Building a Marine Life Observing System: Lessons from the Tagging of Pacific Predators
Steven J. Bograd. Barbara Block, Dan Costaand TOPP Scientific Teams
NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center, Environmental Research Division,Pacific Grove, California
topp.org, www.comlsecretariat.orgtopp.org, www.comlsecretariat.org
TAGGING OFPACIFICPREDATORS
Technical Approach: Use Multiple Tag Platforms
Ocean Observation & Marine Ecology22
0
Tem
pera
ture
TOPP Objectives
Technology DevelopmentTag miniaturization; advance biologging science
Interdisciplinary ScienceMarine ecology, physical oceanography, engineering, ...
Elucidate Behavior at Scale of EnvironmentRelate animal behavior to physical processes & features
Ocean ObservationAnimals as ocean sensors
Conservation and ManagementUnderstand habitat utilization
TAGGING OFPACIFICPREDATORS
Top Predator Exploration of the Pacific Ocean
o 23 specieso 4,300 tagso 350,000
tracking days
Basin-Scale Migrations of Top Predators
Fidelity to Migration Pathways
Fidelity to the California Current Ecosystem
Habitat Overlap and Niche Partitioning
Hot Spots for Foraging, Migration, Reproduction
California Current
Gulf of Alaska Eddies
Transition ZoneWhite Shark Café
TOPP Synthesis: Marine Predator Hot Spots
TOPP Synthesis: Marine Predator Hot Spots
Monterey Bay
MagdalenaBay
Marine Predator Hot SpotsMarine Predator Hot Spots
What is the physical forcing? How persistent/recurrent?What is the physical forcing? How persistent/recurrent?
Can we classify by ecological function?Can we classify by ecological function?
ForagingForaging
ReproductionReproduction
Migratory pathwayMigratory pathway
SingleSingle--species vs. multispecies vs. multi--speciesspecies
What are conservation/management options?What are conservation/management options?
TimeTime--area closures?area closures?
Adaptive managementAdaptive management
Where will the hot spots be in the future?Where will the hot spots be in the future?
Marine Predator Hot SpotsMarine Predator Hot Spots
What is the physical forcing? How persistent/recurrent?What is the physical forcing? How persistent/recurrent?
Can we classify by ecological function?Can we classify by ecological function?
ForagingForaging
ReproductionReproduction
Migratory pathwayMigratory pathway
SingleSingle--species vs. multispecies vs. multi--speciesspecies
What are conservation/management options?What are conservation/management options?
TimeTime--area closures?area closures?
Adaptive managementAdaptive management
Where will the hot spots be in the future?Where will the hot spots be in the future? Next talk …
SST, color, wind,Wave height, altimetry
T, S, currents, MLD
Atmospheric pressureWinds, turbulence
Dep
th (m
)
What role for apex marinepredators in integrated ocean observing systems?
Biologging Contributions to Ocean Observations3-D Ocean Structure
mixed layer, thermocline depthevent-scale variability
Biologging Contributions to Ocean Observations3-D Ocean Structure
mixed layer, thermocline depthevent-scale variability
Track Fidelity ==> “Repeat Hydrography”interannual variability
Biologging Contributions to Ocean Observations3-D Ocean Structure
mixed layer, thermocline depthevent-scale variability
Track Fidelity ==> “Repeat Hydrography”interannual variability
Mesoscale Dynamicseddy/frontal structure and evolutionprey aggregation mechanismsidentify/characterize hot spots
Biologging Contributions to Ocean Observations3-D Ocean Structure
mixed layer, thermocline depthevent-scale variability
Track Fidelity ==> “Repeat Hydrography”interannual variability
Mesoscale Dynamicseddy/frontal structure and evolutionprey aggregation mechanismsidentify/characterize hot spots
Ocean Observing Systemsmonitoring (of critical habitat)develop climatologies
Biologging Contributions to Ocean Observations3-D Ocean Structure
mixed layer, thermocline depthevent-scale variability
Track Fidelity ==> “Repeat Hydrography”interannual variability
Mesoscale Dynamicseddy/frontal structure and evolutionprey aggregation mechanismsidentify/characterize hot spots
Ocean Observing Systemsmonitoring (of critical habitat)develop climatologies
Modelingvalidationdata assimilation (NASA, NRL)habitat models, prediction?
www.gtopp.org
Sponsors and supporters
Remote sensing data:• Aviso/CNES (altimetry)• NASA/GSFC (SeaWiFS ocean color )• NOAA/NODC & JPL (SST)• UCSD/SIO (Bathymetry)
Thank YouThank You