Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Influence of teleost abundance on the distribution and abundance of sharks in Florida Bay, USA

  • Published:
Hydrobiologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Understanding the factors that influence the distribution and abundance of predators, including sharks, is important for predicting the impacts of human changes to the environment. Such studies are particularly important in Florida Bay, USA where there are planned large-scale changes to patterns of freshwater input from the Everglades ecosystem. Studies of many marine predators suggest that links between predator and prey habitat use may vary with spatial scale, but there have been few studies of the role of prey distribution in shaping habitat use and abundance of sharks. We used longline catches of sharks and trawls for potential teleost prey to determine the influence of teleost abundance on shark abundance at the scale of regions and habitats in Florida Bay. We found that shark catch per unit effort (CPUE) was not linked to CPUE ofteleosts at the scale of sampling sites, but shark CPUE was positively correlated with the mean CPUE for teleosts within a region. Although there does not appear to be a strong match between the abundance of teleosts and sharks at small spatial scales, regional shark abundance is likely driven, at least partially, by the availability of prey. Management strategies that influence teleost abundance will have cascading effects to higher trophic levels in Florida Bay.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • M. J. Butler SuffixIV J. H. Hunt W. F. Herrnkind M. J. Childress R. Bertelsen W. Sharp T. Matthews J. M. Field G. Marshall (1995) ArticleTitleCascading disturbances in Florida Bay, USA: cyanobacteria blooms, sponge mortality, and implications for juvenile spiny lobster Panulirus argus Marine Ecology Progress Series 129 119–125

    Google Scholar 

  • P. K. Fauchald E. Erikstad H. Skarsfjord (2000) ArticleTitleScale-dependent predator–prey interactions: the hierarchical spatial distribution of seabirds and prey Ecology 81 773–783 Occurrence Handle10.2307/177376

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • S. D. Fretwell H. L. Lucas SuffixJr. (1970) ArticleTitleOn territorial behavior and other factors influencing habitat distribution in birds Acta Biotheoretica 19 16–36 Occurrence Handle10.1007/BF01601953

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • C. Guinet L. Dubroca M. A. Lea S. Goldsworthy Y. Cherel G. Duhamel F. Bonadonna J. P. Donnay (2001) ArticleTitleSpatial distribution of foraging in female Antarctic fur seals Arctocephalus gazella in relation to oceanographic variables: a scale-dependent approach using geographic information systems Marine Ecology Progress Series 219 251–264

    Google Scholar 

  • M. R. Heithaus (2001) ArticleTitleThe biology of tiger sharks, Galeocerdo cuvier, in Shark Bay, Western Australia: sex ratio, size distribution, diet, and seasonal changes in catch rates Environmental Biology of Fishes 61 25–36 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1011021210685

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • M. R. Heithaus L. M. Dill G. J. Marshall B. Buhleier (2002) ArticleTitleHabitat use and foraging behavior of tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier) in a seagrass ecosystem Marine Biology 140 237–248 Occurrence Handle10.1007/s00227-001-0711-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • M. R. Heithaus (2004) Predator–prey interactions J.C. Carrier J.A. Musick M. R. Heithaus (Eds) Biology of Sharks and their Relatives CRC Press Boca Raton 487–521

    Google Scholar 

  • M. R. Heithaus (2005) ArticleTitleHabitat use and group size of pied cormorants (Phalacrocorax varius) in a seagrass ecosystem: possible effects of food abundance and predation risk Marine Biology 147 27–35 Occurrence Handle10.1007/s00227-004-1534-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • M. R. Heupel R. E. Hueter (2002) ArticleTitleImportance of prey density in relation to the movement patterns of juvenile blacktip sharks (Carcharhinus limbatus) within a coastal nursery area Marine and Freshwater Research 53 543–550 Occurrence Handle10.1071/MF01132

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D. M. Hugie L. M. Dill (1994) ArticleTitleFish and game: a game theoretic approach to habitat selection by predators and prey Journal of Fish Biology 45 151–169

    Google Scholar 

  • S. S. Light J. W. Dineen (1994) Water control in the Everglades: a historical perspective J. C. Ogden (Eds) Everglades: The Ecosystem and its Restoration St. Lucie Press Delray Beach, Florida 47–84

