Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dsjbd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T02:09:38.873Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Intertidal habitat use of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Bahía San Antonio, Argentina

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 May 2017

Els Vermeulen
Els Vermeulen*
Affiliation:
Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, cnr Lynnwood Road and Roper Street, Hatfield, South Africa, Whalefish, 2/10/72 Lancefield Quay, Glasgow G38JF, UK; Sea Search, 4 Bath road, Muizenberg, Cape Town, South Africa
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: E. Vermeulen, Whalefish, 2/10/72 Lancefield Quay, Glasgow G38JF, UK email: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Very little information is available on bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) habitat use in the South-western Atlantic. It is, however, essential in understanding their ecology and to improve conservation management. In this study, habitat use of bottlenose dolphins was examined in Bahía San Antonio, an area frequented by the species. Given the large tidal amplitude and extended intertidal zone in this bay, special focus was given to the intertidal vs subtidal habitat use patterns. Bottlenose dolphins were observed in only half of the surveyed area, with on average 1 dolphin group encountered per 100 km surveyed. All dolphin groups were seen in shallow waters <10 m deep. GLM analyses showed that especially during high tide, depth had an important effect on the dolphin encounter rate, with most dolphin groups encountered in the intertidal zone. While in the intertidal zone, most dolphin groups were observed to be engaged in surface feeding activities. The presented data indicate dolphins remained in shallow waters, and moved to the intertidal zone during high tide where they appear to find feeding opportunities. This information is believed to be of high value in understanding this population's ecological needs, and essential when aiming to improve marine conservation efforts at times of increased anthropogenic pressures in the area.

Keywords

bottlenose dolphincoastal habitatenvironmental variableshabitat useintertidal zone
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 98 , Special Issue 5: Marine Mammals , August 2018 , pp. 1109 - 1118
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2017 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Acevedo, A. (1991) Behaviour and movements of bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus, in the entrance to Ensenada De La Paz, Mexico. Aquatic Mammals 17, 137–147.Google Scholar
Addessi, L. (1995) Human disturbance and long-term changes on a rocky intertidal community. Oceanographic Literature Review 6, 503.Google Scholar
Agrawal, A. (2011) Trophic cascades: predators, prey, and the changing dynamics of nature. Quarterly Review of Biology 86, 127.Google Scholar
Altmann, J. (1974) Observational study of behaviour: sampling methods. Behaviour 49, 227–265.Google Scholar
Ballance, L.T. (1992) Habitat use patterns and ranges of the bottlenose dolphin in the Gulf of California, Mexico. Marine Mammal Science 8, 262–274.Google Scholar
Bearzi, G., Azzellino, A., Politi, E., Costa, M. and Bastianini, M. (2008) Influence of seasonal forcing on habitat use by bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus in the Northern Adriatic Sea. Ocean Science Journal 43, 175–182.Google Scholar
Bearzi, G., Politi, E. and Notarbartolo di Sciara, G. (1999) Diurnal behavior of free-ranging bottlenose dolphins in the Kvarneric (Northern Adriatic Sea). Marine Mammal Science 15, 1065–1097.Google Scholar
Bearzi, M. (2005) Aspects of ecology and behaviour of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Santa Monica Bay, California. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 7, 75–83.Google Scholar
