“Spatial Scale, Means and Gradients of Hydrographic Variables Define Pelagic Seascapes of Bluefin and Bullet Tuna Spawning Distribution” by Alvarez-Berastegui et al., published in PLoS ONE

Diego Alvarez-Berastegui from SOCIB in collaboration with researchers from IEO (COB) and the University of Oregon recently published a new study entitled “Spatial Scale, Means and Gradients of Hydrographic Variables Define Pelagic Seascapes of Bluefin and Bullet Tuna Spawning Distribution”. This paper proposes a new approach to study the relationship between the variability of the marine environment and the spatial distribution of migratory species such as bluefin tuna. The authors show the need of characterizing the ocean spatial variability around the location where organisms are found. This publications also shows that the application of these principles can significantly improve studies aimed at understanding how certain marine currents, fronts and instabilities (eddies and filaments) affect the spawning location of highly migratory species.

This result has direct application to the development of new tools and techniques for ecosystem and science based management of marine resources. The mapping of pelagic habitats is a key element that has already proven to be of high importance in monitoring populations of species such as bluefin tuna, or the design of marine protected areas in open water, which is currently one of the main challenges to advance towards the protection of our seas.

Reference: Diego Alvarez-Berastegui, Lorenzo Ciannelli, Alberto Aparicio-Gonzalez, Patricia Reglero, Manuel Hidalgo, Jose Luis López-Jurado, Joaquín Tintoré, Francisco Alemany, 2014. Spatial Scale, Means and Gradients of Hydrographic Variables Define Pelagic Seascapes of Bluefin and Bullet Tuna Spawning Distribution. PLoS ONE 9(10): e109338.doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0109338

Source: A. Morillas (COB-IEO)