scholarly journals Habitat preferences, foraging behaviour and bycatch risk among breeding sooty shearwaters Ardenna grisea in the Southwest Atlantic

2020 ◽  
Vol 651 ◽  
pp. 163-181
Author(s):  
AS Bonnet-Lebrun ◽  
P Catry ◽  
TJ Clark ◽  
L Campioni ◽  
A Kuepfer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Foraging Behaviour ◽  
Anthropogenic Impacts ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Falkland Islands ◽  
Southwest Atlantic ◽  
Fishing Vessels ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Burdwood Bank

Pelagic seabirds are important components of many marine ecosystems. The most abundant species are medium/small sized petrels (<1100 g), yet the sub-mesoscale (<10 km) distribution, habitat use and foraging behaviour of this group are not well understood. Sooty shearwaters Ardenna grisea are among the world’s most numerous pelagic seabirds. The majority inhabit the Pacific, where they have declined, partly due to bycatch and other anthropogenic impacts, but they are increasing in the Atlantic. To evaluate the sub-mesoscale habitat preferences (i.e. the disproportionality between habitat use and availability), diving behaviour and bycatch risk of Atlantic breeders, we tracked sooty shearwaters from the Falkland Islands during late incubation and early chick-rearing with GPS loggers (n = 20), geolocators (n = 10) and time-depth recorders (n = 10). These birds foraged exclusively in neritic and shelf-break waters, principally over the Burdwood Bank, ~350 km from their colony. Like New Zealand breeders, they dived mostly during daylight, especially at dawn and dusk, consistent with the exploitation of vertically migrating prey. However, Falkland birds made shorter foraging trips, shallower dives, and did not forage in oceanic waters. Their overlap with fisheries was low, and they foraged at shallower depths than those targeted by trawlers, the most frequent fishing vessels encountered, indicating that bycatch risk was low during late incubation/early chick-rearing. Although our results should be treated with caution, they indicate that Atlantic and Pacific sooty shearwaters may experience markedly differing pressures at sea. Comparative study between these populations, e.g. combining biologging and demography, is therefore warranted.

Benthic communities in the Southwest Atlantic Ocean: Conservation value of animal forests at the Burdwood Bank slope

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 426-439 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Schejter ◽  
Gabriel Genzano ◽  
Esteban Gaitán ◽  
Carlos D. Perez ◽  
Claudia S. Bremec
Keyword(s):  
Atlantic Ocean ◽  
Benthic Communities ◽  
Conservation Value ◽  
Southwest Atlantic ◽  
Bank Slope ◽  
Burdwood Bank ◽  
Ocean Conservation

scholarly journals Mosquito Vector Production across Socio-Economic Divides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 1420
Author(s):  
Rebeca de Jesús Crespo ◽  
Madison Harrison ◽  
Rachel Rogers ◽  
Randy Vaeth
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Baton Rouge ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Mosquito Larvae ◽  
Mosquito Vector ◽  
Mosquito Vectors ◽  
Low Income Groups ◽  
Socio Economic Factors

We investigated the role of socio-economic factors in the proliferation of mosquito vectors in two adjacent but socio-economically contrasting neighborhoods in Baton Rouge, LA, USA. We surveyed mosquito larvae habitat, mosquito larvae, and adult mosquitoes during the summer of 2020. We also evaluated the number of requests for mosquito abatement services in the years preceding the study for each area. While we did not find differences in terms of the most abundant species, Culex quinquefasicatus (F1,30 = 0.329, p = 0.57), we did find a higher abundance of mosquito habitats, particularly discarded tires, as well as larvae (z = 13.83, p < 0.001) and adults (F1,30 = 4.207, p = 0.049) of the species Aedes albopictus in the low-income neighborhood. In contrast, mosquito abatement requests were significantly higher in the high socio-economic neighborhood (z = −8.561, p < 0.001). This study shows how factors such as adjudicated properties, discarded tires and pest abatement requests can influence the abundance of mosquito vectors, disproportionately affecting low-income groups. This study also highlights how Aedes spp. may be better indicators than Culex spp. of socio-economic differences between nearby neighborhoods, due to their short flight range and habitat preferences, and this should be considered in future studies attempting to detect such disparities in the future.