Blasi, M.F. and Boitani, L. (2012) Modelling fine-scale distribution of the bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus using physiographic features on Filicudi (southern Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy). Endangered Species Research 17, 269–288.Google Scholar
Boltovskoy, D. (2009) Atlas de Sensibilidad Ambiental de la Costa y Mar Argentino. http://atlas.ambiente.gov.ar. Consulted on 23rd of May 2016. [In Spanish]Google Scholar
Bonuccelli, R., Malan, J., Luna, L.I. and Torres, L. (2004) Contaminación por metales pesados derivados de la lixiviación de escorias de fundición San Antonio Oeste-Río Negro. IBPM – Serie Publicaciones 3, 63–66.Google Scholar
Bräger, S., Harraway, J.A. and Manly, B.F.J. (2003) Habitat selection in a coastal dolphin species (Cephalorhynchus hectori). Marine Biology 143, 233–244.Google Scholar
Brosnan, D.M. and Crumrine, L.L. (1994) Effects of human trampling on marine rocky shore communities. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 177, 79–97.Google Scholar
Cañadas, A., Sagarminaga, R. and García-Tiscar, S. (2002) Cetacean distribution related with depth and slope in Mediterranean waters off southern Spain. Deep-Sea Research Part I 49, 2053–2073.Google Scholar
Cañadas, A., Sagarminaga, R., de Stephanis, R., Urquiola, E. and Hammond, P.S. (2005) Habitat preference modelling as a conservation tool: proposals for marine protected areas for cetaceans in southern Spanish waters. Aquatic Conservation, Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 15, 495–521.Google Scholar
Carbone, M.E., Piccolo, M.C. and Perillo, G.M.E. (2011) Zonificación ambiental de la reserva natural Bahía San Antonio, Argentina: aplicación del índice de calidad ambiental. Investigaciones Geográficas 56, 49–67.Google Scholar
Chilvers, B.L., Corkeron, P.J. and Puotinen, M.L. (2003) Influence of trawling on the behaviour and spatial distribution of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) in Moreton Bay, Australia. Canadian Journal of Zoology 81, 1947–1955.Google Scholar
Connor, R.C., Wells, R.S., Mann, J. and Read, A.J. (2000) The bottlenose dolphin: social relationships in a fission–fusion society. In Mann, J., Connor, R.C., Tyack, P.L. and Whitehead, H. (eds) Cetacean societies. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, pp. 91–126.Google Scholar
Defran, R.H. and Weller, D.W. (1999) Occurrence, distribution, site fidelity, and school size of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) off San Diego, California. Marine Mammal Science 15, 366–380.Google Scholar
DiGiacomo, A.S. (2005) Áreas importantes para la conservación de las aves en la Provincia de Río Negro. In DiGiacomo, A.S. (ed.) Áreas Importantes para la conservación de las Aves en la Argentina. Buenos Aires: Aves Argentinas and Asociación Ornitológica del Plata, pp. 334–349.Google Scholar
dos Santos, M.E. and Lacerda, M. (1987) Preliminary observations of the bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Sado estuary (Portugal). Aquatic Mammals 13, 65–80.Google Scholar
Garaffo, G.V., Dans, S.L., Pedraza, S.N., Crespo, E.A. and Degrati, M. (2007) Habitat use by dusky dolphin in Patagonia: how predictable is their location? Marine Biology 152, 165–177.Google Scholar
García, G.O., Isacch, J.P., Laich, A.G., Albano, M., Favero, M., Cardoni, D.A., Luppi, T. and Iribarne, O. (2010) Foraging behaviour and diet of American oystercatchers in a Patagonian intertidal area affected by nutrient loading. Emu 110, 146–154.Google Scholar
Giaccardi, M. and Reyes, L. (2012) Plan de Manejo del Área Natural Protegida Bahía de San Antonio, Rio Negro. Gobierno de la Provincia de Río Negro. Rio Negro, Argentina.Google Scholar
Gibson, R.N., Barnes, M. and Atkinson, R.J.A. (2003) Mammals in intertidal and maritime ecosystems: interactions, impacts and implications. Oceanography and Marine Biology 40, 491.Google Scholar
Gil, M., Harvey, M., Commendatore, M., Colombo, J.C. and Esteves, J.L. (1996) Evaluación de la contaminación por hidrocarburos y metales en la zona costera patagónica. Chubut, Argentina: Informe Técnico del Plan de Manejo Integrado de la Zona Costera Patagónica Fundación Patagonia Natural. Nr 21. ISSN No. 0328 – 462X.Google Scholar
