ◽  
A Goodman Hall ◽  
I Fujisaki ◽  
AR Iverson
Keyword(s):  
North Carolina ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Spatial Ecology ◽  
Net Primary Production ◽  
Sea Turtles ◽  
Satellite Telemetry ◽  
Caretta Caretta ◽  
Sea Turtle ◽  
Foraging Habitat ◽  
Loggerhead Sea Turtles

Discerning the foraging habitat requirements of wildlife is key to providing for their conservation and management, especially with rare species. Sea turtles are slow-growing, late-maturing species that undertake wide-ranging migrations, making them especially susceptible to changes and disruptions in their environment. To protect and successfully manage these imperiled populations, an understanding of their spatial ecology is required; thus, characterizing critical habitats, identifying high-density areas, and identifying foraging regions is essential. We captured 30 loggerhead sea turtles Caretta caretta (male and female; juvenile and adult) in the estuarine waters of North Carolina (USA) and tracked them in western North Atlantic neritic (nearshore and offshore) waters. Using a combination of satellite telemetry and spatial modeling techniques, we characterized their movements and identified foraging and overwintering sites. Average core-use areas in the north had greater net primary production (NPP) and were smaller than those in the south, indicating more abundant marine resources in northern foraging regions. In summer, loggerheads migrated to both northern and southern foraging grounds, but most (53%) resided within North Carolina neritic waters. Likewise, the majority of loggerheads (67%) we tracked in winter remained in North Carolina neritic waters, underscoring the importance of this area as year-round foraging habitat, and lending to its consideration as potential critical habitat for both juvenile and adult loggerheads. The change to foraging behavior mode was significantly influenced by day of the year, geographic location, and NPP; however, individual-specific factors influenced switching probabilities relative to other covariates. Data highlighting ‘hotspots’ or densely used areas by foraging sea turtles can thus be used by conservation managers to make informed decisions concerning sea turtle conservation measures.

scholarly journals West Indian manatee movements reveal novel occupancy and distribution patterns in the northern Gulf of Mexico

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allen Aven ◽  
Ruth H. Carmichael ◽  
Elizabeth E Hieb ◽  
Monica Ross
Keyword(s):  
Gulf Of Mexico ◽  
Spatial Ecology ◽  
Regional Scale ◽  
Satellite Telemetry ◽  
West Indian ◽  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
Habitat Associations ◽  
Movement Model ◽  
Functional Movement ◽  
Northern Gulf Of Mexico

Since the 1980s, West Indian manatees (Trichechus manatus) have been reported more frequently along the northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) coast in areas that were recently considered to be outside the species' normal areas of occupancy. The ecological importance of the northern GOM region to manatees is currently unclear, but knowledge of the spatial ecology, population linkages, and habitat associations of individuals occupying the fringes of their known range is vital to bring context and improve understanding of demographic trends and potential threats to the species, rangewide. We tracked regional-scale movements of 13 manatees documented in Mobile Bay, AL using satellite telemetry and mark-recapture methods. We determined movement and occupancy patterns including origins, seasonal dispersal and site fidelity, and functional movement modes of those individuals during the tracking period. Focal manatees moved along the GOM coast between Tampa Bay, FL and Lake Pontchartrain, LA, and consistently returned to discrete locations in both the northern GOM and within the species' core range in peninsular FL. Functional movement model fits confirmed that most relatively long-range seasonal movements were migratory in nature, suggesting that consistently occupied migratory endpoints contain relatively important seasonal habitat for manatees and diminishing the possibility that tracked manatees were nomads or transient within the study area. These results provide evidence of shifting seasonal manatee distribution in the US, and highlight repeatedly used locations that may increase in importance to the species if manatee abundance in the northern GOM increases.

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