    Google Scholar 

  • R. E. J. Matheson D. K. Camp S. M. Sogard K. A. Bjorgo (1999) ArticleTitleChanges in seagrass-associated fish and crustacean communities in Florida Bay mud banks: the effects of recent ecosystem changes? Estuaries 22 534–551 Occurrence Handle10.2307/1353216

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McPherson, B. E. & R. B. Halley, 1996. The South Florida Environment – A Region under Stress. Circular 1134, United States Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia

  • F. Mehlum G. L. Hunt SuffixJr. Z. Klusek M. B. Decker (1999) ArticleTitleScale-dependent correlations between the abundance of Brünnich’s guillemots and their prey Journal of Animal Ecology 68 60–72 Occurrence Handle10.1046/j.1365-2656.1999.00267.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • J. F. Morrissey S. H. Gruber (1993) ArticleTitleHome range of juvenile lemon sharks, Negaprion brevirostris Copeia 2 425–434 Occurrence Handle10.2307/1447141

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • J. C. Ogden J. A. Browder J. H. Gentile L. H. Gunderson R. Fennema J. Wang (1999) ArticleTitleEnvironmental management scenarios: ecological implication Urban Ecosystems 3 279–303 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1009508718195

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • M. B. Robblee T. R. Barber P. R. Carlson SuffixJr. M. Durako J.W. Fourqurean L. K. Muehlstein D. Porter L. A. Yarbro R. T. Zieman J. C. Zieman (1991) ArticleTitleMass mortality of tropical seagrass Thalassia testudinum in Florida Bay (USA) Marine Ecology Progress Series 71 297–299

    Google Scholar 

  • D. T. Rudnick Z. Chen D. L. Childers J. N. Boyer T. D. Fontaine SuffixIII (1999) ArticleTitlePhosphorus and nitrogen inputs to Florida Bay: the importance of the Everglades watershed Estuaries 22 398–416 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK1MXmsVOmtr4%3D Occurrence Handle10.2307/1353207

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • A Sih (1984) ArticleTitleThe behavioral response race of predators and prey American Naturalist 123 143–150 Occurrence Handle10.1086/284193

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • C. A. Simpfendorfer A. B. Gotreid R. B. McAuley (2001) ArticleTitleSize, sex, and geographic variation in the diet of the tiger shark, Galeocerdo cuvier, from Western Australian waters Environmental Biology of Fishes 61 37–46 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1011021710183

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D. W. Sims V. A. Quayle (1998) ArticleTitleSelective foraging behaviour of basking sharks on zooplankton in a small-scale front Nature 393 460–464 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK1cXjs1Kgurc%3D Occurrence Handle10.1038/30959

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • S. M. Sogard G. V. N. Powell J. G. Holmquist (1989) ArticleTitleSpatial distribution and trends in abundance of fishes residing in seagrass meadows on Florida Bay mudbanks Bulletin of Marine Science 44 179–199

    Google Scholar 

  • G. W. Thayer A. J. Chester (1989) ArticleTitleDistribution and abundance of fishes among basin and channel habitats in Florida Bay Bulletin of Marine Science 44 200–219

    Google Scholar 

  • G. W. Thayer G. V. N. Powell D. E. Hoss (1999) ArticleTitleComposition of larval, juvenile, and small adult fishes relative to changes in environmental conditions in Florida Bay Estuaries 22 518–533 Occurrence Handle10.2307/1353215

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • W. M. Weatherbee E. Cortes (2004) Food consumption and feeding habits J. C. Carrier J. A. Musick M. R. Heithaus (Eds) Biology of Sharks and their Relatives CRC Press Boca Raton 225–246

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Duke University Marine Laboratory, 135 Duke Marine Lab Road, Beaufort, NC, 28516, USA

    Leigh G. Torres

  2. Marine Biology Program Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, 3000 NE 151 St, North Miami, FL, 33181, USA

    Michael R. Heithaus & Bryan Delius

Authors
  1. Leigh G. Torres
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Michael R. Heithaus
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Bryan Delius
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Leigh G. Torres.

Electronic supplementary material

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Torres, L. ., Heithaus, M. . & Delius, B. Influence of teleost abundance on the distribution and abundance of sharks in Florida Bay, USA. Hydrobiologia 569, 449–455 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-006-0148-6

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-006-0148-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation