Understanding life stage connectivity is essential to define appropriate spatial scales for fisheries management and develop effective strategies to reduce undersized bycatch. Despite many studies of population structure and connectivity in marine fish, most management units do not reflect biological populations and protection is rarely given to juvenile sources of the fished stock. Direct, quantitative estimates that link specific fishing grounds to the nursery areas, which produced the caught fish are essential to meet these objectives. Here we develop a continuous-surface otolith microchemistry approach to geolocate whiting (Merlangius merlangus) and infer life stage connectivity across the west coast of the UK. We show substantial connectivity across existing stock boundaries and identify the importance of the Firth of Clyde nursery area. This approach offers fisheries managers the ability to account for the benefits of improved fishing yields derived from spatial protection while minimising revenue loss.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s42003-020-01433-y | DOI Listing |
J Ethol
December 2024
Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, CA 95616 USA.
Unlabelled: Dietary flexibility allows animals to respond adaptively to food pulses in the environment. Here we document the novel emergence of widespread hunting of California voles and carnivorous feeding behavior by California ground squirrels. Over two months in the twelfth year of a long-term study on the squirrel population, we document 74 events of juvenile and adult ground squirrels of both sexes depredating, consuming, and/or competing over vole prey.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSci Rep
January 2025
Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, 277-8564, Chiba, Japan.
Migration routes and the depth patterns of anguillid eel larvae migrating long distances from spawning grounds in the ocean remain poorly understood. We used otolith stable isotope analysis to study the oceanic migrations of anguillid eels by reconstructing experienced water temperature histories of larvae. The otolith stable oxygen isotopes (δO) of recruited Anguilla japonica glass eels were analyzed to assess the relationship with the experienced water temperature of the early larval stage in laboratory experiments.
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January 2025
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
Sponges are key ecosystem engineers that shape, structure and enhance the biodiversity of marine benthic communities globally. Sponge aggregations and reefs are recognized as vulnerable marine ecosystems (or VMEs) due to their susceptibility to damage from bottom-contact fishing gears. Ensuring their long-term sustainability, preservation, and ecosystem functions requires the implementation of sound scientific conservation tools.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnviron Pollut
January 2025
Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Chonnam National University, 77 Yongbong-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju, 61186, Republic of Korea. Electronic address:
Diving birds, particularly those sharing coastal habitats with fishing grounds, are at risk from oil pollution. Despite documented cases of bird mortality, the specific role of oil pollution in these death remains unclear. To address this knowledge gap, this study examined polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contamination, its sources, and its impact on loon health.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAmbio
January 2025
School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia.
Since May 2024, New Caledonia has faced civil unrest, economic collapse, food insecurity, and social instability, severely disrupting environmental management in this globally significant biodiversity hotspot. The crisis has exacerbated threats to biodiversity from poaching, illegal fishing, deforestation, urban fires, waste pollution, and pet abandonment, while conservation efforts have ground to a halt. Immediate action is needed to address these threats to nature.
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