DOCSLIB.ORG

Preliminary Report on the Turtle Awareness and Protection Studies

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Preliminary Report on the Turtle Awareness and Protection Studies MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, HONDURAS ACTIVITIES OF THE TURTLE AWARENESS AND PROTECTIVE STUDIES (TAPS) PROGRAM, PROTECTIVE TURTLE ECOLOGY CENTER FOR TRAINING, OUTREACH, AND RESEARCH, INC. (ProTECTOR) IN ROATAN, HONDURAS 2007 – 2008 ANNUAL REPORT JANUARY 15, 2009 ACTIVITIES OF THE TURTLE AWARENESS AND PROTECTION STUDIES (TAPS) PROGRAM UNDER THE PROTECTIVE TURTLE ECOLOGY CENTER FOR TRAINING, OUTREACH, AND RESEARCH, INC (ProTECTOR) IN ROATÁN, HONDURAS ANNUAL REPORT OF THE 2007 – 2008 SEASON Principal Investigator: Stephen G. Dunbar1,2,4 Co-Principal Investigator: Lidia Salinas2,3 Co-Principal Investigator: Melissa D. Berube2,4 1President, Protective Turtle Ecology center for Training, Outreach, and Research, Inc. (ProTECTOR), 2569 Topanga Way, Colton, CA 92324, USA 2 Turtle Awareness and Protection Studies (TAPS) Program, Oak Ridge, Roatán, Honduras 3Country Coordinator, Protective Turtle Ecology center for Training, Outreach, and Research, Inc. (ProTECTOR), Tegucigalpa, Honduras 4Department of Earth and Biological Sciences, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA PREFACE This report represents the ongoing work of the Protective Turtle Ecology center for Training, Outreach, and Research, Inc. (ProTECTOR) in the Bay Islands of Honduras. The report covers activities of ProTECTOR up to and including the 2008 calendar year and is provided in partial fulfillment of the permit agreement provided to ProTECTOR from 2006 to the end of 2008 by the Secretariat for Agriculture and Ranching (SAG). ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ProTECTOR and TAPS recognize that without the financial and logistical assistance of the “Escuela de Buceo Reef House,” this project would not have been initiated. We thank the owners and staff of that facility for their interest in sea turtle conservation and their invaluable efforts on behalf of the sea turtles of Honduras. We also extend our appreciation to ESRI for their funding support in terms of GIS software and training. We thank Karla Ventura, Edwin Cruz, the staff of PMAIB and Romeo Silvestri for their constant assistance in sharing data and logistical arrangements for the TAPS program. Numerous volunteers have also assisted in the collection of data, including Lyndsey Kelly, David Kirkwood and Leonardo Rodriguez. I thank Joe Breman for his input in planning, data collection, the development of the project database and GIS analyses. For Submission to: The Secretariat for Agriculture and Ranching (SAG), the Ministry of Environment (SERNA), Fisheries (DIGEPESCA), and the Department of Biodiversity (DiBio) August 25, 2009 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND ..............................................................................4 Measuring, Weighing, Tagging and Tissue Sampling.........................................................5 Radio Tracking and Home Range Analyses of Hawksbills ................................................6 Hawksbill Prey Species Analyses ..........................................................................................7 Hawksbill Nesting Beach Reconnaissence............................................................................8 Hawksbill Aerial and Dive Monitoring ................................................................................9 Turtle Nesting Hotline Art and Jingle Challenge................................................................9 DETAILED METHODS..........................................................................................................10 Measuring, Weighing, Tagging and Tissue Sampling.......................................................10 Radio Tracking and Home Range Analyses of Hawksbills ..............................................14 Radio Tracking and Home Range Determination..............................................................15 Hawksbill Prey Species Analyses ........................................................................................17 Survey Transects.................................................................................................................17 Statistical Analysis .............................................................................................................18 Hawksbill Nesting Beach Reconnaissence..........................................................................18 Hawksbill Aerial and Dive Monitoring ..............................................................................21 Turtle Nesting Hotline Art and Jingle Challenge..............................................................22 RESULTS..................................................................................................................................26 Measuring, Weighing, Tagging and Tissue Sampling.......................................................26 Growth Rates......................................................................................................................28 Radio Tracking and Home Range Analyses of Hawksbills ..............................................28 Hawksbill Prey Species Analyses ........................................................................................33 Hawksbill Nesting Beach Reconnaissence..........................................................................38 Hawksbill Aerial and Dive Monitoring ..............................................................................41 Turtle Nesting Hotline Art and Jingle Challenge..............................................................45 