Gil, M.N., Harvey, M.A. and Esteves, J.L. (1999) Heavy metals in intertidal sediments from Patagonian coast, Argentina. Bulleting of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 63, 52–58.Google Scholar
Gil, M.N., Torres, A., Harvey, M. and Esteves, J.L. (2006) Metales pesados en organismos marinos de la zona costera de la Patagonia argentina continental. Revista de Biología Marina y Oceanografía 41, 167–176.Google Scholar
González, G. and Benseny, G. (2013) Consecuencias ambientales del crecimiento demográfico y turístico en Puerto Madryn, Argentina. In Benseny, G. (ed.) Gestores costeros. De la teoría a la práctica: una aplicación en áreas litorales. Mar del Plata: Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, pp. 169–196.Google Scholar
González, P.M., Piersma, T. and Verkuil, Y. (1996) Food, feeding, and refuelling of red knots during northward migration at San Antonio Oeste, Rio Negro, Argentina. Journal of Field Ornithology 67, 575–591.Google Scholar
Gurjão, L.M., Neto, M.F., Santos, R.A. and Cascon, P. (2003) Feeding habits of marine tucuxi, Sotalia fluviatilis, at Ceará State, northeastern Brazil. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals 2, 117–122.Google Scholar
Hanson, M.T. and Defran, R.H. (1993) The behaviour and feeding ecology of the Pacific coast bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus. Aquatic Mammals 19, 127–142.Google Scholar
Heithaus, M.R. and Dill, L.M. (2002) Food availability and tiger shark predation risk influence bottlenose dolphin habitat use. Ecology 83, 480–491.Google Scholar
Ingram, S.N. and Rogan, E. (2002) Identifying critical areas and habitat preferences of bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus. Marine Ecology Progress Series 224, 247–255.Google Scholar
Irvine, A.B., Scott, M.D., Wells, R.S. and Kaufmann, J.H. (1981) Movements and activities of the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus, near Sarasota, Florida. Fishery Bulletin 79, 671–688.Google Scholar
Irvine, B. and Wells, R.S. (1972) Results of attempts to tag Atlantic bottlenosed dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Biological Systems, Cetology 13, 1–5.Google Scholar
Keough, M.J., Quinn, G.P. and King, A. (1993) Correlations between human collecting and intertidal mollusc populations on rocky shores. Conservation Biology 7, 378–390.Google Scholar
Leatherwood, S. and Reeves, R.R. (1983) Abundance of bottlenose dolphins in Corpus Christi Bay and Coastal Southern Texas. Contributions to Marine Science 26, 179–199.Google Scholar
Lin, T.H., Akamatsu, T. and Chou, L.S. (2013) Tidal influences on the habitat use of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins in an estuary. Marine biology 160, 1353–1363.Google Scholar
Litler, M.M. (1980) Overview of the rocky intertidal system in Southern California. In Power, D.M. (ed.) The California islands: proceedings of a multidisciplinary symposium. Santa Barbara, CA: Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History.Google Scholar
Lusseau, D., Schneider, C., Boisseau, O.J., Haase, P., Slooten, E. and Dawson, S.M. (2003) The bottlenose dolphin community of Doubtful Sound features a large proportion of long-lasting associations. Can geographic isolation explain this unique trait? Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 54, 396–405.Google Scholar
Lusseau, D., Slooten, L. and Currey, R.J. (2006) Unsustainable dolphin-watching tourism in Fiordland, New Zealand. Tourism in Marine Environments 3, 173–178.Google Scholar
Mann, J. (1999) Behavioural sampling methods for cetaceans: a review and critique. Marine Mammal Science 19, 102–122.Google Scholar
Mann, J. and Smuts, B. (1999) Behavioural development in wild bottlenose dolphin newborns (Tursiops sp.). Behaviour 136, 529–566.Google Scholar
