Utilizing individual fish biomass and relative abundance models to map environmental niche associations of adult and juvenile targeted fishes.

ABSTRACT: Many fishes undergo ontogenetic habitat shifts to meet their energy and resource needs as they grow. Habitat resource partitioning and patterns of habitat connectivity between conspecific fishes at different life-history stages is a significant knowledge gap. Species distribution models were used to examine patterns in the relative abundance, individual biomass estimates and environmental niche associations of different life stages of three iconic West Australian fishes. Continuous predictive maps describing the spatial distribution of abundance and individual biomass of the study species were created as well predictive hotspot maps that identify possible areas for aggregation of individuals of similar life stages of multiple species (i.e. spawning grounds, fisheries refugia or nursery are

SUBMITTER: Galaiduk R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6013477 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature