Fine-scale hydrodynamic metrics underlying predator occupancy patterns in tidal stream environments
Whilst the development of the tidal stream industry will help meet marine renewable energy (MRE) targets, the potential impacts on mobile marine predators using these highly dynamic environments (need consideration. Environmental impact assessments (EIAs) required for potential MRE sites generally i...
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ftuwalesbangcris:oai:research.bangor.ac.uk:publications/93d39646-7d24-4174-8ed0-eb0523f9a517 2024-06-23T07:56:11+00:00 Fine-scale hydrodynamic metrics underlying predator occupancy patterns in tidal stream environments Lieber, Lilian Nimmo-Smith, Alex Waggitt, James Kregting, Louise 2018-11-01 application/pdf https://research.bangor.ac.uk/portal/en/researchoutputs/finescale-hydrodynamic-metrics-underlying-predator-occupancy-patterns-in-tidal-stream-environments(93d39646-7d24-4174-8ed0-eb0523f9a517).html https://research.bangor.ac.uk/ws/files/20748579/Lieber_EI1_PrePrint.pdf eng eng https://research.bangor.ac.uk/portal/en/researchoutputs/finescale-hydrodynamic-metrics-underlying-predator-occupancy-patterns-in-tidal-stream-environments(93d39646-7d24-4174-8ed0-eb0523f9a517).html info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Lieber , L , Nimmo-Smith , A , Waggitt , J & Kregting , L 2018 , ' Fine-scale hydrodynamic metrics underlying predator occupancy patterns in tidal stream environments ' , Ecological Indicators , vol. 94 , no. part 1 , pp. 397-408 . article 2018 ftuwalesbangcris 2024-05-29T23:44:57Z Whilst the development of the tidal stream industry will help meet marine renewable energy (MRE) targets, the potential impacts on mobile marine predators using these highly dynamic environments (need consideration. Environmental impact assessments (EIAs) required for potential MRE sites generally involve site-specific animal density estimates obtained from lengthy and costly surveys. Recent studies indicate that whilst large-scale tidal forcing is predictable, local hydrodynamics are variable and often result in spatio-temporal patchiness of marine predators. Therefore, understanding how fine-scale hydrodynamics influence animal distribution patterns could inform the placing of devices to reduce collision and displacement risks. Quantifying distributions requires animal at-sea locations and the concurrent collection of high-resolution hydrodynamic measurements. As the latter are routinely collected during tidal resource characterization at potential MRE sites, there is an untapped opportunity to efficiently collect information on the former to improve EIAs. Here we describe a survey approach that uses vessel-mounted ADCP (Acoustic Doppler current profiler) transects in combination with marine mammal surveys to collect high-resolution and concurrent hydrodynamic data in relation to pinniped (harbour seals Phoca vitulina, grey seals Halichoerus grypus) at-sea occupancy patterns within an energetic tidal channel (peak current magnitudes >4.5ms-1). We identified novel ADCP-derived fine-scale hydrodynamic metrics that could have ecological relevance for seals using these habitats. We show that our local acoustic backscattering strength metric (an indicator for macro-turbulence) had the highest influence on seal encounters. During peak flows, pinnipeds avoided the mid-channel characterized by extreme backscatter. At-sea occupancy further corresponded with the increased shear and eddies that are strong relative to the mean flows found at the edges of the channel. Our approach, providing oceanographic context to ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Phoca vitulina Bangor University: Research Portal |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Bangor University: Research Portal |
op_collection_id |
ftuwalesbangcris |
language |
English |
description |
Whilst the development of the tidal stream industry will help meet marine renewable energy (MRE) targets, the potential impacts on mobile marine predators using these highly dynamic environments (need consideration. Environmental impact assessments (EIAs) required for potential MRE sites generally involve site-specific animal density estimates obtained from lengthy and costly surveys. Recent studies indicate that whilst large-scale tidal forcing is predictable, local hydrodynamics are variable and often result in spatio-temporal patchiness of marine predators. Therefore, understanding how fine-scale hydrodynamics influence animal distribution patterns could inform the placing of devices to reduce collision and displacement risks. Quantifying distributions requires animal at-sea locations and the concurrent collection of high-resolution hydrodynamic measurements. As the latter are routinely collected during tidal resource characterization at potential MRE sites, there is an untapped opportunity to efficiently collect information on the former to improve EIAs. Here we describe a survey approach that uses vessel-mounted ADCP (Acoustic Doppler current profiler) transects in combination with marine mammal surveys to collect high-resolution and concurrent hydrodynamic data in relation to pinniped (harbour seals Phoca vitulina, grey seals Halichoerus grypus) at-sea occupancy patterns within an energetic tidal channel (peak current magnitudes >4.5ms-1). We identified novel ADCP-derived fine-scale hydrodynamic metrics that could have ecological relevance for seals using these habitats. We show that our local acoustic backscattering strength metric (an indicator for macro-turbulence) had the highest influence on seal encounters. During peak flows, pinnipeds avoided the mid-channel characterized by extreme backscatter. At-sea occupancy further corresponded with the increased shear and eddies that are strong relative to the mean flows found at the edges of the channel. Our approach, providing oceanographic context to ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Lieber, Lilian Nimmo-Smith, Alex Waggitt, James Kregting, Louise |
spellingShingle |
Lieber, Lilian Nimmo-Smith, Alex Waggitt, James Kregting, Louise Fine-scale hydrodynamic metrics underlying predator occupancy patterns in tidal stream environments |
author_facet |
Lieber, Lilian Nimmo-Smith, Alex Waggitt, James Kregting, Louise |
author_sort |
Lieber, Lilian |
title |
Fine-scale hydrodynamic metrics underlying predator occupancy patterns in tidal stream environments |
title_short |
Fine-scale hydrodynamic metrics underlying predator occupancy patterns in tidal stream environments |
title_full |
Fine-scale hydrodynamic metrics underlying predator occupancy patterns in tidal stream environments |
title_fullStr |
Fine-scale hydrodynamic metrics underlying predator occupancy patterns in tidal stream environments |
title_full_unstemmed |
Fine-scale hydrodynamic metrics underlying predator occupancy patterns in tidal stream environments |
title_sort |
fine-scale hydrodynamic metrics underlying predator occupancy patterns in tidal stream environments |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
https://research.bangor.ac.uk/portal/en/researchoutputs/finescale-hydrodynamic-metrics-underlying-predator-occupancy-patterns-in-tidal-stream-environments(93d39646-7d24-4174-8ed0-eb0523f9a517).html https://research.bangor.ac.uk/ws/files/20748579/Lieber_EI1_PrePrint.pdf |
genre |
Phoca vitulina |
genre_facet |
Phoca vitulina |
op_source |
Lieber , L , Nimmo-Smith , A , Waggitt , J & Kregting , L 2018 , ' Fine-scale hydrodynamic metrics underlying predator occupancy patterns in tidal stream environments ' , Ecological Indicators , vol. 94 , no. part 1 , pp. 397-408 . |
op_relation |
https://research.bangor.ac.uk/portal/en/researchoutputs/finescale-hydrodynamic-metrics-underlying-predator-occupancy-patterns-in-tidal-stream-environments(93d39646-7d24-4174-8ed0-eb0523f9a517).html |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
_version_ |
1802649117738926080 |