Researchers launch an acoustically tagged nurse shark into waters off Miami, Florida, to analyze shark residency patterns in relation to coastal urbanization. Credit: Robbie Roemer.
The world’s coastlines are quickly urbanizing, however how this elevated human presence could affect species residing within the ocean will not be absolutely understood. In a brand new research led by scientists on the University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, researchers tracked the actions of three shark species, bull, nurse and nice hammerhead, in relation to the town of Miami. Given the chemical, gentle, and noise air pollution emanating from the coastal metropolis, researchers anticipated sharks to keep away from areas near the town, however that is not what they discovered.
Some animals, like pigeons and racoons, thrive in cities. These species, referred to as “city exploiters,” typically turn into depending on human rubbish for meals. Other animals, referred to as “city adapters,” could present some use of urbanized areas, however nonetheless largely depend on pure areas. On the opposite hand, some species reminiscent of land predators reminiscent of wolves are very delicate to human disturbance. These “city avoiders” keep away from huge cities.
“Few research have investigated the actions of ocean predators in relation to urbanization, however since different research have proven that land predators are city avoiders, we anticipated sharks to be too,” mentioned Neil Hammerschlag, director of the UM Shark Research and Conservation Program and lead creator of the research. “We have been stunned to search out that the sharks we tracked spent a lot time close to the lights and sounds of the busy metropolis, typically near shore, irrespective of the time of day.” The researchers concluded that the behaviors of the tracked sharks resembled that of “city adapters”. The research speculates sharks could possibly be interested in shore from land-based actions, such because the discarding of fish carcasses.
An amazing hammerhead exploring the shallows off Miami Beach cruises beneath a swimmer. Credit: JMac / Jason McIntosh
The comparatively excessive use of urban-impacted areas by the tracked sharks could have penalties for each sharks and people. “By spending a lot time near shore, sharks are liable to publicity to poisonous pollution in addition to fishing, which might affect their well being and survival,” mentioned Hammerschlag. While shark bites on people are uncommon, the research additionally pinpoints areas near shore that could possibly be prevented by human water customers to scale back likelihood of a detrimental shark encounter, selling human-shark coexistence.
The research, titled “Urban Sharks: Residency patterns of marine prime predators in relation to a coastal metropolis” was printed June 16, 2022 within the journal Marine Ecology Progress Series.
The research’s authors embody: Neil Hammerschlag, Mitchell Rider from the UM Rosenstiel School, and Robbie Roemer, from Ocearch; Austin J. Gallagher from Beneath the Waves; and Lee Gutowsky from Trent University.
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More info:
N Hammerschlag et al, Urban sharks: residency patterns of marine prime predators in relation to a coastal metropolis, Marine Ecology Progress Series (2022). DOI: 10.3354/meps14086
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University of Miami
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Sharks could also be nearer to the town than you suppose, new research finds (2022, June 16)
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