From fisher tales to scientific evidence: revealing the significance of estuarine and mangrove habitats as nursery grounds for juveniles of the largest Atlantic Ocean snapper
The knowledge held by local and indigenous communities has been recognized as an invaluable yet underused resource for understanding how the environment, local conditions, and fish populations change over time. Empirical information on population sizes, ecology, and threats to fish species and their...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-10-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Marine Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2023.1292788/full |
| _version_ | 1828715850920624128 |
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| author | Fábio Renan Miranda da Silva Eurico Mesquita Noleto Filho Maria Luiza Gallina Friedrich Wolfgang Keppeler Friedrich Wolfgang Keppeler Miguel Loiola Tommaso Giarrizzo Tommaso Giarrizzo José Amorim Reis-Filho José Amorim Reis-Filho José Amorim Reis-Filho |
| author_facet | Fábio Renan Miranda da Silva Eurico Mesquita Noleto Filho Maria Luiza Gallina Friedrich Wolfgang Keppeler Friedrich Wolfgang Keppeler Miguel Loiola Tommaso Giarrizzo Tommaso Giarrizzo José Amorim Reis-Filho José Amorim Reis-Filho José Amorim Reis-Filho |
| author_sort | Fábio Renan Miranda da Silva |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The knowledge held by local and indigenous communities has been recognized as an invaluable yet underused resource for understanding how the environment, local conditions, and fish populations change over time. Empirical information on population sizes, ecology, and threats to fish species and their habitats can be complemented with local knowledge to better guide management and conservation efforts, particularly for understudied species. Here, we investigated the habitat preferences, population status, fishing, sightings patterns, threats, and habitat characteristics of juveniles of the cubera snapper, the largest snapper in the Atlantic Ocean. We used a combination of empirical evidence from underwater surveys by using small-action cameras and an ethnological perspective based on fishers’ perceptions who are cubera-snapper fishing specialists to have a comprehensive understanding of the species and habitat use during its early life stages. A range of estuarine habitats was examined over a year to assess the association between cubera snapper juveniles and different estuarine characteristics and conservation scenarios. Both sources of data indicated that cubera snapper juveniles heavily rely on mangrove habitats, exhibiting a clear temporal pattern of residence within these habitats. However, the probability of occurrence varied based on the level of coastal development in each estuarine system. Estuaries with small drainage areas, directly connected to the ocean, and presenting larger mangrove areas accounted for the highest abundances of juveniles. Factors such as mangrove removal, overfishing, and water pollution significantly reduced the occurrence and reliance of cubera snapper juveniles in the studied estuaries. The study represents the first attempt to shed light on the ecological aspects of cubera snapper juveniles, addressing a gap in their life cycle. It underscores the importance of integrating complementary sources of evidence to understand the relationships between the crucial life stage of cubera snappers, their habitats, and the threats they face. The ecological and ethnographic knowledge gained from this research should be incorporated into biomonitoring and conservation policy to effectively preserve this vulnerable top predator. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T16:58:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-94831f77a4564fa1ab6dbff4008ff7ad |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-7745 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T16:58:28Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Marine Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-94831f77a4564fa1ab6dbff4008ff7ad2023-10-20T13:01:49ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Marine Science2296-77452023-10-011010.3389/fmars.2023.12927881292788From fisher tales to scientific evidence: revealing the significance of estuarine and mangrove habitats as nursery grounds for juveniles of the largest Atlantic Ocean snapperFábio Renan Miranda da Silva0Eurico Mesquita Noleto Filho1Maria Luiza Gallina2Friedrich Wolfgang Keppeler3Friedrich Wolfgang Keppeler4Miguel Loiola5Tommaso Giarrizzo6Tommaso Giarrizzo7José Amorim Reis-Filho8José Amorim Reis-Filho9José Amorim Reis-Filho10Aquatic Ecology Group, Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Belém, PA, BrazilEcology Department, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Natal, RN, BrazilMarine Macroecology and Conservation Lab, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, BrazilAquatic Ecology Group, Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Belém, PA, BrazilCenter for Limnology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, United