Design of experimental food patches to measure foraging intensity for octopus: a case study with the giant Pacific octopus Enteroctopus dofleini

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Chancellor ◽  
David Scheel ◽  
Joel S Brown
Keyword(s):  
Predation Risk ◽  
Foraging Behaviour ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
High Tide ◽  
Intertidal Habitat ◽  
Camera System ◽  
Subtidal Habitat ◽  
Enteroctopus Dofleini ◽  
Nontarget Species

ABSTRACT In a study of the foraging behaviour of the giant Pacific octopus Enteroctopus dofleini, we designed two types of experimental food patches to measure habitat preferences and perceptions of predation risk. The first patch successfully measured giving-up densities (GUDs), confirmed by octopus prey presence and higher foraging at sites with historically greater octopus presence. However, nontarget foragers also foraged on these experimental food patches. Our second floating patch design successfully excluded nontarget species from subtidal patches, and from intertidal patches at high tide, but allowed for foraging by E. dofleini. The second design successfully measured GUDs and suggested that octopus preferred foraging in a subtidal habitat compared to an intertidal habitat. We ascribe the higher GUD in the intertidal habitat to its higher predation risk relative to the subtidal habitat. The second patch design seems well suited for E. dofleini and, in conjunction with a camera system, could be used to provide behavioural indicators of the octopus's abundance, perceptions of habitat quality and predation risk.

Summer stream habitat preferences of Nunavik anadromous Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) fry and parr

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Véronique Dubos ◽  
André St-Hilaire ◽  
Normand E Bergeron
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Salvelinus Alpinus ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Arctic Region ◽  
Arctic Char ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Stream Habitat ◽  
Physical Habitat ◽  
High Plasticity ◽  
Slow Velocity

Arctic char is a fish species known to occupy diverse habitats within the Arctic region. However, summer habitat use during the juvenile stage of the anadromous form is largely unknown. The present study aims to characterize fry and parr summer habitat preferences. Surveys were conducted by electrofishing, associated with physical habitat characterization on several rivers of the Ungava Bay, Nunavik, Canada. At the microhabitat and station scales, fry showed significant habitat preferences for shallow water and slow velocity. At the mesohabitat scale, fry showed a significant habitat selectivity for riffles. This habitat selectivity implies that habitat models can be built to evaluate the potential of habitat suitability for Arctic char fry. However, no significant habitat selectivity was found for parr. Parr size was nonetheless positively correlated with velocity, which was found to be a limitative factor for juvenile habitat use. This first attempt at modeling juvenile anadromous Arctic char habitat in rivers emphasizes the importance of selecting an appropriate spatial scale and reiterates the fact that parr showed relatively high plasticity in stream habitat selection.

scholarly journals Bees use anthropogenic habitats despite strong natural habitat preferences

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel Á. Collado ◽  
Daniel Sol ◽  
Ignasi Bartomeus
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Loss ◽  
Natural Habitat ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Comprehensive Analysis ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Large Dataset ◽  
Anthropogenic Habitats ◽  
Bee Diversity ◽  
Northeast Usa

ABSTRACTHabitat loss and alteration is widely considered one of the main drivers of the current loss of pollinator diversity. Unfortunately, we still lack a comprehensive analysis of habitat importance, use and preference for major groups of pollinators. Here, we address this gap analysing a large dataset of 15,762 bee specimens (more than 400 species) across northeast USA. We found that natural habitats sustain the highest bee diversity, with many species strongly depending on such habitats. By characterizing habitat use and preference for the 45 most abundant species, we also show that many bee species can use human-altered habitats despite exhibiting strong and clear preferences for forested habitats. However, only a few species appear to do well when the habitat has been drastically modified. We conclude that although altered environments may harbor a substantial number of species, preserving natural areas is still essential to guarantee the conservation of bee biodiversity.

Sand Fly (Diptera: Psychodidae) Species Diversity, Habitat Preferences, and Ecological Aspects of Distribution in Bajaur District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

2020 ◽  
Vol 57 (5) ◽  
pp. 1432-1439
Author(s):  
Shah Wahid ◽  
Khurshaid Khan ◽  
Nazma Habib Khan
Keyword(s):  
Relative Humidity ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
External Genitalia ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Sand Fly ◽  
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ◽  
Average Temperature ◽  
Ecological Aspects ◽  
Total Capture ◽  
Future Work