DISCUSSION............................................................................................................................45 Measuring, Weighing, Tagging and Tissue Sampling.......................................................45 Radio Tracking and Home Range Analyses of Hawksbills ..............................................46 Hawksbill Prey Species Analyses ........................................................................................46 Hawksbill Nesting Beach Reconnaissence..........................................................................48 Hawksbill Aerial and Dive Monitoring ..............................................................................48 Turtle Nesting Hotline Art and Jingle Challenge..............................................................49 RECOMMENDATIONS .........................................................................................................50 LITERATURE CITED............................................................................................................52 APPENDIX IA..........................................................................................................................55 APPENDIX IB ..........................................................................................................................56 APPENDIX IIA ........................................................................................................................57 APPENDIX IIIA (English) ......................................................................................................58 APPENDIX IIIB (Español)......................................................................................................59 3 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND A comprehensive background regarding the current status of hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricate) and green (Chelonia mydas) sea turtles, and the need for continuing research on their status and plight in Honduran waters, has been provided in a previous report to SAG, SERNA, DIGEPESCA, and DiBio (Dunbar, 2006). That report provided details on methods carried out by the Turtle Awareness and Protection Studies (TAPS) program under interim permits # DGPA/005/2006 and # DGPA/245/2006, and provided preliminary results obtained up to November, 2006. The following is an annual report on the activities of the TAPS program under the ProTECTOR organization carried on between March, 2007 and October, 2008. The TAPS program was officially granted a permit to carry on research on sea turtles of Honduras in March, 2007 by the Secretariat of Agriculture and Ranching (SAG), under permit #DGPA/5428/2007, and subsequently began conducting the research for which the permit had been granted. These studies are the first of their kind to be conducted in Honduras with the aim of tagging and tracking juvenile sea turtles, as well as assessing the health of wild-caught, temporarily-captive sea turtles throughout the area of the Bay Islands. The TAPS program is coordinated out of the “Escuela de Busceo Reef House” (RHR) located on the south-east coast of Roatán in the Bay Islands, Honduras (N16°23'23.34", W086°20'57.43") (Figure 1). In addition to the initial tagging program initiated by ProTECTOR under the Turtle Awareness and Protection Studies (TAPS) program in March, 2007, other projects have been initiated and continue. These projects include an investigation undertaken by Loma Linda University graduate student, Melissa Berube, under supervision by Dr. Stephen G. Dunbar, estimating the size of home ranges for juvenile hawksbills along the southeastern coast of Roatán. This project is also investigating the abundance of hawksbill prey items both within and outside home ranges. Other projects launched under the TAPS program were a hawksbill nesting beach reconnaissance, a sea turtle monitoring program through the dive operators on Roatán, and a Turtle Nesting Hotline Art and Jungle Challenge. 4 Detailed methods, results and discussions for each project are provided in the following report. At the conclusion of the report,
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Distinguishing Characteristics of Sponges
    Distinguishing characteristics of sponges Continue Sponges are amazing creatures with some unique characteristics. Here is a brief overview of sponges and their features. You are here: Home / Uncategorized / Characteristics of sponges: BTW, They are animals, NOT plants! Sponges are amazing creatures with some unique characteristics. Here is a brief overview of sponges and their features. Almost all of us are familiar with commercial sponges, which are used for various purposes, such as cleaning. There are several living sponges found in both seawater as well as fresh water. These living species are not plants, but are classified as porifera animals. The name of this branch is derived from the pores on the body of the sponge, and it means the bearer of pores in Greek. It is believed that there are about 5000 to 10,000 species of sponges, and most of them are found in seawater. So sponges are unique aquatic animals with some interesting characteristics. Would you like to write to us? Well, we are looking for good writers who want to spread the word. Get in touch with us and we'll talk... Let's work together! Sponges are mainly found as part of marine life; but, about 100 to 150 species can be found in fresh water. They may resemble plants, but are actually sessile animals (inability to move). Sponges are often found attached to rocks and coral reefs. You can find them in different forms. While some of them are tube-like and straight, some others have a fan-like body. Some are found as crusts on rocks.