StatesGraduate Studies Program in Ecology: Theory, Application and Values, Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, BA, BrazilAquatic Ecology Group, Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Belém, PA, BrazilInstitute of Marine Science (LABOMAR), Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, BrazilAquatic Ecology Group, Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Belém, PA, BrazilGraduate Studies Program in Ecology: Theory, Application and Values, Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA), Salvador, BA, BrazilResearch Division, ICHTUS Ambiente & Sociedade, BA, BrazilThe knowledge held by local and indigenous communities has been recognized as an invaluable yet underused resource for understanding how the environment, local conditions, and fish populations change over time. Empirical information on population sizes, ecology, and threats to fish species and their habitats can be complemented with local knowledge to better guide management and conservation efforts, particularly for understudied species. Here, we investigated the habitat preferences, population status, fishing, sightings patterns, threats, and habitat characteristics of juveniles of the cubera snapper, the largest snapper in the Atlantic Ocean. We used a combination of empirical evidence from underwater surveys by using small-action cameras and an ethnological perspective based on fishers’ perceptions who are cubera-snapper fishing specialists to have a comprehensive understanding of the species and habitat use during its early life stages. A range of estuarine habitats was examined over a year to assess the association between cubera snapper juveniles and different estuarine characteristics and conservation scenarios. Both sources of data indicated that cubera snapper juveniles heavily rely on mangrove habitats, exhibiting a clear temporal pattern of residence within these habitats. However, the probability of occurrence varied based on the level of coastal development in each estuarine system. Estuaries with small drainage areas, directly connected to the ocean, and presenting larger mangrove areas accounted for the highest abundances of juveniles. Factors such as mangrove removal, overfishing, and water pollution significantly reduced the occurrence and reliance of cubera snapper juveniles in the studied estuaries. The study represents the first attempt to shed light on the ecological aspects of cubera snapper juveniles, addressing a gap in their life cycle. It underscores the importance of integrating complementary sources of evidence to understand the relationships between the crucial life stage of cubera snappers, their habitats, and the threats they face. The ecological and ethnographic knowledge gained from this research should be incorporated into biomonitoring and conservation policy to effectively preserve this vulnerable top predator.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2023.1292788/fullcubera snapper juvenilesindigenous knowledgeunderwater footageintegrated knowledgecoastal development |
| spellingShingle | Fábio Renan Miranda da Silva Eurico Mesquita Noleto Filho Maria Luiza Gallina Friedrich Wolfgang Keppeler Friedrich Wolfgang Keppeler Miguel Loiola Tommaso Giarrizzo Tommaso Giarrizzo José Amorim Reis-Filho José Amorim Reis-Filho José Amorim Reis-Filho From fisher tales to scientific evidence: revealing the significance of estuarine and mangrove habitats as nursery grounds for juveniles of the largest Atlantic Ocean snapper Frontiers in Marine Science cubera snapper juveniles indigenous knowledge underwater footage integrated knowledge coastal development |
| title | From fisher tales to scientific evidence: revealing the significance of estuarine and mangrove habitats as nursery grounds for juveniles of the largest Atlantic Ocean snapper |
| title_full | From fisher tales to scientific evidence: revealing the significance of estuarine and mangrove habitats as nursery grounds for juveniles of the largest Atlantic Ocean snapper |
| title_fullStr | From fisher tales to scientific evidence: revealing the significance of estuarine and mangrove habitats as nursery grounds for juveniles of the largest Atlantic Ocean snapper |
| title_full_unstemmed | From fisher tales to scientific evidence: revealing the significance of estuarine and mangrove habitats as nursery grounds for juveniles of the largest Atlantic Ocean snapper |
| title_short | From fisher tales to scientific evidence: revealing the significance of estuarine and mangrove habitats as nursery grounds for juveniles of the largest Atlantic Ocean snapper |
| title_sort | from fisher tales to scientific evidence revealing the significance of estuarine and mangrove habitats as nursery grounds for juveniles of the largest atlantic ocean snapper |
| topic | cubera snapper juveniles indigenous knowledge underwater footage integrated knowledge coastal development |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2023.1292788/full |
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