Spatial and temporal changes in the cetacean community structure at Bahía de La paz, BCS, México (1988-1991)

At two different ecological zones (Canal de San Lorenzo and transitional), located at Bahía de La Paz, we analysed changes in the cetacean community (Shannon and Simpson indexes) in relation to annual and seasonal changes in sea surface temperature, water transparency and inferred and reported food...

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Main Authors: S Flores-Ramírez, J Urban-R, G Villarreal-Chávez, R Valle-Jiménez
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidad Autónoma de Baja California 1996-03-01
Series:Ciencias Marinas
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.cienciasmarinas.com.mx/index.php/cmarinas/article/view/856
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author S Flores-Ramírez
J Urban-R
G Villarreal-Chávez
R Valle-Jiménez
author_facet S Flores-Ramírez
J Urban-R
G Villarreal-Chávez
R Valle-Jiménez
author_sort S Flores-Ramírez
collection DOAJ
description At two different ecological zones (Canal de San Lorenzo and transitional), located at Bahía de La Paz, we analysed changes in the cetacean community (Shannon and Simpson indexes) in relation to annual and seasonal changes in sea surface temperature, water transparency and inferred and reported food availability. Six odontocete and six mysticete species were recorded during the study period. Due to their high relative abundance and persistent presence, the long beak common (Delphinus capensis) and bottlenose (Tursiops truncatus) dolphins, as well as Bryde’s whales (Balaenoptera edeni) were, respectively, the most important odontocete and mysticete community members. The evidente indicates that sea surface temperature and water transparency, besides food availability, show predictable seasonal and annual changes related to the influence of tropical water masses and to large scale oceanographic phenomena, such as El Niño Southern Oscillation and La Niña. Nevertheless, cetacean diversity did not show consequent changes. The cetacean community was more diverse and stable at the transition between seasonal and annual oceanographic conditions. Cetacean diversity changed significantly at smaller time and space scales, defined by the interaction of particular annual, seasonal and local conditions. This and changes in species richness, mediated by the temporal residence of migrating species of temperate waters or more sporadic tropical visitors, indicate the existence of fast and important changes in species abundance and substitution rates, associated with the behavioural ecology of the species and fluctuations in the ecosystem’s metabolism.
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spelling doaj.art-5308fd1adf6b41818fc6a41077dcfccf2024-03-04T16:43:20ZengUniversidad Autónoma de Baja CaliforniaCiencias Marinas0185-38802395-90531996-03-0122210.7773/cm.v22i2.856Spatial and temporal changes in the cetacean community structure at Bahía de La paz, BCS, México (1988-1991)S Flores-Ramírez0J Urban-R1G Villarreal-Chávez2R Valle-Jiménez3Universidad Autónoma de Baja California SurUniversidad Autónoma de Baja CaliforniaUniversidad Autónoma de Baja CaliforniaUniversidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur At two different ecological zones (Canal de San Lorenzo and transitional), located at Bahía de La Paz, we analysed changes in the cetacean community (Shannon and Simpson indexes) in relation to annual and seasonal changes in sea surface temperature, water transparency and inferred and reported food availability. Six odontocete and six mysticete species were recorded during the study period. Due to their high relative abundance and persistent presence, the long beak common (Delphinus capensis) and bottlenose (Tursiops truncatus) dolphins, as well as Bryde’s whales (Balaenoptera edeni) were, respectively, the most important odontocete and mysticete community members. The evidente indicates that sea surface temperature and water transparency, besides food availability, show predictable seasonal and annual changes related to the influence of tropical water masses and to large scale oceanographic phenomena, such as El Niño Southern Oscillation and La Niña. Nevertheless, cetacean diversity did not show consequent changes. The cetacean community was more diverse and stable at the transition between seasonal and annual oceanographic conditions. Cetacean diversity changed significantly at smaller time and space scales, defined by the interaction of particular annual, seasonal and local conditions. This and changes in species richness, mediated by the temporal residence of migrating species of temperate waters or more sporadic tropical visitors, indicate the existence of fast and important changes in species abundance and substitution rates, associated with the behavioural ecology of the species and fluctuations in the ecosystem’s metabolism. http://www.cienciasmarinas.com.mx/index.php/cmarinas/article/view/856cetaceansecologycommunitydiversityGulf of California
spellingShingle S Flores-Ramírez
J Urban-R
G Villarreal-Chávez
R Valle-Jiménez
Spatial and temporal changes in the cetacean community structure at Bahía de La paz, BCS, México (1988-1991)
Ciencias Marinas
cetaceans
ecology
community
diversity
Gulf of California
title Spatial and temporal changes in the cetacean community structure at Bahía de La paz, BCS, México (1988-1991)
title_full Spatial and temporal changes in the cetacean community structure at Bahía de La paz, BCS, México (1988-1991)
title_fullStr Spatial and temporal changes in the cetacean community structure at Bahía de La paz, BCS, México (1988-1991)
title_full_unstemmed Spatial and temporal changes in the cetacean community structure at Bahía de La paz, BCS, México (1988-1991)
title_short Spatial and temporal changes in the cetacean community structure at Bahía de La paz, BCS, México (1988-1991)
title_sort spatial and temporal changes in the cetacean community structure at bahia de la paz bcs mexico 1988 1991
topic cetaceans
ecology
community
diversity
Gulf of California
url http://www.cienciasmarinas.com.mx/index.php/cmarinas/article/view/856
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AT gvillarrealchavez spatialandtemporalchangesinthecetaceancommunitystructureatbahiadelapazbcsmexico19881991
AT rvallejimenez spatialandtemporalchangesinthecetaceancommunitystructureatbahiadelapazbcsmexico19881991