    [Show full text]
  • Appendix: Some Important Early Collections of West Indian Type Specimens, with Historical Notes
    Appendix: Some important early collections of West Indian type specimens, with historical notes Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864 between 1841 and 1864, we gain additional information concerning the sponge memoir, starting with the letter dated 8 May 1855. Jacob Gysbert Samuel van Breda A biography of Placide Duchassaing de Fonbressin was (1788-1867) was professor of botany in Franeker (Hol­ published by his friend Sagot (1873). Although an aristo­ land), of botany and zoology in Gent (Belgium), and crat by birth, as we learn from Michelotti's last extant then of zoology and geology in Leyden. Later he went to letter to van Breda, Duchassaing did not add de Fon­ Haarlem, where he was secretary of the Hollandsche bressin to his name until 1864. Duchassaing was born Maatschappij der Wetenschappen, curator of its cabinet around 1819 on Guadeloupe, in a French-Creole family of natural history, and director of Teyler's Museum of of planters. He was sent to school in Paris, first to the minerals, fossils and physical instruments. Van Breda Lycee Louis-le-Grand, then to University. He finished traveled extensively in Europe collecting fossils, especial­ his studies in 1844 with a doctorate in medicine and two ly in Italy. Michelotti exchanged collections of fossils additional theses in geology and zoology. He then settled with him over a long period of time, and was received as on Guadeloupe as physician. Because of social unrest foreign member of the Hollandsche Maatschappij der after the freeing of native labor, he left Guadeloupe W etenschappen in 1842. The two chief papers of Miche­ around 1848, and visited several islands of the Antilles lotti on fossils were published by the Hollandsche Maat­ (notably Nevis, Sint Eustatius, St.
    [Show full text]
  • Bioactive Compounds from the Marine Sponge Geodia Barretti
    Digital Comprehensive Summaries of Uppsala Dissertations from the Faculty of Pharmacy 32 Bioactive Compounds from the Marine Sponge Geodia barretti Characterization, Antifouling Activity and Molecular Targets MARTIN SJÖGREN ACTA UNIVERSITATIS UPSALIENSIS ISSN 1651-6192 UPPSALA ISBN 91-554-6534-X 2006 urn:nbn:se:uu:diva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eodia barretti , s y m ' i " Balanus improvius a ' 56C! ! %& ' ! ' ( )*+' ' ,-*)./0 ' # E ./0' #$ 4..5 $6$%# 4.5 %676$768
    [Show full text]
  • Background Document for Deep-Sea Sponge Aggregations 2010
    Background Document for Deep-sea sponge aggregations Biodiversity Series 2010 OSPAR Convention Convention OSPAR The Convention for the Protection of the La Convention pour la protection du milieu Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic marin de l'Atlantique du Nord-Est, dite (the “OSPAR Convention”) was opened for Convention OSPAR, a été ouverte à la signature at the Ministerial Meeting of the signature à la réunion ministérielle des former Oslo and Paris Commissions in Paris anciennes Commissions d'Oslo et de Paris, on 22 September 1992. The Convention à Paris le 22 septembre 1992. La Convention entered into force on 25 March 1998. It has est entrée en vigueur le 25 mars 1998. been ratified by Belgium, Denmark, Finland, La Convention a été ratifiée par l'Allemagne, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, la Belgique, le Danemark, la Finlande, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, la France, l’Irlande, l’Islande, le Luxembourg, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom la Norvège, les Pays-Bas, le Portugal, and approved by the European Community le Royaume-Uni de Grande Bretagne and Spain. et d’Irlande du Nord, la Suède et la Suisse et approuvée par la Communauté européenne et l’Espagne. Acknowledgement This document has been prepared by Dr Sabine Christiansen for WWF as lead party. Rob van Soest provided contact with the surprisingly large sponge specialist group, of which Joana Xavier (Univ. Amsterdam) has engaged most in commenting on the draft text and providing literature. Rob van Soest, Ole Tendal, Marc Lavaleye, Dörte Janussen, Konstantin Tabachnik, Julian Gutt contributed with comments and updates of their research.
