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Modeling
the Eco-physiology of Pelagic Fishes and Sharks with Archival and Pop-up
Satellite Archival Tags (PSATs)
Related
PFRP projects:
Developing
Biochemical and Physiological Predictors of Long Term Survival in Released
Blue Sharks and Sea Turtles
Pop-Off
Satellite Archival Tags to Chronicle the Survival and Movements of Blue
Sharks Following Release from Longline Gear
Evaluating
Biochemical and Physiological Predictors of Long Term Survival in Released
Pacific Blue Marlin Tagged with Pop-up Satellite Archival Transmitters
(PSATs)
Progress Reports (PDF): FY2010,
FY 2009, FY
2008, FY 2007,
FY 2006
Project Overview
Recent efforts employing electronic tags on several species of pelagic
fishes have yielded a large amount of data, including long-term measurements
of body temperature, water temperature, swimming depths, and horizontal
movements. Inherent in these data are valuable information concerning
the effects of oceanographic conditions on behavior. Long term tagging
data have opened up the possibility for learning more about the physical,
physiological and behavioral events governing the vertical and horizontal
distribution of pelagic fishes (Block et al. 1997; Brill et
al. 1999; Lutcavage et al. 2000; Holland et al. 1992;
Block et al. 2001; Marcinek et al. 2001; Musyl et al.
2003; Sibert et al. 2003). The availability of simultaneously
collected parameters by archival tags and pop-up satellite archival
tags (PSATs) make conclusions and predictions about common effects of
oceanographic conditions and specific gear vulnerability on fish movements
more robust.
Individual based modeling (IBM), recently completed on the bigeye tuna
(Thunnus obesus) shows the utility of such an approach. The model
takes into account the non-steady state conditions the fish experiences
- it's a two dimensional environment - as well as specific anatomical
and physiological features. Further, it is anticipated that visual and
olfactory abilities might also be incorporated into the model. For example,
a testable hypothesis in sharks is that variation in sizes of olfactory
lobes in different species of sharks might be related to extent of diving
pattern and activity. Therefore, with a combination of biological and
physico-chemical factors, the model allows for important conclusions
and (or) predictions regarding the effect of oceanographic conditions
on behavior and will be species specific.
Project
researchers propose to use available data from archival and PSAT* tags
to develop IBMs to describe the eco-physiology of different species
of large pelagic fishes and sharks. This project will complement data
already collected on a number of pelagic species and will be linked
to existing PFRP projects by Musyl, Brill, and Moyes. Thus the study
will be a collaboration between the University of Hawaii/JIMAR/PFRP,
VIMS/ National Marine Fisheries Service, and the Dept. of Zoophysiology,
University of Aarhus, Denmark. The ultimate goal is to develop model(s),
which will be applicable to many different pelagic fish and shark species.
Using these models researchers can evaluate the possible importance
of specific oceanographic parameters in an unbiased fashion, which will
allow for intra- and inter-species comparison. (Contact project PIs
for an example of this modeling approach.)
*At this time, because of specific data requirements (i.e., raw data
points of temperature and pressure [depth] acquired in time series),
the modelling approach can not accommodate satellite data compiled as
frequency histograms.
Project
researchers have compiled an enormous amount of PSAT data suitable for
eco-physiological modeling approach, including data on several billfish,
shark and tuna species. PSAT data have been successfully recovered from
71 PSATs representing 11 different species for a combined total of 6,490
days at-liberty (or ca. 18 years) with an average of 91 days/PSAT. Prof.
Malte and his students will work closely with Musyl and Brill and other
PSAT collaborators to develop testable hypotheses with the PSAT data
and will explore the time series of PSAT data from different physiological,
anatomical and oceanographic perspectives. The ultimate goal is to gain
insights into the autecology and thermal preferences of pelagic fish
species. It is anticipated that IBMs developed by the project will be
incorporated into habitat-based stock assessment models to further refine
indices of species abundance, availability and vulnerability. As such,
the tools developed herein will provide valuable information into ecological
questions regarding fisheries interactions to different types of gear
as they pertain to management scenarios.
Year 1
funding
for this 3-year project estimated to be available mid-2005.
References:
Block,
B. A., Keen, J. E., Castillo, B., Dewar, H., Freund, E. V., Marcinek,
D. J., Brill, R. W., and Farwell, C. (1997). Environmental preferences
of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) a the northern extent of
its range. Mar.Biol. 130, 119-132.
Block,
B. A., Dewar, H., Blackwell, S. B., Williams, T. D., Prince, E. D.,
Farwell, C. J., Boustany, A., Teo, S. L. H., Seitz, A., Walli, A., and
Fudge, D. S. (2001). Migratory movements, depth preferences, and thermal
biology of atlantic bluefin tuna. Science 293, 1310-1314.
Brill, R. W., Block, B. A., Boggs, C. H., Bigelow, K. A., Freund, E.
V., and Marcinek, D. J. (1999). Horizontal movements and depth distribution
of lager adult yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) near the Hawaiian
islands, recorded using ultrasonic telemetrry: implications for the
physiological ecology of pelagic fishes. Mar.Biol. 133, 395-408.
Holland, K. N., Brill, R. W., Chang, R. K. C., Sibert, J. R., and Fournier,
D. A. (1992). Physiological thermoregulation in bigeye tuna (Thunnus
obesus). Nature 358, 410-412.
Lutcavage,
M. E., Brill, R. W., Skomal, G. B., Chase, B. C., Goldstein, J. L.,
and Tutein, J. (2000). Tracking adult north atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus
thynnus) in the northwestern Atlantic using ultrasonic telemetry.
Mar.Biol. 137, 347-358.
Marcinek,
D. J., Blackwell, S. B., Dewar, H., Freund, E. V., Farwell, C., Dau,
D., Seitz, A. C., and Block, B. A. (2001). Depth and muscle temperature
of pacific bluefin tuna examined with acustic and pop-up satellite archival
tags. Mar. Biol. 138, 869-885.
Musyl,
M.K., Brill, R.W., Boggs, C.H., Curran, D.S., Kazama, T.K. and Seki,
M.K. (2003). Vertical movements of bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus)
associated with islands, buoys, and seamounts near the main Hawaiian
Islands from archival tagging data. Fish. Oceanogr. 12, 152-169.
Sibert,
J.R., Musyl, M.K. and Brill, R.W. (2003). Horizontal movements of bigeye
tuna (Thunnus obesus) near Hawaii determined by Kalman filter
analysis of archival tagging data. Fish. Oceanogr. 12, 141-151.
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