Abundance and distribution patterns of cetaceans and their overlap with vessel traffic in the Humboldt Current Ecosystem, Chile
Abstract The Humboldt Current Ecosystem (HCE) is one of the most productive marine ecosystems, sustaining one of the largest fishing industries in the world. Although several species of cetaceans are known to inhabit these productive waters, quantitative assessments of their abundance and distributi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-14465-7 |
| _version_ | 1818256962605809664 |
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| author | Luis Bedriñana-Romano Patricia M. Zarate Rodrigo Hucke-Gaete Francisco A. Viddi Susannah J. Buchan Ilia Cari Ljubitza Clavijo Robert Bello Alexandre N. Zerbini |
| author_facet | Luis Bedriñana-Romano Patricia M. Zarate Rodrigo Hucke-Gaete Francisco A. Viddi Susannah J. Buchan Ilia Cari Ljubitza Clavijo Robert Bello Alexandre N. Zerbini |
| author_sort | Luis Bedriñana-Romano |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The Humboldt Current Ecosystem (HCE) is one of the most productive marine ecosystems, sustaining one of the largest fishing industries in the world. Although several species of cetaceans are known to inhabit these productive waters, quantitative assessments of their abundance and distribution patterns are scarce and patchy. Here, we present the first abundance and distribution estimates for fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus), southeast Pacific blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus), sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), dusky dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obscurus), and common dolphin (Delphinus spp.) in the entire Chilean portion of the HCE. Line transect surveys were conducted during 2016–2021 between 18° S and 41° S and up to ~ 200 km offshore, and data were analyzed using distance sampling methods. Group counts were modelled as a function of environmental variables using single step Bayesian Binomial N-mixture model (BNMM), which allows full uncertainty propagation between model components. By using spatially explicit predictions of cetacean densities and observed vessel densities in the HCE, we provide quantitative assessments on the relative probability of cetaceans encountering vessels (RPCEV). Dusky dolphin and fin whale showed the largest distribution overlap with industrial and artisanal fishery fleets. Our results highlight areas where effort should be prioritized to address the extant but unquantified negative interactions between vessels and cetaceans in Chilean HCE. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T17:36:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-55699dfda1814047afcd13b9ae7c72af |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T17:36:05Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-55699dfda1814047afcd13b9ae7c72af2022-12-22T00:17:12ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222022-06-0112111510.1038/s41598-022-14465-7Abundance and distribution patterns of cetaceans and their overlap with vessel traffic in the Humboldt Current Ecosystem, ChileLuis Bedriñana-Romano0Patricia M. Zarate1Rodrigo Hucke-Gaete2Francisco A. Viddi3Susannah J. Buchan4Ilia Cari5Ljubitza Clavijo6Robert Bello7Alexandre N. Zerbini8Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de ChileInstituto de Fomento Pesquero, Departamento de Oceanografía y Medio AmbienteInstituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de ChileInstituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de ChileCentro de Investigación Oceanográfica COPAS Coastal, Universidad de ConcepciónInstituto de Fomento Pesquero, Departamento de Oceanografía y Medio AmbienteInstituto de Fomento Pesquero, Departamento de Oceanografía y Medio AmbienteInstituto de Fomento Pesquero, Departamento de Oceanografía y Medio AmbienteCooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean and Ecosystem Studies, University of Washington & Marine Mammal Laboratory Alaska Fisheries Science Center/NOAAAbstract The Humboldt Current Ecosystem (HCE) is one of the most productive marine ecosystems, sustaining one of the largest fishing industries in the world. Although several species of cetaceans are known to inhabit these productive waters, quantitative assessments of their abundance and distribution patterns are scarce and patchy. Here, we present the first abundance and distribution estimates for fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus), southeast Pacific blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus), sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), dusky dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obscurus), and common dolphin (Delphinus spp.) in the entire Chilean portion of the HCE. Line transect surveys were conducted during 2016–2021 between 18° S and 41° S and up to ~ 200 km offshore, and data were analyzed using distance sampling methods. Group counts were modelled as a function of environmental variables using single step Bayesian Binomial N-mixture model (BNMM), which allows full uncertainty propagation between model components. By using spatially explicit predictions of cetacean densities and observed vessel densities in the HCE, we provide quantitative assessments on the relative probability of cetaceans encountering vessels (RPCEV). Dusky dolphin and fin whale showed the largest distribution overlap with industrial and artisanal fishery fleets. Our results highlight areas where effort should be prioritized to address the extant but unquantified negative interactions between vessels and cetaceans in Chilean HCE.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-14465-7 |
| spellingShingle | Luis Bedriñana-Romano Patricia M. Zarate Rodrigo Hucke-Gaete Francisco A. Viddi Susannah J. Buchan Ilia Cari Ljubitza Clavijo Robert Bello Alexandre N. Zerbini Abundance and distribution patterns of cetaceans and their overlap with vessel traffic in the Humboldt Current Ecosystem, Chile Scientific Reports |
| title | Abundance and distribution patterns of cetaceans and their overlap with vessel traffic in the Humboldt Current Ecosystem, Chile |
| title_full | Abundance and distribution patterns of cetaceans and their overlap with vessel traffic in the Humboldt Current Ecosystem, Chile |
| title_fullStr | Abundance and distribution patterns of cetaceans and their overlap with vessel traffic in the Humboldt Current Ecosystem, Chile |
| title_full_unstemmed | Abundance and distribution patterns of cetaceans and their overlap with vessel traffic in the Humboldt Current Ecosystem, Chile |
| title_short | Abundance and distribution patterns of cetaceans and their overlap with vessel traffic in the Humboldt Current Ecosystem, Chile |
| title_sort | abundance and distribution patterns of cetaceans and their overlap with vessel traffic in the humboldt current ecosystem chile |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-14465-7 |
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