    [Show full text]
  • Incidence and Identity of Photosynthetic Symbionts in Caribbean Coral Reef Sponge Assemblages
    J. Mar. mz. A». KA! (2007), 87, 1683-1692 doi: 10.1017/S0025315407058213 Printed in the United Kingdom Incidence and identity of photosynthetic symbionts in Caribbean coral reef sponge assemblages Patrick M. Erwin and Robert W. Thacker* University of Alabama at Birmingham, 109 Campbell Hall, 1300 University Boulevard, Birmingham, Alabama 35294-1170, USA. Corresponding author, e-mail: [email protected] Marine sponges are abundant and diverse components of coral reefs and commonly harbour photosynthetic symbionts in these environments. The most prevalent symbiont is the cyanobacterium, Synechococcus spongiarum, isolated from taxonomically diverse hosts from geographically distant regions. We combined analyses of chlorophyll-a (chl-a) concentrations with line-intercept transect surveys to assess the abundance and diversity of reef sponges hosting photosymbionts on Caribbean coral reefs in the Bocas del Toro Archipelago, Panama. To identify symbionts, we designed PCR primers that specifically amplify a fragment of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene from S. spongiarum and used these primers to screen potential host sponges for the presence of this symbiont. Chlorophyll-a data divided the sponge community into two disparate groups, species with high (>125 Mg/g, N=20) and low (<50 Mg/g, N=38) chl-a concentrations. Only two species exhibited intermediate (50— 125 (Jg/g) chl-a concentrations; these species represented hosts with reduced symbiont populations, including bleached Xestospongia muta and the mangrove form of Chondrilla nucula (C. nucula f. hermatypicd). Sponges with high and intermediate chl-a concentrations accounted for over one-third of the species diversity and abundance of sponges in these communities. Most (85%) of these sponges harboured S.
    [Show full text]
  • Molecular Phylogenetics Suggests a New Classification and Uncovers Convergent Evolution of Lithistid Demosponges
    RESEARCH ARTICLE Deceptive Desmas: Molecular Phylogenetics Suggests a New Classification and Uncovers Convergent Evolution of Lithistid Demosponges Astrid Schuster1,2, Dirk Erpenbeck1,3, Andrzej Pisera4, John Hooper5,6, Monika Bryce5,7, Jane Fromont7, Gert Wo¨ rheide1,2,3* 1. Department of Earth- & Environmental Sciences, Palaeontology and Geobiology, Ludwig-Maximilians- Universita¨tMu¨nchen, Richard-Wagner Str. 10, 80333 Munich, Germany, 2. SNSB – Bavarian State Collections OPEN ACCESS of Palaeontology and Geology, Richard-Wagner Str. 10, 80333 Munich, Germany, 3. GeoBio-CenterLMU, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universita¨t Mu¨nchen, Richard-Wagner Str. 10, 80333 Munich, Germany, 4. Institute of Citation: Schuster A, Erpenbeck D, Pisera A, Paleobiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warszawa, Poland, 5. Queensland Hooper J, Bryce M, et al. (2015) Deceptive Museum, PO Box 3300, South Brisbane, QLD 4101, Australia, 6. Eskitis Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith Desmas: Molecular Phylogenetics Suggests a New Classification and Uncovers Convergent Evolution University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia, 7. Department of Aquatic Zoology, Western Australian Museum, of Lithistid Demosponges. PLoS ONE 10(1): Locked Bag 49, Welshpool DC, Western Australia, 6986, Australia e116038. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0116038 *[email protected] Editor: Mikhail V. Matz, University of Texas, United States of America Received: July 3, 2014 Accepted: November 30, 2014 Abstract Published: January 7, 2015 Reconciling the fossil record with molecular phylogenies to enhance the Copyright: ß 2015 Schuster et al. This is an understanding of animal evolution is a challenging task, especially for taxa with a open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which mostly poor fossil record, such as sponges (Porifera).
    [Show full text]
  • The Unique Skeleton of Siliceous Sponges (Porifera; Hexactinellida and Demospongiae) That Evolved first from the Urmetazoa During the Proterozoic: a Review
    Biogeosciences, 4, 219–232, 2007 www.biogeosciences.net/4/219/2007/ Biogeosciences © Author(s) 2007. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License. The unique skeleton of siliceous sponges (Porifera; Hexactinellida and Demospongiae) that evolved first from the Urmetazoa during the Proterozoic: a review W. E. G. Muller¨ 1, Jinhe Li2, H. C. Schroder¨ 1, Li Qiao3, and Xiaohong Wang4 1Institut fur¨ Physiologische Chemie, Abteilung Angewandte Molekularbiologie, Duesbergweg 6, 55099 Mainz, Germany 2Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 7 Nanhai Road, 266071 Qingdao, P. R. China 3Department of Materials Science and Technology, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, P. R. China 4National Research Center for Geoanalysis, 26 Baiwanzhuang Dajie, 100037 Beijing, P. R. China Received: 8 January 2007 – Published in Biogeosciences Discuss.: 6 February 2007 Revised: 10 April 2007 – Accepted: 20 April 2007 – Published: 3 May 2007 Abstract. Sponges (phylum Porifera) had been considered an axial filament which harbors the silicatein. After intracel- as an enigmatic phylum, prior to the analysis of their genetic lular formation of the first lamella around the channel and repertoire/tool kit. Already with the isolation of the first ad- the subsequent extracellular apposition of further lamellae hesion molecule, galectin, it became clear that the sequences the spicules are completed in a net formed of collagen fibers. of sponge cell surface receptors and of molecules forming the The data summarized here substantiate that with the find- intracellular signal transduction pathways triggered by them, ing of silicatein a new aera in the field of bio/inorganic chem- share high similarity with those identified in other metazoan istry started.
