Reef effect of offshore structures on the occurrence and foraging activity of harbour porpoises ...
With increasing numbers of offshore structures to be decommissioned, a better understanding of their effect on marine predators is timely. There is some evidence that oil and gas platforms may attract marine mammals acting as artificial reefs. However, it is unclear whether different man-made struct...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Dataset |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Dryad
2022
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://dx.doi.org/10.5061/dryad.mpg4f4r2p https://datadryad.org/stash/dataset/doi:10.5061/dryad.mpg4f4r2p |
| Summary: | With increasing numbers of offshore structures to be decommissioned, a better understanding of their effect on marine predators is timely. There is some evidence that oil and gas platforms may attract marine mammals acting as artificial reefs. However, it is unclear whether different man-made structure designs have similar effects. Further, due to the lack of baseline data prior to installation, it is unknown whether artificial structures modify the diel patterns of occurrence and foraging behaviour of marine mammals. Here, we used passive acoustics to investigate the occurrence and foraging activity of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) around three artificial structures of different age and complexity. We deployed an array of echolocation click detectors (CPODs) in 2021, along a gradient of distances to these structures and assessed the extent to which porpoises were attracted to them. We also investigated the effect of these structures on the diel patterns of occurrence and foraging activity of ... : Echolocation detectors (CPODs; Chelonia Ltd) were deployed in August 2021 to study the occurrence and foraging activity of harbour porpoises around three redundant artificial structures within Scottish shelf waters: Jacky Wellhead O&G platform, Beatrice Bravo O&G platform, and Beatrice Demonstrator turbines (offshore renewable energy). ... |
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