A study now published in the journal Marine Ecology Progress Series (https://doi.org/10.3354/meps12551), evaluated the accuracy of different models of geographic distribution of dolphins, whales and other cetaceans in the Azores.
The study was only possible thanks to collaboration with tourist observation companies of these animals in the archipelago, which for seven years collected information about sightings on their trips and submitted it to the MONICET platform.
Cetaceans play a fundamental role in marine ecosystems. Knowing their geographic distribution and how it varies over time is very important to identify areas of concern for vulnerable populations and develop more effective conservation plans.
However, we still know little about the distribution of these animals: not only are they very mobile, responding quickly to environmental changes in the ocean, but campaigns dedicated to their study are costly and limited in time.
Researchers have obtained distribution estimates from computer models that extrapolate a species' ecological niche from existing location data and environmental variables.
But, in the case of species as mobile as cetaceans, which live in an environment as dynamic as the ocean, with what time interval – days, weeks, months – should the environmental variables be introduced in the model so that the results are the as accurate as possible?
“The question itself depends a lot on the species to be studied. For example, for highly dynamic species like the bearded whale it is much better to use weekly data. But for that we need constant data collection, a great sampling effort, which in this case was obtained thanks to the collaboration of tourist companies observing cetaceans”, explains Marc Fernandez Morron, first author of the article and researcher of the Center for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Change – cE3c and the University of the Azores.
This study was only possible because the researchers were able to use detailed data on the ten most sighted cetacean species in the Azores archipelago, between January 2009 and December 2015.
On their tourist trips – which, although they have a peak of affluence during the summer, occur throughout the year – cetacean observation operators note down the species they observe, count animals and record their position. These data are submitted in the MONICET platform – an online database inaugurated in 2008 and with the support of the Government of the Azores – accompanied by photographs to identify the species. All data is validated by experts before being made available online.
“Currently, MONICET is in an adult phase, with ten years of operation and eight companies collaborating. We are working to have greater autonomy, with applications for new projects to improve and expand the platform to other areas. At the same time, we are working to demonstrate other potential uses of the data collected by our employees that may be useful not only for the companies themselves but also for the management and conservation of cetaceans”, emphasizes Marc Fernandez Morron.
Author Communication Office of the Center for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Change – cE3c
Science in the Regional Press – Ciência Viva