Aquatic Conservation-Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems最新文献

{"title":"A Common Terminology to Unify Research and Conservation of Coralline Algae and the Habitats They Create","authors":"Victor L. Jardim,&nbsp;Jacques Grall,&nbsp;M. Beatriz Barros-Barreto,&nbsp;Anaëlle Bizien,&nbsp;Thomas Benoit,&nbsp;Juan C. Braga,&nbsp;Juliet Brodie,&nbsp;Thomas Burel,&nbsp;Andrea Cabrito,&nbsp;Guillermo Diaz-Pulido,&nbsp;Patrick Gagnon,&nbsp;Jason M. Hall-Spencer,&nbsp;Mathieu Helias,&nbsp;Paulo Antunes Horta,&nbsp;Siddhi Joshi,&nbsp;Nick A. Kamenos,&nbsp;Regina Kolzenburg,&nbsp;Erik C. Krieger,&nbsp;Erwann Legrand,&nbsp;Tessa M. Page,&nbsp;Viviana Peña,&nbsp;Federica Ragazzola,&nbsp;Lina M. Rasmusson,&nbsp;Francesco Rendina,&nbsp;Nadine Schubert,&nbsp;João Silva,&nbsp;Frederico T. S. Tâmega,&nbsp;Adeline Tauran,&nbsp;Heidi L. Burdett","doi":"10.1002/aqc.70121","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.70121","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Linguistic uncertainty is a prime source of uncertainty pervading ecology and conservation. Coralline algae are a widespread and diverse group of calcifying red macroalgae that underpin coastal ecosystem function and service provision. Recent increasing interest in coralline algae in the scientific literature has revealed a diverse but confusing terminology at organism to habitat scales. Coralline algal research and conservation are international and multidisciplinary, so there are geographic and disciplinary imbalances in research and conservation efforts. To reach consensus and reduce uncertainty, we propose a unified terminology. We review trends in cultural and scientific use of coralline algal terms and propose a system based on six morphologies: (1) attached, (2) free-living geniculate, (3) encrusting and free-living nongeniculate coralline algae, the latter either being (4) nucleated or (5) non-nucleated thalli or (6) fragments. We take inspiration from other coastal systems that have achieved consensus through umbrella terms, such as ‘coral’ and ‘kelp’, to accelerate global progress in coralline algal research and conservation. We characterise 14 coralline algae–dominated habitat global types, falling within seven functional groups, four biomes and four realms: (1) freshwater coralline streams; (2) coralline tide pools; (3) intertidal coralline rims and (4) turf; (5) coralline sea caves; (6) coral–algal reefs; (7) algal ridges; (8) coralligenous reefs; subtidal (9) carbonate crusts, (10) coralline barrens and (11) turf; and (12) articulith, (13) maerl and (14) rhodolith beds, which fall into the coralline algal bed functional group. We hope this unified terminology promotes data comparison, enables cross-boundary and cross-sector sharing of best practices, develops capacity for meta-analyses and improves conservation strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":55493,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Conservation-Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems","volume":"35 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/aqc.70121","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143689816","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Post-Translocation Movements of a Freshwater Turtle Include Homing Behaviour","authors":"Anthony Santoro,&nbsp;Vita Summers,&nbsp;Jane M. Chambers,&nbsp;Stephen J. Beatty","doi":"10.1002/aqc.70116","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.70116","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Freshwater turtles are crucial to aquatic ecosystems and among the most threatened vertebrates globally. As wetlands are increasingly affected by urbanisation and climate change, translocating turtles may become increasingly common to prevent population declines. Freshwater turtle responses to translocation remain poorly understood. This study examined the movement responses of the southwestern snake-necked turtle, <i>Chelodina oblonga</i>, following relocation from a wetland slated for urban development. We radio-tracked 40 of 268 turtles translocated to two wetlands, monitoring them for up to 228 days and analysing movement responses in relation to size, sex and release wetland using generalised linear models. Over half (54%) of the tracked turtles permanently left their release wetlands, and 38% homed back to their original wetland via a 3.2–7.0-km estuarine river and a steep, ~15-m high terrestrial bank. Movement out of the release wetlands was unrelated to turtle size or sex but significantly influenced by release wetland. Homing probability was not affected by size, sex or release wetland. Turtles were more likely to leave the release wetland closer to the source, possibly due to its smaller size or drying conditions. Release wetland significantly influenced the timing of both 'any' and 'homing' movements. Sex affected the timing of both movement types, while size influenced only 'any' movement timing. The study highlights that the characteristics of translocation sites are important in retaining translocated turtles. The study adds to the limited understanding of the movement responses of translocated freshwater turtles and has direct implications for the design of translocation programs.</p>","PeriodicalId":55493,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Conservation-Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems","volume":"35 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/aqc.70116","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143689566","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Conservation Challenges for Threatened Indian Flapshell Turtle Lissemys punctata (Lacépède, 1788) in the Largest Wetland of Bangladesh","authors":"Nadia S. Kashmi,&nbsp;Ahsan H. A. Sarker,&nbsp;Jobedah S. Mim,&nbsp;Mobassher Hossain,&nbsp;Martyn C. Lucas,&nbsp;Shams M. Galib","doi":"10.1002/aqc.70119","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.70119","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Freshwater habitats are losing their biodiversity more quickly than terrestrial and marine ecosystems, particularly in parts of the tropics with large human populations. Here, we analysed illegal hunting data for globally vulnerable Indian