    [Show full text]
  • Ereskovsky Et 2018 Bulgarie.Pd
    Sponge community of the western Black Sea shallow water caves: diversity and spatial distribution Alexander Ereskovsky, Oleg Kovtun, Konstantin Pronin, Apostol Apostolov, Dirk Erpenbeck, Viatcheslav Ivanenko To cite this version: Alexander Ereskovsky, Oleg Kovtun, Konstantin Pronin, Apostol Apostolov, Dirk Erpenbeck, et al.. Sponge community of the western Black Sea shallow water caves: diversity and spatial distribution. PeerJ, PeerJ, 2018, 6, pp.e4596. 10.7717/peerj.4596. hal-01789010 HAL Id: hal-01789010 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01789010 Submitted on 14 May 2018 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. Sponge community of the western Black Sea shallow water caves: diversity and spatial distribution Alexander Ereskovsky1,2, Oleg A. Kovtun3, Konstantin K. Pronin4, Apostol Apostolov5, Dirk Erpenbeck6 and Viatcheslav Ivanenko7 1 Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie Marine et Continentale (IMBE), Aix Marseille University, CNRS, IRD, Avignon Université, Marseille, France 2 Department of Embryology, Faculty of Biology,
    [Show full text]
  • Suberitidae (Demospongiae, Hadromerida) From
    Beaufortia INSTITUTE OF TAXONOMIC ZOOLOGY (ZOOLOGICAL MUSEUM) UNIVERSITY OF AMSTERDAM Vol. 43 no. 11 December 31, 1993 Suberitidae (Demospongiae, Hadromerida) from the North Aegean Sea EleniVoultsiadou-Koukoura.*& Rob W. M. van Soest** *Department University ofThessaloniki, 54006 Thessaloniki, Greece **Institute of Taxonomic (Zoological Museum), University ofAmsterdam, P.O.Box 94766, 1090 GTAmsterdam, TheNetherlands Keywords: Sponges, Hadromerida, Suberitidae, North Aegean Sea Abstract Sampling in the North Aegean Sea yielded nine species of the family Suberitidae, four of which, Pseudosuberites sulphureus, P. Suberiles for the fauna ofthe Eastern and three hyalinus, ficus and S. syringella, are new Mediterranean, more, S. carnosus, S. and S. records for the fauna of the Sea. For each of the nine the domuncula, massa, are new Aegean species comments on systematics, as well as geographical and ecological informationis given. A redescription is given of the littleknown species Suberites massa Nardo. A review ofthe distributionof all Mediterranean Suberitidae is also presented, in which it is con- in materialhave been from the Eastern cluded that a further three species not represented our reported Mediterranean, and P. the viz. Laxosuberites ectyoninus, Prosuberites longispina, epiphytum. Six suberitids reported from other parts of Mediterra- nean so far have not been found in the Eastern Mediterranean. INTRODUCTION siadou-Koukoura, et al. 1991; Voultsiadou- Koukoura & Van Soest 1991a,b; Voultsiadou- of Eastern Mediterranean is Koukoura & the results of the Knowledge sponges Koukouras, 1993), that of other of the Med- have been and are poor compared to parts sponge collecting being re- iterranean Van 1994: Recent several science and (cf. Soest, Fig. 2). ported; species new to appar- collecting activities in the North Aegean Sea ently endemic to the Eastern Mediterranean been of have been described.
