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.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
J. F. Morrissey S. H. Gruber (1993) ArticleTitleHome range of juvenile lemon sharks, Negaprion brevirostris Copeia 2 425–434 Occurrence Handle10.2307/1447141
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
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
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
A Sih (1984) ArticleTitleThe behavioral response race of predators and prey American Naturalist 123 143–150 Occurrence Handle10.1086/284193
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
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
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
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
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
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
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Electronic supplementary material
Rights 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
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-006-0148-6