flapshell turtle <i>Lissemys punctata</i> in the largest wetland of Bangladesh. We identified key conservation issues for this species, along with the knowledge and attitudes of stakeholders (turtle hunters, <i>n</i> = 190; fishermen <i>n</i> = 60; agriculture farmers <i>n</i> = 60; fish farmers <i>n</i> = 60). Compared with 2007, the catch per unit of effort of Indian flapshell turtle declined by 55% in 2022. Areas of the wetland converted to agriculture and aquaculture increased by 16.5% and 14.9% respectively over this period, and turtle breeding sites declined, especially in farmed land. All turtle hunters, 93.3% of fishermen, 93.3% of fish farmers and 75% of agricultural farmers, were of the opinion that the wetland's turtle population has declined. Worryingly, the majority of fishermen (66.7%) and 41.7% of the agriculture farmers believe that the decline in turtle abundance is not a problem. About 90% of turtle hunters disagreed with this, primarily because of their dependency on turtles for income. Nine major threats and conservation challenges were identified, including illegal hunting, accidental fishing bycatch, anthropogenic modifications to the wetland, and negative attitudes of some of the stakeholders. We recommend urgent conservation initiatives involving the stakeholder communities and also more research to characterise specific habitat needs for different life stages and evaluate potential population bottlenecks. We suggest education programmes regarding animal conservation and implementation of stricter regulations to reduce exploitation.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55493,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Conservation-Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems","volume":"35 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143689027","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optimisation of an Environmental DNA-Based Approach for Assessing Freshwater Fish Biodiversity in Southernmost South America","authors":"Marianela Veyñ,&nbsp;Tomás Chalde,&nbsp;Cristina Nardi","doi":"10.1002/aqc.70112","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.70112","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>In the Southernmost region of South America (52°-55° S), the native freshwater fish biodiversity is extremely low, and invasive species pose a constant threat. Environmental DNA (eDNA) has emerged as a powerful tool for studying fish biodiversity and biomonitoring remote locations. This study evaluated the effectiveness of targeted eDNA and eDNA metabarcoding for assessing fish species composition from four basins of Tierra del Fuego, Patagonia. For targeted eDNA, we designed, validated, and implemented nine species-specific primers in real-time PCR assays. For eDNA metabarcoding, we performed high-throughput sequencing of two barcodes on the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene and constructed a local reference database. Also, eDNA-based results were compared with those of electrofishing to verify consistency. The taxon-specific approach proved the most effective for detecting native fish species. Meanwhile, no significant differences were observed between methods for documenting alien species. The targeted eDNA method successfully validated the presence of <i>Aplochiton,</i> a genus of high conservation value endemic to Patagonia and the Falkland/Malvinas Islands. Our findings have significant implications for documenting and monitoring native fish species in remote areas where field surveys can be particularly challenging. Also, this study underscores the importance of eDNA-based methods to complement traditional methods, particularly in conservation efforts aimed at rare species in regions facing ecological threats from salmonids.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55493,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Conservation-Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems","volume":"35 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143689028","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Current Knowledge, Gaps and Conservation Priorities for Mediterranean Temporary Ponds in Central–Southern Italy Insights From a Scientometric Approach","authors":"Cristina Coccia,&nbsp;Massimilano Scalici","doi":"10.1002/aqc.70107","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.70107","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Temporary ponds have significant biodiversity and societal value, yet they have historically been neglected and undervalued in water and nature-related policies. In Italy, temporary ponds have received less attention in biodiversity research and conservation efforts compared to other freshwater ecosystems. Consequently, the scarcity of information regarding their ecology, biodiversity and spatial distribution complicates the development of effective management and conservation strategies for these habitats. We conducted a bibliometric analysis of 103 articles, published between 1980 and 2023, to compile an initial inventory of individual temporary ponds studied in central and southern Italy, identifying potential regional gaps. We analysed key topics covered, research trends and their temporal evolution, as well as identifying the most prolific authors and collaboration networks between institutions, including the topics they shared. The results revealed that studies on temporary ponds in central and southern Italy began in 1980, with most research concentrated in Latium, Sardinia and Sicily. From these studies, we extrapolated and mapped the geographic coordinates from 630 individual temporary ponds. Research topics primarily focused on plants, vegetation and macroinvertebrates, while studies on biodiversity conservation and the Natura 2000 network have emerged more recently. The findings of this study identified gaps that should be addressed and evidenced lack of inventories in many regions that should be implemented as these are crucial for pond conservation efforts at local, national and Mediterranean scales.