Biology

Seascapes of fear and competition shape regional seabird movement ecology

N. Courbin, L. Pichegru, et al.

This fascinating study by Nicolas Courbin and colleagues reveals how the Cape gannet adapts its movements in response to the fear of predators and competition from fisheries in the Benguela marine ecosystem. By shifting to offshore areas at night, gannets demonstrate the profound impact of predation risk on their ecology, providing critical insights for marine protected area design.

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Index

Abstract

This study investigated the Seascape of Fear Hypothesis in the Benguela marine ecosystem off South Africa, examining how predator fear and competition with fisheries influence Cape gannet movement ecology. Using electronic tracking data, researchers found that gannets co-occurred with their predator, the Cape fur seal, during the day and competed with fisheries in coastal areas. At night, gannets shifted to offshore areas with lower seal attendance to reduce predation risk, demonstrating how fear and competition shape the seascape of threatened Cape gannets. These findings have implications for the design of marine protected areas.

Publisher

Communications Biology

Published On

Mar 01, 2022

Authors

Nicolas Courbin, Lorien Pichegru, Mduduzi Seakamela, Azwianewi Makhado, Michael Meÿer, Pieter G. H. Kotze, Steven A. Mc Cue, Clara Péron, David Grémillet

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