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Convergence of marine megafauna movement patterns in coastal and open oceans

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Version 1 2018-09-10, 14:12
journal contribution
posted on 2024-06-06, 09:20 authored by AMM Sequeira, JP Rodríguez, VM Eguíluz, R Harcourt, M Hindell, DW Sims, CM Duarte, DP Costa, J Fernández-Gracia, LC Ferreira, Graeme HaysGraeme Hays, MR Heupel, MG Meekan, A Aven, F Bailleul, AMM Baylis, ML Berumen, CD Braun, J Burns, MJ Caley, R Campbell, RH Carmichael, E Clua, LD Einoder, A Friedlaender, ME Goebel, SD Goldsworthy, C Guinet, J Gunn, D Hamer, N Hammerschlag, M Hammill, LA Hückstädt, NE Humphries, MA Lea, A Lowther, A Mackay, E McHuron, J McKenzie, L McLeay, CR McMahon, K Mengersen, MMC Muelbert, AM Pagano, B Page, N Queiroz, PW Robinson, SA Shaffer, M Shivji, GB Skomal, SR Thorrold, S Villegas-Amtmann, M Weise, R Wells, B Wetherbee, A Wiebkin, B Wienecke, M Thums
Significance Understanding the key drivers of animal movement is crucial to assist in mitigating adverse impacts of anthropogenic activities on marine megafauna. We found that movement patterns of marine megafauna are mostly independent of their evolutionary histories, differing significantly from patterns for terrestrial animals. We detected a remarkable convergence in the distribution of speed and turning angles across organisms ranging from whales to turtles (epitome for the slowest animals on land but not at sea). Marine megafauna show a prevalence of movement patterns dominated by search behavior in coastal habitats compared with more directed, ballistic movement patterns when the animals move across the open ocean. The habitats through which they move will therefore need to be considered for effective conservation.

History

Journal

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

Volume

115

Pagination

3072-3077

Location

United States

Open access

  • Yes

ISSN

0027-8424

eISSN

1091-6490

Language

English

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2018, National Academy of Sciences

Issue

12

Publisher

NATL ACAD SCIENCES