Oceanographic conditions associated with white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) habitat use along eastern Australia

K. A. Lee; P. A. Butcher; R. G. Harcourt; T. A. Patterson; V. M. Peddemors; M. Roughan; D. Harasti; A. F. Smoothey; R. W. Bradford

doi:10.3354/meps13572

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Oceanographic conditions associated with white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) habitat use along eastern Australia

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Oceanographic conditions associated with white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) habitat use along eastern Australia

K. A. Lee, P. A. Butcher, R. G. Harcourt, T. A. Patterson, V. M. Peddemors, M. Roughan, D. Harasti, A. F. Smoothey and R. W. Bradford

Marine ecology. Progress series (Halstenbek), Vol.659, pp.143-159

04/02/2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps13572

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Abstract

Carcharodon carcharias

Chl a

Generalised additive mixed models

Habitat use

Satellite tracking

Sea surface temperature

Management of species with wide-ranging migrations is a complex issue, made more challenging when the species is both protected and poses a risk to humans. Understanding the oceanic conditions associated with shark habitat use can help develop mitigation strategies or warning systems that meet both conservation and human safety objectives. Using satellite tracks from 77 juvenile and sub-adult white sharks tagged over 10 yr, we modelled individual movement patterns using hidden Markov models and applied generalised additive (mixed) models to explore correlations between movement patterns (presence-absence, habitat selection and behavioural state) and oceanographic and bathymetric variables. White sharks used the whole of the continental shelf, down to depths of 350 m on the continental slope. Sharks were present over a wide range of sea surface temperatures (SSTs; 10-27 degrees C), with the highest probability of occurring at similar to 20 degrees C. However, the number of average daily tag positions was greatest when SST was between 14 and 18 degrees C, and sharks were more likely to exhibit area-restricted movement when SST was between similar to 19 and 23 degrees C. Sharks were more likely to be present and selected habitats in productive areas with moderate to high surface chl a concentrations as well as thermal and productivity fronts. Although mesoscale eddies did not influence the likelihood of individuals being present in an area, there was a higher density of sharks in cold-core eddies compared to warm-core eddies. This study indicates that white shark presence and dispersal may be linked, perhaps via prey distribution, to oceanic conditions, potentially assisting development of suitable shark bite mitigation strategies.

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Title: Oceanographic conditions associated with white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) habitat use along eastern Australia
Creators: K. A. Lee - Macquarie University
P. A. Butcher - New South Wales Department of Primary Industries
R. G. Harcourt - Macquarie University
T. A. Patterson - Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
V. M. Peddemors - Sydney Institute of Marine Science
M. Roughan - University of New South Wales
D. Harasti - New South Wales Department of Primary Industries
A. F. Smoothey - Sydney Institute of Marine Science
R. W. Bradford - Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
Publication Details: Marine ecology. Progress series (Halstenbek), Vol.659, pp.143-159
Publisher: Inter-Research
Number of pages: 17
Grant note: 1/2013-14 / Tasmanian DPI, Parks, Water and the Environment (DPIPWE) AEC Project Australian Government Marine Biodiversity Hub Australian Government's National Environmental Science Program (NESP); Australian Government NSW Department of Primary Industry (NSW DPI) CSIRO; Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) CNES; Centre National D'etudes Spatiales NASA; National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) NSW Department of Primary Industry (NSW Shark Management Strategy) Research Attraction and Acceleration Program (RAAP) from the NSW Office of Science
Identifiers: 991013125985102368
Academic Unit: Faculty of Science and Engineering
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

Oceanographic conditions associated with white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) habitat use along eastern Australia

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