Incorporating distance metrics and temporal trends to refine mixed stock analysis.

ABSTRACT: The distribution of marine organisms is shaped by geographic distance and oceanographic features like currents. Among migratory species, individuals from multiple populations may share feeding habitats seasonally or across life stages. Here, we introduce a modification for many-to-many mixed stock models to include distance between breeding and foraging sites as an ecological covariate and evaluate how the composition of green turtle, Chelonia mydas, juvenile mixed stock aggregations changed in response to population growth over time. Our modified many-to-many model is more informative and generally tightens credible intervals over models that do not incorporate distance. Moreover, we identified a decrease in genetic diversity in a Florida nesting site and two juvenile aggregations. Mixed

SUBMITTER: Stahelin GD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9709048 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature