Fannie W. Shabangu, Grant van der Heever, Charles von der Meden, Hannah Truter, Stephen J. Lamberth, Ofer Gon
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Acoustic ecology of Southern Ocean fishes is currently unknown due to lack of dedicated fish acoustic research from those remote/inaccessible areas. The objective of this study was to investigate the monthly and diel acoustic occurrence pattern of benthic fishes relative to environmental conditions at the sub‐Antarctic Prince Edward Islands (PEIs) in the Southern Ocean. To collect our passive acoustic data, we used an autonomous recorder deployed at ~167 m water depth on an oceanographic mooring over 21 months (April 2021 to December 2022). Benthic Ski‐Monkey III towed camera was deployed around the PEIs to identify potential sources of recorded underwater fish sounds. Three types of sounds (pops, grunts and drum sounds) were detected and validated using random forest models based on their characteristics. Pops and grunts were produced in series and as singlets. Pops were the most frequently detected sounds and were detected in December 2021 through May 2022, whereas grunts were detected in January through March 2022. Drum sounds were rare and were detected as singlets on a few occasions in December 2021 through March 2022. These monthly fish occurrences correspond to the breeding season of fishes in the Southern Ocean, suggesting the use of acoustic cues during breeding. From camera footage, Nototheniops larseni (painted notothen) was the only fish species found around the acoustic recorder location, and pops were putatively attributed to this abundant species, whereas other sounds were attributed to other observed species. Fish sound occurrence increased around sunrise and sunset. Sea surface temperatures between 5.2°C and 8°C were the primary predictor of fish acoustic occurrence, underscoring the potential vulnerability of these fish to environmental change. This study provides the first evidence of monthly and diel acoustic occurrence of soniferous fishes and demonstrates that bioacoustics can monitor fish biodiversity and breeding phenology in the Southern Ocean.
期刊介绍:
emote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation provides a forum for rapid, peer-reviewed publication of novel, multidisciplinary research at the interface between remote sensing science and ecology and conservation. The journal prioritizes findings that advance the scientific basis of ecology and conservation, promoting the development of remote-sensing based methods relevant to the management of land use and biological systems at all levels, from populations and species to ecosystems and biomes. The journal defines remote sensing in its broadest sense, including data acquisition by hand-held and fixed ground-based sensors, such as camera traps and acoustic recorders, and sensors on airplanes and satellites. The intended journal’s audience includes ecologists, conservation scientists, policy makers, managers of terrestrial and aquatic systems, remote sensing scientists, and students.
Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation is a fully open access journal from Wiley and the Zoological Society of London. Remote sensing has enormous potential as to provide information on the state of, and pressures on, biological diversity and ecosystem services, at multiple spatial and temporal scales. This new publication provides a forum for multidisciplinary research in remote sensing science, ecological research and conservation science.