Modelling the spatial distribution of three Portunidae crabs in Haizhou Bay, China.

ABSTRACT: Crab species are economically and ecologically important in coastal ecosystems, and their spatial distributions are pivotal for conservation and fisheries management. This study was focused on modelling the spatial distributions of three Portunidae crabs (Charybdis bimaculata, Charybdis japonica, and Portunus trituberculatus) in Haizhou Bay, China. We applied three analytical approaches (Generalized additive model (GAM), random forest (RF), and artificial neural network (ANN)) to spring and fall bottom trawl survey data (2011, 2013-2016) to develop and compare species distribution models (SDMs). Model predictability was evaluated using cross-validation based on the observed species distribution. Results showed that sea bottom temperature (SBT), sea bottom salinity (SBS), and sediment type

SUBMITTER: Luan J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6235385 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature