%0 Conference Paper %1 thorne_influence_2011 %A Thorne, Lesley H. %A Read, Andrew J. %A Urian, Kim W. %A Waples, Danielle M. %A Dunn, Jennifer %A Johnston, David W. %A Hazen, Lucie J. %A Laura, Anna Marie %C Tampa, FL %D 2011 %K GAM, eddies, fronts, mammals marine %T The influence of dynamic oceanography on cetacean abundance and distribution in Onslow Bay, North Carolina %U http://www.marinemammalscience.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=390&Itemid=65&abstractID=1080 %X Oceanographic features such as fronts and eddies aggregate prey and create important foraging areas for marine predators. In the South Atlantic Bight (SAB), the Gulf Stream front and Gulf Stream Frontal Eddies (GSFEs) are known to provide important habitat for foraging seabirds, but their effect on cetacean abundance and distribution as not been considered. We combined standardized visual line transect surveys in Onslow Bay, North Carolina and analysis of remotely sensed oceanographic data to investigate the effects of dynamic oceanography on cetacean abundance and distribution in the SAB between June 2007 and October 2010 (77 survey days). We used generalized additive models (GAMs) to predict habitat use of the two most frequently observed species, bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis), using the following predictor variables: sea surface temperature (SST), distance to Gulf Stream front, distance to shelf break, depth, and water mass (Gulf Stream, shelf waters, GSFE cold core and GSFE warm filament). Depth and distance to the Gulf Stream front best predicted bottlenose dolphin habitat (p\textless \textless 0.001), while distance to shelf break and SST were the best predictors of spotted dolphin habitat (p\textless \textless 0.001). GSFEs influenced habitat use of both species; the abundance of spotted dolphins differed by water mass when GSFEs were present (Chi square test, p=0.0001), but not when GSFEs were absent (Chi square test, p=0.34). Bottlenose dolphin sightings occurred significantly closer to the Gulf Stream front when GSFEs were not present (t-test, p=0.033). We discuss these findings in relation to the ecology of bottlenose and spotted dolphins and dynamic oceanographic processes occurring within the SAB.

@inproceedings{thorne_influence_2011, abstract = {Oceanographic features such as fronts and eddies aggregate prey and create important foraging areas for marine predators. In the South Atlantic Bight (SAB), the Gulf Stream front and Gulf Stream Frontal Eddies (GSFEs) are known to provide important habitat for foraging seabirds, but their effect on cetacean abundance and distribution as not been considered. We combined standardized visual line transect surveys in Onslow Bay, North Carolina and analysis of remotely sensed oceanographic data to investigate the effects of dynamic oceanography on cetacean abundance and distribution in the SAB between June 2007 and October 2010 (77 survey days). We used generalized additive models (GAMs) to predict habitat use of the two most frequently observed species, bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis), using the following predictor variables: sea surface temperature (SST), distance to Gulf Stream front, distance to shelf break, depth, and water mass (Gulf Stream, shelf waters, GSFE cold core and GSFE warm filament). Depth and distance to the Gulf Stream front best predicted bottlenose dolphin habitat (p{\textless} {\textless} 0.001), while distance to shelf break and SST were the best predictors of spotted dolphin habitat (p{\textless} {\textless} 0.001). GSFEs influenced habitat use of both species; the abundance of spotted dolphins differed by water mass when GSFEs were present (Chi square test, p=0.0001), but not when GSFEs were absent (Chi square test, p=0.34). Bottlenose dolphin sightings occurred significantly closer to the Gulf Stream front when GSFEs were not present (t-test, p=0.033). We discuss these findings in relation to the ecology of bottlenose and spotted dolphins and dynamic oceanographic processes occurring within the SAB.}, added-at = {2017-01-09T13:57:26.000+0100}, address = {Tampa, FL}, author = {Thorne, Lesley H. and Read, Andrew J. and Urian, Kim W. and Waples, Danielle M. and Dunn, Jennifer and Johnston, David W. and Hazen, Lucie J. and Laura, Anna Marie}, biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/246a92dad088c5d27375631b9af5bef1c/yourwelcome}, interhash = {ba87e73f6e3727bf97a140381536cea2}, intrahash = {46a92dad088c5d27375631b9af5bef1c}, keywords = {GAM, eddies, fronts, mammals marine}, timestamp = {2017-01-09T14:01:11.000+0100}, title = {The influence of dynamic oceanography on cetacean abundance and distribution in {Onslow} {Bay}, {North} {Carolina}}, url = {http://www.marinemammalscience.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=390&Itemid=65&abstractID=1080}, urldate = {2012-05-22}, year = 2011 }