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55493,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Conservation-Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems","volume":"35 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143689005","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Perceptions of Key Stakeholders on Current Methods and Technologies Used in Monitoring and Control of Fisheries Activities in Namibia's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)","authors":"Charlene Bwiza Simataa,&nbsp;Frans Persendt,&nbsp;Christopher Gomez","doi":"10.1002/aqc.70117","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.70117","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study assessed stakeholders' perceptions of current methods and technologies for monitoring and controlling fisheries activities in Namibia's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The research was prompted by reports of illegal fishing and inadequate resources for effective oversight. Understanding stakeholders' views is crucial for policymakers to develop suitable monitoring approaches. A qualitative investigation was conducted using in-depth interviews (18 participants) and three focus group discussions (22 participants). Findings revealed that men dominate Namibia's fisheries industry. Air surveillance and sea patrols are the primary monitoring measures, supplemented by Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) and Automatic Identification System (AIS) technologies. About 32.5% of participants were fisheries inspectors, observers, and researchers with 11–15 years of experience. Most participants rated current methods and technologies as good: 72.5% for sea patrols, 65% for air surveillance and 80% for technologies. Despite positive ratings, several challenges were identified: lack of resources and funding, inadequate modern infrastructure, high maintenance costs, limited stakeholder cooperation and compliance issues. These findings underscore the need for improvements in vessel documentation and authorization, monitoring methods and the adoption of advanced technologies like drones and onboard cameras. The study highlighted the importance of enhancing regional cooperation and coordination to address the challenges posed by globalization, and to realize the state's sovereignty and territorialization, with the EEZ still being a contested space.</p>","PeriodicalId":55493,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Conservation-Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems","volume":"35 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/aqc.70117","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143689004","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genetic Diversity and Connectivity of Syngnathid Fish in Spanish National Parks: Conservation Insights From Protected Marine Ecosystems","authors":"Manuel Vera,&nbsp;Belén G. Pardo,&nbsp;Miquel Planas,&nbsp;Inés Castejón-Silvo,&nbsp;Carmen Bouza","doi":"10.1002/aqc.70110","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.70110","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Spanish National Parks (NPs) are protected areas for biodiversity conservation, including two Maritime–Terrestrian NPs: The Atlantic Islands of Galicia, PNIA (NW Spain) and Archipelago of Cabrera, PNAC (Balearic Islands). This study was aimed to conduct a 3-year genetic survey of syngnathid fish species (i.e. seahorses and pipefish) identified in both NPs and nearby unprotected areas, using mitochondrial and microsatellite markers. A diversity of species was identified with differential distribution among NPs and adjacent areas studied. Pipefish (<i>Syngnathus acus</i>, <i>S. abaster, S. typhle</i>, <i>Entelurus aequoreus, Nerophis lumbriciformis</i>, <i>N. maculatus</i>, and <i>N. ophidion</i>) predominated, while seahorses (<i>Hippocampus guttulatus</i>) were much less abundant. Genetic data and phylogenetic analysis clarified in situ morphological identification. Mitochondrial haplotypes for each species clustered into monophyletic groups, supporting the identification of a cryptic lineage of <i>S. abaster</i> in PNAC distinct from eastern Mediterranean populations of this species. Intraspecific genetic diversity was evaluated at spatial and temporal scale for population samples recorded during the survey period, providing valuable information for individual resampling traceability and delineating management units. Temporal stability in genetic diversity and gene flow with adjacent areas were observed for dominant species within each NP in the 3-year period studied. However, significant intraspecific differentiation was detected between populations identified in Atlantic and Mediterranean NPs. This study provides valuable reference genetic data for future monitoring and to identify distribution or research gaps for further studies towards the conservation of syngnathid populations in Spanish marine NPs, which serve as umbrella species for the preservation of vulnerable coastal ecosystems and habitats.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55493,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Conservation-Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems","volume":"35 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143633003","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Trait-Based Prediction of Conservation Status of North American Small-Bodied Minnows (Leuciscidae) and Darters (Percidae)","authors":"Ashley M. Watt,&nbsp;Trevor E. Pitcher","doi":"10.1002/aqc.70113","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.70113","url":null,"abstract":"<p>With the rapid decline of aquatic biodiversity, conservation tools such as captive breeding for reintroduction are becoming more common. A major challenge, however, lies in determining which species should be prioritized for such efforts. One effective method is to assess species' life history and ecological traits, which are often associated with extinction risk and can provide critical insights for guiding species prioritization. In this study, we assessed all small-bodied minnow and darter species in North America (i.e., Canada, the United States and Mexico) to determine if life history and ecological traits could predict their conservation status. We analysed 13 life history and ecological traits in relation to the IUCN conservation status for 220 species of minnow and 183 species of darters. For minnows, traits such as substrate, climatic zone, diet, feeding location, total length and maximum water temperature were associated with a higher risk of being threatened. For darters, the traits associated with an increased risk of being threatened were climatic zone and total length. Taken together, this study identifies key life history and ecological traits that influence the conservation status of small-bodied fishes and provides actionable insights for prioritizing species for captive breeding programmes. These findings can guide conservation practitioners in developing species-specific, proactive recovery strategies to prioritize species at risk and enhance conservation efforts before they become threatened in the wild.