    [Show full text]
  • Habitat Use and Diet of Juvenile Eastern Pacific Hawksbill Turtles (Eretmochelys Imbricata) in the North Pacific Coast of Costa Rica
    Chelonian Conservation and Biology, 2013, 12(2): 235–245 g 2013 Chelonian Research Foundation Habitat Use and Diet of Juvenile Eastern Pacific Hawksbill Turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) in the North Pacific Coast of Costa Rica 1, 2 3 JAVIER CARRIO´ N-CORTEZ *, CARLOS CANALES-CERRO ,RANDALL ARAUZ , 1 AND RAFAEL RIOSMENA-RODRI´GUEZ 1Programa de Investigacio´n en Bota´nica Marina, Departamento de Biologı´a Marina, Universidad Auto´noma de Baja California Sur, La Paz B.C.S. 23080, Me´xico [[email protected]]; 2Departamento de Biologı´a Marina, Facultad de Ecologı´a y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Andres Bello. Repu´blica 440, Santiago de Chile, Chile [[email protected]]; 3Asociacio´n Programa Restauracio´n de Tortugas Marinas, Tiba´s, San Jose´, Costa Rica [[email protected]] *Present address of corresponding author: Fundacio´n Charles Darwin, Departamento de Biologı´a Marina, Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz, Gala´pagos [[email protected]] ABSTRACT. – The hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) is critically endangered throughout its global range and is particularly threatened in the eastern Pacific, a region where our knowledge of the ecological traits is very limited. Understanding habitat preferences of hawksbills at different life stages is necessary to create effective local and regional conservation strategies. We studied habitat use and the diet of juvenile hawksbill sea turtles at Punta Coyote, a rocky reef located along the Nicoya Peninsula on the north Pacific coast of Costa Rica, along the northern boundary of the Caletas–Arı´o National Wildlife Refuge. We tracked 12 juvenile hawksbills (36–69-cm curved carapace length) with acoustic transmitters to study their habitat use.
    [Show full text]
  • Modeling the Distribution of Geodia Sponges and Sponge Grounds in the Northwest Atlantic
    Modeling the Distribution of Geodia Sponges and Sponge Grounds in the Northwest Atlantic Anders Knudby1*, Ellen Kenchington2, Francisco Javier Murillo2,3 1 Department of Geography, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, 2 Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, 3 Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo, Programa de Pesquerías Lejanas, Vigo, Spain, Abstract Deep-sea sponge grounds provide structurally complex habitat for fish and invertebrates and enhance local biodiversity. They are also vulnerable to bottom-contact fisheries and prime candidates for Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem designation and related conservation action. This study uses species distribution modeling, based on presence and absence observations of Geodia spp. and sponge grounds derived from research trawl catches, as well as spatially continuous data on the physical and biological ocean environment derived from satellite data and oceanographic models, to model the distribution of Geodia sponges and sponge grounds in the Northwest Atlantic. Most models produce excellent fits with validation data although fits are reduced when models are extrapolated to new areas, especially when oceanographic regimes differ between areas. Depth and minimum bottom salinity were important predictors in most models, and a Geodia spp. minimum bottom salinity tolerance threshold in the 34.3-34.8 psu range was hypothesized on the basis of model structure. The models indicated two currently unsampled regions within the study area, the deeper parts of Baffin Bay and the Newfoundland and Labrador slopes, where future sponge grounds are most likely to be found. Citation: Knudby A, Kenchington E, Murillo FJ (2013) Modeling the Distribution of Geodia Sponges and Sponge Grounds in the Northwest Atlantic.
    [Show full text]
  • Diplomarbeit
    DIPLOMARBEIT Titel der Diplomarbeit Hermit crabs and their symbionts: reactions to artificially induced anoxia on a sublittoral sediment bottom Verfasserin Katrin Pretterebner angestrebter akademischer Grad Magistra der Naturwissenschaften (Mag.rer.nat.) Wien, 2011 Studienkennzahl lt. Studienblatt: A 444 Studienrichtung lt. Studienblatt: Diplomstudium Ökologie Betreuer: Doz. Dr. Michael Stachowitsch “Every human heartbeat is a universe of possibilities.” Gregory David Roberts Photo: Shannon Rosenberg The diploma thesis was conducted in the framework of the FWF-projects: “Oxygen crises in the North Adriatic: effect on the structure and behaviour of the macroepibenthos” (P17655-B03) “Low dissolved oxygen events in the Northern Adriatic: in situ experimental insight into benthic responses before, during and post-anoxia” (P21542-B17) Table of contents 1. Introduction ......................................................................................................... 1 2. Materials and methods ....................................................................................... 4 2.1. Study site ...................................................................................................... 4 2.2. Experimental design and sampling ............................................................... 5 2.3. Data analysis ................................................................................................ 7 2.4. Statistical analysis ........................................................................................ 9 3.
    [Show full text]