Abstract The species composition, distribution, and bionomics of sand flies was investigated from January to December 2017 in four tehsils (20 villages) of district Bajaur (formally Bajaur agency), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. In total, 4,173 adult specimens comprising of seven species of Phlebotomus (Diptera: Psychodidae) and three species of Sergentomyia (Diptera: Psychodidae) were collected by oral aspirator, insecticide spray, and sticky traps from June to October. Highest numbers of flies were collected indoors in July and August when relative humidity and temperature were highest. Phlebotomus sergenti Parrot (Diptera: Psychodidae) was the most abundant species from all the collection sites, making approximately 70% of the total capture. Combined dwellings and chicken cages harbored the highest number of adult and immature flies (unrotated external genitalia). Abundance of P. sergenti had a significant (P ≤ 0.05) positive correlation with monthly average temperature, relative humidity, and average rainfall in indoor collections. On the other hand, P. papatasi Scopoli displayed similar correlation in the indoor and nighttime collections. Both the species were apparently abundant in the elevation range ≤ 419 m above sea level and on rangelands. Phlebotomus papatasi, however, also occurred on agricultural lands. The number of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) cases did not significantly correlate with the abundance of sand fly vectors across the villages surveyed. The results reported herein can serve as a baseline for an all-extensive future work in Bajaur. Our investigations will benefit the public health experts and medical entomologists for improved control and surveillance vectors of leishmaniasis.

Habitat use, temporal activity patterns and foraging behaviour of raptors in the south-west of the Northern Territory, Australia

2001 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 365 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom Aumann
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Foraging Behaviour ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
Diel Activity ◽  
The South ◽  
Interspecific Differences ◽  
South West ◽  
Diel Activity Patterns ◽  
Vegetation Structures

On the basis of opportunistic observations, the preferred habitats of diurnal raptors in the south-west of the Northern Territory are quantified in terms of their vegetation structures and composition, and linked with foraging methods and information on local diets. Broad interspecific differences in diel activity patterns are also described. The evidence suggests that raptor species in this part of arid Australia differ with respect to their foraging times, habitats and methods, and that these differences relate to their partitioning of food resources.

Occurrence and habitat use of Bryde's whales (Balaenoptera edeni) in the Cabo Frio region, South-eastern Brazil

2016 ◽  
Vol 98 (5) ◽  
pp. 1081-1086 ◽  
Author(s):  
Israel S. Maciel ◽  
Rodrigo H. Tardin ◽  
Sheila M. Simão
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Foraging Behaviour ◽  
Field Trips ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Video Recordings ◽  
Eastern Brazil ◽  
Water Depths ◽  
Cabo Frio

Ninety-six field trips were conducted between summer 2010 and 2012 in order to understand the occurrence and habitat use of Bryde's whale (Balaenoptera edeni) in the Cabo Frio region, South-eastern Brazil. Bryde's whales were present in the study area between November and July, being observed during all seasons, but occur more frequently during the autumn (Nindividuals = 16) and spring (Nindividuals = 13), followed by summer (Nindividuals = 5) and winter (Nindividuals = 2), respectively. Bryde's whales were observed in water depths ranging from 20.1–100 m. Furthermore, during 2240 min of video recordings, the most frequent behaviour observed was foraging (40.2%; 900 min). Travelling comprised 28.1% (630 min) of observations, while in 33.1% (710 min) behaviour could not be determined. Taking into account the pattern of occurrence, the use of deeper bathymetric bins and the frequency observed, the foraging behaviour of Bryde's whales observed in our study seems to be associated to prey dynamics. Our data show that the study area is frequently used for foraging by this species in Brazilian waters.

Scats can reveal the presence and habitat use of cryptic rock-dwelling macropods

2006 ◽  
Vol 54 (5) ◽  
pp. 325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy R. Telfer ◽  
Anthony D. Griffiths ◽  
David M. J. S. Bowman
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Radio Telemetry ◽  
Classification Tree ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Survey Tool ◽  
Faecal Pellets ◽  
Tropical Environments ◽  
The Tropics ◽  
Larger Sample

The rock-dwelling macropod species of the tropics of the Northern Territory, Australia, are behaviourally elusive and difficult to observe in their rugged habitats. Hence, little is understood about their ecology. We evaluated the potential of using scats (faecal pellets) as a survey tool for this faunal assemblage by: (1) developing a key to the scats of the species; (2) examining the rates of loss and decomposition of short-eared rock-wallaby (Petrogale brachyotis) scats in these tropical environments; and (3) comparing the distribution of scats of P. brachyotis with the species’ use of space and habitats as determined with radio-telemetry. Classification tree modelling discriminated the scats of the seven macropod species, primarily on the basis of width. The reliability of identification was greatly improved with larger sample sizes and inclusion of a habitat parameter. Rates of scat loss and decay were variable and the greatest losses occurred in the wet season, particularly on sandy soils. Scat censuses underestimated the total area used by P. brachyotis but the distribution of scats showed the same broad pattern of habitat use found by radio-telemetry. We conclude that scats can accurately indicate the presence and habitat preferences of rock-dwelling macropod species.

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