The seasonal flux of hypersaline water determined the distribution of Tiger Sharks, shifting shallow and dense seagrass beds from highly suitable to unsuitable habitat when becoming inundated with salinities > 40 (typical ocean water is 35.5).
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Inverse estuaries are defined when salinities are consistently above the adjacent ocean due to evaporation exceeding the input of fresh water. In Shark Bay, WA, we found that Tiger Sharks avoid outflows of hypersaline water, which occur in this system seasonally during the winter.
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🚨 New #Shark Pub available #OpenAccess in @natureportfolio.nature.com journal #ScientificReports 🚨

Here we reveal the dynamic physical processes that drive suitable habitat for Tiger Sharks in a subtropical coastal embayment🦈
🔗link here: rdcu.be/eeZG5
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🎥: @jakemasondiving

Our results showed that feature types that enhance productivity had the greatest influence on whale shark movements. OG platforms had a comparable effect as natural features, which acted as migratory stepping stones that further enhanced habitat connectivity.
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To achieve this, we compiled 78 whale shark tags to generate spatial #networks that quantify how natural seafloor features known to attract marine predators influence their spatial patterns 🏔️. We repeated this analysis to compare their influence with infrastructure for OG extraction 🛢️.
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New #Shark Pub available #OpenAccess in the journal Diversity and Distributions 📝

Here we show that both natural and artificial seafloor structures influence the movement and habitat connectivity of Whale Sharks across seascapes 🦈
🔗: tinyurl.com/ca9pzycv
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@uwaoceans.bsky.social

Hi, I’m new to Bluesky 😊👋 I have just submitted my PhD dissertation and am now a research scientist at the #Shark Research Foundation. I use #telemetry and #OceanModels to understand biophysical drivers of #MarineMegafauna movement and behaviour. Exited to connect and build a network 🦈 🐟 🐋