</p>","PeriodicalId":55493,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Conservation-Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems","volume":"35 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/aqc.70113","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143629864","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Detecting Environmental DNA From Crested and Smooth Newts—Not as Straight Forward as Filtering a Drop of Water","authors":"Annette Taugbøl,&nbsp;Frode Fossøy,&nbsp;Børre K. Dervo","doi":"10.1002/aqc.70106","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.70106","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Environmental DNA methodologies are constantly being developed and optimized for specific purposes. This paper summarizes 3 years of water-sampling and filtering method development, with the aim to reliably detect and quantify eDNA from great crested newts and smooth newts from established monitoring ponds, using species-specific assays and droplet digital PCR (ddPCR). Both newt species were caught in traps from all ponds during the three sampling years. For the first year, water was collected from three separate positions within each pond and filtered individually through a 0.45-μm PES filter. Overall, the pond replicates resulted in 26% false negatives, including three ponds where only one-third of the samples were positive. Positive results within sites also showed high variance in DNA concentration (the highest variance across three filters and nine ddPCRs: 1987 ± 1789). For the second year, subsamples of water from different positions were collected and mixed before being filtered through two 0.45-μm PES filters. This sampling approach reduced the overall variation in eDNA concentration from replicates filtered from each water batch (the highest variance: 7355 ± 4147). However, a few samples did still not reliably detect newt eDNA (9%–10%). For the third year, to test for potential effects of stratification and seasonal variation on the probability of detection, subsamples were collected from both the surface layer and 30 cm below the surface four to five times through the main mating period. In addition, the filter type was changed to a 2.0-μm glass fibre filter to increase water volume. Despite filtering on average 1 L more through each filter compared to the second sampling year, this method produced a higher number of false negatives.</p>\u0000 <p>Optimizing filtering methods to reliably detect newts from ponds in the mating season is needed before applying the method in managemental monitoring.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55493,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Conservation-Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems","volume":"35 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143622477","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"If These Walls Could Talk: Investigating Bottlenose Dolphin Occupancy and Range in Fiord Ecosystems Using Passive Acoustic Monitoring and Visual Surveys","authors":"Leah M. Crowe,&nbsp;Chloe Corne,&nbsp;Stephen M. Dawson,&nbsp;Matthew Pine,&nbsp;William J. Rayment,&nbsp;Matthew R. Schofield,&nbsp;Jenni A. Stanley","doi":"10.1002/aqc.70084","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.70084","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Effective management of protected species requires a comprehensive understanding of their ecology. Within the Fiordland (Te Moana o Atawhenua) Marine Area (FMA) in south-western Aotearoa/New Zealand, two of the four recognised bottlenose dolphin (<i>Tursiops truncatus</i>) subpopulations are considered resident to discrete fiord systems. Opportunistic sightings outside the Patea/Doubtful and Tamatea/Dusky Sound complexes, however, indicate these subpopulations occupy a larger space than is currently recognised. To investigate bottlenose dolphin use of remote spaces in the FMA, passive acoustic monitoring equipment was deployed in six of the southern fiords. Acoustic data were collected between February 2022 and November 2023 using two types of devices: F-PODs to detect click trains of odontocetes and SoundTraps to collect recordings to explore a variety of call types. We used automated classifiers/detectors and manual browsing to detect various vocalisation types. To better understand dolphin occupancy at each acoustic monitoring site, we constructed a hierarchical Bayesian model to estimate detection probabilities of the different data collection and signal detection approaches. Photo-identification was used to identify individual dolphins in remote areas, and differences in detection between visual and acoustic methods were explored. This study demonstrates that dolphins, including two resident subpopulations of Fiordland bottlenose dolphins, regularly use fiords that are not currently considered part of their habitat range and may often use spaces outside the FMA. This increased understanding of the spatial ecology of Fiordland bottlenose dolphins underscores the need for a re-evaluation of their habitat and potential threats throughout this region.</p>","PeriodicalId":55493,"journal":{"name":"Aquatic Conservation-Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems","volume":"35 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/aqc.70084","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143622478","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}