The deployment of electronic data storage tags that are surgically implanted or satellite-linked provides marine researchers with new ways to examine the movements, environmental preferences, and physiology of pelagic vertebrates. We report the results obtained from tagging of Atlantic bluefin tuna with implantable archival and pop-up satellite archival tags. The electronic tagging data provide insights into the seasonal movements and environmental preferences of this species. Bluefin tuna dive to depths of >1000 meters and maintain a warm body temperature. Western-tagged bluefin tuna make trans-Atlantic migrations and they frequent spawning grounds in the Gulf of Mexico and eastern Mediterranean. These data are critical for the future management and conservation of bluefin tuna in the Atlantic.

/pdf/migratory-movements-depth-preferences-and-thermal-biology-of-2mwl59uvxf.pdf

Migratory movements, depth preferences, and thermal biology of Atlantic bluefin tuna.

Research and Management Techniques for the Conservation of Sea Turtles

Geolocation (Global Location Sensing or GLS logging) using archival light-recording tags offers considerable potential for tracking animal movements, yet few studies of flying seabirds have exploited this technology. Our study evaluated its effectiveness for determining foraging ranges of black-browed albatrosses Thalassarche melanophrys fitted simultaneously with GLS loggers and satellite-transmitters (Platform Terminal Transmitters, PTTs). After some preliminary validation, the position of an albatross could be determined by geolocation with a mean error +/- SD of 186 +/- 114 km (SDs of 1.66degrees and 1.82degrees of latitude and longitude, respectively). Errors from identical static loggers were lower (mean +/- SD of 85 +/- 47 km, with overall SDs of 0.61degrees and 0.99degrees of latitude and longitude, respectively) and less variable, with the difference attributable to variation in sensor orientation, intermittent shading by plumage, and the difficulty of correcting for extensive, potentially non-linear movements of flying birds. Iterative smoothing reduced both the mean error and the inflation of kernel ranges derived from GLS data, but over-smoothing contracted the extremes of the range. This reduced the overlap with radial cores apparent in the control data, and should be avoided for multinuclear GLS fix distributions. The accuracy of GLS tags is more than adequate for tracking migration and breeding-season foraging ranges of pelagic species, and for identifying broad-scale habitat preferences, overlap and potential conflict with commercial fisheries.

/pdf/accuracy-of-geolocation-estimates-for-flying-seabirds-3ncpjvron4.pdf

Accuracy of geolocation estimates for flying seabirds

Sexual segregation in foraging is predicted from the great size disparity of male and female northern elephant seals, Mirounga angustirostris. Our aim was to test this prediction by measuring diving and foraging behavior, foraging locations, and distribution of the sexes during biannual migrations in the northeastern Pacific Ocean. Daily movements of 27 adult males and 20 adult females, during 56 migrations from Afio Nuevo, California, USA, were determined by Argos satellite telemetry via head-mounted platform transmitter terminals. Diving records were obtained with archival time-depth-speed recorders attached to the backs of seals that were recovered when the seals returned to the rookery. Pronounced sex differences were found in foraging location and foraging pattern, as reflected by hor- izontal transit speed and diving behavior. Males moved directly north or northwest at a mean speed of 90 ? 27 km/d to focal foraging areas along the continental margin ranging from coastal Oregon (534 km away) to the western Aleutian Islands (4775 km away). Males remained in these areas (mean size = 7892 ki2) for 21-84% of their 4-mo stays at sea. The predominance of flat-bottom dives in these areas suggests concentrated feeding on benthic prey. Migration distance and estimated mass gain were positively correlated with male size, and individual males returned to the same area to forage on subsequent migrations. In contrast, females ranged across a wider area of the northeastern Pacific, from 380 to 600 N and from the coast to 172.5? E. Focal foraging areas, indicated by a reduction in swim speed to <0.4 m/s, were distributed over deep water along the migratory path, with females remaining on them a mean of 3.5 d before moving to another one. Jagged-bottom dives that tracked the deep scattering layer prevailed in these areas, suggesting that females were feeding on pelagic prey in the water column. Females took roughly similar initial paths in subsequent migrations, but large deviations from the previous route were observed. We conclude that there is habitat segregation between the sexes. Females range widely over deep water, apparently foraging on patchily distributed, vertically migrating, pelagic prey, whereas males forage along the continental margin at the distal end of their migration in a manner consistent with feeding on benthic prey.

/pdf/foraging-ecology-of-northern-elephant-seals-1r5wqy2zc6.pdf

Foraging ecology of northern elephant seals

Summary 1. Geolocation by light allows for tracking animal movements, based on measurements of light intensity over time by a data-logging device (‘geolocator’). Recent developments of ultra-light devices (<2 g) broadened the range of target species and boosted the number of studies using geolocators. However, an inherent problem of geolocators is that any factor or process that changes the natural light intensity pattern also affects the positions calculated from these light patterns. Although the most important factors have been identified, estimation of their effect on the accuracy and precision of positions estimated has been lacking but is very important for the analyses and interpretation of geolocator data. 2. The ‘threshold method’ is mainly used to derive positions by defining sunrise and sunset times from the light intensity pattern for each recorded day. This method requires calibration: a predefined sun elevation angle for estimating latitude by fitting the recorded day ⁄ night lengths to theoretical values across latitudes. Therewith, almost constant shading can be corrected for by finding the appropriate sun elevation angle. 3. Weather, topography and vegetation are the most important factors that influence light intensities. We demonstrated their effect on the measurement of day ⁄ night length, time of solar midnight ⁄ noon and the resulting position estimates using light measurements from stationary geolocators at known places and from geolocators mounted on birds. Furthermore, we investigated the influence of different calibration methods on the accuracy of the latitudinal positions. 4. All three environmental factors can influence the light intensity pattern significantly. Weather and an animal’s behaviour result in increased noise in positioning, whereas topography and vegetation result in systematic shading and biased positions. Calibration can significantly shift the estimated latitudes and potentially increase the accuracy, but detailed knowledge about the particular confounding factors and the behaviour of the studied animal is crucial for the choice of the most appropriate calibration method.

https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.2041-210X.2012.00185.x

Geolocation by light: accuracy and precision affected by environmental factors

Description d'un systeme permettant d'etudier les deplacements pelagiques de l'elephant de mer. L'appareil permet, a partir de mesures precises de la photoperiode en fonction de la latitude et de la longitude, d'enregistrer les differentes localisations au cours de la periode passee en mer. L'utilisation de cette nouvelle technique est seulement limitee par la necessite de recuperer l'appareil au moment des atterrissages

Roger D. Hill

Papers

Documenting migrations of northern elephant seals using day length