Modelling Marine Predator Habitat Using the Abundance of Its Pelagic Prey in the Tropical South-Western Pacific

Type Article
Date 2022-06
Language English
Author(s) Receveur AuroreORCID1, 2, 3, Allain ValerieORCID1, Menard FredericORCID2, Lebourges Dhaussy Anne4, Laran Sophie5, Ravache Andreas3, Bourgeois Karen1, 6, Vidal Eric3, Hare Steven R.ORCID1, Weimerskirch Henri7, Borsa PhilippeORCID3, Menkes Christophe3
Affiliation(s) 1 : OFP/FEMA, Pacific Community, 95 Promenade Roger Laroque, BP D5, 98848, Nouméa, New Caledonia
2 : Aix Marseille Univ, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO, Marseille, France
3 : ENTROPIE, UMR 250, IRD, Université de la Réunion, CNRS, Université de La Nouvelle-Calédonie, Ifremer, BP A5, 98848, Nouméa, New Caledonia
4 : LEMAR, UBO, CNRS, IRD, Ifremer, Institut de recherche pour le développement (IRD), DR Ouest IRD, BP70, 29280, Plouzané, France
5 : Observatoire PELAGIS, UMS 3462, La Rochelle Université, CNRS, Pôle Analytique, 5 allée de l’Océan, 17 000, La Rochelle, France
6 : IMBE, Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, Avignon Université, Centre IRD Nouméa, BP A5, 98848, Nouméa, New Caledonia
7 : Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372 du CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, 79360, Villiers-en-Bois, France
Source Ecosystems (1432-9840) (Springer Science and Business Media LLC), 2022-06 , Vol. 25 , N. 4 , P. 757-779
DOI 10.1007/s10021-021-00685-x
WOS© Times Cited 4
Keyword(s) Micronekton, Acoustic, niche modelling, Coral Sea Natural Park, cetacean, seabird, predator fish
Abstract

Understanding the ecological mechanisms underpinning distribution patterns is vital in managing populations of mobile marine species. This study is a first step towards an integrated description of the habitats and spatial distributions of marine predators in the Natural Park of the Coral Sea, one of the world’s largest marine-protected areas at about 1.3 million km2, covering the entirety of New Caledonia’s pelagic waters. The study aims to quantify the benefit of including a proxy for prey abundance in predator niche modelling, relative to other marine physical variables. Spatial distributions and relationships with environmental data were analysed using catch per unit of effort data for three fish species (albacore tuna, yellowfin tuna and dolphinfish), sightings collected from aerial surveys for three cetacean guilds (Delphininae, Globicephalinae and Ziphiidae) and foraging locations identified from bio-tracking for three seabird species (wedge-tailed shearwater, Tahiti petrel and red-footed booby). Predator distributions were modelled as a function of a static covariate (bathymetry), oceanographic covariates (sea surface temperature, chlorophyll-a concentration and 20 °C-isotherm depth) and an acoustically derived micronekton preyscape covariate. While distributions were mostly linked to bathymetry for seabirds, and chlorophyll and temperature for fish and cetaceans, acoustically derived prey abundance proxies slightly improved distribution models for all fishes and seabirds except the Tahiti petrel, but not for the cetaceans. Predicted spatial distributions showed that pelagic habitats occupied by predator fishes did not spatially overlap. Finally, predicted habitats and the use of the preyscapes in predator habitat modelling were discussed.

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Receveur Aurore, Allain Valerie, Menard Frederic, Lebourges Dhaussy Anne, Laran Sophie, Ravache Andreas, Bourgeois Karen, Vidal Eric, Hare Steven R., Weimerskirch Henri, Borsa Philippe, Menkes Christophe (2022). Modelling Marine Predator Habitat Using the Abundance of Its Pelagic Prey in the Tropical South-Western Pacific. Ecosystems, 25(4), 757-779. Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-021-00685-x , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00718/83015/