https://scholars.lib.ntu.edu.tw/handle/123456789/393228
Title: | Seasonal Distribution of Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphins at an Estuarine Habitat: Influences of Upstream Rainfall | Authors: | LIEN-SIANG CHOU | Keywords: | Ambient noise; Eastern Taiwan Strait; Echolocation; River discharge; Seasonal distribution; Sousa chinensis | Issue Date: | 2015 | Journal Volume: | 38 | Journal Issue: | 4 | Start page/Pages: | 1376-1384 | Source: | Estuaries and Coasts | Abstract: | River estuaries are dynamic regions that are influenced by the interactions between freshwater and seawater as well as seasonal variations in river runoffs. Studies focusing on the distribution of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis) have indicated their general tendency toward estuarine habitats. The seasonal activities of humpback dolphins are likely to synchronize with environmental fluctuations. This study investigated the effects of seasonal changes in river runoffs on the distribution gradient of humpback dolphins by deploying acoustic data loggers along the Xin Huwei River estuary, Western Taiwan, between July 2009 and September 2012. Seasonal shifts were observed in the areas with high detected duration of humpback dolphins, which mainly stayed near the river mouth during the dry seasons but moved seaward during rainy seasons and following heavy rainfall. In addition, the gradient of ambient ultrasonic pulses, dominated by snapping shrimp sounds, exhibited regional differences following heavy rainfall. The outward movements of the humpback dolphins and the snapping shrimp sounds in the estuary indicated a temporary trophic-system shift in response to local environmental changes resulting from high volumes of river runoffs. In the future, the seasonal variation in the distribution of humpback dolphins must be considered during the conservation management of this critically endangered population. © 2014, Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation. |
URI: | http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84931956130&partnerID=MN8TOARS http://scholars.lib.ntu.edu.tw/handle/123456789/393228 |
DOI: | 10.1007/s12237-014-9886-2 | SDG/Keyword: | acoustic data; ambient noise; conservation management; dolphin; echolocation; endangered species; environmental change; estuarine environment; estuarine front; geographical distribution; habitat type; rainfall; river discharge; runoff; seasonal variation; Indian Ocean; Pacific Ocean; Taiwan; Alpheidae; Sousa chinensis |
Appears in Collections: | 生態學與演化生物學研究所 |
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