Flatfish-habitat associations in Alaska nursery grounds: Use of continuous video records for multi-scale spatial analysis |
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| Institution: | 1. MARE — Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal;2. Southern Seas Ecology Laboratories, DX650 418, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia;1. Università degli Studi di Genova, DISTAV, Corso Europa, Genova, Italy;2. Area Marina Protetta Isola di Bergeggi (AMP), Via De Mari, Bergeggi, Italy;3. Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), Via Vitaliano Brancati, Rome, Italy;4. Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, Ancona, Italy;1. Centre for Fish and Fisheries Research, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia;2. Biospherics, P/L, South Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia;1. TU Dresden, Medizinische Fakultät Carl Gustav Carus, Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie und Hygiene, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany;2. Klinik für Kinder- und Jugendmedizin, Carl-Thiem-Klinikum gGmbH, Cottbus, Germany;3. Institut für Mikrobiologie und Krankenhaushygiene, Carl-Thiem-Klinikum gGmbH, Cottbus, Germany;1. Université de Brest, UMR AMURE – Centre de droit et d?économie de la mer, IUEM, 12 rue du Kergoat, CS 93837, 29238 Brest Cedex 3, France;2. Ifremer, UMR AMURE, Unité d?Economie Maritime, BP 70, F-29280 Plouzané Cedex, France;3. Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ. Paris 06, UMR 7144, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CS90074, 29688 Roscoff Cedex, France;4. CNRS, UMR 7144, Adaptation et Diversité en Milieu Marin, Place Georges Teissier, 29680 Roscoff, France;5. Ifremer, Laboratoire Environnement & Ressources de Bretagne Nord, Station Ifremer de Dinard, CRESCO, 38 rue du Port Blanc, BP 70134, 35801 Dinard Cedex, France;6. Agence des Aires Marines Protégées, 16 quai de la douane, CS 42932, 29229 Brest Cedex 2, France;7. Instituto Superior de Estatística e Gestão de Informação, ISEGI, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 1070-312 Lisboa, Portugal |
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| Abstract: | Flatfish distributions have traditionally been described in terms of depth, temperature, and sediment characteristics, but other environmental variables may be important depending upon spatial scale. Surveys for age-0 northern rock sole (Lepidopsetta polyxystra) were conducted in five near-shore nursery sites at Kodiak Island, Alaska, using a towed camera sled integrated with navigational data. The continuous record of fish density and habitat features made possible a spatially comprehensive analysis of fish-habitat associations at several spatial scales, ranging from tens of kilometres to less than 1 m. A combination of multivariate statistical interpretation and geographic information systems (GIS) revealed that the distribution of juvenile rock sole was associated with environmental variables and spatial scales that are not normally detectable with usual flatfish— and habitat—sampling methods (i.e., trawls and grabs). Generalized additive models (GAM) incorporating habitat variables determined from video provided large improvements over models using only the traditional variables such as depth and sediment type. At the broadest (regional) scale of analysis, combinations of sediment composition, surface bedform, temperature, and density of worm tubes provided the best model for rock sole density. Within-nursery variation in fish density was modelled best with depth, habitat structural complexity created by emergent fauna and macroalgae, and worm tube density. At the microhabitat scale (< 1 m), there was little evidence of direct contact between rock sole and structures such as shell or algae. Rather, they were loosely associated on a scale tens of metres. This study showed that spatially comprehensive surveys can be conducted with towed camera systems and without the need for sediment grab samples. This approach yields detailed habitat information for fishes and the opportunity for landscape analysis of spatial patterns that will be important in conserving critical habitats for flatfishes and other fish species. |
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