Medina-Vogel, G., Rodriguez, C.D., Alvarez, R.E. and Bartheld, J.L.V. (2006) Feeding ecology of the marine otter (Lutra felina) in a rocky seashore of the south of Chile. Marine Mammal Science 20, 134–144.Google Scholar
Peralta, C. (1998) Aspectos sociales de la Patagonia. Capitula de Patagonia XXI Informe de consultora DHV, Comunicacion Tecnica 173. Bariloche: INTA-EEA.Google Scholar
Perier, M.R. (1994) La fauna íctica en el litoral de la Bahía de San Antonio (Golfo San Matias, Provincia de Río Negro). Dissertation, Facultad de Ciencias naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Argentina. 175 pp.Google Scholar
R Core Team (2016) R: a language and environment for statistical computing. Vienna: R Foundation for Statistical Computing. https://www.R-project.org/.Google Scholar
Scott, M.D., Wells, R.S. and Irvine, A.B. (1996) Long-term studies of bottlenose dolphins in Florida. IBI Report 6, 73–80.Google Scholar
Shane, S.H. 1990 Behaviour and ecology of the bottlenose dolphin at Sanibel Island, Florida. In Leatherwood, S. and Reevers, R.R. (eds) The bottlenose dolphin. San Diego, CA: Academic Press, pp. 245–266.Google Scholar
Shane, S.H., Wells, R.S. and Würsig, B. (1986) Ecology, behavior and social organization of the bottlenose dolphin: a review. Marine Mammal Science 2, 34–63.Google Scholar
SHN (2000) Derrotero Argentino, parte II: Costa del Atlentico. Buenos Aires: Servicio de Hydrografía Naval, Armada de la Republica Argentina (Argentine Navy).Google Scholar
Singh, H.S. (2003) Sea mammals in marine protected area in the Gulf of Kachchh, Gujarat State, India. Indian Journal of Marine Science 32, 258–262.Google Scholar
Thompson, R.C., Crowe, T.P. and Hawkins, S.J. (2002) Rocky intertidal communities: past environmental changes, present status and predictions for the next 25 years. Environmental Conservation 29, 168–191.Google Scholar
Vázquez, N.N., Gil, M.A., Esteves, J.L. and Narvate, M.A. (2007) Monitoring heavy metal pollution in San Antonio Bay, Río Negro, Argentina. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 79, 121–125.Google Scholar
Vermeulen, E., Balbiano, A., Beleguer, F., Colombil, D., Failla, M., Intrieri, E. and Bräger, S. (2016) Site-fidelity and movement patterns of bottlenose dolphins in central Argentina: essential information for effective conservation. Aquatic Conservation. 27, 282–292. doi: 10.1002/aqc.2618.Google Scholar
Vermeulen, E. and Bräger, S. (2015) Demographics of the disappearing bottlenose dolphin in Argentina: a common species on its way out? PLoS ONE 10: e0119182. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0119182.Google Scholar
Vermeulen, E. and Cammareri, A. (2009) Residency patterns, abundance and social composition of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Bahía San Antonio, Patagonia, Argentina. Aquatic Mammals 35, 379–386.Google Scholar
Waples, D.M. (1995) Activity budgets of free-ranging bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Sarasota Bay, Florida. MSc thesis. University of California, Santa Cruz, USA.Google Scholar
Wells, R.S., Scott, M.D. and Irvine, A.B. (1987) The social structure of free-ranging bottlenose dolphins. In Genoways, H.H. (ed.) Current mammalogy. New York, NY: Plenum Press, Volume 1, pp. 247–305.Google Scholar
Wilson, B. (1995) The ecology of bottlenose dolphins in the Moray Firth, Scotland: a population at the northern extreme of the species’ range. PhD thesis. University of Aberdeen, Scotland.Google Scholar
Wilson, B., Thompson, P.M. and Hammond, P.S. (1997) Habitat use by bottlenose dolphins: seasonal distribution and stratified movement patterns in Moray Firth, Scotland. Journal of Applied Ecology 34, 1365–1374.Google Scholar
Würsig, B. (1978) Occurrence and group organization of Atlantic bottlenose porpoise (Tursiops truncatus) in an Argentine bay. Biological Bulletin 154, 348–359.Google Scholar
Würsig, B. and Würsig, M. (1979) Behaviour and ecology of bottlenose porpoises, Tursiops truncatus, in the South Atlantic. Fishery Bulletin 77, 399–442.Google Scholar