Grouper (Epinephelidae) spawning aggregations affect activity space of grey reef sharks, Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos, in Pohnpei, Micronesia.

ABSTRACT: Fish spawning aggregations (FSA) act as biological hotspots that concentrate food and nutrients across a broad trophic spectrum. In Pohnpei (Federated States of Micronesia), 20 female grey reef sharks (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos) were acoustically tagged at two multi-species grouper (Epinephelidae) FSA to examine the likelihood that these mesopredators utilize FSA as a seasonal food source. Both FSA sites are within small-scale MPAs, thus providing a secondary opportunity to examine their conservation potential during these ephemeral events. Shark movement and residency was gauged against known spatial and temporal grouper reproductive patterns using an array of 15 and 50 acoustic receivers at Ant Atoll and Pohnpei (Island), respectively. Activity space was investigated using Kernel Densit

SUBMITTER: Rhodes KL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6713441 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature