Aftereffects of Hurricanes Irma and Ian on queen conch Aliger gigas in the Florida Keys, USA

Author:

Voss JN1,Sandbank E12,Glazer RA1,Delgado GA1

Affiliation:

1. Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Marathon, FL 33050, USA

2. Fisheries and Marine Institute, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Newfoundland A1C 5R3, Canada

Abstract

Hurricanes can have substantial impacts on shallow-water marine habitats and species. Populations of slow-moving benthic species that are subject to depensation such as the queen conch Aliger gigas may be particularly vulnerable to hurricanes. The species is protected in Florida (USA), which allowed us to investigate the effects of Hurricanes Irma (2017) and Ian (2022) on the population without the confounding effects of fishing. Adult queen conch density had declined over 80% at sites resurveyed immediately after the passage of Hurricane Irma. Additionally, the sites closest to the eye of Hurricane Irma had a significant increase in the percent cover of sand. The sand mobilized by the storm likely buried numerous conch and caused mortality. Subsequent Florida Keys-wide annual monitoring did not show any substantial recovery in adult density prior to Hurricane Ian. Adult density had declined by ~45% at sites resurveyed after Hurricane Ian. Unlike after Irma, we did not detect any significant correlation in the change to the percent cover of sand with distance from Ian. This was probably because the eye of Hurricane Ian was farther away from the main portion of the Keys than that of Hurricane Irma. Nevertheless, after both hurricanes, adult density dropped below the minimum threshold for mating in the Keys, demonstrating the depensatory implications of hurricanes for conch populations. Consequently, fishery managers must consider the synergistic effects of hurricanes and harvest on exploited populations, especially since the intensity, longevity, and frequency of hurricanes are expected to increase due to climate change.

Publisher

Inter-Research Science Center

Reference23 articles.

1. Catastrophic Mortality, Allee Effects, and Marine Protected Areas

2. Why fishing magnifies fluctuations in fish abundance

3. Bucci L, Alaka L, Hagen A, Delgado S, Beven J (2023) National Hurricane Center Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Ian (AL092022). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service. https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/data/tcr/AL092022_Ian.pdf

4. Cangialosi JP, Latto AS, Berg R (2018) National Hurricane Center Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Irma (AL112017). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service. https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/data/tcr/AL112017_Irma.pdf

5. Demographics influence reproductive output in queen conch (Lobatus gigas): implications for fishery management

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3