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Spatial ecology of juvenile lemon sharks (Negaprion brevirostris) in tidal creeks and coastal waters of Eleuthera, The Bahamas

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Abstract

Fisheries exploitation and habitat alteration are threatening lemon shark (Negaprion bevirostris) populations because they use nearshore regions as nursery sites. As such, there is a need for information on the spatial ecology of juvenile lemon sharks to identify critical habitats that require protection, as well as to understand their basic ecology. The purpose of this study was to determine the habitat preferences and movement patterns of juvenile lemon sharks along a sub-section of coastline characterized by coastal flats and tidal creeks of Eleuthera, The Bahamas. Eleven juvenile lemon sharks (766 ± 127 mm total length; mean±SD) were captured from various tidal creeks within the 23 km study area and were surgically implanted with acoustic transmitters. A series of 27 hydrophone receivers acted as a passive monitoring array to detect tagged individuals as they moved among habitats. Findings suggest that juvenile lemon sharks tagged in this study prefer shallow water habitats within tidal creeks, and typically display high site fidelity with occasional forays to alternate habitats or creeks. In fact, more than 90% of tagged lemon sharks had the greatest percentage of detections located at a receiver at or close to the location where they were tagged. There was no evidence of differences in diel or seasonal movement and habitat use. Knowledge gained from this study will be useful for directing future conservation and management strategies including coastal development plans and marine protected areas.

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Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge C. Maxey and the staff, students, and volunteers of the Cape Eleuthera Institute and The Island School for logistical support and assistance with field work. In particular, A. Schultz, E. Brooks, A. Oronti, S. Langosch, and T. Voorhees. We also thank other research staff including J. Koppelman, J. Claussen, M. Philipp, and M. Philipp. This project was supported by a grant from the Charles A. and Anne Morrow Lindbergh Foundation. Additional financial support was provided by the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, the Ontario Research Fund, Carleton University, the Cape Eleuthera Foundation, Bonefish & Tarpon Unlimited, and the University of Illinois. K. Murchie was supported by a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council CGSD fellowship. We also thank The Bahamas Department of Marine Resources for their support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, Canada

    Karen J. Murchie, Emily Schwager, Steven J. Cooke & Andy J. Danylchuk

  2. Flats Ecology and Conservation Program, Cape Eleuthera Institute, Eleuthera, The Bahamas c/o Cape Eleuthera Institute, 498 SW 34th St, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, 33315, USA

    Karen J. Murchie, Steven J. Cooke, Andy J. Danylchuk, Sascha E. Danylchuk, Tony L. Goldberg, Cory D. Suski & David P. Philipp

  3. Institute of Environmental Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, Canada

    Steven J. Cooke

  4. Department of Natural Resources Conservation, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 160 Holdsworth Way, Amherst, MA, 01003-9285, USA

    Andy J. Danylchuk

  5. Illinois Natural History Survey, Institute for Natural Resource Sustainability, 1816 S. Oak Street, Champaign, IL, 61820, USA

    Tony L. Goldberg & David P. Philipp

  6. Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin, 1656 Linden Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA

    Tony L. Goldberg

  7. Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1102 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana, IL, 61801, USA

    Cory D. Suski & David P. Philipp

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  1. Karen J. Murchie
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  2. Emily Schwager
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  3. Steven J. Cooke
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  4. Andy J. Danylchuk
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  5. Sascha E. Danylchuk
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  8. David P. Philipp
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Correspondence to Karen J. Murchie.

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Murchie, K.J., Schwager, E., Cooke, S.J. et al. Spatial ecology of juvenile lemon sharks (Negaprion brevirostris) in tidal creeks and coastal waters of Eleuthera, The Bahamas. Environ Biol Fish 89, 95–104 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-010-9693-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-010-9693-y

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