Habitat preference modelling as a conservation tool: proposals for marine protected areas for cetaceans in southern Spanish waters

Abstract

ABSTRACT1. As part of a project to identify marine protected areas (MPAs) in Spanish Mediterranean waters, habitat preference models were developed using 11 years of survey data to provide predictions of relative density for cetacean species occurring off southern Spain.2. Models for bottlenose, striped and common dolphin described, firstly, probability of occurrence (using GLMs) and, secondly, group size (using linear models) as predicted by habitat type defined by a range of physical and oceanographic covariates. Models for Risso's dolphin, long-finned pilot, sperm and beaked whales used only the first stage because of data limitations.3. Model results were used to define the boundaries of three proposed Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) (under the EU Habitats Directive) and one proposed Specially Protected Area of Mediterranean Importance (SPAMI) (under the Barcelona Convention).4. The study illustrates the value of habitat preference modelling as a tool to help identify potential MPAs. The analyses incorporate environmental data in a spatial prediction that is an improvement over simpler descriptions of animal occurrence. Contiguous areas covering a specified proportion of relative abundance can readily be defined. Areas with apparently good habitat but few observations can be identified for future research or monitoring programmes.5. Models can be refitted as new observations and additional environmental data become available, allowing changes in habitat preference to be investigated and monitoring how well MPAs are likely to be affording protection.6. The study represents an important contribution to the implementation of the Habitats Directive by the Spanish government by providing a robust scientific basis for the definition of SAC and providing results to inform conservation objectives and management plans for these areas. The results identified areas that are important for a number of cetacean species, thus illustrating the potential for MPAs to improve cetacean conservation generally in the Alboran Sea, a

Risk mapping for sensitive species to underwater anthropogenic sound emissions: Model development and validation in two Mediterranean areas

“…This complex sea-floor topography serves to increase upwelling and concentrate productivity (Cañadas and Sagarminaga, 2000). Most of the available information on cetacean occurrence are related to studies conducted in the Spanish waters of the Alboran Sea (Cañadas et al, 2002(Cañadas et al, , 2005Cañadas and Sagarminaga, 2000). Many species of odontocete species commonly found in the Mediterranean Sea inhabit this area, such as common bottlenose dolphin, short-beaked common dolphin, striped dolphin, long-finned pilot whale, Risso's dolphin, sperm whale, Cuvier's beaked whale and one mysticete species, the fin whale.…”

“…Many species of odontocete species commonly found in the Mediterranean Sea inhabit this area, such as common bottlenose dolphin, short-beaked common dolphin, striped dolphin, long-finned pilot whale, Risso's dolphin, sperm whale, Cuvier's beaked whale and one mysticete species, the fin whale. The Northern bottlenose whale (Hyperoodon ampullatus) has been sighted in this region by Cañadas et al, 2005. Cañadas and colleagues (Cañadas et al, 2002(Cañadas et al, , 2005 identified beaked whale habitat preference in deep (i.e.…”

“…The Northern bottlenose whale (Hyperoodon ampullatus) has been sighted in this region by Cañadas et al, 2005. Cañadas and colleagues (Cañadas et al, 2002(Cañadas et al, , 2005 identified beaked whale habitat preference in deep (i.e. around 1000 m depth) and steep areas between southern Almeria and north of the Island of Alboran.…”

“…The Strait of Gibraltar, the area south of Almeria and the Island of Alboran were proposed as Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) under the EU Habitats Directive. Both the inshore and offshore Mediterranean Spanish waters, including the three proposed SAC areas, were identified as Specially Protected Area of Mediterranean Importance (SPAMI) under the Barcelona Convention (Cañadas et al, 2005). (SIRENA '03) in the Ligurian Sea region (see Fig.…”

Habitat preferences among three top predators inhabiting a degraded ecosystem, the Black Sea

“…Modelling species distribution represents a potentially powerful tool for predicting animal distribution and understanding the ecological processes determining these distributions (Redfern et al 2006, Embling et al 2010. Management of whale and dolphin populations can benefit from accurate, model-derived predictions of their habitat to mitigate anthropogenic effects such as fisheries by-catch (Kaschner et al 2012), foresee impacts of habitat alterations on ecosystem function (D'Amico et al 2003), protect critical habitats or select suitable areas for protection (Cañadas et al 2005, de Stephanis et al 2008, and aid our understanding of the ecology of these animals (Hamazaki 2002). Environmental factors can then be applied to predict marine predator distribution based on the relationships between predator, prey and environment, allowing more robust results than when one relies on prey distribution alone (Torres et al 2008).…”