Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38297368›Full record

ArticleMovement ecology2024

Links between the three-dimensional movements of whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) and the bio-physical environment off a coral reef.

Ben D'Antonio, Luciana C Ferreira, Mark Meekan, Paul G Thomson, Lilian Lieber, Patti Virtue, Chloe Power, Charitha B Pattiaratchi, Andrew S Brierley, Ana M M Sequeira and 1 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Movement ecology, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
7.6field-weighted citation impact, top 3% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 11 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors at 7 institutions in 3 countries.

Ben D'AntonioOceans Graduate School and the UWA Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia. Ben.dantonio@research.uwa.edu.au.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1664-1860
Luciana C FerreiraAustralian Institute of Marine Science, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6755-2799
Mark MeekanThe Oceans Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3067-9427
Paul G ThomsonOceans Graduate School and the UWA Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia.
Lilian LieberMarine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, PL1 2PB, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4833-9594
Patti VirtueInstitute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9870-1256
Chloe PowerInstitute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia.
Charitha B PattiaratchiOceans Graduate School and the UWA Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2229-6183
Andrew S BrierleyPelagic Ecology Research Group, Scottish Oceans Institute, Gatty Marine Laboratory, School of Biology, University of St. Andrews, St Andrews, KY16 8LB, Scotland, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6438-6892
Ana M M SequeiraThe Oceans Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6906-799X
Michele ThumsAustralian Institute of Marine Science, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8669-8440
Australian Institute of Marine Science · AUThe University of Western Australia · AUAustralian National University · AUCommonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation · AUMarine Biological Association of the United Kingdom · GBUniversity of St Andrews · GBUniversity of Tasmania · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMeasuring coastal-pelagic prey fields at scales relevant to the movements of marine predators is challenging due to the dynamic and ephemeral nature of these environments. Whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) are thought to aggregate in nearshore tropical waters due to seasonally enhanced foraging opportunities. This implies that the three-dimensional movements of these animals may be associated with bio-physical properties that enhance prey availability. To date, few studies have tested this hypothesis.

methodsHere, we conducted ship-based acoustic surveys, net tows and water column profiling (salinity, temperature, chlorophyll fluorescence) to determine the volumetric density, distribution and community composition of mesozooplankton (predominantly euphausiids and copepods) and oceanographic properties of the water column in the vicinity of whale sharks that were tracked simultaneously using satellite-linked tags at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia. Generalised linear mixed effect models were used to explore relationships between the 3-dimensional movement behaviours of tracked sharks and surrounding prey fields at a spatial scale of ~ 1 km.

resultsWe identified prey density as a significant driver of horizontal space use, with sharks occupying areas along the reef edge where densities were highest. These areas were characterised by complex bathymetry such as reef gutters and pinnacles. Temperature and salinity profiles revealed a well-mixed water column above the height of the bathymetry (top 40 m of the water column). Regions of stronger stratification were associated with reef gutters and pinnacles that concentrated prey near the seabed, and entrained productivity at local scales (~ 1 km). We found no quantitative relationship between the depth use of sharks and vertical distributions of horizontally averaged prey density. Whale sharks repeatedly dove to depths where spatially averaged prey concentration was highest but did not extend the time spent at these depth layers.

conclusionsOur work reveals previously unrecognized complexity in interactions between whale sharks and their zooplankton prey.

Indexed as

3D utilisation distributionBio-physical driversForaging ecologyHabitat useMarine megafaunaOceanographyPredator–preyZooplankton

Identifiers

PMID38297368
PMCPMC10829290
OpenAlexW4391401810

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.